2023 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS Owners Manual

Therefore, observe the following notes:
= due to salt build-up on the brake disks and
brakepads, braking distances can increase
considerably or result in braking only on one side
= maintain a much greater safe distance to the
vehicle in front
To remove salt build-up:
= brake occasionally while paying attention to
the traPc conditions
= carefully depress the brake pedal at the end of
the journey and when starting the next jour-
ney
Notes on hydroplaning
Hydroplaning can take place once a certain
amount of water has accumulated on the road surface.
Observe the following notes during heavy precipi-
tation or in conditions in which hydroplaning may occur:
= reduce speed
= avoid tire ruts=avoid sudden steering movements
= brake carefully\bAlso observe the notes on regularly checking
wheels and tires (  page 374).
Notes on fording
Water that has entered the vehicle can damage the engine, electrics and transmission.
Water can also enter the air intake of the engine and cause engine damage.
Observe the following if you must drive through water:
= Observe the maximum permissible fording
depth (  page 422).
= Drive at a maximum speed of 6 mph
(10 km/h); water may otherwise enter the vehicle interior or engine compartment.
= Vehicles traveling in front, or oncoming vehi-
cles, can create waves that may exceed the
maximum permissible depth of the water.
Braking performance will be reduced aser ford-
ing. Brake carefully while paying attention to the
traPc conditions until braking performance has
been fully restored.
Notes on oM-road driving
&WARNING Risk of accident if you do not
keep to line of fall on inclines
If you drive at an angle or turn on an incline,
the vehicle could slip sideways, tip and roll- over.
Always drive on inclines in the line of fall
(straight up or down) and do not turn.&WARNING Risk of Nre caused by Oamma-
ble material on hot exhaust system com-
ponents
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with
hot parts of the exhaust system.
When driving on an unpaved road or oM-
road, check the vehicle underside regu-
larly.Driving and parking183

In particular, remove trapped plant parts
or other Oammable material.If there is damage, consult a qualiNed
specialist workshop immediately.
When you drive oM-road, sand, mud and water or
water mixed with oil, etc., may get into the brakes. This may lead to a reduction in braking perform-
ance 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 aser driving oM-road. If
you then notice reduced braking eMect or hear
scraping noises, have the brake system checked
at a qualiNed specialist workshop. Adapt your driv-
ing style to the changed braking characteristics.
*NOTE Damage caused by driving over
obstacles
The vehicle can be damaged by:
= Driving onto high curbs or unpaved roads.
= Quickly driving over obstacles such as
curbs, speed bumps or potholes.
= Heavy objects hitting the underbody or
chassis components.Do not drive over obstacles that could damage the vehicle.Check the vehicle regularly for damage
during oM-road driving.Adjust the vehicle speed to suit the road
surface conditions.If there is damage, consult a qualiNed
specialist workshop immediately.+ENVIRONMENTAL NOTE Environmental
damage due to non-observance of prohibi- tion signs
Environmental protection has priority. Treat
nature with respect.
Be sure to observe prohibition signs.
Checklist before driving oM-road
Check the following points before driving oM-road:
= Fuel level
=Engine oil level: Nll engine oil to the maximum
level to ensure full gradeability (  page 341)
= Tire-change tool kit and spare wheel
= Tires and wheels\bFurther information about special all-terrain
tires for retroNtting can be obtained from a
qualiNed specialist workshop.
OM-road driving
Read this section before driving your vehicle oM-
road. Practice by driving over more gentle oM-road
terrain Nrst.
= Observe the notes on the cross-country ABS
(  page 213).
= If necessary, select the F or G driving
mode (vehicles with OMroad package) before
driving oM-road ( page 192).
= Before driving oM-road, shis the transfer case
to the LOW RANGE oM-road gear (vehicles with
OMroad package) (  page 199).
= Select a vehicle level suitable for oM-road ter-
rain (  page 250). To avoid damaging the
184Driving and parking

