2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV traction control

1, 2, 3 ...
4ETS (Electronic Traction System)see ETS/4ETS (Electronic Trac-
tion System)
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel
drive) .................................................. 218
12 V socket
see Sockets
115 V socket ...................................... 313
360° camera
Cleaning ........................................ .334
Display in the multimedia system .. 205
Function/notes .............................2 03
A
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Display message ............................ 249
Function/notes ................................ 66
Important safety notes .................... 66
Warning lamp ................................. 282
Accident
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent ................................................. 59
Activating media mode
General notes ................................ 298
Activating/deactivating cooling
with air dehumidification ................. 131
Active Blind Spot Assist
Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) ............................ 242
Display message ............................ 269
Function/information .................... 213
Trailer towing ................................. 215
Active Brake Assist
Activating or deactivating .............. 242
Display message ............................ 254
Function/notes ................................ 67
Active Brake Assist with cross-
traffic function
Activating or deactivating .............. 242
Display message ............................ 255
Function/notes ................................ 72
Important safety notes .................... 73
Warning lamp ................................. 290
Active Curve System
Display message ............................ 266 Function/notes ............................. 189
Active Lane Keeping Assist
Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) ............................ 242
Display message ............................ 268
Function/information .................... 215
Trailer towing ................................. 218
Active light function ......................... 117
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ................................. 72
Adaptive Highbeam Assist
Display message ............................ 261
Function/notes ............................. 118
Switching on/off ........................... 118
Additives (engine oil) ........................ 390
Address book
see also Digital Operator's Man-
ual .................................................. 292
Adjusting the volume
Multimedia system ........................ 293
ADS (Adaptive Damping System)
Function/notes ............................. 188
Air bags
Deployment ..................................... 56
Display message ............................ 258
Front air bag (
driver, front
passenger) ....................................... 50
Important safety notes .................... 49
Introduction ..................................... 49
Knee bag .......................................... 50
Occupant Classification System
(OCS) ............................................... 51
PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator
lamps ............................................... 45
Side impact air bag .......................... 51
Window curtain air bag .................... 51
Air filter (display message) .............. 264
AIR FLOW ........................................... 132
Air vents
Glove box ....................................... 136
Important safety notes .................. 136
Rear ............................................... 137
Setting ........................................... 136
Setting the center air vents ........... 136
Setting the side air vents ............... 136
Air-conditioning system
see Climate control
4Index

If ESP®detects that the vehicle is deviating from
the direction desired by the driver, one or more
wheels are braked to stabilize the vehicle. The
engine output is also modified to keep the vehi-
cle on the desired course within physical limits.
ESP
®assists the driver when pulling away on
wet or slippery roads. ESP®can also stabilize
the vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
4ETS traction control is part of ESP®.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side. In addition, more drive torque is transfer-
red to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active, even if you
deactivate ESP
®.
In appropriate driving situations, activate the
offroad program:
XVehicles without the Offroad Engineering
package (Ypage 219)
XVehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age (Ypage 220)
Off-road 4ETS (Electronic Traction Sys-
tem)
An ETS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once an off-
road program is activated:
RVehicles without the Offroad Engineering
package (Ypage 219)
RVehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age (Ypage 220)
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If ESP
®is malfunctioning, ESP®is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, further driv-
ing safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP
®checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
!Only operate the vehicle for a maximum of
ten seconds on a brake test dynamometer.
Switch off the ignition.
Application of the brakes by ESP
®may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
!A function or performance test should only
be carried out on a two-axle dynamometer.
Before you operate the vehicle on such a
dynamometer, please consult a qualified
workshop. You could otherwise damage the
drive train or the brake system.
ESP
®is only deactivated if the åwarning
lamp is lit continuously.
If the ÷ warning lamp and the åwarning
lamp are lit continuously, ESP
®is not available
due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(
Ypage 284) and display messages which may
be shown in the instrument cluster
(
Ypage 249).
iOnly use wheels with the recommended tire
sizes. Only then will ESP®function properly.
Characteristics of ESP®
General information
If the ÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP®is automatically
active.
If ESP
®intervenes, the ÷ESP®warning lamp
flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP
®intervenes:
XDo not deactivate ESP®under any circum-
stances.
XOnly depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
XAdapt your driving style to suit the prevailing
road and weather conditions.
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle stops
moving. The engine starts automatically when
the driver wants to pull away again. ESP
®
remains in its previously selected status, e.g. if
ESP®was deactivated before the engine was
automatically switched off.
70Driving safety systems
Safety

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:
Rthe vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill
Rthe vehicle from traveling too quickly down
the other side
Driving downhill
RDrive slowly.
RDo 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.
RShift to a lower gear using the left-hand pad-
dle shifter before tackling steep downhill gra-
dients.
RActivate 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.
RCheck that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
iThe 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
(
Ypage 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).
iCruise 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:
Rin road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
Rwhen 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.
174Driving systems
Driving and parking

WhenAdaptiveis selected, no warning vibra-
tion 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, e.g.
ABS, BAS or ESP®
Ryou accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown
Ryou brake hard
Ryou steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lanes quickly
Ryou cut the corner on a sharp bend
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. Lane-correcting brake application does
not take place when towing a trailer. Active Lane
Keeping Assist is not activated and the lines in
the assistance graphic are gray.
Off-road driving systems
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are perma-
nently driven. Together with ESP®and 4ETS, it
improves the traction of your vehicle whenever
a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC can
neither reduce the risk of accident nor override the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot take
account of road, weather and traffic conditions.
4MATIC 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.
!Never tow the vehicle with one axle raised.
This may damage the transfer case. Damage
of this sort is not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz Limited Warranty. All wheels must
remain either on the ground or be fully raised.
Observe the instructions for towing the vehi-
cle with all wheels in full contact with the
ground.
!A function or performance test should only
be carried out on a two-axle dynamometer.
Before you operate the vehicle on such a
dynamometer, please consult a qualified workshop. You could otherwise damage the
drive train or the brake system.
iIn wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if you
use winter tires (M+S tires), with snow chains
if necessary.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(
Ypage 170).
DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
General notes
DSR is an aid to assist you when driving down-
hill. It keeps the speed of travel at the speed
selected on the on-board computer. The steeper
the downhill gradient, the greater the DSR brak-
ing effect on the vehicle. When driving on flat
stretches of road or on an uphill gradient, the
DSR braking effect is minimal or nonexistent.
DSR controls the vehicle’s speed when it is acti- vated and the transmission is in position D,Ror
N . You can drive at a higher or a lower speed
than that set on the on-board computer at any
time by accelerating or braking.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the speed driven and the set speed deviate and you activate DSR on a slippery road sur-
face, the wheels may lose traction. There is an
increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Before switching DSR on, please take into
consideration the road surface and the differ- ence between driving speed and the set
speed.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, DSR can
neither reduce the risk of accident nor override the laws of physics. DSR cannot take account of
road, weather and traffic conditions. DSR is only
an aid. You are responsible for the distance to
the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for brak-
ing in good time and for staying in your lane.
You are always responsible for keeping control
of the vehicle and for assessing whether the
downhill gradient can be managed. DSR may not always be able to keep to the set speed, depend-
ing on road surface and tire conditions. Select a
set speed suitable for the prevailing conditions
and when necessary, apply the brakes manually.
218Driving systems
Driving and parking

Activating DSR
XPress button:.
Indicato rlamp ;lights up.
The à DSRsymbol appear sin th emulti-
function display.
You can only activat eDS Rwhen driving at
speeds below 25 mph (40 km/h).
If th ecurren tvehicl espee dis to ohigh ,th eÃ
DS Rsymbol appear sin th emultifunction display
wit hth eMax .speed 25 mph
message (Can -
ada: 40 km/ h).
If you have activated DS Rand you chang eth e
driv eprogram ,DS Ris deactivated. If you switch
between th eoffroad and offroad plus driv epro -
grams, DS Rremains activated.
Deactivating DSR
XPress butto n:.
Indicato rlamp ;goes out .
The à DSRsymbol appear sin th emulti-
function display wit hth eOff
message .
On vehicles wit hth e Off road Engineering pack-
age, if you select adifferent driv eprogram ,DS R
is also deactivated. If you switch between th e
Off road programs, DS Rremains activated.
DS Rswitches off automatically if you driv e
faste rthan 28 mph (Canada: 45 km/h). The
à DSRsymbol appear sin th emultifunction
display wit hth eOff
message .The status indi-
cator in th emultifunction display goes out .You
also hear awarning . Onvehicles wit hth e Off-
road Engineering package, if you select adiffer-
en tonroad/offroad program ,DS Ris also deac -
tivated.
Changing the set speed
XTo increase or reduce th eset speed in
1 mp hincrement s(Canada: 1km/h
increments): briefly press th ecruise control
leve rup : for ahigher set spee dor down ;
for alower set speed.
The set spee dappear sin th emultifunction
display wit hth eà DSRsymbol.
When DS Ris activated, you can chang eth eset
spee dto avalue between 1mph and 11 mph
(Canada: between 2km/h and 18 km/h).
iThe DS Rset spee dis always changed in
1 mph increments (Canada: 1km/h incre-
ments). This is regardless of whether you
press th ecruise control leve rto or beyon dth e
pressur epoint.
Off-road program (vehicles without the
Off-Road Engineering package)
General notes
Selec tth eOff roa dprogram for easil ynegotia-
ble off-road terrain, e.g. dirt tracks, gravel or
sandy surfaces. The engine's torque is restric-
te dto alimited degree and th edriv ewheels can
spin .The spinnin gwheels produce acuttin g
effect for bette rtraction .ABS, ES P
®and 4ETS
program sespecially adapted to off-road driving
are activated. Agentle accelerato rpedal curve
is also selected, i.e .th eaccelerato rpedal must
be depressed muc hfurther in order to acceler -
ate .
You can select th eOff roa ddriv eprogram at
speeds below 60 mph (96 km/h). The Drive
program"Offroad" Max .Speed 60 mphmessage appear sin th emultifunction display. If
you driv eat speeds of mor ethan 60 mph
(96 km/ h)and select the Offroaddrive pro-
gram, the Drive More Slowly
message
Driving systems219
Driving and parking
Z

appears in the multifunction display. The last
active drive program is selected again.
Do not use theOffroadprogram on roads that
are snow-covered or icy or if you have installed
your vehicle with snow chains.
Selecting the Offroad program
Selecting the Offroad program
XTo select drive program: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller :until indicator lamp ;
lights up.
The Drive Program "Offroad1" Max.
Speed 60 mphmessage appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
The vehicle is raised by +2.4 in (60 mm).
The vehicle is lowered to normal level again if
you:
Rdrive at speeds above 37 mph (60 km/h) (all
vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Rdrive at speeds above 43 mph (70 km/h)
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Rdrive at speeds between 40 mph (64 km/h)
and 43 mph (70 km/h) for approximately
20 seconds (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
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.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(
Ypage 170).
Off-road programs (vehicles with Off-
Road Engineering package)
General notes
The Offroad andOffroad Plus drive programs
assist you when driving off-road. The engine's
performance characteristics and the gearshift-
ing characteristics of the automatic transmis-
sion are adapted for this purpose. ABS, ESP
®
and 4ETS programs especially adapted to off-
road driving are activated. An accelerator pedal
curve suitable for the terrain is selected, i.e. the
accelerator pedal must be depressed further to
accelerate.
Do not use the OffroadorOffroad Plus drive
programs on roads that are snow-covered or icy,
or if you have installed your vehicle with snow
chains.
Offroad drive program
:DYNAMIC SELECT controller
;Offroad program indicator lamp
Select the Offroadprogram for easily negotia-
ble off-road terrain, e.g. dirt tracks, gravel or
sandy surfaces. The engine's torque is restric-
ted to a limited degree and the drive wheels can
spin. The spinning wheels produce a cutting
effect for better traction. ABS, ESP
®and 4ETS
programs especially adapted to off-road driving are activated. A gentle accelerator pedal curve
is also selected, i.e. the accelerator pedal must
be depressed much further in order to acceler-
ate.
You can select the Offroaddrive program at
speeds below 60 mph (96 km/h). The Drive
Program "Offroad" Max. Speed 60 mphmessage appears in the multifunction display. If
you drive at speeds above 60 mph(96 km/h)
and select the Offroaddrive program, the
Drive More Slowly
message appears in the
220Driving systems
Driving and parking

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

Display messagesPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
Check TiresThe tire pressurein on eor mor etires has dropped significantly. The
whee lposition is displayed in th emultifunction display.
A warning tone also sounds.
GWARNIN G
Tir epressures that are to olow pos eth efollowin ghazards :
Rthey may burst, especially as th eload and vehicl espeed increase.
Rthey may wear excessivel yand/o runevenly, whic hmay greatl y
impair tire traction .
Rthedrivin gcharacteristics ,as well as steering and braking ,may be
greatl yimpaired.
There is aris kof an accident.
XStop th evehicl ewithout making any sudden steering or braking
maneuvers .Pay attention to th etraffic condition sas you do so.
XSecur eth evehicl eagainst rollin gaway (Ypage 161).
XCheckth etires and ,if necessary, follow th einstruction sfor aflat
tire (Ypage 339).
XChec kth etire pressur e (Ypage 361).
XIf necessary, correc tth etire pressure.
Warnin gTir eMal ‐functionThe tire pressur ein on eor mor etires has dropped suddenly. The whee l
position is shown in th emultifunction display.
GWARNIN G
Drivin gwit h a flat tire poses aris kof th efollowin ghazards :
Raflat tire affects th eabilit yto steer or brak eth evehicle.
Ryou could lose control of th evehicle.
Rcontinued drivin gwit h a flat tire will caus eexcessive heat build-up
and possibl y afire.
There is aris kof an accident.
XStop th evehicl ewithout making any sudden steering or braking
maneuvers .Pay attention to th etraffic condition sas you do so.
XSecur eth evehicl eagainst rollin gaway (Ypage 161).
XCheckth etires and ,if necessary, follow th einstruction sfor aflat
tire (Ypage 339).
TirePress.Monito rCurrently Unavaila‐ble
Becausethere is interferenc efrom astron gsource of radi owaves, no
signals from th etire pressur esensor sare detected. The tire pressur e
monitor is temporarily malfunctioning .
XDrive on.
The tire pressur emonitor restarts automatically as soo nas th e
problem has been resolved.
Tir ePress. Sen ‐sor(s) Missin gThere is no signal from th etire pressur esensor of on eor several
wheels. The pressur eof th eaffecte dtire is no tdisplayed in th emul-
tifunction display.
XHav eth efault ytire pressur esensor replace dat aqualified special -
ist workshop .
274Display messages
On-board computer and displays