2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV differential

Switching the ZONE function
on/off ............................................ 133
Coat hooks ......................................... 306
Cockpit
Overview .......................................... 36
see Instrument cluster
Collapsible spare wheel
Inflating ......................................... 382
see Emergency spare wheel
COMAND
Driving dynamics display ............... 223
COMAND display
Cleaning ......................................... 335
Combination switch .......................... 116
Connecting a USB device
see also Digital Operator's Man-
ual .................................................. 292
Consumption statistics (on-board
computer) .......................................... 236
Controller ........................................... 293
Convenience closing feature .............. 90
Convenience opening feature ............ 90
Coolant (engine)
Checking the level ......................... 328
Display message ............................ 261
Filling capacity ............................... 391
Important safety notes .................. 390
Temperature (on-board computer,
Mercedes-AMG vehicles) ............... 245
Temperature gauge ........................ 234
Warning lamp ................................. 288
Cooling
see Climate control
Copyright ............................................. 35
Cornering light function
Display message ............................ 260
Crash-responsive emergency light-
ing ....................................................... 120
Crosswind Assist ................................. 71
Crosswind driving assistance ............ 71
Cruise control
Activating ....................................... 175
Activation conditions ..................... 175
Cruise control lever ....................... 175
Deactivating ................................... 176
Display message ............................ 271
Driving system ............................... 174 Function/notes ............................. 174
Important safety notes .................. 174
Storing and maintaining current
speed ............................................. 175
Cup holder
Center console .............................. 309
Important safety notes .................. 308
Rear compartment ......................... 309
Temperature controlled ................. 309
Third row of seats .......................... 310
Customer Ass
istance Center
(CAC) ..................................................... 31
Customer Relations Department ....... 31
D
Data
see Technical data
Data carrier
Selecting ........................................ 239
Daytime running lamps
Display message ............................ 260
Function/notes ............................. 115
Switching on/off (on-board com-
puter) ............................................. 243
Declarations of conformity ................. 30
DEF
Adding ........................................... 158
Display message ............................ 264
Filling capacity ............................... 389
Important safety notes .................. 389
Diagnostics connection ...................... 31
Differential lock (display mes-
sage) ................................................... 267
Digital Operator's Manual
Help ................................................. 26
Introduction ..................................... 26
Digital speedometer ......................... 237
DIRECT SELECT lever
Automatic transmission ................. 148
Display messages
ASSYST PLUS ................................ 329
Calling up (on-board computer) ..... 248
Driving systems ............................. 265
Engine ............................................ 261
General notes ................................ 248
Hiding (on-board computer) ........... 248
KEYLESS-GO .................................. 278
8Index

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
Driving and parking
Z

DrivingAssistance Plu spackage
General notes
The Driving Assistanc ePlus package consist sof
Distanc ePilo tDISTRONIC (Ypage 176), Active
Blin dSpot Assis t (Ypage 213) and Active Lan e
Keepin gAssis t (Ypage 215).
Active Blind Spot Assist
General notes
Active Blin dSpot Assis tmonitors th eareas on
either sid eof th evehicle that are no tdirectl y
visible to th edriver wit htw olateral, rear-facin g
radar sensors. Awarnin glamp lights up in th e
exterio rmirrors and draws your attention to
vehicles detecte din th emonitored area. If you
then switch on th ecorrespondin gturn signal to
chang elanes, you will also receiv e avisual and
audible collision warning. If aris kof latera lcol-
lision is detected, corrective braking may hel p
you avoid acollision .Before acourse-correcting
brake application ,Active Blin dSpot Assis teval-
uates th espac ein th edirection of trave land at
th esides of th evehicle. Fo rthis, Active Blin d
Spot Assis tuses th eforward-facin gradar sen -
sors.
Active Blin dSpot Assis tsupports you from a
speed of approximately 20 mph (30 km/h).
Important safet ynotes
Active Blin dSpot Assis tis only an aid and is no t
a substitute fo rattentive driving.
GWARNING
Active Blin dSpot Assis tdoe sno treact to :
Rvehicles overtaken to oclosely on th eside,
placin gthem in th eblin dspo tare a
Rvehicles whic happroac hwit h a larg espeed
differential and overtak eyour vehicle
As aresult ,Active Blin dSpot Assis tmay nei-
ther giv ewarnings no rinterven ein suc hsit -
uations. There is aris kof an accident.
Always observ eth etraffic condition scare-
fully, and maintain asaf elatera ldistance.
iUS Aonly: Thi sdevic ehas bee napproved by
th eFCC as a"Vehicular Radar System". The
radar sensor is intended fo ruse in an auto-
motive radar syste monly. Removal, tamper-
ing, or altering of th edevic ewill void any war- ranties, and is no
tpermitte dby th eFCC. Do
no ttampe rwith, alter, or use in any non-
approved way.
An yunauthorized modification to this devic e
could void th euser's authorit yto operat eth e
equipment.
iCanada only: Thi sdevic ecomplies wit h
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subjec tto th efollowin gtw oconditions:
1. Thi sdevic emay no tcause interference,
and
2. Thi sdevic emus taccept any interf erenc
e
re

