engine MERCEDES-BENZ GLS 2017 Owner's Guide

If activated in the multimedia system, the loca-
tor lighting also lights up in the dark (see sepa-
rate operating instructions). X
To open the tailgate automatically from
outside the vehicle: press and hold the T
button until the tailgate opens.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: X
To close the tailgate automatically from
outside the vehicle: if the SmartKey is loca-
ted in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle,
press the T button on the SmartKey.
When the tailgate closes you can then release
the button.
KEYLESS-GO
General notes Bear in mind that the engine can be started by
any of the vehicle occupants if there is a KEY-
LESS-GO key in the vehicle ( Y
page 140).
Locking/unlocking centrally You can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using
KEYLESS-GO. To do this, you only need carry the
SmartKey with you. You can combine the func-
tions of KEYLESS-GO with those of a conven-
tional SmartKey. Unlock the vehicle by using
KEYLESS-GO, for instance, and lock it using the
7 button on the SmartKey.
The driver's door and the door at which the han-
dle is used, must both be closed. The SmartKey
must be outside the vehicle. When locking or
unlocking with KEYLESS-GO, the distance
between the SmartKey and the corresponding
door handle must not be greater than 3 ft (1 m).
KEYLESS-GO checks whether a valid SmartKey
is in the vehicle by periodically establishing a
radio connection between the vehicle and the
SmartKey. This happens: R
when starting the engine R
while driving R
when the external door handles are touched R
during convenience closing X
To unlock the vehicle: touch the inner sur-
face of the door handle. X
To lock the vehicle: touch sensor surface C
or D .
Make sure that you do not touch the inner
surface of the door handle. X
Convenience closing feature: touch
recessed sensor surface D for an extended
period.
Further information on the convenience closing
feature ( Y
page 87).
If you pull on the handle of the tailgate, only the
cargo compartment of the vehicle is unlocked.
Deactivating and activating If you do not intend to use a SmartKey for an
extended period of time, you can deactivate the
KEYLESS-GO function of the SmartKey. The
SmartKey will then use very little power, thereby
conserving battery power. For the purposes of
activation/deactivation, the vehicle must not be
nearby. X
To deactivate: press the 7 button on the
SmartKey twice in rapid succession.
The battery check lamp of the SmartKey
flashes twice briefly and lights up once, KEY-
LESS-GO is deactivated ( Y
page 77).X
To activate: press any button on the Smart-
Key.
or X
Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
KEYLESS-GO and all of its associated features
are available again. SmartKey 75
Opening and closing Z

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves. X
Unlock ( Y
page 81) or lock ( Y
page 81) the vehicle using the
mechanical key.
KEYLESS-GO is malfunctioning. X
Lock/unlock the vehicle using the remote control function of the
SmartKey. X
Have the vehicle and SmartKey checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
If the vehicle can also not be locked/unlocked using the remote con-
trol function: X
Unlock ( Y
page 81) or lock ( Y
page 81) the vehicle using the
mechanical key. X
Have the vehicle and SmartKey checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
The engine cannot be
started using the Smart-
Key. The on-board voltage is too low. X
Switch off non-essential consumers, e.g. seat heating or interior
lighting, and try to start the engine again.
If this does not work: X
Check the starter battery and charge it if necessary ( Y
page 338).
or X
Jump-start the vehicle ( Y
page 338).
or X
Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine cannot be
started using the Start/
Stop button. The Smart-
Key is in the vehicle. The vehicle is locked. X
Unlock the vehicle and try to start the vehicle again.
The SmartKey battery is discharged or nearly discharged. X
Check the SmartKey battery ( Y
page 77) and replace it if necessary
( Y
page 77).
If this does not work: X
Start your vehicle with the SmartKey in the ignition lock.
There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves. X
Start your vehicle with the SmartKey in the ignition lock.
You have lost a Smart-
Key. X
Have the SmartKey deactivated at a qualified specialist workshop. X
Report the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers. X
If necessary, have the locks changed as well.
You have lost the
mechanical key. X
Report the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers. X
If necessary, have the locks changed as well. SmartKey 79
Opening and closing Z

Door s
Important safet y notes
G WARNING
If children are lef t unsupervised in th e vehicle,
they could: R
ope n th e doors , thus endangerin g other
people or road users. R
get out and disrup t traffic .R
operat e th e vehicle' s equipment.
Additionally, children could set th e vehicle in
motion if, fo r example, they:R
release th e parking brake .R
shiftin g th e automatic transmissio n out of
par k position PR
Start th e engine.
There is a ris k of an acciden t and injury.
Whe n leavin g th e vehicle, always take th e
SmartKey wit h you and loc k th e vehicle. Never
leav e children or animals unattended in th e
vehicle. Always keep th e SmartKey out of
reach of children .
Unlockin g an d opening doors from
th e insideYou can ope n a doo r from insid e th e vehicle
eve n if it has bee n locked. You can only ope n th e
rea r doors from insid e th e vehicle if they are no t
secure d by th e child-proof locks ( Y
page 62).
If th e vehicle has previously bee n locke d from
th e outside, opening a doo r from th e insid e will
trigger th e anti-thef t alar m system. Switc h of f
th e alar m ( Y
page 72). X
Front door: pull doo r handle D .
If th e doo r is locked, locking knob C pop s up.
The doo r is unlocke d and can be opened.X
Rea r door: pull doo r handle D .
If th e doo r is locked, locking knob C pop s up
and th e doo r unlocks .X
Pull doo r handle D again .
The doo r can be opened.
Centrally locking an d unlocking th e
vehicle from th e insideYou can centrall y loc k or unloc k th e vehicle from
th e inside. The buttons are located on bot h fron t
doors .
X
To unlock : press butto n C .X
To lock : press butto n D .
If th e front-passenger doo r is closed, th e vehi-
cl e locks .
Meanwhile, th e fue l filler flap will no t be locke d
or unlocked.
You canno t unloc k th e vehicle centrall y from th e
insid e if th e vehicle has bee n locke d from th e
outside.
You can ope n a fron t doo r from insid e th e vehi-
cl e eve n if it has bee n locked.
If a locke d doo r is opene d from th e inside, th e
previous unloc k status of th e vehicle will be
take n into consideration if: R
th e vehicle was locke d usin g th e locking but -
to n fo r th e central locking , orR
if th e vehicle was locke d automatically
The vehicle will be full y unlocke d if it had previ-
ousl y bee n full y unlocked. If only th e driver's
doo r had bee n previously unlocked, only th e
doo r whic h has bee n opene d from th e insid e is
unlocked.80
Doors
Opening and closing

Aut oma tic locking featu reX
To deactivate: press and hold butto n C for
about fiv e seconds until a tone sounds.X
To activate: press and hold butto n D for
about fiv e seconds until a tone sounds.
If you press on e of th e two buttons and do no t
hear a tone , th e relevan t setting has already
been selected.
The vehicl e is locke d automatically when th e
ignition is switched on and th e wheels are turn-
ing .
You could therefor e be locke d out if:R
th e vehicl e is bein g pushed.R
th e vehicl e is bein g towed.R
th e vehicl e is on a roller dynamometer.
You can also switch th e automatic locking func-
tion on and off usin g th e on-board computer
( Y
page 239).
Power closing Powe r closin g pulls th e door s and tailgat e int o
their locks automatically eve n if they are no t
completely closed. X
To power close a door : push th e door int o
th e loc k up to th e first deten t position .
Powe r closin g will pull th e door fully closed.X
To power close th e tailgate: lightl y press
th e tailgat e downwards.
Powe r closin g will pull th e tailgat e fully
closed. Unlocking/locking the driver's door
using the mechanical key
i If you want to centrally loc k th e vehicl e usin g
th e mechanical key, begi n by pressing th e
locking butto n for th e interior locking mech-
anism while th e driver's door is open . The n
loc k th e driver's door usin g th e mechanical
key.
X
Inser t th e mechanical ke y int o th e loc k of th e
driver's door as far as it will go. X
To unlock: tur n th e mechanical ke y counter-
clockwise to position G .X
To lock: tur n th e mechanical ke y clockwise as
far as it will go to position G .
If you use th e mechanical ke y to unloc k and
open th e driver's door , th e anti-thef t alarm sys-
te m will be triggered . Switc h off th e alarm
( Y
page 72).
If you loc k th e vehicl e as described above, th e
fuel filler flap is no t locked. The anti-thef t alarm
system is no t armed.
Cargo compa rt ment
Import ant safety notes
G WARNIN G
Combustion engines emi t poisonous exhaust
gase s suc h as carbon monoxide. If th e tailgat e
is open when th e engin e is running, particu-
larly if th e vehicl e is moving , exhaust fumes
could ente r th e passenger compartment.
There is a ris k of poisoning .
Turn off th e engin e before opening th e tail-
gate. Never drive wit h th e tailgat e open .Cargo compartment 81
Opening and closing Z

Closing X
Pull the tailgate down using recess C .X
Allow the tailgate to drop into the lock. X
Lock the vehicle if necessary with the 7
button on the SmartKey or with KEYLESS-GO.
i If a KEYLESS-GO key is detected in the cargo
compartment, the tailgate will not lock.
Opening/closing automatically from
outside
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Parts of the body could become trapped dur-
ing automatic closing of the tailgate. More-
over, people, e.g. children, may be standing in
the closing area or may enter the closing area
during the closing process. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the
closing area during the closing process.
Use one of the following options to stop the
closing process: R
press the T button on the SmartKey.R
pull or press the remote operating switch
on the driver's door. R
press the closing or locking button on the
tailgate. R
pull the handle on the tailgate
G WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. If the tailgate is open when the engine is running, particu-
larly if the vehicle is moving, exhaust fumes
could enter the passenger compartment.
There is a risk of poisoning.
Turn off the engine before opening the tail-
gate. Never drive with the tailgate open.
! The tailgate swings upwards and to the rear
when opened. Therefore, make sure that
there is sufficient clearance above and behind
the tailgate.
Two warning tones sound while the tailgate is
opening or closing.
The opening dimensions of the tailgate can be
found in the "Vehicle data" section
( Y
page 384).
i Notes on the automatic reversing feature for
the tailgate ( Y
page 82).
Opening the tailgate automatically You can open the tailgate automatically with the
SmartKey or the handle in the tailgate. X
Press and hold the T button on the Smart-
Key until the tailgate opens.
or X
When the tailgate is unlocked, pull the tailgate
handle and let it go again immediately.
or X
With the tailgate stopped in an intermediate
position, pull the tailgate upwards.
You can release the tailgate as soon as the
tailgate starts to open.
Closing the tailgate automatically Cargo compartment 83
Opening and closing Z

X
To close: press closing button C in the tail-
gate.
or X
Press and hold the T button on the Smart-
Key until the tailgate closes.
You can release the button as soon as the
tailgate starts to close.
or X
Pull the tailgate downwards slightly.
You can release the tailgate as soon as the
tailgate starts to close.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: you can simultane-
ously close and lock the tailgate. X
Press locking button D in the tailgate.
If a KEYLESS-GO key is detected outside the
vehicle, the tailgate closes and locks. All the
doors must be shut and the SmartKey located
in the vicinity of the tailgate.
i The tailgate cannot be opened and closed
with the SmartKey if there is a SmartKey in the
ignition.
If the tailgate touches an object while closing,
the closing procedure is interrupted and the
tailgate reopens.
i If a KEYLESS-GO key is detected in the cargo
compartment, the tailgate will not lock.
Opening/closing automatically from
inside
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Parts of the body could become trapped dur-
ing automatic closing of the tailgate. In addi-
tion, people may be standing in the closing
area or may enter the closing area, e.g. chil-
dren, during the closing procedure. There is a
risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the
closing area during the closing process.
Release the remote operating switch imme-
diately if somebody becomes trapped. To re-
open the tailgate pull on the remote operating
switch. G WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. If the tailgate
is open when the engine is running, particu-
larly if the vehicle is moving, exhaust fumes
could enter the passenger compartment.
There is a risk of poisoning.
Turn off the engine before opening the tail-
gate. Never drive with the tailgate open.
! The tailgate swings upwards and to the rear
when opened. Therefore, make sure that
there is sufficient clearance above and behind
the tailgate.
Two warning tones sound while the tailgate is
opening or closing.
The opening dimensions of the tailgate can be
found in the "Vehicle data" section
( Y
page 384).
i Notes on the automatic reversing feature for
the tailgate ( Y
page 82).
Opening and closing
X
To open: pull remote operating switch C for
the tailgate until the tailgate opens. X
To close: turn the SmartKey to position 1 or 2
in the ignition lock. X
Press remote operating switch for tailgate C
until the tailgate is completely closed.
You can open and close the tailgate from the
driver's seat when the vehicle is stationary and
unlocked.84
Cargo compartment
Opening and closing

