2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS tow

Familiarize yourself with the characteristics of
your vehicle and the gear shift operation before
driving through difficult terrain.
The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving: R
the Off-road drive program (vehicles without
Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 219) R
Off-road and Off-road Plus drive programs
(vehicles with Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 220) R
LOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles with the
Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 221) R
Differential lock (vehicles with the Off-Road
Engineering package) ( Y
page 221)R
Off-road ABS ( Y
page 67)R
Off-road 4ETS ( Y
page 70)R
Off-road ESP ®
( Y
page 71)R
AIRMATIC package (vehicle level)
( Y
page 188) R
DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
( Y
page 218)
Observe the following notes: R
Stop the vehicle before starting to drive along
an off-road route. If necessary, select the off-
road program ( Y
page 220) or shift to the
LOW RANGE off-road gear ( Y
page 221).R
Select a vehicle level that is suitable for the
terrain. To avoid damaging the vehicle, make
sure there is always sufficient ground clear-
ance. R
Check that items of cargo and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
( Y
page 305). R
Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Activate
DSR ( Y
page 218).R
Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving down an incline. R
Adapt your speed to the terrain. The rougher,
steeper or more ruts on the terrain, the slower
your speed should be. R
Do not jump with the vehicle as this will inter-
rupt the vehicle's propulsion. R
Drive with extreme care on unfamiliar off-road
routes where visibility is poor. For safety rea-
sons, get out of the vehicle first and survey
the off-road route. R
Look out for obstacles, such as rocks, holes,
tree stumps and furrows. R
Take care when turning on an uphill or down-
hill slope or when driving across a slope. The
vehicle could otherwise tip over. R
Always keep the doors, the tailgate, the side
windows and the sliding sunroof closed while
the vehicle is in motion. R
Do not shift the automatic transmission to
position \\ . R
Observe the notes on off-road fording
( Y
page 169).
i Information about retrofitting special all-ter-
rain tires is available from any qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
i Do not use the HOLD function when driving
off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gradients
or on slippery or loose surfaces. The HOLD
function cannot hold the vehicle on such sur-
faces.
Checklist before driving off-road
! If the engine oil warning lamp lights up while
the vehicle is in motion, stop the vehicle in a
safe place as soon as possible. Check the
engine oil level. The engine oil warning lamp
warning must not be ignored. Continuing the
journey while the symbol is displayed could
lead to engine damage. X
Engine oil level: check the engine oil level
and add oil if necessary.
When driving on steep gradients, the engine
oil level must be sufficiently high to ensure a
correct oil supply in the vehicle. X
DEF tank (BlueTEC vehicles): check the
level and add if necessary ( Y
page 158).X
Tire-changing tool kit: check that the jack is
working and make sure you have the lug
wrench, a robust tow cable and a folding
spade in the vehicle. X
Wheels and tires: check the tread depth and
pressure of the tires. X
Check for damage and remove any foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the wheels/
tires. X
Replace any missing valve caps. X
Replace dented or damaged wheels. X
Rims: dented or bent rims can result in a loss
of tire pressure and damage the tire bead. Driving tips 171
Driving and parking Z

Hilltops When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly
reduce pressure on the accelerator immediately
before reaching the brow of the hill. Make use of
the vehicle's own impetus to travel over the
brow.
This style of driving prevents: R
the vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill R
the vehicle from traveling too quickly down
the other side
Driving downhill R
Drive slowly. R
Do not drive at an angle down steep inclines.
Steer into the line of fall and drive with the
front wheels aligned straight. Otherwise, the
vehicle could slip sideways, tip and rollover. R
Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand pad-
dle shifter before tackling steep downhill gra-
dients. R
Activate DSR. If this is not sufficient, brake
gently. When doing so, make sure that the
vehicle is facing in the direction of the line of
fall. R
Check that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
i The special off-road ABS setting enables a
precise, brief and repeated locking of the
front wheels. This causes them to dig into
loose earth. Be aware that the front wheels
easily skid across the ground surface if com-
pletely braked and therefore lose their ability
to steer.
Driving systems
Intelligent Drive Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive stands for inno-
vative driver assistance and safety systems
which enhance comfort and support the driver in
critical situations. With these intelligent co-ordi-
nated systems Mercedes-Benz has set a mile-
stone on the path towards autonomous driving.
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive embraces all
elements of active and passive safety in one well
thought out system – for the safety of the vehi-
cle occupants and that of other road users. Further information on driving safety systems
( Y
page 66).
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road speed
for you. It brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed. You must select a
lower gear in good time on long and steep down-
hill gradients, especially if the vehicle is laden or
towing a trailer. By doing so, you will make use of
the braking effect of the engine. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a steady
speed for a prolonged period. You can store any
road speed above 20 mph (30 km/h).
i Cruise control should not be activated when
driving off-road.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise con-
trol can neither reduce the risk of an accident
nor override the laws of physics. Cruise control
cannot take into account the road, traffic and
weather conditions. Cruise control is only an
aid. You are responsible for the distance to the
vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in
good time and for staying in your lane.
Do not use cruise control: R
in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads R
on slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid R
when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.174
Driving systems
Driving and parking

Deactivating cruis e contro lThere are severa l ways to deactivat e cruise con-
trol: X
Briefly press th e cruise contro l lever for-
ward s C .
or X
Brake.
Cruise contro l is automatically deactivated if:R
you engage th e electric parking brakeR
you are drivin g at les s than 20 mph (30 km/ h)R
ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R
you activate DSR R
you activate the Offroad Plus program (vehi-
cles with the Off-Road Engineering package) R
you shift the transmission to position N while
driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise Con‐
trol Off message in the multifunction display
for approximately five seconds.
i When you switch off the engine, the last
speed stored is cleared.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
General notes Distance Pilot DISTRONIC regulates the speed
and automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front. Vehicles
are detected with the aid of the radar sensor
system. Distance Pilot DISTRONIC brakes auto-
matically so that the set speed is not exceeded.
You must select a lower gear in good time on
long and steep downhill gradients, especially if
the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. By doing
so, you will make use of the braking effect of the
engine. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly.
If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC detects that there is
a risk of a collision, you will be warned visually
and acoustically. Without your intervention, Dis-
tance Pilot DISTRONIC cannot prevent a colli-
sion. An intermittent warning tone will then
sound and the distance warning lamp will light
up in the instrument cluster. Brake immediately
in order to increase the distance to the vehicle in front or take evasive action provided it is safe to
do so.
For Distance Pilot DISTRONIC to assist you
when driving, the radar sensor system must be
operational.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC ope rates in the range
b etween 0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph
(200 km/h).
Do not use Distance Pilot DISTRONIC while driv-
ing on roads with steep gradients.
Since Distance Pilot DISTRONIC transmits radar
waves, it can resemble the radar detectors of
the responsible authorities. You can refer to the
relevant chapter in the Operator's Manual if
questions are asked about this.
i USA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC as
a "Vehicular Radar System". The radar sensor
is intended for use in an automotive radar
system only. Removing, tampering with, or
altering the device will void any warranties,
and is not permitted by the FCC. Do not tam-
per with, alter, or use in any non-approved
way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
i Canada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
2. This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Do not tamper with, alter or use in any non-
appro ved w ay.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user's authority to operate the
equipment.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC does not react to: R
people or animals R
stationary objects on the road, e.g. stopped
or parked vehicles R
oncoming vehicles and crossing traffic176
Driving system s
Dr ivi ng an d parking

As a result, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may
neither give warnings nor intervene in such
situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
G WARNING
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC cannot always
clearly identify other road users and complex
traffic situations.
In such cases, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may: R
give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle R
neither give a warning nor intervene R
accelerate or brake unexpectedly
There is a risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be ready to
brake, especially if Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
warns you.
G WARNING
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC brakes your vehicle
with up to 50% of the maximum possible
deceleration. If this deceleration is not suffi-
cient, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC alerts you
with a visual and acoustic warning. There is a
risk of an accident.
Apply the brakes yourself in these situations
and try to take evasive action.
! When Distance Pilot DISTRONIC or the
HOLD function is activated, the vehicle
brakes automatically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or similar situations: R
when towing the vehicle R
in the car wash
The Distance Pilot DISTRONIC R
can neither reduce the risk of accident nor
override the laws of physics if you fail to adapt
your driving style. R
cannot take into account road, weather or
traffic conditions. R
is only an aid. You are responsible for the dis-
tance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time and for staying in your
lane.
Do not use Distance Pilot DISTRONIC: R
in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads R
on slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erati ng could cause the drive wheels to lose
tra ction and the vehicle could then skid R
in poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may not detect nar-
row vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can be
impaired if: R
there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors R
there is snow or heavy rain R
there is interference by other radar sources R
there are strong radar reflections, for exam-
ple, in parking garages
If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC no longer detects a
vehicle in front, it may unexpectedly accelerate
to the speed stored.
This speed may: R
be too high if you are driving in a turning lane
or an exit lane R
be so high when driving in the right-hand lane
that you overtake vehicles in the left-hand
lane R
be so high when driving in the left-hand lane
that you overtake vehicles in the right-hand
lane
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.Driving systems 177
Driving an d parking Z

Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is automatically deac-
tivated if: R
you engage the electric parking brake or if the
vehicle is automatically secured with the elec-
tric parking brake R
ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R
the transmission is in the P , R or N positionR
you pull the cruise control lever towards you
in order to pull away and the front-passenger
door or one of the rear doors is open R
you activate Parking Pilot R
the vehicle is skidding
A warning tone sounds. The Distance Pilot
Off message will appear in the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is automatically deac-
tivated if: R
you activate DSR R
you activate the OFFROAD Program+ (vehi-
cles with the Off-Road Engineering package)
The

Tips for driving with Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC General notes Pay particular attention in the following traffic
situations: R
Cornering, entering and exiting a bend: the
ability of Distance Pilot DISTRONIC to detect
vehicles during cornering is limited. Your vehi-
cle may brake unexpectedly or late. R
Driving on a different line: Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC may not detect vehicles which are
not driving in the middle of their lane. The dis-
tance to the vehicle in front will be too short. R
Other vehicles changing lanes: Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC has not detected the vehicle cut-
ting in yet. The distance to this vehicle will be
too short. R
Narrow vehicles: Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
has not yet detected the vehicle in front on
the edge of the road because of its narrow
width. The distance to the vehicle in front will
be too short. R
Obstacles and stationary vehicles: Distance
Pilot DISTRONIC does not brake for obstacles
or stationary vehicles. If, for example, the
detected vehicle turns a corner and an obsta-
cle or stationary vehicle is then revealed, Dis-
tance Pilot DISTRONIC will not brake for
them. R
Crossing traffic: Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
may mistakenly detect vehicles that are
crossing your lane. Activating Distance Pil ot
DIST
RONIC at, for example, a traffic light with
crossing traffic, could cause your vehicle to
pull away at the wrong time.
In such situations, brake if necessary. Distance
Pilot DISTRONIC will then be deactivated. Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with Steering
Pilot General notes
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with Steering Pilot
aids you in keeping the vehicle in the center of
the driving lane by means of moderate steering
interventions in a speed range from 0 - 125 mph
(0 - 200 km/h).
It monitors the area in front of your vehicle by
means of camera system C at the top of the
windshield.
In a speed range from 0 - 37 mph (0 - 60 km/h),
the extended automatic Re-start in traffic jams
focuses on the vehicle in front, taking into
account lane markings, e.g. when following vehi-
cles in a traffic jam.
At speeds of more than 37 mph (60 km/h),
Steering Pilot focuses on clear lane markings
(left and right), only focusing on the vehicle in
front if clear lane markings are not present.
If these conditions are not present, Steering
Pilot cannot provide assistance.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC must be active in
order for the function to be available.
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Distance
Pilot DISTRONIC and Steering Pilot can neither
reduce the risk of an accident nor override the
laws of physics. It cannot take into account
road, weather or traffic conditions. Distance
Pilot DISTRONIC with Steering Pilot is only an
a i d. You are responsible for the distance to the
vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in
good time and for staying in your lane.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with Steering Pilot
does not detect road and traffic conditions and
does not detect all road users. If you are follow-
ing a vehicle which is driving towards the edge of
the road, your vehicle could come into contact182
Driving system s
Dr ivi ng an d parking

with the curb or other road boundaries. Be par-
ticularly aware of other road users, e.g. cyclists,
that are directly next to your vehicle.
Obstacles such as traffic pylons on the lane or
projecting out into the lane are not detected.
An inappropriate steering intervention, e.g. after
intentionally driving over a lane marking, can be
corrected at any time if you steer slightly in the
opposite direction.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with Steering Pilot
cannot continuously keep your vehicle in lane. In
some cases, the steering intervention is not suf-
ficient to bring the vehicle back to the lane. In
such cases, you must steer the vehicle yourself
to ensure that it does not leave the lane.
The support provided by the system can be
impaired if: R
there is poor visibility, e.g. due to insufficient
illumination of the road, or due to snow, rain,
fog or heavy spray R
there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic, the
sun or reflections (e.g. when the road surface
is wet) R
the windshield is dirty, fogged up, damaged or
covered, for instance by a sticker, in the vicin-
ity of the camera R
there are no or several unclear lane markings
for one lane, e.g. roadworks R
the lane markings are worn away, dark or cov-
ered up, e.g. by dirt or snow R
the distance to the vehicle in front is too short
and thus the lane markings cannot be detec-
ted R
the lane markings change quickly, e.g. lanes
branch off, cross on e another or mergeR
the road is narrow and winding R
there are strong shadows cast on the road
The system is switched to passive and no longer
assists you by performing steering interventions
if: R
you actively change lane R
you switch on the turn signal R
take your hands off the steering wheel or do
not steer for a prolonged period of time
i After you have finished changing lanes,
Steering Pilot is automatically active once
more. Steering Pilot cannot provide assistance: R
on very sharp corners R
when towing a trailer R
when a loss of tire pressure or a defective tire
has been detected and displayed
Observe the important safety notes on Distance
Pilot DISTRONIC ( Y
page 176).
The steering interventions are carried out with a
limited steering moment. The system requires
the driver to keep his hands on the steering
wheel and to steer himself.
If you do not steer yourself or if you take your
hands off the steering wheel for a prolonged
period of time, the system will first alert you with
a visual warning. A steering wheel symbol
appears in the multifunction display. If you have
still not started to steer and have not taken hold
of the steering wheel after five seconds at the
latest, a warning tone also sounds to remind you
to take control of the vehicle. Steering Pilot is
then switched to passive. Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC remains active.
Activating Steering Pilot X
Activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with
Steering Pilot using the on-board computer
( Y
page 241).
The Steering Pilot On message appears
on the multifunction display. Steering Pilot is
activated.
Information in the multifunction display
If Steering Pilot is activated but not ready for a
steering intervention, steering wheel symbol C
appears in gray. If the system provides you with
support by means of steering interventions,
symbol C is shown in green.
Deactivating Steering Pilot X
Deactivate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with
Steering Pilot using the on-board computer
( Y
page 241).
The Steering Pilot Off message appears
on the multifunction display. Steering pilot is
deactivated.Driving systems 183
Driving and parking Z

HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations: R
when pulling away, especially on steep slopes R
when maneuvering on steep slopes R
when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the driver
having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away.
i Do not use the HOLD function when driving
off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gradients
or on slippery or loose surfaces. The HOLD
function cannot hold the vehicle on such sur-
faces.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If the vehicle is only braked using the HOLD
function, the vehicle may roll away in the fol-
lowing situations when you leave the vehicle: R
if there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply R
if the HOLD function is deactivated by
depressing the accelerator pedal or brake
pedal, e.g. by a vehicle occupant R
if the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with or the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
Always deactivate the HOLD function and
secure the vehicle against rolling away before
you leave it.
! When Distance Pilot DISTRONIC or the
HOLD function is activated, the vehicle
brakes automatically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC and the HOLD
function in the following or similar situations: R
when towing the vehicle R
in the car wash
Deactivate the HOLD function ( Y
page 187). Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if: R
the vehicle is stationary R
the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function R
the driver's door is closed or your seat belt is
fastened R
the electric parking brake is released R
the transmission is in position [ , ^ or \\R
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is deactivated
Activating the HOLD function X
Make sure that the activation conditions are
met. X
Depress the brake pedal. X
Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until C appears in the multifunction display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first time
does not activate the HOLD function, wait
briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated automatically
if: R
you depress the accelerator and the trans-
mission is in position [ or ^R
you shift the transmission to position ]R
you depress the brake pedal again with a cer-
tain amount of pressure until C disappears
from the multifunction display R
you secure the vehicle using the electric park-
ing brake R
you activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake.Driving systems 187
Driving and parking Z