MERCEDES-BENZ GLE SUV 2019 Owner's Manual

The red
0049(USA only) or 0024(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 0043.
the electric parking brake is released.
The red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
goes out.
Hill start assist Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forward 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 005C.
R the electric parking brake is applied.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning. ECO start/stop function
Introduction Plug-in hybrid:
observe the notes on the ECO
start/stop function in the separate operating
instructions.
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.
General notes 0043
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 00D6
ECO symbol is shown in the multifunction dis-
play.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the ECO start/stop
function is only available in drive programs
Comfort andSlippery .
Automatic engine switch-off If the vehicle is braked to a standstill with the
transmission in
005Bor005C, the ECO start/stop
function will switch off the engine automatically.
The ECO start/stop function is operational
when:
R the indicator lamp in the ECO button is lit
green
R the Sport Plus drive program is not selected
(Mercedes-AMG GLE 43 4MATIC)
R the Sport Plus orSport drive program is not
selected (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
R no Off-road program has been selected Driving
139Driving and parking Z

R
the outside temperature and the atmospheric
air pressure is within the range that is suitablefor the system
R the engine is at normal operating temperature
R the set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached
R the battery is sufficiently charged
R the system detects that the windshield is not
fogged up when the air-conditioning system is
switched on
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 005Bor005C, the brake
pedal is released and the HOLD function is not
active
R you depress the accelerator pedal
R you engage reverse gear 005E
R you move the transmission out of position 005D
R you switch to the Sport Plusdrive program
(Mercedes-AMG GLE 43 4MATIC)
R you switch to the Sport PlusorSport drive
program (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
R you activate manual gearshifting (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles)
R you switch to the Offroaddrive program
(vehicles without Off-road Engineering Pack-
age) R
you switch to the OffroadorOffroad 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 005Ddoes
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 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044goes out.
X To activate: press ECO button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044lights up.
If indicator lamp 0044is off, the ECO start/stop
function has been deactivated manually or as
the result of a malfunction. 140
DrivingDriving an
d parking

Mercedes-AMG vehicles
X
To deactivate: in theComfort drive pro-
gram, press ECO button 0043.
or X
Activate manual gearshifting (Y page 147).
or
X Switch to the Sport PlusorSport drive pro-
gram (Y page 142).
Indicator lamp 0044goes out.
X To activate: press ECO button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044lights up. When the
Sport Plus orSport drive program is activa-
ted, the automatic transmission switches to
the Comfort drive program.
If indicator lamp 0044is 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
0050 0050Solutions 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 in the ignition lock back to position 0092.
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 136). 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 343).
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. Driving
141Driving and parking Z

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions 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 324). Observe the warning notes
as you do so and add coolant if necessary. DYNAMIC SELECT controller
Plug-in hybrid: observe the notes on the
DYNAMIC SELECT controller in the separate
operating instructions.
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 Comfortdrive
program is activated. For further information
about starting the engine, see (Y page 136).
The Comfort drive program is recommended in
city traffic and stop/start traffic situations. X
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles):
turn DYNAMIC SELECT controller 0043as
many times as necessary until the desired
drive program is selected.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. After five seconds, this information disappears from the display.
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 142
DYNAMIC SELECT controllerDriving and parking

Slippery
Optimal driving characteris-
tics on slippery or snow-
covered roads Off-road
Optimal driving characteris-
tics for easily negotiable off-
road terrain Off-road Plus
(vehicles with
Off-road Engi-
neering Pack-
age) Optimal driving characteris-
tics for rough terrain Further information on:
R the Individual, Sport,Comfort andSlippery
drive programs (Y page 146)
R the Off-road drive program (vehicles without
Off-road Engineering Package)
(Y page 215)
R the Off-road andOff-road Plus drive pro-
grams (vehicles with Off-road Engineering
Package) (Y page 216) X
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller 0043as many times as nec-
essary until the desired drive program is
selected.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. After five seconds, this information disappears from the display.
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-
tics
Sport Plus
Particularly sporty driving
characteristics
Slippery
Optimal driving characteris-
tics on slippery or snow-
covered roads Additional information for drive programs
(Y
page 146). Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen 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.
Plug-in hybrid: be sure to read the separate
Operator's Manual. Otherwise, you may not rec- ognize dangers. DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions 005D
Park position with parking lock
005E Reverse gear Automatic transmission
143Driving and parking Z

005C
Neutral
005B 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 005D,005E,005Cor005B is shown on the trans-
mission position display on the multifunction
display (Y page 145).
Engaging park position P !
If the engine speed is too high or the vehicle
is coasting, do not shift the automatic trans-
mission directly from 005Bto005E, from 005Eto005B
or directly to 005D. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission may be damaged.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever switch in the
direction of arrow 005D.
Engaging park position P automatically Park position
005Dis 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 you open the driver's door when the vehicle is
stationary or when driving at a very low speed
and the transmission is in position 005Bor005E
Under certain conditions, the automatic trans-
mission will shift automatically to transmission
position 005Dif the HOLD function or Active Dis-
tance Assist DISTRONIC is activated. Observe
the information on the HOLD function
(Y page 183) and on Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC (Y page 174).
Engaging reverse gear R !
Only move the automatic transmission to
005E when the vehicle is stationary.
X If the transmission is in position 005Bor005C:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the
first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position 005D: 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 005Bor005E:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down to the first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position 005D: 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 005Eor005B, the automatic trans-
mission shifts to 005Cautomatically.
With the SmartKey: if you then open the driv-
er's door or the front-passenger door or remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock, the auto-
matic transmission shifts to 005Dautomatically.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then open
the driver's door or the front-passenger door,
the automatic transmission shifts automatically to 005D.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral 005C, e.g. when having the vehi-
cle cleaned in an automatic, tow-through car
wash: 144
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

