2019 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV transmission

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

multifunction display. The last active drive pro-
gram is selected again.
Selecting the Offroad program X To select a drive program: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller 0043until indicator lamp 0044
lights up.
The Drive program "Offroad" Max.
Drive program "Offroad" Max.
speed 60 mph speed 60 mph message appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
The vehicle is raised by +1.2 in (30 mm).
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.
Offroad Plus drive program 0043
DYNAMIC SELECT controller
0044 Offroad Plus drive program indicator lamp
Select the Offroad Plus drive program for rough
terrain, e.g. for steep and/or uneven terrain or
for driving on rocky terrain.
Your vehicle has an automatically activated dif-
ferential lock for the transfer case. It controls
the balance between the front and rear axles.
The differential lock improves the vehicle's trac-
tion. 4ETS (Y page 70) controls the balance
between both wheels on an axle.
Selecting the Offroad Plus drive program X To select drive program: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller 0043until indicator lamp 0044
lights up.
The Drive program "Offroad Plus" Drive program "Offroad Plus"
Max.
Max. speed
speed 25
25mph
mph message appears in the
multifunction display. R
The Offroad Plus program is selected and
the vehicle is raised by +1.2 in (30 mm)
compared with the Offroaddrive program.
R DSR is switched on.
R The differential lock is closed.
You can select the Offroad Plus drive program at speeds below 25 mph (40 km/h).
The Offroad Plus drive program automatically
switches to the Offroad drive program if you
drive faster than 30 mph (45 km/h). The Drive
Drive
more slowly more slowly message appears in the multi-
function display.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(Y page 166).
LOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles
with the Off-Road Engineering package) Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you select the LOW RANGE off-road gear on a slippery road surface, the wheels could lose traction:
R if you remove your foot from the accelera-
tor pedal when driving
R if off road ABS intervenes when braking
If the wheels lose traction. the vehicle can no
longer be steered. There is an increased dan-
ger of skidding and accidents.
Never select the LOW RANGE off-road gear
when driving on slippery road surfaces. G
WARNING
If you do not wait for the transfer case gear
change process to complete, the transfer
case could remain in the neutral position. The power transmission to the driven wheels is
then interrupted. There is a danger of the
vehicle rolling away unintentionally. There is a
risk of an accident.
Wait until the transfer case shift process is
completed.
You can shift the transfer case to the HIGH
RANGE on-road position or the LOW RANGE
off-road gear. 218
Driving systemsDriving and parking

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

Messages in the multifunction display
If a gear change process has not been successful, the following messages may be displayed in the
multifunction display: Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions LOW RANGE Max.
LOW RANGE Max.
Speed 24 mph Speed 24 mph You have been driving faster than 24 mph (40 km/h). Additionally, the
indicator lamp on the button in the center console is flashing.
X Slow down to change gear. LOW RANGE Shift to
LOW RANGE Shift to
Position N Briefly Position N Briefly The transmission is in position
005Band you are driving at below
40 km/h.
X To shift gear, shift the transmission to position 005C.LOW RANGE Shifting
LOW RANGE Shifting
Canceled Please Canceled Please
Reactivate Reactivate The gear change process was not carried out.
X Ensure that all gear change conditions are fulfilled and carry out the
gear change process again. LOW RANGE Stop
LOW RANGE Stop
Apply Parking Brake Apply Parking Brake A warning tone also sounds. The gear change process has not been
completed. LOW RANGE is in the neutral position. There is no con-
nection between the engine and the drive wheels.
! Do not drive any further. You could otherwise damage the vehi-
cle's drive train.
X Stop the vehicle. Take into account the road and traffic conditions
when doing this.
X Apply the electric parking brake (Y page 159).
X Carry out the gear change process again.
If the gear change process has been carried out, the LOW RANGE LOW RANGE
stop apply parking brake
stop apply parking brake message disappears.Driving dynamics display in the
COMAND display (vehicles with the Off-
Road Engineering package) General notes
The driving dynamics display allows you to see
the selected drive program and additional infor-
mation about the vehicle's operating status in
the COMAND display. 0043
Drive program selected
0044 Status of the differential lock for the transfer
case
0087 Accelerator pedal position shown in %
0085 Brake pedal position shown in %
0083 Condition of the LOW RANGE offroad gear
0084 Angle of inclination
006B Steering angle
006C Uphill or downhill gradient in percentage 220
Driving systemsDriving and parking

X
Slide bolt 0083into the hole in the ball coupling
recess and the ball coupling to the stop. X
Secure the bolt using spring cotter 0084.X
Check the ball coupling, bolt and spring cotter
for correct installation.
If the ball coupling cannot be correctly mounted,
remove the ball coupling. Under these circum-
stances, the ball coupling must not be used for
trailer towing.
Have the entire trailer tow hitch checked at a
qualified specialist workshop. Coupling up a trailer
! Do not connect the trailer's brake system (if
featured) to the hydraulic brake system of the towing vehicle, as the latter is equipped with
an anti-lock brake system. Doing so will result
in a loss of function of the brake systems of
both the vehicle and the trailer.
X Shift the transmission to position 005D.
X Apply the vehicle's electric parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Vehicles with AIRMATIC Package: select
normal level and the Comfortdrive program.
X Switch off the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electrical connection between
the vehicle and the trailer.
X Check that the trailer lighting system is work-
ing.
X Push the combination switch upwards/down-
wards and check whether the corresponding
turn signal on the trailer flashes.
A trailer that is connected is recognized only
when the electrical connection is established
correctly and when the lighting system is work-
ing properly. The function of other systems also depends on this, for example:
R ESP ®
R Parking Assist PARKTRONIC
R Active Parking Assist
R Parking Package with rear view camera
R Active Blind Spot Assist
R Active Lane Keeping Assist
i Vehicles with the AIRMATIC Package: if you
couple up a trailer, the vehicle always remains
at normal level. When coupling up a trailer,
please observe the following:
R If the normal level has not been set man-
ually, the vehicle is automatically lowered
to normal level. This is the case if a speed of
5 mph (8 km/h) is reached.
R The Sport drive program is not available.
These restrictions apply to all accessories
powered through a connection to the trailer
power socket of your vehicle, e.g. a bicycle
carrier.
Observe the maximum permissible trailer
dimensions (width and length). 224
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

Most U.S. states and all Canadian provinces
require by law:
R Safety chains between the towing vehicle and
the trailer. The chains should be cross-woundunder the trailer drawbar. They must be fas-
tened to the vehicle's trailer coupling, not to
the bumper or the axle.
Leave enough play in the chains to make tight
cornering possible.
R A separate brake system for certain types of
trailer.
R Safety switch for braked trailers. Check the
specific legal requirements applicable to your
state.
If the trailer becomes detached from the tow-
ing vehicle, the safety feature triggers the
trailer brakes. Towing a trailer
There are numerous legal requirements con-
cerning the towing of a trailer, e.g. speed restric-
tions. Make sure that your car/trailer combina- tion complies with the local regulations:
R in your place of residence
R in the location to which you are driving
The police and local authorities can provide reli-
able information.
Observe the following when towing a trailer:
R To gain driving experience and to become
accustomed to the new handling characteris-
tics, you should practice the following in a
traffic-free location:
- cornering
- stopping
- backing up
R Before driving, check:
- trailer tow hitch
- safety switch for braked trailers
- safety chains
- electrical connections
- lights
- wheels
R Adjust the exterior mirrors to provide an
unobstructed view of the rear section of the
trailer.
R If the trailer has electronically controlled
brakes, pull away carefully. Brake manually using the brake controller and check whether
the brakes function correctly.
R Secure any objects on the trailer to prevent
the cargo from slipping when the vehicle is in
motion.
R When you couple up a trailer, check at regular
intervals that the load is firmly secured. If the trailer is equipped with trailer lights and
brakes, check the trailer to ensure that these
are working.
R Bear in mind that the handling will be less
stable when towing a trailer than when driving
without one. Avoid sudden steering move-
ments.
R The vehicle/trailer combination is heavier,
accelerates more slowly, has a decreased
gradient climbing capability and a longer
braking distance.
It is more susceptible to side winds and
requires more careful steering.
R If possible, do not brake suddenly, but instead
depress the brake pedal moderately at first sothat the trailer can activate its brakes. Then
increase the pressure on the brake pedal.
R If the automatic transmission repeatedly
shifts between gears on uphill or downhill gra-
dients, shift to a lower gear using the left-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter.
A lower gear and lower speed reduce the risk of engine failure.
R When driving downhill, shift to a lower gear to
utilize the engine's braking effect.
Avoid continuous brake application as this
may overheat the vehicle brakes and, if instal- led, the trailer brakes.
R If the coolant temperature increases dramat-
ically while the air-conditioning system is
switched on, switch off the air-conditioning
system.
Coolant heat can also be dissipated by open-
ing the windows and switching the ventilation blower and the interior temperature to the
highest level.
R When overtaking, pay particular attention to
the extended length of your vehicle/trailer
combination.
Due to the length of the vehicle/trailer com-
bination, you require additional road space in
relation to the vehicle you are overtaking
before you can change back to the original
lane. Towing a trailer
225Driving and parking Z

Decoupling a trailer
G
WARNING
If you uncouple a trailer with the overrun
brake engaged, you could trap your hand
between the vehicle and the trailer drawbar.
There is a risk of injury.
Do not uncouple a trailer if the overrun brake is engaged. G
WARNING
Vehicles with level control:
The vehicle is lowered as soon as you discon-
nect the trailer cable. This could result in your limbs or those of other people that are
between the vehicle body and tires or under-
neath the vehicle being trapped. There is a
risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the immediate
vicinity of the wheel housings or under the
vehicle when you disconnect the trailer cable.
! Do not disconnect a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. Otherwise, your vehicle could
be damaged by the rebounding of the overrun
brake.
X Shift the transmission to position 005D.
X Apply the vehicle's electric parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Apply the trailer's parking brake.
X Detach the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
X Switch off the engine. Permissible trailer loads and drawbar
loads
Weight specifications Maximum allowable gross mass
The gross vehicle weight of the trailer is calcu-
lated by adding the weight of the trailer to the
weight of the load and equipment on the trailer.
You will find installing dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (Y page 392).Permissible noseweight
You will find installing dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (Y page 392).
Loading a trailer R
When loading the trailer, make sure that nei-
ther the permissible gross weight of the trailer
nor the gross vehicle weight are exceeded.
The permissible gross vehicle weight is indi-
cated on the identification plate located on
the B-pillar on the driver's side of the vehicle.
You can find the maximum permissible values
on the type plates of your vehicle and the
trailer. When calculating how much weight
the vehicle and trailer may carry, pay atten-
tion to the respective lowest values.
R The trailer drawbar load on the ball coupling
must be added to the rear axle load to avoid
exceeding the permissible gross axle weight.
The permissible gross vehicle weight is indi-
cated on the identification plate located on
the B-pillar on the driver's side of the vehicle.
i Mercedes-Benz recommends a trailer load
where the trailer drawbar noseweight
accounts for 8 % to 15 % of the trailer's per-
missible gross weight.
i The weight of additional accessories, pas-
sengers, and cargo reduces the permissible
trailer load and drawbar load for your vehicle.
Checking the vehicle and trailer weight R
To check that the weights of the towing vehi-
cle and the trailer comply with the maximum
permissible values, have the vehicle/trailer
combination (including the driver, passen-
gers, and cargo with a fully laden trailer)
weighed on a calibrated weighbridge.
R Check the gross axle weight rating of the front
and rear axles, the gross weight of the trailer
and the trailer drawbar noseweight. Removing the ball coupling
X Remove the spring cotter.
X Remove the bolt from the ball coupling
recess.
X Remove the ball coupling from the ball cou-
pling recess. 226
Towing a trailerDriving and pa
rking

Left control panel
0059
0065 R
Calls up the menu and menu bar 0063
0064 Press briefly:
R Scrolls in lists
R Selects a submenu or function
R In the Audio Audio menu: selects the
previous or next station, when the
preset list or station list is active,
or the previous or next audio track
or video scene
R In the Tel
Tel(Telephone) menu:
switches to the phone book and
selects a name or telephone num-
ber 0063
0064 Press and hold:
R
In the Audio Audio menu: selects a pre-
set list or a station list in the
desired frequency range or an
audio track or video scene using
rapid scrolling
R In the Tel Tel(Telephone) menu:
starts rapid scrolling if the phone
book is open 0076 R
Confirms the selection or display
message
R In the Tel
Tel(Telephone) menu:
switches to the phone book and
starts dialing the selected number 0038 Press briefly:
R Back
R Switches off voice-operated con-
trol for navigation or the Voice
Control System
R Hides display messages or calls up
the last Trip Tripmenu function used
R Exits the telephone book/redial
memory 0038 Press and hold:
R
Calls up the standard display in the
Trip Trip menu Right control panel
0076 R
Rejects or ends a call
R Exits the telephone book/redial
memory 0061 R
Makes or accepts a call
R Switches to the redial memory 0081
0082 R
Adjusts the volume 0063 R
Mute 0059 R
Switches on voice-operated con-
trol for navigation or the Voice
Control System Multifunction display
0043
Permanent display: outside temperature or
speed (Y page 240)
0044 Time
0087 Text field
0085 Menu bar
0083 Drive program (Y page 149)
0084 Transmission position (Y page 149)
X To display menu bar 0085: press the0059
or 0065 button on the steering wheel.
If you do not press any other button, menu
bar 0085fades out after a few seconds.
Text field 0087shows the selected menu or sub-
menu as well as display messages. 232
Displays and operationOn-board computer and displays