2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV steering

The attention level evaluation is deleted and
restarts when the journey is continued, if:
Ryou switch off the engine
Ryou take off your seat belt and open the driv-
er's door, e.g. for a change of drivers or to
take a break
Displaying the attention level
You can have current status information dis-
played in the assistance menu (Ypage 241) of
the on-board computer.
XSelect the Assistance display for ATTENTION
ASSIST using the on-board computer
(
Ypage 241).
The following information is displayed:
Rthe length of the journey since the last break.
Rthe attention level determined by ATTENTION
ASSIST, displayed in a bar display in five levels
from high to low.
RIf ATTENTION ASSIST is unable to calculate
the attention level and cannot output a warn-
ing, the System suspended
message
appears. The bar display then changes the
display, e.g. if you are driving at a speed below
37 mph (60 km/h) or above 125 mph
(200 km/h) .
Activating ATTENTION ASSIST
XActivateATTENTION ASSIST usin gth eon -
boar dcomputer (Ypage 242).
The system determine sth eattention level of
th edriver depending on th esetting selected:
Standar dselected: thesensitivit ywit hwhic h
th esystem determine sth eattention level is set
to normal.
Sensitive selected: thesensitivit yis set higher.
The attention level detecte dby Attention Assis tis adapted accordingly and th
edriver is warned
earlier .
When ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated, th e
À symbol and OF Fappear in th emultifunc-
tion display in th eassistanc edisplay when th e
engin eis running.
When ATTENTION ASSIST has been deactivated,
it is automatically reactivated after th eengin e
has been stopped. The sensitivit yselected cor-
responds to th elast selection activated (stand -
ard/sensitive).
Warn ing in the multifunction display
If fatigue or increasing lapse sin concentration
are detected, awarning appear sin th emulti-
function display: Attention
Assist:TakeaBreak!
In addition to th emessage shown in th emulti-
function display, you will then hear awarning
tone .
XIf necessary, tak e abreak.
XConfir mthemessage by pressing th ea
butto non th esteering wheel.
On lon gjourneys, tak eregular breaks in goo d
time to allow yourself to rest. If you do no ttak e
a break, you will be warned again after
15 minute sat th eearliest .This will only happe n
if ATTENTION ASSIST still detects typical indi-
cators of fatigue or increasing lapse sin concen -
tration .
Vehicles wit hCOMAND: ifawarning is issued
in th emultifunction display, aservic estation
search is performed in COMAND .You can select
a servic estation and navigation to this servic e
station will then begin. This function can be acti-
vated and deactivated in COMAND .
Traffic Sign Assist
Genera l notes
Traffic Sig nAssis tdisplays th emaximum spee d
permitte dto th edriver in th einstrumen tcluster.
The dat astore din th enavigation system and
general traffic regulation sare used to determine
th ecurren tspee dlimit.
As Traffic Sig nAssis tis amap-base dsystem,
traffic sign sput up temporarily (e.g. near road -
works )are no tdetected.
208Driving systems
Driving and parking

:Warning lamp
If Blind Spot Assist is activated, warning lamp :
in the exterior mirrors lights up yellow at speeds
of up to 20 mph (30 km/ h). At speeds above
20 mph (30 km/h), the warning lamp goes out
and Blind Spot Assist is operational.
If a vehicle is detected within the blind spot
monitoring range at speeds above 20 mph
(30 km/h), warning lamp :on the correspond-
ing side lights up red. This warning is always
emitted when a vehicle enters the blind spot
monitoring range from behind or from the side.
When you overtake a vehicle, the warning only
occurs if the difference in speed is less than
7 mph (12 km/h).
If you select the reverse gear, Blind Spot Assist
is not operational.
The brightness of the warning lamps is auto-
matically adapted to the brightness of the sur-
roundings.
Collision warning
If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range of
Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the corre-
sponding turn signal, a double warning tone
sounds. Red warning lamp :flashes. If the turn
signal remains on, detected vehicles are indica-
ted by the flashing of red warning lamp :.
There are no further warning tones.
Switching on Blind Spot Assist
XMake sure that Blind Spot Assist is activated
in the on-board computer (Ypage 242).
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
Warning lamps :in the e
xterior mirrors light
up red for approximately 1.5 seconds and
then turn yellow.
Towing a trailer
When you attach a trailer, make sure you have
correctly established the electrical connection.
