2019 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV maintenance

Welcome to the world of Mercedes-Benz
We urge you to read this Operator's Manual
carefully and familiarize yourself with the vehi-
cle before driving. For your own safety and a
longer vehicle life, follow the instructions and
warning notices in this Operator's Manual.
Ignoring them could result in damage to the
vehicle or personal injury to you or others.
Vehicle damage caused by failure to follow
instructions is not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz Limited Warranty.
The equipment or product designation of your
vehicle may vary depending on:
R Model
R Order
R Country specification
R Availability
Mercedes-Benz therefore reserves the right to
introduce changes in the following areas:
R Design
R Equipment
R Technical features
The equipment in your vehicle may therefore
differ from that shown in the descriptions and
illustrations.
The following are integral components of the
vehicle:
R Digital Operator's Manual
R Printed Operator's Manual
R Maintenance Booklet
R Equipment-dependent supplements
Keep these documents in the vehicle at all
times. If you sell the vehicle, always pass all
documents on to the new owner.
Your Operator's Manual: Digital form inside the vehicle
The Digital Operator's Manual provides
comprehensive and specifically adapted
information on your vehicle's equipment
and multimedia system. It contains infor-
mative animations, individual language
settings and an intuitive search function. Booklet inside the vehicle
In addition to this manual and the afore-
mentioned digital media, you also have the option to obtain a comprehensive printed
version of the Supplement for your multi-
media system from your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Digital form via the Internet
The Operator's Manual on the Internet pro-
vides easy access to all information
regarding your vehicle and multimedia sys- tem. It also provides helpful animations,
interesting background information and a
wide array of search options. Digital form as an app
Using the Mercedes-Benz Guides app, you
can view all the information on your vehicle and multimedia system via mobile Internetor download it independently of network
access. Available for smartphones or tab-
lets.
You can also use the Mercedes-Benz Guides
app: Please note that the Mercedes-Benz Guides app
may not yet be available in your country.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
A Daimler Company
1665840510 É1665840510/ËÍ

Stowage and features
......................295
Stowage areas .....................................2 95
Features .............................................. 303 Maintenance and care
......................321
Engine compartment ........................... 321
ASSYST PLUS ...................................... 325
Care ..................................................... 326 Breakdown assistance
.....................334
Where will I find...? .............................. 334
Flat tire ................................................ 335
Battery (vehicle) .................................. 340
Jump-starting ....................................... 343
Towing and tow-starting ..................... .346
Fuses ................................................... 349 Wheels and tires
............................... 352
Important safety notes ........................ 352
Operation ............................................ 352
Winter operation .................................. 354
Tire pressure ....................................... 355
Loading the vehicle .............................. 362
All about wheels and tires ................... 366
Changing a wheel ................................ 372
Wheel and tire combinations .............. .377
Emergency spare wheel ....................... 378 Technical data
................................... 382
Information regarding technical data ... 382
Vehicle electronics .............................. 382
Identification plates ............................ .383
Service products and filling capaci-
ties ...................................................... 384
Vehicle data ......................................... 389
Vehicle data for off-road driving .......... 390
Trailer tow hitch ................................... 392 Contents
3

Engaging reverse gear ................... 148
Engaging the park position ............ 148
Important safety note
s.................. 148
Kickdown ....................................... 151
Manual shifting .............................. 152
Oil temperature (on-board com-
puter, Mercedes-AMG vehicles) ..... 242
Overview ........................................ 148
Problem (malfunction) ................... 155
Pulling away ................................... 143
Starting the engine ........................ 142
Steering wheel paddle shifters ...... 152
Trailer towing ................................. 151
Transmission position display ........ 149
Transmission positions .................. 150
Automatic transmission emer-
gency mode ....................................... 155
AUX jacks
CD/DVD drive ............................... 294
Axle load, permissible (trailer tow-
ing) ...................................................... 392 B
Back button ....................................... 288
Bag hook ............................................ 300
Ball coupling
Installing ........................................ 223
Removing ....................................... 226
BAS (Brake Assist System) ................. 67
Battery (SmartKey)
Checking .......................................... 80
Important safety notes .................... 80
Replacing ......................................... 80
Battery (vehicle)
Charging ........................................ 342
Display message ............................ 259
Important safety notes .................. 340
Jump starting ................................. 343
Overview ........................................ 340
Replacing ....................................... 343
Belt
see Seat belts
Belt warning ......................................... 48
Bicycle rack ....................................... 227
Blind Spot Assist
Activating/deactivating ................. 239
Display message ............................ 265 Notes/function .............................. 207
Trailer towing ................................. 208
see Active Blind Spot Assist
Bluetooth ®
Searching for a mobile phone ........ 291
Searching for a mobile phone
(device manager) ........................... 292
see also Digital Operator's Man-
ual .................................................. 287
Telephony ...................................... 291
Brake Assist System
see BAS (Brake Assist System)
Brake fluid
Display message ............................ 251
Notes ............................................. 387
Brake force distribution
see EBD (electronic brake force
distribution)
Brake lamps
Display message ............................ 257
Brake linings
Display message ............................ 251
Brakes
ABS .................................................. 66
BAS .................................................. 67
Brake fluid (notes) ......................... 387
Braking assistance appropriate to
the situation ..................................... 69
Display message ............................ 246
High-performance brake system .... 164
Hill start assist ............................... 143
Important safety notes .................. 163
Maintenance .................................. 164
Parking brake ................................ 159
Riding tips ...................................... 163
Warning lamp ................................. 276
Braking assistance appropriate to
the situation
Function/note s................................ 69
Breakdown assistance
Where will I find...? ........................ 334
see Flat tire
see Towing away
Brightness control (instrument
cluster lighting) ................................... 37
Bulbs
see Replacing bulbs 6
Index

Towing away
Important safety guidelines ........... 346
Installing the towing eye ................ 347
Notes for 4MATIC vehicles ............ 349
Removing the towing eye ............... 347
Transporting the vehicle ................ 348
With both axles on the ground ....... 347
Towing eye ......................................... 335
Traffic reports
see also Digital Operator's Man-
ual .................................................. 287
Traffic Sign Assist
Activating/deactivating the warn-ing function .................................... 238
Display message ............................ 264
Function/note s............................. 206
Important safety notes .................. 206
Instrument cluster display ............. 206
Trailer coupling
see Towing a trailer
Trailer loads and drawbar nose-
weights ............................................... 226
Trailer towing
Active Blind Spot Assist ................. 212
Active Lane Keeping Assist ............ 215
Blind Spot Assist ............................ 208
Permissible trailer loads and
drawbar noseweights ..................... 226
Transfer case ..................................... 155
Transmission
see Automatic transmission
Transmission position display ......... 149
Transporting the vehicle .................. 348
Traveling uphill
Brow of hill ..................................... 170
Driving downhill ............................. 170
Maximum gradient-climbing capa-
bility ............................................... 170
Trim pieces (cleaning instruc-
tions) .................................................. 332
Trip computer (on-board com-
puter) .................................................. 233
Trip odometer
Calling up ....................................... 233
Resetting (on-board computer) ...... 234
Trunk
see Tailgate Turn signals
Display message ............................ 257
Replacing bulbs (front) ................... 122
Switching on/of f........................... 116
Two-way radio
Frequencies ................................... 382
Installation ..................................... 382
Transmission output (maximum) .... 382
TWR (Tongue Weight Rating) (defi-
nition) ................................................. 372
Type identification plate
see Vehicle identification plate U
Unlocking Emergency unlocking ....................... 84
From inside the vehicle (central
unlocking button) ............................. 83
Upshift indicator (on-board com-
puter, Mercedes-AMG vehicles) ....... 242
USB devices
Connecting to the Media Inter-
face ............................................... 294 V
Vanity mirror (in the sun visor) ........ 305
Vehicle
Correct use ...................................... 31
Data acquisition ............................... 32
Display message ............................ 270
Equipment ....................................... 28
Individual settings .......................... 240
Limited Warranty ............................. 32
Loading .......................................... 362
Locking (in an emergency) ............... 84
Locking (SmartKey) .......................... 77
Lowering ........................................ 377
Maintenance .................................... 29
Operating safety .............................. 30
Parking .......................................... 158
Parking for a long period ................ 160
Pulling away ................................... 143
Raising ........................................... 374
REACH Regulation ........................... 31
Reporting problems ......................... 32
Securing from rolling away ............ 374 Index
23