close the sun protection cover manually when
the sliding sunroof is raised or closed.
You can continue to operate the sliding sunroof
after switching off the engine or removing the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. This function is
available for up to five minutes or until the driv-
er's or front-passenger door is opened.
Resetting
! If the sliding sunroof still cannot be opened
or closed fully after resetting, contact a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Reset the sliding sunroof if it does not move
smoothly. X
Turn the SmartKey to position 1 or 2 in the
ignition lock. X
Raise the sliding sunroof fully at the rear
( Y
page 90). X
Keep the V switch pressed for another
second. X
Make sure that the sliding sunroof can be fully
opened and closed again ( Y
page 90).X
If this is not the case, repeat the steps above.
Operating the panorama roof with
power tilt/sliding panel
Opening and closing
C
To raise
D
To open

Correct driver's seat position
G WARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do
the following while driving: R
adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors R
fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt
before starting the engine.
Observe the following when adjusting steering
wheel C , seat belt D and driver's seat

G WARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do
the following while driving: R
adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors R
fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt
before starting the engine.
G WARNING
If you adjust the seat height carelessly, you or
other vehicle occupants could be trapped and
thereby injured. Children in particular could
accidentally press the electrical seat adjust-
ment buttons and become trapped. There is a
risk of injury.
While moving the seats, make sure that your
hands or other body parts do not get under the
lever assembly of the seat adjustment sys-
tem.
G WARNING
If the head restraints are not installed or not
adjusted correctly, they cannot provide pro-
tection as intended. There is an increased risk
of injury in the head and neck area, e.g. in the
event of an accident or when braking.
Always drive with the head restraints instal-
led. Before driving off, make sure for every
vehicle occupant that the center of the head
restraint supports the back of the head at
about eye level.
G WARNING
The seat belt does not offer the intended level
of protection if you have not moved the back-
rest to an almost vertical position. When brak-
ing or in the event of an accident, you could
slide underneath the seat belt and sustain
abdomen or neck injuries, for example. This
poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal
injury. Adjust the seat properly before beginning
your journey. Always ensure that the backrest
is in an almost vertical position and that the
shoulder section of your seat belt is routed
across the center of your shoulder.
! To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information: R
keep liquids from spilling on the seats. If
liquid is spilled on the seats, dry them as
soon as possible. R
if the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat heat-
ing should also not be used to dry the seats. R
clean the seat covers as recommended;
see "Interior care". R
do not transport heavy loads on the seats.
Do not place sharp objects on the seat
cushions, e.g. knives, nails or tools. The
seats should only be occupied by passen-
gers, if possible. R
when the seat heating is in operation, do
not cover the seats with insulating materi-
als, e.g. blankets, coats, bags, seat covers,
child seats or booster seats.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell under or behind the seats when mov-
ing the seats back. There is a risk that the
seats and/or the objects could be damaged.
i It is not possible to remove the head
restraints from the front seats. The rear-com-
partment head restraints, however, can be
removed ( Y
page 98).
For more information, contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
i Further related subjects: R
Cargo compartment enlargement (folding
down the rear bench seat) ( Y
page 297)Seats 95
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z

Problems with the seat heating or seat ventilation Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
The seat heating or seat
ventilation has switched
off prematurely or can-
not be switched on. The on-board voltage is too low because too many electrical consum-
ers are switched on. X
Switch off electrical consumers that you do not need, such as the
rear window defroster or interior lighting.
Once the battery is sufficiently charged, the seat heating or seat
ventilation will switch back on automatically.
Steering wheel
Important safety notes
G WARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do
the following while driving: R
adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors R
fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt
before starting the engine.
G WARNING
Children could injure themselves if they
adjust the steering wheel. There is a risk of
injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
The electrically adjustable steering wheel can
still be adjusted when there is no SmartKey in
the ignition lock.
Adjusting the steering wheel man-
ually
G WARNING
If the steering wheel is unlocked while the
vehicle is in motion, it could change position
unexpectedly. This could cause you to lose control of the vehicle. There is a risk of an
accident.
Before starting off, make sure the steering
wheel is locked. Never unlock the steering
wheel while the vehicle is in motion.
C
Release lever D
Adjusts the steering wheel height