MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class 2015 X166 Owner's Manual

the pressure point for a higher speed or
down
0087for a lower speed.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up or down, the last speed stored
is increased or reduced.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
When driving at speeds below 20 mph
(30 km/h), you can only activate DISTRONIC
PLUS if the vehicle in front has been detected
and is shown in the multifunction display. If
the vehicle in front is no longer detected and displayed, for example because it has
changed lanes, DISTRONIC PLUS is deactiva-
ted. You will hear a warning tone if this is the
case.
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC DISTRONIC PLUS
PLUSPassive
Passive mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
The set distance to a slower-moving vehicle
in front will then not be maintained. You will
be driving at the speed you determine by
the position of the accelerator pedal.
Activating at the current speed/last
stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it differs
from the current speed, the vehicle acceler-
ates or decelerates. If you do not know the
stored speed, the vehicle could accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again. X
Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 0043.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. The first
time it is activated, the current speed is
stored. Otherwise, it sets the vehicle cruise
speed to the previously stored value.
Driving with DISTRONIC PLUS Pulling away and driving
X
If you want to pull away with DIS-
TRONIC PLUS: remove your foot from the
brake pedal.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 0044or press it up 0043or down 0087.
or
X Accelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its
speed to that of the vehicle in front.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control. Driving systems
209Driving and parking Z

If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in
front has slowed down, it brakes your vehicle.
In this way, the distance you have selected is
maintained.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a faster-moving
vehicle in front, it increases the driving speed. However, the vehicle is only accelerated up tothe speed you have stored.
If you depress the brake, DISTRONIC PLUS is
deactivated unless your vehicle is stationary.
Changing lanes
If you change to the passing lane, DISTRONIC
PLUS supports you when:
R you are driving faster than 40 mph
(60 km/h)
R DISTRONIC PLUS is maintaining the dis-
tance to a vehicle in front
R you switch on the appropriate turn signal
R DISTRONIC PLUS does not detect a danger
of collision
If these conditions are fulfilled, your vehicle is
accelerated. Acceleration will be interrupted
if changing lanes takes too long or if the dis-
tance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front becomes too small.
i When changing lanes, DISTRONIC PLUS
monitors the left lane on left-hand drive
vehicles and the right lane on right-hand
drive vehicles.
Stopping G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, even if it is braked
only by DISTRONIC PLUS, it could roll away if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R DISTRONIC PLUS has been deactivated
with the cruise control lever, e.g. by a vehi-
cle occupant or from outside the vehicle.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with. R
the battery is disconnected.
R the accelerator pedal has been depressed,
e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until it
is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains
stationary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake.
Depending on the specified minimum dis-
tance, your vehicle will come to a standstill at a sufficient distance behind the vehicle in
front. The specified minimum distance is set
using the control on the cruise control lever.
The electric parking brake automatically
secures the vehicle if DISTRONIC PLUS is
activated and:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
R a system malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
On steep uphill or downhill inclines or if there
is a malfunction, the transmission may also
automatically be shifted into position P.210
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Setting a speed
Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has accelerated or braked to
the speed set.
X Press the cruise control lever up 0043for a
higher speed or down 0044for a lower speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 mph incre-
ments (1 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up 0043or
down 0044to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up 0043or down 0044the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
X To adjust the set speed in 5 mph incre-
ments (10 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up 0043or
down 0044to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up 0043or down 0044, the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
i If you accelerate to overtake, DISTRONIC
PLUS adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished over-
taking. Setting the specified minimum distance You can set the specified minimum distance
for DISTRONIC PLUS by varying the time span between one and two seconds. With this func-
tion, you can set the minimum distance that
DISTRONIC PLUS keeps to the vehicle in
front, dependent on vehicle speed. You can
see this distance in the multifunction display
(Y page 213).
X To increase: turn control0044in direction
0087.
DISTRONIC PLUS then maintains a greater distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
X To decrease: turn control0044in direc-
tion 0043.
DISTRONIC PLUS then maintains a shorter distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
i Make sure that you maintain a sufficiently
safe distance from the vehicle in front.
Adjust the distance to the vehicle in front if necessary. Driving systems
211Driving and parking Z

Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS
There are several ways to deactivate DIS-
TRONIC PLUS:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards 0043.
or X Brake, unless the vehicle is stationary.
When you deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS, you
will see the DISTRONIC
DISTRONIC PLUS PLUSOff
Offmessage in
the multifunction display for approximately
five seconds.
i The last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine.
i DISTRONIC PLUS is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. If you accel-
erate to overtake, DISTRONIC PLUS
adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished over-
taking.
DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically deactiva-
ted if:
R you engage the electric parking brake or if
the vehicle is automatically secured with
the electric parking brake
R you are driving slower than 15 mph
(25 km/h) and there is no vehicle in front,
or if the vehicle in front is no longer detec-
ted
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R the transmission is in the P,Ror Nposition
R you pull the cruise control lever towards
you in order to pull away and the front- passenger door or one of the rear doors is
open
R you activate DSR
R you activate off-road program 2 on vehicles
with the ON&OFFROAD package
R the vehicle has skidded
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. You will see the DIS‐
DIS‐
TRONIC TRONIC PLUS
PLUSOff
Offmessage in the multifunc-
tion display for approximately five seconds.
Displays in the instrument cluster Displays in the speedometer
Example: DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the speed-
ometer
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, one or
two segments 0044in the set speed range light
up.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front, segments 0044between speed of the vehicle in
front 0043and stored speed 0087light up.
i For design reasons, the speed displayed
in the speedometer may differ slightly from
the speed set for DISTRONIC PLUS. 212
Driving syste
msDriving and parking

Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is deacti-
vated 0043
Vehicle in front, if detected
0044 Distance indicator, current distance to
the vehicle in front
0087 Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
0085 Own vehicle
In the Assistance menu of the on-board com-
puter, you can select the assistance display.
X Select the Distance Display
Distance Display function
using the on-board computer
(Y page 283).
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is activa-
ted 0043
Vehicle in front, if detected
0044 Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
0087 Own vehicle
0085 DISTRONIC PLUS activated
In the Assistance menu of the on-board com- puter, you can select the assistance display. X
Select the Distance Display Distance Display function
using the on-board computer
(Y page 283).
You will see the stored speed for about five
seconds when you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
Tips for driving with DISTRONIC PLUS General notes
Pay particular attention in the following traffic
situations:
R cornering, going into and coming out of a
bend
R vehicles traveling on a different line
R other vehicles changing lanes
R narrow vehicles
R obstructions and stationary vehicles
R crossing vehicles
In such situations, brake if necessary. DIS-
TRONIC PLUS is then deactivated.
Cornering, going into and coming out of a bend The ability of DISTRONIC PLUS to detect vehi-
cles when cornering is limited. Your vehicle
may brake unexpectedly or late. Driving syste
ms
213Driving an d parking Z

Vehicles traveling on a different line
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect vehicles
traveling on a different line. The distance to
the vehicle in front will be too short.
Other vehicles changing lanes DISTRONIC PLUS has not detected the vehi-
cle cutting in yet. The distance to this vehicle will be too short.
Narrow vehicles DISTRONIC PLUS has not yet detected the
vehicle in front on the edge of the road, because of its narrow width. The distance to
the vehicle in front will be too short.
Obstructions and stationary vehicles
DISTRONIC PLUS does not brake for obsta-
cles or stationary vehicles. If, for example, the
detected vehicle turns a corner and reveals
an obstacle or stationary vehicle, DISTRONIC PLUS will not brake for these.
Crossing vehicles DISTRONIC PLUS may mistakenly detect
vehicles that are crossing your lane. Activat-
ing DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic lights with
crossing traffic, for example, could cause
your vehicle to pull away unintentionally. Level control (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package)
Important safety notes Level control adapts the vehicle level auto-
matically to the current operating and driving
situation. This results in reduced fuel con-
sumption and improved handling. 214
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Make changes to the vehicle level while the
vehicle is in motion. This enables the vehicle
to adjust to the new level as quickly as pos-
sible.
The vehicle level may change visibly if you
park the vehicle and the outside temperature
changes. If the temperature drops, the vehi-
cle level is lower; with an increase in temper-
ature, the vehicle level rises.
If you unlock the vehicle or open a door, the
vehicle begins to compensate for load dis-
crepancies while still parked. However, for
significant level changes, such as after the
vehicle has been stationary for a long period, the engine must be on. For safety reasons,
the vehicle is only lowered when the doors are
closed. Lowering is interrupted if a door is
opened, and it continues once the door has
been closed.
For information about driving off-road, see
(Y page 199). G
WARNING
When the vehicle is being lowered, people
could become trapped if their limbs are
between the vehicle body and the wheels or
underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches
when the vehicle is being lowered. G
WARNING
When you drive with the vehicle raised, the
driving characteristics could be impaired by
the vehicle's raised center of gravity. The vehi- cle could rollover more easily, for example on
a bend. There is a risk of an accident.
Always select as low a vehicle level as possi-
ble and adjust your driving style. G
WARNING
When you drive with the chassis lowered or
raised, the vehicle's braking and driving char-
acteristics can be significantly impaired. You
could also exceed the permissible vehicle height if the chassis is raised. There is a risk of
an accident.
Adjust the vehicle level before pulling away. 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 the prevailing road and weather conditions.
! When driving on extremely rough terrain,
select a high vehicle level in good time.
Make sure there is always sufficient ground
clearance. You will otherwise damage the
vehicle.
R Utility vehicles have a significantly higher
rollover 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.
R In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a per-
son wearing a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupants should
always wear your seat belts.
Basic settings The extent to which the vehicle is raised or
lowered depends on the basic setting selec-
ted.
Select:
R highway/high-speed level for driving on
normal roads
R off-road level 1 for driving on easily nego-
tiable off-road terrain
R off-road level 2 for driving on normal off-
road terrain
R off-road level 3 for freeing the vehicle in
particularly rough terrain at low speeds
only Driving systems
215Driving and parking Z