This can be accomplished by checking the trailer
lighting. In this event, Blind Spot Assist is deac-
tivated. The warning lamp lights up yellow in the
exterior mirrors and the Blind Spot Assist
Not Available When Towing a TrailerSee Operator's Manualmessage appears in
the multifunction display.
iYou can deactivate the warning lamps in the
exterior mirrors.
To do so, switch off Blind Spot Assist when:
Rthe SmartKey is in position 2in the igni-
tion lock
Rthe engine is not running
Lane Keeping Assist
General notes
:Lane Keeping Assist camera
Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in front of
your vehicle with camera :, which is mounted
at the top of the windshield. Lane Keeping Assist
detects lane markings on the road and can warn
you before you leave your lane unintentionally.
This function is available in the range between
40 mph and 120 mph (60 km/h and 200 km/h).
A warning may be given if a front wheel passes
over a lane marking. It will warn you by means of
intermittent vibration in the steering wheel for
up to 1.5 seconds.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Lane Keeping Assist cannot always clearly
detect lane markings.
Driving systems211
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Z

Course-correcting brake application
If Active Blind Spot Assist detects a risk of a lat-
eral collision in the monitoring range, a course-
correcting brake application is carried out. This
is meant to assist you in avoiding a collision.
GWARNING
A course-correcting brake application cannot always prevent a collision. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always steer, brake or accelerate yourself,
especially if Active Blind Spot Assist warns
you or makes a course-correcting brake appli-
cation. Always maintain a safe distance at the
sides.
If a course-correcting brake application occurs,
red warning lamp :flashes in the exterior mir-
ror and a double warning tone sounds. In addi-
tion, a display underlining the danger of a side
collision appears in the multifunction display.
In very rare cases, the system may make an
inappropriate brake application. A course-cor-
recting brake application may be interrupted at
any time by countersteering slightly or acceler-
ating.
The course-correcting brake application is avail-
able in the speed range between 20 mph
(30 km/h) and 120 mph (200km/ h).
Either no braking application, or a course-cor-
recting brake application adapted to the driving situation occurs if:
Rthere are vehicles or obstacles, e.g. crash
barriers, located on both sides of your vehicle.
Ra vehicle approaches you too closely at the
side.
Ryou have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds.
Ryou clearly brake or accelerate.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, e.g. ESP®
or PRE-SAFE®Brake.
RESP®is switched off.
Rthe offroad program is activated (vehicles
without the Offroad Engineering package).
Rthe Offroad or Offroad Plus drive program is
activated (vehicles with the Off-Road Engi-
neering package).
Rthe LOW RANGE offroad gear is activated
(vehicles with the Offroad Engineering pack-
age).
Ra loss of tire pressure or a defective tire is
detected.
Switching on Active Blind Spot Assist
XMake sure that Active Blind Spot Assist
(Ypage 242) is activated in the on-board
computer.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
Warning lamps :in the exterior mirrors light
up red for approximately 1.5 seconds and
then turn yellow.
Towing a trailer
When you attach a trailer, make sure you have
correctly established the electrical connection.
This can be accomplished by checking the trailer
lighting. Active Blind Spot Assist is then deacti-
vated. The indicator lamp lights up yellow in the
exterior mirrors and the Active Blind Spot
Asst. Not Available When Towing aTrailer See Operator's Manualmessage
appears in the multifunction display.
Active Lane Keeping Assist
General notes
Active Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in
front of your vehicle by means of multifunction
camera :at the top of the windshield. Various
different areas to the front, rear and side of your
vehicle are also monitored with the aid of the
radar sensor system. Active Lane Keeping
Assist detects lane markings on the road and
can warn you before you leave your lane unin-
tentionally. If you do not react to the warning, a
Driving system s215
Driving an d parking
Z

lane-correcting application of the brakes can
bring the vehicle back into the original lane.
This function is available in a speed range
between 40 mph and 120 mph (60 km/h and
200 km/h).
For Active Lane Keeping Assist to assist you
when driving, the radar sensor system must be
operational.
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Active Lane
Keeping Assist can neither reduce the risk of
accident nor override the laws of physics. Active
Lane Keeping Assist cannot take into account
road, weather or traffic conditions. Active Lane
Keeping Assist is only an aid. You are responsi-
ble for the distance to the vehicle in front, for
vehicle speed, for braking in good time and for
staying in your lane.
