MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV 2019 Owners Manual

Air
vents overth e second and third row of seats #
Toset the air direction: placeyour finger in
th e middle of the air vent 1 and mo ve
accordin gly. #
Toopen or close: turnthe controller 2as
fa r as it will go. Opening or closing
the air vent in thegl ove
box
* NO
TEDama geto te mperature-sensitive
objects in theglove box Te
mp erature-sensitive objects stored in the
gl ove box may be damaged bythe air vent
located inside theglove compa rtment. #
Close the air vent when you heat the
ve hicle. #
Athigh outside temp eratures, open the
air vent and switch on the A/C func‐
tion. Au
tomatic clima tecontrol must be switched on
in order tocool theglove box. 1
Airvent controller
2 Airvent #
Toopen or close: turn controller1 tothe
left or right. 18 8
Climate cont rol

Driving
Swit
ching on the po wer supp lyor ignition
using thest art/s top button &
DANG ER Risk of fata l injuries due to
ex haust gases
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
ga ses such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
th ese exhaust gases is hazardous tohealth
and can lead topoisoning. #
Never lea vethe engine running in an
enclosed space wi thout suf ficient venti‐
lation. &
WARNING Risk offire caused byflam‐
mable material on theex haust sy stem
Flammable materials brought in byeither ani‐
mals or environmen tal influences may ignite
if th ey come into contact wi thhot parts of
th e engine or exhaust sy stem. #
Therefore, check regularly that there
are no flammable materials in the engine compartment or on
theex haust
sy stem. &
WARNING Risk of accident and inju ry
due tochildren left unat tended in the
ve hicle
If ch ildren are left unat tended in theve hicle,
th ey could:
R Open doo rs,th ereby endangering other
persons or road users.
R Get out and be stru ck byoncoming traf‐
fi c.
R Ope rate ve hicle equipment and become
trapped, forex ample.
In addition, thech ildren could also set the
ve hicle in motion, forex ample by:
R Releasing the parking brake.
R Changing the transmission position.
R Starting theve hicle. #
Never lea vechildren unat tended in the
ve hicle. #
When leaving theve hicle, alw aysta ke
th eke y with you and lock theve hicle. #
Keep theve hicle key out of reach of
ch ildren. This also applies
tothe Digital Vehicle Key if the
"Digital Vehicle Key" function is activated via
Mercedes me connect.
Re quirements:
R theke y is located in theve hicle and thekey
battery is not dischar ged.
R or: a Digital Vehicle Key is located in the
mar ked space (/ page191).
R the brake pedal is not depressed. Driving and parking
18 9

#
Toswitch on the po wer supp ly:press but‐
to n1 once.
Yo u can activate the windscreen wiper, for
ex ample.
The po wer supp lyis switched off again if thefo l‐
lowing conditions are me t:
R you open the driver's door.
R you press but ton1 twice more. #
Toswitch on the ignition: press button 1
twice.
The indicator lamps in the instrument clus ter
light up.
The ignition is switched off again if one of the
fo llowing conditions is me t:
R you do not start theve hicle within
15 minutes.
R the transmission is in position jorthe
electric parking brake has been applied.
R you press but ton1 once. St
arting theve hicle St
arting theve hicle with thest art/s top but‐
ton
Requ irements:
R theke y is located in theve hicle and thekey
battery is not dischar ged.
R or: a Digital Vehicle Key is located in the
mar ked space (/ page191). #
Shift the transmission toposition jori. #
depress the brake pedal and press button 1
once. #
Ifth eve hicle does not star t:switch off non-
essential consumers and press button 1
once.
If th eve hicle still does not start, one of thefo l‐
lowing display messages appears in the multi‐
function display: #
Place the key in the marked space See Own-
er's Manual :st art theve hicle in emer gency
operation mode (/ page 192).
or #
Key not detected Place smartphone in charg-
ing bracket: place the mobile phone in the
mar ked space (/ page155).
Yo u can swit choff the engine while driving by
pressing button 1for about thre e seconds. Be
sure toobser vethe saf ety no tes under "Driving
tips". 19 0
Driving and pa rking

