MERCEDES-BENZ GLA SUV 2013 Owners Manual

are active or light up, warning displays
:and
= are also active or light up correspondingly
in the COMAND display.
"Reverse parking" function X
Make sure that the reversing camera is
activated and the "Reverse parking" func-
tion is selected; see the separate operating instructions for the audio system/
COMAND Online.
The lane and the guide lines are shown.
Reversing straight into a parking space
without turning the steering wheel :
White lane indicating the route the vehicle
will take with the steering wheel straight
; Yellow guide line at a distance of approx-
imately 1.0 mfrom the rear of the vehicle
= Red guide line at a distance of approx-
imately 0.25 mfrom the rear of the vehicle
X With the help of white lane :, check
whether the vehicle will fit into the parking space.
X Using the white lane as a guide, carefully
reverse until you reach the end position.
Red guide line =is then at the end of the
parking space. The vehicle is almost paral-
lel in the parking space.
Reverse perpendicular parking with the
steering wheel at an angle
X Drive past the parking space and bring the
vehicle to a standstill. Turning the steering wheel
: Red lane indicating the route the vehicle
will take with the steering wheel in its cur-
rent position
; Parking space marking
X While the vehicle is at a standstill, turn the
steering wheel in the direction of the park-ing space until the red lane reaches parkingspace marking ;.
X Keep the steering wheel in that position
and reverse carefully. Reversing with the steering wheel turned
:
Red lane indicating the route the vehicle
will take with the steering wheel in its cur-
rent position
X Stop the vehicle when it is almost exactly in
front of the parking space.
The white lane should be as close to parallel
with the parking space marking as possi-
ble. 218
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Driving to the final position
:
White lane indicating the route the vehicle
will take with the steering wheel in its cur-
rent position
; Parking space marking
X Turn the steering wheel to the centre posi-
tion while the vehicle is stationary. :
Red guide line at a distance of approx-
imately 0.25 mfrom the rear of the vehicle
; White lane indicating the route the vehicle
will take with the steering wheel straight
= End of parking space
X Reverse carefully until you have reached
the end position.
Red guide line :is then at end of parking
space =. The vehicle is almost parallel in
the parking space.
"Coupling up a trailer" function This function is only available on vehicles with
a trailer tow hitch and COMAND Online. :
Vehicle centre point on the yellow guide
line at a distance of approximately 1.0 m
from the rear of the vehicle
; Trailer drawbar
= Ball coupling
X Set the height of trailer drawbar ;so that
it is slightly higher than ball coupling =.
X Position the vehicle centrally in front of
trailer drawbar ;. :
Ball coupling
; Red guide line at a distance of approx-
imately 0.25 m from the ball coupling
= Trailer drawbar locating aid
? Trailer drawbar
A Symbol for the "Coupling up a trailer"
function
X Select symbol Awith the Audio/COMAND
controller; see the separate operating
instructions for the audio system/
COMAND Online.
The "Coupling up a trailer" function is selec- ted. The distance specifications now only Driving systems
219Driving and parking Z

apply to objects that are at the same level
as the ball coupling.
X Reverse carefully, making sure that trailer
drawbar locating aid =points approx-
imately in the direction of trailer draw-
bar ?.
X Reverse carefully until trailer drawbar ?
touches red guide line ;.
X Couple up the trailer (Y page 225).ATTENTION ASSIST
General notes ATTENTION ASSIST helps you during long,
monotonous journeys such as on motorways and trunk roads. It is active in the 80 km/h to
180 km/h range.
If ATTENTION ASSIST detects typical indica-
tors of fatigue or increasing lapses in con-
centration on the part of the driver, it sug-
gests taking a break.
Important safety notes ATTENTION ASSIST is only an aid. It may not
always detect fatigue or lapses in concentra-
tion until too late, or may not detect them at
all. The system is not a substitute for a well-
rested and attentive driver.
ATTENTION ASSIST assesses your level of
fatigue or lapses in concentration by taking
the following criteria into account:
R your personal driving style, e.g. steering
characteristics
R journey-related parameters, e.g. time of
day, length of journey
The functionality of ATTENTION ASSIST is
restricted, and warnings may be delayed or
not occur at all:
R if the road condition is poor, e.g. if the sur-
face is uneven or if there are potholes
R if there is a strong side wind R
if you have adopted a sporty driving style
with high cornering speeds or high rates of
acceleration
R if you are predominantly driving slower
than 80 km/h or faster than 180 km/h
R if you are currently using COMAND Online
or making a telephone call with COMAND
Online
R if the time has been set incorrectly
R in active driving situations, such as when
you change lanes or change your speed
Warning and display messages in the
multifunction display X
Activate ATTENTION ASSIST using the on-
board computer (Y page 244).
If ATTENTION ASSIST is active, you will be
warned no sooner than 20 minutes after
your journey has begun. You then hear an
intermittent warning tone twice and the
Attention Assist: Take a break! Attention Assist: Take a break!
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
X If necessary, take a break.
X Press the aor% button to confirm
the message.
On long journeys, take regular breaks in good
time to allow yourself to rest properly. If you
do not take a break, you will be warned again
after 15 minute sat the earliest. This will only
happen if ATTENTION ASSIST still detects
typical indicators of fatigue or increasing lap-
ses in concentration.
ATTENTION ASSIST is reset and starts
assessing your tiredness again when you con- tinue your journey if:
R you switch off the engine
R you take off your seat belt and open the
driver's door, e.g. for a change of drivers or
to take a break
When ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated, the é symbol appears in the multifunction
display in the assistance graphic display. 220
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

Speed Limit Assist
General notes Speed Limit Assist shows you detected speed
limits in the multifunction display. Data from
the navigation system is also used for this
purpose. If a traffic sign indicating a speed
limit or the end of a speed limit is detected, it
is shown in the multifunction display. If Speed
Limit Assist does not detect any traffic signs, the speed limit from the digital road map is
taken and shown in the display.
Speed Limit Assist detects the traffic signs
with a camera attached behind the top of the
windscreen. :
Speed Limit Assist camera
Important safety notes Speed Limit Assist is only an aid and does not
always detect traffic signs specifying the
maximum permissible speed. Traffic signs
always have priority over the Speed Limit
Assist display.
The system may be impaired or may not func-
tion if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to snow,
rain, fog or spray
R there is glare, e.g. from the sun or from
oncoming traffic
R the windscreen is dirty, misted up or cov-
ered, for instance by a sticker, in the vicinity of the camera
R the traffic signs are covered, for instance by
dirt, snow or trees R
the traffic signs are poorly illuminated
R there are ambiguous traffic signs, for
instance near roadworks or on multi-lane
roads
Information in the multifunction display Briefly showing detected traffic signs in
the multifunction display
X Activate the Speed Limit Assist warning
function using the on-board computer
(Y page 243).
A traffic sign indicating a speed limit or the
end of a speed limit appears in the multi-
function display for around five seconds as
soon as it is detected. Any other informa-
tion in the multifunction display is hidden
for this period. :
Maximum permissible speed (example)
; Maximum permissible speed for vehicles
subject to the restriction in the additional
sign (example)
= Additional character in fog
? Speed Limit Assist is available and
switched on Driving systems
221Driving and parking Z

Permanently showing detected traffic
signs in the multifunction display
X Display the assistance graphic using the
on-board computer (Y page 243).
A traffic sign indicating a speed limit or the
end of a speed limit appears in the multi-
function display as soon as it is detected.
Traffic sign :indicating a speed limit is gen-
erally displayed until:
R a traffic sign indicating the end of the speed
limit is detected.
R you make a turn.
R you leave or enter a town.
R the road type changes (e.g. motorway,
country road).
R you have travelled a certain minimum dis-
tance without the traffic sign being repea-
ted or detected again. Lane Tracking package
General notes The Lane Tracking package consists of Blind
Spot Assist (Y page 222) and Lane Keeping
Assist (Y page 224).
Blind Spot Assist General notes
Blind Spot Assist uses a radar sensor system
to monitor the areas on both sides of your
vehicle. It supports you from speeds of
30 km/h. A warning display in the exterior
mirrors draws your attention to vehicles
detected in the monitored area. If you then
switch on the corresponding turn signal to
change lane, you will also receive an optical
and audible collision warning. For this pur-
pose, Blind Spot Assist uses sensors in the
rear bumper. Important safety notes G
WARNING
Blind Spot Assist does not react to vehicles:
R overtaken too closely on the side, placing
them in the blind spot area
R when the difference in the speed of
approach and overtaking is too great
As a result, Blind Spot Assist cannot warn
drivers in these situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and maintain a safe distance at the side
of the vehicle.
Blind Spot Assist is only an aid. It may fail to
detect some vehicles and is no substitute for
attentive driving.
Monitoring range of the sensors
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired in the case of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorcycle or a bicycle
R very wide lanes
R narrow lanes
R vehicles not driving in the middle of their
lane
R barriers or other road boundaries
Vehicles in the monitoring range are then not indicated. 222
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Blind Spot Assist monitors the area up to
3.0 mbehind your vehicle and directly next to
your vehicle, as shown in the diagram. For this
purpose, Blind Spot Assist uses radar sensors in the rear bumper.
If the lanes are narrow, vehicles driving in the
lane beyond the lane next to your vehicle may
be indicated, especially if the vehicles are not
driving in the middle of their lane. This may be the case if the vehicles are driving on the inner
side of their lane.
Due to the nature of the system:
R warnings may be issued in error when driv-
ing close to crash barriers or similar solid
lane borders.
R warnings may be interrupted when driving
alongside particularly long vehicles, for
example lorries, for a prolonged time.
The two sensors for Blind Spot Assist are
integrated into the sides of the rear bumper.
Make sure that the bumper is free of dirt, ice
or slush in the vicinity of the sensors. The
radar sensors must not be covered, for exam- ple by cycle racks or overhanging loads. Fol-
lowing a severe impact or in the event of dam- age to the bumpers, have the function of the
radar sensors checked at a qualified special-
ist workshop. Blind Spot Assist may other-
wise not work properly. Indicator and warning display
Blind Spot Assist is not active at speeds below
approximately 30 km/h. Vehicles in the mon-
itoring range are then not indicated. :
Yellow indicator lamp/red warning lamp
If Blind Spot Assist is activated, indicator
lamp :in the exterior mirrors lights up yel-
low up to a speed of 30 km/h. At speeds
above 30 km/h, the indicator lamp goes out
and Blind Spot Assist is operational.
If a vehicle is detected within the monitoring
range of Blind Spot Assist at speeds above
30 km/h, warning lamp :on the corre-
sponding side lights up in red. This warning
always occurs when a vehicle enters the blind
spot monitoring range from behind or from
the side. When you overtake a vehicle, the
warning only occurs if the difference in speed is less than 12 km/h.
The yellow indicator lamp goes out if reversegear is engaged. Blind Spot Assist is then
deactivated.
The brightness of the indicator/warning
lamps is adjusted automatically according to
the ambient light.
Collision warning
If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range
of Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the
corresponding turn signal, a double warning
tone sounds. Red warning lamp :flashes. If
the turn signal remains on, detected vehicles
are indicated by the flashing of red warning
lamp :. There are no further warning tones. Driving systems
223Driving and parking Z

Activating Blind Spot Assist
X Make sure that Blind Spot Assist is activa-
ted in the on-board computer
(Y page 245).
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
Warning lamps :in the exterior mirrors
light up red for approximately 1.5 seconds
and then turn yellow.
Towing a trailer
If you attach a trailer, make sure that you have
correctly established the electrical connec-
tion. This can be accomplished by checking
the trailer lighting. Blind Spot Assist is then
deactivated. The indicator lamp lights up yel-
low in the exterior mirrors and the Blind
Blind
Spot Assist currently unavailable
Spot Assist currently unavailable
See Owner's Manual
See Owner's Manual message appears in
the multifunction display.
i You can deactivate the indicator lamps in
the exterior mirrors.
To do so, deactivate Blind Spot Assist if:
R the key is in position 2in the ignition lock
R the engine is not running
R the electrical connection to the trailer
has been established
Lane Keeping Assist General notes
Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in
front of your vehicle by means of camera :
at the top of the windscreen. Lane Keeping
Assist detects lane markings on the road and can warn you before you leave your lane unin-
tentionally.
This function is available in the range between
60 km/h and 200 km/h.
A warning may be given if a front wheel
passes over a lane marking. It will warn you by means of intermittent vibration through the
steering wheel for up to 1.5 seconds.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Lane Keeping Assist cannot always clearly
identify lane markings.
In these cases, Lane Keeping Assist may:
R give an unnecessary warning
R not give a warning
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and keep in lane, especially if Lane
Keeping Assist alerts you. G
WARNING
The Lane Keeping Assist warning does not
return the vehicle to the original lane. There is a risk of an accident.
Always steer, apply the brakes or accelerate
the vehicle yourself, especially if Lane Keep-
ing Assist alerts you.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Lane
Keeping Assist can neither reduce the risk of
an accident nor override the laws of physics. Lane Keeping Assist cannot take into account
road, weather or traffic conditions. Lane
Keeping Assist is only an aid. You are respon- sible for the distance to the vehicle in front,
for vehicle speed, for braking in good time,
and for staying in lane.
Lane Keeping Assist does not keep your vehi-
cle in its lane. 224
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking

The system may be impaired or may not func-
tion if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to insuffi-
cient illumination of the road, or due to
snow, rain, fog or spray
R there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic,
the sun or reflection from other vehicles
(e.g. if the road surface is wet)
R the windscreen is dirty, misted up, dam-
aged or covered, for instance by a sticker,
in the vicinity of the camera
R no, or several, unclear lane markings are
present for one lane, e.g. in a construction
area
R the lane markings are worn away, dark or
covered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
R the distance to the vehicle in front is too
small and the lane markings thus cannot be
detected
R the lane markings change quickly, e.g.
lanes branch off, cross one another or
merge
R the road is narrow and winding
R there are highly variable shade conditions
on the road
Activating Lane Keeping Assist X Activate Lane Keeping Assist using the on-
board computer; to do so, select Standard
Standard
or Adaptive Adaptive (Ypage 245).
If you drive at speeds above 60 km/h and
lane markings are detected, the lane mark-
ings in the assistance graphics display
(Y page 243) are shown in green.
When Standard is selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if:
R you have switched on the turn signals. In
this event, the warnings are suppressed for a certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
. When
Adaptive is selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if:
R you have switched on the turn signals. In
this case, the warnings are suppressed for
a certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
R you accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
R you brake hard.
R you steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lane quickly.
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend.
In order that you are warned only when nec-
essary and in good time if you cross the lane marking, the system recognises certain con-
ditions and warns you accordingly.
The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
R you approach the outer lane marking on a
bend.
R the road has very wide lanes, e.g. a motor-
way.
R the system recognises solid lane markings.
The warning vibration occurs later if:
R the road has narrow lanes.
