2019 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV Owners Manual

#
Take your foot off the brake, but keep the
accelerator pedal depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum accelera‐
tion. #
Swit chon ESP ®
once the acceleration proce‐
dure is comple te. ESP ®
will otherwise not be
able tostabilise theve hicle if theve hicle
st arts toskid or a wheel starts tospin.
Cancelling thest art-off assi st #
Remo veyour foot from the accelerator pedal. #
Reactivate the ESP ®
. AIRMATIC
Fu
nction of AIRMATIC
AIRMATIC is an air suspension sy stem with an
all-round le vel control sy stem, which also
ensures the best possible suspension and con‐
st ant ground clearance, even wi tha laden vehi‐
cle. When driving at speed, theve hicle is low‐
ered automatically toimpr ovedriving saf ety and
to reduce fuel consum ption. You also ha vethe
option of manually adjusting theve hicle le vel. AIRMATIC consists of:
R All-round air suspension
R Speed-dependent lo wering
R Manually selectable high-l evel setting for
grea ter ground clea rance which can be
adjus ted using a le vel button
R Vehicles with ADS PLUS: alsoAdaptive
Damping Sy stem with const ant adjustment
of damping characteristics for impr oved driv‐
ing comfort 262
Driving and parking

Av
ailable suspension settings and vehicle le vels Suspension setting
Characteristics
A (Comfort drive program)
; (Economy drive program) R
The suspension tuning is com fortable.
R The vehicle is set tothe normal le vel.
R When driving at speeds abo veappr oximately 140 km/h, theve hicle is lo wered.
R When driving at speeds below appr oximately 40 km/h, theve hicle is raised again.
R Operation with a trailer or bicycle rack:ifth e electrical connection has been cor rectly es tablished, theve hi‐
cle remains at normal le vel ir respective of speed.
C (Sport drive program) R
The suspension tuning is firm er.
R The vehicle is set tolow le vel -1.
R Operation with a trailer or bicycle rack: ifth e electrical connection has been cor rectly es tablished, theve hi‐
cle remains at normal le vel.
B (Sport Plus drive prog ram) R
The suspension tuning is evenfirm er.
R The vehicle is set tolow le vel -2.
R Operation with a trailer or bicycle rack:ifth e electrical connection has been cor rectly es tablished, theve hi‐
cle remains at normal le vel. Driving and parking
263

Suspension setting
Characteristics
F (Off-road drive program for
ve hicles without Off-road pack‐
age) R
Suspension tuning is suitable for easily negotiable off-road terrain.
R The vehicle is set tooff-road le vel +1.
R When driving at speeds abo veappr oximately 80 km/h, theve hicle is lo wered.
R When driving at speeds below appr oximately 45 km/h, theve hicle is raised.
F (Off-road drive program for
ve hicles with Off-road pac kage) R
Suspension tuning is suitable for easi lynegotiable off-road terrain.
R The vehicle is set tooff-road le vel +1.
R When driving at speeds abo veappr oximately 115 km/h, theve hicle is lo wered.
R When driving at speeds below appr oximately 75km/h, theve hicle is raised.
G (Off-road Plus drive pro‐
gram forve hicles with Off-road
pac kage) R
Suspension tuning is suitable for dif ficult off-road terrain.
R The vehicle is set tooff-road le vel +1.
R When driving at speeds abo veappr oximately 80 km/h, theve hicle is lo wered.
R When driving at speeds below appr oximately 45 km/h, theve hicle is raised.
= (Individual drive program) R
You can call up individual suspension tuning settings here.
Lower when entering On(Enter‐
ing/exiting le vel) R
The active ent ry/exit le vel sets theve hicle tolow le vel -2 tofacilitate entering/exiting theve hicle.
R When driving at speeds abo veappr ox. 30 km/h, the entry /exit le vel is deactivated and theve hicle is raised. 264
Driving and parking

