2019 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE SUV Owner's Manual

Slippery
Optimal driving characteris-
tics on slippery or snow-
covered roads Off-road
Optimal driving characteris-
tics for easily negotiable off-
road terrain Off-road Plus
(vehicles with
Off-road Engi-
neering Pack-
age) Optimal driving characteris-
tics for rough terrain Further information on:
R the Individual, Sport,Comfort andSlippery
drive programs (Y page 146)
R the Off-road drive program (vehicles without
Off-road Engineering Package)
(Y page 215)
R the Off-road andOff-road Plus drive pro-
grams (vehicles with Off-road Engineering
Package) (Y page 216) X
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller 0043as many times as nec-
essary until the desired drive program is
selected.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. After five seconds, this information disappears from the display.
In addition, the current drive program settings
are displayed in the multimedia system dis-
play.
Drive programs available (Mercedes-AMG
vehicles): Individual
Individual settings
Comfort
Comfortable and economi-
cal driving characteristics Sport
Sporty driving characteris-
tics
Sport Plus
Particularly sporty driving
characteristics
Slippery
Optimal driving characteris-
tics on slippery or snow-
covered roads Additional information for drive programs
(Y
page 146). Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
Plug-in hybrid: be sure to read the separate
Operator's Manual. Otherwise, you may not rec- ognize dangers. DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions 005D
Park position with parking lock
005E Reverse gear Automatic transmission
143Driving and parking Z

005C
Neutral
005B Drive
The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns to its
original position. The current transmission posi- tion 005D,005E,005Cor005B is shown on the trans-
mission position display on the multifunction
display (Y page 145).
Engaging park position P !
If the engine speed is too high or the vehicle
is coasting, do not shift the automatic trans-
mission directly from 005Bto005E, from 005Eto005B
or directly to 005D. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission may be damaged.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever switch in the
direction of arrow 005D.
Engaging park position P automatically Park position
005Dis automatically engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the SmartKey
and remove the SmartKey
R you switch off the engine using the SmartKey
or using the Start/Stop button and open the
driver's door or front-passenger door
R you open the driver's door when the vehicle is
stationary or when driving at a very low speed
and the transmission is in position 005Bor005E
Under certain conditions, the automatic trans-
mission will shift automatically to transmission
position 005Dif the HOLD function or Active Dis-
tance Assist DISTRONIC is activated. Observe
the information on the HOLD function
(Y page 183) and on Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC (Y page 174).
Engaging reverse gear R !
Only move the automatic transmission to
005E when the vehicle is stationary.
X If the transmission is in position 005Bor005C:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the
first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position 005D: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the first point of resistance. Shifting to neutral N G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake.
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R Start the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
X If the transmission is in position 005Bor005E:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down to the first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position 005D: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT
lever up or down to the first point of resist-
ance.
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-
sion in position 005Eor005B, the automatic trans-
mission shifts to 005Cautomatically.
With the SmartKey: if you then open the driv-
er's door or the front-passenger door or remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock, the auto-
matic transmission shifts to 005Dautomatically.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then open
the driver's door or the front-passenger door,
the automatic transmission shifts automatically to 005D.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral 005C, e.g. when having the vehi-
cle cleaned in an automatic, tow-through car
wash: 144
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

