2019 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV snow chains

Vehicle level
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
When the vehicle is being lowered, people
could become trapped if their limbs are
between the vehicle body and the wheels or
underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches
when the vehicle is being lowered. G
WARNING
When you drive with the vehicle raised, the
driving characteristics could be impaired by
the vehicle's raised center of gravity. The vehi- cle could rollover more easily, for example on
a bend. There is a risk of an accident.
Always select as low a vehicle level as possi-
ble and adjust your driving style. G
WARNING
When you drive with the chassis lowered or
raised, the vehicle's braking and driving char-
acteristics can be significantly impaired. You
could also exceed the permissible vehicle
height if the chassis is raised. There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the vehicle level before pulling away. G
WARNING
Due to the high center of gravity, the vehicle
may start to skid and roll over in the event of
an abrupt steering maneuver and/or when
the vehicle's speed is not adapted to the road conditions. There is a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your speed and driving style to
the vehicle's driving characteristics and to the prevailing road and weather conditions.
! When driving on extremely rough terrain,
select a high vehicle level in good time. Make
sure there is always sufficient ground clear-
ance. You will otherwise damage the vehicle.
R Utility vehicles have a significantly higher roll-
over rate than other types of vehicles. Failure to operate this vehicle safely may
result in an accident, rollover of the vehicle,
and severe or fatal injury.
R In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is sig-
nificantly more likely to die than a person
wearing a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupants should always
wear your seat belts.
General notes
Only select raised level if this is appropriate for
the road conditions. Otherwise, fuel consump-
tion may increase and handling may be affected.
Make changes to the vehicle level while the
vehicle is in motion. This enables the vehicle to adjust to the new level as quickly as possible.
The vehicle level may change visibly if you park
the vehicle and the outside temperature
changes. If the temperature drops, the vehicle
level is lower; with an increase in temperature,
the vehicle level rises.
If you unlock the vehicle or open a door, the
vehicle begins to compensate for load discrep-
ancies while still parked. However, for signifi-
cant level changes, such as after the vehicle has
been stationary for a long period, the engine
must be on. For safety reasons, the vehicle is
only lowered when the doors are closed. Low-
ering is interrupted if a door is opened, and it
continues once the door has been closed.
Vehicles with no trailer coupled: below a
speed of 37 mph (60 km/h) you can choose
between the normal and raised vehicle level.
Select the normal vehicle level for normal road
surfaces and the raised vehicle level for driving
with snow chains or on particularly poor road
surfaces. Your selection remains stored even if
you remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
If you try to select raised level at a speed above
37 mph (60 km/h), the Drive More Slowly
Drive More Slowly
message appears in the multifunction display.
Vehicles with a trailer coupled: below a speed
of 19 mph (30 km/h), you can choose between
the normal and raised vehicle level. Driving systems
187Driving and parking Z

Parking tips:
R on narrow roads, drive as close to the parking
space as possible
R parking spaces that are littered or overgrown
might be identified or measured incorrectly
R parking spaces that are partially occupied by
trailer drawbars might not be identified as
such or be measured incorrectly
R snowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately
R pay attention to the warning messages of
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC during the park-
ing procedure (Y page 189).
R you can intervene in the steering procedure to
correct it at any time. Active Parking Assist
will then be canceled
R when transporting a load which protrudes
from your vehicle, you should not use Active
Parking Assist
R never use Active Parking Assist when snow
chains are installed
R make sure that the tire pressures are always
correct. This has a direct influence on the
parking characteristics of the vehicle
Use Active Parking Assist for parking spaces:
R parallel or at right angles to the direction of
travel
R on straight roads, not bends
R on the same level as the road, e.g. not on the
pavement
Detecting parking spaces Objects located above the detection range of
Active Parking Assist will not be detected when the parking space is measured. These are not
taken into account when the parking/exiting
procedure is calculated, e.g. overhanging loads,
tail sections or loading ramps of trucks. Active
Parking Assist may therefore guide you into the
parking space too early. G
WARNING
If there are objects above the detection range:
R Active Parking Assist may steer too early
R the vehicle may not stop in front of these
objects
This could cause a collision. There is a risk of
an accident. If objects are located above the detection
range, stop and deactivate Active Parking
Assist.
Further information about the detection range
(Y page 190).
Active Parking Assist does not assist you park-
ing in spaces at right angles to the direction of
travel if:
R two parking spaces are located directly next
to one another
R the parking space is directly next to a low
obstacle such as a low curb
R you park forwards
Active Parking Assist does not assist you park-
ing in spaces that are parallel or at right angles
to the direction of travel if:
R the parking space is on a curb
R the system reads the parking space as being
blocked, for example by foliage or grass pav-
ing blocks
R the area is too small for the vehicle to maneu-
ver into
R the parking space is bordered by an obstacle,
e.g. a tree, a post or a trailer 0043
Detected parking space on the left
0044 Parking symbol
0087 Detected parking space on the right
Active Parking Assist is switched on automati-
cally when driving forwards. The system is
operational up to a speed of approximately
22 mph (35 km/h) . While in operation, the sys-
tem independently locates and measures park-
ing spaces on both sides of the vehicle.
Active Parking Assist will only detect parking
spaces:
R parallel or at right angles to the direction of
travel
R that are parallel to the direction of travel and
at least 59 in (1.5 m) wide Driving systems
193Drivingand parking Z