systems, e.g. the brake system. Use only genu-
ine Mercedes-Benz parts or parts of equal qual- ity. Only use tires, wheels and accessories that
have been specifically approved for your vehi-
cle.
Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts are subject to
strict quality control. Every part has been spe-
cifically developed, manufactured or selected
for and adapted to Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
Therefore, only genuine Mercedes-Benz parts
should be used.
More than 300,000 different genuine
Mercedes-Benz parts are available for
Mercedes-Benz models.
All authorized Mercedes-Benz Centers maintain
a supply of genuine Mercedes-Benz parts for
necessary service and repair work. In addition,
strategically located parts delivery centers pro-
vide quick and reliable parts service.
Always specify the vehicle identification number
(VIN) when ordering genuine Mercedes-Benz
parts (Y page 383). Operator's Manual
Vehicle equipment
i This Operator's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment of
your vehicle available at the time of going to
print. Country-specific differences are possi-
ble. Bear in mind that your vehicle may not
feature all functions described here. This also applies to safety-relevant systems and func-
tions. The equipment in your vehicle may
therefore differ from that shown in the
descriptions and illustrations.
The original purchase contract documentation
for your vehicle contains a list of all the systems
in your vehicle.
Should you have any questions concerning
equipment and operation, please consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
The Operator's Manual and Maintenance Book-
let are important documents and should be kept
in the vehicle. Service and vehicle operation
Warranty
The Limited Warranty for your vehicle applies in
accordance with the warranty terms and condi-
tions in the Service and Warranty Information
booklet.
Your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
replace and repair all factory-installed parts in
accordance with the following warranty terms
and conditions:
R New Vehicle Limited Warranty
R Emission System Warranty
R Emission Performance Warranty
R California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachu-
setts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island
and Vermont Emission Control System War-
ranty
R State warranty enforcement laws (lemon
laws)
Replacement parts and accessories are covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Parts and Accessories
warranties. These are available at any author-
ized Mercedes-Benz Center.
i Should you lose your Service and Warranty
Information booklet, have an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center arrange for a replace- ment. The new Service and Warranty Infor-
mation booklet will be posted to you. Information for customers in Califor-
nia
Under California law you may be entitled to a
replacement of your vehicle or a refund of the
purchase price or lease price, if after a reason-
able number of repair attempts Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC and/or its authorized repair or service
facilities fail to fix one or more substantial
defects or malfunctions in the vehicle that are
covered by its express warranty.
During the period of 18 months from original
delivery of the vehicle or the accumulation of
29,000 km (approximately 18,000 miles) on the odometer of the vehicle, whichever occurs first,
a reasonable number of repair attempts is pre-
sumed for a retail buyer or lessee if one or more
of the following occurs:
(1) the same substantial defect or malfunction results in a condition that is likely to cause 28
Service and vehicle operationIntroduction

death or serious bodily injury if the vehicle is
driven, that defect or malfunction has been subject to repair two or more times, and youhave directly notified Mercedes-Benz USA,
LLC in writing of the need for its repair.
(2) the same substantial defect or malfunction of a less serious nature than category (1)
has been subject to repair four or more
times and you have directly notified
Mercedes-Benz in writing of the need for its
repair.
(3) the vehicle is out of service by reason of repair of the same or different substantial
defects or malfunctions for a cumulative
total of more than 30 calendar days.
Please send your written notice to:
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Customer Assistance Center
One Mercedes-Benz
Sandy Springs, GA 30328 Maintenance
USA only:
Always have the Service and Warranty Booklet
with you when you bring the vehicle to an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. The service
advisor will record every service for you in the
Service and Warranty Booklet.
Canada only:
Have every service in a qualified specialist work-
shop confirmed in the service report. Roadside Assistance
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance Pro-
gram offers technical help in the event of a
breakdown. Calls to the toll-free Roadside Assis- tance Hotline are answered by our agents 24
hours a day, 365 days a year.
1-800 FOR-MERCEDES (1-800-367-6372)
(USA)
1-800-387-0100 (Canada)
For additional information, refer to the
Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance Program
brochure (USA) or the "Roadside Assistance"
section in the Service and Warranty Booklet
(Canada). You will find both in the vehicle docu- ment wallet. Change of address or change of own-
ership
In the event of a change of address, please send us the "Notification of Address Change" in the
Service and Warranty Booklet or simply call the
Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center
(USA) at the hotline number
1-800 FOR-MERCEDES (1-800-367-6372) or
Customer Service Center (Canada) at
1-800-387-0100. This will assist us in contact-
ing you in a timely manner should the need arise.
If you sell your Mercedes, please leave all liter-
ature in the vehicle so that it is available to the
next owner.
If you have purchased a used car, please send us
the "Notification of Used Car Purchase" in the
Service and Warranty Booklet or simply call the
Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center
(USA) at the hotline number
1-800 FOR-MERCEDES (1-800-367-6372) or
Customer Service (Canada) at 1-800-387-0100. Vehicle operation outside the USA
and Canada
When you are abroad with your vehicle, observe the following points:
R Service facilities or replacement parts may
not be readily available.
R Lead-free fuel for vehicles with a catalytic
converter may not be available. Leaded fuel
can cause damage to the catalytic converter.
R The fuel may have a considerably lower
octane number. Unsuitable fuel can cause
engine damage.
Some Mercedes-Benz models are available for
delivery in Europe through our European Deliv-
ery Program. For details, consult an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or write to one of the
following addresses.
In the USA
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
European Delivery Department
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
European Delivery Department
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9 Service and vehicle operation
29Introduction Z

