ESP MERCEDES-BENZ GL 2014 Workshop Manual

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.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a slower-moving
vehicle in front, your vehicle is braked in order
to maintain the preset distance to the vehicle
in front.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that there is a risk
of a collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot
prevent a collision without your intervention.
An intermittent warning tone will then sound
and the distance warning lamp will light up in
the instrument cluster. Brake immediately in
order to increase the distance to the vehicle
in front or take evasive action provided it is
safe to do so.
For DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you, the radar
sensor system must be operational.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control in the speed range between 20 mph
(Canada: 30 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
200 km/h). If a vehicle is driving in front of
you, it operates in the speed range between
0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
200 km/h).
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS while driving on
roads with steep gradients.
As DISTRONIC PLUS transmits radar waves,
it can resemble the radar detectors of the
responsible authorities. You can refer to the
relevant chapter in the Operator's Manual if
questions are asked about this.
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. Removing, tampering
with, or altering 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:
1. This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
2. this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the
device will void any warranties, and is not
permitted. 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.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS does not react to:
Rpeople or animals
Rstationary obstacles on the road, e.g.
stopped or parked vehicles
Roncoming and crossing traffic
As a result, DISTRONIC PLUS may neither give
warnings nor intervene in such situations.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
GWARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot always clearly
identify other road users and complex traffic
situations.
In such cases, DISTRONIC PLUS may:
Rgive an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
Rneither give a warning nor intervene
Raccelerate unexpectedly
204Driving systems
Driving and parking

There is a risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be ready to
brake, in particular when warned to do so by
DISTRONIC PLUS.
GWARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle with up
to 40% of the maximum braking force. If this
braking force is insufficient, DISTRONIC PLUS
warns you visually and audibly. There is a risk
of an accident.
In such cases, apply the brakes yourself and
try to take evasive action.
!If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes
automatically in certain situations. To
prevent damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or other similar situations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
If you fail to adapt your driving style,
DISTRONIC PLUS can neither reduce the risk
of accident nor override the laws of physics.
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take into account
the road, traffic and weather conditions.
DISTRONIC PLUS 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 DISTRONIC PLUS:
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
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
Rdirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
Rsnow or heavy rain
Rinterference by other radar sources
Rstrong radar reflections, for example, in
parking garages
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a
vehicle in front, DISTRONIC PLUS may
unexpectedly accelerate the vehicle to the
stored speed.
This speed may:
Rbe too high if you are driving in a filter lane
or an exit lane
Rbe so high when driving in the right-hand
lane that you overtake vehicles in the left-
hand lane
Rbe so high when driving in the left-hand lane
that you overtake vehicles in the right-hand
lane
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

Activating DISTRONIC PLUS
Activation conditions
In order to activate DISTRONIC PLUS, the
following conditions must be fulfilled:
Rthe engine must be started. It may take up
to two minutes after pulling away before
DISTRONIC PLUS is operational.
Rthe electric parking brake must be
released.
RESP®must be active, but not intervening.
Rthe transmission must be in positionD.
Rthe driver's door must be closed when you
shift fromPtoDor your seat belt must be
fastened.
Rthe front-passenger door and rear doors
must be closed.
Roff-road program 2 must be deactivated
(vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD package).
RDSR must be deactivated.
Rthe vehicle must not skid.
Activating
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
youDor press it upCor down

passenger door or one of the rear doors is
open
Ryou activate DSR
Ryou activate off-road program 2 on vehicles
with the ON&OFFROAD package
Rthe vehicle has skidded
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. You will see the
DISTRONIC PLUS OffDISTRONIC PLUS Offmessage in the
multifunction display for approximately five
seconds.
Displays in the instrument cluster
Displays in the speedometer
Example: DISTRONIC PLUS displays in thespeedometer
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, one or
two segmentsDin the set speed range light
up.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front,
segmentsDbetween speed of the vehicle in
frontCand stored speed

You will see a message in the multifunction
display, for example:LoweringLowering.
HOLD function
General notes
The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
Rwhen pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
Rwhen maneuvering on steep slopes
Rwhen waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away.
iDo not use the HOLD function when
driving off-road, on steep uphill or downhill
gradients or on slippery or loose surfaces.
The HOLD function cannot hold the vehicle
on such surfaces.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away
despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
Rthere is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
Rthe HOLD function has been deactivated by
pressing the accelerator pedal or the brake
pedal, e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
Rthe electrical system in the engine
compartment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
Rthe battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
!If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes
automatically in certain situations. To
prevent damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or other similar situations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
Deactivating the HOLD function
(Ypage 217).
Activation conditions
You can activate the HOLD function if:
Rthe vehicle is stationary
Rthe engine is running
Rthe driver's door is closed or your seat belt
is fastened
Rthe electric parking brake is released
Rthe transmission is in positionD,RorN
RDISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated
Activating the HOLD function
XMake sure that the activation conditions
are met.
XDepress the brake pedal.
XQuickly depress the brake pedal further
untilCappears in the multifunction
display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
iIf depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again.
216Driving systems
Driving and parking

