2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV drive program

Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
XDepress theaccelerato rpedal beyon dth e
pressur epoint.
The automatic transmission shift sto alower
gear depending on th eengin espeed.
XEas eoff th eaccelerato rpedal once th e
desire dspeed is reached.
The automatic transmission shift sbac kup.
Rocking the vehicle free
Shifting bac kand forth between transmission
position sh and kcan help to free up th e
vehicl eif it get sstuck in mud or snow. The vehi-
cle's engin emanagemen tsystem limits th e
speed to amaximum of 5mph (9 km/h) when
shifting bac kand forth .To shift repeatedly
between transmission position sh and k,
mov eth eDIRECT SELECT lever up and down
past th epoin tof resistance.
Towing a trailer
XDrive in th emiddle of th eengin espee drange
on uphil lgradients .
XDependin gon th euphil lor downhill gradient,
use th eleft-han dsteering whee lpaddl e
shifter (
Ypage 152) to select alower gear ,
eve nif cruise control or Distanc ePilo t
DISTRONI Care activated.
Drive programs
Slippery drive program
The Slipper ydrive progra mhas th efollowin g
characteristics :
Rreducedengin eand transmission setting sfor
optimum propulsion on slipper yor snow-cov-
ere droads.
Roptimized ES P®stabilitycontrol on slipper yor
snow-covered roads.
Rth evehicl ehas improved drivin gstabilit yon
slipper yor snow-covered roads, for example.
Comfort drive program
The Comfor tdrive progra mhas th efollowin g
characteristics :
Rcomfort-oriented engin eand transmission
settings.
Roptimal fuel consumption resulting from th e
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
Rth evehicl epullin gaway mor egentl yin
forward and revers egears, unless th eaccel-
erator pedal is depressed fully.
Rth eautomatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This result sin th evehicl ebein gdriven
at lower engin espeeds and th ewheels bein g
less likely to spin .
Sportdrive program
TheSport drive progra mhas th efollowin gchar-
acteristics :
Rsportyengin eand transmission settings.
Rth eautomatic transmission shifting up later.
th efuel consumption possibl ybein ghigher as
a result of th elater automatic transmission
shift points .
Rthesuspension exhibits sport ydamping (vehi-
cle swit hAIRMATIC) .
Drive program Sport Plus (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles)
The Sport Plu sdrive progra mhas th efollowin g
characteristics :
Rthevehicl eexhibits particularly sport ydrivin g
characteristics .
Rthevehicl epullin gaway in first gear .
Rtheautomatic transmission shifting up later.
th efuel consumption possibl ybein ghigher as
a result of th elater automatic transmission
shift points .
Rthesuspension exhibits particularly fir m
springing and damping setting s(vehicles wit h
AIRMATIC) .
RtheECO start/sto pfunction is deactivated, it
can ,however ,be activated again usin gth e
ECO butto n (
Ypage 145).
Automatic transmission151
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Individual drive program
In theIndividua ldriv eprogram ,th efollowin g
properties of th edriv eprogram can be selected:
Rth edriv e(engin eand transmission manage-
ment)
Rth etransmission
Rth esuspension
Rall vehicles (except Mercedes-AM Gvehicles):
th esteering
Rall vehicles (except Mercedes-AM Gvehicles):
availabilit yof th eECO start/sto pfunction
To select th egear sin th eIndividua ldriv epro -
gram permanentl yusin gth esteering whee lpad-
dle shifters, select th epermanen tmanual gear -
shif tprogram .
Information about configuring th eIndividua l
driv eprogram wit hth emultimedia system can
be foun din th eDigital Operator's Manual.
Manual gear shifting
General notes
You can chang egear yourself usin gth esteering
whee lpaddle shifters. The transmission must be
in position hto do this.
Dependin gon whic hsteering whee lpaddle
shifte ris pulled ,th eautomatic transmission
immediately shifts int oth enext gear down or
up, if permitted.
To use manual shifting ,you have two options:
Rtemporar ysetting
Rpermanen tsetting
If you activat emanual gearshifting ,th ecurren t
gear appear sin th emultifunction display
instead of transmission position h.
If manual gearshifting is deactivated, th egear s
will be selected automatically.
Temporary setting
XTo activate: shiftth eDIRECT SELECT lever to
position h.
XPull steering whee lpaddle shifte r: or;.
The temporar ysetting is active for acertain
amoun tof time. Under certain conditions, th e
minimum amoun tof time is extended, e.g. in th e
cas eof lateral acceleration ,during overrun
mod eor when driving on steep terrain .
XTo deactivate:pull steering whee lpaddle
shifte r; and hold it in place.
or
XUse th eDIRECT SELECT lever to switch th e
transmission position .
or
XUse th eDYNAMIC SELECT controller to
chang eth edriv eprogram .
Permanent setting (all vehicles except
Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
XTo activate: shiftth eDIRECT SELECT lever to
position h.
XPress butto n:.
152Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

XTo deactivate:press button:.
or
XUse the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program.
Permanent setting (Mercedes-AMG
vehicles)
XTo activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position h.
XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up.
XTo deactivate: press button:.
or
XUse the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
switch to the Individualdrive program.
Indicator lamp ;goes out.
Shifting gears
!Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the automatic
transmission does not shift up automatically
even when the engine limiting speed for the
current gear is reached. When the engine lim-
iting speed is reached, the fuel supply is cut to
prevent the engine from overrevving. Always
make sure that the engine speed does not
reach the red area of the tachometer. There is
otherwise a risk of engine damage.
XTo shift up: pull steering wheel paddle
shifter ;.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): if the maximum engine speed in the
gear currently engaged is reached and you
continue to accelerate, the automatic trans-
mission automatically shifts up to prevent
engine damage.
XTo shift down: pull steering wheel paddle
shifter :.
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
Automatic down shifting occurs when coast-
ing.
If the engine were to exceed the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the auto-
matic transmission protects against engine
damage by not shifting down.
Shift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec-
ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display.
XWhen the corresponding gearshift recom-
mendation :appears in the multifunction
display of the instrument cluster, shift to rec-
ommended gear ;.
Automatic transmission153
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Off-road fording
!Under no circumstances should you accel-
erate before entering the water. The bow
wave could cause water to enter and damage
the engine and other assemblies.
!Do not open any of the vehicle's doors while
fording. Otherwise, water could get into the
vehicle interior and damage the vehicle's
electronics and interior equipment.
REstablish how deep the water is and the char-
acteristics of the body of water before ford-
ing.
RSelect the highest possible vehicle level.
RShift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter.
RAvoid high engine speeds.
REnter and exit the water at a flat place and at
a steady walking pace.
RDrive slowly and at an even speed through the
water.
REnsure that a bow wave does not form as you
drive.
RDo not stop and do not switch off the engine.
Water offers a high degree of resistance, and
the ground is slippery and in some cases
unstable. Therefore, it is difficult and danger-
ous to pull away in the water.
RClean any mud from the tire tread after ford-
ing.
RApply the brakes to dry them after fording.
Always observe the fording depth values
(
Ypage 393).
Winter driving
GWARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
GDANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a
window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
!When scraping ice off the rear window, take
care not to damage the rear-window seal or
trim.
Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road sur-
faces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and
braking maneuvers. Do not use cruise control or
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to position i.
XTry to bring the vehicle under control using
corrective steering.
When driving in snow with or without snow
chains, select driving program Slippery
(
Ypage 147).
iVehicles with a diesel engine: do not
cover the radiator, e.g. with a protective
cover. The measuring function of the on-
board diagnosis system may otherwise pro-
vide inaccurate values. Some of these values
are required by law and must therefore always be accurate.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freezing
point do not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in
wooded areas or on bridges. You should pay
special attention to road conditions when tem-
peratures are around the freezing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (
Ypage 356).
Driving tips169
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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:
RtheOff-road drive program (vehicles without
Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Ypage 219)
ROff-road andOff-road Plus drive programs
(vehicles with Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Ypage 220)
RLOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles with the
Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Ypage 221)
RDifferential lock (vehicles with the Off-Road
Engineering package) (Ypage 221)
ROff-road ABS (Ypage 67)
ROff-road 4ETS (Ypage 70)
ROff-road ESP®(Ypage 71)
RAIRMATIC package (vehicle level)
(Ypage 188)
RDSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Ypage 218)
Observe the following notes:
RStop the vehicle before starting to drive along
an off-road route. If necessary, select the off- road program (
Ypage 220) or shift to the
LOW RANGE off-road gear (Ypage 221).
RSelect a vehicle level that is suitable for the
terrain. To avoid damaging the vehicle, make
sure there is always sufficient ground clear-
ance.
RCheck that items of cargo and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(
Ypage 305).
RAlways keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Activate
DSR (
Ypage 218).
RAlways keep the engine running and in gear
when driving down an incline.
RAdapt your speed to the terrain. The rougher,
steeper or more ruts on the terrain, the slower
your speed should be.
RDo not jump with the vehicle as this will inter- rupt the vehicle's propulsion.
RDrive 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.
RLook out for obstacles, such as rocks, holes,
tree stumps and furrows.
RTake care when turning on an uphill or down-hill slope or when driving across a slope. The
vehicle could otherwise tip over.
RAlways keep the doors, the tailgate, the side
windows and the sliding sunroof closed whilethe vehicle is in motion.
RDo not shift the automatic transmission to
position i.
RObserve the notes on off-road fording
(Ypage 169).
iInformation about retrofitting special all-ter-
rain tires is available from any qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
iDo 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.
XEngine 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.
XDEF tank (BlueTEC vehicles): check the
level and add if necessary (Ypage 158).
XTire-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.
XWheels and tires: check the tread depth and
pressure of the tires.
XCheck for damage and remove any foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the wheels/
tires.
XReplace any missing valve caps.
XReplace dented or damaged wheels.
XRims: dented or bent rims can result in a loss
of tire pressure and damage the tire bead.
Driving tips171
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Before driving off-road, check the wheels and
replace them if necessary.
Checklist after driving off-road
!If you detect damage to the vehicle after
driving off-road, have the vehicle checked
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Driving over rough terrain places greater
demands on your vehicle than driving on normal
roads. After driving off-road, check the vehicle.
This allows you to detect damage promptly and
reduce the risk of an accident to yourself and
other road users.
XIf the Offroad orOffroad Plus drive program
is selected: select the Individual,Sport ,
Comfort orSlippery drive program
(
Ypage 147).
XDeactivate the LOW RANGE off-road gear
(Ypage 221).
XDeactivate DSR (Ypage 218).
XLower the vehicle level again to a level suita-
ble to the road conditions, e.g. to the normal
level.
XClean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage.
XClean the front and rear license plates.
XClean the wheels and tires with a water jet
and remove any foreign objects.
XClean the wheels, wheel housings and the
vehicle underside with a water jet; check for
any foreign objects and damage.
XCheck whether twigs or other parts of plants
have become trapped. These increase the risk of fire and can damage fuel pipes, brake
hoses or the rubber bellows of the axle joints
and propeller shafts.
XAfter the trip, examine without fail the entire
undercarriage, wheels, tires, brakes, body-
wor k stru
cture, steering, chassis and exhaust
system for damage.
XAfter driving for extended periods across
sand, mud, gravel, water or in similarly dirty
conditions, have the brake discs, wheels,
brake pads/linings and axle joints checked
and cleaned.
XIf you detect strong vibrations after off-road
travel, check for foreign objects in the wheels
and drive train and remove them if necessary.
Foreign objects can disturb the balance and
cause vibrations.
Driving on sand
Observe the following rules when driving on
sand:
RSelect the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Ypage 219).
RSelect the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Ypage 220).
RSelect a higher vehicle level.
RAvoid high engine speeds.
RUse the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter to shift to a lower gear appropriate to
the terrain.
RDrive quickly to overcome the rolling resist-
ance. Otherwise the vehicle's wheels could
become stuck in loose ground.
RDrive in the tracks of other vehicles if possi-
ble. Make sure that:
-the tire ruts are not too deep.
-the sand is sufficiently firm.
-the ground clearance of the vehicle is suf-
ficient.
Tire ruts and gravel roads
!Check that the ruts are not too deep and
that your vehicle has sufficient clearance.
Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged or
bottom out and get stuck.
Observe the following rules when driving along
ruts in off-road terrain or on roads with loose
gravel:
RSelect the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Ypage 219).
RSelect the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Ypage 220).
RSelect a higher vehicle level.
RAvoid high engine speeds.
RShift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter.
RDrive slowly.
RWhere ruts are too deep, drive with the
wheels of one side on the center grassy area,
if possible.
172Driving tips
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Drivingover obstacles
!Obstacles could damage th efloor of th e
vehicle or component sof th echassis. As k
passenger sfo rguidanc ewhen drivin gover
larg eobstacles. The passenger should always
keep asaf edistanc efrom th evehicle when
doin gso in order to avoid injury as aresult of
unexpecte dvehicle movements .Afte rdrivin g
off-road or over obstacles, chec kth evehicle
fo rpossible damage, especially to th eunder-
bod yand th ecomponent sof th echassis.
