ESP MERCEDES-BENZ GLE-CLASS SUV 2016 Workshop Manual

Ryou use theDIRECT SELECT lever to switch
th etransmission position (Ypage 154).
Ruse theDYNAMIC SELECT controller to
chang eth edrive progra m (Ypage 152).
Ryou activatemanual gearshiftin g
(Ypage 159).
Ryou leav eth esuitable speed range.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
Glidin gmod eis characterized by th efollowing:
Rth ecombustion engin eis disconnected from
th edrive train .
Rtheengin espeed corresponds to th eidlin g
speed.
Rin th emultifunction display, th eglidin gsym -
bol appears in th edrive progra mdisplay.
Glidin gmod ecan be activated under th efollow-
in g conditions:
Rth eComfor tdrive progra mis activated or you
select th e"Comfort" setting for th edrive sys-
te m within th eIndividua ldrive program. You
can fin dinformation about this in th eDigital
Operator' sManual.
Rth eECO start/sto pfunction is activated.
Ryou are drivin gcarefully wit hlow acceleration
of th evehicle.
Rth eengin eis at normal operating tempera-
ture.
Rth espeed is within asuitable range.
Rth ecours eof th eroa dis suitable, e.g. there
are no steep up or downhill gradients .
Ryou are no longer depressingth eaccelerato r
pedal .
Glidin gmod eis d
eactivated under th
efollowin g
conditions:
Ryou hav edeactivated th eECO start/sto p
function .
Ryou depress th eaccelerato rpedal .
Ryou depress th ebrak epedal .
Ryou use th eDIRECT SELECT lever to switch
th etransmission position (Ypage 154).
Ruse theDYNAMIC SELECT controller to
chang eth edrive progra m (Ypage 152).
Ryou activatemanual gearshiftin g
(Ypage 159).
Ryou leav eth esuitable speed range.
Towing a trailer
XDrive in th emiddle of th eengin espeed range
on uphil lgradients .
XDependin gon th euphil lor downhill gradient,
use left-han dsteerin gwhee lpaddl eshifter
(
Ypage 159) to select alower gear ,eve nif
cruise control or DISTRONI CPLU Sare acti-
vated.
Drive programs
Slippery drive program
The Slipper ydrive progra mhas th efollowin g
characteristics :
Rreducedengin eand transmission setting sfor
optimum propulsion on slipper yor snow-cov-
ere droads.
Roptimized ES P®stabilitycontrol on slipper yor
snow-covered roads.
Rth evehicl ehas improved drivin gstabilit yon
slipper yor snow-covered roads, for example.
Comfort drive program
The Comfor tdrive progra mhas th efollowin g
characteristics :
Rcomfort-oriented engin eand transmission
settings.
Roptimal fuel consumption resultin gfrom th e
automati ctransmission shiftin gup sooner.
Rth evehicl epullin gaway mor egentl yin
forward and revers egears, unless th eaccel-
erator pedal is depressed fully.
Rth eautomati ctransmission shiftin gup
sooner. This result sin th evehicl ebein gdriven
at lower engin espeeds and th ewheels bein g
less likely to spin .
Sport drive program
TheSport drive progra mhas th efollowin gchar-
acteristics :
Rsportyengin eand transmission settings.
Rth eautomati ctransmission shiftin gup later.
th efuel consumption possibl ybein ghigher as
a result of th elater automati ctransmission
shift points .
Rthesuspension exhibits sport ydampin g(vehi-
cle swit hAIRMATIC) .
158Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking

Drive program SportPlu s(Mercedes-
AMG vehicles )
TheSpor tPlu sdrive program has th efollowin g
characteristics :
Rthevehicle exhibits particularly sport ydrivin g
characteristics .
Rthevehicle pulling away in first gear .
Rtheautomatic transmissio nshiftin gup later.
th efue lconsumption possibly bein ghigher as
a result of th elater automatic transmissio n
shift points .
Rthesuspensio nexhibits particularly fir m
springin gand dampin gsetting s(vehicles wit h
AIRMATIC).
Rth eEC Ostart/sto pfunction is deactivated, it
can ,however, be activated again usin gth e
EC Obutto n (
Ypage 151).
Individua ldrive program
In th eIndividua ldrive program, th efollowin g
properties of th edrive program can be selected:
Rth edrive (engin eand transmissio nmanage-
ment)
Rth etransmissio n
Rthesuspensio n
Rall vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehicles):
thesteerin g
Rall vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehicles):
availabilit yof th eEC Ostart/sto pfunction
To selec tth egear sin th eIndividua ldrive pro -
gram permanentl yusin gth esteerin gwhee lpad-
dle shifters ,selec tth epermanen tmanual gear -
shift program.
Information about configurin gth eIndividua l
drive program wit hth emultimedia syste mcan
be found in th eDigital Operator's Manual.
Manual gea rshifting
General notes
You can chang egear yoursel fusin gth esteerin g
whee lpaddle shifters .The transmissio nmus tbe
in position D.
Dependin gon whic hpaddle shifter is pulled, th e
automatic transmissio nimmediately shift sinto
th enext gear down or up, if permitted. To use manual shifting, you hav
etw ooptions:
Rtemporar ysetting
Rpermanen tsetting
If you activat emanual gearshifting, th emulti-
function display will sho wthecurren tgear
instead of transmissio nposition D.
If manual gearshiftin gis deactivated, th egear s
will be selecte dautomatically.
Temporar ysetting
XTo activate :shift th eDIREC TSELECT lever to
position D.
XPull steerin gwhee lpaddle shifter :or;.
Further information on activatin gmanual gear -
shiftin gon PLUG-I NHYBRID vehicles
(
Ypage 251).
Temporary setting will be active fo r acertain
amount of time. Under certain condition sth e
minimum amount of time is extended, e.g. in th e
cas eof latera lacceleration ,durin gan overrun
phas eor when drivin gon steep terrain .
XTo deactivate:pull steerin gwhee lpaddle
shifter ;and hol dit in place.
or
XUse th eDIREC TSELECT lever to switch th e
transmissio nposition .
or
XUse th eDYNAMI CSELECT controller to
chang eth edrive program.
Automatic transmission159
Driving and parking
Z

Problems with the transmission
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The transmission has
problems shifting gear.The transmission is losing oil.
XHave the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
7G-TRONIC:
The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no lon-
ger changes gear.The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift intosecondgear and reverse gear.
XStop the vehicle.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XSwitch off the engine.
XWait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
XShift the transmission to positionDor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
XHave the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
9G-TRONIC:
The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no lon-
ger changes gear.The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only partly possible to engage the gears or the transmission is in
position N.
XStop the vehicle.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XSwitch off the engine.
XWait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
XShift the transmission to positionDor R.
XHave the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
Problems with PLUG-IN HYBRID operation (Ypage 255).
Transfer case
This section is only valid for vehicles with 4-
wheel drive (4MATIC). Power is always trans-
mitted to both axles.
!Performance tests may only be carried out
on a 2-axle dynamometer. The brake system
or transfer case could otherwise be damaged. Contact a qualified specialist workshop for a
performance test.
!Because ESP®is an automatic system, the
engine and ignition must be switched off
(SmartKey in position 0or 1or Start/Stop
button in position 0or 1) when the electric
parking brake is being tested on a brake dyna-
mometer (maximum 10 seconds). Braking triggered automatically by ESP
®may
seriously damage the brake system.
!Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised, as
doing so will damage the transmission.
Refueling
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and explo-
sion.
162Refueling
Driving and parking

DEF (BlueTECvehicles only )
General notes
To function properly, BlueTE Cexhaus tgas after-
treatmen tmus tbe operated wit hth ereducing
agen tDEF. Addin gDE Fis on eof th etask sper -
formed durin gmaintenance .Under normal
operatin gconditions, atank of DE Flast suntil
th enext servic edue date.
Whe nth esupply of DE Fis almost used up, th e
Check Additive See Operator' sManual
messag eis shown in th emultifunction display.
If you drive th evehicle faste rthan 10 mph
(16 km/h), th eCheck Additive See Opera‐
tor's Manualmessag egoe sout after approx -
imately on eminute.
Whe nth eDE Fsupply drops to aminimum ,th e
Remaining Starts :16
messag eis shown in
th emultifunction display.
If th eRemaining Starts :16
messag e
appears in th emultifunction display, you can
start th eengin eanother 16 times .If DE Fis no t
refilled, you will subsequently be unable to
star tth eengine.
XAd dat leas t 1gal (3. 8l) of DEF.
XSwitc hon th eignition fo rat leas t60 seconds.
XStart th eengine.
iHav eth eDE Ftank refille dat aqualified spe -
cialis tworkshop .
Use th especial DE Frefill bottl ewhen addin g
DE Fbetween maintenance intervals. You can
obtain further information from an authorized
Mercedes-Ben zCente ror ,if necessary, contact
Roadside Assistanc e (
Ypage 27).
If th eoutsid etemperature is belo w12 ‡(Ò11 †)
it may be difficult to top up. If DEF is frozen and
there is an active warning indicator, it may not
be possible to add DEF. Park the vehicle in a
warmer place, e.g. in a garage, until DEF has
become fluid again. It will then be possible to
add DEF again. Alternatively, have the DEF tank
refilled at a qualified specialist workshop.
Further information about BlueTEC exhaust gas aftertreatment and DEF is available at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Important safety notes
DEF is a water-soluble fluid for the exhaust gas
aftertreatment of diesel engines. It is:
Rnot poisonous
Rcolorless and odorless
Rnot flammable
When you open the DEF container, small
amounts of ammonia vapor may be released.
Ammonia vapors have a pungent odor and are
particularly irritating to the skin, to mucous
membranes and to the eyes. You may experi-
ence a burning sensation in your eyes, nose and
throat. Coughing and watering of the eyes are
possible.
Do not inhale ammonia vapors. Fill the DEF tank
only in well-ventilated areas.
DEF must not come into contact with your skin,
eyes or clothing and must not be swallowed.
Keep DEF away from children.
If you or other persons come into contact with
DEF, observe the following:
RRinse DEF from your skin immediately with
soap and water.
RIf DEF comes into contact with your eyes,
immediately rinse them thoroughly with clean
water. Seek medical assistance without
delay.
RIf DEF has been swallowed, rinse your mouth
out immediately. Drink plenty of water. Seek
medical assistance without delay.
RChange out of clothing contaminated with
DEF immediately.
!Only use DEF in accordance with
ISO 22241. Do not mix any additives with
DEF, and do not dilute DEF with water. This
may destroy the BlueTEC exhaust gas after-
treatment system.
!The vehicle must be parked on level ground
to fill the DEF tank. The DEF tank can only be
filled as intended with the vehicle parked on a
level surface. This avoids false level readings. Filling the tank is not permitted if the vehicle
is not parked on a level surface. There is a
danger of overfil
ling, which could result in
damage to components of the BlueTEC
exhaust gas aftertreatment.
!Rinse surfaces that have come into contact
with DEF immediately with water or remove
DEF using a damp cloth and cold water. If the
DEF has already crystallized, use a sponge
Refueling167
Driving and parking
Z