clearance. You will otherwise damage the
vehicle.
!When you raise the vehicle in such a way
that not all wheels have contact with the
ground, remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock.
RUtility vehicles have a significantly higher
rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
Failure to operate this vehicle safely may
result in an accident, rollover of the vehicle,
and severe or fatal injury.
RIn a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupants should
always wear your seat belts.
General notes
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(Ypage 197).
Level control adapts the vehicle level
automatically to the current operating and
driving situation. This results in reduced fuel
consumption and improved handling.
If you select ADS comfort mode
(Ypage 217), the vehicle is lowered to high-
speed level as the speed increases. As the
vehicle speed decreases, the vehicle is raised
back up to highway level.
If you select ADS sport mode (Ypage 217),
the vehicle skips highway level and lowers
directly to high-speed level depending on the
basic setting (Ypage 219).
Make changes to the vehicle level while the
vehicle is in motion. This enables the vehicle
to adjust to the new level as quickly as
possible.
The vehicle level may change visibly if you
park the vehicle and the outside temperature
changes. If the temperature drops, the
vehicle level is lower; with an increase in
temperature, the vehicle level rises.
If you unlock the vehicle or open a door, the
vehicle begins to compensate for load
discrepancies while still parked. However, for
significant level changes, such as after the
vehicle has been stationary for a long period,
the engine must be on. For safety reasons,
the vehicle is only lowered when the doors are
closed. Lowering is interrupted if a door is
opened, and it continues once the door has
been closed.
Basic settings (excluding AMG vehicles)
The extent to which the vehicle is raised or
lowered depends on the basic setting
selected. Select raised level for off-road
driving or highway/high-speed level for
normal roads.
The individual vehicle levels differ from
highway level as follows:
Rhighway level: +/–0 in (+/–0 mm)
Rhigh-speed level: –0.6 in (–15 mm)
Rraised level: +2.3 in (+60 mm)
Basic settings for AMG vehicles
The extent to which the vehicle is raised or
lowered depends on the AMG adaptive sport
suspension setting selected. Select the
raised level for off-road driving or highway/
high-speed level for normal roads.
The raised level corresponds to a vehicle level
raised by 50 mm when compared with
highway level in comfort mode.
Raised level
Only select raised level if this is appropriate
for the road conditions. Otherwise, fuel
consumption may increase and handling may
be affected.
XStart the engine.
Driving systems219
Driving and parking
Z

Problems with PARKTRONIC
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andPPSolutions
Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is
deactivated after
approximately five
seconds, and the
indicator lamp in the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up.
PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.
XIf problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is
deactivated after
approximately five
seconds.
The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
XClean the PARKTRONIC sensors (Ypage 380).
XSwitch the ignition back on.
The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves.
XSee if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location.
Active Parking Assist
General notes
Active Parking Assist is an electronic parking
aid with ultrasound. It measures the road on
both sides of the vehicle. A parking symbol
indicates a suitable parking space. Active
steering intervention can assist you during
parking.
You may also use PARKTRONIC
(Ypage 222).
Important safety notes
Active Parking Assist is merely an aid. It is not
a replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking
and exiting a parking space. When
maneuvering, parking or pulling out of a
parking space, make sure that there are no
persons, animals or objects in the area in
which you are maneuvering.
When PARKTRONIC is switched off, Active
Parking Assist is also unavailable.
GWARNING
While parking or pulling out of a parking
space, the vehicle swings out and can drive
onto areas of the oncoming lane. This could
result in a collision with another road user.
There is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to other road users. Stop the
vehicle if necessary or cancel the Active
Parking Assist parking procedure.
!If unavoidable, you should drive over
obstacles such as curbs slowly and not at
a sharp angle. Otherwise, you may damage
the wheels or tires.
226Driving systems
Driving and parking

