MERCEDES-BENZ GLK-Class 2015 X204 Owner's Manual

up yellow at speeds of up to 20 mph
(30 km/h). At speeds above 20 mph
(30 km/h), the indicator lamp goes out and
Active Blind Spot Assist is operational.
If a vehicle is detected within the blind spot
monitoring range at speeds above 20 mph
(30 km/h), warning lamp 0043on the corre-
sponding side lights up red. This warning is
always emitted when a vehicle enters the
blind spot monitoring range from behind or
from the side. When you overtake a vehicle,
the warning only occurs if the difference in
speed is less than 7 mph (12 km/h).
The yellow indicator lamp goes out if reverse gear is engaged. In this event, Active Blind
Spot Assist is no longer active.
The brightness of the indicator/warning
lamps is adjusted automatically according to
the ambient light.
Visual and acoustic collision warning
When you switch on the turn signals to
change lanes and a vehicle is detected in the
side monitoring range, you receive a visual
and acoustic collision warning. You then hear a double warning tone and red warning
lamp 0043flashes. If the turn signal remains on,
detected vehicles are indicated by the flash-
ing of red warning lamp 0043. There are no fur-
ther warning tones.
Course-correcting brake application G
WARNING
A course-correcting brake application cannot always prevent a collision. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always steer, brake or accelerate yourself,
especially if Active Blind Spot Assist warns
you or makes a course-correcting brake appli-
cation. Always maintain a safe distance at the sides.
In very rare cases, the system may make an
inappropriate brake application. An inappro-
priate brake application may be interrupted at any time if you steer slightly in the opposite
direction or accelerate. If Active Blind Spot Assist detects a risk of a
lateral collision in the monitoring range, a
course-correcting brake application is carried
out. This is meant to assist you in avoiding a
collision.
The course-correcting brake application is
available in the speed range between 20 mph (30 km/h) and 120 mph (200 km/h).
If a course-correcting brake application
occurs, red warning lamp 0043flashes in the
exterior mirror and the following is shown in
the multifunction display, for example: Either a very slight course-correcting brake
application, or none at all, may occur if:
R there are vehicles or obstacles, e.g. crash
barriers, located on both sides of your vehi-
cle.
R a vehicle approaches you too closely at the
side.
R you have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds.
R you clearly brake or accelerate.
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ESP ®
or PRE-SAFE ®
Brake.
R ESP ®
is switched off.
R a loss of tire pressure or a defective tire is
detected.
Switching on Active Blind Spot Assist X Make sure that Active Blind Spot Assist
(Y page 229) is activated in the on-board
computer.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
Warning lamps 0043in the exterior mirrors
light up red for approximately 1.5 seconds
and then turn yellow. Driving systems
209Driving and parking Z

Towing a trailer
When you attach a trailer, make sure you have
correctly established the electrical connec-
tion. This can be accomplished by checking
the trailer lighting. Active Blind Spot Assist is then deactivated. The indicator lamp lights up
yellow in the exterior mirrors and the Active
Active
Blind
Blind Spot SpotAssist
Assist Currently
Currently Unavail‐
Unavail‐
able See Operator's Manual
able See Operator's Manual message
appears in the multifunction display.
Active Lane Keeping Assist General notes
Active Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area
in front of your vehicle by means of camera 0043
mounted at the top of the windshield. Active
Lane Keeping Assist detects lane markings on
the road and warns you before you leave your
lane unintentionally. If you do not react to the warning, a lane-correcting application of the
brakes can bring the vehicle back into the
original lane. 0043
Active Lane Keeping Assist camera
If you select km kmon the on-board computer in
the Display Unit Speed-/Odometer
Display Unit Speed-/Odometer func-
tion (Y page 230), Active Lane Keeping Assist
is activated starting at a speed of 60 km/h. If
the miles
miles display unit is selected, the assis-
tance range begins at 40 mph.
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Active
Lane Keeping Assist can neither reduce the
risk of accident nor override the laws of phys-
ics. Lane Keeping Assist cannot take into account the road, traffic and weather condi-
tions. Lane Keeping Assist is merely an aid.
You are responsible for the distance to the
vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking
in good time and for staying in your lane.
Active Lane Keeping Assist cannot continu-
ously keep your vehicle in its lane. G
WARNING
Active Lane Keeping Assist cannot always
clearly detect lane markings.
In such cases, Active Lane Keeping Assist
can:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
make a course-correcting brake application
to the vehicle
R not give a warning or intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and keep within the lane, especially
if Active Lane Keeping Assist alerts you. Ter-
minate the intervention in a non-critical driv-
ing situation.
The system may be impaired or may not func-
tion if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to insuffi-
cient illumination of the road, or due to
snow, rain, fog or spray
R there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic,
the sun or reflections (e.g. when the road
surface is wet)
R the windshield is dirty, fogged up, damaged
or covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera
R there are no, several or unclear lane mark-
ings for a lane, e.g. in areas with road con- struction work
R the lane markings are worn away, dark or
covered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
R the distance to the vehicle in front is too
small and the lane markings thus cannot be
detected 210
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