Drive sensibly–save fuel
Observ eth efollowin gtips to sav efuel:
XThe tires should always be inflate dto th erec -
ommended tire pressure.
XRemov eunnecessary loads.
XRemov eroof carriers when they are no tnee-
ded.
XWar mup th eengin eat low engin espeeds .
XAvoid frequent acceleration or braking .
XHaveall maintenance wor kcarrie dout as
indicated by th eservic eintervals in th eMain -
tenance Booklet or by th eservic einterval dis -
play.
Fue lconsumption also increase swhen drivin gin
cold weather ,in stop-start traffic and in hill yter-
rain .
Drinking an ddrivin g
GWARNING
Drinking and drivin gand/o rtaking drugs and
drivin gare ver ydangerous combinations.
Even asmall amount of alcoho lor drugs can
affec tyour reflexes, perception sand judg-
ment.
The possibilit yof aserious or eve nfatal acci-
den tis greatly increase dwhen you drink or
take drugs and drive.
Do no tdrink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyon eto drive who has bee ndrinkin gor tak-
in g drugs.
Emission contro l
GWARNING
Combustion engines emi tpoisonous exhaus t
gases suc has carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaus tgases lead sto poisoning. There
is aris kof fatal injury. Therefor enever leav e
th eengin erunning in enclose dspaces with-
out sufficien tventilation .
Certain engin esystems are designed to keep
th elevel of poisonous component sin exhaus t
fumes within lega llimits.
These systems only wor kat peak efficiency if
they are serviced exactly in accordance wit hth e
manufacturer's specifications. Always hav ewor
kon th eengin ecarrie dout at aqualified
specialis tworkshop .Mercedes-Ben zrecom -
mends that you use an authorized Mercedes -
Benz Cente rfo rthis purpose. In particular, wor k
relevant to safet yor on safety-related systems
mus tbe carrie dout at aqualified specialis t
workshop .
The engin esetting smus tno tbe changed under
any circumstances. Furthermore, all specific
servic ewor kmus tbe carrie dout at regular
intervals and in accordance wit hth eMercedes -
Benz servic erequirements .Details can be found
in th eMaintenance Booklet .
ECO display
The ECOdisplay shows you how economical
your drivin gstyle is. The EC Odisplay assist syou
in achievin gth emost economical drivin gstyle
fo rth eselecte dsetting sand prevailin gcondi-
tions. Your drivin gstyle can significantly influ-
ence th evehicle' sconsumption .
:Acceleration
;Coasting
=Constant
?Additional range achieved
Range ?is shown under Bonus
fr.Startand
represents th eadditional range achieved since
th ebeginning of th ejourney as aresult of an
adapted drivin gstyle.
If th efue llevel has dropped into th ereserv e
range, th eReserv eFue l
messag eis shown in
th emultifunction display instead of range ?.
The 8 warnin glamp in th einstrumen tcluster
also lights up (
Ypage 325).
182Driving tips
Driving and parking

The ECO display consists of three sections, with
an inner and outer area. The sections corre-
spond to the following three categories:
:Acceleration(evaluation of all accel-
eration processes):
Rthe outer area fills up and the inner area lights up green: moderate
acceleration, especially at higher
speeds
Rthe outer area empties and the
inner area is gray: sporty acceler-
ation
;Coasting (evaluation of all decelera-
tion processes):
Rthe 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.
Rthe outer area empties and the
inner area is gray: frequent heavy
braking
=Constant (continuous evaluation
over the entire journey):
Rthe outer area fills up and the inner area lights up green: constant
speed and avoidance of unneces-
sary acceleration and deceleration
Rthe outer area empties and the
inner area is gray: fluctuations in
speed
The three inner areas display the current driving
style and light up green as a result of a particu-
larly economical driving style. Depending on thedriving situation, up to two areas may light up
simultaneously.
At the beginning of the journey, the three outer
areas are empty and fill up as a result of eco-
nomical driving. A higher level indicates a more
economical driving style. If the three outer areas
are completely filled at the same time, the driver
has adopted the most economical driving style
for the selected settings and prevailing condi-
tions. The ECO display border lights up.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual fuel consumption. The additionally achieved range
displayed under Bonus fr. Start
does not
indicate a fixed consumption reduction. In addition to driving style, the actual consump-
tion is affected by other factors, such as:
Rload
Rtire pressure
Rcold start
Rchoice of route
Relectrical consumers switched on
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
An economical driving style specially requires
driving at moderate engine speeds.
Achieving a higher value in the categories
"Acceleration" and "Constant":
Robserve the gearshift recommendations.
Rdrive the vehicle in the Comfortdrive pro-
gram.
On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g. on the
highway, only the outer area for "constant" will
change.
The ECO display summarizes the driving style
from the start of the journey to its completion.
Therefore, there are more marked changes in
the outer areas at the start of a journey. On lon- ger journeys, there are fewer changes. For more
marked changes, perform a manual rest
(
Ypage 267).
For further information on the ECO display, see
(
Ypage 267).
Brakes
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients
!On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting early
to a lower gear. This allows you to take
advantage of the engine braking effect and
Driving tips183
Driving and parking
Z

helps avoid overheating and excessive wear
of the brakes.
When you take advantage of the engine brak-
ing effect, 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 warranty.
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.
Heavy and light loads
GWARNING
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.
RBrake occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so.
RCarefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
RMaintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes
!The brake fluid level may be too low, if:
Rif the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and
Ryou 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 0or 1or Start/Stop
button in position 0or 1) when the electric
parking brake is being tested on a brake dyna-
mometer (maximum 10 seconds).
Braking triggered automatically by ESP
®may
seriously damage the brake system.
All checks and maintenance work on the brake
system must be carried out at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Have brake pads installed and brake fluid
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the functional-
184Driving tips
Driving and parking

ity of your brakes at regular intervals. To do so,
depress the brake pedal firmly when driving at a
high speed. This improves the grip of the brake
pads.
You can find a description of Brake Assist (BAS)on (
Ypage 67) or of BAS PLUS on (Ypage 67).
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only have
brake pads/linings installed on your vehicle
which have been approved for Mercedes-Benz
vehicles or which correspond to an equivalent
quality standard. Brake pads/linings which have
not been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles
or which are not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only use
brake fluid that has been specially approved for
your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz, or which corre-
sponds to an equivalent quality standard. Brake
fluid which has not been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which is not of an
equivalent quality could affect your vehicle's
operating safety.
High-performance brake system
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
The high-performance brake system is designed
for heavy loads. This may lead to noise when
braking. This will depend on:
RSpeed
RBraking force
REnvironmental conditions, such as tempera-
ture and humidity
The wear of individual components of the brake
system, such as the brake pads/linings or brake
discs, depends on the individual driving style
and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a mile-
age that will be valid under all circumstances. An aggressive driving style will lead to high wear.
You can obtain further information about this
from your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after several
hundred kilometers of driving. Compensate for
this by applying greater force to the brake pedal.
Keep this in mind, and adapt your driving and
braking accordingly during this break-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in correspond-
ingly high brake wear. Observe the #brake
wear warning lamp in the instrument cluster and
note any brake status messages in the multi-
function display. Especially for high perform- ance driving, it is important to maintain and have
the brake system checked regularly.
Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning
If water has accumulated to a certain depth on
the road surface, there is a danger of hydro-
planing occurring, even if:
Ryou drive at low speeds.
Rthe tires have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or in
conditions in which hydroplaning may occur,
you must drive in the following manner:
Rlower your speed.
Ravoid ruts.
Ravoid sudden steering movements.
Rbrake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads
!Do not drive through flooded areas. Check
the depth of any water before driving through
it. Drive slowly through standing water. Oth-
erwise, water may enter the vehicle interior or
the engine compartment. This can damage
the electronic components in the engine or
the automatic transmission. Water can also
be drawn in by the engine's air suction nozzles
and this can cause engine damage.
iVehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
select the raised vehicle level before driving
through a body of water.
Off-road fording
!Under no circumstances should you accel-
erate before entering the water. The bow
wave could cause water to enter and damage
the engine and other assemblies.
!Do not open any of the vehicle's doors while
fording. Otherwise, water could get into the
vehicle interior and damage the vehicle's
electronics and interior equipment.
REstablish how deep the water is and the char-
acteristics of the body of water before ford-
ing.
RSelect the highest possible vehicle level.
Driving tips185
Driving and parking
Z

