lights MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 2017 Owner's Guide

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 PR
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.
G WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There
is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation.
G WARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can
ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or
parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
General notes Vehicles with a gasoline engine: the catalytic
converter is preheated for up to 30 seconds
after a cold start. The sound of the engine may
change during this time.
Automatic transmission X
Shift the transmission to position P
( Y
page 140).
The transmission position display in the mul-
tifunction display shows P ( Y
page 142).
i You can start the engine in transmission
position P and N . Starting procedure with the SmartKey X
To start a diesel engine : turn the SmartKey
to position 2 in the ignition lock ( Y
page 132).
The \( preglow indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up. X
Turn the SmartKey to position 3 in the ignition
lock and release it as soon as the engine is
running ( Y
page 132).
i Vehicles with a diesel engine: you can
start the engine without preglow if the engine
is warm.
Using KEYLESS-GO to start the engine The Start/Stop button can be used to start the
vehicle without inserting the SmartKey into the
ignition lock. The Start/Stop button must be
inserted in the ignition lock and the SmartKey
must be in the vehicle. This mode for starting the
engine operates independently of the ECO
start/stop automatic engine start function. X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed. X
Press the Start/Stop button once
( Y
page 132).
Vehicles with a gasoline engine: the engine
starts.
Vehicles with a diesel engine: preglow is
activated and the engine starts.
Starting procedure via smartphone Observe the important safety notes on starting
the engine ( Y
page 133).
You can also start your engine via your smart-
phone from outside the vehicle. In this case, the
previously selected climate control setting is
activated. In this way you can cool or heat the
interior of the vehicle before starting the jour-
ney.
Only start the engine via your smartphone if it is
safe to start and run the engine where your vehi-
cle is parked.
Observe the legal stipulations in the area where
your vehicle is parked. Engine start via smart-
phone may be limited to certain countries or
regions.
You can execute a maximum of two consecutive
starting attempts via your smartphone. If you
insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock, you
can carry out two more starting attempts.134
Driving
Driving an d parking

R
the hood is closed R
the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened
All of the vehicle's systems remain active when
the engine is stopped automatically.
The HOLD function can also be activated if the
engine has been switched off automatically. It is
then not necessary to continue applying the
brakes during the automatic stop phase. When
you depress the accelerator pedal, the engine
starts automatically and the braking effect of
the HOLD function is deactivated.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): automatic engine switch-off can take
place a maximum of four times in a row (initial
stop, then three subsequent stops).
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the number of con-
secutive automatic engine switch-offs is unlimi-
ted.
Automatic engine start The engine starts automatically if: R
you switch off the ECO start/stop function by
pressing the ECO button R
in transmission position D or N the brake
pedal is released and the HOLD function is not
active R
you depress the accelerator pedal R
you engage reverse gear RR
you move the transmission out of position PR
you switch to the Sport Plus drive program
(Mercedes-AMG GLE 43 4MATIC) R
you switch to the Sport Plus or Sport drive
program (Mercedes-AMG vehicles) R
you activate manual gearshifting (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles) R
you switch to the Offroad drive program
(vehicles without Off-Road Engineering pack-
age) R
you switch to the Offroad or Offroad Plus
drive program (vehicles with Off-Road Engi-
neering package) R
you unfasten your seat belt or open the driv-
er's door R
the vehicle starts to roll R
the brake system requires this R
the temperature in the vehicle interior devi-
ates from the set range R
the system detects moisture on the wind-
shield when the air-conditioning system is
switched on R
the battery's condition of charge is too low
Shifting the transmission to position P does not
start the engine.
Deactivating or activating the ECO
start/stop function All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles)
X
To deactivate: press ECO button C .
Indicator lamp D goes out.X
To activate: press ECO button C .
Indicator lamp D lights up.
If indicator lamp D is off, the ECO start/stop
function has been deactivated manually or as
the result of a malfunction.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
X
To deactivate: in the Comfort drive pro-
gram, press ECO button C .
or X
Activate manual gearshifting ( Y
page 144).Driving 137
Dr ivi ng an d parking Z

or X
Switch to the Sport Plus or Sport drive pro-
gram ( Y
page 139).
Indicator lamp D goes out.X
To activate: press ECO button C .
Indicator lamp D lights up. When the
Sport Plus or Sport drive program is activa- ted, the automatic transmission switches to
the Comfort drive program.
If indicator lamp D is off, the ECO start/stop
function has been deactivated manually or as
the result of a malfunction.
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 133). 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 333).
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.138
Driving
Driving and parking

Temporary setting X
To activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position D .X
Pull steering wheel paddle shifter C or D .
Temporary setting will be active for a certain
amount of time. Under certain conditions the
minimum amount of time is extended, e.g. in the
case of lateral acceleration, during an overrun
phase or when driving on steep terrain. X
To deactivate: pull steering wheel paddle
shifter D and hold it in place.
or X
Use the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch the
transmission position.
or X
Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program.
Permanent setting (all vehicles except
Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
X
To activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position D .X
Press button C . X
To deactivate: press button C .
or X
Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program.
Permanent setting (Mercedes-AMG
vehicles) X
To activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position D . X
Press button C .
Indicator lamp D lights up.X
To deactivate: press button C .
or X
Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
switch to the Individual drive program.
Indicator lamp D goes out.
Shifting gears
! Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the automatic
transmission does not shift up automatically
even when the engine limiting speed for the
current gear is reached. When the engine lim-
iting speed is reached, the fuel supply is cut to
prevent the engine from overrevving. Always
make sure that the engine speed does not
reach the red area of the tachometer. There is
otherwise a risk of engine damage.Automatic transmission 145
Driving an d parking Z

Applying or releasing ma nuallyX
To engage: push handle C .
When th e electric parking brak e is engaged,
th e I (US A only) or $ (Canada only)
red indicator lamp lights up in th e instrumen t
cluster.
i The electric parking brak e can also be
applie d when th e SmartKey is removed.X
To release: pull handle C .
The red I (US A only) or $ (Canada
only) indicator lamp in th e instrumen t cluste r
goe s out .
i The electric parking brak e can only be
released: R
if th e SmartKey is in position 1 in th e igni-
tion loc k ( Y
page 132) orR
if th e ignition was switched on usin g th e
Start/Sto p butto n
To ensur e that you do no t rol l backwards when
pullin g away on an uphil l slope, engage th e elec -
tric parking brak e ( Y
page 135).
Applying automatically The electric parking brak e is automatically
applie d when th e transmission is in position P
and : R
th e engin e is switched off orR
th e driver is no t wearing a seat belt and th e
driver's door is opened
To preven t th e electric parking brak e from bein g
automatically applied, pull handle C . The electric parking brak e is also engage d auto -
matically if: R
Distanc e Pilo t DISTRONI C bring s th e vehicl e
to a standstill or R
th e HOLD function is keepin g th e vehicl e sta-
tionary R
Parking Pilo t is keepin g th e vehicl e stationary
In addition , at least on e of th e followin g condi-
tion s mus t be fulfilled :R
th e engin e is switched off R
th e driver is no t wearing a seat belt and th e
driver's door is opened R
there is a system malfunction R
th e powe r supply is insufficien tR
th e vehicl e is stationary for a lengthy period
The red I (US A only) or $ (Canada only)
indicator lamp in th e instrumen t cluste r lights
up.
The electric parking brak e is no t automatically
engage d if th e engin e is switched off by th e ECO
start/sto p function .
Releasing automatically The electric parking brak e is release d automat -
ically when all of th e followin g condition s are
fulfilled : R
th e engin e is running. R
th e transmission is in position D or R .R
th e seat belt has been fastened. R
you depress th e accelerato r pedal .
If th e transmission is in position R , th e trunk lid
mus t be closed.
If your seat belt is no t fastened, th e followin g
condition s mus t be fulfilled to automatically
release th e electric parking brake: R
th e driver's door is closed. R
you hav e shifte d out of transmission position
P or you hav e previously driven faste r than
2 mph (3 km/h).
i Ensur e that you do no t depress th e accel-
erator pedal unintentionally. Otherwise th e
parking brak e will be release d and th e vehicl e
will start to move. Parking 155
Driving and parking Z

The ECO display consists of three sections, with
an inner and outer area. The sections corre-
spond to the following three categories:
C
Acceleration (evaluation of all accel-
eration processes): R
the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: moderate
acceleration, especially at higher
speeds R
the outer area empties and the
inner area is gray: sporty acceler-
ation
D
Coasting (evaluation of all decelera-
tion processes): R
the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: anticipatory
driving, keeping your distance and
early release of the accelerator.
The vehicle can coast without use
of the brakes. R
the outer area empties and the
inner area is gray: frequent heavy
braking

This helps you to avoid overheating the
brakes and wearing them out excessively.
When you take advantage of engine braking, a
drive wheel may not turn for some time, e.g.
on a slippery road surface. This could cause
damage to the drive train. This type of damage
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz war-
ranty.
Do not depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. causing the
brakes to rub by constantly applying light pres-
sure to the pedal. This results in excessive and
premature wear to the brake pads.
Use the left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
to shift into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. This is especially
important if the vehicle is laden.
This also applies if you have activated cruise
control, the speed limiter or Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC.
This will use the braking effect of the engine, so
that less braking will be required to maintain the
speed. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly.
Heavy and light loads
G WARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This
increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately. Drive
on for a short while. This allows the airflow to
cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads
If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed reac-
tion from the brakes when braking for the first time. This may also occur after the vehicle has
been washed or driven through deep water.
You then have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehicle
washed, brake firmly while paying attention to
the traffic conditions. This will warm up the
brake discs, thereby drying them more quickly
and protecting them against corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt resi-
due may form on the brake discs and brake
pads. This can result in a significantly longer
braking distance. R
Brake occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so. R
Carefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey. R
Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes
! The brake fluid level may be too low, if: R
if the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and R
you hear a warning tone while the engine is
running
Observe additional warning messages in the
multifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked immediately.
Consult a qualified specialist workshop to
arrange this.
! A function or performance test should only
be carried out on a 2-axle dynamometer. If
you wish to operate the vehicle on such a
dynamometer, please consult a qualified spe-
cialist workshop in advance. You could oth-
erwise damage the drive train or the brake
system.
! Because ESP ®
is an automatic system, the
engine and ignition must be switched off
(SmartKey in position 0 or 1 or Start/Stop
button in position 0 or 1 ) when the electricDriving tips 159
Driving and parking Z

R
LOW RANGE offroad gear (vehicles with the
Offroad Engineering package) ( Y
page 213)R
Differential lock (vehicles with the Off-Road
Engineering package) ( Y
page 212)R
Off-road ABS ( Y
page 63)R
Off-road 4ETS ( Y
page 66)R
Off-road ESP ®
( Y
page 68)R
AIRMATIC package (vehicle level)
( Y
page 180) R
DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
( Y
page 210)
Observe the following notes: R
Stop the vehicle before starting to drive along
an off-road route. If necessary, select the off-
road program ( Y
page 212) or shift to the
LOW RANGE off-road gear ( Y
page 213).R
Select a vehicle level that is suitable for the
terrain. To avoid damaging the vehicle, make
sure there is always sufficient ground clear-
ance. R
Check that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
( Y
page 292). R
Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Activate
DSR ( Y
page 210).R
Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a slope. R
Adapt your speed to the terrain. The rougher,
steeper or more ruts on the terrain, the slower
your speed should be. R
Do not jump with the vehicle as this will inter-
rupt the vehicle's propulsion. R
Drive with extreme care on unfamiliar off-road
routes where visibility is poor. For safety rea-
sons, get out of the vehicle first and survey
the off-road route. R
Look out for obstacles, such as rocks, holes,
tree stumps and furrows. R
Always keep the doors, the tailgate, the side
windows and the sliding sunroof closed while
the vehicle is in motion. R
Do not shift the automatic transmission to
transmission position N .R
Observe the notes on off-road fording
( Y
page 161).
i Do not use the HOLD function when driving
off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gradients
or on slippery or loose surfaces. The HOLD function cannot hold the vehicle on such sur-
faces.
Checklist before driving off-road
! If the engine oil warning lamp lights up while
the vehicle is in motion, stop the vehicle in a
safe place as soon as possible. Check the
engine oil level. The engine oil warning lamp
warning must not be ignored. Continuing the
journey while the symbol is displayed could
lead to engine damage. X
Engine oil level: check the engine oil level
and add oil if necessary.
When driving on steep gradients, the engine
oil level must be sufficiently high to ensure a
correct oil supply in the vehicle. X
DEF tank (BlueTEC vehicles): check the
level and add if necessary ( Y
page 150).X
Tire-changing tool kit: check that the jack is
working and make sure you have the lug
wrench, a robust tow cable and a folding
spade in the vehicle. X
Wheels and tires: check the tire tread depth
and tire pressure. X
Check for damage and remove any foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the wheels/
tires. X
Replace any missing valve caps. X
Replace dented or damaged wheels. X
Rims: dented or bent rims can result in a loss
of tire pressure and damage the tire 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.
Driving over rough terrain 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. X
If the Offroad or Offroad Plus drive program
is selected: select the Individual , Sport ,Driving tips 163
Driving and parking Z

Comfort or Slippery drive program
( Y
page 139).X
Deactivate the LOW RANGE off-road gear
( Y
page 213).X
Deactivate DSR ( Y
page 210).X
Lower the vehicle level again to a level suita-
ble to the road conditions, e.g. to the normal
level. X
Clean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage. X
Clean the front and rear license plates. X
Clean the wheels and tires with a water jet
and remove any foreign objects. X
Clean the wheels, wheel housings 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 bellows of the axle joints
and propeller shafts. X
After the trip, examine without fail the entire
undercarriage, wheels, tires, brakes, body-
work structure, steering, chassis and exhaust
system for damage. X
After driving for extended periods across
sand, mud, gravel, water or in similarly dirty
conditions, have the brake discs, wheels,
brake pads/linings and axle joints checked
and cleaned. X
If you detect strong vibrations after off-road
travel, 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 on sand Observe the following rules when driving on
sand: R
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 212).R
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 211).R
Select a higher vehicle level. R
Avoid high engine speeds. R
Use the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter to shift to a lower gear appropriate to
the terrain. R
Drive quickly to overcome the rolling resist-
ance. Otherwise the vehicle's wheels could
become stuck in loose ground. R
Drive in the tracks of other vehicles if possi-
ble. Make sure that: -
the tire ruts are not too deep. -
the sand is sufficiently firm. -
the ground clearance of the vehicle is suf-
ficient.
Tire 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
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 212). R
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 211). R
Select a higher vehicle level. R
Avoid high engine speeds. R
Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter. R
Drive slowly. R
Where ruts are too deep, drive with the
wheels of one side on the center grassy area,
if possible.
Driving over obstacles
! Obstacles could damage the floor of the
vehicle or components of the chassis. Ask
passengers for guidance when driving over
large obstacles. The passenger should always
keep a safe distance from the vehicle when
doing so in order to avoid injury as a result of
unexpected vehicle movements. After driving
off-road or over obstacles, check the vehicle
for possible damage, especially to the under-
body and the components of the chassis.164
Driving tips
Driving and parking

If you unlock the vehicle or open a door, the
vehicle begins to compensate for load discrep-
ancies while still parked. However, for signifi-
cant level changes, such as after the vehicle has
been stationary for a long period, the engine
must be on. For safety reasons, the vehicle is
only lowered when the doors are closed. Low-
ering is interrupted if a door is opened, and it
continues once the door has been closed.
Vehicles with no trailer coupled: below a
speed of 40 mph (64 km/h), you can choose
between the normal and raised vehicle level.
Select the normal vehicle level for normal road
surfaces and the raised vehicle level for driving
with snow chains or on particularly poor road
surfaces. Your selection remains stored even if
you remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
If you try to select raised level at a speed above
40 mph (64 km/h), the Drive More Slowly
message appears in the multifunction display.
Vehicles with a trailer coupled: below a speed
of 19 mph (30 km/h), you can choose between
the normal and raised vehicle level.
Setting the raised vehicle level
X
Start the engine.
If indicator lamp D is not lit:X
Press button C .
Indicator lamp D flashes while the vehicle is
being raised, and lights up continuously as
soon as the vehicle reaches the desired level.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): the vehicle is raised by 2.4 in (60 mm)
compared to the normal level.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the vehicle is
raised by 2 in (50 mm) compared to the nor-
mal level.
The Vehicle Rising
message appears in the
multifunction display. The message remains until the raised level is
reached.
If you press the 8 or v button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message will
disappear.
The raised level setting is canceled if you: R
drive at speeds above 50 mph (80 km/h) (all
vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles) R
drive at speeds above 43 mph (70 km/h)
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles) R
drive at speed s between 40 mph (64 km/h)
and 50 mph (80 km/h) for approximately 20
seconds (all vehicles except Mercedes-AMG
vehicles) R
drive at speeds between 40 mph (64 km/h)
and 43 mph (70 km/h) for approximately 20
seconds (Mercedes-AMG vehicles) R
drive at speeds above 19 mph (30 km/h) with
a trailer
The raised vehicle level remains saved when you
are not driving within these speed ranges.
Setting the normal vehicle level
! Make sure that there is enough ground
clearance when the vehicle is being lowered.
It could otherwise hit the ground, damaging
the underbody. X
Start the engine.
If indicator lamp D is lit: X
Press button C .
Indicator lamp D flashes while the vehicle is
being lowered, and goes out as soon as the
desired vehicle level is reached.
Vehicles with no trailer coupled: the vehi-
cle is adjusted to the height of the selected
drive program ( Y
page 139).
Vehicles with a trailer coupled: the vehicle
is adjusted to normal level regardless of the
drive program selected ( Y
page 139). The
vehicle remains at the normal level, even if the
drive program is changed.
During the adjustment, the Lowering mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
If you press the 8 or v button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message will
disappear.Driving systems 183
Driving and parking Z