R
the lane markings change quickly, e.g.
lanes branch off, cross one another or
merge
R the road is narrow and winding
R there are highly variable shade conditions
on the roadway
R no vehicle is detected in the adjacent lane
and there are broken lane markings
Warning vibration in the steering wheel
A warning may be given if a front wheel
passes over a lane marking. It will warn you by means of intermittent vibration in the steer-
ing wheel for up to 1.5 second s.
In order that you are warned only when nec-
essary and in good time if you cross the lane
marking, the system recognizes certain con-
ditions and warns you accordingly.
The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
R you approach the outer lane marking on a
bend.
R the road has very wide lanes, e.g. a high-
way.
R the system recognizes solid lane markings.
The warning vibration occurs later if:
R the road has narrow lanes.
R you cut the corner on a bend.
Lane-correcting brake application G
WARNING
A lane-correcting brake application cannot
always bring the vehicle back into the original lane. There is a risk of an accident.
Always steer, brake or accelerate yourself,
especially if Active Lane Keeping Assist warns
you or makes a lane-correcting brake appli-
cation. G
WARNING
Active Lane Keeping Assist does not detect
traffic conditions or road users. In very rare
cases, the system may make an inappropriate brake application, e.g. after intentionally driv-
ing over a solid lane marking. There is a risk of an accident. An inappropriate brake application may be
interrupted at any time if you steer slightly in
the opposite direction. Always make sure that
there is sufficient distance on the side for
other traffic or obstacles.
If you leave your lane, under certain circum-
stances the vehicle will brake briefly on one
side. This is meant to assist you in bringing
the vehicle back to the original lane.
This function is available in the range between
40 mph and 120 mph (60 km/h and
200 km/h).
A lane-correcting brake application can only
be made after driving over a solid, recogniz-
able lane marking. Before this, a warning
must be given by means of intermittent vibra-
tion in the steering wheel. In addition, a lane
with lane markings on both sides must be
recognized. The brake application also
slightly reduces vehicle speed.
If a lane-correcting brake application occurs, the following, for example, appears in the
multifunction display: i
A further lane-correcting brake applica-
tion can only occur after your vehicle has
returned to the original lane.
No lane-correcting brake application occurs
if: R you clearly and actively steer, brake or
accelerate.
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend.
R you have switched on the turn signals. Driving systems
211Driving and parking Z

R
a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ESP ®
, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake or Active Blind
Spot Assist.
R you have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds or high rates of
acceleration.
R on vehicles with a trailer tow hitch, the
electrical connection to the trailer has been
correctly established.
R ESP ®
is switched off.
R the transmission is not in position D.
R a loss of tire pressure or a defective tire has
been detected and displayed.
Active Lane Keeping Assist does not detect
traffic situations or road users. An inappro-
priate brake application may be interrupted at any time if you:
R steer slightly in the opposite direction
R you have switched on the turn signals
R clearly brake or accelerate
A lane-correcting brake application is inter-
rupted automatically if:
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ESP ®
, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake or Active Blind
Spot Assist.
R lane markings can no longer be recognized.
Switching on Active Lane Keeping Assist
X Switch on Active Lane Keeping Assist using
the on-board computer; to do so, select
Standard
Standard orAdaptive Adaptive (Ypage 230).
If you drive at speeds above 40 mph
(60 km/h) and lane markings are detected, the lines in the assistance graphics display(Y page 229) are shown in green. Lane
Keeping Assist is ready for use.
If Standard
Standard is selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if:
R you have switched on the turn signals. In
this event, the warnings are suppressed
for a certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, such
as ABS, BAS or ESP ®
. When
Adaptive Adaptive is selected, no warning
vibration occurs if:
R you have switched on the turn signals. In
this event, the warnings are suppressed
for a certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
R you accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
R you brake hard.
R you steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lanes quickly.
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend.
Towing a trailer
When you attach a trailer, make sure you have correctly established the electrical connec-
tion. This can be accomplished by checking
the trailer lighting. Towing a trailer
Notes on towing a trailer
Important safety notes 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. G
WARNING
When the vehicle/trailer combination begins
to lurch, you could lose control of it. The vehi- cle/trailer combination could even rollover.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten up the vehicle/trailer combination
by increasing the speed. Reduce vehicle
speed and do not countersteer. Apply the
brake as necessary. 212
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

!
Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
Please observe the manufacturer's operating
instructions for the trailer coupling if a
detachable trailer coupling is used.
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 the vehicle documents
R on the identification plates of the trailer tow
hitch, the trailer and the vehicle
If the values differ, the lowest value applies.
You will find the values approved by the man-
ufacturer on the vehicle identification plates
and those for the towing vehicle under "Tech- nical data" (Y page 381).
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison with when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradi-
ent-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 radius
This could impair the handling characteris-
tics. When towing a trailer, always adjust your
speed to the current road and weather con-
ditions. Do not exceed the maximum permis-
sible speed for your vehicle/trailer combina-
tion.
General notes R
Do not exceed the legally prescribed max-
imum speed for vehicle/trailer combina-
tions in the relevant country.
This lowers the risk of an accident.
R Only install an approved trailer coupling on
your vehicle.
Further information on availability and on
installation is available from any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
R The bumpers of your vehicle are not suita-
ble for installing detachable trailer cou-
plings.
R Do not install hired trailer couplings or
other detachable trailer couplings on the
bumpers of your vehicle.
R To reduce the risk of damage to the ball
coupling, remove it from the ball coupling
recess when not in use.
i When towing a trailer, set the tire pres-
sure on the rear axle of the towing vehicle
for a maximum load; see the tire pressure
table in the fuel filler flap (Y page 352).
Please note that when towing a trailer, PARK-
TRONIC (Y page 186) is only available with
limitations or not at all.
i On vehicles without level control, the
height of the ball coupling will alter accord- ing to the load placed on the vehicle. If nec-essary, use a trailer with a height-adjusta-
ble drawbar.
You will find installing dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (Y page 381).
Driving tips i
Observe the notes on ESP ®
trailer stabi-
lization (Y page 72). Towing a trailer
213Driving and parking Z

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 max- imum permissible speed is. Observe the
legally prescribed maximum speed in the rel-evant country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the max-
imum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. Refer to the "Technical
data" section to find out whether this applies to your vehicle.
If you utilize any of the added maximum rear
axle load when towing a trailer, the vehicle/
trailer combination may not exceed a maxi-
mum speed of 60 mph (100 km/h) for rea-
sons concerning the operating permit. This
also applies in countries in which the permis-
sible maximum speed for vehicle/trailer com-
binations is above 60 mph (100 km/h).
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison with when driving without a trailer.
Use the left-hand paddle shifter to shift into a
lower gear in good time on long and steep
downhill gradients.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so that less braking will be required to main-
tain the speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system 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 R
Maintain a greater distance from the vehi-
cle in front than when driving without a
trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake
gently at first to allow the trailer to run on.
Then, increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing
capabilities from a standstill refer to sea level. When driving in mountainous areas,
note that the power output of the engine
and, consequently, the vehicle's gradient-
climbing capability, decreases with
increasing altitude.
If the trailer swings from side to side:
X Do not accelerate.
X Do not counter-steer.
X Brake if necessary. Installing the ball coupling
G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not installed and secured
correctly the trailer may come loose. There is
a risk of an accident.
Install and secure the ball coupling as descri-
bed in the ball coupling installation instruc-
tions. Make sure that the ball coupling is
installed and secured correctly before every
journey.
! Mercedes-Benz recommends that you
only use ball couplings that have been tes- ted and approved by Mercedes-Benz. This
helps to avoid damage to the vehicle. Cover cap
X Pull protective cap 0043in the direction of the
arrow, out of ball coupling recess 0044.
X Store protective cap 0043in a safe place.
X Observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions. 214
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not correctly installed
and secured, it could come loose while driving and endanger other road users. There is a risk
of an accident and injury.
Install and secure the ball coupling as descri-
bed in the ball coupling manufacturer's instal- lation instructions. Make sure that the ball
coupling is correctly installed and secured
before every journey. Coupling up a trailer
Observe the maximum permissible trailer
dimensions (width and length).
Most U.S. states and all Canadian provinces
require by law: R safety chains between the towing vehicle
and the trailer. The chains should be cross-
wound under the trailer drawbar. They must be fastened to the vehicle's trailer cou-
pling, not to the bumper or the axle.
Leave enough play in the chains to make
tight cornering possible.
R a separate brake system for certain types
of trailer.
R a safety switch for braked trailers. Check
the specific legal requirements applicable
to your state.
If the trailer detaches from the towing vehi-
cle, the safety switch applies the trailer's
brakes.
! Do not connect the trailer's brake system
(if featured) to the hydraulic brake system
of the towing vehicle, as the latter is equip-
ped with an anti-lock brake system. Doing
so will result in a loss of function of the
brake systems of both the vehicle and the
trailer.
i The vehicle's wiring harness features a
connection to the brake indicator lamp. X
Make sure that the automatic transmission
is set to position P.
X Apply the vehicle's parking brake.
X Close all doors and the tailgate.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish all electrical connections. Towing a trailer
There are numerous legal requirements con-
cerning the towing of a trailer, e.g. speed
restrictions. Make sure that your car/trailer
combination complies with the local regula-
tions:
R in your place of residence
R in the location to which you are driving
The police and local authorities can provide
reliable information.
Observe the following when towing a trailer:
R To gain driving experience and to become
accustomed to the new handling charac-
teristics, you should practice the following
in a traffic-free location:
- cornering
- stopping
- backing up
R Before driving, check:
- the trailer tow hitch
- the safety switch for braked trailers
- the safety chains
- electrical connections
- the lights
- the wheels
R Adjust the exterior mirrors to provide an
unobstructed view of the rear section of the
trailer.
R If the trailer has electronically controlled
brakes, pull away carefully. Brake manually
using the brake controller and check
whether the brakes function correctly.
R Secure any objects on the trailer to prevent
the cargo from slipping when the vehicle is
in motion. Towing a trailer
215Driving and parking Z

R
When you couple up a trailer, check at reg-
ular intervals that the load is firmly secured.If the trailer is equipped with trailer lights
and brakes, check the trailer to ensure that
these are working.
R Bear in mind that the handling will be less
stable when towing a trailer than when driv-
ing without one. Avoid sudden steering
movements.
R The vehicle/trailer combination is heavier,
accelerates more slowly, has a decreased
gradient climbing capability and a longer
braking distance.
It is more susceptible to side winds and
requires more careful steering.
R If possible, avoid abrupt braking. Depress
the brake pedal moderately at first, so that the trailer can activate its own brakes. Thenincrease the pressure on the brake pedal.
R If the automatic transmission repeatedly
shifts between gears on uphill or downhill
gradients, shift to a lower gear using the
left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter.
A lower gear and lower speed reduce the
risk of engine failure.
R When driving downhill, shift to a lower gear
to utilize the engine's braking effect.
Avoid continuous brake application as this
may overheat the vehicle brakes and, if
installed, the trailer brakes.
R If the coolant temperature increases dra-
matically while the air-conditioning system
is switched on, switch off the air-condition-
ing system.
Coolant heat can additionally be dissipated
by opening the windows and by setting the
blower fan and the interior temperature to
maximum.
R When overtaking, pay particular attention
to the extended length of your vehicle/
trailer combination.
Due to the length of the vehicle/trailer
combination, you require additional road
space in relation to the vehicle you are
overtaking, before you can change back to
the original lane. Decoupling a trailer
G
WARNING
If you uncouple a trailer with the overrun
brake engaged, you could trap your hand
between the vehicle and the trailer drawbar.
There is a risk of injury.
Do not uncouple a trailer if the overrun brake is engaged.
! Do not disconnect a trailer with an
engaged overrun brake. Otherwise, your
vehicle could be damaged by the rebound- ing of the overrun brake.
X Make sure that the automatic transmission
is set to position P.
X Apply the vehicle's parking brake.
X Close all doors and the tailgate.
X Apply the trailer's parking brake.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer. Permissible trailer loads and drawbar
loads
Weight specifications The gross trailer weight is calculated by add-
ing the weight of the trailer to the weight of
the load and equipment on the trailer.
You will find installing dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (Y
page 381).
Loading a trailer R
When loading the trailer, make sure that
neither the permissible gross weight of the
trailer nor the gross vehicle weight is
exceeded. The permissible gross vehicle
weight is indicated on the identification
plate on the B-pillar on the driver's side of
the vehicle.
You can find the maximum permissible val-
ues on the type plates of your vehicle and
the trailer. When calculating how much
weight the vehicle and trailer may carry, 216
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

pay attention to the respective lowest val-
ues.
R The trailer drawbar load on the ball coupling
must be added to the rear axle load to avoid
exceeding the permissible gross axle
weight. The permissible gross vehicle
weight is indicated on the identification
plate on the B-pillar on the driver's side of
the vehicle.
i Mercedes-Benz recommends a trailer
load where the trailer drawbar noseweight
accounts for 8% to 15% of the trailer's per-
missible gross weight.
i The weight of other accessories, passen-
gers and loads reduces:
R the permissible trailer load
R the permissible noseweight that your
vehicle can tow
Checking the vehicle and trailer weight R
To ensure compliance of the weight of the
towing vehicle and the trailer with the max-
imum permissible values, have the vehicle/ trailer combination (towing vehicle includ-
ing driver, passenger, load and fully laden
trailer) weighed on a calibrated weigh-
bridge.
R Check the gross axle weight rating of the
front and rear axles, the gross weight of the trailer and trailer drawbar load. Removing the ball coupling
X Observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions.
X Press the protective cap into the ball cou-
pling recess.
X Make sure that the protective cap is firmly
in place. Storing the ball coupling
G
WARNING
Do not carry the ball coupling in the vehicle
interior if it is not secured.
Otherwise, you and others could be injured by the ball coupling being thrown around if you:
R brake sharply
R change direction suddenly
R are involved in an accident
X Observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions. Trailer power supply
The trailer socket of your vehicle is equipped at the factory with a permanent power supply.
The permanent power supply is supplied via
trailer socket pin 4.
! You can connect accessories with a max-
imum power consumption of 240 W to the
permanent power supply.
You must not charge a trailer battery using the power supply.
The trailer's permanent power supply is
switched off in the event of low vehicle supply voltage and after six hours at the latest.
A qualified specialist workshop can provide
more information about installing the trailer
electrics. Towing a trailer
217Driving and parking Z

218