MERCEDES-BENZ GLS 2023 Owners Manual

sumption. You also have the option of manuallyadjusting the vehicle level.
AIRMATIC is comprised of the following functions
and components:
= All-round air suspension
= Speed-dependent lowering
= Manually selectable high level setting for
greater ground clearance which can be adjus-
ted using a level button
= Vehicles with ADS PLUS: also Adaptive Damp-
ing System with constant adjustment of damp-
ing characteristics for improved driving com-
fort
Level diMerences compared to the normal level
Vehicles without OM-road package
= Car wash: \f3.5 in (\f90 mm) (  page 347)
= OM-road level \f1:
- Mercedes-Maybach vehicles: \f2.0 in
(\f50 mm)
- All other models: \f2.4 in (\f60 mm)
= Sport: approx. -0.6 in (-15 mm)=
Sport \f: approx. -1.0 in (-25 mm)
Vehicles with OM-road package
= Car wash: approx. \f3.5 in (\f90 mm)
(  page 347)
= OM-road level \f3: \f3.5 in (\f90 mm)
= OM-road level \f2: \f2.4 in (\f60 mm)
= OM-road level \f1: \f1.2 in (\f30 mm)
= Sport: approx. -0.6 in (-15 mm)
= Sport \f: approx. -1.0 in (-25 mm)
If the entry/exit level function is activated, the
vehicle is lowered to the Sport \f level to facilitate entering/exiting the vehicle. When driving at
speeds of approximately 19 mph (30 km/h) or above, the entry/exit level is deactivated and thevehicle is raised (  page 253).Operation with a trailer or bicycle rack
If transport equipment, for example a trailer or
bicycle rack, is attached to the trailer hitch and the electrical connection has been correctly
established:
= In drive program F and G , the vehicle
adopts the normal level starting from a speed of 19 mph (30 km/h).
= In all other drive programs, the vehicle
remains at normal level irrespective of speed.
System limits
AIRMATIC may not be available or have only limi-
ted availability in the following cases:
= The overheating protection has been activated
due to frequent level changes within a short
time. The

Setting the vehicle level (vehicles with AIRMATIC)&WARNING Risk of accident because vehi-
cle level is too high
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
The vehicle can dris outwards, for example,
when steering or cornering.
Choose a vehicle level which is suited to
the driving style and the road surface
conditions.&WARNING Risk of entrapment from vehi-
cle lowering
When lowering the vehicle, people could become trapped if their limbs are between the
vehicle body and the tires or underneath the vehicle.
Make sure no one is underneath the
vehicle or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches when the vehicle is being
lowered.&WARNING Risk of becoming trapped due
to the vehicle lowering
Vehicles with AIRMATIC or level control: when
you unload luggage or leave the vehicle, the vehicle Nrst rises slightly and then returns to
the set level shortly aserwards.
You or anyone else in the vicinity of the wheel arches or the underbody could thus become trapped.
The vehicle can also be lowered aser being
locked.
When leaving the vehicle, make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the wheelarches or the underbody.*NOTE Damage due to vehicle lowering
Parts of the body could be damaged when the
vehicle is lowered.
Make sure that there are no obstacles such as curbs underneath or in the
immediate vicinity of the body when the
vehicle is being lowered.*NOTE Mercedes-AMG vehiclesObserve the notes in the Supplement.
You could otherwise fail to recognize
dangers.
Requirements: = The vehicle has been started.
= Vehicles without OM-road package: the vehicle
is not moving faster than 40 mph (65 km/h).
= Vehicles with OM-road package:
- OM-road level \f1: the vehicle is not moving
faster than 62 mph (100 km/h).
- OM-road level \f2: the vehicle is not moving
faster than 40 mph (65 km/h).
- OM-road level \f3: the vehicle is not moving
faster than 12 mph (20 km/h) and the rear
fog lamp is not switched on.
250Driving and parking

Raising the vehicle (vehicles without OM-road
package)Push rocker switch 1 forwards.
Indicator lamp 2 Oashes while the vehicle is
being raised and lights up continuously when
it has Nnished rising.Your selection is saved. The oM-road level set
remains stored even aser the ignition has been
switched oM.
The vehicle is lowered again in the following situa-
tions:
= When driving faster than 50 mph (80 km/h).
= When driving brieOy between 40 mph
(65 km/h) and 50 mph (80 km/h).
= Aser selecting a diMerent drive program using
the DYNAMIC SELECT switch.
The vehicle is adjusted to the height of the active drive program.
Lowering the vehicle (vehicles without OM-road
package)Pull rocker switch 1.
The vehicle is adjusted to the height of the active drive program.
Operation with a trailer or bicycle rack
If the electrical connection has been correctly
established to the trailer or bicycle rack:
= From approx. 18.7 mph (30 km/h): oM-road
level \f1 can be selected, regardless of drive
program.
= From approx. 18.7 mph (30 km/h): the vehi-
cle is adjusted to normal level, regardless of
drive program.Driving and parking251

