2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS ignition

G WARNING
The exterior mirror on the front-passenger
side reduces the size of the image. Visible
objects are actually closer than they appear.
This means that you could misjudge the dis-
tance from road users traveling behind, e.g.
when changing lane. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
For this reason, always make sure of the
actual distance from the road users traveling
behind by glancing over your shoulder.
X
Turn the SmartKey to position G or H in the
ignition lock ( Y
page 140).X
Exterior mirror on the driver's side: press but-
ton C .
Exterior mirror on the front-passenger side:
press button D .
The indicator lamp in the corresponding but-
ton lights up in red.
The indicator lamp goes out again after some
time. You can adjust the selected exterior
mirror using button

Exterior mirror pushed out of position If an exterior mirror has been pushed out of
position, proceed as follows: X
Vehicles without electrically folding exte-
rior mirrors: move the exterior mirror into
the correct position manually. X
Vehicles with electrically folding exterior
mirrors: press and hold mirror-folding but-
ton C until you hear a click and the mirror
engages in position audibly.
The mirror housing is engaged again and you
can adjust the exterior mirrors as usual
( Y
page 110).
Automatic anti-glare mirrors
G WARNING
Electrolyte may escape if the glass in an auto-
matic anti-glare mirror breaks. The electrolyte
is harmful and causes irritation. It must not
come into contact with your skin, eyes, res-
piratory organs or clothing or be swallowed.
There is a risk of injury.
If you come into contact with the electrolyte,
observe the following: R
Rinse off the electrolyte from your skin
immediately with water. R
Immediately rinse the electrolyte out of
your eyes thoroughly with clean water. R
If the electrolyte is swallowed, immediately
rinse your mouth out thoroughly. Do not
induce vomiting. R
If electrolyte comes into contact with your
skin or hair or is swallowed, seek medical
attention immediately. R
Immediately change out of clothing which
has come into contact with electrolyte. R
If an allergic reaction occurs, seek medical
attention immediately. The rear-view mirror and the exterior mirror on
the driver's side automatically go into anti-glare
mode if the following conditions are met simul-
taneously: R
the ignition is switched on and R
incident light from headlamps strikes the sen-
sor in the rear-view mirror
The mirrors do not go into anti-glare mode if
reverse gear is engaged or if the interior lighting
is switched on.
Parking position for the exterior mir-
ror on the front-passenger side
Setting and storing the parking position You can position the front-passenger side exte-
rior mirror in such a way that you can see the
rear wheel on that side as soon as you engage
reverse gear. You can store this position.
Using reverse gear
C
Button for the driver's side exterior mirror D
Button for the front-passenger side exterior
mirror

The daytime running lamps improve the visibility
of your vehicle during the day. To do this, the
daytime running lamps function must be
switched on using the on-board computer
( Y
page 243).
If the engine is running and you turn the light
switch to ` or X , the manual settings
take precedence over the daytime running
lamps.
Low-beam headlamps Even if the light sensor does not detect that it is
dark, the parking lamps and low-beam head-
lamps switch on when the ignition is switched on
and the light switch is set to the X position.
This is a particularly useful function in the event
of rain and fog. X
To switch on the low-beam headlamps:
turn the SmartKey to position H in the igni-
tion lock or start the engine. X
Turn the light switch to X .
The green X indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
Rear fog lamp The rear fog lamp improves visibility of your
vehicle for the traffic behind in the event of thick
fog. Please take note of the country-specific
regulations for the use of rear fog lamps. X
To switch on the rear fog lamp: turn the
SmartKey to position H in the ignition lock or
start the engine. X
Turn the light switch to X or q .X
Press the ^ button.
The yellow ^ indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up. X
To switch off the rear fog lamp: press the
^ button.
The yellow ^ indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
Parking lamps
! If the battery charge is very low, the parking
lamps or standing lamps are automatically
switched off to enable the next engine start.
Always park your vehicle safely and in a well lit
area, in accordance with the relevant legal
stipulations. Avoid using the ` parking
lamps over a period of several hours. If pos-
sible, switch on the right-hand d or left-
hand c standing lamps. X
To switch on: turn the light switch to ` .
The green ` indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
Standing lamps Switching on the standing lamps ensures the
corresponding side of t he vehicle is illuminated.X
To switch on the standing lamps: the
SmartKey should not be in the ignition lock or
in key position