vehicle, make sure there is always suPcient
ground clearance.
= Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on gradients. Observe the notes on driving in mountainous terrain.
= Do not drive on unknown terrain that is not
easily visible and stay on marked routes.
= Always keep the doors and windows closed
while the vehicle is in motion.
= Deactivate Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
and cruise control.
= Adapt your driving style to the terrain.
= Do not use the HOLD function on steep down-
hill or uphill gradients with slippery or loose
surfaces.
Driving on sand
When driving on sand, also observe the following instructions:
= Select the F driving mode.
= Select a higher vehicle level.
= Shis to a lower gear.=
Drive quickly to overcome the rolling resist-
ance; the vehicle may otherwise dig itself in.
= Drive in the tracks of other vehicles if possi-
ble. Make sure that the following prerequisites
are met:
- the tire ruts are not too deep
- the sand is Nrm enough
- the ground clearance is suPcient
Fording
Also observe the following information when ford-
ing:
= Vehicles with AIR BODY CONTROL: select the
highest possible vehicle level (  page 250).
Vehicles with E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL:
select the highest possible vehicle level (  page 258).
= Do not exceed 6 mph (10 km/h).
= Observe the maximum permissible fording
depth (  page 422).
= Switch oM automatic climate control
(  page 168).=
Ensure that a bow wave does not form as you
drive.
= Do not stop in the water and do not switch oM
the engine. Ensure the ECO start/stop func- tion is switched oM ( page 187).
Driving in mountainous terrain
Also observe the following information when driv-
ing in mountainous terrain:
= Observe the values for the approach/depar-
ture angle and the maximum gradient
(  page 422).
= Avoid high engine speeds.
= Use the braking power of the engine when
driving downhill.
= Shis to a lower gear on uphill gradients and on
long, steep downhill gradients.
= Activate DSR before driving downhill, if neces-
sary (  page 229).
Checklist aser driving oM-road
Driving oM-road places greater demands on your
vehicle than driving on normal roads. Check the entire vehicle for damage and foreign bodiesDriving and parking185

every time aser driving oM-road. Foreign bodies in
the wheels or drivetrain can lead to imbalances
and therefore vibrations.
= If the F or G driving mode is selected:
select another driving mode.
= Shis the transfer case to the HIGH RANGE on-
road position.
= Deactivate DSR.
= Lower the vehicle level again to a level suitable
to the road conditions, e.g. to the normal
level.
= Apply the brakes to dry them aser fording.
= Check that the service brake is working nor-
mally aser a long downhill stretch.
= Clean the following components every time
aser driving oM-road:
- license plate number
- headlamps and tail lamps
- tires, wheels and wheel arches
- underbody=
Aser driving through sand, mud, water or
gravel, have the following components
checked and cleaned:
- brake disks and brakepads
- tires and wheels
- axle joints
ECO start/stop function
ECO start/stop function
\bDepending on the engine, the ECO start/stop
function is not available in all drive programs.
Observe the status display on the instrument display concerning this.
Mercedes-Maybach vehicles: t he Glide mode
function is not available.
The engine will be switched oM automatically in
the following situations if all vehicle conditions for
an automatic engine stop are met:
= You brake the vehicle to a standstill in trans-
mission position [ or \\.
=
Vehicles with a 48 V on-board electrical sys-
tem: you depress the brake pedal when travel-
ing at a low speed.
If the system has detected one of the following situations, the engine will not stop:
= You stop at a stop sign and there is no vehicle
in front of you.
= The vehicle that stopped in front of you starts
up again.
= You maneuver, turn the steering wheel sharply
or engage reverse gear.\bIf the system detects an intelligent stop inhibi-
tor, e.g. a stop sign, the engine will not stop.
If you activate the HOLD function or engage
the park position ], the engine can be
switched oM in spite of an intelligent stop
inhibitor.
The engine will restart automatically in the follow-
ing cases:
= You engage transmission position [ or ^.
= You depress the accelerator pedal.
186Driving and parking

=The vehicle requires an automatic engine
start.
= You release the brake pedal.
= Vehicles with a 48 V on-board electrical sys-
tem:
- You release the brake pedal on a downhill
gradient and the vehicle does not roll.
- The vehicle rolls on a downhill gradient and
does not automatically enter glide mode at
15 mph (20 km/h).
ECO start/stop function symbols on the instru- ment display:
= The

ECO display function
The ECO display summarizes your driving charac-
teristics from the start of the journey to its com- pletion and assists you in achieving the most eco-nomical driving style.
You can inOuence consumption by doing the fol-
lowing:
= Driving with particular care.
= Driving in drive program 
= Following the gearshis recommendations.
The lettering in the segment will light up brightly,
the outer edge will light up and the segment willNll up when the following driving style is adopted:
= 1 Steady speed
= 2 Gentle deceleration and rolling
= 3 Moderate acceleration
The lettering in the segment will be gray, the outer
edge will be dark and the segment will empty
when the following driving style is adopted:
= 1 Fluctuations in speed
= 2 Heavy braking
= 3 Sporty acceleration
The ECO display will show you when you have
driven economically:
= The three segments will Nll up completely at
the same time
= The edges around all three segments will light
up
The additional range achieved as a result of your driving style in comparison with a driver with a
very sporty driving style will be shown in the cen-ter of display 4. The range displayed does not
indicate a Nxed reduction in consumption.
ECO Assist function (vehicles with 48 V on-board
electrical system)
ECO Assist analyzes data for the vehicle\bs expec-
ted route. This allows the system to optimally
adjust the driving style for the route ahead, save
fuel and recuperate.
ECO Assist is displayed on the Assistance
menu(  page 286).
188Driving and parking

1Event ahead2Distance display for the event ahead3"Foot oM the accelerator" prompt
Displayable route events 1
The segments of distance display 2 show the
distance to the event ahead as follows:
= A few segments light up: the event ahead is
near.
= Many segments light up: the event ahead is
further away.
When the vehicle nears the event, ECO Assist will
calculate the optimal speed for maximum fuel economy and recuperative energy based on the
distance, speed and gradient. The Foot off the
Accelerator message 3 appears in the instru-
ment display. The Nrst segments in front of the
vehicle will turn green. The remaining segments
will initially stay white. If you take your foot oM the
accelerator pedal in good time, the remaining seg-
ments on the display will successively turn green
until the event shown is reached. The drivetrain
will be set for maximum fuel economy. Recupera-
tion will charge the battery. Recuperation will be
adapted to the selected drive program.
The event will be shown for a short time aser it
has been passed. If there is no response to the
Foot off the Accelerator prompt, the segments
will remain white.If the event involves a vehicle in front, all seg- ments will immediately turn green once there is a
response to the Foot off the Accelerator prompt.
For active ECO Assist in drive program ,
symbol 3 will appear on the instrument display
and on the head-up display beside transmission
position [. Symbol 3 will also appear when the
assistant display is not selected.
If the system does not intervene during the event
ahead, nothing will be displayed. The system will be passive.
ECO Assist is active only in drive programs 
and A .
System limits
ECO Assist can function even more precisely if
the route is adhered to when route guidance is active. The basic function is also available without
active route guidance. Not all information and
traPc situations can be foreseen. The quality
depends on the map data.
ECO Assist is only an aid. The driver is responsible
for keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed and for braking in good
time. The driver must be ready to brake at allDriving and parking189

times, irrespective of whether the system inter-venes.
The system may be impaired or may not function in the following situations:
= If visibility is poor, e.g. due to insuPcient illu-
mination of the road, highly variable shade
conditions, rain, snow, fog or heavy spray.
= If there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traPc,
direct sunlight or reOections.
= If there is dirt on the windshield in the area of
the multifunction camera or the camera is fog-
ged up, damaged or obscured.
= If road signs are hard to detect, e.g. due to
dirt, snow or insuPcient lighting, or because
they are obscured.
= If the information on the navigation system\bs
digital map is incorrect or out of date.
= If signs are ambiguous, e.g. road signs in road-
works or in adjacent lanes.DYNAMIC SELECT switch
Function of the DYNAMIC SELECT switch
*NOTE Mercedes-AMG vehiclesObserve the notes in the Supplement.
You could otherwise fail to recognize
dangers.\bDepending on the engine and equipment, the vehicle has diMerent drive programs.
Use the DYNAMIC SELECT switch to change
between the following drive programs.
The drive program selected appears on the instru- ment display.
Individual
= Individual settings
B Sport+
= Particularly sporty driving
= Emphasizes the vehicle\bs own oversteer and
understeer characteristics for an even more
active driving style
= Only suitable for good road conditions, a dry
road surface and a clear stretch of road
C Sport
= Continues to oMer stability but with a sporty
setup
= Enables the sporty driver to adopt a more
active driving style
= Only suitable for good road conditions, a dry
road surface and a clear stretch of road
A Comfort
= Comfortable and economical driving
= Balance between traction and stability
= Recommended for all road conditions