ceived, includin ginterferenc ethat may
cause undesired operation of th edevice.
Removal, tampering, or altering of th edevic e
will void any warranties ,and is no tpermitted.
Do no ttampe rwith, alter, or use in any non-
approved way.
An yunauthorized modification to this devic e
could void th euser's authorit yto operat eth e
equipment.
Rada rsensor s
The Active Blind Spot Assis tradar sensor sare
integrated into th efron tand rea rbumper sand
behin d acover in th eradiator trim. Mak esur e
that th ebumper sand th ecover in th eradiator
grill are free of dirt, ic eor slush. The sensor s
mus tno tbe covered, fo rexample by cycle racks
or overhangin gloads. Followin gan acciden tor
in th eevent of damage to th ebumpers, hav eth e
function of th eradar sensor schecke dat aquali-
fie dspecialis tworkshop .Active Blin dSpot
Assis tmay otherwise no longer wor kproperly.
Monitoring area
GWARNING
Active Blind Spot Assis tdoe sno tdetec tall
traffic situation sand road users. There is a
ris kof an accident.
Always mak esur ethat there is sufficien tdis -
tanc eon th esid efo rother traffic or obstacles.
Driving systems21 3
Driving an d parking
Z

multifunction display. The last active drive pro-
gram is selected again.
Selecting the Offroad program
XTo select a drive program: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller:until indicator lamp ;
lights up.
The Drive program "Offroad" Max.
speed 60 mphmessage appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
The vehicle is raised by +1.2 in (30 mm).
The vehicle changes from the Offroaddrive pro-
gram to the Comfortdrive program if you drive
faster than 70 mph (112 km/h).
The Drive more slowly
message appears in
the multifunction display.
Offroad Plus drive program
:DYNAMIC SELECT controller
;Offroad Plus drive program indicator lamp
Select the Offroad Plus drive program for rough
terrain, e.g. for steep and/or uneven terrain or
for driving on rocky terrain.
Your vehicle has an automatically activated dif-
ferential lock for the transfer case. It controls
the balance between the front and rear axles.
The differential lock improves the vehicle's trac-
tion. 4ETS (
Ypage 70) controls the balance
between both wheels on an axle.
Selecting the Offroad Plus drive program
XTo select drive program: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller :until indicator lamp ;
lights up.
The Drive program "Offroad Plus"
Max.speed25mphmessage appears in the
multifunction display.
RThe Offroad Plus program is selected and
the vehicle is raised by +1.2 in (30 mm)
compared with the Offroaddrive program.
RDSR is switched on.
RThe differential lock is closed.
You can select the Offroad Plus drive program at
speeds below 25 mph (40 km/h).
The Offroad Plus drive program automatically
switches to the Offroad drive program if you
drive faster than 30 mph (45 km/h). The Drive
more slowlymessage appears in the multi-
function display.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(
Ypage 170).
LOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles
with the Off-Road Engineering package)
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you select the LOW RANGE off-road gear on
a slippery road surface, the wheels could lose traction:
Rif you remove your foot from the accelera-
tor pedal when driving
Rif off road ABS intervenes when braking
If the wheels lose traction. the vehicle can no
longer be steered. There is an increased dan-
ger of skidding and accidents.
Never select the LOW RANGE off-road gear
when driving on slippery road surfaces.
GWARNING
If you do not wait for the transfer case gear
change process to complete, the transfer
case could remain in the neutral position. The power transmission to the driven wheels is
then interrupted. There is a danger of the
vehicle rolling away unintentionally. There is a
risk of an accident.
Wait until the transfer case shift process is
completed.
Do not turn off the engine while changing gear
and do not shift the automatic transmission to
another position.
Driving systems221
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