With the SmartKey:
X Switch on the ignition.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral 005C.
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 005C.
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 005Eor005C:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position 005D: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the first point of resistance. Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
The current transmission position and drive pro-
gram appear in the multifunction display. 0043
Transmission position
0044 Gear
0087 Drive program The arrows in the transmission position display
show how and into which transmission positions
you can shift using the DIRECT SELECT lever.
If the transmission position display on the mul-
tifunction display is not working, you should pull away carefully to check whether the desired
transmission position is engaged. Ideally, you
should select transmission position 005B. Transmission positions
0045 Park position
Only shift the transmission into posi-
tion 005D(Ypage 156) when the vehi-
cle is stationary. 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.
In the event of a malfunction of the
vehicle's electronics, the transmis-
sion may lock in position 005D. Have
the vehicle electronics checked
immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Park position 005Dis 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 you open the driver's door when
the vehicle is stationary or when
driving at a very low speed and the
transmission is in position 005Bor
005E 0046 Reverse gear
Shift the transmission into position
005E only when the vehicle is station-
ary. Automatic transmission
145Driving and parking Z

0044 Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
005C
while driving. The automatic trans-
mission could otherwise 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 005Cif the
vehicle is in danger of skidding, e.g.
on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position 005Eor005B,
the automatic transmission will shift
to 005C automatically.
! Coasting in neutral
005Cmay
cause damage to the drive train. 003A Drive
The automatic transmission changes
gear automatically. All forward gears
are available. Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts through the
individual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position 005B. This automatic gear shift-
ing 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 back and forth between transmission
positions
005Band 005Ecan help to free up the
vehicle if it gets stuck in mud 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 repeatedly
between transmission positions 005Band 005E,
move the DIRECT SELECT lever up and down
beyond the pressure point.
Towing a trailer X
Drive in the middle of the engine speed range
on uphill gradients.
X Depending on the uphill or downhill gradient,
use the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 147) to select a lower gear,
even if cruise control or Active Distance
Assist DISTRONIC is activated. Drive programs
Slippery drive program The
Slippery drive program has the following
characteristics:
R reduced engine and transmission settings for
optimum propulsion on slippery or snow-cov-
ered roads.
R optimized ESP ®
stability control on slippery or
snow-covered roads.
R the vehicle has improved driving stability on
slippery or snow-covered roads, for example. 146
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

Comfort drive program
The
Comfort drive program has the following
characteristics:
R comfort-oriented engine and transmission
settings.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
R the vehicle pulls away more gently in forward
and reverse gears, unless the accelerator
pedal is depressed fully.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being driven
at lower engine speeds and the wheels being less likely to spin.
Sport drive program The
Sport drive program has the following char-
acteristics:
R sporty engine and transmission settings.
R the automatic transmission shifts up later.
The fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points.
R the suspension exhibits sporty damping (vehi-
cles with AIRMATIC).
Drive program Sport Plus (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles) The
Sport Plus drive program has the following
characteristics:
R the vehicle exhibits particularly sporty driving
characteristics.
R the vehicle pulls away in first gear.
R the automatic transmission shifts up later.
The fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points.
R the suspension exhibits particularly firm
springing and damping settings (vehicles with AIRMATIC).
R the ECO start/stop function is deactivated, it
can, however, be activated again using the
ECO button (Y page 140). Individual drive program In the
Individual drive program, the following
properties of the drive program can be selected:
R the drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment)
R the transmission
R the suspension (vehicles with AIRMATIC)
R all vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehicles):
the steering
To select the gears in the Individualdrive pro-
gram permanently using the steering wheel pad- dle shifters, select the permanent manual gear-
shift program.
Information about configuring the Individual
drive program with the multimedia system can
be found in the Digital Operator's Manual. Manual gear shifting
General notes You can change gear yourself using the steering
wheel paddle shifters. The transmission must be
in position 005Bto do this.
Depending on which steering wheel paddle
shifter is pulled, the automatic transmission
immediately shifts into the next gear down or
up, if permitted.
To use manual shifting, you have two options:
R temporary setting
R permanent setting
If you activate manual gearshifting, the current
gear appears in the multifunction display
instead of transmission position 005B.
If manual gearshifting is deactivated, the gears
will be selected automatically. Automatic transmission
147Driving and parking Z

Temporary setting
X
To activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position 005B.
X Pull steering wheel paddle shifter 0043or0044.
The temporary setting is 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 overrun
mode or when driving on steep terrain.
X To deactivate: pull steering wheel paddle
shifter 0044and 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 005B.
X Press button 0043. X
To deactivate: press button0043.
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 005B.
X Press button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044lights up.
X To deactivate: press button0043.
or X Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
switch to the Individualdrive program.
Indicator lamp 0044goes 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. 148
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking