2019 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV Owner's Manual

Indicator lamps
0087for the desired offroad level
flash:
R the lower indicator lamp flashes, offroad
level 1 is selected
R the lower and center indicator lamps flash,
offroad level 2 is selected
R all three indicator lamps flash, offroad level 3
is selected
The vehicle adjusts to the offroad level selected.
As soon as an offroad level is reached, the cor-
responding indicator lamp stops flashing and
lights up constantly.
Raising the vehicle
Set the vehicle level using the selector wheel.
X To raise the vehicle: turn selector wheel 0043
clockwise 0044.
The vehicle is raised to offroad level 1 by 1.2 in
(30 mm) compared to the normal level.
During the adjustment, the Vehicle rising
Vehicle rising
message, for example, appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
If you press the 0038or0076 button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message will
disappear.
i Up to offroad level 2, you can hide the mes-
sages using the 0038or0076 button on the
multifunction steering wheel.
While the adjustment from offroad level 2 to off-
road level 3 is taking place, you will see a mes-
sage such as the following in the multifunction
display: Vehicle rising Max. speed
Vehicle rising Max. speed
12 mph (20 km/h) 12 mph (20 km/h).
The Max. Max. speed
speed 12 mph
12 mph (20 km/h)
(20 km/h) message
draws your attention to the maximum speed
permitted for offroad level 3.
If you drive above 12 mph (20 km/h) at offroad
level 3, you will see the following message shown in red in the multifunction display:
Low‐ Low‐
ering Max. speed 12 mph (20 km/h)
ering Max. speed 12 mph (20 km/h).
i You cannot clear these messages.
You also hear a warning. The vehicle is lowered and offroad level 3 is canceled.
If you continue to increase your speed, the red
message continues to be shown in the multi-
function display. The newly set level is not dis-
played until the vehicle has been set to a level
suitable for the current speed.
Lowering the vehicle If you drive faster than 12 mph (20 km/h) while
the vehicle level is being lowered, you will see
the following message shown in white in the
multifunction display: Lowering Max. speed Lowering Max. speed
20 km/h
20 km/h.
The vehicle is lowered to offroad level 2.
You will see a message in the multifunction dis- play, for example: Lowering Lowering.
Offroad level 2 is canceled and the vehicle is
lowered to offroad level 1 if you:
R drive at speeds above 50 mph (80 km/h) or
R drive at speeds between 40 mph (64 km/h)
and 50 mph (80 km/h) for longer than
20 seconds
Offroad level 1 is canceled. Depending on the
vehicle's speed and the selected drive program,
the vehicle is automatically lowered to normal
level or low level if you:
R drive at speeds above 70 mph (112 km/h) or
R drive at speeds between 65 mph (105 km/h)
and 70 mph (112 km/h) for longer than
20 seconds HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R when pulling away, especially on steep slopes
R when maneuvering on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the driver
having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away. Driving systems
183Driving and parking Z

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.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the vehicle is only braked using the HOLD
function, the vehicle may roll away in the fol-
lowing situations when you leave the vehicle:
R if there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply
R if the HOLD function is deactivated by
depressing the accelerator pedal or brake
pedal, e.g. by a vehicle occupant
There is a risk of an accident.
Always deactivate the HOLD function and
secure the vehicle against rolling away before
you leave it.
! 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
Deactivate the HOLD function (Y page 184).
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function
R the driver's door is closed or your seat belt is
fastened
R the electric parking brake is released
R the transmission is in position 005B,005Eor005C
R Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is deacti-
vated Activating the HOLD function X
Make sure that the activation conditions are
met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until 0043appears in the multifunction display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first time
does not activate the HOLD function, wait
briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated automatically
if:
R you depress the accelerator and the trans-
mission is in position 005Bor005E
R you shift the transmission to position 005D
R you depress the brake pedal again with a cer-
tain amount of pressure until 0043disappears
from the multifunction display
R you secure the vehicle using the electric park-
ing brake
R you activate Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake.
When the HOLD function is activated, the trans-
mission is automatically shifted 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 184
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if the HOLD function is activated
when the vehicle is stationary and:
R a system malfunction occurs
R the power supply is insufficient
On steep uphill or downhill gradients or if there
is a malfunction, the transmission may also be
automatically shifted to position 005D.AIRMATIC package
General notes AIRMATIC is an air suspension system with var-
iable damping for improved driving comfort.
Level control ensures the best possible suspen- sion and constant ground clearance, even with a laden vehicle. When you drive fast, the vehicle islowered automatically to improve driving safety
and to reduce fuel consumption. There is also
the option to manually adjust the vehicle level.
AIRMATIC consists of:
R level settings
R level control and
R ADS or ADS PLUS (Adaptive Damping Sys-
tem)
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): your vehicle may also be equipped with
the ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM (Y page 186).
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: your vehicle is equip-
ped with the ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM
(Y page 186).
Observe the notes on driving with a trailer
(Y page 222).
The vehicle level can be set using the DYNAMIC
SELECT controller (Y page 147) or the level but-
ton (Y page 187). The setting always corre-
sponds to the last selected function.
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.
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.
ADS and ADS PLUS (Adaptive Damping
System) General notes
The Adaptive Damping System automatically
controls the calibration of the dampers. The
damping characteristics adapt to the current
operating and driving situation.
The damping is tuned individually to each wheel
and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface conditions
R the drive program selected
R the vehicle level setting
Selecting Comfort mode In the
Comfort drive program, the driving char-
acteristics of your vehicle are more comforta-
ble. Therefore, select this mode if you favor a
more comfortable driving style. Also select the
Comfort drive program when driving fast on
straight roads, e.g. on straight stretches of high-
way. Driving systems
185Driving and parking Z

X
Select the Comfortdrive program using
DYNAMIC SELECT controller 0043.
The vehicle is adjusted to normal level
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): in theComfort drive program, the vehicle
is:
R lowered by 0.6 in (15 mm) if you drive at
speeds above 78 mph (125 km/h)
R raised again if you drive at speeds below
50 mph (80 km/h)
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: in theComfort drive
program, the vehicle is:
R lowered by 0.4 in (10 mm) if you drive at
speeds above 112 mph (180 km/h)
R raised again if you drive at speeds below
87 mph (140 km/h)
Selecting Sport mode The firmer setting of the suspension tuning in
the Sport drive program ensures even better
contact with the road. Select this drive program when employing a sporty driving style, e.g. on
winding country roads.
DSR is not available in the Sportdrive program.
For further information on DSR, see
(Y page 215).
X Select the Sportdrive program using
DYNAMIC SELECT controller 0043.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): the vehicle is lowered by 0.6 in (15 mm)
compared to the normal level.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the vehicle
remains at the normal level. Selecting Sport Plus tuning (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles) The very firm setting of the suspension setting in
the Sport Plus drive program ensures the best
possible contact with the road. Select this drive
program when employing a sporty driving style, e.g. on winding country roads or primarily whendriving on race circuits.
DSR is not available in the Sport Plusdrive pro-
gram. For further information on DSR, see
(Y page 215).
X Select the Sport Plus drive program using
DYNAMIC SELECT controller 0043.
The vehicle is lowered by 0.4 in (10 mm) com-
pared to the normal level.
ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM The ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM uses active stabil-
izers to optimize both driving comfort and vehi- cle dynamics. Depending on the drive program
selected (Y page 151), the ACTIVE CURVE SYS-
TEM also changes the setting.
If you have selected the Comfortdrive program:
R rolling movement is reduced in the event of
changing surface undulations
R the roll angle when cornering is reduced
R the driving is dynamic
If you have selected the Sportdrive program:
R the roll angle is reduced significantly
R the driving is even more dynamic
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: if you have selected
the Sport Plus drive program:
R the roll angle is reduced even more signifi-
cantly
R the driving is designed for maximum dyna-
mism 186
Driving systemsDriving and parking

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

Setting the raised vehicle level
X
Start the engine.
If indicator lamp 0044is not lit:
X Press button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044flashes while the vehicle is
being raised, and lights up continuously as
soon as the vehicle reaches the desired level.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): the vehicle is raised by 2.4 in (60 mm)
compared to the normal level.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the vehicle is
raised by 2 in (50 mm) compared to the nor-
mal level.
The Vehicle Rising Vehicle Rising message appears in the
multifunction display.
The message remains until the raised level is
reached.
If you press the 0038or0076 button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message will
disappear.
The raised vehicle level setting is canceled in the following cases:
R All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): you are driving faster than 37 mph
(60 km/h).
R Mercedes-AMG vehicles: you are driving
faster than 43 mph (70 km/h).
R Mercedes-AMG vehicles: you drive at
speeds between 40 mph (64 km/h) and
43 mph (70 km/h) for approximately 20 sec- onds.
R You drive with a trailer at speeds greater than
19 mph (30 km/h).
The raised vehicle level remains saved when you are not driving within these speed ranges. Setting the normal vehicle level
! Make sure that there is enough ground
clearance when the vehicle is being lowered.
It could otherwise hit the ground, damaging
the underbody.
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp 0044is lit:
X Press button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044flashes while the vehicle is
being lowered, and goes out as soon as the
desired vehicle level is reached.
Vehicles with no trailer coupled: the vehi-
cle is adjusted to the height of the selected
drive program (Y page 147).
Vehicles with a trailer coupled: the vehicle
is adjusted to normal level regardless of the
drive program selected (Y page 147). The
vehicle remains at the normal level, even if the
drive program is changed.
During the adjustment, the Lowering
Lowering mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
If you press the 0038or0076 button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message will
disappear. AMG adaptive sport suspension sys-
tem
General notes The electronically controlled damping system
works continuously. This improves driving
safety and ride comfort.
The damping is tuned individually to each wheel and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface condition, e.g. bumps
R your individual selection of Sport, Sport+ or
Comfort
The suspension setting can be adjusted using
the appropriate button on the center console or the DYNAMIC SELECT controller (Y page 147).
Each time you restart the engine with the Smart-
Key or the Start/Stop button, Comfort mode is
activated. For further information about starting
the engine, see (Y page 141).188
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Sport mode
The firmer suspension setting in the Sport drive
program ensures even better contact with the
road. Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e.g. on winding country roads.
X Press button 0043repeatedly until indicator
lamp 0087lights up.
You have selected Sport mode.
The AMG Suspension System SPORT AMG Suspension System SPORT mes-
sage appears on the multifunction display.
Sport + mode The very firm suspension setting in the Sport +
drive program ensures the best possible contact
with the road. Select this mode only when driv-
ing on race circuits.
If indicator lamps 0044and 0087are off:
X Press button 0043repeatedly until indicator
lamp 0044lights up.
You have selected Sport + mode.
The AMG AMG Suspension
Suspension System
SystemSPORT +
SPORT + mes-
sage appears on the multifunction display.
In the Sport + drive program, the vehicle is low-
ered to 10 mm below the normal level.
Comfort mode In the Comfort drive program, the driving char-
acteristics of your vehicle are more comforta-
ble. Select this mode if you prefer a more com-
fortable driving style, but also when driving at
speed on straight roads, e. g. highways.
X Press button 0043repeatedly until indicator
lamps 0044and 0087go out.
You have selected Comfort mode.
The AMG
AMG Suspension Suspension System
SystemCOMFORT
COMFORT mes-
sage appears on the multifunction display. Parking Assist PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is an electronic
parking aid with ultrasound. It monitors the area
around your vehicle using six sensors in the
front bumper and six sensors in the rear
bumper. Parking Assist PARKTRONIC visually
and audibly indicates the distance between your
vehicle and an object.
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is
not a replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking and
exiting a parking space. Make sure that there
are no persons, animals or objects in the maneu- vering area while maneuvering and parking in/
leaving parking spaces.
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such as
flower pots or trailer drawbars. PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects when they are in
the immediate vicinity of the vehicle. You
could damage the vehicle or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic car
wash, the compressed-air brakes on a truck
or a pneumatic drill could cause PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
! Fold in the ball coupling if the trailer tow
hitch is not required. PARKTRONIC measures
the minimum detection range to an obstacle
from the bumper, not the ball coupling.
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is deactivated for
the rear area when you establish an electrical
connection between your vehicle and a trailer.
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is activated auto-
matically when you:
R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position 005B,005Eor
005C
R release the electric parking brake.
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is deactivated at
speeds above 11 mph (18 km/h). It is reactiva- ted at lower speeds. Driving systems
189Driving and parking Z

Range of the sensors
General notes
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC does not take into
account obstacles located:
R below the detection range, such as persons,
animals or objects
R above the detection range, such as overhang-
ing loads, truck overhangs or loading ramps 0043
Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand side
(example)
The sensors must be free from dirt, ice or slush. They can otherwise not function correctly. Clean
the sensors regularly, taking care not to scratch
or damage them (Y page 330). Range 0043
Approx. 24 in (approx. 60 cm) (corners)
0044 Approx. 32 in (approx. 80 cm) (corners)
0087 Approx. 48 in (approx. 120 cm) (center)
0085 Approx. 40 in (approx. 100 cm) (center)
Minimum distance Center Approx. 8 in (approx. 20 cm)
Corners Approx. 6 in (approx. 15 cm)
If there is an obstacle within this range, the rel-
evant warning displays light up and a warning
tone sounds. If the distance falls below the min- imum, the distance may no longer be shown. 190
Driving systemsDriving and parking