MERCEDES-BENZ GLE SUV 2015 Owners Manual

gearshifting, the combustion engine is always
switched on.
Activating when driving with the electric motor:
X Pull the left or right steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 172).
The combustion engine is switched on. Man-
ual gearshifting is activated temporarily. The
selected gear and Mappear in the multifunc-
tion display.
Activating when driving with the combustion
engine:
X Pull the left or right steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 172).
Manual gearshifting is activated temporarily.
The selected gear and Mappear in the multi-
function display.
The ECO start/stop function is not available
when manually changing gear.
Further information on the manual drive pro-
gram (Y page 172).
Driving tips General driving tips
Drive carefully and maintain a suitable distance from the vehicle in front. Avoid frequent and
sudden acceleration as well as abrupt braking.
During partial electric drive, pulling away and
acceleration, the electric motor supports the
internal combustion engine.
During overrun in transmission position Dand
braking, the electric motor operates as an alter-
nator.
Further information on the ECO start/stop func-
tion (Y page 269).
Additional driving tips (Y page 194).
Stationary vehicle
If the vehicle is stopped, the combustion engine is, for the most part, switched off. Automatic
climate control continues to function. The elec-
tro-mechanically assisted steering gear allows
use of the power steering without loss of com-
fort. Acceleration
Depending on the operating mode, pulling away and driving under low load conditions are per-
formed:
R entirely by electric propulsion
R in combination with the internal combustion
engine
When accelerating rapidly under increased or
full load, increased boost mode is utilised. The
electric motor supports the combustion engine
by providing additional drive torque.
Overrun mode or braking There are three possible operating modes when
the hybrid vehicle is decelerating:
R When coasting and decelerating, energy recu-
peration is already taking place (Y page 259).
The electric motor functions as an alternator
and stores the recuperated energy in the
high-voltage battery.
R When braking gently, the electric motor
increases the deceleration of the vehicle.
Energy recuperation is increased
(Y page 259). The electric motor functions as
an alternator and stores the recuperated
energy in the high-voltage battery.
R During heavy braking, the service brake is
also used to slow down the vehicle. Both sys-
tems work together.
Driving in the city In urban traffic, energy is recuperated during
frequent deceleration phases.
The vehicle is driven by the electric motor alone
only when all conditions for the automatic
engine switch-off are fulfilled.
Further information on the automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 269).
Driving on inter-urban roads The following phases are possible when driving
on inter-urban roads:
R rapid acceleration (boost mode)
R energy recuperation
R electric operation mode
The vehicle can be driven by the electric motor
alone up to a speed of approximately 120 km/h.
Depending on the characteristics of the route,
there may be a lot of recuperated energy avail-
able. This reduces consumption and emissions. 268
Plug-in hybrid operationDriving an
d parking

