2021 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV engine

S
S
t
tar
ar ting t
ting t he v
he vehicle wit
ehicle wit h t
h the ke
he key in t
y in t he mark
he mark ed
ed
space (emerg
space (emerg ency oper
ency operation mode)
ation mode)
If th eve hicle does not start and thePlace the
key in the marked space See Owner's Manual
message appears in the inst rument displa y,you
can start theve hicle in emer gency ope ration
mode. #
Make sure that the mar ked space 2is
em pty. #
Remo vetheke y1 from theke yring. #
Place theke y1 inthe mar ked space 2next
to the symbol 3.
The vehicle will start aTer a short time.
When youre mo vetheke y1 from the mar ked
space 2,theve hicle can be driven. For fur-
th er engine starts ho wever,theke y1 must
be located in the mar ked space 2next tothe
symbol 3during the entire journe y. #
Have theke y1 checked at a quali/ed spe-
cialist workshop.
If t If t he v
he v ehicle does no
ehicle does no t st
t start:
art: #
Place theke y1 inthe mar ked space 2and
lea veitth ere. #
Depress the brake pedal and start theve hicle
using the start/s top button.
% You can switch on the po wer supply or the
ve hicle with the start/s top button.
Obser veany information rega rding display mes-
sages that can be displ ayed on the inst rument
displa y. S
S
t
tar
ar ting t
ting t he v
he vehicle via R
ehicle via R emot
emote Online Ser
e Online Ser vices
vices Cooling or heating t
Cooling or heating t
he v
he vehicle int
ehicle int er
erior bef
ior bef ore
ore
st
st ar
ar ting t
ting t he jour
he jour ney
ney
Ensu rethefo llowing before starting the engine:
R The legal stipulations in the area where your
ve hicle is par ked allow engine starting via
smartphone.
R It is safe tostart and runth e engine where
yo ur vehicle is par ked.
R The fuel tank is su1cient lyfull.
R The star ter battery is su1ciently charge d.
Char
Char ging t
ging t he st
he start
arter batt
er batt er
ery bef
y bef or
ore st
e st ar
arting t
ting t he
he
jour
jour ney
ney
Yo u can receive a message on your smartphone
when the state of charge ofthe star ter battery is
lo w. You can then start theve hicle with the smart-
phone tocharge the batter y.The vehicle is auto-
matically switched o. aTer ten minutes.
Ensure thefo llowing before starting the engine:
R The legal stipulations in the area where your
ve hicle is par ked allow engine starting via
smartphone. 192
192
Driving and parking

R
It is safe tostart and runth e engine where
yo ur vehicle is par ked.
R The fuel tank is su1cient lyfull.
S
S t
tar
ar ting t
ting t he v
he vehicle (R
ehicle (R emot
emot e Online)
e Online) &
W
WARNING
ARNING Risk of crushing or entrapment
due tounintentional starting of the engine
Limbs could be crushed or trapped if the
engine is star ted unintentionally during service
or maintenance work. #
Always secure the engine against unin-
te ntional starting before ca rrying out
main tenance or repair work. R
R
eq
eq uir
uir ements:
ements:
R Park position jis selected.
R The anti-theT alarm system is not activated.
R The hazard warning light system is switched
o..
R The bonnet is closed.
R The doors are closed and loc ked.
R The windo wsand sliding sunroof are closed. #
Start theve hicle using the smartphone.
ATer every engine start, the engine runs for
te n minutes.
Yo u can car ryout a maximum of two consecutive
starting attem pts. You must start the engine with
th eke y before trying tostart theve hicle again
with the smartphone.
Yo u can switch o. theve hicle at any time as fol-
lo ws:
R Viath e Smartphone App
R By pressing theÜ orß button on the
key
% Further information can be found in the
smartphone app.