Display messagesPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
8
Different.Loc kSys.Malfunction
The differential loc kis faulty.
XDo no tdrive at speeds abov e50 mph (80 km/h).
XVisit aqualified specialist workshop .
8
Different.Lockin gSys.Coolin gDow nPlease Wai t
The differential loc kis to ohot and has been disengaged .
XDrive on carefully.
XAllow thedifferential loc kto cool down .
The differential loc kre-engage sas soo nas it has cooled down .
LOW RANGE StopApply ParkingBrakeAgearshift process has been canceled. LOW RANGE is in th eneutral
position .There is no connection between th eengin eand th edrive
wheels.
XPull ove rand stop th evehicl esafely as soo nas possible, payin g
attention to roa dand traffic conditions.
XApply th eelectric parking brake. Do no tcontinu edrivin gunder any
circumstances.
XRepeat th egearshift process.
LOW RANGE Malfunc‐tio nToPark,ApplyBrake
LOW RANGE is malfunctioning .
XDo notdrive at speeds abov e50 mph (80 km/h).
XWhe nparking ,secure th evehicl eagainst rollin gaway (Ypage 161).
XVisitaqualified specialist workshop .
LOW RANGE Max.Speed 25 mphYou haveexceeded th emaximum speed for th egearshift process.
XDrive mor eslowly.
The gear chang eis made .
LOW RANGE Max .Speed 40 mphYou haveexceeded th emaximum speed for th egearshift process.
XDrive mor eslowly.
The gear chang eis made .
LOW RANGE Shift toPosition NBriefl yYou hav ereduce dth evehicl espeed, but th eautomatic transmission
is no tin position i.
XBriefly shift th eautomatic transmission to i.
LOW RANGE ShiftingCanceled PleaseReactivate
The gearshift process has been canceled.
XRepeat thegearshift process.
Ã
Inoperative
DS R(Downhill Speed Regulation )is deactivated due to amalfunction .
XHaveDS Rchecke dat aqualified specialist workshop .
Display messages267
On-board computer and displays
Z

!Vehicles with differential locks: make sure
the differential locks are in automatic mode.
When towing, the differential locks must not
be switched on. The transmission may other-
wise be damaged.
!The vehicle can be towed a maximum of
30 miles (50km). The towing speed of 30 mph (50 km/h) must not be exceeded.
If the vehicle has to be towed more than
30 miles (50km), the entire vehicle must be
raised and transported.
It is better to have the vehicle transported than
to have it towed away.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission damage,
have it transported on a transporter or trailer.
The automatic transmission must be in position i when the vehicle is being towed.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
Rcannot turn the SmartKey to position 2in
the ignition lock
Rcannot release the electric parking brake
Rcannot shift the automatic transmission to
position i
Disarm the automatic locking feature before the
vehicle is towed (
Ypage 244). You could other-
wise be locked out when pushing or towing the
vehicle.
Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye
The brackets for the screw-in towing eye are
located in the bumpers. They are at the front and
rear behind covers :;.
XRemove the towing eye from the vehicle tool
kit (Ypage 339).
XTo open the cover at the front: press the
mark on cover :inwards in the direction of
the arrow.
XTo open the cover at the rear: insert a flat,
blunt object into the cutout and lever
cover ;out of the bumper.
XTake cover :or; off the opening.
XScrew in the towing eye clockwise as far as it
will go and tighten it.
Removing the towing eye
XUnscrew and remove the towing eye.
XPosition cover :or; in the bumper and
press the cover on until it engages.
XPlace the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit.
Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground
The automatic transmission shifts to position
j automatically when you open the driver's or
front-passenger door or when you remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
In order to ensure that the automatic transmis-
sion stays in position iwhen towing away the
vehicle, you must observe the following points:
XMake sure that the vehicle is stationary.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
XDepress and hold the brake pedal.
XShift the automatic transmission to position
i.
XLeave the SmartKey in position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch on the hazard warning lamps
(Ypage 117).
In order to signal a change of direction when
towing the vehicle with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination switch
as usual. In this case, only the indicator lamps
for the direction of travel flash. After resetting
350Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance