ESP MERCEDES-BENZ GL 2013 User Guide

Warning and indicator lamps
Function Page
0002
000D
Low-beam
headlamps 125
0003
0016
Parking lamps 126
0021
000F
ESP® 325
0020
000C
High-beam
headlamps 128
001E
Electric parking brake (red) 328
0008
(USA only) 000D
(Canada only) 001F
000D
Electric parking brake
(yellow) 328
0013
000F
Distance warning 332
0014
00070006
Turn signals 127
0015
0013
Tire pressure monitor 333 Function Page
0016
001F
SRS 328
0017
0014
Seat belt 321
0018
0010
Diesel engine:
preglow 165
0019
000E
Coolant 330
001A
0010
Rearfog lamp 126
001B
0010
Check Engine 329
001C
0012
Reserve fuel 329
001D
0017
ESP®
OFF 325
0023
0019
ABS 323
0024
Braking 322
0012
(USA only) 0009
(Canada only) 34
Instrument clusterAt a glance

Center console
Center console, upper section
Function Page
0002
COMAND; see the separate
operating instructions
0003
000B
Seat heating 112
0021
0012
Seat ventilation 114
0020
0008
PARKTRONIC 217 Function Page
001E
001B
Hazard warning
lamps 128
001F
001A001C
Indicator lamp 48
0013
0017
ESP® 7136
Center consoleAt a glance

must always be correctly seated and wear
their seat belts.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision, you must always be in the normal
seat position with yourb ack against the
backrest. Faste nyour seat belt and make sure
that it is correctly positioned on your body.
As the air bag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating position
and correct positioning of the hands on the
steering wheel will help to keep you at a safe
distance from the air bag. Occupants who are
not wearing their seat belt, are not seated
properly or are too close to the air bag can be
seriously injured or killed by an air bag, as it
inflates with great force instantaneously:
R sit with the seat belt fastened correctly and
in a position that is as upright as possible
with your back against the backrest.
R move the driver's seat as far back as
possible, still permitting proper operation
of vehicle controls. The distance from the
center of the driver's chest to the center of
the air bag cover on the steering wheel
must be at least 10 inches (25 cm). You
should be able to accomplish this by
adjusting the seat and steering wheel. If
you have any difficulties, please contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
R do not lean your head or chest close to the
steering wheel or dashboard.
R only hold the steering wheel on the outside.
Placing hands and arms inside the rim can
increase the risk and potential severity of
hand/arm injury if the driver front air bag
inflates.
R adjust the front-passenger seat as far back
as possible from the dashboard when the
seat is occupied.
R occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their heads
in the area of the door where the side
impact air bag inflates. This could result in
serious or fatal injuries should the side
impact air bag be deployed. Always sit as
upright as possible, wear the seat belt properly and use an appropriately sized
infant restraint, toddler restraint or booster
seat recommended for the size and weight
of the child.
Failure to follow these instructions can result
in severe injuries to you or other occupants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that you
make the buyer aware of this safety
information. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator's Manual. G
WARNING
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children in an automobile is in a rear seat.
As ide impact air bag related injury may occur
if occupants, especially children, are not
properly seated or restraine dwhen next to a
side impact air bag which needs to deploy
rapidly in a side impact in order to do its job.
To help avoid the possibility of injury, please
follow these guidelines:
(1) Always sit as upright as possible and use the seat belts properly.
Make sure that children 12 years
old and under use an appropriately
sized child restraint, infant
restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and
weight of the child.
(2) Always wear seat belts properly.
If the air bags are deployed, you will hear a
bang, and a small amount of powder may also
be released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that is
released generally does not constitute a
health hazard. The 001FSRS warning lamp
lights up.
The air bags are deployed if the air bag control
unit detects the need for deployment. Only in
the event of such a situation will the air bags
provide their supplemental protection.
If the driver and front passenger do not wear
their seat belts, it is not possible for the air
bags to provide their supplemental
protection. Occupant safety
45Safety Z