Observ eth efollowin grule swhen drivin gover
tree stumps, larg estones and other obstacles:
RSelec tth eOffroad drive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineerin gpackage)
(
Ypage 219).
RSelec tth eOffroad drive program (vehicles
wit hOff-Road Engineerin gpackage)
(
Ypage 220).
RSelec tLO WRANGE offroad gear (vehicles
wit hOff-Road Engineerin gpackage)
(
Ypage 221)
RRaise th evehicle level.
RAvoid hig hengin espeeds .
RShift to alowe rgear usin gth eleft-han dsteer -
in g whee lpaddle shifter.
RDrive ver yslowly.
RDrive straight over th ecenter of obstacles.
Traveling uphil l
Approach/departur eangle
GWARNING
If you drive on asteep inclin eat an angle or
turn when drivin gon an incline, th evehicle
could slip sideways ,ti p and rollover. There is a
ris kof an accident.
Always drive on asteep inclin ein th elin eof
fall (straight up or down )and do no tturn th e
vehicle.
RObserv eth erule son off-road driving.
RDo no tdrive at an angle on slopes ,inclines or
gradients, but instead follow th edirec tlin eof
fall .
RWhe ndrivin gdown an incline, mak euse of th e
engine's braking effect .Observ eth eengin e
speed; do no toverrev th eengine.
RSelec tth eOffroad drive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineerin gpackage)
(
Ypage 219).
RSelec tth eOffroad drive program (vehicles
wit hOff-Road Engineerin gpackage)
(
Ypage 220).
RBefore drivin gon extreme uphill and downhill
gradients, selec tth eLO WRANGE offroad
gear (vehicles wit hOff-Road Engineerin g
package) (
Ypage 221).
RDrive slowly.
RAvoid highengin espeeds .Drive at appropri-
at eengin espeeds (maximum 3,000 rpm).
RUse th eleft-han dsteerin gwhee lpaddle
shifter to shift into alowe rgear in goo dtime
on lon gand steep downhill gradients.
RChec kth ebrake safter prolonged off-road
driving.
Hil lstart assist will aid you when pulli ng a
way on
a hill .Fo rfurther information about hill start
assist ,see (
Ypage 143).
Do no tswitch to transmissio nposition Nwhen
drivin goff-road. If you tr yto brake th evehicle
usin gth eservic ebrake ,you could los econtro l
of th evehicle. If th egradient is to osteep fo ryour
vehicle, drive bac kdown in revers egear .
Always observ eth eapproach/departure angle
values (
Ypage 394).
Maximum gradient-climbing capabilit y
Always observeth emaximum gradient climbin g
ability values (Ypage 394).
Driving tips173
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Cruise control lever
:Activates or increases speed
;Activates or reduces speed
=Deactivates cruise control
?Activates at the current speed/last stored
speed
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display for
five seconds.
Activation conditions
To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions must be fulfilled:
Rthe electric parking brake must be released.
Ryou are driving faster than 20 mph (30 km/h).
RESP®must be active, but not intervening.
Rthe transmission must be in position D.
RDSR must be deactivated.
Rthe Offroad Plus drive program must be deac-
tivated (vehicles with the Off-Road Engineer-
ing package).
Storing, maintaining and calling up a
speed
Storing and maintaining a speed
XAccelerate the vehicle to the desired speed.
XBriefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ?.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle auto-
matically maintains the stored speed.
iCruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the stored speed on downhill gradients by auto-
matically applying the brakes.
Storing or calling up a speed
GWARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it differs
from the current speed, the vehicle acceler-
ates or decelerates. If you do not know the
stored speed, the vehicle could accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you
do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you =.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is operational and when first
activated stores the current speed or regu-
lates the speed of the vehicle to the stored
speed.
Setting a speed
Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has accelerated or braked to
the speed set.
XPress the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down ;for a lower speed.
XTo adjust the set speed in 1 mph incre-
ments (1 km/h increments): briefly press
the cruise control lever up :or down ;to
the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is pressed
up : or down ;the last speed stored is
increased or reduced.
XTo adjust the set speed in 5 mph incre-
ments (10 km/h increments): briefly press
the cruise control lever up :or down ;
beyond the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is pressed
up : or down ;the last speed stored is
increased or reduced.
iCruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For example, if
you accelerate briefly to overtake, cruise con-
trol adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished overtak-
ing.
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