With the SmartKey:
X Switch on the ignition.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral 005C.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the SmartKey
in the ignition lock.
With the Start/Stop button: X Remove the Start/Stop button from the igni-
tion lock.
X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
X Switch on the ignition.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral 005C.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the SmartKey
in the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D X
If the transmission is in position 005Eor005C:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position 005D: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the first point of resistance. Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
The current transmission position and drive pro-
gram appear in the multifunction display. 0043
Transmission position
0044 Gear
0087 Drive program The arrows in the transmission position display
show how and into which transmission positions
you can shift using the DIRECT SELECT lever.
If the transmission position display on the mul-
tifunction display is not working, you should pull away carefully to check whether the desired
transmission position is engaged. Ideally, you
should select transmission position 005B. Transmission positions
0045 Park position
Only shift the transmission into posi-
tion 005D(Ypage 156) when the vehi-
cle is stationary. The parking lock
should not be used as a brake when
parking. Always apply the electronic
parking brake in addition to the park-
ing lock in order to secure the vehi-
cle.
In the event of a malfunction of the
vehicle's electronics, the transmis-
sion may lock in position 005D. Have
the vehicle electronics checked
immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Park position 005Dis automatically
engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the
SmartKey and remove the Smart-
Key
R you switch off the engine using the
SmartKey or using the Start/Stop
button and open the driver's door
or front-passenger door
R you open the driver's door when
the vehicle is stationary or when
driving at a very low speed and the
transmission is in position 005Bor
005E 0046 Reverse gear
Shift the transmission into position
005E only when the vehicle is station-
ary. Automatic transmission
145Driving and parking Z

0044 Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
005C
while driving. The automatic trans-
mission could otherwise be dam-
aged.
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you to
move the vehicle freely, e.g. to push
it or tow it.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty: shift
the transmission to position 005Cif the
vehicle is in danger of skidding, e.g.
on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position 005Eor005B,
the automatic transmission will shift
to 005C automatically.
! Coasting in neutral
005Cmay
cause damage to the drive train. 003A Drive
The automatic transmission changes
gear automatically. All forward gears
are available. Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts through the
individual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position 005B. This automatic gear shift-
ing behavior is determined by:
R the selected drive program
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a lower
gear depending on the engine speed.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Rocking the vehicle free Shifting back and forth between transmission
positions
005Band 005Ecan help to free up the
vehicle if it gets stuck in mud or snow. The vehi- cle's engine management system limits the
speed to a maximum of 5 mph (9 km/h) when
shifting back and forth. To shift repeatedly
between transmission positions 005Band 005E,
move the DIRECT SELECT lever up and down
beyond the pressure point.
Towing a trailer X
Drive in the middle of the engine speed range
on uphill gradients.
X Depending on the uphill or downhill gradient,
use the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 147) to select a lower gear,
even if cruise control or Active Distance
Assist DISTRONIC is activated. Drive programs
Slippery drive program The
Slippery drive program has the following
characteristics:
R reduced engine and transmission settings for
optimum propulsion on slippery or snow-cov-
ered roads.
R optimized ESP ®
stability control on slippery or
snow-covered roads.
R the vehicle has improved driving stability on
slippery or snow-covered roads, for example. 146
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

Comfort drive program
The
Comfort drive program has the following
characteristics:
R comfort-oriented engine and transmission
settings.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
R the vehicle pulls away more gently in forward
and reverse gears, unless the accelerator
pedal is depressed fully.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being driven
at lower engine speeds and the wheels being less likely to spin.
Sport drive program The
Sport drive program has the following char-
acteristics:
R sporty engine and transmission settings.
R the automatic transmission shifts up later.
The fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points.
R the suspension exhibits sporty damping (vehi-
cles with AIRMATIC).
Drive program Sport Plus (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles) The
Sport Plus drive program has the following
characteristics:
R the vehicle exhibits particularly sporty driving
characteristics.
R the vehicle pulls away in first gear.
R the automatic transmission shifts up later.
The fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points.
R the suspension exhibits particularly firm
springing and damping settings (vehicles with AIRMATIC).
R the ECO start/stop function is deactivated, it
can, however, be activated again using the
ECO button (Y page 140). Individual drive program In the
Individual drive program, the following
properties of the drive program can be selected:
R the drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment)
R the transmission
R the suspension (vehicles with AIRMATIC)
R all vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehicles):
the steering
To select the gears in the Individualdrive pro-
gram permanently using the steering wheel pad- dle shifters, select the permanent manual gear-
shift program.
Information about configuring the Individual
drive program with the multimedia system can
be found in the Digital Operator's Manual. Manual gear shifting
General notes You can change gear yourself using the steering
wheel paddle shifters. The transmission must be
in position 005Bto do this.
Depending on which steering wheel paddle
shifter is pulled, the automatic transmission
immediately shifts into the next gear down or
up, if permitted.
To use manual shifting, you have two options:
R temporary setting
R permanent setting
If you activate manual gearshifting, the current
gear appears in the multifunction display
instead of transmission position 005B.
If manual gearshifting is deactivated, the gears
will be selected automatically. Automatic transmission
147Driving and parking Z

Temporary setting
X
To activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position 005B.
X Pull steering wheel paddle shifter 0043or0044.
The temporary setting is active for a certain
amount of time. Under certain conditions, the
minimum amount of time is extended, e.g. in the
case of lateral acceleration, during overrun
mode or when driving on steep terrain.
X To deactivate: pull steering wheel paddle
shifter 0044and hold it in place.
or
X Use the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch the
transmission position.
or X Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program.
Permanent setting (all vehicles except
Mercedes-AMG vehicles) X
To activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position 005B.
X Press button 0043. X
To deactivate: press button0043.
or
X Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program.
Permanent setting (Mercedes-AMG
vehicles) X
To activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position 005B.
X Press button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044lights up.
X To deactivate: press button0043.
or X Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
switch to the Individualdrive program.
Indicator lamp 0044goes 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. 148
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

X
To shift up: pull steering wheel paddle
shifter 0044.
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.
X To shift down: pull steering wheel paddle
shifter 0043.
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.
X When the corresponding gearshift recom-
mendation 0043appears in the multifunction display of the instrument cluster, shift to rec-
ommended gear 0044.
Upshifting (Mercedes-AMG vehicles) !
In manual mode, the automatic transmis-
sion does not shift up automatically even
when the engine limiting speed for the current
gear is reached. When the engine limiting
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. 0043
Gear indicator
0044 Upshift indicator
Before the engine speed reaches the red area,
an upshift indicator will be shown in the multi-
function display. X When the UP UPmessage appears in the multi-
function display, pull on the right-hand steer- ing wheel paddle shifter.
Kickdown Mercedes-AMG vehicles:
kickdown is only
possible in the temporary setting.
X For maximum acceleration, depress the
accelerator pedal beyond the pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a lower
gear depending on the engine speed.
X Shift back up once the desired speed is
reached.
During kickdown, you cannot shift gears using
the steering wheel paddle shifters.
If you apply full throttle, the automatic trans-
mission shifts up to the next gear when the
maximum engine speed is reached. This pre-
vents the engine from overrevving. Automatic transmission
149Driving and parking Z

Problems with the transmission
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately. 7G-TRONIC:
The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no lon-
ger changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into
secondgear and reverse gear.
X Stop the vehicle.
X Shift the transmission to position 005D.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position 005Bor005E.
If 005B is selected, the transmission shifts to secondgear; if005Eis
selected, the transmission shifts to reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately. 9G-TRONIC:
The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no lon-
ger changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only partly possible to engage the gears, or the transmission is in
position 005C.
X Stop the vehicle.
X Shift the transmission to position 005D.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position 005Bor005E.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately. Transfer case
This section is only valid for vehicles with 4-
wheel drive (4MATIC). Power is always trans-
mitted to both axles.
! Performance tests may only be carried out
on a 2-axle dynamometer. The brake system
or transfer case could otherwise be damaged. Contact a qualified specialist workshop for a
performance test.
! Because ESP ®
is an automatic system, the
engine and ignition must be switched off
(SmartKey in position 0or 1or Start/Stop
button in position 0or 1) when the electric
parking brake is being tested on a brake dyna-
mometer (maximum 10 seconds).
Braking triggered automatically by ESP ®
may
seriously damage the brake system. !
Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised, as
doing so will damage the transmission. Refueling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. Risk of fire and
explosion by improper handling of fuel.
You must avoid fire, open flames, smoking
and creating sparks. Switch off the ignition
before refueling and, if present, switch off the auxiliary heating. 150
RefuelingDriving and parking