R you cut the corner on a bend. Towing a trailer
Notes on towing a trailer
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This increases the braking distance and could
even cause the braking system to fail. There is
a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
pedal and the accelerator pedal while driving. Towing a trailer
225Driving and parking Z

G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle/trailer
combination if it begins to swerve. The vehi-
cle/trailer combination could even overturn.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten out the vehicle/trailer combina-
tion by increasing speed. Decrease your
speed and do not countersteer. Brake if nec-
essary. G
WARNING
If the maximum the permissible load for a car- rier system is exceeded, the carrier could
come loose from the vehicle and endanger
other road users. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never exceed the permissible noseweight
when using a carrier.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
The GLA 45 AMG 4MATIC model cannot be
used to tow a trailer.
Exceeding the maximum permissible nose-
weight of the trailer drawbar on the ball cou-
pling may cause damage to the following:
R your vehicle
R the trailer
R the ball coupling
R the trailer tow hitch
The vehicle/trailer combination could
become unstable.
If the noseweight used is lower than the min- imum permissible noseweight, the vehicle/
trailer combination could also become unsta-
ble.
To avoid hazardous situations:
R make sure to check the noseweight before
each journey.
R use a drawbar noseweight as close as pos-
sible to the maximum noseweight. R
do not exceed the maximum permissible
noseweight.
R do not use a noseweight lower than the
minimum permissible trailer drawbar nose-
weight.
When reversing the vehicle towards the
trailer, make sure there is nobody between
the trailer and the vehicle.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If
you do not couple the trailer to the towing
vehicle correctly, the trailer could become
detached.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R the permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
R the permissible trailer load
R the permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R the maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
The applicable permissible values, which
must not be exceeded, can be found:
R in your vehicle documents
R on the identification plates of the trailer tow
hitch and the trailer
R on the vehicle identification plate
If the values differ, the lowest value applies.
You will find the values approved by the man-
ufacturer on the vehicle identification plates
and those for the towing vehicle under "Tech- nical data" (Y page 394).
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
to when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradi-
ent-climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance
R is affected more by strong crosswinds
R demands more sensitive steering
R has a larger turning circle 226
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

This can impair the vehicle's handling char-
acteristics. Adapt your driving style accord-
ingly. Maintain a safe distance. Drive care-
fully.
When towing a trailer, always adjust your
speed to the current road and weather con-
ditions. Do not exceed the maximum permis- sible speed for your vehicle/trailer combina-
tion.
General notes X
When towing a trailer, set the tyre pressure
on the rear axle of the towing vehicle for a
maximum load; see the tyre pressure table in the fuel filler flap (Y page 356).
Please note that when towing a trailer, PARK-
TRONIC (Y page 206) and Blind Spot Assist
(Y page 222) availability is limited or not avail-
able at all.
i The height of the ball coupling changes
with the load of the vehicle. If necessary,
use a trailer with a height-adjustable draw- bar.
You will find fitting dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (Y page 393).
Driving tips i
Observe the notes on ESP ®
trailer stabi-
lisation (Y page 80).
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginning the journey, check
the trailer's documents to see what the max- imum permitted speed is. Observe the legally
prescribed maximum speed in the relevant
country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the max-
imum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. Refer to the "Technical
data" section to find out whether this applies to your vehicle. If you utilise any of the added
maximum rear axle load when towing a trailer, the vehicle/trailer combination may not
exceed a maximum speed of 100 km/h for reasons concerning the operating permit.
This also applies in countries in which the
permissible maximum speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations is above 100 km/h.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison to when driving without a trailer and it will
consume more fuel.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. For vehicles
with automatic transmission, you need to
have selected manual drive program M
(Y page 172).
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly. If you
need additional braking, depress the brake
pedal repeatedly rather than continuously.
i Briefly depressing the accelerator pedal
on downhill gradients while the manual
drive program Mis temporarily activated
(vehicles with automatic transmission): the automatic transmission may switch back to
the last active automatic drive program Eor
S. The automatic transmission may shift to
a higher gear. This can reduce the engine's braking effect.
Driving tips If the trailer swings from side to side:
X Do not accelerate.
X Do not countersteer.
X Brake if necessary. Towing a trailer
227Driving and parking Z