Sy
stem limitations
Airmatic may not be available or ha veonly limi‐
te dav ailability:
R ifth eove rheating pr otection is activated due
to frequent le velch anges bydepressing the
le ve l button within a short time. The Á
message appears in the multifunction dis‐
pla y.
Af terth e cooling phase, the sy stem is again
av ailable without restriction.
Setting the vehicle le vel &
WARNING Risk of accident because
ve hicle le vel is too high
If yo u drive at a higher vehicle le vel,th e driv‐
ing characteristics may be impaired due to
th e higher vehicle centre of gravity.
The vehicle can drift outwards, forex ample,
when steering or cornering. #
Alw aysch oose a vehicle le vel which is
suited tothe driving style and thero ad
sur face conditions. &
WARNING Risk of entrapment from vehi‐
cle lo wering
When lo wering theve hicle, other people
could become trapped if their limbs are
between theve hicle body and the tyres or
underneath theve hicle. #
Make sure no one is underneath the
ve hicle or in the immediate vicinity of
th e wheel ar ches when theve hicle is
being lo wered. &
WARNING Risk of entrapment from vehi‐
cle lo wering
Ve hicles with AIRMATIC or le vel control:
when you unload luggage or lea vetheve hi‐
cle, theve hicle firs trises slightly and then
re turns tothe set le vel shortly af terw ards.
Yo u or an yone else in the vicinity of the
wheel ar ches or the underbody could thus
become trapped.
The vehicle can also be lo wered af ter being
loc ked. #
When leaving theve hicle, make sure
th at nobody is in the vicinity of the
wheel ar ches or the underbody. *
NO
TEDama gedue tovehicle lo wering Pa
rts of the body could be damaged when
th eve hicle is lo wered. #
Make sure that there are no obs tacles
su ch askerbs underneath or in the
immediate vicinity of the body when
yo u lo werth eve hicle. Re
quirements:
R The vehicle has been star ted.
R Vehicles without Off-road pac kage: the
ve hicle is not driving at speeds greater than
65 km/h or is operating with a trailer or bicy‐
cle rack with a cor rectly es tablished elect ri‐
cal connection 30 km/h.
R Vehicles with Off-road pac kage:
- Off-road le vel +1: theve hicle is not driv‐
ing at speeds greater than 100 km/h or
is operating with a trailer or bicycle rack Driving and pa
rking 265

with a cor
rectly es tablished elect rical
connection 30 km/h.
- Off-road le vel +2: theve hicle is not driv‐
ing at speeds greater than 65 km/h or is
operating with a trailer or bicycle rack
with a cor rectly es tablished elect rical
connection 30 km/h.
- Off-road le vel +3: theve hicle is not mov‐
ing fast erthan 20 km/h and there ar fog
lamp is not switched on.
Dif fere nces between dif fere nt vehicle le vels
compared tothe normal le vel Ve
hicle
le vel Ve
hicles
without Off-
ro ad pac kage Ve
hicles with
Off-road pack‐
age
Car wash Appr ox.
+90 mm Appr
ox.
+90 mm
Off-road
le ve l +3 Una
vailable Appr ox.
+90 mm
Off-road
le ve l +2 Una
vailable Appr ox.
+60 mm Ve
hicle
le vel Ve
hicles
without Off-
ro ad pac kage Ve
hicles with
Off-road pack‐
age
Off-road
le ve l +1 Appr
ox.
+60 mm Appr
ox.
+30 mm
Spor tA pprox.
-15 mm App
rox.
-15 mm
Spo rt+A pprox.
-25 mm App
rox.
-25 mm Ra
ising theve hicle (vehicles without Off-
ro ad pac kage) #
Push rocker switch 1forw ards.
Indicator lamp 2flashes while theve hicle is
being raised and lights up continuously when
it has finished rising. 266
Driving and parking

Yo
ur selection is sa ved. The off-road le vel set
re mains stored even af terth e ignition has been
switched off.
Operation with a trailer or bicycle rack:ifyou
are driving at speeds greaterth an 30 km/h, the
ve hicle rises tothe normal le vel in the drive pro‐
grams Sport or Sport + if the electrical connec‐
tion has been cor rectly es tablished.
The vehicle is lo wered again in thefo llowing sit‐
uations:
R When driving fasterthan 80 km/h.
R When driving brief lybetween 65 km/ hand
80 km/h.
R After selecting a dif fere nt drive program
using theDY NA MIC SELECT switch.
The vehicle is adjus tedto the height of the
active drive program.
Operation with a trailer or bicycle rack:ifyou
are driving at speeds greaterth an 30 km/h, the
ve hicle lo wersto the normal le vel if the electrical
connection has been cor rectly es tablished. Lo
weri ngtheve hicle (vehicles without Off-
ro ad pac kage) #
Pull rock er switch 1.
The vehicle is adjus tedto the height of the
active drive program.
Operation with a trailer or bicycle rack:the
ve hicle lo wersto the normal le vel if the electrical
connection has been cor rectly es tablished. Ra
ising theve hicle (vehicles with Off-road
pac kage) #
Push rocker switch 1forw ards.
R Off- road le vel +1: one indicator lamp 2
lights up continuously when theve hicle
has finished rising.
R Off-road le vel +2: two indicator lamps 2
light up continuously when theve hicle
has finished rising. Driving and parking
267