Active Lane Keeping Assist cannot continuously
keep your vehicle in its lane.
GWARNING
Active Lane Keeping Assist cannot always
clearly detect lane markings.
In such cases, Active Lane Keeping Assist
can:
Rgive an unnecessary warning and then
make a course-correcting brake application
to the vehicle
Rnot give a warning or intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and keep within the lane, especially
if Active Lane Keeping Assist alerts you. Ter-
minate the intervention in a non-critical driv-
ing situation.
The system may be impaired or may not function
if:
Rthere is poor visibility, e.g. due to insufficient
illumination of the road, or due to snow, rain,
fog or heavy spray
Rthere is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic, the
sun or reflection from other vehicles (e.g. if
the road surface is wet)
Rthe windshield is dirty, fogged up, damaged or
covered, for instance by a sticker, in the vicin-
ity of the camera
Rthere are no or several unclear lane markings
for one lane, e.g. roadworks
Rthe lane markings are worn away, dark or cov-
ered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
Rthe distance to the vehicle in front is too short
and thus the lane markings cannot be detec-
ted
Rthe lane markings change quickly, e.g. lanes
branch off, cross one another or merge
Rthe road is narrow and winding
Rthere are highly variable shade conditions on the roadway
Rno vehicle is detected in the adjacent lane andthere are broken lane markings
Warning vibration in the steering wheel
A warning may be given if a front wheel passes
over a lane marking. It will warn you by means of
intermittent vibration in the steering wheel for
up to 1.5 seconds.
In order that you are warned only when neces-
sary and in good time if you cross the lane mark-
ing, the system detects certain conditions and
warns you accordingly.
The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
Ryou approach the outer lane marking on a
bend
Rthe road has very wide lanes, e.g. a freeway
Rthe system detects solid lane markings
The warning vibration occurs later if:
Rthe road has narrow lanes
Ryou cut the corner on a bend
Lane-correcting brake application
GWARNING
A lane-correcting brake application cannot
always bring the vehicle back into the original lane. There is a risk of an accident.
Always steer, brake or accelerate yourself,
especially if Active Lane Keeping Assist warns
you or makes a lane-correcting brake appli-
cation.
GWARNING
Active Lane Keeping Assist does not detect
traffic conditions or road users. In very rare
cases, the system may make an inappropriate brake application, e.g. after intentionally driv-
216Driving systems
Driving and parking

ing over a solid lane marking. There is a risk of
an accident.
An inappropriate brake application may be
interrupted at any time if you steer slightly in
the opposite direction. Always make sure that
there is sufficient distance on the side for
other traffic or obstacles.
If you leave your lane, under certain circumstan-
ces the vehicle will brake briefly on one side.
This is meant to assist you in bringing the vehicle
back to the original lane.
If a lane-correcting brake application occurs,
display:appears in the multifunction display.
A lane-correcting brake application can be made
after driving over a solid or broken lane marking.
Before this, a warning must be given by means of
intermittent vibration in the steering wheel. In
addition, a lane with lane markings on both sides must have been detected.
In the case of a broken lane marking being
detected, a lane-correcting brake application
can only be made if a vehicle has been detected
in the adjacent lane. The following vehicles can
have an influence on brake application: oncom-
ing traffic, vehicles that are overtaking and vehi-
cles that are driving parallel to your vehicle.
iA further lane-correcting brake application
can only occur after your vehicle has returned
to the original lane.
No lane-correcting brake application occurs if:
Ryou clearly and actively steer, brake or accel-
erate.
Ryou cut the corner on a sharp bend
Ryou have switched on the turn signal
Ra driving safety system intervenes, e.g. ESP®,
PRE-SAFE®Brake or Active Blind Spot Assist
Ryou have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds or high rates of accel-
eration
RESP®is switched off
Rthe transmission is not in position h
Ron vehicles with a trailer tow hitch, the elec-
trical connection to the trailer has been cor-
rectly est
ablished
Rthe Off-road program is activated (vehicles
without the Off-Road Engineering package)
Rthe Off-road or Off-road Plus drive program is
activated (vehicles with the Off-Road Engi-
neering package)
Rthe LOW RANGE off-road gear is activated
(vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age)
Ran obstacle has been detected in the lane in
which you are driving
Rwhen a loss of tire pressure or a defective tire
has been detected and displayed
There is a possibility that the Active Lane Keep- ing Assist could misjudge the given traffic sit-
uation. An inappropriate brake application may
be interrupted at any time if you:
Rsteer slightly in the opposite direction
Rswitch on the turn signal
Rclearly brake or accelerate
A lane-correcting brake application is interrup-
ted automatically if:
Ra driving safety system intervenes, e.g. ESP®,
PRE-SAFE®Brake or Active Blind Spot Assist
Rlane markings are no longer detected
Switching on Active Lane Keeping Assist
XSwitch on Active Lane Keeping Assist using
the on-board computer; to do so, select
Standard
or Adaptive(Ypage 242).