Secur
Secur ing t
ing the v
he vehicle ag
ehicle ag ains
ainst st
t star
arting bef
ting bef or
ore car ry-
e car ry-
ing out maint
ing out maint enance or r
enance or repair w
epair wor
ork:
k: #
Switch on the hazard warning light system.
or #
Unlock the doors.
or #
Open a side window or the sliding sunroof. R
R
unning-in not
unning-in not es
es To
preser vethe engine during the /rst 1,500 km:
R Drive at varying road speeds and engine
speeds.
R Do not drive at speeds greater than
140 km/h.
R Drive theve hicle in drive prog ram A
or ;.
R ShiT tothe next highest gear at theve ry latest
when the needle reaches the last third before
th ere d area in there v counter.
R Do not shiT down manual lyin order tobrake.
R Avoid overstraining theve hicle, e.g. driving at
full thro ttle.
R do not depress the accelerator pedal past the
pressure point (kickdown).
R Only increase the engine speed gradually and
accelerate theve hicle tofull speed aTer
1,500 km.
This also applies when the engine or parts of the
driv etra in ha vebeen replaced. Driving and parking
193
193

Please also obser
vethefo llowing running-in
no tes:
R In cer tain driving and driving saf ety sy stems,
th e sensors adjust automatically while a cer-
ta in distance is being driven aTer theve hicle
has been deli vered or aTer repairs. Full sys-
te m e.ectiveness is not reached until the end
of this teach-in process.
R Brakepads, brake disks and tyres that are
either new or ha vebeen replaced only achie ve
optimum braking e.ect and grip aTer se veral
hund red kilometres of driving. Compensate for
th ere duced braking e.ect byapplying greater
fo rc eto the brake pedal. N
No
ot
tes on op
es on op timised acceler
timised acceler ation
ationIf all necessary
requ irements and activation con-
ditions are ful/lled, the best possible acceleration
can be achie ved from a standstill.
Do not use the optimised acceleration on public
ro ads. Individual wheels could spin and you could
lose control of theve hicle. There is an increased
ri sk of skidding and/or accident. Be sure
toobser vethe saf ety no tes and informa-
tion on ESP ®
(/ page 232). Mo
Mo
ving awa
ving away wit
y wit h op
h optimised acceler
timised acceler ation
ation &
W
WARNING
ARNING Risk of skidding and having an
accident from wheels spinning
When you use optimised acceleration, individ-
ual wheels could spin and you could lose con-
trol of theve hicle.
If ESP ®
is deactivated, there is a risk of skid-
ding and accident! #
Make sure that no persons or obs tacles
are in the close vicinity of your vehicle. R
R
eq
eq uir
uir ements:
ements:
R theve hicle is run in (/ page 193).
R theve hicle and tyres are in good condition.
R you are on a high-g rip ro adw ay.
R the engine and transmission are at normal
operating temp erature. *
N
NO OTE
TE Increased wear due tooptimised
acceleration When pulling
away with optimised accelera-
tion, all components of the driv etra in are sub-
jected toave ry high load.
This can lead toincreased component wear. #
Do not alw ays pull away with optimised
acceleration. #
Engage theh drive position (/ page 211). #
Movethe steering wheel tothe straight-ahead
position. #
Select the sportiest available drive prog ram
B orC(/ page 207). #
Deactivating ESP ®
(/ page 234). #
Depress and hold the brake pedal /rmly with
yo ur leT foot. #
With your right foot , fully depress the acceler-
ator pedal. 194
194
Driving and parking

#
ATer no more than /ve seconds, take your leT
fo ot quickly o. the brake, but keep the accel-
erator pedal depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum accelera-
tion. #
Switch on ESP ®
once the acceleration proce-
dure is comple te.
Ending op
Ending op timised acceler timised acceler ation
ation #
Remo veyour foot from the accelerator pedal. #
Reactivate the ESP ®
.