R
Off-road le vel +3: thre e indicator lamps
2 light up continuously when theve hicle
has finished rising.
Yo ur selection is sa ved. The off-road le vel set
re mains stored even af terth e ignition has been
switched off.
The vehicle is lo wered again in thefo llowing sit‐
uations:
R Off- road le vel +3: when driving fasterthan
20 km/h or when there ar fog lamp is
switched on.
The vehicle is lo weredto off-road le vel +2.
R Off- road le vel +2:
- When driving fasterthan 80 km/h.
- When driving brief ly between 65 km/h
and 80 km/h.
The vehicle is lo weredto off-road le vel +1.
Operation with a trailer or bicycle rack:if
yo u are driving at speeds greaterth an
30 km/h, theve hicle lo wersto the normal
le ve l if the electrical connection has been
cor rectly es tablished. R
Off-road le vel +1:
- When driving fasterthan 115 km/h.
- When driving brief lybetween 100 km/h
and 115 km/h.
- Operation with a trailer or bicycle
rack: you are driving at speeds greater
th an 30 km/h.
The vehicle is lo weredto the normal le vel.
R After selecting a dif fere nt drive program
using theDY NA MIC SELECT switch.
The vehicle is adjus tedto the height of the
active drive program.
Operation with a trailer or bicycle rack:
th eve hicle lo wersto the normal le vel if the
electrical connection has been cor rectly
es tablished.
Lo weri ngtheve hicle (vehicles with Off-road
pac kage) #
Pull rock er switch 1.
R Off-road le vel +3: theve hicle is lo wered
to off-road le vel +2. Two indicator lamps 2
light up continuously when theve hicle
has finished lo wering.
R Off-road le vel +2: theve hicle is lo wered
to off-road le vel +1. One indicator lamp
2 lights up continuously when theve hi‐
cle has finished lo wering.
R Off-road le vel +1: theve hicle is lo wered
to the normal le vel. No indicator lamp 2
lights up when theve hicle has finished
lo we ring.
Yo ur selection is sa ved. The off-road le vel set
re mains stored even af terth e ignition has been
switched off.
Setting the entering/exiting le vel (AIRMATIC)
Requ irements:
R The engine is running.
R The vehicle is moving at speeds less than
30 km/h 268
Driving and parking

Multimedia sy
stem:
4 © 5
Settings
5 Schnellzugriff (Quick access) #
Select Lower when entering On.
The vehicle is lo weredto low le vel -2 tofacili‐
ta te entering and exiting.
% Further information on AIRMATIC
(/ page 262). E-
AC TIVE BODY CONT ROL Fu
nction of E- ACTIVE BODY CONT ROL
E- AC TIVE BODY CONTROL is an electrohydraulic
suspension sy stem with variable damping for
impr oved driving comfort. The all-round le vel
control sy stem ensures the best possible sus‐ pension and const
ant ground clearance, even
with a laden vehicle. When driving at speed, the
ve hicle is lo wered automatically toimpr ovedriv‐
ing saf ety and toreduce fuel consum ption. The
suspension tuning is adjus ted depending on the
ro ad sur face, vehicle load and the drive program
selected.
The ROAD SUR FACE SCAN function de tects
areas of une venness in thero ad before you drive
ove rth em bymeans of a multifunction camera.
This reduces chassis mo vements.
The damping is adju sted individually toeach
wheel and depends on thefo llowing factors:
R Driving style, e.g. sporty
R Road condition, e.g. bumps
R Drive program E-
AC TIVE BODY CONTROL comprises:
R ROAD SUR FACE SCAN
R Cur veinclination function CURVE
R Recovery mode
R Individual wheel control
R Air suspension with auto matic level control
R Speed-dependent lo wering toreduce fuel
consum ption
R Manual le vel adjustment
R ADS PLUS (Adaptive Damping Sy stem with
const ant adjustment of damping characteris‐
tics)
R DYNA MIC SELECT switch and le vel button Driving and parking
269