The blue W indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up when the high-beam
headlamps are switched on. X
To switch off the high-beam headlamps:
move the combination switch back to its nor-
mal position.
The blue W indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
Vehicles with Adaptive Highbeam Assist: if
Adaptive Highbeam Assist is activated, it auto-
matically controls activation and deactivation of
the high-beam headlamps ( Y
page 118).
Hazard warning lamps
X
To switch on the hazard warning lamps:
press button C .
All turn signals flash. If you now switch on a
turn signal using the combination switch, only
the turn signal lamp on the corresponding
side of the vehicle will flash. X
To switch off the hazard warning lamps:
press button C .
The hazard warning lamps automatically switch
on if: R
an air bag is deployed or R
the vehicle decelerates rapidly from a speed
of above 45 mph (70 km/h) and comes to a
standstill
The hazard warning lamps switch off automati-
cally if the vehicle reaches a speed of above
6 mph (10 km/h) again after a full brake appli-
cation.
i The hazard warning lamps still operate if the
ignition is switched off. Intelligent Light System
General notes The Intelligent Light System is a system that
adjusts the headlamps automatically to suit the
prevailing driving and weather conditions. It
offers advanced functions for improved illumi-
nation of the road surface, e.g. depending on the
vehicle speed or weather conditions. The sys-
tem includes the active light function, cornering
light function, highway mode and extended
range fog lamps. The system is only active when
it is dark.
You can activate or deactivate the "Intelligent
Light System" using the on-board computer
( Y
page 243).
Active light function The active light function is a system that moves
the headlamps according to the steering move-
ments of the front wheels. In this way, relevant
areas remain illuminated while driving. This
allows you to recognize pedestrians, cyclists
and animals sooner.
Active: when the lights are switched on.
Vehicles with Lane Keeping Assist: the active
light function evaluates the course of the lane in
which you are driving and adjusts the light in
advance.
Cornering light function The cornering light function improves the illu-
mination of the road over a wide angle in the
direction you are turning, enabling better visi-
bility in tight bends, for example. It can only be
activated when the low-beam headlamps are
switched on.
Active: R
if you are driving at speeds below 25 mph
(40 km/h) and switch on the turn signal or
turn the steering wheel R
if you are driving at speeds between 25 mph
(40 km/h) and 45 mph (70 km/h) and turn
the steering wheel
The cornering lamp may remain lit for a short
time, but is automatically switched off after no
more than three minutes.Exterior lighting 117
Lights and windshield wipers Z

Replacing the rear window wiper blade Removing a wiper blade X
Remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock. X
Fold wiper arm C away from the rear window
until it engages. X
Position wiper blade D at a right angle to
wiper arm C . X
Hold wiper arm C and press wiper blade D
in the direction of the arrow until it releases. X
Remove wiper blade D .
Installing a wiper blade X
Place new wiper blade D onto wiper arm C .X
Hold wiper arm C and press wiper blade D
in the opposite direction to the arrow until it
engages. X
Make sure that wiper blade D is seated cor-
rectly. X
Position wiper blade D parallel to wiper
arm C . X
Fold wiper arm C back onto the rear window.
Problems with the windshield wipers Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
The windshield wipers
are jammed. Leaves or snow, for example, may be obstructing the windshield wiper
movement. The wiper motor has been deactivated. X
For safety reasons, you should remove the SmartKey from the igni-
tion lock.
or X
Switch off the engine using the Start/Stop button and open the
driver's door. X
Remove the cause of the obstruction. X
Switch the windshield wipers back on.
The windshield wipers
fail completely. The windshield wiper drive is malfunctioning. X
Select another wiper speed on the combination switch. X
Have the windshield wipers checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop.124
Windshield wipers
Lights and windshield wipers

Overview of climate control systems
General notes Observe the settings recommended on the fol-
lowing pages. The windows could otherwise fog
up.
To prevent the windows from fogging up: R
switch off climate control only briefly R
switch on air-recirculation mode only briefly R
switch on the cooling with air dehumidifica-
tion function R
switch on the defrost windshield function
briefly, if required
Climate control regulates the temperature and
the humidity in the vehicle interior and filters
undesirable substances out of the air.
The residual heat function can only be activated
or deactivated with the ignition switched off
( Y
page 135).
i Ventilate the vehicle for a brief period during
warm weather, e.g. using the convenience
opening feature ( Y
page 90). This will speed
up the cooling process and the desired inte-
rior temperature will be reached more
quickly. If you start the engine using your smartphone,
the last selected climate control setting is reac-
tivated ( Y
page 142).
i The integrated filter filters out most parti-
cles of dust and soot and completely filters
out pollen. It also reduces gaseous pollutants
and odors. A clogged filter reduces the
amount of air supplied to the vehicle interior.
Depending on the operating conditions and
environmental influences, the interval for
replacing the filter may be shorter than speci-
fied.
i Vehicles with ionization of the interior
air and air filter: in addition to ionization, the
vehicle has an air filter with anti-allergenic
properties that contribute to improved air fil-
tration.
i It is possible that under certain circumstan-
ces the residual heat function may be activa-
ted automatically an hour after the SmartKey
has been removed in order to dry the auto-
matic climate control. The vehicle is then ven-
tilated for 30 minutes.
Control panel for dual-zone automatic climate control
USA only
Front control panel
C
Sets the temperature, left ( Y
page 132)
D
Defrosts the windshield ( Y
page 133)Overview of climate control systems 125
Climate control