% ATer you pull away with optimised accelera-
tion, components of the driv etra in can
become very hot, which means that optimised
acceleration values may be reached again
only aTer a fewminutes. N
No
ot
tes on dr
es on dr iving
iving &
W
W ARNING
ARNING Risk of accident due toobjects
in the driver's foot we ll
Objects in the driver's foot we ll may impede
pedal tr avel or block a depressed pedal. This jeopardises
the operating and road saf ety
of theve hicle. #
Stow all objects in theve hicle securely
so that they cannot getinto the driver's
fo ot we ll. #
Always /t the 0oor mats securely and as
prescribed in order toensure that there
is alw ays su1cient room forth e pedals. #
Do not use loose 0oor mats and do not
place 0oor mats on top of one ano ther. &
W WARNING
ARNING Risk of accident due toincor-
re ct foot we ar
Incor rect foot we ar includes, forex ample:
R shoes with plat form soles
R shoes with high heels
R slippers
There is a risk of an accident. #
Alwayswe ar suitable foot we ar so that
yo u can operate the pedals safel y. &
W
WARNI NG
ARNI NGRisk of accident if theve hicle is
switched o. while driving
If yo u switch o. theve hicle while driving,
saf ety functions are restric ted or no longer
av ailable.
This may a.ect the po wer steering system and
th e brake forc e boosting, forex ample.
Yo u will need touse considerably more force
to steer and brake, forex ample. #
Do not switch o. theve hicle while driv-
ing. &
D
DAN
AN GER
GER Risk of fatal injuries caused by
ex haust gases
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
ga ses such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
th ese exhaust gases is hazardous tohealth
and leads topoisoning. #
Never lea vetheve hicle or, if present, the
stationa ryheater running in an enclosed
space without su1cient ventilation. Driving and parking
195
195

&
W
WARNI NG
ARNI NGRisk of skidding and of an acci-
dent due toshiTing down on slippe ryroad
sur faces
If yo u shiT down on slippery road sur faces to
increase the engine braking e.ect, the drive
wheels may lose traction. #
Do not shiT down on slippery road sur fa-
ces toincrease the engine braking
e.ect. &
D
DAN
AN GER
GER Risk of fatal injury due topoison-
ous exhaust gases
If th eta ilpipe is bloc ked or su1cient ventila-
tion is not possible, poisonous exhaust gases
such as carbon monoxide may enter theve hi-
cle. This is the case if theve hicle gets stuck in
sno w,forex ample. #
Keep theta ilpipe and the area around
th eve hicle free from snow when the
ve hicle or the stationary heater is run-
ning. #
Open a wind owonthe side of theve hicle
fa cing away from the wind toensure an
adequate supply of fresh air. &
W
WARNING
ARNING Risk of accident due tothe
brake system overheating
If yo u lea veyour foot on the brake pedal when
driving, the brake system may overheat.
This increases the braking distance and the
brake system can even fail. #
Never use the brake pedal as a foot re st. #
Do not depress the brake pedal and the
accelerator pedal at the same time while
driving. *
N
NOOTE
TE Engine damage due toexcessively
high engine speeds The engine will be damaged if
you drive with
th e engine in theove rrev ving range. #
Do not drive with the engine in theove r-
re vving range. *
N
NOOTE
TE Causing wearto the brake linings by
permanently depressing the brake pedal #
Do not permanently depress the brake
pedal while driving. #
Touse braking e.ect of the engine, shiT
to a lo werge ar in good time. *
N
NOOTE
TE Damage tothe driv etra in and
engine when pulling away #
Do not warm upthe engine while the
ve hicle is stationar y.Pull away immedi-
atel y. #
Avoid high engine speeds and driving at
full thro ttle until the engine has reached
its operating temp erature. *
N
NOOTE
TE Damage tothe catalytic con verter
due tonon-combusted fuel The engine is not
running smoo thly and is mis-
/ring.
