ABS MERCEDES-BENZ GL 2014 User Guide

As a result, BAS PLUS may not intervene in all
critical situations. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
In the event of snowfall or heavy rain, the
recognition can be impaired.
Recognition by the radar sensor system is
also impaired in the event of:
Rdirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
Rthere is interference by other radar sources
Rthere are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
Ra narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
Ra 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 sensors 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.
Function
To avoid a collision, BAS PLUS calculates the
brake force necessary if:
Ryou approach an obstacle, and
RBAS PLUS has detected a risk of collision
When driving at a speed under 20 mph
(30 km/h): if you depress the brake pedal,
BAS PLUS is activated. The increase in brake
pressure will be carried out at the last
possible moment.
When driving at a speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h): if you depress the brake pedal
sharply, BAS PLUS automatically raises the
brake pressure to a value adapted to the
traffic situation.
BAS PLUS provides braking assistance in
hazardous situations with vehicles in front
within a speed range between 4 mph
(7 km/h) and 155 mph (250 km/h).
At speeds of up to approximately 40 mph
(70 km/h), BAS PLUS can also react to
stationary objects. Examples of stationary
objects are stopped or parked vehicles.
iIf BAS PLUS demands particularly high
braking force, preventative passenger
protection measures (PRE-SAFE®) are
activated simultaneously.
XKeep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
BAS PLUS is deactivated and the brakes
function as usual again, if:
Ryou release the brake pedal.
Rthere is no longer a risk of collision.
Rno obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle.
If you have activated DSR (Ypage 256), BAS
PLUS is likewise deactivated.
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
General notes
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST consists of
Adaptive Brake Assist and the distance
warning function, which are described in the
following.
Distance warning function
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes"
section (Ypage 67).
GWARNING
The distance warning function does not react:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncoming vehicles
Rto crossing traffic
Rwhen cornering
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Adaptive Brake Assist
iObserve the "Important safety notes"
section (Ypage 67).
GWARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic
situations.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist may:
Rintervene unnecessarily
Rnot intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation.
GWARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncoming vehicles
Rto crossing traffic
Rto stationary obstacles
Rwhen 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
situation and be ready to brake.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving
conditions may also cause Brake Assist to
intervene.
Adaptive Brake Assist aids you in braking
during hazardous situations at speeds above
4 mph (7 km/h) and uses the radar sensor
system to evaluate the traffic situation.
With the help of Adaptive Brake Assist, the
distance warning signal can detect obstacles
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.
XKeep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if:
Ryou release the brake pedal.
Rthere is no longer any danger of a collision.
Rno obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle.
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
Vehicles with PRE-SAFE®: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:
Rdirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
Rthere is snow or heavy rain
Rthere is interference by other radar sources
Rthere are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
Ra narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
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conditions when temperatures are around
the freezing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (Ypage 407).
For more information on driving with summer
tires, see (Ypage 406).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Ypage 406).
Off-road driving
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle
could slip sideways, tip and rollover. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always drive on a steep incline in the line of
fall (straight up or down) and do not turn the
vehicle.
GWARNING
If the vehicle level is high, the vehicle center
of gravity is raised. This could cause the
vehicle to tip over more easily on uphill or
downhill gradients. There is a risk of an
accident.
Select the lowest possible vehicle level.
When driving off-road, sand, mud and water,
possibly mixed with oil, for example, could get
into the brakes. This could result in a reduced
braking effect or in total brake failure and also
in increased wear and tear. The braking
characteristics change depending on the
material ingressing the brakes. Clean the
brakes after driving off-road. If you detect a
reduced braking effect or grinding noises,
have the brake system checked in a qualified
specialist workshop as soon as possible.
Adapt your driving style to the different
braking characteristics.
Driving off-road increases the likelihood of
damage to the vehicle, which, in turn, can lead
to failure of the mechanical assembly or
systems. Adapt your driving style to suit the
terrain conditions. Drive carefully. Have
damage to the vehicle rectified immediately
at a qualified specialist workshop.
Do not switch to transmission positionN
when driving off-road. You could lose control
of the vehicle if you attempt to brake using
the service brake. If the gradient is too steep,
drive backwards in reverse gear.
General notes
Read this section carefully before driving your
vehicle off-road. Practice by driving over more
gentle off-road terrain first.
Familiarize yourself with the characteristics
of your vehicle and the gear shift operation
before driving through difficult terrain.
The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving:
ROff-road program 1 and 2 (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package) (Ypage 258)
RLOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles with
the ON&OFFROAD package)
(Ypage 259)
RDifferential lock (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package) (Ypage 259)
ROff-road ABS (Ypage 68)
RAIRMATIC package (vehicle level)
(Ypage 217)
RDSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Ypage 256)
Observe the following notes:
RStop the vehicle before starting to drive
along an off-road route.
RFor vehicles with the AIRMATIC
package:select a vehicle level that is
suitable for the off-road terrain. To avoid
damaging the vehicle, make sure there is
always sufficient ground clearance.
RCheck that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(Ypage 345).
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Driving downhill
RDrive slowly.
RDo not drive at an angle down steep
inclines. Steer into the line of fall and drive
with the front wheels aligned straight.
Otherwise, the vehicle could slip sideways,
tip and rollover.
RShift to a lower gear using the left-hand
paddle shifter before tackling steep
downhill gradients.
RActivate DSR. If this is not sufficient, brake
gently. When doing so, make sure that the
vehicle is facing in the direction of the line
of fall.
RCheck that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
iThe special off-road ABS setting enables
a precise, brief and repeated locking of the
front wheels. This causes them to dig into
loose earth. Be aware that the front wheels
easily skid across the ground surface if
completely braked and therefore lose their
ability to steer.
Driving systems
Cruise control
General notes
Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. You must
select a lower gear in good time on long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. By doing
so, you will make use of the braking effect of
the engine. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic
conditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
iCruise control should not be activated
when driving off-road.
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of an
accident nor override the laws of physics.
Cruise control cannot take into account the
road, traffic and weather conditions. Cruise
control is only an aid. You are responsible for
the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle
speed, for braking in good time and for
staying in your lane.
Do not use cruise control:
Rin road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or
accelerating could cause the drive wheels
to lose traction and the vehicle could then
skid
Rwhen there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever
CTo activate or increase speed
DTo activate or reduce speed

PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle
or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
Rswitch on the ignition
Rshift the transmission to positionD,RorN
RRelease the electric parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the front bumper
and four sensors in the rear bumper.
CSensors in the front bumper, left-hand
side (example)
Range of the sensors
General notes
PARKTRONIC does not take objects into
consideration that are:
Rbelow the detection range, e.g. people,
animals or objects
Rabove the detection range, e.g.
overhanging loads, truck overhangs or
loading ramps.
Side view
Top view
The sensors must be free from dirt, ice or
slush. They can otherwise not function
correctly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them
(Ypage 380).
Front sensors
CenterApprox. 40 in (approx.
100 cm)
CornersApprox. 24 in (approx.
60 cm)
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milesmilesdisplay unit is selected, the assistance
range begins at 40 mph.
A warning may be given if a front wheel
passes over a lane marking. It will warn you
by means of intermittent vibration in the
steering wheel for up to 1.5 seconds.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Lane Keeping Assist may not always clearly
recognize lane markings.
In this case, Lane Keeping Assist may:
Rgive an unnecessary warning
Rnot give a warning
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and stay in lane, in particular if
warned by Lane Keeping Assist.
GWARNING
The Lane Keeping Assist warning does not
return the vehicle to the original lane. There
is a risk of an accident.
You should always steer, brake or accelerate
yourself, in particular if warned by Lane
Keeping Assist.
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
the road, traffic and weather conditions. Lane
Keeping Assist is merely an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in your lane.
The Lane Keeping Assist does not keep the
vehicle in the lane.
The system may be impaired or may not
function if:
Rthere is poor visibility, e.g. due to
insufficient illumination of the road, or due
to snow, rain, fog or spray
Rthere is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic,
the sun or reflections (e.g. when the road
surface is wet)
Rthe windshield is dirty, fogged up, damaged
or covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera
Rthere are no, several or unclear lane
markings for a lane, e.g. in areas with road
construction work
Rthe lane markings are worn away, dark or
covered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
Rthe distance to the vehicle in front is too
small and the lane markings thus cannot be
detected
Rthe lane markings change quickly, e.g.
lanes branch off, cross one another or
merge
Rthe road is narrow and winding
Rthere are strong shadows cast on the lane
Switching on Lane Keeping Assist
XSwitch on Active Lane Keeping Assist using
the on-board computer; to do so, select
StandardStandardorAdaptiveAdaptive(Ypage 282).
If you drive at speeds above 40 mph
(60 km/h) and lane markings are detected,
the lines in the assistance graphics display
(Ypage 280) are shown in green. Lane
Keeping Assist is ready for use.
Standard
IfStandardStandardis selected, no warning vibration
occurs if:
Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP®.
246Driving systems
Driving and parking

Adaptive
WhenAdaptiveAdaptiveis selected, no warning
vibration occurs if:
Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ABS, BAS or ESP®.
Ryou accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
Ryou brake hard.
Ryou steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lanes quickly.
Ryou cut the corner on a sharp bend.
In order that you are warned only when
necessary and in good time if you cross the
lane marking, the system recognizes certain
conditions and warns you accordingly.
The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
Ryou approach the outer lane marking on a
bend.
Rthe road has very wide lanes, e.g. a
highway.
Rthe system recognizes solid lane markings.
The warning vibration occurs later if:
Rthe road has narrow lanes.
Ryou cut the corner on a bend.
Active Driving Assistance package
General notes
The Active Driving Assistance package
consists of DISTRONIC PLUS (Ypage 203),
Active Blind Spot Assist (Ypage 247) and
Active Lane Keeping Assist (Ypage 251).
Active Blind Spot Assist
General notes
Active Blind Spot Assist uses a radar sensor
system to monitor the side areas of your
vehicle which are behind the driver. 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
warning. If a risk of lateral collision is
detected, corrective braking may help you
avoid a collision. Active Blind Spot Assist
evaluates the free space in the direction of
travel and to the side before making a course-
correcting brake application. For this, Active
Blind Spot Assist uses radar sensors which
are pointed in the direction of travel.