Driving on the motorway
When driving on a motorway, switching off the
combustion engine has a particularly positive
effect on fuel consumption and emissions.
If the driver removes his/her foot from the
accelerator pedal in the Comfortdrive program
and a speed of 130 km/h is not exceeded, the
combustion engine is automatically switched
off.
Further information on the automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 269).
ECO start/stop function General notes
The ECO start/stop function switches the com-
bustion engine off automatically when the vehi-
cle stops moving and at speeds below
130 km/h (Y page 269).
All vehicle systems remain active, e.g. the auto-
matic climate control.
The ECO start/stop function is neither available
in the Sport drive program nor during manual
shifting.
Automatic engine switch-off
The internal combustion engine is switched off
automatically if:
R the driver removes his/her foot from the
accelerator in the Comfortdrive program and
a speed of 130 km/h is not exceeded
(Y page 269)
R the internal combustion engine has reached
its operating temperature
R the driver only slightly depresses the accel-
erator pedal in order to, for example, maintain the current speed for a limited distance
R the bonnet is closed and engaged properly
R the high-voltage battery is charged suffi-
ciently
R no malfunctions are present in the hybrid
drive system
The internal combustion engine will not be
switched off automatically, if:
R the self-diagnosis function of the engine man-
agement is active
R there is a malfunction in the hybrid drive sys-
tem R
the climate control of the vehicle requires it
R the high-voltage battery is charging
(Y page 264).
Automatic engine start
The internal combustion engine, which has been automatically switched-off, starts automatically
in certain situations, when:
R the power demand from the driver via the
accelerator pedal is greater than the electric
motor alone can provide
R the driver switches to the Sportdrive pro-
gram or to manual gearshifting
R the charge level of the high-voltage battery
has reached the lower limit
R the driver has selected the CHARGE operating
mode
Overrun mode
In overrun mode, the combustion engine is
switched off and is disconnected from the drive
train. The electric motor:
R generates low thrust, which corresponds to
the overrun mode of an active combustion
engine
R functions as an alternator and produces the
necessary energy for the auxiliary consumers
and charges the high-voltage battery
Overrun mode is available in the Comfortdrive
program at speeds below 130 km/h.
Route-based operating strategy For the route-based operating strategy, the sys-
tem factors in information about the expected
route when route guidance is active.
The information on the route is provided by the
multimedia system and includes the following:
R road categories
R speed limitations
The use of electric energy is automatically opti- mally distributed from the beginning to the end
of the journey, using information about the
route. The distribution is pre-emptive and takes
into consideration:
R the sections of the journey ahead
R the energy consumption on the whole route Plug-in hybrid operation
269Driving and parking Z

The charge status of the high-voltage battery is
thus systematically controlled. In addition, the
control function takes into account that:
R the fuel saving through the use of electrical
energy can vary, dependent on the route (e.g.
urban, interurban or motorway)
R the use of electrical energy is held available
for electric driving, particularly for urban
routes
The vehicle thus automatically selects the opti-
mum driving mode for the respective section of
the route.
The route-based operating strategy is available
under the following conditions:
R the Individual drive program is selected
R in the Individual drive program, the ECO set-
ting is selected under Drive
R HYBRID driving mode is selected
R active route guidance is activated
R suitable map data is available
When the route-based operating strategy is
being used, the area in front of the vehicle is
shown as green in the multifunction display. Parking
X Apply the electric parking brake.
The red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
X Use the DIRECT SELECT lever to shift the
automatic transmission to P.
X Switch the ignition off.
The READY indicator in the instrument cluster
goes out.
Further information on parking and switching off the internal combustion engine (Y page 191).270
Plug-in hybrid operationDriving and parking

Problems with plug-in hybrid operation
Internal combustion engine Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions You cannot start the
internal combustion
engine. The multifunc-
tion display shows no
display messages. The
READY indicator in the
multifunction display is
off. For example, self-diagnosis is not yet complete or the hybrid drive
system is malfunctioning.
X Switch off the ignition and turn it back on.
X Try to start the internal combustion engine again.
If the internal combustion engine still does not start:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. You wish to pull away,
but the ECO start/stop
function does not start
the internal combustion
engine. The READY indi-
cator in the multifunc-
tion display is off. The ECO start/stop function has failed. The warning and indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster light up.
X Shift the transmission to P.
X Switch off the ignition and turn it back on.
X Start the engine. The hybrid drive system is faulty.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Recuperative Brake System
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M MSolutions Braking resistance is
reduced and brake pedal
travel is greater than
usual. G
Risk of accident
The Recuperative Brake System is malfunctioning. X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction dis-
play (Y page 300).
X Observe the information regarding indicator and warning lamps in
the instrument cluster (Y page 340) . Plug-in hybrid operation
271Driving and parking Z