The individual vehicle levels differ from high-
way level as follows:
R highway level: +/–0 in (+/–0 mm)
R high-speed level: –0.6 in (–15 mm)
R off-road level 1: + 1.2 in (+ 30 mm)
R off-road level 2: + 2.3 in (+ 60 mm)
R off-road level 3: + 3.6 in (+ 90 mm)
Highway/high-speed level !
Make sure that there is enough ground
clearance when the vehicle is being low-
ered. It could otherwise hit the ground,
damaging the underbody. 0043
Selector wheel
0044 To raise the level
0087 Indicator lamps
0085 To lower the level
X Start the engine.
X Selector wheel 0043 0043engaged: briefly press
selector wheel 0043.
Selector wheel 0043extends.
If one or more indicator lamps 0087are on:
X Turn selector wheel 0043counter-clock-
wise 0085until all indicator lamps 0087that are
lit start to flash.
The vehicle is lowered to highway level. As soon as the next lowest level is reached,
the indicator lamp stops flashing and goes
out. During the adjustment, the
Lowering Loweringmes-
sage, for example, appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
If you press the 0038or0076 button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message
will disappear. Once highway level has been
reached, all indicator lamps 0087go out.
The vehicle automatically selects highway
level if you are driving at a speed above
70 mph (115 km/h) or if you drive at a speed
between 62 mph (100 km/h) and 70 mph
(115 km/h) for approximately 20 seconds.
The vehicle is lowered to high-speed level if
you are traveling at higher speeds.
Off-road levels General notes
R Only select off-road level 3 for driving off-
road in particularly rough terrain.
R Adjust your driving style to the altered han-
dling characteristics.
R Do not drive at speeds above 12 mph
(20 km/h). 216
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Only select an off-road level when this is
appropriate for road conditions. Otherwise,
fuel consumption increases and handling may
be affected.
X Start the engine.
X Selector wheel 0043
0043 engaged: briefly press
selector wheel 0043.
Selector wheel 0043extends.
X To raise: turn selector wheel 0043clock-
wise 0044.
The vehicle is raised.
or
X To lower: turn selector wheel 0043counter-
clockwise 0085.
The vehicle is lowered.
Indicator lamps 0087for the desired off-road
level flash:
R Off-road level 1: the lower indicator lamp
flashes
R Off-road level 2: the lower and center indi-
cator lamps flash
R Off-road level 3: all three indicator lamps
flash
The vehicle adjusts to the off-road level selec-
ted. As soon as an off-road level is reached,
the corresponding indicator lamp stops flash- ing and lights up constantly.
Raising the vehicle
During the adjustment, the Vehicle Rising
Vehicle Rising
message, for example, appears in the multi-
function display.
The vehicle rises from highway level to off-
road level 1.
If you press the 0038or0076 button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message
will disappear.
i Up to off-road level 2, you can hide the
messages using the 0038or0076 button
on the multifunction steering wheel.
Once off-road level 2 has been reached, the
lower and center indicator lamps of the selec- tor wheel are on. While the adjustment from off-road level 2 to
off-road level 3 is taking place, you will see a message such as the following in the multi-
function display: Vehicle Rising Max. Vehicle Rising Max.
Speed 12 mph (20 km/h)
Speed 12 mph (20 km/h).
The Max. Speed 12 mph (20 km/h) Max. Speed 12 mph (20 km/h) mes-
sage draws your attention to the maximum
speed permitted for off-road level 3.
Once off-road level 3 has been reached, you
will see a message shown in white in the mul-
tifunction display, for example: Max. Max.Speed
Speed
12 mph (20 km/h)
12 mph (20 km/h).
If you drive above 20 km/h at off-road level 3, you will see the following message shown in
red in the multifunction display: Vehicle Vehicle
Lowering
Lowering Max.
Max.Speed
Speed 12
12mph (
mph (20 20km/h)
km/h).
i You cannot clear these messages.
You also hear a warning. The vehicle is low-
ered and off-road level 3 is canceled.
If you continue to increase your speed, the
red message continues to be shown in the
multifunction display. The newly set level is
not displayed until the vehicle has been set to
a level suitable for the current speed. Driving systems
217Driving and parking Z

Lowering the vehicle
If you maintain or reduce your speed, you will
see a message in white in the display while
the vehicle is being lowered, such as the fol-
lowing: Lowering Max. Speed 12 mph Lowering Max. Speed 12 mph
(20 km/h)
(20 km/h).
The vehicle is lowered to off-road level 2.
If you select an off-road level when driving at
too high a speed, the Drive More Slowly
Drive More Slowly
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play .
You can select from the following:
R Off-road level 1 at speeds up to 60 mph
(100 km/h)
R Off-road level 2 at speeds up to 40 mph
(65 km/h)
R Off-road level 3 at speeds up to 12 mph
(20 km/ h)
If you are driving above 50 mph (80 km/h) or
drive between 40 mph (65 km/h) and 50 mph
(80 km/h) for longer than 20 seconds, off-
road level 2 will be canceled. The vehicle is
lowered to off-road level 1.
You will see a message in the multifunction
display, for example: Lowering Lowering.
If you are driving above 70 mph (115 km/h) or drive between 62 mph (100 km/h) and
70 mph (115 km/h) for longer than
20 seconds, off-road level 1 will be canceled.
Depending on the vehicle's speed and the
ADS mode selected (Y page 220), the vehicle
is automatically lowered to highway or high-
speed level. You will see a message in the multifunction
display, for example:
Lowering
Lowering. HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R when pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
R when maneuvering on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away.
i Do not use the HOLD function when driv-
ing off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gra-
dients or on slippery or loose surfaces. The HOLD function cannot hold the vehicle on
such surfaces.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R the HOLD function has been deactivated by
pressing the accelerator pedal or the brake
pedal, e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away. 218
Driving systemsDriving and parking