MERCEDES-BENZ GLS 2023 Owners Manual

System limits
Cross TraPc Alert is not available on inclines.
Cross TraPc Alert is not available when driving
with a trailer.
Activating/deactivating the maneuvering assistant
Multimedia system:
4 © 5
Settings 5
Assistance
5 Camera & ParkingSwitch Maneuvering Assistance on or oM.\bThe maneuvering assistant must be active for
the function of Drive Away Assist(  page 277) and Cross TraPc Alert
(  page 278).
Trailer hitch
Notes on towing a trailer
*NOTE Mercedes-AMG vehiclesObserve the notes in the Supplement.
You could otherwise fail to recognize
dangers.&WARNING Risk of accident due to unsuita-
ble ball neck
If you install an unsuitable ball neck, the trailer
hitch and the rear axle may be overloaded.
This can signiNcantly impair the driving char-
acteristics and the trailer may become loose.
There is a risk of fatal injury.
Only install a ball neck that complies
with the permissible dimensions and is
designed for the requirements of trailer
operation.Do not modify the ball neck or the trailer
hitch.
The values approved by the manufacturer can be
found on the identiNcation plates and in the "Tech-
nical data" section under "Trailer hitch" for the
towing vehicle (  page 424).
&WARNING Swerving of the vehicle/trailer
combination due to increased speed
You could lose control of the vehicle/trailer
combination.
The vehicle/trailer combination may even tip
over.Under no circumstances should you try
to straighten the vehicle/trailer combi-
nation by increasing the speed.Reduce your speed and do not counter-
steer.If necessary, apply the brakes.*NOTE Damage to the engine as a result of
overheatingIf you retroNt a trailer hitch, modiNca-
tions to the engine cooling system may
be necessary, depending on the vehicle
model.
When retroNtting a trailer hitch, observe the
fastening points on the chassis.
RetroNtting a trailer hitch is permissible only if a
trailer load is speciNed in your vehicle documents.
If this is not the case, the vehicle is not approved for trailer operation.
Driving and parking279

Further information can be obtained at a qualiNed
specialist workshop.
For a detachable trailer coupling, it is essential to
comply with the operating instructions of the trailer coupling manufacturer.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If you
do not connect the trailer to the towing vehicle
correctly, the trailer may become detached.
Observe the following notes on the tongue weight:
= Do not use a tongue weight that exceeds or
falls below the permissible tongue weight
= Use a tongue weight as close as possible to
the maximum tongue weight
Do not exceed the following values:
= Permissible towing capacity
= Permissible rear axle load of the towing vehi-
cle
= Permissible gross weight of the towing vehicle
= Permissible gross weight of the trailer
= Maximum permissible speed of the trailerEnsure the following before starting a journey:
= The tire pressure on the rear axle of the tow-
ing vehicle is set for a maximum load
= The lighting of the connected trailer is opera-
tional
In the event of increased rear axle load, the car/
trailer combination must not exceed a maximum speed of 62 mph (100 km/h) for reasons con-
cerning the operating permit. This also applies in
countries in which the permissible maximum
speed for car/trailer combinations is above 62 mph (100 km/h).
Vehicles with AIRMATIC or E-ACTIVE BODY CON-
TROL: if the socket of the trailer hitch is occupied,
e.g. by a trailer or rear bicycle rack, the vehicle is set to the normal level at speeds greater than
19 mph (30 km/h). This is done regardless of
which drive program has been selected.Attaching the ball neck&WARNING Risk of accident and injury due
to incorrectly installed ball neck
If the ball neck is not correctly installed and
secured, it may become loose during a jour-
ney and endanger other road users. There is a
risk of fatal injuries.
Install and secure the ball neck as
described in the ball neck manufactur-
er\bs installation instructions.If a ball neck is installed, ensure sure
that it is properly secured before every
journey.&WARNING Risk of accident due to a ball
neck that is not correctly installed or
secured
If the ball neck is not correctly installed and
secured, the trailer may come loose.
Install and secure the ball neck as
described in the ball neck manufactur-
er\bs installation instructions.280Driving and parking