child in a standard child restraint or if the front
passenger sea
tis classified as being empty.
When the OCS senses that the front
passenger seat occupant is classified as
being up to or less than the weight of a typical
12-month-old child in a standard child
restraint, the 001A001Cindicator lamp will
illuminate when the engine is started and
remain illuminated. This indicates that the
front passenger front air bag is deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the front
passenger seat is classified as being empty,
the 001A001C indicator lamp will illuminate
when the engine is started and remain
illuminated. This indicates that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the front
passenger seat occupant is classified as
being heavier than the weight of a typical 12-
month-old child seated in astandard child
restraint or as being a small individual (such
as a young teenager or asmall adult), the
001A001C indicator lamp will illuminate for
approximately 6seconds when the engine is
started. Depending on occupant weight
sensor readings from the seat, it will then
remain illuminated or go out. With the
001A001C indicator lamp illuminated, the
fron tpassenger fron tair bag is deactivated.
With the 001A001C indicator lamp out, the
front passenger front air bag is activated.
When the OCS senses that the front
passenger seat occupant is classified as an
adult or someone larger than a small
individual, the 001A001Cindicator lamp will
illuminate for approximately six seconds
when the engine is started and the ngo out.
This indicates that the front passenger front
air bag is activated.
If the 001A001C indicator lamp is illuminated,
the front passenger front air bag is
deactivated and will not be deployed. If the
001A001C indicator lamp is not
illuminated, the front passenger front air bag
is activated and will be deployed
R in the event of certain frontal impacts
R if the impact exceeds a predetermined
triggering threshold
R independent of the side impact air bag or
pelvis air bag
If the front passenger front air bag is
deployed, the rate of inflation will be
influenced by
R the rate of vehicle deceleration as assessed
by the air bag control unit
R the front passenger's weight category as
identified by the OCS G
WARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained on the rear
seats than on the front-passenger seat. Thus,
we strongly recommend that children be
placed in the rear seats whenever possible.
Regardless of seating position, children 12
years old and under must be seated and
properly secured in an appropriate infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
The infant or child restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle's seat belt, the seat
belt and Top Tether strap, or lower anchors
and Top Tether strap, fully in accordance with
the child seat manufacturer's instructions.
Occupants, especially children, should always
sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. Occupant safety
49Safety
Z

Children in the vehicle
Child restraint systems
Important safety notes G
WARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safe rwhen properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front seating
position. Thus, we strongly recommend that
children be placed in the rear seats whenever
possible. Regardless of seating position,
children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an appropriate
infant restraint, toddler restraint, or booster
seat recommended for the size and weight of
the child.
The infant or child restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle's seat belt, the seat
belt and top tether strap, or lower anchors and
top tether strap, fully in accordance with the
child seat manufacturer's instructions.
Occupants, especially children, should always
sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information when circumstances
require you to place a child in the front
passenger seat:
R Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to deactivate the front
passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the system senses the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child or less along
with the weight of a standard appropriate
child restraint on the front passenger seat.
R For children larger than the typical
12-month-old child, the front passenger
front air bag may or may not be activated.
Always make sure the 001A001Cindicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated. R
Ac hild in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front passenger
front air bag inflates in a collision which
could occur under some circumstances,
even with the air bag technology installed
in your vehicle. The only means to
completely eliminate this risk is to never
place a child in a rear-facing child restraint
in the front seat. We therefore strongly
recommend that you always place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint in a backseat.
R If you must install a rear-facing child
restraint on the front passenger seat
because circumstances require you to do
so, make sure the 001A001Cindicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Should the 001A001Cindicator lamp not
illuminate or go out while the restraint is
installed, please chec kinstallation.
Periodically check the 001A001Cindicator
lamp while driving to make sure the 001A
001C indicator lamp is illuminated. If the
001A001Cindicator lamp goes out or
remains out, do not transport a child on the
front passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.
Ac hild in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front passenger
front air bag inflates.
R If you have to place a child in a forward-
facing child restraint on the front passenger
seat, move the seat as far back as possible,
use the proper child restraint
recommended for the age, size and weight
of the child, and secure child restraint with
the vehicle's seat belt according to the
child seat manufacturer's instructions. G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is not fitted
correctly on a suitable seat, it may not fulfil
its protective function. In the event of an
accident, sharp braking or a sudden change 60
Children in the vehicleSafety

only possible using the switches in the
driver's door. If indicator lamp
0003is off,
operation is possible using the switches in
the rear compartment. Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS (Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
(Y page 66)
R BAS (Brake AssistSystem) (Y page 67)
R BAS PLUS ( BrakeAssist System Plus)
(Y page 67)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
(Y page 68)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 71)
R EBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
(Y page 73)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 73)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 73)
R STEER CONTROL (Y page 75)Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or
become distracted, the driving safety
systems can neither reduce the risk of
accident nor override the laws of physics.
Driving safety systems are merely aids
designed to assist driving. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed and for braking in
good time. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions and maintain asafe distance from
the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
i The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there
is adequate contact between the tires and
the road surface. Please pay special attention to the note
son tires,
recommended minimu mtire tread depths,
etc. (Y page 400).
In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tires (M+S tires) and if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the
driving safety systems described in this
section work as effectively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Importan tsafety notes"
sectio n(Ypage 66). G
WARNING
If ABSi s faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking
characteristics may be severely impaired.
Additionally, further driving safety systems
are deactivated. There is an increased danger
of skidding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked
immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
When ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information
on the ABS warning lamp (Y page 322) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 287).
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the
vehicle when braking.
ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph
(8 km/h) upwards, regardless of road-surface
conditions. ABS works on slippery surfaces,
even if you only brake gently.
The yellow 0019ABS warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up when the ignition
is switched on. It goes out when the engine is
running. 66
Driving safety systemsSafety

Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situatio
nand be ready to brake. G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R to stationary obstacles
R when cornering
As a result, Adaptive Brake Assist may not
intervene in all critical conditions. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situatio nand be ready to brake.
Adaptive Brake Assist provides braking
assistance in hazardous situations at speeds
greater than 20 mph (30 km/h) and uses
rada rsensor technology to assess the traffic
situation.
With the help of Adaptive Brake Assist, the
distance warning signal can detec tobstacles
that are in the path of your vehicle for an
extended period of time.
Should you approach an obstacle and
Adaptive Brake Assist has detected a risk of
collision, Adaptive Brake Assist calculates the
braking force necessary to avoid a rear-end
collision. Should you apply the brakes
vigorously, Adaptive Brake Assist will
automatically increase the braking force to a
level suitable for the traffic conditions.
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if:
R you release the brake pedal.
R there is no longer any danger of a rear-end
collision.
R no obstacle is detected in fron tofyour
vehicle.
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated. If Adaptive Brake Assist requires particularly
high brake pressure, preventive passenger
protection measures (PRE-SAFE
®
) are
deployed simultaneously.
Up to vehicle speeds of around 155 mph
(250 km/h), adaptive Brake Assist is capable
of reacting to moving objects that have
already been recognized as such at least once
over the period of observation. Adaptive
Brake Assist does not react to stationary
obstacles.
If Adaptive Brake Assist is not available due
to a malfunction in the radar sensor system,
the brake system remains available with full
brake boosting effect and BAS.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R there are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle traveling in front on a different line
relative to the center of your vehicle
Following damage to the front end of the
vehicle, have the configuration and operation
of the radar sensor checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. This also applies to
collisions at low speeds where there is no
visible damage to the front of the vehicle. ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 66).
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tires and
the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one 70
Driving safety systemsSafety

or more wheels are braked to stabilize the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified to
keep the vehicle on the desired course within
physical limits. ESP ®
assists the driver when
pulling away on wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilize the vehicle during braking.
4ETS (Electronic Traction System) 4ETS traction control is part of ESP
®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels
individually if they spin. This enables you to
pull away and accelerate on slippery surfaces,
for example if the road surface is slippery on
one side. In addition, more drive torque is
transferred to the wheel or wheels with
traction.
Traction control remains active, even if you
deactivate ESP ®
.
In appropriate driving situations, activate the
off-road program:
X Vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD
package (Y page 252)
X Vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD package
(Y page 252)
Off-road 4ETS (Electronic Traction
System) A4
ETS syste mspecifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated on:
R Vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD
package (Y page 252)
R Vehicles with the ON&OFFROA Dpackage
(Y page 252)
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilize the vehicle .Additionally, further
driving safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop. !
Only operate the vehicle for a maximum
of ten seconds on a brake test
dynamometer. Switch off the ignition.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may
otherwise destroy the brake system.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on atwo-axle
dynamometer. Before you operate the
vehicle on such a dynamometer, please
consult a qualified workshop .You could
otherwise damage the drive train or the
brake system.
ESP ®
is deactivated if the 0017warning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up
continuously when the engine is running.
If the 000F warning lamp and the 0017
warning lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 325) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 287).
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
Characteristics of ESP ® General information
ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the 000FESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any
circumstances.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the
prevailing road and weather conditions. Driving safety systems
71Safety Z

Deactivating/activating ESP
®Important safety notes
You can selec
tbetween the following states
of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated. G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer
stabilizes the vehicle. There is an increased
risk of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations
described in the following.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the
following situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the
vehicle if the vehicle starts to skid or a
wheel starts to spin.
! Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP ®
deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®X
To switch off: press button0002.
The 0017 ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up. X
To switch on: press button0002.
The 0017 ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the 000FESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilize the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels can spin. The spinning of
the wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides better grip.
R 4ETS is still active.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
Off-road ESP ® An ESP
®
system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated on:
R Vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD
package (Y page 252)
R Vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD package
(Y page 252)
Off-road ESP ®
intervenes with a delay if there
is oversteering or understeering, thus
improving traction.
ESP ®
trailer stabilization G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilization will not be able to prevent
the vehicle/trailer combination from
swerving .Trailers with a high center of gravity
can tip over before ESP ®
can detect this.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always adapt yourd riving style to the
prevailing road and weather conditions. 72
Driving safety systemsSafety

If yourv
ehicle with trailer (vehicle/trailer
combination) begins to lurch, you can only
stabilize the vehicle/trailer combination by
depressing the brake firmly.
In this situation, ESP ®
assists you and can
detec tifthe vehicle/trailer combination
begins to lurch. ESP ®
slows the vehicle down
by braking and limiting the engine output until
the vehicle/trailer combination has
stabilized.
Trailer stabilization is active above speeds of
about 37 mph (60 km/h).
Trailer stabilization does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated because of a malfunction.
Crosswindd riving assistance Strong crosswinds ca
ncause your vehicle to
deviate from a straigh tcourse. The crosswind
driving assistance function integrated into
ESP ®
significantly reduces these effects.
ESP ®
intervenes automatically according to
the direction and intensity of the crosswinds
affecting your vehicle.
When driving on straight roads or gentle
bends, your vehicle is kept safely on course
by a stabilizing brake intervention.
Crosswind driving assistance is active above
a vehicle speed of 80 km/h.
Crosswind driving assistance does not work
if ESP ®
is deactivated or disabled because of
a malfunction. EBD (electronic brake force
distribution)
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 66). G
WARNING
If EBD has malfunctioned, the rear wheels can
still lock, e.g. under full braking. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have the brake system checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Y page 323) as well as
display messages (Y page 289).
EBD monitors and controls the brake
pressure on the rear wheels to improve
driving stability while braking. ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort. In
addition to the braking function, ADAPTIVE
BRAKE also has the HOLD function
(Y page 211) and hill start assist
(Y page 166). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 66).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with DISTRONIC PLUS.
If PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is to aid you, the radar
sensor system must be:
R activated (Y page 281)
R operational
With the help of the radar sensor system,
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can detect obstacles that
are in front of your vehicle for an extended
period of time.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimize
the risk of a collision with a vehicle ahead or
reduce the effects of such a collision. If PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake has detected a risk of collision,
you will be warned visually and acoustically
as well as by automatic braking. PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot prevent a collision without your
intervention.
Starting at a speed of around
4 mph (7 km/h), this function warns you if
you very quickly approach a vehicle in front. Driving safety systems
73Safety Z