Once you have exited the parking space
completely, the steering wheel is moved to
the straight-ahead position. You hear a tone
and thePark Assist FinishedPark Assist Finishedmessage
appears in the multifunction display. You will
then have to steer and merge into traffic on
your own. PARKTRONIC is still available. You
can take over the steering, before the vehicle
has exited the parking space completely. This
is useful, for example when you recognize
that it is already possible to pull out of the
parking space.
Canceling Active Parking Assist
XStop the movement of the multifunction
steering wheel or steer yourself.
Active Parking Assist will be canceled at
once. ThePark Assist CanceledPark Assist Canceled
message appears in the multifunction
display.
or
XPress the PARKTRONIC button on the
center console (Ypage 224).
PARKTRONIC is switched off and Active
Parking Assist is immediately canceled.
ThePark Assist CanceledPark Assist Canceledmessage
appears in the multifunction display.
Active Parking Assist is canceled
automatically if:
Rthe electric parking brake is engaged
Rtransmission positionPis selected
Rparking using Active Parking Assist is no
longer possible
Ryou are driving faster than 6 mph
(10 km/h)
Ra wheel spins, ESP®intervenes or fails. The

Warning and display messages in the
multifunction display
XActivate ATTENTION ASSIST using the on-
board computer (Ypage 281).
XIf ATTENTION ASSIST is active, it will not
warn you until at least 20 minutes after
your journey has begun. You then hear an
intermittent warning tone twice and the
Attention Assist: Take a Break!Attention Assist: Take a Break!
message appears in the multifunction
display.
If necessary, take a break.
XPress thevor8button to confirm
the message.
On long journeys, take regular breaks in good
time to allow yourself to rest properly. If you
do not take a break and ATTENTION ASSIST
still detects increasing lapses in
concentration, you will be warned again after
15 minutes at the earliest.
ATTENTION ASSIST is reset when you
continue your journey and starts assessing
your tiredness again if:
Ryou switch off the engine.
Ryou take off your seat belt and open the
driver's door, e.g. for a change of drivers or
to take a break.
Night View Assist Plus
General notes
In addition to the illumination provided by the
normal headlamps, Night View Assist Plus
uses infrared light to illuminate the road.
Night View Assist Plus cameraCpicks up
the infrared light and displays a monochrome
image in COMAND. The image displayed in
COMAND corresponds to a road lit up by high-
beam headlamps. This enables you to see the
road's course and any obstacles in good time.
If pedestrian recognition is activated,
pedestrians recognized by the system are
highlighted in the Night View Assist Plus
display.
Light from the headlamps of oncoming
vehicles does not affect the Night View Assist
Plus display in the multifunction display. This
is also the case if you cannot switch on the
high-beam headlamps due to oncoming
traffic.
iInfrared light is not visible to the human
eye and therefore does not glare. Night
View Assist Plus can therefore remain
switched on even if there is oncoming
traffic.
Important safety notes
Night View Assist Plus is only an aid and is not
a substitute for attentive driving. Do not rely
on the Night View Assist Plus display. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed and for braking in
good time. Drive carefully and always adapt
your driving style to suit the prevailing road
and traffic conditions.
The system may be impaired or may not
function if:
Rthere is poor visibility, e.g. due to snow,
rain, fog or spray
Rthe windshield is dirty, fogged up or
covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera
Ron bends, on uphill gradients or downhill
gradients
240Driving systems
Driving and parking

Problems with Night View Assist Plus
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andPPSolutions
The picture quality of
Night View Assist Plus
has deteriorated.
The windshield wipers are smearing the windshield.
XReplace the wiper blades (Ypage 141).
The windshield is smeared after the vehicle has been cleaned in a
car wash.
XClean the windshield (Ypage 379).
There is windshield chip damage in the camera's field of vision.
XReplace the windshield.
The windshield is fogged up on the inside.
XDefrost the windshield (Ypage 160).
The windshield is iced up.
XDe-ice the windshield (Ypage 159).
There is dirt on the inside of the windshield.
XClean the inside of the windshield (Ypage 379).
Lane Tracking package
General notes
The Lane Tracking package consists of Blind
Spot Assist (Ypage 243) and Lane Keeping
Assist (Ypage 245).
Blind Spot Assist
General notes
Blind Spot Assist uses a radar sensor system
to monitor the areas on both sides of your
vehicle. It supports you from a speed of
approximately 20 mph(30 km/h). 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 lanes,
you will also receive a visual and audible
collision warning. Blind Spot Assist uses
sensors in the rear bumper for monitoring
purposes.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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, Blind Spot Assist may not give
warnings in such situations. There is a risk of
an accident.
Always observe the traffic conditions
carefully, and maintain a safe lateral distance.
Blind Spot Assist is only an aid. It may fail to
detect some vehicles and is no substitute for
attentive driving.
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. Removing, tampering
with, or altering the device will void any
Driving systems243
Driving and parking
Z