traction control MERCEDES-BENZ GLA 2016 Owners Manual

1, 2, 3 ...4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
see ETS/4ETS (Electronic Trac-
tion System)
4MATIC
Display message ............................ 263
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel
drive) .................................................. 197
12 V socket
see Sockets
AABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Display message ............................ 236
Function/notes ................................ 65
Important safety notes .................... 65
Warning lamp ................................ .2 69
Acceleration
see Kickdown
Accident
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent ................................................. 58
Activating/deactivating cooling
with air dehumidification ................. 138
Active Parking Assist
Detecting parking spaces .............. 204
Display message ............................ 255
Exiting a parking space .................. 206
Function/notes ............................ .2 03
Important safety notes .................. 203
Parking .......................................... 205
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ................................. 73
Adaptive Brake Assist
Function/notes ................................ 68
Adaptive Damping System
Function/notes ............................ .1 96
Additional speedometer ................... 229
Additives (engine oil) ........................ 380
Air bags
Deployment ..................................... 56
Display message ............................ 246
Front air bag (driver, front
passenger) ....................................... 49
Important safety notes .................... 48
Introduction ..................................... 48
Knee bag .......................................... 50 Occupant Classification System
(OCS) ............................................... 51
PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator
lamps ............................................... 43
Side impact air bag .......................... 50
Window curtain air bag .................... 50
Air vents
Important safety notes .................. 144
Rear ............................................... 145
Setting the center air vents ........... 144
Setting the side air vents .............. .1 44
Air-conditioning system
see Climate control
Alarm
ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system) ......... 73
Switching off (ATA) .......................... 73
Switching the function on/off
(ATA) ................................................ 73
Alarm system
see ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
AMG
Adaptive sport suspension sys-
tem ................................................ 196
Performance Seat .......................... 106
AMG menu (on-board computer) ..... 231
AMG Performance exhaust sys-
tem ..................................................... 155
Anti-lock braking system
see ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Anti-skid chains
see Snow chains
Approach/departure angle .............. 183
Ashtray ............................................... 290
Assistance display (on-board com-
puter) ................................................. .2 27
Assistance menu (on-board com-
puter) ................................................. .2 27
ASSYST PLUS
Displaying a service message ....... .3 13
Driving abroad ............................... 313
Hiding a service message .............. 312
Information about Service ............. 313
Resetting the service interval dis-
play ................................................ 313
Service message ............................ 312
Special service requirements ......... 3134
Index

Driving safet y systems
AB S (Anti-loc k Braking System) ...... .6 5
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ............................. 73
Adaptive Brake Assist ...................... 68
BAS (Brake Assist System) .............. 66
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS ................................................ 66
Distance warning function ............... 67
EBD (electronic brake force distri-
bution) ............................................. 72
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Pro-
gram) ............................................... 69
Important safety information ........... 65
Overview .......................................... 65
STEER CONTROL ............................. 73
Driving system
Start-off assist ............................... 194
Driving systems
Active Parking Assist ..................... 203
AMG adaptive sport suspension
system ........................................... 196
ATTENTION ASSIST ........................ 211
Blind Spot Assist ............................ 213
Cruise control ................................ 184
Display message ............................ 253
DISTRONIC PLUS ........................... 186
HOLD function ............................... 193
Lane Keeping Assist ...................... 215
Lane Tracking package .................. 213
PARKTRONIC ................................. 200
RACE START (AMG vehicles) .......... 195
Rear view camera .......................... 208
Driving tips
Automatic transmission ................. 163
Brakes ........................................... 177
Break-in period .............................. 148
Checking brake lining thickness .... 178
DISTRONIC PLUS ........................... 192
Downhill gradient ........................... 177
Drinking and driving ....................... 175
Driving in winter ............................. 179
Driving on flooded roads ................ 179
Driving on sand .............................. 182
Driving on wet roads ...................... 179
Exhaust check ............................... 175
Fuel ................................................ 175
General .......................................... 174
Hydroplaning ................................. 179 Icy road surfaces ........................... 179
Limited braking efficiency on sal-
ted roads ....................................... 177
Off-road driving .............................. 180
Snow chains .................................. 343
The first 1000 miles (1500 km) ..... 148
Tire ruts ......................................... 182
Traveling up hill ............................... 183
We t road surface ........................... 177
DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
Display message ............................ 253
Function/notes ............................. 197
DVD video
Operating (on-board computer) ..... 225
DYNAMIC SELECT button
Climate control (3-zone automatic
climate control) ............................. 137
Climate control (air-conditioning
system) .......................................... 134
DYNAMIC SELECT button (all vehi-
cles except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles) .................................................... 157
DYNAMIC SELECT controller
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles) ................. 158
E
EASY-PACK tailgate
see Tailgate
EBD (electronic brake force distri-
bution)
Display message ............................ 238
Function/notes ................................ 72
ECO display
Function/notes ............................. 176
On-board computer ....................... 222
ECO start/stop function
Automatic engine start .................. 154
Automatic engine switch-off .......... 154
Deactivating/activating ................. 155
General information ....................... 154
Important safety notes .................. 153
Introduction ................................... 153
Electronic Stability Program
see ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program)
Electronic Traction System
see ETS/4ETS (Electronic Trac-
tion System) Index 9