If you drive at speeds above 40 mph
(60 km/h) and lane markings are detected,
the lines in the assistance graphic are shown
in green (
Ypage 241). Active Lane Keeping
Assist is ready for use.
If Standard
is selected, no warning vibration
occurs if:
Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time
Ra driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP®
Driving systems217
Driving and parking
Z

Messages in the multifunction display
If a gear change process has not been successful, the following messages may be displayed in the
multifunction display:
Display messagesPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
LOW RANGE Max.Speed 24 mphYou have been driving faster than 24 mph (40 km/h). Additionally, the
indicator lamp on the button in the center console is flashing.
XSlow down to change gear.
LOW RANGE Shift toPosition N BrieflyThe transmission is in positionDand you are driving at below
40 km/h.
XShift the transmission to Nto complete the gear change process.
LOW RANGE ShiftingCanceled PleaseReactivate
The gear change process was not carried out.
XEnsure that all gear change conditions are fulfilled and carry out the
gear change process again.
LOW RANGE StopApply Parking BrakeA warning tone also sounds. The gear change process has not been
completed. LOW RANGE is in the neutral position. There is no con-
nection between the engine and the drive wheels.
!Do not drive any further. You could otherwise damage the vehi-
cle's drive train.
XStop the vehicle. Take into account the road and traffic conditions
when doing this.
XDepress the electric parking brake (Ypage 162).
XCarry out the gear change process again.
If the gear change process has been carried out, the LOW RANGE
Stop Apply Parking Brakemessage disappears.
Driving dynamics display in the
COMAND display (vehicles with the Off-
Road Engineering package)
General notes
The driving dynamics display allows you to see
the selected drive program and additional infor-
mation about the vehicle's operating status in
the COMAND display.
:Drive program selected
;Status of the differential lock for the transfer
case
=Accelerator pedal position shown in %
?Brake pedal position shown in %
ACondition of the LOW RANGE offroad gear
BAngle of inclination
CSteering angle
DUphill or downhill gradient in percentage
Driving systems223
Driving and parking
Z

Ris affected more by strong crosswinds
Rdemands more sensitive steering
Rhas a larger turning circle
This could impair the handling characteristics.
When towing a trailer, always adjust your speed
to the current road and weather conditions. Do
not exceed the maximum permissible speed for
your vehicle/trailer combination.
Notes on towing a trailer
General notes
!If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
changes to the cooling system and drive train
may be necessary, depending on the vehicle
type.
If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
observe the anchorage points on the chassis
frame.
RDo not exceed the legally prescribed maxi-
mum speed for vehicle/trailer combinations
in the relevant country.
This lowers the risk of an accident.
ROnly install an approved trailer coupling on
your vehicle.
More information on availability and installa-
tion can be obtained at any qualified special-
ist workshop.
RThe bumpers of your vehicle are not suitable
for installing detachable trailer couplings.
RDo not install hired trailer couplings or other
detachable trailer couplings on the bumpers
of your vehicle.
RIf you no longer need the ball coupling,
remove it from the ball coupling recess. This
will reduce the risk of damage to the ball cou-
pling.
When towing a trailer, set the tire pressure on
the rear axle of the towing vehicle for the max-
imum load. You will find the values in the tire
pressure table in the fuel filler flap of the vehicle (
Ypage 372).
Please note that when towing a trailer, the fol-
lowing driving systems have limited availability
or are not available at all:
RParking Assist PARKTRONIC (Ypage 192)
RBlind Spot Assist (Ypage 209)
RActive Lane Keeping Assist (Ypage 215) On vehicles without level control, the height of
the ball coupling will alter according to the load
placed on the vehicle. If necessary, use a trailer
with a height-adjustable drawbar.
You will find installing dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (
Ypage 395).
Driving tips
Also observe the notes on pulling away with a
trailer (Ypage 143).
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginning the journey, check the
trailer's documents to see what the maximum
permissible speed is for your trailer. Observe the
legally permissible maximum speed in the rele-
vant country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the maxi-
mum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. See "Technical data" to
find out whether this applies to your vehicle
(
Ypage 395). If you utilize any of the added
maximum rear axle load when towing a trailer,
the vehicle/trailer combination may not exceed
a maximum speed of 60 mph (100 km/h) for
reasons concerning the operating permit. This
also applies in countries in which the maximum
permissible speed for car/trailer combinations
is greater than 60 mph (100 km/h).
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
with when driving without a trailer.
Use the left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
to shift into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients.
This also applies if you have activated cruise
control or Distance Pilot DISTRONIC.
This will use the braking effect of the engine, so that less braking will be required to maintain the
speed. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly. If you need additional
braking, depress the brake pedal repeatedly
rather than continuously.
Driving tips
If the trailer swings from side to side:
XDo not accelerate.
XDo not counter-steer.
XBrake if necessary.
Towing a trailer225
Driving and parking
Z

Most U.S. states and all Canadian provinces
require by law:
RSafety chains between the towing vehicle and
the trailer. The chains should be cross-wound
under the trailer drawbar. They must be fas-
tened to the vehicle's trailer coupling, not to
the bumper or the axle.
Leave enough play in the chains to make tight
cornering possible.
RA separate brake system for certain types of
trailer.
RSafety switch for braked trailers. Check the
specific legal requirements applicable to your
state.
If the trailer becomes detached from the tow-
ing vehicle, the safety feature triggers the
trailer brakes.
Towing a trailer
There are numerous legal requirements con-
cerning the towing of a trailer, e.g. speed restric-
tions. Make sure that your car/trailer combina-tion complies with the local regulations:
Rin your place of residence
Rin the location to which you are driving
The police and local authorities can provide reli-
able information.
Observe the following when towing a trailer:
RTo gain driving experience and to become
accustomed to the new handling characteris-
tics, you should practice the following in a
traffic-free location:
-cornering
-stopping
-backing up
RBefore driving, check:
-trailer tow hitch
-safety switch for braked trailers
-safety chains
-electrical connections
-lights
-wheels
RAdjust the exterior mirrors to provide an
unobstructed view of the rear section of the
trailer.
RIf the trailer has electronically controlled
brakes, pull away carefully. Brake manually using the brake controller and check whether
the brakes function correctly.
RSecure any objects on the trailer to prevent
the cargo from slipping when the vehicle is in
motion.
RWhen you couple up a trailer, check at regular
intervals that the load is firmly secured. If the
trailer is equipped with trailer lights and
brakes, check the trailer to ensure that these
are working.
RBear in mind that the handling will be less
stable when towing a trailer than when driving
without one. Avoid sudden steering move-
ments.
RThe vehicle/trailer combination is heavier,
accelerates more slowly, has a decreased
gradient climbing capability and a longer
braking distance.
It is more susceptible to side winds and
requires more careful steering.
RIf possible, do not brake suddenly, but instead
depress the brake pedal moderately at first so
that the trailer can activate its brakes. Then
increase the pressure on the brake pedal.
RIf the automatic transmission repeatedly
shifts between gears on uphill or downhill gra-
dients, shift to a lower gear using the left-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter.
A lower gear and lower speed reduce the risk
of engine failure.
RWhen driving downhill, shift to a lower gear to
utilize the engine's braking effect.
Avoid continuous brake application as this
may overheat the vehicle brakes and, if instal-
led, the trailer brakes.
RIf the coolant temperature increases dramat-
ically while the air-condit ioning system is
switched on, switch off the air-conditioning
system.
Coolant heat can also be dissipated by open-
ing the windows and switching the ventilation blower and the interior temperature to the
highest level.
RWhen overtaking, pay particular attention to
the extended length of your vehicle/trailer
combination.
Due to the length of the vehicle/trailer com-
bination, you require additional road space in
relation to the vehicle you are overtaking
before you can change back to the original
lane.
228Towing a trailer
Driving and parking