! Do not warm up the engine while stationary.
Pull away immediately. Avoid high engine
speeds and full throttle until the engine has
reached its operating temperature.
In vehicles with automatic transmission,
engage positions P and R only when the vehi-
cle is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery roads.
You could otherwise damage the drive train.
! Mercedes-AMG vehicles: at low engine oil
temperatures below 68 ‡ (+20 †), the max-
imum engine speed is restricted in order to
protect the engine. To protect the engine and
maintain smooth engine operation, avoid driv-
ing at full throttle when the engine is cold.
Key positions
SmartKey
Z
To remove the SmartKeyG
Power supply for some consumers, such as
the windshield wipersH
Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive positionI
To start the engine
i The SmartKey can be turned in the ignition
lock even if it is not the correct SmartKey for
the vehicle. The ignition is not switched on.
The engine cannot be started.
KEYLESS-GO
General notes
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO are equipped with a
SmartKey featuring an integrated KEYLESS-GO
function and a detachable Start/Stop button. A check which periodically establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the Smart-
Key determines whether a valid SmartKey is in
the vehicle. This occurs, for example, when
starting the engine.
When you insert the Start/Stop button into the
ignition lock, the system needs approximately
two seconds recognition time. You can then use
the Start/Stop button.
Pressing the Start/Stop button several times in
succession corresponds to the different Smart-
Key positions in the ignition lock. This is only the
case if you are not depressing the brake pedal.
If you depress the brake pedal and press the
Start/Stop button, the engine starts immedi-
ately.
To start the vehicle without actively using the
SmartKey: R
the Start/Stop button must be inserted in the
ignition lock R
the SmartKey must be in the vehicle R
the vehicle must not be locked with the
SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO ( Y
page 78).
Do not keep the SmartKey: R
with electronic devices, e.g. a mobile phone
or another SmartKey R
with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal foil R
inside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case
This can impair the functionality of the KEY-
LESS-GO key.
Do not keep the KEYLESS-GO key in the tem-
perature-controlled cup holder ( Y
page 309).
Otherwise, the KEYLESS-GO key will not be rec-
ognized.
If you lock the vehicle with the SmartKey remote
control or with KEYLESS-GO, after a short time: R
you will not be able to switch on the ignition
with the Start/Stop button R
you will not be able to start the engine with the
Start/Stop button until the vehicle is
unlocked again
If you lock the vehicle centrally using the button
on the front door ( Y
page 83), you can continue
to start the engine with the Start/Stop button.
The engine can be switched off while the vehicle
is in motion by pressing and holding the Start/
Stop button for three seconds. This function
operates independently of the ECO start/stop
automatic engine switch-off function.140
Driving
Driving and parking

Key positions with KEYLESS- GO
C
Start/Sto p butto nD
Ignition loc k
As soo n as th e ignition is switched on , all th e
indicator lamps in th e instrumen t cluste r ligh t
up. Further information on situation s wher e an
indicator lamp either fails to go out after starting
th e engin e or lights up while driving
( Y
page 281).
If Start/Sto p butto n C has no t yet been
pressed, this correspond s to th e SmartKey
bein g remove d from th e ignition .X
To switch on th e power supply : press
Start/Sto p butto n C once.
The power suppl y is switched on . You can no w
activat e th e windshield wipers, for example .
The power suppl y is switched off again if:R
th e driver' s door is opened andR
you press Start/Sto p C butto n twice when in
this position X
To switch on th e ignition: press Start/Sto p
butto n C twice.
The ignition is switched on .
If you press Start/Sto p butto n C once when
in this position , th e ignition is deactivated
again .
Removing the Start/S top but ton
You can remove th e Start/Sto p butto n from th e
ignition loc k and start th e vehicl e as normal
usin g th e SmartKey.
It is possible to switch between KEYLESS-GO
mod e and ke y operation only when th e trans -
mission is in position ] .X
Remove Start/Sto p butto n C fr om ignition
loc k D . You do no t have to remove th e Start/Sto p but -
to n from th e ignition loc k when you leav e th e
vehicle. You should, however , always tak e th e
SmartKey wit h you when leaving th e vehicle. As
lon g as th e SmartKey is in th e vehicle:R
th e vehicl e can be started usin g th e Start /
Stop butto n R
th e electrically powered equipmen t can be
operate d
Starting the engine
Important safety notes
G WARNIN G
If children are lef t unsupervised in th e vehicle,
they could: R
open th e doors, thus endangering other
people or road users. R
get out and disrupt traffic. R
operate th e vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set th e vehicl e in
motion if, for example , they:R
release th e parking brake. R
shiftin g th e automatic transmission out of
park positio n P R
Start th e engine.
Ther e is a ris k of an acciden t and injury.
When leaving th e vehicle, always tak e th e
SmartKey wit h you and loc k th e vehicle. Never
leav e children or animals unattended in th e
vehicle. Always keep th e SmartKey out of
reac h of children .
G WARNIN G
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gase s suc h as carbon monoxide. Inhalin g
these exhaust gase s leads to poisoning . Ther e
is a ris k of fatal injury. Therefore never leav e
th e engin e runnin g in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficien t ventilation .
G WARNIN G
Flammable materials introduce d throug h
environmental influence or by animals can Driving 141
Driving and parking Z