Emergency
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent ................................................ .5 8
Emergency braking
see BAS (Brake Assist System)
Emergency release
Driver's door .................................... 84
Vehicle ............................................ .8 4
Emergency Tensioning Devices
Activation ........................................ .5 6
Emergency unlocking
Tailgate ............................................ 89
Engine
Check Engine warning lamp .......... .2 75
Display message ............................ 251
ECO start/stop function ................ 153
Engine number ............................... 377
Irregular running ............................ 156
Jump-starting ................................. 331
Starting (important safety notes) ... 151
Starting problems .......................... 156
Starting the engine with the
SmartKey ....................................... 151
Starting with the Start/Stop but-
ton ................................................. 152
Switching off .................................. 172
Tow-starting (vehicle) ..................... 337
Engine electronics
Problem (malfunction) ................... 156
Engine oil
Adding .......................................... .3 10
Additives ........................................ 380
Checking the oil level ..................... 309
Checking the oil level using the
dipstick .......................................... 310
Display message ............................ 252
Filling capacity ............................... 380
Notes about oil grades ................... 379
Notes on oil level/consumption .... 309
Temperature (on-board computer,
Mercedes-AMG vehicles) .............. .2 31
Viscosity .............. .......................... 380
E ng
ine, starting
see Starting (engine)
ESC (Electronic Stability Control)
see ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program) ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Pro-
gram)
AMG menu (on-board computer) ... 232
Characteristics ................................. 69
Deactivating/activating (button
in Mercedes-AMG vehicles) ............. 70
Deactivating/activating (except
Mercedes ‑ AMG vehicles) ................. 70
Deactivating/activating (on-
board computer, except
Mercedes-AMG vehicles) .............. .2 27
Display message ............................ 236
Function/notes ................................ 69
General notes .................................. 69
Important safety information ........... 69
Trailer stabilization ........................... 72
Warning lamp ................................. 271
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction Sys-
tem) ...................................................... 69
Exhaust
see Exhaust pipe
Exhaust check ................................... 175
Exhaust pipe
Cleaning ......................................... 318
Exterior lighting
Cleaning ......................................... 317
see Lights
Exterior mirrors
Adjusting ....................................... 109
Dipping (automatic) ....................... 110
Folding in when locking (on-board
computer) ...................................... 231
Folding in/out (automatically) ....... 110
Folding in/out (electrically) ........... 109
Out of position (troubleshooting) ... 110
Storing settings (memory func-
tion) ............................................... 112
Storing the parking position .......... 111
Eyeglasses compartment ................. 281
F
Filler cap
see Refueling
Flat tire
MOExtended tires .......................... 323
Preparing the vehicle ..................... 322
TIREFIT kit ...................................... 32410
Index

Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving condi-
tions may also cause Brake Assist to inter-
vene.
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.
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 65).
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
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.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 65).
ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
. On vehi-
cles with 4MATIC, 4ETS is part of ESP ®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually 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 trans-
ferred to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active, even if you
deactivate ESP ®
. Off-road 4ETS (Electronic Traction Sys-
tem) A 4ETS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated ( Y
page 199).
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 65).
G WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, further driv-
ing safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: when towing
your vehicle with the front axle raised, it is
important that you observe the notes on ESP ®
( Y
page 335).
If the

R
Activate 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. R
Check that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
Off-road ABS is activated when the off-road
program is selected.
At speeds below 18 mph (30 km/h), the front
wheels lock cyclically during braking. The dig-
ging-in effect achieved in the process reduces
the stopping distance on off-road terrain. The
steerability of the vehicle is considerably
reduced if the wheels lock.
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. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden, you must select a low gear in
good time. You need to have previously selec-
ted manual gearshifting M ( Y
page 166). 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 con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
The speed indicated in the speedometer may
differ slightly from the speed stored.
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of an acci-
dent 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 dis-
tance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed,
for braking in good time and for staying in
your lane.
Do not use cruise control: R
in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads R
on slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid R
when 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
C
To activate or increase speed D
To activate or reduce speed

To prevent damage to the vehicle, deacti-
vate DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD func-
tion in the following or other similar situa-
tions: R
when towing the vehicle R
in 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: R
in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads R
on slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid R
when 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: R
there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors R
there is snow or heavy rain R
there is interference by other radar sources R
there are strong radar reflections, for
example, in parking garages
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a vehi-
cle in front, DISTRONIC PLUS may unexpect-
edly accelerate the vehicle to the stored
speed. This speed may: R
be too high if you are driving in a filter lane
or an exit lane R
be so high when driving in the right-hand
lane that you overtake vehicles in the left-
hand lane R
be 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
C
To activate or increase speed D
To activate or reduce speed

X
Press button C again so that indicator
lamp D goes out.
You have selected Comfort mode.
The AMG Suspension System COMFORT
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
4MATIC
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the differential.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground or
be fully raised. Observe the instructions for
towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
4MATIC, together with ESP ®
, improves the
traction of your vehicle whenever a drive
wheel spins due to insufficient grip.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC
can neither reduce the risk of accident nor
override the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot
take account of road, weather and traffic con-
ditions. 4MATIC 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.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip: R
Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away. R
Accelerate less when driving.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tires (M +S tires), with snow
chains if necessary.
DSR
General notes
i DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation) is only
available for vehicles with the Off-Road
Engineering package. DSR is an aid to assist you when driving down-
hill. It keeps the speed of travel at the speed
selected on the on-board computer. The
steeper the downhill gradient, the greater the
DSR braking effect on the vehicle. When driv-
ing on flat stretches of road or on an uphill
gradient, the DSR braking effect is minimal or
nonexistent.
DSR controls the vehicle’s speed when it is
activated and the transmission is in position
D , R or N . You can drive at a higher or a lower
speed than that set on the on-board computer
at any time by accelerating or braking.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If the speed driven and the set speed deviate
and you activate DSR on a slippery road sur-
face, the wheels may lose traction. There is an
increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Before switching DSR on, please take into
consideration the road surface and the differ-
ence between driving speed and the set
speed.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, DSR can
neither reduce the risk of accident nor over-
ride the laws of physics. DSR cannot take
account of road, weather and traffic condi-
tions. DSR 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.
You are always responsible for keeping con-
trol of the vehicle and for assessing whether
the downhill gradient can be managed. DSR
may not always be able to keep to the set
speed, depending on road surface and tire
conditions. Select a set speed suitable for the
prevailing conditions and when necessary,
apply the brakes manually.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
( Y
page 180).Driving systems 197
Driving and parking Z

