check engine MERCEDES-BENZ GLA SUV 2013 Owner's Manual

ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a
window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip- pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres. Do
not use cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by
using corrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around the
freezing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (Y page 355).
For more information on driving with summer tyres, see (Y page 354).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 354). Off-road driving
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you drive up a steep incline at an angle or
turn on a steep incline, the vehicle could slip sideways, tip and overturn. There is a risk of
an accident.
When driving up an incline, drive into the line
of fall (upwards or downwards in a straight
line) and do not turn.
The vehicle is only designed for easily nego-
tiable off-road terrain and poor road surfaces. When driving off-road, substances such as
sand, mud and water or water mixed with oil
may get into the brakes. This may lead to a
reduction in braking performance or total
brake failure as a result of increased wear.
The braking characteristics will vary depend-
ing on the substances that get into the
brakes. Clean the brakes after driving off-
road. If you notice grinding noises or a reduc-
tion in braking performance, have the brake
system checked at a qualified specialist work- shop immediately. Adapt your driving style to
the altered braking characteristics.
Driving off-road increases the possibility of
damage to the vehicle, which may cause
assemblies or systems to fail. Adapt your
driving style to the conditions of the terrain.
Drive carefully. Have vehicle damage rectified immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Do not shift into transmission position N
when driving off-road. You could lose control
of the vehicle if you attempt to brake the
vehicle using the service brake. If the gradient
is too steep for your vehicle, back up in
reverse gear.
General notes H
Environmental note
Protection of the environment is of primary
importance. Treat nature with respect.
Observe all prohibiting signs.
Read this section before driving your vehicle
off-road.
Off-road driving is only possible with the Off-
Road Engineering package (Y page 205). Driving tips
185Driving and parking Z

The following driving systems are specially
adapted for driving over easily negotiable off-
road terrain:
R Off-road program (Y page 205)
R Off-road ABS (Y page 73)
R Off-road 4ETS (Y page 77)
R Off-road ESP ®
(Y page 80)
R DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Y page 204)
Observe the following notes:
R Stop the vehicle before driving off-road. If
necessary, activate the off-road program
(Y page 205).
R To avoid damaging the vehicle, make sure
there is always sufficient ground clearance.
R Make sure that items of luggage and loads
are stowed safely and are well secured
(Y page 306).
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Acti-
vate DSR (Y page 204).
R Drive slowly and evenly, if necessary at
walking pace.
R Ensure that the wheels are in contact with
the ground at all times.
R Drive with extreme care on unknown off-
road routes where visibility is poor. For
safety reasons, get out of the vehicle first
and survey the off-road route.
R Check the depth of water before fording
rivers and streams.
R Watch out for obstacles.
R Take care when turning on an uphill or
downhill slope or when driving across a
slope. The vehicle could otherwise tip over.
R Always keep the side windows and the pan-
orama sliding sunroof closed during the
journey.
R Do not deviate from marked routes.
i Do not use the HOLD function when driv-
ing off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gra- dients or on slippery or loose surfaces. The HOLD function cannot hold the vehicle on
such surfaces.
Checklist before driving off-road X
Engine oil level: check the engine oil and
top it up if necessary.
When driving on steep gradients, the oil
level must be sufficiently high to ensure a
correct oil supply in the vehicle.
X Wheels and tyres: check the tyre tread
depth and tyre pressure.
X Check for damage and remove any foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the
wheels/tyres.
X Replace any missing valve caps.
X Replace dented or damaged wheels.
X Wheels: dented or bent wheels can lead to
a loss of tyre pressure and damage to the
tyre bead. Before driving off-road, check
the wheels and replace them if necessary.
Checklist after driving off-road !
If you detect damage to the vehicle after
driving off-road, have the vehicle checked
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
X Deactivate off-road program (Y page 205).
X Deactivate DSR (Y page 204).
X Clean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage.
X Clean the front and rear licence plates.
X Clean the wheels/tyres with a water jet and
remove any foreign objects.
X Clean the wheels, wheel arches and the
vehicle underside with a water jet; check
for any foreign objects and damage.
X Check whether twigs or other parts of
plants have become trapped. These
increase the risk of fire and can damage
fuel pipes, brake hoses or the rubber bel-
lows of the axle joints and propeller shafts.
X After the trip, examine without fail the
entire undercarriage, wheels, tyres, brakes, 186
Driving tipsDriving and parking

bodywork structure, steering, chassis and
exhaust system for damage.
X After driving in sand, mud, gravel, water or
similar dirty conditions, have the following
checked and cleaned:
R brake discs
R wheels
R brake pads
R axle joints
X If you detect strong vibrations after driving
off-road, check for foreign objects in the
wheels and drive train and remove them if
necessary. Foreign objects can disturb the balance and cause vibrations.
Driving over poor road surfaces places
greater demands on your vehicle than driving on normal roads. After driving off-road, check
the vehicle. This allows you to detect damage
promptly and reduce the risk of an accident to yourself and other road users.
Driving on sand Observe the following rules when driving on
sand:
R Select the off-road program (Y page 205).
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Use the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle to shift to a lower gear appropriate
to the terrain.
R Drive quickly to overcome the rolling resist-
ance. Otherwise, the vehicle could dig itself
into the sand.
R Drive in the tracks of other vehicles if pos-
sible. Make sure that:
- the tyre ruts are not too deep
- the sand is firm enough
- your vehicle has sufficient ground clear-
ance
Tyre ruts and gravel roads !
Check that the ruts are not too deep and
that your vehicle has sufficient clearance. Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged
or bottom out and get stuck.
Observe the following rules when driving
along ruts in off-road terrain or on roads with loose gravel:
R Activate the off-road program
(Y page 205).
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand
steering wheel gearshift paddle.
R Drive slowly.
R Where ruts are too deep, drive with the
wheels on one side on the middle section of
turf if possible. Travelling uphill
Approach/departure angle G
WARNING
If you drive up a steep incline at an angle or
turn on a steep incline, the vehicle could slip
sideways, tip and overturn. There is a risk of
an accident.
When driving up an incline, drive into the line of fall (upwards or downwards in a straight
line) and do not turn.
R Observe the warnings for off-road driving
(Y page 185).
R Follow the line of fall when driving on slopes
and steep inclines.
R Before driving on extreme uphill and down-
hill gradients, select the off-road program
(Y page 205).
R Drive slowly.
R Accelerate gently and make sure that the
wheels are gripping.
R Avoid high engine speeds, except when
driving on sandy and muddy routes with
high driving resistance. Driving tips
187Driving and parking Z

R
Use the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle to shift to a lower gear appropriate
to the gradient.
R Use the left-hand gearshift paddle to shift
to a lower gear on long and steep downhill
gradients.
i Hill start assist will aid you when pulling
away on a hill.
For further information about hill start
assist, see (Y page 161).
Do not shift into transmission position N
when driving off-road. You could lose control
of the vehicle if you attempt to brake the
vehicle using the service brake. If the gradient
is too steep for your vehicle, back up in
reverse gear.
Always observe the approach/departure
angle values (Y page 393).
Maximum gradient-climbing capability Always observe the maximum gradient climb-
ing ability values (Y page 393).
Hilltops When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly
reduce pressure on the accelerator immedi-
ately before reaching the brow of the hill.
Make use of the vehicle's own impetus to
travel over the brow.
This style of driving prevents:
R the vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill
R the vehicle from travelling too quickly down
the other side.
Driving downhill R
Drive slowly.
R Do not drive at an angle down steep
inclines. Steer into the line of fall and drive
with the front wheels aligned straight. Oth- erwise, the vehicle could slip sideways, tip
and overturn. R
Before tackling steep downhill gradients,
use the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle to shift to a lower gear.
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.
i Off-road ABS is activated when the off-
road program is selected.
At speeds below 30 km/h the front wheels
lock cyclically during braking. The digging-
in effect achieved in the process reduces
the stopping distance when driving off-
road. The steerability of the vehicle is con-
siderably 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. 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. For vehi-
cles with automatic transmission, you need to have selected manual drive program M
(Y page 172). 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 are appropriate for maintaining a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You canstore any road speed above 30 km/h.
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 188
Driving systemsDriving and parking

A
To switch between cruise control or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS and variable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate variable SPEEDTRONIC
Selecting variable SPEEDTRONIC X Check whether LIM indicator lamp ;is on.
If it is on, variable SPEEDTRONIC is already selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever lights up. Variable SPEEDTRONIC is
selected.
Storing the current speed
You can use the cruise control lever to limit
the speed to any speed above 30 km/hw hile
the engine is running.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever up :
or down ?.
The current speed is stored. The multifunc-
tion display shows the stored speed, such
as SPEEDTRONIC SPEEDTRONIC Limit
Limit100
100km/h
km/h, for five
seconds.
Storing the current speed and calling up
the last stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it is lower
than the current speed, the vehicle deceler-
ates. If you do not know the stored speed, the vehicle could decelerate unexpectedly. There
is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you =.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 km/h incre-
ments: briefly press the cruise control lever up
:to the pressure point for a
higher speed, or down ?for a lower speed.
or
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed to the
pressure point until the desired speed is
set. Press the cruise control lever up :for
a higher speed or down ?for a lower
speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 10 km/h
increments: briefly press the cruise con-
trol lever up :past the pressure point for
a higher speed, or down ?for a lower
speed.
or
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed
beyond the pressure point until the desired
speed is set. Press the cruise control lever
up : for a higher speed or down ?for a
lower speed.
Switching SPEEDTRONIC to passive
If you depress the accelerator pedal beyond
the pressure point (kickdown), SPEED-
TRONIC is switched to passive mode. The fol-
lowing message appears in the multifunction
display: SPEEDTRONIC passive
SPEEDTRONIC passive.
You can then exceed the stored speed.
SPEEDTRONIC is activated again if you:
R drive slower than the stored speed without
kickdown
R set a new speed or
R call up the last speed stored again
The SPEEDTRONIC passive SPEEDTRONIC passive message in the
multifunction display disappears.
Deactivating variable SPEEDTRONIC
It is not possible to deactivate variable
SPEEDTRONIC by braking. 192
Driving systemsDriving and parking

=
LIM indicator lamp
? To store the current speed and calling up
the last stored speed
A To store the current speed or a lower
speed
B To switch between DISTRONIC PLUS and
variable SPEEDTRONIC
C To deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS
Selecting DISTRONIC PLUS X Check whether LIM indicator lamp =is off.
If it is off, DISTRONIC PLUS is already selec-
ted.
X If it is not, press the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow B.
LIM indicator lamp =in the cruise control
lever goes out. DISTRONIC PLUS is selec-
ted.
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS Activation conditions
To activate DISTRONIC PLUS, all of the fol-
lowing activation conditions must be fulfilled:
R the engine must be running. It may take up
to two minutes of driving before DIS-
TRONIC PLUS is ready for use.
R the electric parking brake must be
released.
R ESP ®
must be switched on, but not inter-
vening.
R Active Parking Assist must not be activa-
ted.
R DSR must be deactivated.
R the transmission must be in position D.
R the driver's door must be closed when you
shift from Pto Dor your seat belt must be
fastened.
R the front-passenger door and the rear
doors must be closed.
R the DISTRONIC PLUS function must be
selected with the cruise control lever
(Y page 195). Activating
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?or press it up :or down A.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed up :
or down Auntil the desired speed is set.
X Remove 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 If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC PLUS inactive DISTRONIC PLUS inactive
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play. The set distance to a slower-moving
vehicle in front will then not be maintained. You will be driving at the speed you deter-
mine by the position of the accelerator
pedal.
You can also activate DISTRONIC PLUS when
stationary. The lowest speed that can be set is 30 km/h.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?or press it up :or down A.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated.
Activating at the current speed/last
stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up a stored speed and this is dif-
ferent from the current speed, the vehicle
accelerates or brakes. If you do not know
what the stored speed is, the vehicle may
accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a
risk of an accident.
Take the traffic conditions into account
before calling up the stored speed. If you do
not know what the stored speed is, store the
desired speed again.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever
(Y page 194) towards you ?.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. The first
time it is activated, the current speed is Driving systems
195Driving and parking Z