Hybrid drive system
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The hybrid drive system
has been switched off
automatically. You have been in an accident.
The hybrid drive system remains switched off if:
R the internal combustion engine cannot be restarted after a few
seconds.
R the red 6restraint system warning lamp in the instrument clus-
ter is lit.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The hybrid drive system
has been switched off
automatically. The multi-
function display also
shows a display mes-
sage. An electrical short circuit has occurred in the hybrid drive system or an
electrical connection has been disconnected.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction dis-
play (Y page 300).
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Towing a trailer
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Vehicles with level control:
The vehicle level may be changed uninten-
tionally, e.g. by other persons. If this happens while you are coupling or decoupling a trailer,
you could become trapped. In addition, other
people could become trapped if their limbs
are between the vehicle body and the wheels or underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury.
When coupling or decoupling a trailer, make
sure that no one:
R opens or closes the doors or the tailgate
R initiates a level change or turns the
DYNAMIC SELECT Controller
R locks or unlocks the vehicle G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle/trailer
combination if it begins to swerve. The vehi-
cle/trailer combination could even overturn.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten out the vehicle/trailer combina- tion by increasing speed. Decrease your
speed and do not countersteer. Brake if nec-
essary. G
WARNING
If the maximum permissible load for a carrier system is exceeded, the carrier could come
loose from the vehicle and endanger other
road users. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never exceed the maximum permissible load
when using a carrier.
Exceeding the maximum permissible nose-
weight of the trailer drawbar on the ball coupling
may cause damage to the following:
R your vehicle
R the trailer
R the ball coupling
R trailer tow hitch
The vehicle/trailer combination could become
unstable.
If the noseweight used is lower than the mini-
mum permissible noseweight, the vehicle/
trailer combination could also become unstable. 272
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

To avoid hazardous situations:
R make sure to check the noseweight before
each journey
R use a drawbar noseweight as close as possi-
ble to the maximum noseweight
R do not exceed the maximum permissible
noseweight
R do not use a noseweight lower than the min-
imum noseweight
When reversing the vehicle towards the trailer,
make sure there is nobody between the trailer
and the vehicle.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If you do not couple the trailer to the towing vehicle
correctly, the trailer could become detached.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R the permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
R the permissible trailer load
R the permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R the maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
The applicable permissible values, which must
not be exceeded, can be found:
R in your vehicle documents
R on the identification plates of the trailer tow
hitch and the trailer
R on the vehicle identification plate
If the values differ, the lowest value applies.
You will find the values approved by the manu-
facturer on the vehicle identification plates and
those for the towing vehicle under "Technical
data" (Y page 447).
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison to
when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradient-
climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance
R is affected more by strong crosswinds
R demands more sensitive steering
R has a larger turning circle
This can impair the vehicle's handling charac-
teristics. Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Maintain a safe distance. Drive carefully. When towing a trailer, always adjust your speed
to the current road and weather conditions. Do
not exceed the maximum permissible speed for
your vehicle/trailer combination. Notes on towing a trailer
General notes Check the tyre pressures when towing a trailer.
You will find the values in the tyre pressure table in the vehicle fuel filler flap (Y page 408).
Please note that when towing a trailer, the fol-
lowing driving systems have limited availability
or are not available at all.
R PARKTRONIC (Y page 225)
R Blind Spot Assist (Y page 244)
R Active Lane Keeping Assist (Y page 250)
R Active Parking Assist (Y page 228)
On vehicles without level control, the height of
the ball coupling will alter according to the load
placed on the vehicle. If necessary, use a trailer with a height-adjustable drawbar.
You will find fitting dimensions and loads under
"Technical data" (Y page 446).
Driving tips Observe the information on ESP
®
trailer stabili-
sation (Y page 77) and on pulling away with a
trailer (Y page 161).
Select the Comfortdrive program using the
DYNAMIC SELECT controller (Y page 166).
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 maximum
permitted speed is. Observe the legally prescri-
bed maximum speed in the relevant country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the maxi-
mum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. See the "Technical data"
section to find out whether this applies to your
vehicle (Y page 447). 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/hf or rea-
sons concerning the operating permit. This also
applies in countries in which the permissible
maximum speed for vehicle/trailer combina-
tions is above 100 km/h. Towing a trailer
273Driving and parking Z

When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison to
when driving without a trailer and it will con-
sume more fuel.
Use the left-hand gearshift paddle to shift to a
lower gear on long and steep downhill gradients.
This also applies if you have activated cruise
control, SPEEDTRONIC or DISTRONIC 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 sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly. If you need additional
braking, depress the brake pedal repeatedly
rather than continuously.
Driving tips If the trailer swings from side to side:
X Do not accelerate.
X Do not countersteer.
X Brake if necessary.
R Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle in
front than when driving without a trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake gen-
tly at first to allow the trailer to run on. Then,
increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing capa-
bilities from a standstill refer to sea level.
When driving in mountainous areas, note that
the power output of the engine, and conse-
quently the vehicle's gradient-climbing capa-
bility, decrease with increasing altitude. Swinging out the ball coupling
G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not engaged, the trailer
may come loose. There is a risk of an accident.
Make sure that the ball coupling is securely
engaged and locked in position.
! Do not attempt to speed the up the swing-
out procedure by applying additional pressure
with your foot. The system could otherwise be
mechanically damaged. To fold out the ball coupling, you have two
options:
R use the switch in the driver's door (all vehicles
except PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles)
R use the switch in the tailgate
The trailer power socket is integrated into the
ball coupling and swivels out with it.
Only release the ball coupling when its range of movement is unobstructed. Folding out using the switch in the driver's
door (all vehicles except plug-in hybrid vehi-
cles):
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch the ignition on.
X Pull switch :briefly.
After a short time the ball coupling swings out from under the rear bumper. It can take up to
seven seconds before the ball coupling visibly
swings out.
X Remove the protective covering from the ball
coupling and store it in a safe place.
Until the ball coupling securely engages and
locks in a vertical position:
R indicator lamp ;flashes
R the multifunction display shows the display
message Trailer coupling extend‐ Trailer coupling extend‐
ing...
ing....
The ball coupling swivels back into the out-of-
use position when:
R you drive off before the Trailer
Trailercoupling
coupling
extending...
extending... display message has disap-
peared from the multifunction display
R the ball coupling encounters an obstacle in
the swinging range 274
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

Swinging out using the switch in the tail-
gate:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary.
X Open the tailgate.
X Pull switch :briefly.
After a short time the ball coupling swings out from under the rear bumper. It can take up to
seven seconds before the ball coupling visibly
swings out.
X Remove the protective covering from the ball
coupling and store it in a safe place.
Until the ball coupling securely engages and
locks in a vertical position:
R indicator lamp ;flashes
R the multifunction display shows the display
message Trailer coupling extend‐ Trailer coupling extend‐
ing...
ing....
The ball coupling swivels back into the out-of-
use position when:
R you drive off before the Trailer Trailercoupling
coupling
extending...
extending... display message has disap-
peared from the multifunction display
R the ball coupling encounters an obstacle in
the swinging range
Further information:
R Display messages when towing a trailer
(Y page 332)
R Problems when swivelling the ball coupling
(Y page 279) Coupling up a trailer
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Vehicles with level control: If you disconnect the trailer cable, the vehicle
is lowered. This can cause you or others to
become trapped between the vehicle body
and tyres, or underneath the vehicle. This
poses a risk of injury.
Make sure that no-one is in the immediate
vicinity of the wheel arch or underneath the
vehicle when disconnecting the trailer cable.
Steel-sprung vehicles X
Shift the transmission to position P.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Position the trailer horizontally behind the
vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electrical connection between
the vehicle and the trailer.
X Check that the trailer lighting system is work-
ing.
Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package !
Before beginning the journey, make sure
that the trailer support wheel is completely
raised. Otherwise, the trailer or the vehicle
could be damaged by the lowered trailer sup- port wheel during the journey.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering
package:
set the vehicle level to normal level
(Y page 216).
X Vehicles without the Off-Road Engineer-
ing package:
select theComfortdrive pro-
gram using the DYNAMIC SELECT controller
(Y page 221).
X Switch off the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Position the trailer horizontally behind the
vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electrical connection between
the vehicle and the trailer. Towing a trailer
275Driving and parking Z