Raising the vehicle (vehicles with OM-road pack-
age)Push rocker switch 1 forwards.
= OM-road level \f1: one indicator lamp 2
lights up continuously when the vehicle has Nnished rising.
= OM-road level \f2: two indicator lamps 2
light up continuously when the vehicle has Nnished rising.=
OM-road level \f3: three indicator lamps 2
light up continuously when the vehicle has Nnished rising.
Your selection is saved. The oM-road level set
remains stored even aser the ignition has been
switched oM.
The vehicle is lowered again in the following situa-
tions:
= OM-road level \f3: when driving faster than
12 mph (20 km/h) or when the rear fog lamp
is switched on.
The vehicle is lowered to oM-road level \f2.
= OM-road level \f2:
- When driving faster than 50 mph
(80 km/h).
- When driving brieOy between 40 mph
(65 km/h) and 50 mph (80 km/h).
The vehicle is lowered to oM-road level \f1.
= OM-road level \f1:
- When driving faster than 71 mph
(115 km/h).
- When driving brieOy between 62 mph
(100 km/h) and 71 mph (115 km/h).
The vehicle is lowered to the normal level.
= Aser selecting a diMerent drive program using
the DYNAMIC SELECT switch.
The vehicle is adjusted to the height of the active drive program.
Lowering the vehicle (vehicles with OM-road pack-
age)Pull rocker switch 1.
= OM-road level \f3: the vehicle is lowered to
oM-road level \f2. Two indicator lamps 2
light up continuously when the vehicle has
Nnished lowering.
= OM-road level \f2: the vehicle is lowered to
oM-road level \f1. One indicator lamp 2
lights up continuously when the vehicle has Nnished lowering.
= OM-road level \f1: the vehicle is lowered to
the normal level. No indicator lamp 2
lights up when the vehicle has Nnished
lowering.252Driving and parking

Your selection is saved. The oM-road level set
remains stored even aser the ignition has been
switched oM.
Operation with a trailer or bicycle rack
If the electrical connection has been correctly
established to the trailer or bicycle rack:
= Up to approx. 12 mph (20 km/h): oM-road lev-
els \f1, \f2 and \f3 can be selected, regardless
of the drive program.
= Up to approx. 19 mph (30 km/h): oM-road lev-
els \f1 and \f2 can be selected, regardless of
the drive program.
= From approx. 19 mph (30 km/h): the vehicle
is adjusted to normal level, regardless of the
drive program.
Setting the entering and exiting level (AIRMATIC)
Requirements:
= The engine is running.
= The vehicle is moving at speeds below 20 mph
(30 km/h).Multimedia system:
4 © 5
Settings
5 Schnellzugriff (Quick access)Select Lower When Getting In On .
The vehicle is lowered to low level -2 to facili-
tate entering and exiting.\bThe availability of this function depends on the vehicle equipment.\bFurther information on AIRMATIC
(  page 248).
Lowering and raising the rear of the vehicle
&WARNING Risk of entrapment from vehi-
cle lowering
When lowering the vehicle, people could become trapped if their limbs are between the
vehicle body and the tires or underneath the vehicle.
Make sure no one is underneath the
vehicle or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches when the vehicle is being
lowered.Requirements
= all vehicle doors are closed
= there is no trailer coupled
= there is no bicycle rack installed
= the battery is suPciently charged (if neces-
sary, start the engine)
Lowering the rear of the vehicleDriving and parking253

Apply the electric parking brake.Shis the transmission to position
] ( page 195).Pull switch 1 in the cargo compartment trim
brieOy.
Indicator lamp 2 Oashes until the vehicle has
been lowered.
The vehicle is lowered at the rear axle by
approx. 1.5 in (40 mm). When the vehicle has
been lowered, indicator lamp 2 remains lit.
Lowering is interrupted in the following situations:
= a vehicle door is opened.
= switch 1 is pulled again.
= the vehicle is being driven faster than 1.2 mph
(2 km/h).
\bThe vehicle is automatically set to the level ofthe selected drive program if you drive atspeeds greater than 1.2 mph (2 km/h).
If indicator lamp 2 Oashes twice and the rear of
the vehicle does not lower:
Make sure that the requirements are met.\bLowering the rear of the vehicle allows the vehicle to be loaded more easily. Observe thenotes on loading the vehicle when doing this(  page 125).
Raising the rear of the vehicle
Check if the battery is suPciently charged. If
necessary, start the engine.Pull switch 1 brieOy.
Indicator lamp 2 goes out.
The vehicle will be raised to the currently
selected level.\bThe vehicle is automatically set to the level of the selected drive program if you drive atspeeds greater than 1.2 mph (2 km/h).
If the vehicle cannot be raised:
Ensure that the battery is suPciently charged;
if necessary, start the engine.
The raising process continues.E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL
Function of E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL
*NOTE Mercedes-AMG vehiclesObserve the notes in the Supplement.
You could otherwise fail to recognize
dangers.
E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL is an electrohydraulic
suspension system with variable damping for
improved driving comfort. The all-round level con-
trol system ensures the best possible suspension and constant ground clearance, even with a laden
vehicle. When driving at speed, the vehicle is low- ered automatically to improve driving safety and
to reduce fuel consumption. The suspension set-
ting is adjusted depending on the road surface, vehicle load and the drive program selected.
The ROAD SURFACE SCAN function detects areas
of unevenness in the road before you drive over
them by means of a multifunction camera. This
reduces chassis movements.
254Driving and parking

The damping is adjusted individually to eachwheel and depends on the following factors:
= Driving style, e.g. sporty
= Road condition, e.g. bumps
= Drive program
E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL is comprised of the fol-
lowing functions and components:
= Vehicles with Driving Assistance Package:
ROAD SURFACE SCAN
= Curve inclination function CURVE
= Recovery mode
= Individual wheel control
= Air suspension with automatic level control
= Speed-dependent lowering to reduce fuel con-
sumption
= Manual level adjustment
= ADS PLUS: Adaptive Damping System with
constant adjustment of damping characteris-
tics
= DYNAMIC SELECT switch and level buttonSuspension setting and vehicle level per drive pro-
gram
Drive program C
= The suspension setting is Nrmer.
= The vehicle is set to Sport level.
= ROAD SURFACE SCAN is deactivated.
= The curve inclination function is deactivated.
Drive program B
= The suspension setting is even Nrmer.
= The vehicle is set to Sport \f level.
= ROAD SURFACE SCAN is deactivated.
= The curve inclination function is active.
Drive program A
= The suspension setting is comfortable.
= The vehicle is set to the normal level.
= When driving at speeds above approximately
87 mph (140 km/h), the vehicle is lowered.
= When driving at speeds below approximately
25 mph (40 km/h), the vehicle is raised.
= ROAD SURFACE SCAN is active.=The curve inclination function is deactivated.
Drive program

Drive program 
= The suspension setting is comfortable.
= The vehicle is set to the normal level.
= When driving at speeds above approximately
87 mph (140 km/h), the vehicle is lowered.
= When driving at speeds below approximately
25 mph (40 km/h), the vehicle is raised again.
= ROAD SURFACE SCAN is deactivated.
= The curve inclination function is deactivated.
Drive program F
= The suspension setting is suitable for easily
negotiable oM-road terrain.
= The vehicle is set to oM-road level \f1.
= ROAD SURFACE SCAN is deactivated.
= The curve inclination function is deactivated.
= When the necessary conditions are met,
recovery mode and individual wheel control can be activated.
= Vehicles without OM-road package:-
When driving at speeds above approx-
imately 50 mph (80 km/h) the vehicle is lowered.
- When driving at speeds below approx-
imately 28 mph (45 km/h), the vehicle israised.
= Vehicles with OM-road package:
- When driving at speeds above approx-
imately 71 mph (115 km/h), the vehicle is lowered.
- When driving at speeds below approx-
imately 47 mph (75 km/h), the vehicle is
raised.
Drive program G
= The suspension setting is suitable for diPcult
oM-road terrain.
= The vehicle is set to oM-road level \f1.
= When driving at speeds above approximately
50 mph (80 km/h), the vehicle is lowered.
= When driving at speeds below approximately
28 mph (45 km/h), the vehicle is raised.
= ROAD SURFACE SCAN is deactivated.=The curve inclination function is deactivated.
= Recovery mode or individual wheel control can
be activated.
Drive program
= You can call up individual suspension settings
here.
Operation with a trailer or bicycle rack
If the electrical connection has been correctly
established to the trailer or bicycle rack:
= Drive program A,  ,

-Mercedes-Maybach vehicles: \f2.0 in
(\f50 mm)
- All other models: \f2.4 in (\f60 mm)
= Sport: approx. -0.6 in (-15 mm)
= Sport \f: approx. -1.0 in (-25 mm)
Vehicles with OM-road package
= Car wash: approx. \f3.5 in (\f90 mm)
(  page 347)
= OM-road level \f3: \f3.5 in (\f90 mm)
= OM-road level \f2: \f2.4 in (\f60 mm)
= OM-road level \f1: \f1.2 in (\f30 mm)
= Sport: approx. -0.6 in (-15 mm)
= Sport \f: approx. -1.0 in (-25 mm)
If the entry/exit level function is activated, the vehicle is lowered to the Sport \f level to facilitate entering/exiting the vehicle. When driving at
speeds of approximately 19 mph (30 km/h) or above, the entry/exit level is deactivated and thevehicle is raised (  page 253).
Function of ROAD SURFACE SCAN\bThis function is not available in all countries.The ROAD SURFACE SCAN function monitors the road in front of your vehicle using a multifunctioncamera (  page 211). ROAD SURFACE SCAN
detects unevenness in the road surface, e.g.
bumps, before the vehicle drives over them. Chas- sis movements are reduced and driving comfort is
increased.
ROAD SURFACE SCAN is automatically activated
if the following conditions are met:
= Drive program A or 1 is selected.
= The vehicle is set to the normal level.
= You are driving at a speed between 4 mph
(7 km/h) and 112 mph (180 km/h).
System limits
ROAD SURFACE SCAN can be impaired in the fol-
lowing situations or can stop functioning:
= If the road is insuPciently lit, e.g. at night.
= In snow, rain, fog, heavy spray, if there is glare,
in direct sunlight or in greatly varying ambient
light.
= If the windshield in the area of the multifunc-
tion camera is dirty, fogged up, damaged or
covered.= If the road surface has no optic structure or
reOects light.
= If you are driving too close to the vehicle in
front.
= If sections of the route have a very small
radius of curvature.
= During abrupt driving maneuvers, e.g. heavy
braking or sudden acceleration.
Observe the notes on cleaning the multifunction
camera (  page 350).
Function of recovery mode&WARNING Risk of injury due to the vehicle
moving up and down
During recovery mode, the vehicle moves up and down and can cause injuries.
When activating recovery mode, make
certain that no one is in the vicinity of
the vehicle.Driving and parking257

*NOTE Risk of damage due to the vehicle
moving up and down
When free driving mode is activated, the vehi-
cle moves up and down. Vehicle parts may be
damaged if the underbody bottoms out.
Make sure that there is suPcient ground
clearance when rocking free mode is
activated.
Recovery mode is a function of the suspension
which can assist the driver on loose surfaces (e.g. sand, snow) when freeing a vehicle which hasbecome stuck.
The vehicle body rocks in slow, vertical motions when recovery mode has been activated. Thistemporarily puts the wheels under greater load,
which means they have increased traction and the
vehicle is freed.
You can activate free driving mode via OM-road
Assist (  page 261).
Function of individual wheel control&WARNING Risk of becoming trapped due
to the vehicle lowering
The vehicle can be lowered when the individ-
ual wheel control function has been activated.
Body parts could become trapped if they are
between the vehicle body and the tires or
underneath the vehicle.
Make sure that nobody is under the vehi- cle or in the immediate vicinity of the
wheel arches when individual wheel con-
trol is activated.*NOTE Risk of damage due to the vehicle
moving up and down
The vehicle can be lowered or raised on one
or more wheels when the individual wheel
control function has been activated. Vehicle
parts could be damaged due to contact with
objects.
Make sure that the vehicle has suPcient
room to move when the individual wheel
control function has been activated.
Individual wheel control is a function of the sus- pension, which can be used to set the vehicle
level for each wheel individually. This can help to
improve alignment of the body when driving oM-
road.
You can activate individual wheel control via OM-
road Assist (  page 261).
Adjusting the vehicle level (vehicles with E-ACTIVE
BODY CONTROL)
&WARNING Risk of accident because vehi-
cle level is too high
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
The vehicle can dris outwards, for example,
when steering or cornering.
Choose a vehicle level which is suited to
the driving style and the road surface
conditions.258Driving and parking