2019 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV service

X
To switch the alarm off with the Smart-
Key:
press the 0036or0037 button on the
SmartKey.
The alarm is stopped.
or X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
The alarm is stopped.
X To stop the alarm using KEYLESS-GO:
grasp the outside door handle. The SmartKey
must be outside the vehicle.
The alarm is stopped.
or X Press the Start/Stop button on the dash-
board. The SmartKey must be inside the vehi- cle.
The alarm is stopped.
The alarm is not switched off, even if you close
the open door that triggered it, for example.
i If the alarm continues for more than
30 seconds, the mbrace emergency call sys-
tem automatically notifies the Customer
Assistance Center. This is done either by text message or data connection. The emergency
call system sends the message or data provi- ded that:
R you have subscribed to the mbrace service.
R the mbrace service has been activated
properly.
R the necessary mobile phone network is
available. 76
Protection against theftSafety

Automatic interior lighting control
X
To switch on: set the switch to center posi-
tion 0084.
X To switch off: set the switch to the 0033
position.
The interior lighting automatically switches on if
you:
R Unlock the vehicle
R Open a door
R Remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock
The interior lighting is switched on for a set time
when the SmartKey is removed from the ignition
lock. This delayed switch-off can be adjusted via the multimedia system (see Digital Operator's
Manual). Crash-responsive emergency lighting
The interior lighting is activated automatically if
the vehicle is involved in an accident.
X To switch off the crash-responsive emer-
gency lighting: press the hazard warning
lamp button.
or X Lock and then unlock the vehicle using the
SmartKey. Replacing bulbs (vehicles with LED
headlamps)
The front and rear light clusters of your vehicle
are equipped with light-emitting diodes. Do not
replace the vehicle's bulbs yourself. Contact a
qualified specialist workshop which has the nec-
essary specialist knowledge and tools to carry
out the work required.
Lamps are an important aspect of vehicle safety. You must therefore make sure that these func-
tion correctly at all times. Have the headlamp
setting checked regularly. Replacing bulbs (vehicles with halo-
gen headlamps)
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Bulbs, lamps and connectors can get very hot when operating. If you change a bulb, you
could burn yourself on these components.
There is a risk of injury.
Allow these components to cool down before changing a bulb.
Do not use a bulb if it has been dropped or if its glass tube has been scratched.
The bulb may explode if:
R you touch it
R it is hot
R you drop it
R you scratch it
Use bulbs only in closed lamps that have been
designed for this purpose. Only install spare
bulbs of the same type and the specified volt-
age.
Marks on the glass tube reduce the service life
of the bulbs. Do not touch the glass tube with
your bare hands. If necessary, clean the glass
tube when cold with alcohol or spirit and rub it
off with a lint-free cloth.
Protect bulbs from moisture during operation.
Do not allow bulbs to come into contact with
liquids.
Replace only the bulbs listed (Y page 120).
Have the bulbs that you cannot replace yourself
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
If you require assistance replacing bulbs, con-
sult a qualified specialist workshop.
If the new bulb still does not light up, consult a
qualified specialist workshop.
Headlamps and lights are an important aspect of
vehicle safety. You must therefore make sure
that these function correctly at all times. Have
the headlamp setting checked regularly. Overview of bulb replacement - bulb
types
You can replace the following bulbs. The bulb
type can be found in the legend. 120
Replacing bulbs (vehicles with halogen headla
mps)Lights and windshield wipers

Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect, for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. G
WARNING
If you operate mobile communication equip-
ment when driving, you may be distracted
from the traffic situation. You could also lose
control of the vehicle. There is a risk of an
accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehicle is stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the country
in which you are driving. Some jurisdictions pro-
hibit the driver from using a mobile phone while driving a vehicle.
If you make a call while driving, always use
hands-free mode. Only operate the telephone
when the traffic situation permits. If you are
unsure, pull over to a safe location and stop
before operating the telephone.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers a
distance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m)per sec-
ond.
Drive sensibly – save fuel Observe the following tips to save fuel:
X The tires should always be inflated to the rec-
ommended tire pressure.
X Remove unnecessary loads.
X Remove roof carriers when they are not nee-
ded.
X Warm up the engine at low engine speeds. X
Avoid frequent acceleration or braking.
X Have all service and maintenance work car-
ried out at the specified intervals.
Fuel consumption also increases when driving in
cold weather, in stop-start traffic and in hilly ter- rain.
Drinking and driving G
WARNING
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs and driving are very dangerous combinations.
Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can
affect your reflexes, perceptions and judg-
ment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal acci-
dent is greatly increased when you drink or
take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or tak-
ing drugs.
Emission control G
DANGER
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases is hazardous to health
and can result in poisoning. There is a risk of
fatal injury. Therefore, never leave the engine running an enclosed space without adequate
ventilation.
Certain engine systems are designed to keep
the level of poisonous components in exhaust
fumes within legal limits.
These systems only work at peak efficiency if
they are serviced exactly in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. Always have
work on the engine carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you use an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center for this purpose. In particular, work
relevant to safety or on safety-related systems
must be carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop.
The engine settings must not be changed under
any circumstances. Furthermore, all specific
service work must be carried out at regular Driving tips
161Driving and parking Z

intervals and in accordance with the Mercedes-
Benz service requirements.
You can obtain current information concerning
the servicing of your vehicle at any time from a
qualified specialist workshop. This could be an
overview of the maintenance work or any addi-
tional maintenance work, for example. ECO display
The ECO display shows you how economical
your driving style is. The ECO display assists you in achieving the most economical driving style
for the selected settings and prevailing condi-
tions. Your driving style can significantly influ-
ence the vehicle's consumption. 0043
Acceleration
0044 Coasting
0087 Constant
0085 Additional range achieved
Range 0085is shown under Bonus Bonusfr.
fr.Start
Start and
represents the additional range achieved since
the beginning of the journey as a result of an
adapted driving style.
If the fuel level has dropped into the reserve
range, the Reserve Fuel Reserve Fuel message is shown in
the multifunction display instead of range 0085.
The 00B6 warning lamp in the instrument cluster
also lights up (Y page 282). The ECO display consists of three sections, with
an inner and outer area. The sections corre-
spond to the following three categories: 0043
Acceleration
(evaluation of all accel-
eration processes):
R the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: moderate
acceleration, especially at higher
speeds
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is gray: sporty acceler-
ation 0044
Coasting
(evaluation of all decelera-
tion processes):
R the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: anticipatory
driving, keeping your distance and
early release of the accelerator.
The vehicle can coast without use
of the brakes.
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is gray: frequent heavy
braking 0087
Constant
(continuous evaluation
over the entire journey):
R the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: constant
speed and avoidance of unneces-
sary acceleration and deceleration
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is gray: fluctuations in
speed The three inner areas display the current driving
style and light up green as a result of a particu-
larly economical driving style. Depending on the driving situation, up to two areas may light up
simultaneously.
At the beginning of the journey, the three outer
areas are empty and fill up as a result of eco-
nomical driving. A higher level indicates a more
economical driving style. If the three outer areas
are completely filled at the same time, the driver
has adopted the most economical driving style
for the selected settings and prevailing condi-
tions. The ECO display border lights up.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual fuel consumption. The additionally achieved range
displayed under Bonus fr. Start Bonus fr. Start does not
indicate a fixed consumption reduction. 162
Driving tipsDriving and parking

twigs can gather between the underbody and
the underbody paneling. If these materials
come in contact with hot parts of the exhaust
system, they can catch fire.
In such situations, have the vehicle checked
and repaired immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. If on continuing your jour-
ney you notice that driving safety is impaired, pull over and stop the vehicle immediately,
paying attention to road and traffic condi-
tions. In such cases, consult a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
When driving off-road, substances such as sand,
mud and water or water mixed with oil may get
into the brakes. This could result in a reduced
braking effect or in total brake failure and also in increased wear and tear. The braking charac-
teristics change depending on the material
entering the brakes. Clean the brakes after driv-
ing off-road. If you detect a reduced braking
effect or grinding noises, have the brake system
checked in a qualified specialist workshop as
soon as possible. Adapt your driving style to the different braking characteristics.
Driving off-road increases the likelihood of dam-age to the vehicle, which, in turn, can lead to
failure of the mechanical assembly or systems.
Adapt your driving style to suit the terrain con-
ditions. Drive carefully. Have damage to the
vehicle rectified immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Do not shift into transmission position 005Cwhen
driving off-road. You could lose control of the
vehicle if you attempt to brake the vehicle using
the service brake. If the gradient is too steep for your vehicle, drive back down in reverse gear.
General notes H
Environmental note
Protection of the environment is of primary
importance. Treat nature with respect.
Observe all prohibiting signs.
Read this section carefully before driving your
vehicle off-road. Practice by driving over more
gentle off-road terrain first.
Familiarize yourself with the characteristics of
your vehicle and the gear shift operation before driving through difficult terrain. The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving:
R The Off-road drive program (vehicles without
Off-Road Engineering package)
(Y page 216)
R Off-road andOff-road Plus drive programs
(vehicles with Off-Road Engineering package) (Y page 217)
R LOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles with the
Off-Road Engineering package)
(Y page 218)
R Differential lock (vehicles with the Off-Road
Engineering package) (Y page 218)
R Off-road ABS (Y page 67)
R Off-road 4ETS (Y page 70)
R Off-road ESP ®
(Y page 71)
R AIRMATIC package (vehicle level)
(Y page 185)
R DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Y page 215)
Observe the following notes:
R Stop the vehicle before starting to drive along
an off-road route. If necessary, select the off-
road program (Y page 217) or shift to the
LOW RANGE off-road gear (Y page 218).
R Select a vehicle level that is suitable for the
terrain. To avoid damaging the vehicle, make
sure there is always sufficient ground clear-
ance.
R Check that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(Y page 300).
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Activate
DSR (Y page 215).
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving down an incline.
R Adapt your speed to the terrain. The rougher,
steeper or more ruts on the terrain, the slower
your speed should be.
R Do not jump with the vehicle as this will inter-
rupt the vehicle's propulsion.
R Drive with extreme care on unfamiliar off-road
routes where visibility is poor. For safety rea- sons, get out of the vehicle first and survey
the off-road route.
R Look out for obstacles, such as rocks, holes,
tree stumps and furrows. Driving
tips
167Driving an d parking Z

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.
R Observe the rules on off-road driving.
R Do not drive at an angle on slopes, inclines or
gradients, but instead follow the direct line of
fall.
R When driving down an incline, make use of the
engine's braking effect. Observe the engine
speed; do not overrev the engine.
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 Before driving on extreme uphill and downhill
gradients, select the LOW RANGE offroad
gear (vehicles with Off-road Engineering
Package) (Y page 218).
R Drive slowly.
R Avoid high engine speeds. Drive at appropri-
ate engine speeds (maximum 3,000 rpm).
R Use the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter to shift into a lower gear in good time
on long and steep downhill gradients.
R Check the brakes after prolonged off-road
driving.
Hill start assist will aid you when pulling away on
a hill. For further information about hill start
assist, see (Y page 143).
Do not shift into transmission position 005Cwhen
driving off-road. You could lose control of the
vehicle if you attempt to brake the vehicle using
the service brake. If the gradient is too steep for
your vehicle, drive back down in reverse gear.
Always observe the approach/departure angle
values (Y page 391).
Maximum gradient-climbing capability Always observe the maximum gradient climbing
ability values (Y page 392). 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. 170
Driving systemsDriving and parking

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

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