2019 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE SUV park assist

This helps you to avoid overheating the
brakes and wearing them out excessively.
When you take advantage of engine braking, a
drive wheel may not turn for some time, e.g.
on a slippery road surface. This could cause
damage to the drive train. This type of damage is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz war-
ranty.
Do not depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. causing the
brakes to rub by constantly applying light pres-
sure to the pedal. This results in excessive and
premature wear to the brake pads.
Use the left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
to shift into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. This is especially
important if the vehicle is laden.
This also applies if you have activated cruise
control, the limiter or Active Distance Assist
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.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately. Drive on for a short while. This allows the airflow to
cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed reac-
tion from the brakes when braking for the first time. This may also occur after the vehicle has
been washed or driven through deep water.
You then have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehicle
washed, brake firmly while paying attention to
the traffic conditions. This will warm up the
brake discs, thereby drying them more quickly
and protecting them against corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt resi-
due may form on the brake discs and brake
pads. This can result in a significantly longer
braking distance.
R Brake occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
R Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes !
The brake fluid level may be too low, if:
R if the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and
R you hear a warning tone while the engine is
running
Observe additional warning messages in the
multifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked immediately.
Consult a qualified specialist workshop to
arrange this.
! A function or performance test should only
be carried out on a 2-axle dynamometer. If
you wish to operate the vehicle on such a
dynamometer, please consult a qualified spe- cialist workshop in advance. You could oth-
erwise damage the drive train or the brake
system.
! 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 162
Driving tipsDriving and parking

parking brake is being tested on a brake dyna-
mometer (maximum 10 seconds).
Braking triggered automatically by ESP ®
may
seriously damage the brake system.
All checks and maintenance work on the brake
system must be carried out at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Have brake pads installed and brake fluid
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the functional-
ity of your brakes at regular intervals. To do so,
depress the brake pedal firmly when driving at a high speed. This improves the grip of the brake
pads.
You can find a description of Brake Assist (BAS)
on (Y page 67) or of BAS PLUS on (Y page 72).
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only have
brake pads/linings installed on your vehicle
which have been approved for Mercedes-Benz
vehicles or which correspond to an equivalent
quality standard. Brake pads/linings which have not been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles
or which are not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only use
brake fluid that has been specially approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz, or which corre-
sponds to an equivalent quality standard. Brake fluid which has not been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which is not of an
equivalent quality could affect your vehicle's
operating safety.
High-performance brake system
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles) The high-performance brake system is designed
for heavy loads. This may lead to noise when
braking. This will depend on:
R Speed
R Braking force
R Environmental conditions, such as tempera-
ture and humidity
The wear of individual components of the brake system, such as the brake pads/linings or brake discs, depends on the individual driving style
and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a mile-
age that will be valid under all circumstances. An
aggressive driving style will lead to high wear. You can obtain further information about this
from your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after several
hundred kilometers of driving. Compensate for
this by applying greater force to the brake pedal. Keep this in mind, and adapt your driving and
braking accordingly during this break-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in correspond-
ingly high brake wear. Observe the 0026brake
wear warning lamp in the instrument cluster and
note any brake status messages in the multi-
function display. Especially for high perform-
ance driving, it is important to maintain and have
the brake system checked regularly. Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth on
the road surface, there is a danger of hydro-
planing occurring, even if:
R you drive at low speeds
R the tires have adequate tread depth
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or in
conditions in which hydroplaning may occur,
you must drive in the following manner:
R lower your speed
R avoid ruts
R avoid sudden steering movements
R brake carefully
Driving on flooded roads !
Do not drive through flooded areas. Check
the depth of any water before driving through
it. Drive slowly through standing water. Oth-
erwise, water could enter the vehicle interior
or engine compartment. It can then damage
the engine's or automatic transmission's
electronic components. It can also be sucked
in by the engine's air intake connection and
cause engine damage.
i Vehicles with the AIRMATIC Package:
select the raised vehicle level before driving
through a body of water. Driving tips
163Driving and parking Z