When parking your vehicle, make sure that
the tires do not get deformed by the curb or
other obstacles. If they cannot be avoided,
drive over obstacles such as curbs slowly and
at an obtuse angle. Otherwise, you may dam-
age the wheels or tires.
Regular checking of wheels and tires
G WARNING
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control of
your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tires regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tires immediately.
Check wheels and tires for damage at least
once a month. Check wheels and tires after
driving off-road or on rough roads. Damaged
wheels can cause a loss of tire pressure. Pay
particular attention to damage such as: R
cuts in the tires R
punctures R
tears in the tires R
bulges on tires R
deformation or severe corrosion on wheels
Regularly check the tire tread depth and the
condition of the tread across the whole width
of the tire ( Y
page 341). If necessary, turn the
front wheels to full lock in order to inspect the
inner side of the tire surface.
All wheels must have a valve cap to protect
the valve against dirt and moisture. Do not
mount anything onto the valve other than the
standard valve cap or other valve caps
approved by Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle.
Do not use any other valve caps or systems,
e.g. tire pressure monitoring systems.
Regularly check the pressure of all the tires
particularly prior to long trips. Adjust the tire
pressure as necessary ( Y
page 343). The service life of tires depends, among other
things, on the following factors: R
driving style R
tire pressure R
distance covered
Notes on tire tread
G WARNING
Insufficient tire tread will reduce tire traction.
The tire is no longer able to dissipate water.
This means that on wet road surfaces, the risk
of hydroplaning increases, in particular where
speed is not adapted to suit the driving con-
ditions. There is a risk of accident.
If the tire pressure is too high or too low, tires
may exhibit different levels of wear at differ-
ent locations on the tire tread. Thus, you
should regularly check the tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the entire
width of all tires.
Minimum tire tread depth for: R
Summer tires:

vide the best possible grip in wintry road con-
ditions. Only these tires will allow driving
safety systems such as ABS and ESP ®
to
function optimally in winter. These tires have
been developed specifically for driving in
snow.
Use M+S tires of the same make and tread on
all wheels to maintain safe handling charac-
teristics.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tires you have
mounted.
When you have mounted the M+S tires: X
Check the tire pressures ( Y
page 343).X
Restart the tire pressure loss warning sys-
tem (Canada) ( Y
page 347) or restart the
tire pressure monitor (USA) ( Y
page 350).
Snow chains
G WARNING
If snow chains are mounted on the rear
wheels, the snow chains could cause abrasion
to the vehicle body or to chassis components.
This could cause damage to the vehicle or the
tires. There is a risk of an accident.
To avoid hazardous situations: R
never mount snow chains on the rear
wheels R
only mount snow chains in pairs on the
front wheels.
! On some tire sizes there is not enough
space for snow chains. To avoid damage to
the vehicle or tires, observe the "Wheel and
tire combinations" section under "Tires and
wheels".
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use snow chains that
have been specially approved for your vehicle
by Mercedes-Benz, or are of a corresponding
standard of quality. For more information,
please contact a qualified specialist work-
shop. If you intend to mount snow chains, please
bear the following points in mind: R
Snow chains may not be mounted on all
wheel/tire combinations. Permissible
wheel-tire combinations ( Y
page 367).R
Only use snow chains when driving on
roads completely covered by snow.
Remove the snow chains as soon as possi-
ble when you come to a road that is not
snow-covered. R
Local regulations may restrict the use of
snow chains. Observe the appropriate reg-
ulations if you wish to mount snow chains. R
Do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 30 mph (50 km/h). R
When snow chains are installed, never use
Active Parking Assist ( Y
page 203).
You may wish to deactivate ESP ®
when pull-
ing away with snow chains installed
( Y
page 69). You can thereby allow the wheels
to spin in a controlled manner, achieving an
increased driving force (cutting action).
Tire pressure
Tire pressure specifications
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Underinflated or overinflated tires pose the
following risks: R
the tires may burst, especially as the load
and vehicle speed increase. R
the tires may wear excessively and/or
unevenly, which may greatly impair tire
traction. R
the driving characteristics, as well as steer-
ing and braking, may be greatly impaired.
There is a risk of an accident. Tire pressure 343
Wheels and tires Z

Example: R
Treadwear grade: 200R
Traction grade: AAR
Temperature grade: A
All passenger car tires must conform to the
statutory safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
i The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
Treadwear The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified
U.S. government course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-half
times as well on the government course as a
tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, how-
ever, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, ser-
vice practices and differences in road char-
acteristics and climate.
Traction
G WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor-
nering, hydroplaning, or peak traction char-
acteristics.
! Avoid wheelspin. This can lead to damage
to the drive train.
The traction grades – from highest to lowest –
are AA, A, B and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or icy
road is always lower than on dry road surfa-
ces.
You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around freez-
ing point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends a minimum
tread depth of