X
Check that the trailer lighting system is work-
ing.
X Push the combination switch upwards and
downwards and check whether the corre-
sponding turn signal on the trailer is flashing.
A connected trailer is only detected when the
electrical connection is established correctly
and when the lighting system is working prop-
erly. The function of other systems also depends on this, for example:
R ESP ®
R PARKTRONIC
R Active Parking Assist
R Active Blind Spot Assist
R Active Lane Keeping Assist
i Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
if
you couple up a trailer, the vehicle initially
remains at the selected level of the drive pro- gram set. Observe the following when cou-
pling up a trailer:
R If the normal level was not selected previ-
ously, the vehicle automatically adopts the
normal level starting from a speed of
30 km/h. Even at higher speeds, it does not drop below the normal level.
R Vehicle levels below the normal level are
not available.
R The raised level is available up to a speed of
30 km/h.
R This also applies when using accessories
that are plugged into the socket of the
trailer tow hitch (e.g. a bicycle rack).
R Before driving with a trailer, please observe
the information on the trailer support
wheel. Uncoupling a trailer
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you uncouple a trailer with an engaged over- run brake, you could trap your hand between
the vehicle and the trailer drawbar. This poses a risk of injury.
Do not uncouple a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. G
WARNING
Vehicles with level control:
If you disconnect the trailer cable, the vehicle is lowered. This can cause you or others to
become trapped between the vehicle body
and tyres, or underneath the vehicle. This
poses a risk of injury.
Make sure that no-one is in the immediate
vicinity of the wheel arch or underneath the
vehicle when disconnecting the trailer cable.
! Do not disconnect a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. Otherwise, your vehicle could
be damaged by the rebounding of the overrun
brake.
! Remove the adapter cable before folding in
the ball coupling. You could otherwise dam-
age the rear bumper and the adapter cable.
Steel-sprung vehicles X
Shift the transmission to position P.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package X
Shift the transmission to position P.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
X Switch off the engine. Swinging the ball coupling in
! Do not attempt to speed the up the swing-
out procedure by applying additional pressure
with your foot. The system could otherwise be
mechanically damaged. 276
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

Fold the ball coupling back in if you are not using
the trailer tow hitch. To fold the ball coupling in,
you have two options:
R use the switch in the driver's door (all vehicles
except PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles)
R use the switch in the tailgate
Only release the ball coupling when its range of
movement is unobstructed. Folding in using the switch in the driver's
door (all vehicles except plug-in hybrid vehi-
cles):
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
the trailer cables are disconnected.
X Place the protective covering on the ball cou-
pling.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch the ignition on.
X Pull switch :briefly.
After a short time the ball coupling swings in
under the rear bumper. It can take up to seven seconds before the ball coupling visibly
swings in.
Until the ball coupling securely engages and
locks under the bumper:
R indicator lamp ;flashes
R the multifunction display shows the display
message Trailer coupling extend‐
Trailer coupling extend‐
ing... ing....
The ball coupling swivels back into the out-of-
use position when:
R you drive off before the Trailer
Trailer coupling
coupling
extending... extending... display message has disap-
peared from the multifunction display
R the ball coupling encounters an obstacle in
the swinging range Folding in using the switch in the tailgate:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
the trailer cables are disconnected.
X Place the protective covering on the ball cou-
pling.
X Open the tailgate.
X Pull switch :briefly.
After a short time the ball coupling swings in
under the rear bumper. It can take up to seven seconds before the ball coupling visibly
swings in.
Until the ball coupling securely engages and
locks under the bumper:
R indicator lamp ;flashes
R the multifunction display shows the display
message Trailer coupling extend‐
Trailer coupling extend‐
ing... ing....
The ball coupling swivels back into the out-of-
use position when:
R you drive off before the Trailer
Trailercoupling
coupling
extending...
extending... display message has disap-
peared from the multifunction display
R the ball coupling encounters an obstacle in
the swinging range
Further information:
R Display messages when towing a trailer
(Y page 332)
R Problems when swivelling the ball coupling
(Y page 279) Trailer power supply
! You can connect accessories with a power
rating of up to 180 W to the permanent power supply and with a power rating of up to 180 Wto the power supply that is switched on via the
ignition lock. Towing a trailer
277Driving and parking Z