steering MERCEDES-BENZ GL 2014 User Guide

RDo not install additional trim material, seat
covers, badges, etc. to the:
-padded steering wheel boss
-knee bag covers
-front-passenger air bag cover
-outer side of front seat bolsters
-outer side of rear bench seat backrest
seat bolsters
-roof lining trim
RDo not install additional electrical/
electronic equipment on or near SRS
components and wiring.
RKeep area between air bags and occupants
free of objects (e.g. packages, purses,
umbrellas, etc.).
RDo not hang items such as coat hangers
from the coat hooks or handles over the
door. These items may be thrown around in
the vehicle and cause head and other
injuries when the window curtain air bag is
deployed.
RAir bag system components will be hot after
an air bag has inflated. Do not touch them.
RNever place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.
RImproper repair work on the SRS creates a
risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended air bag deployment.
Work on the SRS must therefore only be
performed by qualified technicians.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
RFor your protection and the protection of
others, when scrapping the air bag unit or
ETD, our safety instructions must be
followed. These instructions are available
from any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
RGiven the considerable deployment speed,
required inflation volume, and the material
of the air bags, there is the possibility of
abrasions or other, potentially more serious
injuries resulting from air bag deployment.
If you sell your vehicle, Mercedes-Benz
strongly recommends that you inform the
subsequent owner that the vehicle is
equipped with SRS. Also, refer them to the
applicable section in the Operator's Manual.
Air bags
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Using unsuitable seat covers could restrict or
even prevent deployment of the air bags
integrated into the seats. Consequently, the
air bags cannot protect vehicle occupants as
they are designed to do. In addition, the
function of the air bag deactivation system
could be restricted. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
You should only use seat covers that have
been approved for the respective seat by
Mercedes-Benz.
GWARNING
The air bag parts are hot after the airbag has
been deployed. There is a risk of injury.
Do not touch the air bag parts. Have the
deployed air bags replaced at a qualified
specialist workshop as soon as possible.
GWARNING
Air bags are designed to reduce the incidence
of injuries and fatalities in certain situations:
Rfrontal impacts (driver's and front-
passenger front air bags and driver's knee
bag)
Rside impacts (side impact air bags and
window curtain air bags)
Rrollover (window curtain air bags)
However, no system available today can
completely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
When the air bags are deployed, a small
amount of powder is released. The powder
generally does not constitute a health hazard
and does not indicate that there is a fire in the
44Occupant safety
Safety

vehicle. In order to prevent potential
breathing difficulties, you should leave the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. If you
have any breathing difficulty but cannot get
out of the vehicle after the air bag inflates,
then get fresh air by opening a window or
door.
GWARNING
In order to reduce the potential danger of
injuries caused during the deployment of the
front air bags, the driver and front passenger
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 your back against the
backrest. Fasten your 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:
Rsit with the seat belt fastened correctly and
in a position that is as upright as possible
with your back against the backrest.
Rmove 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.
Rdo not lean your head or chest close to the
steering wheel or dashboard.
Ronly 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.
Radjust the front-passenger seat as far back
as possible from the dashboard when the
seat is occupied.
Roccupants, 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.
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 and does not indicate that there
is a fire in the vehicle. The dust might cause
some temporary breathing difficulty for
people with asthma or other breathing
trouble. To avoid this, you may wish to get out
of the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
You can also open the window to allow fresh
air to enter the vehicle interior. TheuSRS
warning lamp lights up.
The air bag installation locations are
identified by the AIR BAG symbol.
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
Occupant safety45
Safety
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bags to provide their supplemental
protection.
In the event of other types of impacts and
impacts below air bag deployment
thresholds, the air bags will not deploy. The
driver and passenger will then be protected
to the extent possible by a properly fastened
seat belt. A properly fastened seat belt is also
needed to provide the best possible
protection in a rollover.
Air bags provide additional protection; they
are not, however, a substitute for seat belts.
All vehicle occupants must fasten their seat
belts regardless of whether your vehicle is
equipped with air bags or not.
It is important for your safety and that of your
passenger to have deployed air bags replaced
and to have any malfunctioning air bags
repaired. This will help to make sure the air
bags continue to perform their protective
function for the vehicle occupants in the
event of a crash.
iAfter an air bag has been deployed, have
the vehicle towed to the nearest qualified
specialist workshop, even if your vehicle is
ready to drive.
Front air bags
Driver's air bagCdeploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger front air
bagDdeploys in front of and above the glove
box.
The front air bags increase protection for the
driver's and front passenger's head and
chest.
They are deployed:
Rat the start of an accident with a high rate
of vehicle acceleration or deceleration in a
longitudinal direction
Rif the system determines that air bag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
Rindependently of other air bags in the
vehicle
The release time of the front air bags is
dependent upon the use of the seat belt.
If the vehicle rolls over, the front air bags are
generally not deployed.
Your vehicle has adaptive, two-stage front air
bags. In the event of a collision, the air bag
control unit evaluates the vehicle
deceleration. In the first deployment stage,
the front air bag is filled with enough
propellant gas to reduce the risk of injuries.
The front air bag is fully deployed if a second
deployment threshold is exceeded within a
few milliseconds.
The deployment of front-passenger front air
bagDis also influenced by the weight
category of the front passenger, which is
determined by the Occupant Classification
System (OCS) (Ypage 49).
The lighter the passenger-side occupant, the
higher the vehicle deceleration rate required
(predicted at the start of the impact) for
second-stage inflation of the front-passenger
front air bag. In the second stage, the front
air bags are inflated with the maximum
amount of propellant gas available.
The front air bags are not deployed in
situations where a low impact severity is
predicted. You will then be protected by the
fastened seat belt.
46Occupant safety
Safety