R
you switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
When Adaptive
Adaptive is selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if:
R you switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
R you accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
R you brake hard.
R you steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lanes quickly.
R you 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.
i In 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"
(Y page 166).
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 005B,005E
or 005C. 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 G
WARNING
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- Driving systems
215Driving and parking Z

appears in the multifunction display. The last
active drive program is selected again.
Do not use the Offroadprogram 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
X To select drive program: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller 0043until indicator lamp 0044
lights up.
The Drive Program "Offroad1" Max.
Drive Program "Offroad1" Max.
Speed 60 mph
Speed 60 mph message 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: R drive at speeds above 37 mph (60 km/h) (all
vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
R drive at speeds above 43 mph (70 km/h)
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
R drive 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 Drive More Slowly message appears in
the multifunction display.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(Y page 166). 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 0043
DYNAMIC SELECT controller
0044 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
Drive
Program "Offroad" Max. Speed 60 mph Program "Offroad" Max. Speed 60 mph
message 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 Drive More Slowly message appears in the Driving systems
217Driving and parking Z

Do not turn off the engine while changing gear
and do not shift the automatic transmission to
another position.
Shift ranges HIGH RANGE LOW RANGE
Position for all normal
on-road driving con-
ditions Off-road gear for driv-
ing off-road, fording
and driving on steep
slopes. Characteristics of the LOW RANGE off-road
gear:
R lower maximum permissible speed: 31 mph
(50 km/h)
R increased tractive power
R the transmission ratio is different by a factor
of approximately three
R increase drive torque
Do not use LOW RANGE in the following situa-
tions:
R when driving on public roads.
R if you have snow chains installed
Switching to the LOW RANGE off-road
gear 0043
LOW RANGE offroad gear button
0044 LOW RANGE offroad gear indicator lamp
The following conditions must be fulfilled: R you are not driving on paved or public roads
R the engine is running
R the transmission is in position 005C
R you are driving at 24 mph (40 km/h) or less X
Press the LOW RANGE off-road gear but-
ton 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044will flash.
While indicator lamp 0044is flashing, you can
cancel the gear change by pressing LOW
RANGE off-road gear button 0043again.
When the gear change is complete, indicator
lamp 0044will light up continuously. The LOW LOW
RANGE on
RANGE on message will appear on the multi-
function display and the status indicator.
i You cannot activate LOW RANGE if the
SPORT drive program is activated. The LOW
LOW
RANGE
RANGE not
notin
indrive
drive program
program SPORT
SPORTmes-
sage then appears on the multifunction dis-
play.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(Y page 166). You will find information about
driving safety systems in conjunction with
LOW RANGE in the "Safety" section (Y page 66).
Switching to the HIGH RANGE on-road
position The following conditions must be fulfilled:
R the engine is running and you driving at no
more than 31 mph (50 km/h)
R the transmission is in position 005C
X Press the LOW RANGE off-road gear but-
ton 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044flashes.
While indicator lamp 0044is flashing, you can
cancel the gear change by pressing LOW
RANGE off-road gear button 0043again.
When the gear change is complete, indicator
lamp 0044goes out. On the multifunction dis-
play, the LOW LOWRANGE
RANGE Off
Offmessage will appear
and the status indicator will go out. Driving systems
219Driving and parking Z