Sports Utility Vehicle
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 theprevailing road and weather conditions.
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.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is signif-
icantly more likely to die than a person wearing
a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupants should always
wear your seat belts. Operating safety
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you do not have the prescribed service/
maintenance work or any required repairs
carried out, this can result in malfunctions or system failures. There is a risk of an accident.
Always have the prescribed service/mainte-
nance work as well as any required repairs
carried out at a qualified specialist workshop. G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system. There is a risk of fire.
When driving on an unpaved road or off-road,
check the vehicle underside regularly. In par-
ticular, remove trapped plant parts or other
flammable material. Contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop immediately if damage is
detected. G
WARNING
Modifications to electronic components, their software as well as wiring can impair their
function and/or the function of other net-
worked components. In particular, systems
relevant to safety could also be affected. As a
result, these may no longer function as inten-
ded and/or jeopardize the operating safety of
the vehicle. There is an increased risk of an
accident and injury.
Never tamper with the wiring as well as elec-
tronic components or their software. You
should have all work to electrical and elec-
tronic equipment carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop.
! There is a risk of damage to the vehicle if:
R the vehicle becomes stuck, e.g. on a high
curb or an unpaved road
R you drive too fast over an obstacle, e.g. a
curb, a speed bump or a pothole in the road
R a heavy object strikes the underbody or
parts of the chassis
In situations like this, the body, the under-
body, chassis parts, wheels or tires could be
damaged without the damage being visible.
Components damaged in this way can unex-
pectedly fail or, in the case of an accident, no
longer withstand the loads they are designed
to.
If the underbody paneling is damaged, com-
bustible materials such as leaves, grass or
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. Declarations of conformity
USA: "The wireless devices of this vehicle com-
ply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is
subject to the two following two conditions: 1) 30
Operating safetyIntroduction

These devices may not cause harmful interfer-
ence, and 2) These devices must accept any
interference received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation. Changes
or modifications not expressly approved by the
party responsible for compliance could void the
user’s authority to operate the equipment."
Canada: "The wireless devices of this vehicle
comply with Industry Canada license-exempt
RSS standard(s). Operation is subject to the fol-
lowing two conditions: (1) These devices may
not cause interference, and (2) These devices
must accept any interference, including inter-
ference that may cause undesired operation of
the device." Diagnostics connection
The diagnostics connection is only intended for
the connection of diagnostic equipment at a
qualified specialist workshop. G
WARNING
If you connect equipment to a diagnostics
connection in the vehicle, it may affect the
operation of vehicle systems. As a result, the operating safety of the vehicle could be affec-
ted. There is a risk of an accident.
Only connect equipment to a diagnostics con-
nection in the vehicle, which is approved for
your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz. G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell can restrict the pedal travel or obstruct a depressed pedal.
The operating and road safety of the vehicle is
jeopardized. There is a risk of an accident.
Make sure that all objects in the vehicle are
stowed correctly, and that they cannot enter
the driver's footwell. Install the floormats
securely and as specified in order to ensure
sufficient clearance for the pedals. Do not use loose floormats and do not place floormats on
top of one another.
! If the engine is switched off and equipment
on the diagnostics connection is used, the
starter battery may discharge.
Connecting equipment to the diagnostics con-
nection can lead to emissions monitoring infor- mation being reset, for example. This may lead
to the vehicle failing to meet the requirements of
the next emissions test during the main inspec-
tion. Qualified specialist workshop
An authorized Mercedes-Benz Center is a quali-
fied specialist workshop. It has the necessary
specialist knowledge, tools and qualifications to correctly carry out the work required on your
vehicle. This is especially the case for work rel-
evant to safety.
Always have the following work carried out at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center:
R work relevant to safety
R service and maintenance work
R repair work
R alterations, installation work and modifica-
tions
R work on electronic components Correct use
If you remove any warning stickers, you or oth-
ers could fail to recognize certain dangers.
Leave warning stickers in position.
Observe the following information when driving your vehicle:
R the safety notes in this manual
R the vehicle technical data
R traffic rules and regulations
R laws and safety standards pertaining to motor
vehicles Information about the REACH decree
The REACH regulation (Regulation (EC) no.
1907/2006, Article 33) lays down an informa-
tion obligation for substances of very high con-
cern (SVHC).
Daimler AG acts in good faith to avoid using
these SVHCs and to allow the customer to han- dle these substances safely. In accordance with
supplier information and internal product infor-
mation from Daimler AG, SVHCs that account
for more than 0.1 percent by weight of individual products in this vehicle are known. Operating safety
31Introduction Z