Front-passenger front air bagDwill only
deploy if:
Rthe system, based on the OCS weight
sensor readings, has detected that the
front-passenger seat is occupied
Rthe PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp on the center console is not lit
(Ypage 49)
Rthe air bag control unit predicts a high
impact severity
Driver's knee bag
Driver's knee bagCdeploys under the
steering column. The driver's knee bag is
always deployed along with the driver's front
air bag. The driver's knee bag is designed to
operate together with the front air bags in
frontal impacts if certain thresholds are
exceeded. The driver's knee bag operates
best in conjunction with correctly positioned
and fastened seat belts.
The driver's knee bag increases protection of
the driver against:
Rknee injuries
Rthigh injuries
Rlower leg injuries
Side impact air bags
GWARNING
Using unsuitable seat covers could restrict or
even prevent deployment of the air bags
integrated into the seats. Consequently, the
air bags cannot protect vehicle occupants as
they are designed to do. In addition, the
function of the air bag deactivation system
could be restricted. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
You should only use seat covers that have
been approved for the respective seat by
Mercedes-Benz.
GWARNING
Sensors to control the air bags are located in
the doors. Modifications or work not
performed correctly to the doors or door
paneling, as well as damaged doors, can lead
to the function of the sensors being impaired.
The air bags might therefore not function
properly any more. Consequently, the air bags
cannot protect vehicle occupants as they are
designed to do. There is an increased risk of
injury.
Never modify the doors or parts of the doors.
Always have work on the doors or door
paneling carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop.
You should only use seat covers that have
been approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-
Benz. The seat covers must have a special
tear seam for side impact air bags. Otherwise,
the side impact air bags cannot deploy
correctly and therefore cannot provide the
intended protection in the event of an
accident.
Front side impact air bagsCand side impact
air bags in the 2nd row of seatsDinflate next
to the outer seat cushion.
Occupant safety47
Safety
Z

RBAS PLUS (BrakeAssistSystem Plus)
(Ypage 68)
RCOLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST (distance
warning function and adaptive Brake
Assist) (Ypage 69)
RESP®(ElectronicStabilityProgram)
(Ypage 72)
REBD (ElectronicBrake forceDistribution)
(Ypage 74)
RADAPTIVE BRAKE (Ypage 75)
RPRE-SAFE®Brake (Ypage 75)
RSTEER CONTROL (Ypage 76)
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 a safe distance from
the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
iThe 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 notes on tires,
recommended minimum tire tread depths,
etc. (Ypage 404).
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)
General information
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.
The%ABS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out when the engine is running.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes"
section (Ypage 67).
GWARNING
If ABS is 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 (Ypage 326) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Ypage 291).
ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph
(8 km/h), regardless of road-surface
conditions. ABS works on slippery surfaces,
even when you only brake gently.
Braking
XIf ABS intervenes:continue to depress the
brake pedal vigorously until the braking
situation is over.
XTo make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel
a pulsing in the brake pedal.
Driving safety systems67
Safety
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The pulsating brake pedal can be an
indication of hazardous road conditions, and
functions as a reminder to take extra care
while driving.
Off-road ABS
An ABS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated (Ypage 258).
At speeds below 20 mph (30 km/h), the front
wheels lock cyclically during braking. The
digging-in effect achieved in the process
reduces the stopping distance on off-road
terrain. This limits steering capability.
BAS (Brake Assist System)
General information
BAS operates in emergency braking
situations. If you depress the brake pedal
quickly, BAS automatically boosts the braking
force, thus shortening the stopping distance.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes"
section (Ypage 67).
GWARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of an accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
Braking
XKeep the brake pedal firmly depressed until
the emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated.
BAS PLUS (Brake Assist System
PLUS)
General information
iObserve the "Important safety notes"
section (Ypage 67).
BAS PLUS is only available in vehicles
equipped with DISTRONIC PLUS.
For BAS PLUS to assist you, the radar sensor
system must be operational.
With the help of the radar sensor system, BAS
PLUS can detect obstacles that are in the
path of your vehicle for an extended period of
time.
If the radar sensor system is malfunctioning,
BAS PLUS will not be available. The brake
system is still available with complete brake
boosting effect and BAS.
BAS PLUS can help you to minimize the risk
of a collision with a vehicle or reduce the
effects of such a collision. If BAS PLUS
detects a danger of collision, you are assisted
when braking.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
BAS PLUS cannot always clearly identify
objects and complex traffic situations.
In such cases, BAS PLUS 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
BAS PLUS does not react:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncoming vehicles
Rto crossing traffic
Rwhen cornering
68Driving safety systems
Safety

The spinning of the wheels results in a
cutting action for better traction on loose
surfaces.
Rtraction control is still activated.
RESP®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 (Ypage 258).
Off-road ESP®intervenes with a delay if there
is oversteering or understeering, thus
improving traction.
ESP®trailer stabilization
General information
ESP®trailer stabilization is not available in
AMG vehicles.
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
swerve, ESP®assists you in this situation.
ESP®slows the vehicle down by braking and
limiting the engine output until the vehicle/
trailer combination has stabilized.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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 your driving style to the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
If your vehicle with trailer (vehicle/trailer
combination) begins to lurch, you can only
stabilize the vehicle/trailer combination by
depressing the brake firmly.
Trailer stabilisation is active above speeds of
about 37 mph (60 km/h).
ESP®trailer stabilization does not work if
ESP®is deactivated or disabled because of a
malfunction.
Crosswind driving assistance
General information
Strong crosswinds can cause your vehicle to
deviate from a straight course. 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.
ESP stabilities the vehicle with braking
interventions to assist you in keeping the
vehicle in the lane.
Crosswind driving assistance is active at
vehicle speeds above 50 mph (80 km/h)
when driving straight ahead or cornering
gently.
Important safety notes
Crosswind driving assistance does not work
if ESP®is deactivated or disabled because of
a malfunction.
EBD (electronic brake force
distribution)
General information
EBD monitors and controls the brake
pressure on the rear wheels to improve
driving stability while braking.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes"
section for driving safety systems
(Ypage 67).
GWARNING
If EBD has malfunctioned, the rear wheels can
still lock, e.g. under full braking. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
74Driving safety systems
Safety

Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes"
section (Ypage 67).
No steering support is provided from STEER
CONTROL, if:
RESP®is malfunctioning.
Rthe lighting is faulty.
Power steering will, however, continue to
function.
Theft deterrent locking system
Immobilizer
XTo activate with the SmartKey:remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XTo activate with KEYLESS-GO:switch the
ignition off and open the driver's door.
XTo deactivate:switch on the ignition.
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Anyone can start the engine if a valid
SmartKey has been left inside the vehicle.
iThe immobilizer is always deactivated
when you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be
started when the starter battery is fully
charged, the immobilizer may be faulty.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the
USA) or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
ATA (anti-theft alarm system)
XTo arm:lock the vehicle with the SmartKey
or KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lampCflashes. The alarm
system is armed after approximately
15 seconds.
XTo deactivate using the SmartKey:
unlock the vehicle with the SmartKey.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
XTo deactivate using KEYLESS-GO:unlock
the vehicle with KEYLESS-GO.
or
XPress the Start/Stop button on the
dashboard. The SmartKey must be inside
the vehicle.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed and you open:
Ra door
Rthe vehicle with the mechanical key
Rthe tailgate
Rthe hood
XTo turn the alarm off with the
SmartKey:press the6or7button
on the SmartKey.
The alarm is switched off.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
The alarm is switched off.
Theft deterrent locking system77
Safety
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Useful information............................106
Correct driver's seat position..........106
Seats..................................................107
Steering wheel..................................119
Mirrors...............................................122
Memory function..............................125
105
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

Useful information
iThis Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
iRead the information on qualified
specialist workshops: (Ypage 28).
Correct driver's seat position
GWARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you
do the following while driving:
Radjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
Rfasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel and mirror and fasten your
seat belt before starting the engine.
XObserve the safety guidelines on seat
adjustment (Ypage 107).
XMake sure that seat