Non-combus ted fuel may getinto the catalytic
con verter. 196 196
Driving and parking

Obser
vethefo llowing no tes during heavy precipi-
ta tion or in conditions in whi chaquaplaning may
occur:
R reduce speed
R avoid tyre ruts
R avoid sudden steering mo vements
R brake careful ly
% Also obser vethe no tes on regula rly ch ecking
wheels and tyres (/ page 400).
N
No ot
tes on dr
es on dr iving t
iving thr
hrough w
ough w at
ater on t
er on t he r
he r oad sur-
oad sur-
f
f ace
ace
Wa ter which has entered into theve hicle can
damage the engine, electrics and transmission.
Wa ter can also enter the air intake of the engine
and cause engine damage.
Obser vethefo llowing if you must drive thro ugh
wa ter:
R Obser vethe maximum permissible ford ing
dep th (/ page 436).
R Drive at a maximum speed of 10 km/h; water
can otherwise enter theve hicle interior or
engine compartment. R
Vehicles tr avelling in front, or oncoming vehi-
cles, can create waves which may exceed the
maximum permissible dep thofthewa ter.
The braking e.ect of the brakes is reduced aTer
fo rd ing. Brake carefully while paying attention to
th e tra1c conditions until braking po wer has been
fully restored. N
No
ot
tes on
es on o.-r
o.-r oad
oad dr
driving
iving &
W
WARNING
ARNING Risk of accident if you do not
ke ep toline of fall on inclines
If yo u drive at an angle or turn on an incline,
th eve hicle could slip side ways, tip and roll-
ove r. #
Always drive on inclines in the line of fall
(straight up or down) and do not turn. &
W
WARNING
ARNING Risk of /re due to0ammable
materials on hot parts of theex haust sys-
tem
Flammable material such as lea ves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with
hot parts of theex haust system. #
When driving on unpa vedro ads or o.-
ro ad, regula rly ch eck theve hicle under-
side. #
Remo vetrapped plants or other 0amma-
ble material, in particular. #
Ifth ere is damage, consult a quali/ed
specialist workshop immediatel y. When driving o.-
road, sand, mud and water or
wa ter mixed with oil may get into the brakes. This
may lead toare duction in braking e.ect or total
brake failure as a result of increased wear. The
braking characteristics will vary depending on the
material that has entered the system. Clean the
brakes aTer driving o.- road. If youth en notice
re duced braking e.ect or hear scraping noises,
ha ve the brake system checked at a quali/ed spe- 198
198
Driving and parking

cialist
workshop. Adapt your driving style tothe
ch anged braking characteristics.
* N
NOOTE
TE Damage caused bydriving over
obstacles The
vehicle can be damaged by:
R driving onto high kerbs or unpa vedro ads.
R quickly driving over obstacles such as
ke rbs, speed bumps or po tholes.
R heavy objects hitting the underbody or
ch assis components. #
Do not drive over obstacles that could
damage theve hicle. #
Check theve hicle regula rly fo r damage
during o.- road driving. #
Adjust theve hicle speed tosuit thero ad
sur face conditions. #
Ifth ere is damage, consult a quali/ed
specialist workshop immediatel y. +
ENVIR
ENVIR
ONMENT
ONMENT AL NO
AL NOTE
TEEnvironmen tal
damage due tonon-obser vance of prohibi-
tion signs Environmental pr
otection has priority. Treat
nature with respect. #
Be sure toobser veprohibition signs. Chec
Chec
klis
klist beft bef or
ore dr
e dr iving
iving o.-r
o.-road
oad
Check thefo llowing points before driving o.- road:
R Fuel le vel
R V
Vehicles wit
ehicles wit h a diesel engine:
h a diesel engine: AdBlue ®
level
R Engine oil le vel: /ll engine oil tothe maximum
le ve lto ensure full gradeability (/ page 367)
R Tyre-change tool kit and spare wheel
R Tyres and wheels
% Further information about special all- terrain
tyres forre tro/tting can be ob tained from a
qu ali/ed specialist workshop. O.-r
O.-r
oad
oaddr
driving
iving
Re ad this section before driving your vehicle o.-
ro ad. Practise bydriving over more gentle o.-road
te rrain /rst.
R Obser vethe no tes on the cross-country ABS
(/ page 231).
R If necessar y,select theF orG drive
prog ram (vehicles with O.-road pac kage)
before driving o.- road (/ page 207).
R Before driving o.-road, shiT the transfer case
to the LLO
O W RAN
W RAN GE
GEo.-road gear (vehicles with
O.-road pac kage ) (/ page 214).
R Select a vehicle le vel suitable for o.- road ter-
ra in (/ page 269). Toavo id damaging the
ve hicle, make sure there is alw ays su1cient
gr ound clearance.
R Alwayske ep the engine running and in gear
when driving on downhill gradients and slopes.
Obser vethe no tes on driving in moun tainous
te rrain.
R Do not drive on unkn ownte rrain that is not
easily visible and st ayon mar kedro utes. Driving and parking
199
199

R
Alwayske ep the doors and windo wsclosed
while theve hicle is in motion.
R Deactivate Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC,
cruise control and theva riable limi ter.
R Adapt your driving style tothete rrain.
R Do not use the HOLD function on steep down-
hill or uphill gradients with slippery or loose
sur faces.
Dr
Dr iving on sand
iving on sand
When driving on sand, also obser vethefo llowing
inst ructions:
R Select theF drive prog ram.
R Select a higher vehicle le vel.
R ShiT toa lo werge ar.
R Drive quickly toove rcome thero lling resist-
ance; theve hicle may otherwise dig itself in.
R Drive in the trac ksofother vehicles if possi-
ble. Make sure that thefo llowing prerequisites
are met:
- the tyre ruts are not too deep
- the sand is /rm enough -
thegr ound clearance is su1cient
F
F or or ding
ding
Also obser vethefo llowing information when ford-
ing:
R V
Vehicles wit
ehicles wit h AIR BOD
h AIR BODY C
Y CONTR
ONTR OL:
OL:select the
highest possible vehicle le vel (/ page 269).
V
V ehicles wit
ehicles wit h E-A
h E-ACTIVE BOD
CTIVE BOD Y C
Y CONTR
ONTR OL:
OL:
select the highest possible vehicle le vel
( / page 277).
R Drive no faster than 10 km/h.
R Obser vethe maximum permissible ford ing
dep th (/ page 436).
R Switch o. automatic climate control
(/ page 180).
R V
V ehicles wit ehicles wit h st
h stationar
ationar y heat
y heater/v
er/ventilation:
entilation:
switch the stationary heater/ventilation o.
(/ page 183).
R Ensure that a bow wave does not form asyou
drive.
R Do not stop in thewa ter and do not switch o.
th e engine. Ensure the ECO start/s top func-
tion is switched o. (/ page 202). Dr
Dr iving in mount
iving in mount ainous t
ainous terr
errain
ain
Also obser vethefo llowing information when driv-
ing in mountainous terrain:
R Obser vetheva lues of the approach/depar-
ture angle and of the maximum gradient
(/ page 436).
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Use the braking po wer of the engine when
driving downhill.
R ShiT toa lo werge ar on uphill gradients and on
long, steep downhill gradients.
R Activate DSR before driving downhill, if neces-
sary (/ page 249).
Chec
Chec klis
klisttaTer
aTer dr
driving
iving o.-r
o.-road
oad
Driving o.- road places greater demands on your
ve hicle than driving on normal roads. Check the
entire vehicle for damage and fore ign bodies
ev ery time aTer driving o.- road. Foreign bodies in
th e wheels or driv etra in can lead toimbalances
and therefore vibrations.
R Ifth eF orG drive prog ram is selected:
select ano ther drive prog ram. 200
200
Driving and parking