cle even if there is a total loss of pressure in one
or more tires.
MOExtended tires may only be used in conjunc-
tion with an active tire pressure loss warning
system or with an active tire pressure monitor
and on wheels specifically tested by Mercedes- Benz.
Notes on driving with MOExtended tires with a
flat tire (Y page 336).
i Vehicles equipped with MOExtended tires
are not equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the fac- tory. It is therefore recommended that you
additionally equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT
kit if you mount tires that do not feature run- flat characteristics, e.g. winter tires. A TIREFIT
kit may be obtained from a qualified specialist
workshop. Winter operation
General notes
Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section (Y page 372). Driving with summer tires
At temperatures below 45 ‡ (+7 †), the elas-
ticity of summer tires and therefore also the
traction and braking capability are reduced con-
siderably. Change the tires on your vehicle to
M+S tire s. Using su mmer tires at very cold tem-
peratures could cause cracks to form, thereby
damaging the tires permanently. Mercedes-
Benz cannot accept responsibility for this type
of damage. G
WARNING
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control of your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tires regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tires immediately. M+S tires
G
WARNING
M+S tires with a tire tread depth of less than
00CF in (4 mm) are not suitable for use in winter
and do not provide sufficient traction. There is
a risk of an accident.
M+S tires with a tread depth of less than 00CFin
(4 mm) must be replaced immediately.
At temperatures below 45 ‡(+7 †), use winter
tires or all-season tires. Both types of tire are
identified by the M+S marking.
Only winter tires bearing the 004Dsnowflake
symbol in addition to the M+S marking provide
the best possible grip in wintry road conditions.
Only these tires will allow driving safety systems
such as ABS and ESP ®
to function optimally in
winter. These tires have been developed specif-
ically for driving in snow.
Use M+S tires of the same make and tread on all wheels to maintain safe handling characteris-
tics.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tires you have
mounted.
Once the winter tires are mounted:
X Check the tire pressures (Y page 358).
X Restart the tire pressure monitor
(Y page 359).
X Vehicles for Canada: restart the tire pres-
sure loss warning system (Y page 359).
Information about driving with an emergency
spare wheel (Y page 378). Snow chains
G
WARNING
If snow chains are installed to the front
wheels, they may drag against the vehicle
body or chassis components. This could
cause damage to the vehicle or the tires.
There is a risk of an accident. 354
Winter operationWheels and tires

To avoid hazardous situations:
R never install snow chains to the front
wheels
R always install snow chains in pairs to the
rear wheels.
! Check the snow chains for damage before
mounting them. Damaged or worn snow
chains may snap and damage the following
components:
R wheel
R wheel housing
R wheel suspension
For this reason, you must use only snow
chains that are free of defects. Observe the
manufacturer's mounting instructions.
! You must drive at raised vehicle level (height
1) if snow chains have been installed. The
vehicle may otherwise be damaged.
! Vehicles with ADS (Adaptive Damping
System): do not use the sport mode when
driving with snow chains mounted. The vehi-
cle may otherwise be damaged.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use snow chains that have been specially approved for your vehicle by
Mercedes-Benz, or are of a corresponding
standard of quality. For more information,
please contact a qualified specialist workshop.
Install the snow chains on all driven wheels for
maximum tractive power and driving stability. If
you own snow chains for two driven wheels only, install the snow chains to the wheels on the rear
axle. The vehicle then remains more stable
under braking.
If you intend to mount snow chains, please bear
the following points in mind:
R Snow chains may not be mounted on all
wheel/tire combinations. Permissible
wheel/tire combinations (Y page 377).
R Only use snow chains when driving on roads
completely covered by snow. Remove the
snow chains as soon as possible when you
come to a road that is not snow-covered.
R Local regulations may restrict the use of snow
chains. Observe the appropriate regulations if
you wish to mount snow chains. R
Do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 30 mph (50 km/h).
R When snow chains are installed, never use
Active Parking Assist (Y page 192) or the
Parking Package with rear view camera.
You may wish to deactivate ESP ®
(Y page 71)
when pulling away with snow chains mounted.
You can thereby allow the wheels to spin in a
controlled manner, achieving an increased driv-
ing force (cutting action).
Information about driving with an emergency
spare wheel (Y page 378). Tire pressure
Tire pressure specifications
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Underinflated or overinflated tires pose the
following risks:
R the tires may burst, especially as the load
and vehicle speed increase.
R the tires may wear excessively and/or
unevenly, which may greatly impair tire
traction.
R the driving characteristics, as well as steer-
ing and braking, may be greatly impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures
and check the pressure of all the tires includ-
ing the spare wheel:
R monthly, at least
R if the load changes
R before beginning a long journey
R under different operating conditions, e.g.
off-road driving
If necessary, correct the tire pressure.
Details on tire pressure can be found at the fol-
lowing positions in the vehicle:
R Tire and Loading Information placard on the
B-pillar on the driver's side
R Table for tire pressure on the inside of the fuel
filler flap
The tire pressure monitor does not warn you of: Tire pressure
355Wheels and tires Z

a corresponding warning message will appear in
the multifunction display.
You can recognize the tire pressure loss warning
by the Run Flat Indicator Active Press Run Flat Indicator Active Press
'OK' to Restart
'OK' to Restart message which appears in
the Service
Service menu of the multifunction display.
Information on the message display can be
found in the "Restarting the tire pressure loss
warning system" section (Y page 359).
Important safety notes The tire pressure warning system does not warn
you of an incorrectly set tire pressure. Observe
the notes on the recommended tire pressure
(Y page 355).
The tire pressure loss warning does not replace
the need to regularly check the tire pressure. An even loss of pressure on several tires at the
same time cannot be detected by the tire pres-
sure loss warning system.
The tire pressure monitor is not able to warn you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. if the tire is
penetrated by a foreign object. In the event of a
sudden loss of pressure, bring the vehicle to a
halt by braking carefully. Avoid abrupt steering
movements.
The function of the tire pressure loss warning
system is limited or delayed if:
R snow chains are mounted on your vehicle's
tires.
R road conditions are wintry.
R you are driving on sand or gravel.
R you adopt a very sporty driving style (corner-
ing at high speeds or driving with high rates of
acceleration).
R you are driving with a heavy load (in the vehi-
cle or on the roof).
Restarting the tire pressure loss warn-
ing system Restart the tire pressure loss warning system if
you have:
R changed the tire pressure
R changed the wheels or tires
R mounted new wheels or tires
X Before restarting, make sure that the tire
pressures are set properly on all four tires for
the respective operating conditions.
The recommended tire pressure can be found on the Tire and Loading Information placard on the B-pillar. Additionally, a tire pressure
table is attached to the fuel filler flap. The tire
pressure loss warning system can only give
reliable warnings if you have set the correct
tire pressure. If an incorrect tire pressure is
set, these incorrect values will be monitored.
X Also observe the notes in the section on tire
pressures (Y page 355).
X Make sure that the SmartKey is in position 0048
in the ignition lock (Y page 140).
X Press the 0059or0065 button on the steering
wheel to select the Service
Service menu.
X Press the 0063or0064 button to select
Tire Pressure Tire Pressure.
X Press the 0076button.
The Run Flat Indicator Active Press
Run Flat Indicator Active Press
'OK' to Restart
'OK' to Restart message appears in the
multifunction display.
If you wish to confirm the restart:
X Press the 0076button.
The Tire Pressure Now OK?
Tire Pressure Now OK? message
appears in the multifunction display.
X Press the 0063or0064 button to select Yes
Yes.
X Press the 0076button.
The Run Flat Indicator Restarted
Run Flat Indicator Restarted mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
After a teach-in period, the tire pressure loss
warning system will monitor the set tire pres-
sures of all four tires.
If you wish to cancel the restart: X Press the 0038button.
or
X When the Tire TirePressure
Pressure Now
NowOK?
OK?message
appears, press the 0063or0064 button to
select Cancel
Cancel .
X Press the 0076button.
The tire pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored. Tire pressure monitor
General notes If a tire pressure monitor is installed, the vehi-
cle's wheels have sensors that monitor the tire
pressures in all four tires. The tire pressure mon-
itor warns you if the pressure drops in one or
more of the tires. The tire pressure monitor only functions if the corresponding sensors are
installed in all wheels. Tire pressure
359Wheels and tires Z