St
arting theve hicle with a Digital Vehicle
Key
Re quirements:
R one of thefo llowing versions of the Digital
Ve hicle Key is available:
- suitable mobile phone
- Digital Vehicle Keyst icker
R theve hicle is equipped with the "Digital Vehi‐
cle Key" function.
R the "Digital Vehicle Key" function is activated
via Mercedes me connec t:http://
www.mercedes.me.
R the mobile phone is suf ficiently charge d.
% You can check the suitability of your mobile
phone byentering the phone number at
http://www.mercedes.me.
Information about suitable mobile phones
can be obtained from your Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre or at http://www.mercedes-
benz.com/connect.
% Mercedes-Benz recommends that you car ry
th e emer gency key in case of function
re strictions. %
The function is only available in combination
with Mercedes me connect and on lyin cer‐
ta in countries.
% Protective cases around the mobile phone
can impair the functionality.
Using the Digital Vehicle Keyfo r the first
time #
Deactivate theke y1 (/ page 84). #
Place key1 in mar ked space 2next tothe
symbol 3. #
Place the mobile phone or Digital Vehicle Key
st icke r in the mar ked space for wireless
ch arging (/ page155). #
Dep ress the brake pedal and start theve hi‐
cle using thest art/ stop button.
Any fur ther starts with th e DigitalVehicle
Key
The key is not needed for any fur ther starts. #
Place the mobile phone or Digital Vehicle Key
st icke r in the mar ked space for wireless
ch arging (/ page155). #
Start theve hicle using thest art/ stop button.
The "Digital Vehicle Key" service can be deacti‐
va ted in Mercedes me connect at http://
www.mercedes.me. The function is then deacti‐
va ted in the mobile phone via an online connec‐
tion. If connection tothe Internet is not possible,
e.g. af terth e mobile phone or the Digital Vehicle
Ke yst icke r has been stolen, theke y function can
be deacti vated at a Mercedes-Benz service
centre. Driving and parking
191

St
arting theve hicle in emer gency operation
mode
If th eve hicle does not start and thePlace the
key in the marked space See Owner's Manual
message appears in the multifunction displa y,
yo u can start theve hicle in emer gency operation
mode. #
Makesure that mar ked space 2is em pty. #
Remo vekey1 from theke yring. #
Place key1 in mar ked space 2next tothe
symbol 3.
The vehicle will start af ter a short time.
If yo ure mo vekey1 from mar ked space 2
th e engine continues running. For fur ther
ve hicle starts ho wever,ke y1 must be loca‐
te d in mar ked space 2next tothe symbol
3 during the entire journe y. #
Have theke y1 checked at a qualified spe‐
cialist workshop.
If th eve hicle does not star t: #
place key1 in mar ked space 2and lea ve
it th ere. #
Depress the brake pedal and start theve hi‐
cle using thest art/ stop button.
% You can also swit chon the po wer supp lyor
th e ignition with thest art/ stop button. St
arting theve hicle via Remo teOnline serv‐
ices Cooling or heating
theve hicle interior before
commencing your journey
% This function is not available in all countries.
If yo ustart theve hicle via your smartphone, the
pr ev iously selec ted air conditioning adjustment
is active.
Ensure thefo llowing before starting the engine:
R the legal stipulations in the area where your
ve hicle is par ked allow engine starting via
smartphone.
R it is safe tostart and runth e engine where
yo ur vehicle is par ked.
R the fuel tank is su fficiently filled.
R thest ar ter battery is suf ficiently charge d.
% You can also set thete mp erature with your
smartphone. In form ation on Mercedes me
connect and other services: http://
www.mercedes.me
This function is not available for all models. 19 2
Driving and pa rking

Ru
nning-in no tes To
preser vethe engine during thefirs t1, 500 km:
R drive at varying road speeds and engine
speeds.
R drive theve hicle in drive program A
or ;.
R change gear before there v counter needle is
Ô ofthewa yto there d area of there v coun‐
te r.
R do not shift down a gear manually in order to
brake.
R avoidoverstra ining theve hicle, e.g. driving at
full thro ttle.
R do not depress the accelera tor pedal past
th e pressure point (kickdown).
R only increase the engine speed gradually and
accelerate theve hicle tofull speed af ter
1, 500 km.
This also applies when the engine or parts of the
driv etra in ha vebeen replaced. Please also obser
vethefo llowing running-in
no tes:
R in cer tain driving and driving saf ety sy stems,
th e sensors adjust automatically while a cer‐
tai n di stance is being driven af terth eve hicle
has been delivered or af terre pairs. Full sys‐
te m ef fectiveness is not reached until the
end of this teach-in process.
R brakepads, brake discs and tyres that are
either new or ha vebeen replaced only ach‐
ie ve optimum braking ef fect and grip af ter
se veral hundred kilom etre s of driving. Com‐
pensate forth ere duced braking ef fect by
applying greaterfo rc eto the brake pedal. Note
s on driving &
WARNING Risk of accident due to
objects in the driver's foot we ll
Objects in the driver's foot we ll may impede
pedal tra vel or block a depressed pedal.
This jeopardises the operating and road
saf ety of theve hicle. #
Stow all objects in theve hicle securely
so that they cannot getinto the driver's
fo ot we ll. #
Alw aysfit th efloor mats securely and
as prescribed in order toensure that
th ere is alw ays suf ficient room forthe
pedals. #
Do not use loose floor mats and do not
place floor mats on top of one ano ther. &
WARNING Risk of accident due to
unsuitable foot we ar
Operating the pedals may be impaired by
we aring unsuitable foot we ar, e.g.:
R plat form shoes
R high-heeled shoes
R slippers #
Alw ayswe ar suitable foot we ar when
driving so that you can operate the ped‐
als safel y. Driving and pa
rking 19 3

&
WARNING Risk of accident when switch‐
ing off the ignition when driving
If yo u swit choff the ignition while driving,
saf ety functions are restricted or no longer
av ailable. This may af fect the po werst eering
sy stem and the brake forc e boosting, for
ex ample.
Yo u will then need touse considerably more
fo rc eto steer and brake. #
Do not switch off the ignition while driv‐
ing. &
DANG ER Risk of fata l injuries due to
ex haust gases
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
ga ses such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
th ese exhaust gases is hazardous tohealth
and can lead topoisoning. #
Never lea vethe engine running in an
enclosed space wi thout suf ficient venti‐
lation. &
WARNING Risk of skidding and of an
accident due toshifting down on slippery
ro ad sur faces
If yo u shift down on slippery road sur faces to
inc rease the engine braking ef fect, the drive
wheels may lose traction. #
Do not shift down on slippery road sur‐
fa ces toinc rease the engine braking
ef fect. &
DANG ER Risk of fata l injuries due topoi‐
sonous exhaust gases
If th eta ilpipe is bloc ked or suf ficient ventila‐
tion is not possible, poisonous exhaust gases
such as carbon monoxide may enter theve hi‐
cle. This is the case, forex ample, if theve hi‐
cle is stuck in sn ow. #
When the engine or thest ationary
heater are running, keep theta ilpipe
and the area around theve hicle clear of
sno w. #
Open a window on the side of theve hi‐
cle facing the wind toensure an ade‐
qu ate supply of fresh air. &
WARNING Risk of accident due tothe
brake sy stem overheating
If yo u lea veyour foot on the brake pedal
when driving, the brake sy stem may over‐
heat.
This increases the braking dis tance and the
brake sy stem may evenfa il. #
Never use the brake pedal as a foot re st. #
Do not depress the brake pedal and the
accelerator pedal at the same time
while driving. *
NO
TECausing wearto the brake linings
by permanently depressing the brake
pedal #
Do not permanently depress the brake
pedal while driving. 194
Driving and pa rking

#
Touse braking ef fect of the engine,
shift toa lo werge ar in good time. *
NO
TEDama getothe driv etra in and
engine when pulling away #
Do not warm upthe engine while the
ve hicle is stationar y.Pull away immedi‐
atel y. #
Avoid high engine speeds and driving at
full thro ttle until the engine has reached
its operating temp erature. *
NO
TEDama getothe catalytic con verter
due tonon-combu sted fuel The engine is not
running smo othly and is
misfiring.
Non-combus ted fuel may get into the cata‐
lytic con verter. #
Only depress the accelera tor pedal
slightl y. #
Have the cause rectified immediately at
a qu alified specialist workshop. Limited braking ef
fect on salt-trea tedro ads:
R due tosalt build-up on the brake disks and
brakepads, the braking dis tance can increase
conside rably or result in braking only on one
side
R maintain a much greater safe dis tance tothe
ve hicle in front
To preve nt salt build-up:
R brake occasionally while paying attention to
th e tra ffic conditions
R carefully depress the brake pedal at the end
of the journey and when starting the next
journey Note
s on off-road driving &
WARNING Risk of accident if you do not
ke ep toline of fall on inclines
If yo u drive at an angle or turn on an incline,
th eve hicle could slip side ways, tip and roll‐
ove r. #
Alw ays drive on inclines in the line of
fa ll (straight up or down) and do not
turn. &
WARNING Risk offire due toflammable
materials on hot parts of theex haust
sy stem
Flammable material such as lea ves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact
wi th hot parts of theex haust sy stem. #
When driving on unpa vedro ads or off-
ro ad, regular lych eck theve hicle under‐
side. #
Remo vetrapped plants or other flam‐
mable material, in particular. #
Ifth ere is damage, consult a qualified
specialist workshop immediately. When driving off-road, subs
tances su chas sand,
mud and water orwate r mixed with oil may get
into the brakes. This may lead toare duction in
braking ef fect or total brake failure as a result of
increased wear. The braking characteristics will
va ry depending on the material that has entered Driving and parking
19 5

th
e sy stem. Clean the brakes af ter driving off-
ro ad. If youth en notice reduced braking ef fect
or hear scraping noises, ha vethe brake sy stem
ch ecked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Ad just your driving style to thech anged braking
ch aracteristics.
* NO
TEDama gecaused bydriving over
obs tacles The
vehicle can be damaged by:
R driving up on high kerbs or unpa ved
ro ads.
R quickly driving over obs tacles su chas
ke rbs, speed bumps or po tholes.
R heavy objects hitting the underbody or
ch assis components. #
Do not drive over obs tacles that could
damage theve hicle. #
Check theve hicle regular lyfor dama ge
during off-road driving. #
Adjust theve hicle speed tosuit the
ro ad sur face conditions. #
Ifth ere is damage, consult a qualified
specialist workshop immediately. +
ENVIRONMENTAL
NOTEEnvironmental
dama gedue tonon-obser vance of pro‐
hibition signs Environmental pr
otection has priority. Treat
nature with respect. #
Be sure toobser veprohibition signs. Checklist before driving off-road
Check
thefo llowing points before driving off-
ro ad:
R Fuel le vel
R Vehicles with a diesel engine: AdBlue ®
le vel
R Engine oil le vel:fill engine oil up tothe maxi‐
mum le velto ensure full gradeability
(/ page 534).
R Tyre-change tool kit and spare wheel
R Tyres and wheels %
Information about special all-ter rain tyres for
re trofitting is available from any qualified
specialist workshop.
Off-road driving
Re ad this section before driving your vehicle off-
ro ad. Practise bydriving over more gentle off-
ro ad terrain firs t.
R Obse rveth e no tes on the cross-country ABS
(/ page 229).
R If necessar y,select theF orG drive
program (vehicles with an Off-road pac kage)
before driving off-road (/ page 204).
R Before driving off-road, shift the transfer
case totheLO W RANGE off-roadgear (vehi‐
cles with an Offroad pac kage ) (/ page 211).
R Select a vehicle le vel suitable for off-road ter‐
ra in (/ page 265). Toavo id damaging the
ve hicle, make sure there is alw ays suf ficient
ground clearance.
R Alw ayske ep the engine running and in gear
when driving on downhill gradients and
slopes. Obse rveth e no tes on driving in
mountainous terrain. 19 6
Driving and pa rking

R
Do not drive on unknown terrain that is not
easily visible and stay on mar kedro utes.
R Alw ayske ep the doors and windo wsclosed
while theve hicle is in motion.
R Deactivate Active Dis tance Assi st
DISTRONIC, cruise control and theva riable
limiter.
R Adapt your driving style to thete rrain.
R Do not use the HOLD function on steep
downhill or uphill gradients with slippery or
loose sur faces.
Driving on sand
When driving on sand, also obser vethefo llowing
instructions:
R Select theF drive prog ram.
R Select a higher vehicle le vel.
R Shift toa lo werge ar.
R Drive quickly toove rcome thero lling resist‐
ance, otherwise theve hicle may dig itself in.
R Drive in the trac ksofother vehicles if possi‐
ble. Make sure that thefo llowing prerequi‐
sites are me t: -
the tyre ruts are not too deep
- the sand is firm enough
- the ground clearance is suf ficient
Fo rding
Also obser vethefo llowing information when
fo rd ing:
R Drive at no more than 10 km/h.
R Obser vethe maximum permissible ford ing
dep th (/ page 607).
R Switch off automatic climate control
(/ page 177).
R Vehicles with stationary heater/ventila‐
tion: switch thest ationary heater/ ventilation
off (/ page 182).
R Ensu rethat a bow wave does not form asyou
drive.
R Do not stop in thewa ter and do not switch
off the engine. Ensure the ECO start/ stop
function is switched off (/ page 200).
Driving in mountainous terrain Also obse
rveth efo llowing information when
driving in moun tainous terrain:
R Obse rveth eva lues of the approach/depar‐
ture angle and of the maximum gradient
(/ page 607).
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Use the braking po wer of the engine when
driving downhill.
R Shift toa lo werge ar on uphill gradients and
on long, steep downhill gradients.
R Activate DSR be fore driving downhill, if nec‐
essary (/ page245).
Che cklist af ter driving off-road
Off-road driving terrain places greater demands
on your vehicle than driving on no rmalroads.
Check the entire vehicle for dama geand fore ign
bodies everytime af ter driving off-road. Foreign
bodies in the wheels or driv etra in can lead to
imbalances and therefore vibrations.
R Ifth eF orG drive prog ram is selec‐
te d: select the;, =,CorA
drive prog ram. Driving and parking
197