RShift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter.
RAvoid high engine speeds.
REnter and exit the water at a flat place and at
a steady walking pace.
RDrive slowly and at an even speed through the
water.
REnsure that a bow wave does not form as you
drive.
RDo not stop and do not switch off the engine.
Water offers a high degree of resistance, and
the ground is slippery and in some cases
unstable. Therefore, it is difficult and danger-
ous to pull away in the water.
RClean any mud from the tire tread after ford-
ing.
RApply the brakes to dry them after fording.
Always observe the fording depth values
(
Ypage 442).
Winter driving
GWARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
GDANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
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 winter-proofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter. Drive particularly carefully on slippery road sur-
faces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and
braking maneuvers. Do not use the cruise con-
trol or DISTRONIC PLUS.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to position
N.
When driving in snow with or without snow
chains, select driving program Slippery
(
Ypage 152).
iVehicles with a diesel engine: do not
cover the radiator, e.g. with a protective
cover. The measuring function of the on-
board diagnosis system may otherwise pro-
vide inaccurate values. Some of these values
are required by law and must therefore always
be accurate.
The outside temperature indicator is no
t
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 freezing
point do not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in
wooded areas or on bridges. You should pay
special attention to road conditions when tem-
peratures are around the freezing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (
Ypage 390).
For more information on driving with summer
tires, see (
Ypage 389).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation" sec- tion (
Ypage 389).
Off-road driving
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle
could slip sideways, tip and rollover. There is a risk of an accident.
Always drive on a steep incline in the line of
fall (straight up or down) and do not turn the
vehicle.
186Driving tips
Driving and parking

GWARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with
hot parts of the exhaust system. There is a risk of fire.
When driving off road or on unpaved roads,
check the vehicle's underside regularly. In
particular, remove parts of plants or other
flammable materials which have become
trapped. In the case of damage, contact a
qualified specialist workshop.
GWARNING
If the vehicle level is high, the vehicle center of gravity is raised. This could cause the vehicle
to tip over more easily on uphill or downhill
gradients. There is a risk of an accident.
Select the lowest possible vehicle level.
!There is a risk of damage to the vehicle if:
Rthe vehicle becomes stuck, e.g. on a high
curb or an unpaved road
Ryou drive too fast over an obstacle, e.g. a
curb or a hole in the road
Ra heavy object strikes the undercarriage or
parts of the chassis
In situations like this, the body, the undercar-
riage, chassis parts, wheels or tires could be
damaged without the damage being visible.
Components damaged in this way can unex-
pectedly fail or, in the case of an accident, no
longer withstand the strain they are designed to.
If the underbody paneling is damaged, com-
bustible materials such as leaves, grass or
twigs can gather between the underbody and
the underbody paneling. If these materials
come in contact with hot parts of the exhaust
system, they can catch fire.
In such situations, have the vehicle checked
and repaired immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. If on continuing your jour-
ney you notice that driving safety is impaired,
pull over and stop the vehicle immediately,
paying attention to road and traffic condi-
tions. In such cases, consult a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
When driving off-road, substances such as sand,
mud and water or water mixed with oil may get into the brakes. This could result in a reduced
braking effect or in total brake failure and also in
increased wear and tear. The braking charac-
teristics change depending on the material
ingressing the brakes. Clean the brakes after
driving off-road. If
you detect a reduced bra

king
effect or grinding noises, have the brake system checked in a qualified specialist workshop as
soon as possible. Adapt your driving style to the
different braking characteristics.
Driving off-road increases the likelihood of dam-
age to the vehicle, which, in turn, can lead to
failure of the mechanical assembly or systems.
Adapt your driving style to suit the terrain con-
ditions. Drive carefully. Have damage to the
vehicle rectified immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Do not switch to transmission position Nwhen
driving off-road. If you try to brake the vehicle
using the service brake, you could lose control
of the vehicle. If the gradient is too steep for your
vehicle, drive back down in reverse gear.
General notes
Read this section carefully before driving your
vehicle off-road. Practice by driving over more
gentle off-road terrain first.
Familiarize yourself with the characteristics of
your vehicle and the gear shift operation before driving through difficult terrain.
The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving:
Rthe Offroad drive program (vehicles without
Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Ypage 237)
ROffroad andOffroad Plus drive programs
(vehicles with Off-Road Engineering pack-
age) . (
Ypage 237)
RLOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles with the
Offroad Engineering package) (Ypage 239)
RDifferential lock (vehicles with the Off-Road
Engineering package) (Ypage 238)
ROff-road ABS (Ypage 67)
ROff-road 4ETS (Ypage 72)
ROff-road ESP®(Ypage 73)
RAIRMATIC package (vehicle level)
(Ypage 205)
RDSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Ypage 236)
Driving tips187
Driving and parking
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