Active Blind Spot Assist supports you from a
speed of approximately 20 mph (30 km/h).
Important safety notes
Active Blind Spot Assist is only an aid. It may
fail to detect some vehicles and is no
substitute for attentive driving.
GWARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist does not react to:
Rvehicles overtaken too closely on the side,
placing them in the blind spot area
Rvehicles which approach with a large speed
differential and overtake your vehicle
As a result, Active Blind Spot Assist may
neither give warnings nor intervene in such
situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always observe the traffic conditions
carefully, and maintain a safe lateral distance.
iUSA only: This device has been approved
by the FCC as a "Vehicular Radar System".
The radar sensor is intended for use in an
automotive radar system only. Removal,
tampering, or altering of the device will void
any warranties, and is not permitted by the
FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
iCanada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
Driving systems247
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RESP®is switched off.
Rthe transmission is not in positionD.
Ron vehicles with a trailer tow hitch, the
electrical connection to the trailer has been
correctly established.
Rthe off-road program is activated (vehicles
without the ON&OFFROAD package).
Roff-road program 1 or 2 is activated
(vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD package).
Rthe LOW RANGE off-road gear is activated
(vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD package).
Ra loss of tire pressure or a defective tire has
been detected and displayed.
Active Lane Keeping Assist does not detect
traffic situations or road users. An
inappropriate brake application may be
interrupted at any time if you:
Rsteer slightly in the opposite direction
Rswitch on the turn signal
Rclearly brake or accelerate
A lane-correcting brake application is
interrupted automatically if:
Ra driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ESP®, PRE-SAFE®Brake or Active Blind
Spot Assist.
Rlane markings can no longer be recognized.
Switching on Active Lane Keeping Assist
XSwitch on Active Lane Keeping Assist using
the on-board computer; to do so, select
StandardStandardorAdaptiveAdaptive(Ypage 282).
If you drive at speeds above 40 mph
(60 km/h) and lane markings are detected,
the lines in the assistance graphics display
(Ypage 280) are shown in green. Lane
Keeping Assist is ready for use.
WhenStandardStandardis selected, no warning
vibration occurs if:
Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this
event, the warnings are suppressed for a
certain period of time.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, such
as ABS, BAS or ESP®.
WhenAdaptiveAdaptiveis selected, no warning
vibration occurs if:
Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this
event, the warnings are suppressed for a
certain period of time.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ABS, BAS or ESP®.
Ryou accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
Ryou brake hard.
Ryou steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid
an obstacle or change lanes quickly.
Ryou cut the corner on a sharp bend.
Towing a trailer
When you attach a trailer, make sure you have
correctly established the electrical
connection. This can be accomplished by
checking the trailer lighting.
On-road programs (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package)
General notes
The on-road programs assist you during on-
road driving and the off-road programs when
driving off-road (Ypage 258).
The following program messages remain in
the multifunction display until the
corresponding vehicle level has been set. Up
to off-road level 2, you can hide the program
messages using the8orvbutton on
the multifunction steering wheel.
Driving systems253
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ProblemPossible causes/consequences andPPSolutions
%
The yellow ABS warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running.
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) is deactivated due to a
malfunction. For this reason, BAS (Brake Assist), BAS PLUS,
ESP®(Electronic Stability Program), PRE-SAFE®, PRE-SAFE®
Brake, COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST, the HOLD function, hill
start assist, crosswind driving assistance and ESP®trailer
stabilization are also deactivated, for example.
ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated.
GWARNING
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The wheels could therefore lock if you
brake hard, for example.
The steerability and braking characteristics may be severely
affected. The braking distance in an emergency braking situation
can increase.
If ESP®is not operational, ESP®is unable to stabilize the vehicle.
There is an increased risk of skidding and an accident.
XObserve the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
XDrive on carefully.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.
If the ABS control unit is faulty, there is also a possibility that other
systems, such as the navigation system or the automatic
transmission, will not be available.
Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster327
On-board computer and displays
Z

ProblemPossible causes/consequences andPPSolutions
%
The yellow ABS warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running.
ABS is temporarily unavailable. Therefore, BAS, BAS PLUS, ESP®,
EBD (electronic brake force distribution), PRE-SAFE®,
PRE-SAFE®Brake, COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST, the HOLD
function, hill start assist, crosswind driving assistance and ESP®
trailer stabilization, for example, are also deactivated.
ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated.
Possible causes are:
Rself-diagnosis is not yet complete.
Rthe on-board voltage may be insufficient.
GWARNING
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The front and rear wheels could therefore
lock if you brake hard, for example.
The steerability and braking characteristics may be severely
affected. The braking distance in an emergency braking situation
can increase.
If ESP®is not operational, ESP®is unable to stabilize the vehicle.
There is a risk of an accident.
XCarefully drive a suitable distance, making slight steering
movements at a speed above 12 mph (20 km/h).
The functions mentioned above are available again when the
warning lamp goes out.
If the warning lamp is still on:
XObserve the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
XDrive on carefully.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.
328Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
On-board computer and displays