2019 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV warning

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. 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 maximum fording depth val- ues (Y page 390). 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 Driving tips
165Driving and parking
Z

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 147).
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 354).
For more information on driving with summer
tires, see (Y page 354).
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section (Y page 372). Off-road driving
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle
could slip sideways, tip and rollover. There is a risk of an accident.
Always drive on a steep incline in the line of
fall (straight up or down) and do not turn the
vehicle. G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system. There is a risk of fire.
When driving on an unpaved road or off-road,
check the vehicle underside regularly. In par-
ticular, remove trapped plant parts or other
flammable material. Contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop immediately if damage is
detected. G
WARNING
If the vehicle level is high, the vehicle center of gravity is raised. This could cause the vehicleto tip over more easily on uphill or downhill
gradients. There is a risk of an accident.
Select the lowest possible vehicle level.
! There is a risk of damage to the vehicle if:
R the vehicle becomes stuck, e.g. on a high
curb or an unpaved road
R you drive too fast over an obstacle, e.g. a
curb, a speed bump or a pothole in the road
R a heavy object strikes the underbody or
parts of the chassis
In situations like this, the body, the under-
body, chassis parts, wheels or tires could be
damaged without the damage being visible.
Components damaged in this way can unex-
pectedly fail or, in the case of an accident, no
longer withstand the loads they are designed
to.
If the underbody paneling is damaged, com-
bustible materials such as leaves, grass or 166
Driving tipsDriving and parking

R
Take care when turning on an uphill or down-
hill slope or when driving across a slope. The
vehicle could otherwise tip over.
R Always keep the doors, the tailgate, the side
windows and the sliding sunroof closed while the vehicle is in motion.
R Do not shift the automatic transmission to
position 005C.
R Observe the notes on off-road fording
(Y page 165).
i Information about retrofitting special all-ter-
rain tires is available from any qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
i Do 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.
X Engine oil level: check the engine oil level
and add engine oil if necessary.
When you drive on steep gradients, the engine
oil level must be sufficiently high to ensure
that oil is supplied correctly in the vehicle.
X Tire-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.
X Wheels and tires: check the tread depth and
pressure of the tires.
X Check for damage and remove any foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the wheels/
tires.
X Replace any missing valve caps.
X Replace dented or damaged wheels.
X Rims: dented or bent rims can result in a loss
of tire pressure and damage the tire bead.
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.
X If the Offroad orOffroad Plus drive program
is selected: select the Individual,Sport,
Comfort orSlippery drive program
(Y page 147).
X Deactivate the LOW RANGE off-road gear
(Y page 218).
X Deactivate DSR (Y page 215).
X Lower the vehicle level again to a level suita-
ble to the road conditions, e.g. to the normal
level.
X Clean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage.
X Clean the front and rear license plates.
X Clean the wheels and tires with a water jet
and remove any foreign objects.
X Clean the wheels, wheel housings and the
vehicle underside with a water jet; check for
any foreign objects and damage.
X Check 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.
X After the trip, examine without fail the entire
undercarriage, wheels, tires, brakes, body-
work structure, steering, chassis and exhaust
system for damage.
X After 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.
X If 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. 168
Driving tipsDriving and parking

Driving on sand
Observe the following rules when driving on
sand:
R Select the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
without Off-road Engineering Package)
(Y page 216).
R Select the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
with Off-road Engineering Package)
(Y page 217).
R Select a higher vehicle level.
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Use the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter to shift to a lower gear appropriate to
the terrain.
R Drive quickly to overcome the rolling resist-
ance. Otherwise the vehicle's wheels could
become stuck in loose ground.
R Drive 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:
R Select the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
without Off-road Engineering Package)
(Y page 216).
R Select the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
with Off-road Engineering Package)
(Y page 217).
R Select a higher vehicle level.
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter.
R Drive slowly.
R Where ruts are too deep, drive with the
wheels of one side on the center grassy area, if possible. Driving over obstacles !
Obstacles could damage the floor of the
vehicle or components of the chassis. Ask
passengers for guidance when driving over
large obstacles. The passenger should always
keep a safe distance from the vehicle when
doing so in order to avoid injury as a result of unexpected vehicle movements. After driving
off-road or over obstacles, check the vehicle
for possible damage, especially to the under- body and the components of the chassis. Observe the following rules when driving over
tree stumps, large stones and other obstacles:
R Select the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
without Off-road Engineering Package)
(Y page 216).
R Select the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
with Off-road Engineering Package)
(Y page 217).
R Select LOW RANGE offroad gear (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
(Y page 218)
R Raise the vehicle level.
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter.
R Drive very slowly.
R Drive straight over the center of obstacles. Traveling uphill
Approach/departure angle G
WARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle Driving tips
169Driving and pa rking
Z

stored speed on downhill gradients by auto-
matically applying the brakes.
Storing or calling up a 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.
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.
X Press the cruise control lever up 0043for a
higher speed or down 0044for a lower speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 mph incre-
ments (1 km/h increments):
briefly press
the cruise control lever up 0043or down 0044to
the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is pressed
up 0043 or down 0044the last speed stored is
increased or reduced.
X To adjust the set speed in 5 mph incre-
ments (10 km/h increments):
briefly press
the cruise control lever up 0043or down 0044
beyond the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is pressed
up 0043 or down 0044the last speed stored is
increased or reduced.
i Cruise 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. 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 172
Driving systemsDriving and parking

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 if questions 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. 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. Driving systems
173Driving and parking Z

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 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 program
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC supports a
sporty driving style if you have selected the
Sport orSport Plus drive program
(Y page 151). 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 Driving systems
175Driving and parking Z

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. When Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is acti-
vated and the vehicle is at a standstill, the trans-
mission will be shifted automatically to position
005D if:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's seat
belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function.
When Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is acti-
vated and the vehicle is at a standstill, the elec- tric parking brake will secure the vehicle auto-
matically if:
R a system malfunction occurs
R the power supply is not sufficient
On steep uphill or downhill inclines or if there is
a malfunction, the transmission may also be
automatically shifted into position 005D.
Setting a speed Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has accelerated or braked to
the speed set.
X Press the cruise control lever up 0043for a
higher speed or down 0083for a lower speed
X To adjust the set speed in 1 mph incre-
ments (1 km/h increments):
briefly press
the cruise control lever up 0043or down 0044to
the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is pressed
up 0043 or down 0044the last speed stored is
increased or reduced.
X To adjust the set speed in 5 mph incre-
ments
(10 km/h increments): briefly press
the cruise control lever up 0043or down 0044
beyond the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is pressed
up 0043 or down 0044, the last speed stored is
increased or reduced.
i If you accelerate to overtake, Active Dis-
tance Assist DISTRONIC adjusts the vehicle's
speed to the last speed stored after you have
finished overtaking. 176
Driving systemsDriving and parking