MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 2016 Owners Manual

It is only possible to shift the transmission from
position P to the desired position if you depress
the brake pedal. Only then is the parking lock
released. If you do not depress the brake pedal,
the DIRECT SELECT lever can still be moved but
the parking lock remains engaged.
i Upshifts take place at higher engine speeds
after a cold start. This helps the catalytic con-
verter to reach its operating temperature
more quickly.
Information on the automatic release of the
electric parking brake ( Y
page 179).
Pulling away with a trailer
To ensure that you do not roll backwards when
pulling away on an uphill slope, engage the elec-
tric parking brake. X
Press and hold handle C .
The electric parking brake continues to brake
and prevent the vehicle from rolling back-
wards.
The red I (USA only) or $ (Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
remains on. X
Depress the accelerator pedal. X
As soon as the vehicle/trailer combination is
held by the driving force of the engine, release
lever C .
the electric parking brake is released.
The red I (USA only) or $ (Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
goes out.
Hill start assist
Hill start assist helps you when pulling away for-
wards or in reverse on an uphill gradient. It holds
the vehicle for a short time after you have
removed your foot from the brake pedal. This gives you enough time to move your foot from
the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal and to
depress it before the vehicle begins to roll.
G WARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no lon-
ger brake your vehicle and it could roll away.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
Hill start assist is not active if: R
you are pulling away on a level road or on a
downhill gradient. R
the transmission is in position N .R
the electric parking brake is applied. R
ESP ®
is malfunctioning.
ECO start/stop function
Introduction This section describes the ECO start/stop func-
tion for all vehicles except PLUG-IN HYBRID
vehicles. Information on the ECO start/stop
function on PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles
( Y
page 253).
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle is stopped
under certain conditions.
The engine starts automatically when the driver
wants to pull away again. The ECO start/stop
function thereby helps you to reduce the fuel
consumption and emissions of your vehicle.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically and
you exit the vehicle, the engine is restarted
automatically. The vehicle may begin moving.
There is a risk of accident and injury.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the ignition and secure the vehicle against
rolling away. Driving 149
Driving and parking Z

General notes
C
ECO start/stop display
The ECO start/stop function is activated when-
ever you start the engine using the SmartKey or
the Start/Stop button.
If the engine has been switched off automati-
cally by the ECO start/stop function, the

Deactivating or activating th e ECO
start/stop function All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles) X
To deactivate : press EC O butto n C .
Indicator lamp D goe s out .X
To activate : press EC O butto n C .
Indicator lamp D lights up.
If indicator lamp D is off, th e EC O start/sto p
function has bee n deactivated manually or as
th e result of a malfunction .
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
X
To deactivate : in th e Comfor t drive pro -
gram, press EC O butto n C .
or X
Activat e manual gearshiftin g ( Y
page 159).
or X
Switc h to th e Spor t Plu s or Spor t drive pro -
gram ( Y
page 152).
Indicator lamp D goe s out .X
To activate : press EC O butto n C .
Indicator lamp D lights up. Whe n th e
Spor t Plu s or Spor t drive program is activa-
ted, th e automatic transmissio n switches to
th e Comfor t drive program. If indicator lamp D is off, th e EC O start/sto p
function has bee n deactivated manually or as
th e result of a malfunction .
Driving 151
Driving and parking Z

Problems with the engine Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard. R
There is a malfunction in the engine electronics. R
There is a malfunction in the fuel supply.
Before attempting to start the engine again: X
Turn the SmartKey back to position 0 in the ignition lock.
or X
Press the Start/Stop button repeatedly until all indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster go out. X
Try to start the engine again ( Y
page 147). Avoid excessively long
and frequent attempts to start the engine as these will drain the
battery.
If the engine does not start after several attempts: X
Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine does not
start. You cannot hear
the starter motor. The on-board voltage is too low because the battery is too weak or
discharged. X
Jump-start the vehicle ( Y
page 379).
If the engine does not start despite attempts to jump-start it: X
Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
The starter motor was exposed to a thermal load that was too high. X
Allow the starter motor to cool down for approximately two minutes. X
Try to start the engine again.
If the engine still does not start: X
Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
Vehicles with a gasoline
engine:
The engine is not running
smoothly and is misfir-
ing. There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanical
component of the engine management system. X
Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic converter
and damage it. X
Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
The coolant temperature
gage shows a value
above 248 ‡ (120 †). The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine is no
longer being cooled sufficiently. X
Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant to
cool down. X
Check the coolant level ( Y
page 359). Observe the warning notes
as you do so and add coolant if necessary.
DYNAMIC SELECT controller
This section describes the DYNAMIC SELECT
controller for all vehicles except PLUG- IN HYBRID vehicles. Information on the
DYNAMIC SELECT controller on PLUG-
IN HYBRID vehicles ( Y
page 251).152
DYNAMIC SELECT controller
Driving and parking

Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to change
the drive program. Depending on the drive pro-
gram selected the following vehicle character-
istics will change: R
the drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment) R
the transmission R
the suspension R
the steering R
the availability of the ECO start/stop function
Each time you start the engine with the Smart-
Key or the Start/Stop button, the Comfort drive
program is activated. For further information
about starting the engine, see ( Y
page 147).
X
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): turn DYNAMIC SELECT controller C as
many times as necessary until the desired
drive program is selected.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. After five seconds the
display goes out.
In addition, the current drive program settings
are displayed in the multimedia system dis-
play.
Drive programs available (all vehicles
except Mercedes-AMG vehicles):
Individual
Individual settings
Sport
Sporty driving characteris-
tics
Comfort
Comfortable and economi-
cal driving characteristics
Slippery
Optimal driving characteris-
tics on slippery or snow-
covered roads Off-road
Optimal driving characteris-
tics for easily negotiable off-
road terrain
Offroad Plus
(vehicles with
Off-Road Engi-
neering pack-
age) Optimal driving characteris-
tics for rough terrain
Further information on: R
the Individual , Sport , Comfort and Slippery
drive programs ( Y
page 158)R
the Offroad drive program (vehicles without
Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 237) R
the Offroad and Offroad Plus drive pro-
grams (vehicles with Off-Road Engineering
package) ( Y
page 237)
X
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller C as many times as nec-
essary until the desired drive program is
selected.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. After five seconds the
display goes out.
In addition, the current drive program settings
are displayed in the multimedia system dis-
play.
Drive programs available (Mercedes-AMG
vehicles):
Individual
Individual settings
Comfort
Comfortable and economi-
cal driving characteristics
Sport
Sporty driving characteris-
ticsDYNAMIC SELECT controller 153
Driving and parking Z

Sport Plus
Particularly sporty driving
characteristics
Slippery
Optimal driving characteris-
tics on slippery or snow-
covered roads
Additional information for drive programs
( Y
page 158).
Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position D or R ,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is
a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position D or R ,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate.
G WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position N when you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P . Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
Observe the important safety notes for PLUG-IN
HYBRID vehicles ( Y
page 42). DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions
]
Park position with parking lock ^
Reverse gear \\
Neutral [
Drive
The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns to its
original position. The current transmission posi-
tion P , R , N or D appears in the transmission
position display in the multifunction display
( Y
page 154).
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display The current transmission position and drive pro-
gram appear in the multifunction display.
C
Transmission position
D
Gear

Engaging park position P
! If the engine speed is too high or the vehicle
is moving, do not shift the automatic trans-
mission directly from D to R , from R to D or
directly to P . The automatic transmission
could otherwise be damaged.
]
Park position with parking lock^
Reverse gear\\
Neutral[
Drive X
Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the direction
of arrow P .
Engaging park position P automatically Park position P is automatically engaged if:R
you switch off the engine using the SmartKey
and remove the SmartKey R
you switch off the engine using the SmartKey
or using the Start/Stop button and open the
driver's door or front-passenger door R
the driver's door is opened when the vehicle is
stationary or driving at very low speed and the
transmission is in position D or R
Under certain conditions, the automatic trans-
mission shifts automatically to transmission
position P if the HOLD function or DISTRONIC
PLUS is activated. Observe the information on
the HOLD function ( Y
page 205) and on
DISTRONIC PLUS ( Y
page 196).
Engaging reverse gear R
! Only shift the automatic transmission to R
when the vehicle is stationary. X
If the transmission is in position D or N : push
the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the first
point of resistance. X
If the transmission is in position P : depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT
lever up past the first point of resistance.
Shifting to neutral N
G WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could: R
open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users. R
get out and disrupt traffic. R
operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they: R
release the parking brake. R
shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P R
Start the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children. X
If the transmission is in position D or R : push
the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down to the
first point of resistance. X
If the transmission is in position P : depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT
lever up or down to the first point of resist-
ance.
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-
sion in position R or D , the automatic transmis-
sion shifts to N automatically.
With the SmartKey: if you then open the driv-
er's door or the front-passenger door or remove
the SmartKey from the ignition, the automatic
transmission shifts to P automatically.
With the Start/Stop button: if you t hen open
t
he driver's door or the front-passenger door,
the automatic transmission shifts to P automat-
ically.Automatic transmission 155
Driving and parking Z

If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral N , e.g. when having the vehicle
cleaned in an automatic car wash with a towing
system:
Using the SmartKey: X
Switch on the ignition. X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed. X
Shift to neutral N .X
Release the brake pedal. X
Release the electric parking brake. X
Switch off the ignition and leave the SmartKey
in the ignition lock.
With the Start/Stop button: X
Remove the Start/Stop button from the igni-
tion lock. X
Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock. X
Switch on the ignition. X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed. X
Shift to neutral N .X
Release the brake pedal. X
Release the electric parking brake. X
Switch off the ignition and leave the SmartKey
in the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D X
If the transmission is in position R or N : push
the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the first
point of resistance. X
If the transmission is in position P : depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT
lever down past the first point of resistance. Transmission positions E Park position
Only shift the transmission into posi-
tion P when the vehicle is stationary
( Y
page 178). The parking lock
should not be used as a brake when
parking. Always apply the electronic
parking brake in addition to the park-
ing lock in order to secure the vehi-
cle.
If the vehicle electronics are malfunc-
tioning, the transmission may be
locked in position P . Have the vehicle
electronics checked immediately at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Park position P is automatically
engaged if: R
you switch off the engine using the
SmartKey and remove the Smart-
Key R
you switch off the engine using the
SmartKey or using the Start/Stop
button and open the driver's door
or front-passenger door R
the driver's door is opened when
the vehicle is stationary or driving
at very low speed and the trans-
mission is in position D or R
F Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission into posi-
tion R when the vehicle is stationary.156
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

D Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to N
while driving. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could be dam-
aged.
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you to
move the vehicle freely, e.g. to push
it or tow it.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty: shift
the transmission to position N if the
vehicle is in danger of skidding, e.g.
on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position R or D , the
automatic transmission shifts to N
automatically.
! Rolling in neutral N can damage
the drive train.
: Drive
The automatic transmission changes
gear automatically. All forward gears
are available.
Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D . This automatic gear shifting
behavior is determined by: R
the selected drive program R
the position of the accelerator pedal R
the road speed
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear: R
little throttle: early upshifts R
more throttle: late upshifts Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration. X
Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a lower
gear depending on the engine speed. X
Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Rocking the vehicle free Shifting the transmission repeatedly between
gears D and R may help to free the vehicle if it
has become stuck in slush or snow. The vehi-
cle's engine management system limits the
speed to a maximum of 5 mph (9 km/h) when
shifting back and forth. To shift back and forth
between transmission positions D and R , move
the DIRECT SELECT lever up and down past the
point of resistance.
Gliding mode
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles) Gliding mode is characterized by the following: R
the combustion engine is disconnected from
the drive train. R
the engine speed corresponds to the idling
speed. R
the gear indicated after the transmission
position D disappears in the multifunction
display ( Y
page 154).
Gliding mode can be activated under the follow-
ing conditions: R
you select the "ECO" setting for the drive sys-
tem within the Individual drive program. You
can find information about this in the Digital
Operator's Manual. R
the speed is within a suitable range. R
the course of the road is suitable, e.g. there
are no steep up or downhill gradients. R
you are no longer depressing the accelerator
pedal.
Gliding mode is deactivated under the following
conditions: R
you depress the accelerator pedal. R
you depress the brake pedal.Automatic transmission 157
Driving an d parking Z

R
you use th e DIRECT SELECT lever to switch
th e transmission position ( Y
page 154).R
use th e DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
chang e th e drive progra m ( Y
page 152).R
you activat e manual gearshiftin g
( Y
page 159).R
you leav e th e suitable speed range.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles Glidin g mod e is characterized by th e following:R
th e combustion engin e is disconnected from
th e drive train .R
th e engin e speed corresponds to th e idlin g
speed. R
in th e multifunction display, th e glidin g sym -
bol appears in th e drive progra m display.
Glidin g mod e can be activated under th e follow-
in g conditions: R
th e Comfor t drive progra m is activated or you
select th e "Comfort" setting for th e drive sys-
te m within th e Individua l drive program. You
can fin d information about this in th e Digital
Operator' s Manual.R
th e ECO start/sto p function is activated.R
you are drivin g carefully wit h low acceleration
of th e vehicle.R
th e engin e is at normal operating tempera-
ture. R
th e speed is within a suitable range.R
th e cours e of th e roa d is suitable, e.g. there
are no steep up or downhill gradients .R
you are no longer depressin g th e accelerato r
pedal .
Glidin g mod e is d eactivated under th e fo
llowin g
conditions: R
you hav e deactivated th e ECO start/sto p
function .R
you depress th e accelerato r pedal .R
you depress th e brak e pedal .R
you use th e DIRECT SELECT lever to switch
th e transmission position ( Y
page 154).R
use th e DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
chang e th e drive progra m ( Y
page 152).R
you activat e manual gearshiftin g
( Y
page 159).R
you leav e th e suitable speed range. Towing a trailer X
Drive in th e middle of th e engin e speed range
on uphil l gradients .X
Dependin g on th e uphil l or downhill gradient,
use left-han d steerin g whee l paddl e shifter
( Y
page 159) to select a lower gear , eve n if
cruise control or DISTRONI C PLU S are acti-
vated.
Drive programs
Slippery drive program The Slipper y drive progra m has th e followin g
characteristics : R
reduce d engin e and transmission setting s for
optimum propulsion on slipper y or snow-cov-
ere d roads. R
optimized ES P ®
stabilit y control on slipper y or
snow-covered roads. R
th e vehicl e has improved drivin g stabilit y on
slipper y or snow-covered roads, for example.
Comfort drive program The Comfor t drive progra m has th e followin g
characteristics : R
comfort-oriented engin e and transmission
settings. R
optimal fuel consumption resultin g from th e
automati c transmission shiftin g up sooner.R
th e vehicl e pullin g away mor e gentl y in
forward and revers e gears, unless th e accel-
erator pedal is depressed fully. R
th e automati c transmission shiftin g up
sooner. This result s in th e vehicl e bein g driven
at lower engin e speeds and th e wheels bein g
less likely to spin .
Sp or t drive program The Sport drive progra m has th e followin g char-
acteristics : R
sport y engin e and transmission settings. R
th e automati c transmission shiftin g up later.
th e fuel consumption possibl y bein g higher as
a result of th e later automati c transmission
shift points . R
th e suspension exhibits sport y dampin g (vehi-
cle s wit h AIRMATIC) .158
Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking