Distronic MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class 2012 X164 User Guide

DISTRONIC
Important safety notes
DISTRONIC regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the
distance to the vehicle detected in front. It
brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed.
On long and steep downhill gradients,
especially if the vehicle is laden or towing a
trailer, you must select shift range 1, 2 or 3
in good time. By doing so, you will make use
of the braking effect of the engine, which
relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and
wearing too quickly.
If a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
DISTRONIC causes your vehicle to brake and
maintain the preset distance to the vehicle in
front.
GWARNING
The Distronic requires familiarity with its
operational characteristics. We strongly
recommend that you review the following
information carefully before operating the
system.
GWARNING
When DISTRONIC brakes, the brake pedal is
pulled back (i.e. operated automatically). The
area around the pedal must not be blocked by
obstacles:
R do not place any objects in the footwell.
R ensure that floormats and carpets are fixed
securely. In particular, do not place several
floormats on top of one another.
R do not place your foot under the brake
pedal, as it could become trapped.
Non-compliance could lead you to cause an
accident in which you and/or others could be
seriously injured.
GWARNING
The Distronic is a convenience system. Its
speed adjustment reduction capability is
intended to make cruise control more
effective and usable when traffic speeds vary.
It is not however, intended to, nor does it,
replace the need for extreme care.
The responsibility for the vehicle's speed,
distance to the preceding vehicle and, most
importantly, brake operation to ensure a safe
stopping distance, always remains with the
driver.
The Distronic cannot take street and traffic
conditions into account. Complex driving
situations are not always fully recognized by
the Distronic. This could result in wrong or
missing distance warnings.
If there is no vehicle driving in front of you,
DISTRONIC functions like cruise control at a
speed range between 20 mph (30 km/h) and
120 mph (200 km/h). If a vehicle is driving in
front of you, it functions at a speed range
between 0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph
(200 km/h).
Do not use DISTRONIC while driving on roads
with steep gradients.GWARNING
DISTRONIC distance control is not a
substitute for the driver's active involvement.
It does not react to pedestrians or stationary
objects and cannot detect or predict the
road's course and the movements of the
vehicles in front.
DISTRONIC can only brake using 40% of the
vehicle's maximum possible braking force.
The driver must always pay attention to road,
weather and traffic conditions. He must steer,
brake and drive the vehicle so that he
maintains control over it.
High-frequency sources such as toll stations,
velocity measurement systems, etc. may
cause DISTRONIC to malfunction.
GWARNING
The Distronic cannot take road and traffic
conditions into account. Only use the
Distronic if the road, weather and traffic
182Driving systemsDriving and parking

conditions make it advisable to travel at a
constant speed.GWARNING
Use of the Distronic can be dangerous on
slippery roads. Rapid changes in tire traction
can result in wheel spin and loss of control.
The Distronic does not function in adverse
sight and distance conditions. Do not use the
Distronic during conditions of fog, heavy rain,
snow or sleet.
GWARNING
The Distronic cannot take weather conditions
into account. Switch off the Distronic or do
not switch it on if:
R roads are slippery or covered with snow or
ice. The wheels could lose traction while
braking or accelerating, and the vehicle
could skid.
R the Distronic system sensor cover is dirty
or visibility is diminished due to snow, rain
or fog, for example. The distance control
system functionality could be impaired.
Always pay attention to surrounding traffic
conditions even while the Distronic is
switched on. Otherwise, you may not be able
to recognize dangerous situations until it is
too late. This could cause an accident in which
you and/or others could be injured.
GWARNING
The "Resume" function should only be
operated if the driver is fully aware of the
previously set speed and wishes to resume
this particular preset speed.
GWARNING
Close attention to road and traffic conditions
is imperative at all times, regardless of
whether or not the Distronic is activated.
Use of the Distronic can be dangerous on
winding roads or in heavy traffic because
conditions do not allow safe driving at a
constant speed.
The Distronic will not react to stationary
objects in the roadway (e.g. a stopped vehicle
in a traffic jam or a disabled vehicle). The
Distronic will also not respond to oncoming
vehicles.
Switch off the Distronic
R when changing from the left to the right
lane if vehicles are moving more slowly in
the left lane
R when entering a turn lane or highway off
ramp
R in complex driving situations, such as in
highway construction zones
In these situations, the Distronic will continue
to maintain the set speed unless deactivated.
The Distronic is designed and intended only
to maintain a set speed and keep a set
distance from moving objects in front of it.
i USA 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.Driving systems183Driving and parkingZ

Cruise control lever:To store the current speed or a higher
speed;To store the current speed or a lower
speed=To deactivate DISTRONIC?To store the current speed or to call up
the last stored speed
Switching on DISTRONIC, storing and
maintaining the current speed
GWARNING
The vehicle can be braked when DISTRONIC
is activated. For this reason, deactivate
DISTRONIC if the vehicle is to be set in motion
by other means (e.g. in a car wash or by
towing).
You can activate DISTRONIC in the following
circumstances:
R if the engine has been started and you have
been driving for up to two minutes
R while driving, except if you brake
R if the parking brake is not applied
R if ESP ®
is activated
R if the transmission is in position D
Activating while driving
When driving at speeds below 20 mph
(30 km/h) , you can only activate DISTRONIC
PLUS if the vehicle in front has been detected
and is shown in the multifunction display. If
the vehicle in front is not shown in the
multifunction display and is no longer being
detected, because it has changed lanes, for
example, DISTRONIC is deactivated and you
hear a warning tone.XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ? or press it up : or down ; to the
pressure point.
DISTRONIC is activated.XKeep the cruise control lever pressed
up : or down ; until the desired speed
is set.XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
i You can use the cruise control lever to set
the stored speed and the thumbwheel on
the cruise control lever to set the specified
minimum distance ( Y page 186).
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC Override message
appears in the multifunction display. The
set distance to a slower-moving vehicle in
front will then not be maintained. You will
be driving at the speed you determine by
the position of the accelerator pedal.
Driving
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
operates in the same way as cruise control.
If a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
DISTRONIC causes your vehicle to brake and
maintain the preset distance to the vehicle in
front.
If DISTRONIC detects a faster-moving vehicle
in front, it increases the driving speed, but
only up to the desired speed you have stored.
GWARNING
If you depress the brake pedal, DISTRONIC is
deactivated. DISTRONIC will then no longer
brake your vehicle. In such cases, control the
distance from vehicles traveling in front with
the brake alone. You could otherwise cause
an accident and thereby injure yourself and
others. The driver remains fully responsible
184Driving systemsDriving and parking

for the vehicle's distance from other vehicles,
the speed being driven and for braking in good
time.
StoppingGWARNING
DISTRONIC must never be operated,
activated or deactivated by a passenger or
from outside the vehicle.
If DISTRONIC detects that the vehicle in front
is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until it is
stationary.
i Depending on the specified minimum
distance, your vehicle will come to a
standstill at a sufficient distance behind the
vehicle in front. The specified minimum
distance is set using the thumbwheel on
the cruise-control lever.
DISTRONIC is deactivated automatically
when stopping:
R on flat stretches of road or on downhill
gradients when the vehicle is stationary
R while the vehicle is still moving on uphill
gradients, to prevent the vehicle from
unexpectedly rolling back when
DISTRONIC is deactivated
If DISTRONIC is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone.
XTo prevent the vehicle from rolling away,
apply the foot brake or parking brake.
Setting a speed
GWARNING
Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has made the necessary
adjustments.
Increase or decrease the set vehicle speed to
a value that the prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Otherwise, sudden
and unexpected acceleration or deceleration
of the vehicle could cause an accident and/
or serious injury to you and others.
XPress the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up : for a higher speed or
down ; for a lower speed.XKeep the cruise control lever pressed until
the desired speed is reached.XRelease the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored. DISTRONIC is
activated and adjusts the vehicle's speed
to the new speed stored.
Making adjustments in 1 mph (Canada:
1 km/h) increments
XBriefly press the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up : for a higher speed or
down ; for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Making adjustments in 5 mph (Canada:
10 km/h) increments
XBriefly press the cruise control lever
beyond the pressure point, up : for a
higher speed or down ; for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Storing the current speed or calling up
the last stored speed
GWARNING
The set speed stored in memory should only
be set again if prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Possible
acceleration or deceleration differences
arising from returning to the preset speed
could cause an accident and/or serious injury
to you and others.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
DISTRONIC is activated and accepts the
current speed if it is activated for the firstDriving systems185Driving and parkingZ

time, or adjusts the vehicle's speed to the
last speed stored.
Setting the specified minimum distance
You can set the specified minimum distance
for DISTRONIC by varying the time span
between one and two seconds. This time span
determines the distance that DISTRONIC
should maintain from the vehicle in front,
depending on the road speed. You can see
this distance in the multifunction display
( Y page 187).
GWARNING
It is up to the driver to exercise discretion to
select the appropriate setting given road
conditions, traffic, driver's preferred driving
style and applicable laws and driving
recommendations for safe following distance.
XTo increase: turn thumbwheel ; towards
= .
DISTRONIC then maintains a greater
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.XTo decrease: turn thumbwheel ;
towards :.
DISTRONIC then maintains a shorter
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
i Make sure that you maintain the
minimum distance to the vehicle in front as
required by law. Adjust the distance to the
vehicle in front if necessary.
DISTRONIC displays in the
speedometer
When DISTRONIC is activated, one or
two segments in the set speed range light up.
i For design reasons, the speed displayed
in the speedometer may differ slightly from
the speed set for DISTRONIC.
If DISTRONIC detects a vehicle in front,
segments ; between the speed of the
vehicle in front : and stored speed = light
up.
GWARNING
An intermittent warning sounds and the
distance warning lamp · in the instrument
cluster is illuminated if the Distronic system
calculates that the distance to the vehicle
ahead and your vehicle's current speed
indicate that the Distronic will not be capable
of slowing the vehicle sufficiently to maintain
the preset following distance, which creates
a danger of a collision.
Immediately brake the vehicle to increase
your distance to the preceding vehicle. The
warning sound is intended as a final caution
in which you should intercede with your own
braking inputs to avoid a potentially
dangerous situation. Do not wait for the
operation of the warning signal to intercede
with your own braking. This will result in
potentially dangerous emergency braking
which will not always result in an impact being
avoided.
Tailgating increases the risk of an accident.
186Driving systemsDriving and parking

GWARNING
DISTRONIC brakes your vehicle with a
maximum deceleration of 13 ft/s 2
(4 m/s 2
).
This corresponds to approximately 40% of
your vehicle's maximum possible braking
power.
You must apply the brakes yourself to avoid a
collision. DISTRONIC brakes the vehicle to
restore the set distance to the vehicle in front
or to restore the set speed. In this case, the
brake pedal is depressed automatically,
which can be seen by a movement of the
brake pedal.
Always keep the driver's footwell clear,
including the area under the brake pedal.
Objects in this area may impair pedal
movement and cause the DISTRONIC braking
function to malfunction.
Do not place your foot under the brake pedal
– your foot could become caught.
DISTRONIC displays in the
multifunction display
XPress the V or U button to select the
DISTRONIC menu (Y page 219).
Display when DISTRONIC is deactivated
When DISTRONIC is deactivated, you will see
the following in the multifunction display:
:Vehicle in front, if detected;Distance indicator, displaying current
distance to the vehicle in front=Specified minimum distance to the
vehicle in front, adjustable?Own vehicleDisplay when DISTRONIC is activated
After this time, you will see the following in
the multifunction display while DISTRONIC is
activated::DISTRONIC activated;Stored speed
When activating DISTRONIC and when setting
the speed, stored speed ; appears for
around five seconds.
After approximately five seconds, current
saved speed ; is displayed in the
multifunction display's status indicator:
R USA only: DTR XXX Miles
R Canada only: DTR XXX km/h
Deactivating DISTRONIC
There are several ways to deactivate
DISTRONIC:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever
forwards :.
or
XBrake.
i
The last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine.
Driving systems187Driving and parkingZ

iDISTRONIC is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. If you
accelerate to overtake, DISTRONIC adjusts
the vehicle's speed to the last speed stored
after you have finished overtaking.
DISTRONIC is automatically deactivated if:
R you apply the parking brake.
R you are driving slower than
20 mph (25 km/h) and there is no vehicle
in front, or if the vehicle in front is no longer
detected.
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
.
R you shift the transmission to P, R or N.
If DISTRONIC is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the DISTRONIC
Off message in the multifunction display for
approximately five seconds.
Tips for driving with DISTRONIC
The following contains descriptions of certain
road and traffic conditions in which you must
be particularly attentive. In such situations,
brake if necessary. DISTRONIC is then
deactivated.
GWARNING
The Distronic works to maintain the speed
selected by the driver unless a moving
obstacle proceeding directly ahead of it in the
same travel direction is detected (e.g.
following another vehicle ahead of you at your
set distance).
This means that:
R Your vehicle can pass another vehicle after
you have changed lanes.
R While in a sharp turn or if the preceding
vehicle is in a sharp turn, the Distronic
could lose sight of the preceding vehicle.
Your vehicle could then accelerate to the
previously selected speed.
The Distronic regulates only the distance
between your vehicle and those directly
ahead of it, but does not register stationary
objects in the road, e.g.:
R a stopped vehicle in a traffic jam
R a disabled vehicle
R an oncoming vehicle
The driver must always be alert, observe all
traffic and intercede as required by means of
steering or braking the vehicle.GWARNING
The Distronic should not be used in snowy or
icy road conditions.
Cornering, going into and coming out of a
bend
The ability of DISTRONIC to detect vehicles
when cornering is limited. Your vehicle may
brake unexpectedly or late.
Vehicles traveling on a different line
188Driving systemsDriving and parking

DISTRONIC may not detect vehicles traveling
on a different line. The distance to the vehicle
in front will be too short.
Other vehicles changing lane
DISTRONIC has not detected the vehicle
cutting in yet. The distance to this vehicle will
be too short.
Narrow vehicles
DISTRONIC has not yet detected the vehicle
in front on the edge of the road, because of
its narrow width. The distance to the vehicle
in front will be too short.
Obstructions and stationary vehicles
DISTRONIC does not brake for obstructions
or stationary vehicles. If, for example, the
detected vehicle turns a corner and reveals
an obstacle or stationary vehicle, DISTRONIC
will not brake for these.
Crossing vehicles
DISTRONIC may detect vehicles that are
crossing your lane by mistake. Activating
DISTRONIC at, for example, a traffic light with
crossing traffic, could cause your vehicle to
pull away at the wrong time.
Level control
Important safety notes
Level control adapts the vehicle level
automatically to the current operating and
driving situation. This results in reduced fuel
consumption and improved handling.
For vehicles with ADS: when you are driving
in ADS COMF or ADS AUTO (Y page 195),
the vehicle is lowered to high-speed level as
Driving systems189Driving and parkingZ

surface is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
Changes in the outside temperature are
displayed after a short delay.
Speedometer with segments
The segments in the speedometer indicate
which speed range is available.
DISTRONIC ( Y page 182) activated:
One or two segments in the set speed range
light up.
DISTRONIC detects a vehicle in front:
The segments between the speed of the
vehicle in front and the stored speed light up.
Operating the on-board computer
The on-board computer is activated as soon
as you turn the SmartKey to position 1 in the
ignition lock.
You can control the multifunction display and
the settings in the on-board computer using
the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel.
:Multifunction display;~
Rejects or ends a call
Exits phone book/redial memory
6
Makes or accepts a call
Switches to the redial memory
WX
Selects submenus in the Settings
menu
Changes values
Adjusts the volume
?
Switches on the Voice Control
System; see the separate operating
instructions=VU
Selects a menu: scrolls back and
forth
A
Switches off the Voice Control
System; see the separate operating
instructions&*
Press briefly:
Scrolls back and forth within a menu
In the Audio menu: selects a stored
station, an audio track or a video
scene
In the Telephone menu: switches to
the phone book and selects a name
or a telephone number&*
Press and hold:
In the Audio menu: selects the
previous/next station or selects an
audio track using rapid scrolling
In the Telephone menu: starts rapid
scrolling through the phone bookDisplays and operation217On-board computer and displaysZ

Menus and submenus
Menu overview
The number of menus shown depends on the optional equipment in the vehicle.
Function:Standard display menu (Y page 220)
R tire pressure loss warning system (Canada only) ( Y page 345)
R tire pressure monitor (USA only) ( Y page 347)
R ASSYST PLUS service interval display ( Y page 305);Audio menu ( Y page 221)=Navigation menu (Y page 222)?Offroad menu (Y page 222)
R Level control ( Y page 189)
R Compass display ( Y page 296)
R Differential locks (status indicator) ( Y page 208)ADISTRONIC menu (Y page 187)BMessage memory 24
menu ( Y page 232)CSettings menu (Y page 223)DAdditional functions menu (Y page 228)24
The menu is only visible if there is a display message.Menus and submenus219On-board computer and displaysZ