If a ball neck is installed, ensure sure
that it is properly secured before every
journey.
Requirements: = The vehicle is secured against rolling away.
Attaching the ball neck
Remove cover 1 from the ball neck mount in
the direction of the arrow.Store cover 1 such that it cannot move
around.Observe the manufacturer\bs installation
instructions.Observe the notes on loading the vehicle.
Coupling up/uncoupling a trailer
&WARNING Risk of injury from the vehicle
level being changed
Vehicles with level control system: the vehicle
level may be changed unintentionally, e.g. by
other persons. You may become trapped if you
couple up or uncouple a trailer while the vehi- cle level is changing. In addition, other peoplecould become trapped if their limbs are
between the vehicle body and the tires or
underneath the vehicle.
When coupling up or uncoupling a trailer,
make sure that:
The doors or tailgate are not opened or
closed.You do not initiate the level control sys- tem and do not operate the DYNAMIC
SELECT switch.Do not lock or unlock the vehicle.Requirements: = The vehicle is secured with the electric park-
ing brake.
= The transmission is in position ].
The trailer will be correctly detected by the vehi- cle only if the following conditions are met:
= The trailer is connected correctly.
= The trailer lighting system is in working order.
The functions of the following systems will be
aMected by a correctly connected trailer:
= ESP n
trailer stabilization
= Active Lane Keeping Assist
= Parking Assist PARKTRONIC
= Active Parking Assist
= Blind Spot Assist or Active Blind Spot Assist
= Drive Away Assist
= Cross TraPc Alert
= Rear view camera
= Surround view camera
= AIRMATICDriving and parking281

=E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL
Vehicles without level control: the ball head height
will change depending on the vehicle\bs load. In
this case, use a trailer with a height-adjustable
drawbar.
Coupling up a trailer*NOTE Damage to the starter battery due
to full discharge
Charging the trailer battery using the power
supply of the trailer can damage the starter
battery.
Do not use the vehicle\bs power supply to
charge the trailer battery.
Information about a suitable ball neck for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles can be obtained from a
qualiNed specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Remove the cover cap from the ball neck
mount and store it in a safe place
(  page 280).Position the trailer on a level surface behind
the vehicle and couple it up to the vehicle.Establish the electrical connection between the vehicle and the trailer.\bAccessories can be connected to the perma-
nent power supply up to 180 W and to the power supply that is switched on via the igni-
tion lock.
Uncoupling a trailer
&WARNING Risk of being crushed and
becoming trapped when uncoupling a
trailer
When uncoupling a trailer with an engaged
inertia-activated brake, your hand may
become trapped between the vehicle and the
trailer drawbar.
Do not uncouple trailers with an engaged
overrun brake.*NOTE Damage during uncoupling with an
engaged overrun brake
The vehicle may be damaged if you uncouple
with an engaged overrun brake.
Do not uncouple trailers with an engaged
overrun brake.&WARNING Risk of becoming trapped when
disconnecting the trailer cable
Vehicles with level control system: The vehicle
may lower when the trailer cable is disconnec-
ted.
This could result in you or other people
becoming trapped if your or their limbs are
between the vehicle body and the tires or
underneath the vehicle.
Make sure that nobody is underneath the
vehicle or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches when you disconnect the
trailer cable.Disconnect the electrical connection between
the vehicle and the trailer.282Driving and parking

Uncouple the trailer.Place the cover on the ball neck mount.
Vehicle towing instructions
The vehicle is not suitable for use of tow bar sys-
tems used for Oat towing or dinghy towing, for
example. Attaching and using tow bar systems can result in damage to the vehicle. When you are
towing a vehicle with tow bar systems, safe driving
characteristics cannot be guaranteed for the tow-
ing vehicle or the towed vehicle. The vehicle-
trailer combination may swerve from side to side.
Observe the following information:
= Permitted towing methods (  page 366)
= Notes on towing with both axles on the ground
(  page 367)
Driving and parking283

Notes on the instrument display and on-boardcomputer&WARNING Risk of accident if the instru-
ment display fails
If the instrument display has failed or is mal-
functioning, function restrictions in systems relevant to safety cannot be detected.
The operating safety of your vehicle may be
impaired.
Drive on carefully.Have the vehicle checked immediately at
a qualiNed specialist workshop.&WARNING Risk of distraction from infor-
mation systems and communications
equipment
If you operate information systems and com-
munication devices integrated in the vehicle
when driving, you could be distracted from the traPc situation. This could also cause you to
lose control of the vehicle.
Only operate this equipment when the
traPc situation permits.If you cannot be sure of this, stop the
vehicle whilst paying attention to road
and traPc conditions and operate the
equipment with the vehicle stationary.*NOTE Mercedes-AMG vehiclesObserve the notes in the Supplement.
You could otherwise fail to recognize
dangers.
You must observe the legal requirements for the
country in which you are currently driving when
operating the on-board computer.
The on-board computer shows only display mes-
sages and warnings from speciNc systems on the
instrument display. You must therefore ensure
that your vehicle is always safe to operate.
If the operating safety of your vehicle is impaired,
park the vehicle immediately and in accordance
with the traPc conditions. Contact a qualiNed
specialist workshop.
284Instrument display and on-board computer

Overview of instrument display1Les display area of the instrument display
(example: speedometer): speedometer/time/
date/trip computer From Start and From
Reset /range/audio/angle of incline and
approachThe segments on the speedometer indicate
the statuses of the following systems: cruisecontrol/limiter/Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC2Outside temperature3Digital speedometer4Time5Right display area of the instrument display (example: tachometer): tachometer/average
fuel consumption/ECO display/navigation/G-meter/assistant display/4MATIC/suspen- sion/power meter/power availability display
of the electric motor (equipment-dependent)The fuel supply will be interrupted to protect the engine when the red mark on the tachom-
eter (overrevving range) is reached.6Index pointsInstrument display and on-board computer285

These show the selected display or menu con-tent.7Coolant temperature displayDuring normal operation, the coolant temper- ature display is permitted to rise to 248°F
(120°C).Vehicles with 48 V on-board electrical system: POWER and CHARGE display (electrical drive
support and recuperation power of the elec-
tric motor)8Selected drive program9Selected transmission positionACenter display area of the instrument display (example: standard display for trip): Assis-
tance/Telephone/Navigation/Trip/Media/
Radio/Styles and displays/Service/Power
meter (equipment-dependent)BFuel level, fuel Nller Oap location indicator,
rangeOverview of the buttons on the steering wheel1P Back/Home button, on-board computerPress and hold: shows standard display2Touch Control, on-board computer3Control panel for cruise control or Active Dis-
tance Assist DISTRONIC4Control panel for MBUX multimedia system:{ Voice Control Systemß Displays favoritesVOL: control knob, adjusts the volume or
switches the sound oM c (press)a Makes/accepts a callv Rejects/ends a call5

The on-board computer is operated using the les-
hand Touch Control and the les-hand back/home
button.
When the on-board computer is being operated,
diMerent acoustic signals will sound as operating
feedback, e.g. when the end of a list is reached.
The following menus are available: = Assistance
= Phone
= Navigation
= Trip
= Radio
= Media
=Designs & Disp.
= Service\bYou can Nnd information about the possible
settings and selections on the menus in the Digital Operator\bs Manual.
The menus can be called up from the menu bar
on the instrument display.
To call up the menu bar: brieOy press the les-
hand back button until the menu bar is dis-
played.\bVehicles without Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC: press the

Press the les-hand Touch Control.
The selected menu will be displayed full-
screen.
Overview of displays in the instrument display
Displays on the instrument display:
WActive Parking Assist (  page 275)