The reversing camera is protected from rain-
drops and dust by means of a flap. When the
reversing camera is activated, this flap opens. Only once the manoeuvring process has been completed and the reversing camera has
switched off does the flap close again. For
technical reasons, the flap may remain open
briefly after the reversing camera has been
deactivated. If you switch off the engine, the
flap will also close.
i The text of messages shown in the
COMAND display depends on the language
setting. The following are examples of
reversing camera messages in the
COMAND display.
Observe the notes on cleaning (Y page 327).
Important safety notes The reversing camera is only an aid. It is not a
substitute for your attention to the immediate
surroundings. The responsibility for safe
manoeuvring and parking remains with you.
Make sure that there are no persons, animals
or objects in range while manoeuvring and
parking.
Under the following circumstances, the
reversing camera will not function, or will
function in a limited manner:
R if the tailgate is open
R in heavy rain, snow or fog
R at night or in very dark places
R if the camera is exposed to very bright light
R if the area is lit by fluorescent light or LED
lighting (the display may flicker)
R if there is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. when driving into a heated garage in
winter
R if the camera lens is dirty or obstructed
R if the rear of your vehicle is damaged. In this
case, have the camera position and setting checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
The field of vision and other functions of the
reversing camera may be restricted due to additional accessories on the rear of the vehi-
cle (e.g. licence plate holder, bicycle rack).
Activating/deactivating the reversing
camera X
To activate: make sure that the key is in
position 2in the ignition lock.
X Make sure that the "Activation by R gear"
function is selected in the Audio system/
COMAND Online; see the separate operat-
ing instructions.
X Engage reverse gear.
Guide lines are used to show the area
behind the vehicle in the Audio/COMAND
display. Function mode display for vehicles with COMAND
Online and a trailer tow hitch
X To change the function mode in vehi-
cles with COMAND Online and trailer
tow hitch: using the COMAND controller,
select symbol :for the "Reverse parking"
function; see the separate COMAND Online
operating instructions.
or
X Select symbol ;for the "Coupling up a
trailer" function (see the separate
COMAND Online operating instructions).
The symbol of the selected function is high-
lighted.
To deactivate: the reversing camera deacti-
vates if you shift the transmission to Pon
vehicles with automatic transmission or after driving forwards a short distance. 216
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Activating Blind Spot Assist
X Make sure that Blind Spot Assist is activa-
ted in the on-board computer
(Y page 245).
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
Warning lamps :in the exterior mirrors
light up red for approximately 1.5 seconds
and then turn yellow.
Towing a trailer
If you attach a trailer, make sure that you have
correctly established the electrical connec-
tion. This can be accomplished by checking
the trailer lighting. Blind Spot Assist is then
deactivated. The indicator lamp lights up yel-
low in the exterior mirrors and the Blind
Blind
Spot Assist currently unavailable
Spot Assist currently unavailable
See Owner's Manual
See Owner's Manual message appears in
the multifunction display.
i You can deactivate the indicator lamps in
the exterior mirrors.
To do so, deactivate Blind Spot Assist if:
R the key is in position 2in the ignition lock
R the engine is not running
R the electrical connection to the trailer
has been established
Lane Keeping Assist General notes
Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in
front of your vehicle by means of camera :
at the top of the windscreen. Lane Keeping
Assist detects lane markings on the road and can warn you before you leave your lane unin-
tentionally.
This function is available in the range between
60 km/h and 200 km/h.
A warning may be given if a front wheel
passes over a lane marking. It will warn you by means of intermittent vibration through the
steering wheel for up to 1.5 seconds.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Lane Keeping Assist cannot always clearly
identify lane markings.
In these cases, Lane Keeping Assist may:
R give an unnecessary warning
R not give a warning
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and keep in lane, especially if Lane
Keeping Assist alerts you. G
WARNING
The Lane Keeping Assist warning does not
return the vehicle to the original lane. There is a risk of an accident.
Always steer, apply the brakes or accelerate
the vehicle yourself, especially if Lane Keep-
ing Assist alerts you.
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
road, weather or traffic conditions. Lane
Keeping Assist is only an aid. You are respon- sible for the distance to the vehicle in front,
for vehicle speed, for braking in good time,
and for staying in lane.
Lane Keeping Assist does not keep your vehi-
cle in its lane. 224
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking

This can impair the vehicle's handling char-
acteristics. Adapt your driving style accord-
ingly. Maintain a safe distance. Drive care-
fully.
When towing a trailer, always adjust your
speed to the current road and weather con-
ditions. Do not exceed the maximum permis- sible speed for your vehicle/trailer combina-
tion.
General notes X
When towing a trailer, set the tyre pressure
on the rear axle of the towing vehicle for a
maximum load; see the tyre pressure table in the fuel filler flap (Y page 356).
Please note that when towing a trailer, PARK-
TRONIC (Y page 206) and Blind Spot Assist
(Y page 222) availability is limited or not avail-
able at all.
i The height of the ball coupling changes
with the load of the vehicle. If necessary,
use a trailer with a height-adjustable draw- bar.
You will find fitting dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (Y page 393).
Driving tips i
Observe the notes on ESP ®
trailer stabi-
lisation (Y page 80).
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginning the journey, check
the trailer's documents to see what the max- imum permitted speed is. Observe the legally
prescribed maximum speed in the relevant
country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the max-
imum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. Refer to the "Technical
data" section to find out whether this applies to your vehicle. If you utilise any of the added
maximum rear axle load when towing a trailer, the vehicle/trailer combination may not
exceed a maximum speed of 100 km/h for reasons concerning the operating permit.
This also applies in countries in which the
permissible maximum speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations is above 100 km/h.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison to when driving without a trailer and it will
consume more fuel.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. For vehicles
with automatic transmission, you need to
have selected manual drive program M
(Y page 172).
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly. If you
need additional braking, depress the brake
pedal repeatedly rather than continuously.
i Briefly depressing the accelerator pedal
on downhill gradients while the manual
drive program Mis temporarily activated
(vehicles with automatic transmission): the automatic transmission may switch back to
the last active automatic drive program Eor
S. The automatic transmission may shift to
a higher gear. This can reduce the engine's braking effect.
Driving tips If the trailer swings from side to side:
X Do not accelerate.
X Do not countersteer.
X Brake if necessary. Towing a trailer
227Driving and parking Z

R
Maintain a greater distance from the vehi-
cle in front than when driving without a
trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake
gently at first to allow the trailer to run on.
Then, increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing
capabilities from a standstill refer to sea
level. When driving in mountainous areas,
note that the power output of the engine,
and consequently the vehicle's gradient-
climbing capability, decrease with increas-
ing altitude. Folding out the ball coupling
G
WARNING
If you release the ball coupling or it does not
engage correctly when folding in, it will swing out. Within pivoting range of the ball coupling,
there is an increased risk of an accident and
injury.
Only release the ball coupling if the pivoting
range is unobstructed. Always make sure that the ball coupling engages when folding in.
Before you can tow a trailer with your vehicle, you must fold out the ball coupling.
The release wheel is located behind the left-
hand side trim panel in the boot. X
To open the cover: turn handle:anti-
clockwise and fold down cover ;and
remove it. X
Pull out release wheel =.
X Turn release wheel =anti-clockwise as far
as it will go.
The ball coupling disengages and folds out
behind the rear bumper. Indicator lamp ?
flashes. G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not correctly engaged,
the trailer can detach. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always engage the ball coupling as described.
X Pull the ball coupling in the direction of the
arrow until it engages in a vertical position.
Indicator lamp ?goes out. The power
socket folds down automatically.
The multifunction display shows the
Check Check trailer
trailer hitch
hitchlock
lockdisplay mes-
sage until the ball coupling is engaged.
X Remove the protective covering from the
ball coupling and store it in a safe place.
X Make sure that the ball of the ball coupling
is clean and that it is either greased or dry 228
Towing a trailerDriving and parking