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.
R Establish how deep the water is and the char-
acteristics of the body of water before ford-
ing.
R Select the highest possible vehicle level.
R Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter.
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Enter and exit the water at a flat place and at
a steady walking pace.
R Drive slowly and at an even speed through the
water.
R Ensure that a bow wave does not form as you
drive.
R Do 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.
R Clean any mud from the tire tread after ford-
ing.
R Apply the brakes to dry them after fording.
Always observe the fording depth values
(Y page 392). Winter driving
G
WARNING
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. G
DANGER
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
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Shift the transmission to position 005C.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control using
corrective steering.
When driving in snow with or without snow
chains, select driving program Slippery
(Y page 142).
i Vehicles 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 (Y page 353).164
Driving tipsDriving and parking

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:
R the vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill
R the vehicle from traveling too quickly down
the other side
Driving downhill R
Drive slowly.
R Do 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.
R Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand pad-
dle shifter before tackling steep downhill gra-
dients.
R Activate 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.
R Check that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
i The 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
(Y
page 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 anyroad speed above 20 mph (30 km/h).
i Cruise 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:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
R when 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. Driving systems
169Driving and parking Z

Deactivating cruise control
There are several ways to deactivate cruise con-
trol:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards 0043.
or X Brake.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if: R you engage the electric parking brake
R you are driving at less than 20 mph (30 km/h)
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R you activate DSR
R you activate the Offroad Plus program (vehi-
cles with the Off-road Engineering Package)
R you shift the transmission to position 005C
while driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise Con‐ Cruise Con‐
trol Off
trol Off message in the multifunction display
for approximately five seconds.
i When you switch off the engine, the last
speed stored is cleared. Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
General notes Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC regulates the
speed and automatically helps you maintain the
distance from the vehicle detected in front.
Vehicles are detected with the aid of the radar
sensor system. Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC brakes automatically so that the set
speed is not exceeded.
You must select a lower gear in good time on
long and steep downhill gradients, especially if
the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. By doing so, you will make use of the braking effect of theengine. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly.
If Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC detects
that there is a risk of a collision with the vehicle
in front, you will be warned visually and audibly.
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC cannot pre-
vent a collision without your intervention. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound and
the distance warning lamp will light up in the
instrument cluster. Brake immediately in order to increase the distance to the vehicle in front or
take evasive action provided it is safe to do so.
For Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC to assist you when driving, the radar sensor system must
be operational.
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC operates in
the speed range between 0 mph (0 km/h) and
120 mph (200 km/h).
Do not use Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
while driving on roads with steep gradients.
As Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC transmits
radar waves, it can resemble the radar detectors of the responsible authorities. You can refer to
the relevant chapter in the Operator's Manual ifquestions are asked about this.
i USA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC as a "Vehicular Radar System". The radar sensor
is intended for use in an automotive radar
system only. Removing, tampering with, or
altering the device will void any warranties,
and is not permitted by the FCC. Do not tam-
per with, alter, or use in any non-approved
way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
i Canada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference,
and
2. This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Do not tamper with, alter or use in any non-
approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. Driving systems
171Driving and parking Z

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC does not
react to:
R people or animals
R stationary objects in the road, e.g. stopped
or parked vehicles
R oncoming vehicles and crossing traffic
As a result, Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
may neither give warnings nor intervene in
such situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC cannot
always clearly identify other road users and
complex traffic situations.
In such cases, Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC can:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R neither give a warning nor intervene
R accelerate or brake unexpectedly
There is a risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be ready to
brake, especially if Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC warns you. G
WARNING
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC brakes
your vehicle with up to 50% of the maximum
possible deceleration. If this deceleration is
not sufficient, Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC alerts you with a visual and acous- tic warning. There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust your speed in these cases and main-
tain sufficient distance.
Apply the brakes yourself and/or take evasive
action.
! When Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC or
the HOLD function is activated, the vehicle
brakes automatically in certain situations. To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC and the
HOLD function in the following or similar sit-
uations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC:
R Can neither reduce the risk of accident nor
override the laws of physics if you fail to adapt
your driving style.
R Cannot take into account road, weather or
traffic conditions.
R Is only an aid.
You are responsible for the distance to the vehi-
cle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in your lane.
Do not use Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC:
R In road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads
R On icy or slippery roads; braking or acceler-
ating can cause the drive wheels to lose trac-
tion and the vehicle could then skid
R In poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC may not
detect narrow vehicles driving in front, e.g.
motorcycles, or vehicles driving in a staggered
formation.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can be
impaired if:
R There is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R There is snow or heavy rain
R There is interference by other radar sources
R There are strong radar reflections, for exam-
ple in parking garages
If Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC no longer
detects a vehicle in front, Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC may unexpectedly accelerate to the
speed stored.
This speed may:
R Be too high if you are driving in a turning lane
or an exit lane
R Be so high when driving in the right-hand lane
that you overtake vehicles in the left-hand
lane
R Be so high in the left lane that you pass vehi-
cles driving on the right 172
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking

If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever 0043
Activates or increases speed
0044 Activates or reduces speed
0087 Deactivates Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC
0085 Activates at the current speed or last stored
speed
0083 Sets a specified minimum distance
Activating Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC Activation conditions
To activate Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC,
the following conditions must be fulfilled:
R the engine must be started. It may take up to
two minutes of driving before Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is ready for use.
R the electric parking brake must be released.
R ESP ®
must be active, but not intervening.
R the transmission must be in position 005B.
R the driver's door must be closed when you
shift from 005Dto005B or your seat belt must be
fastened.
R the front-passenger door and rear doors must
be closed.
R the Offroad Plus drive program must be deac-
tivated (vehicles with the Off-road Engineer-
ing Package).
R DSR must be deactivated.
R the vehicle must not skid. Activating
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 0087, up 0043or down 0085.
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is activa-
ted.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the Act.
Act. Distance Distance Assist
AssistSuspen‐
Suspen‐
ded
ded message will appears on the multifunc-
tion display. The set distance to a slower-
moving vehicle in front will then not be main-
tained. You will be driving at the speed you
determine by the position of the accelerator
pedal.
You can also activate Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC when stationary. The lowest speed
that can be set is 20 mph (30 km/h).
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 0087, up 0043or down 0085.
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is activa-
ted.
Activating at the current speed or last
stored speed G
WARNING
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.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 0087.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
The first time Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC is activated, it stores the current
speed or regulates the speed of the vehicle to the previously stored speed. Driving systems
173Driving and parking Z

Driving with Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC Pulling away and driving
X If you want to pull away with Active Dis-
tance Assist DISTRONIC: remove your foot
from the brake pedal.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 0085.
or
X Accelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its speed
to that of the vehicle in front. If no vehicle is
detected in front, your vehicle accelerates to
the set speed.
The vehicle can also pull away when it is facing
an unidentified obstacle or is driving on a differ-
ent line from another vehicle. The vehicle then
brakes automatically.
If there is no vehicle in front, Active Distance
Assist DISTRONIC operates in the same way as cruise control.
If Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC detects a
slower-moving vehicle in front, it brakes your
vehicle. In this way, the distance you have selec-
ted is maintained.
If Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC detects a
faster-moving vehicle in front, it increases the
driving speed. However, the vehicle is only
accelerated up to the speed you have stored.
Selecting the drive programActive Distance Assist DISTRONIC supports a
sporty driving style if you have selected the
Sport orSport Plus drive program
(Y page 146). Acceleration behind the vehicle in
front or to the set speed is then noticeably more
dynamic. If you have selected the Comfortdrive
program, the vehicle accelerates more gently.
This setting is recommended in stop-and-start
traffic.
Changing lanes If you change to the overtaking lane, Active Dis-
tance Assist DISTRONIC helps you if:
R you are driving faster than 45 mph (70 km/h)
R you switch on the appropriate turn signal
R Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC does not
currently detect a danger of collision
If these conditions are fulfilled, your vehicle is
accelerated. Acceleration will be interrupted if
changing lanes takes too long or if the distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
becomes too small.
i When you change lanes, Active Distance
Assist DISTRONIC monitors the right lane (in
left-side traffic) or the left lane (in right-side
traffic).
Stopping G
WARNING
If you leave the driver's seat when the vehicle is only being braked by Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC, it could roll away:
R if there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply
R if Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is
deactivated using the cruise control lever,
for example by a vehicle occupant or from
outside the vehicle
R if the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with
R if the battery is disconnected
R if the vehicle is accelerated, e.g. by a vehi-
cle occupant
There is a risk of an accident.
Always deactivate Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC and secure the vehicle against
rolling away before you leave it.
If Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC detects
that the vehicle in front is stopping, it brakes
your vehicle until it is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains sta-
tionary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
After a time, the electric parking brake secures
the vehicle and relieves the service brake.
Depending on the specified minimum distance,
your vehicle will come to a standstill at a suffi-
cient distance behind the vehicle in front. The
specified minimum distance is set using the
control on the cruise control lever. 174
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking