traction control MERCEDES-BENZ GLS 2018 Owners Manual

1, 2, 3 ...4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
see ETS/4ETS (Electronic Trac-
tion System)
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel
drive) .................................................. 218
12 V socket
see Sockets
115 V socket ...................................... 313
360° camera
Cleaning ........................................ .3 34
Display in the multimedia system .. 205
Function/notes ............................ .2 03
AABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Display message ............................ 249
Function/notes ................................ 66
Important safety notes .................... 66
Warning lamp ................................. 282
Accident
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent ................................................. 59
Activating media mode
General notes ................................ 298
Activating/deactivating cooling
with air dehumidification ................. 131
Active Blind Spot Assist
Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) ............................ 242
Display message ............................ 269
Function/information .................... 213
Trailer towing ................................. 215
Active Brake Assist
Activating or deactivating .............. 242
Display message ............................ 254
Function/notes ................................ 67
Active Brake Assist with cross-
traffic function
Activating or deactivating .............. 242
Display message ............................ 255
Function/notes ................................ 72
Important safety notes .................... 73
Warning lamp ................................. 290
Active Curve System
Display message ............................ 266 Function/notes ............................. 189
Active Lane Keeping Assist
Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) ............................ 242
Display message ............................ 268
Function/information .................... 215
Trailer towing ................................. 218
Active light function ......................... 117
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ................................. 72
Adaptive Highbeam Assist
Display message ............................ 261
Function/notes ............................. 118
Switching on/off ........................... 118
Additives (engine oil) ........................ 390
Address book
see also Digital Operator's Man-
ual .................................................. 292
Adjusting the volume
Multimedia system ........................ 293
ADS (Adaptive Damping System)
Function/notes ............................. 188
Air bags
Deployment ..................................... 56
Display message ............................ 258
Front air bag (driver, front
p assenger) ....................................... 50
Important safety notes .................... 49
Introduction ..................................... 49
Knee bag .......................................... 50
Occupant Classification System
(OCS) ............................................... 51
PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator
lamps ............................................... 45
Side impact air bag .......................... 51
Window curtain air bag .................... 51
Air filter (display message) .............. 264
AIR FLOW ........................................... 132
Air vents
Glove box ....................................... 136
Important safety notes .................. 136
Rear ............................................... 137
Setting ........................................... 136
Setting the center air vents ........... 136
Setting the side air vents ............... 136
Air-conditioning system
see Climate control4
Index

If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating from
the direction desired by the driver, one or more
wheels are braked to stabilize the vehicle. The
engine output is also modified to keep the vehi-
cle on the desired course within physical limits.
ESP ®
assists the driver when pulling away on
wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilize
the vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) 4ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side. In addition, more drive torque is transfer-
red to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active, even if you
deactivate ESP ®
.
In appropriate driving situations, activate the
offroad program: X
Vehicles without the Offroad Engineering
package ( Y
page 219)X
Vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age ( Y
page 220)
Off-road 4ETS (Electronic Traction Sys-
tem) An ETS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once an off-
road program is activated: R
Vehicles without the Offroad Engineering
package ( Y
page 219)R
Vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age ( Y
page 220)
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, further driv-
ing safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop. ! Only operate the vehicle for a maximum of
ten seconds on a brake test dynamometer.
Switch off the ignition.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
! A function or performance test should only
be carried out on a two-axle dynamometer.
Before you operate the vehicle on such a
dynamometer, please consult a qualified
workshop. You could otherwise damage the
drive train or the brake system.
ESP ®
is only deactivated if the

Hilltops When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly
reduce pressure on the accelerator immediately
before reaching the brow of the hill. Make use of
the vehicle's own impetus to travel over the
brow.
This style of driving prevents: R
the vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill R
the vehicle from traveling too quickly down
the other side
Driving downhill R
Drive slowly. R
Do not drive at an angle down steep inclines.
Steer into the line of fall and drive with the
front wheels aligned straight. Otherwise, the
vehicle could slip sideways, tip and rollover. R
Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand pad-
dle shifter before tackling steep downhill gra-
dients. R
Activate DSR. If this is not sufficient, brake
gently. When doing so, make sure that the
vehicle is facing in the direction of the line of
fall. R
Check that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
i The special off-road ABS setting enables a
precise, brief and repeated locking of the
front wheels. This causes them to dig into
loose earth. Be aware that the front wheels
easily skid across the ground surface if com-
pletely braked and therefore lose their ability
to steer.
Driving systems
Intelligent Drive Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive stands for inno-
vative driver assistance and safety systems
which enhance comfort and support the driver in
critical situations. With these intelligent co-ordi-
nated systems Mercedes-Benz has set a mile-
stone on the path towards autonomous driving.
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive embraces all
elements of active and passive safety in one well
thought out system – for the safety of the vehi-
cle occupants and that of other road users. Further information on driving safety systems
( Y
page 66).
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road speed
for you. It brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed. You must select a
lower gear in good time on long and steep down-
hill gradients, especially if the vehicle is laden or
towing a trailer. By doing so, you will make use of
the braking effect of the engine. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a steady
speed for a prolonged period. You can store any
road speed above 20 mph (30 km/h).
i Cruise control should not be activated when
driving off-road.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise con-
trol can neither reduce the risk of an accident
nor override the laws of physics. Cruise control
cannot take into account the road, traffic and
weather conditions. Cruise control is only 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.
Do not use cruise control: R
in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads R
on slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid R
when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.174
Driving systems
Driving and parking

When Adaptive is selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if: R
you switch 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 connection.
This can be accomplished by checking the trailer
lighting. Lane-correcting brake application does
not take place when towing a trailer. Active Lane
Keeping Assist is not activated and the lines in
the assistance graphic are gray.
Off-road driving systems
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive) 4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are perma-
nently driven. Together with ESP ®
and 4ETS, it
improves the traction of your vehicle whenever
a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC can
neither reduce the risk of accident nor override
the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot take
account of road, weather and traffic conditions.
4MATIC is only 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.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle raised.
This may damage the transfer case. Damage
of this sort is not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz Limited Warranty. All wheels must
remain either on the ground or be fully raised.
Observe the instructions for towing the vehi-
cle with all wheels in full contact with the
ground.
! A function or performance test should only
be carried out on a two-axle dynamometer.
Before you operate the vehicle on such a
dynamometer, please consult a qualified workshop. You could otherwise damage the
drive train or the brake system.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if you
use winter tires (M+S tires), with snow chains
if necessary.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
( Y
page 170).
DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation) General notes DSR is an aid to assist you when driving down-
hill. It keeps the speed of travel at the speed
selected on the on-board computer. The steeper
the downhill gradient, the greater the DSR brak-
ing effect on the vehicle. When driving on flat
stretches of road or on an uphill gradient, the
DSR braking effect is minimal or nonexistent.
DSR controls the vehicle’s speed when it is acti-
vated and the transmission is in position D , R or
N . You can drive at a higher or a lower speed
than that set on the on-board computer at any
time by accelerating or braking.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If the speed driven and the set speed deviate
and you activate DSR on a slippery road sur-
face, the wheels may lose traction. There is an
increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Before switching DSR on, please take into
consideration the road surface and the differ-
ence between driving speed and the set
speed.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, DSR can
neither reduce the risk of accident nor override
the laws of physics. DSR cannot take account of
road, weather and traffic conditions. DSR is only
an aid. You are responsible for the distance to
the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for brak-
ing in good time and for staying in your lane.
You are always responsible for keeping control
of the vehicle and for assessing whether the
downhill gradient can be managed. DSR may not
always be able to keep to the set speed, depend-
ing on road surface and tire conditions. Select a
set speed suitable for the prevailing conditions
and when necessary, apply the brakes manually.218
Driving systems
Driving and parking

appears in the multifunction display. The last
active drive program is selected again.
Do not use the Offroad program on roads that
are snow-covered or icy or if you have installed
your vehicle with snow chains.
Selecting the Offroad program
Selecting the Offroad program X
To select drive program: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller C until indicator lamp D
lights up.
The Drive Program "Offroad1" Max.
Speed 60 mph message appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
The vehicle is raised by +2.4 in (60 mm).
The vehicle is lowered to normal level again if
you: R
drive at speeds above 37 mph (60 km/h) (all
vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles) R
drive at speeds above 43 mph (70 km/h)
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles) R
drive at speeds between 40 mph (64 km/h)
and 43 mph (70 km/h) for approximately
20 seconds (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
The vehicle changes from the Offroad drive pro-
gram to the Comfort drive program if you drive
faster than 70 mph (112 km/h).
The Drive More Slowly message appears in
the multifunction display.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
( Y
page 170). Off-road programs (vehicles with Off-
Road Engineering package) General notes The Offroad and Offroad Plus drive programs
assist you when driving off-road. The engine's
performance characteristics and the gearshift-
ing characteristics of the automatic transmis-
sion are adapted for this purpose. ABS, ESP ®
and 4ETS programs especially adapted to off-
road driving are activated. An accelerator pedal
curve suitable for the terrain is selected, i.e. the
accelerator pedal must be depressed further to
accelerate.
Do not use the Offroad or Offroad Plus drive
programs on roads that are snow-covered or icy,
or if you have installed your vehicle with snow
chains.
Offroad drive program
C
DYNAMIC SELECT controller D
Offroad program indicator lamp
Select the Offroad program for easily negotia-
ble off-road terrain, e.g. dirt tracks, gravel or
sandy surfaces. The engine's torque is restric-
ted to a limited degree and the drive wheels can
spin. The spinning wheels produce a cutting
effect for better traction. ABS, ESP ®
and 4ETS
programs especially adapted to off-road driving
are activated. A gentle accelerator pedal curve
is also selected, i.e. the accelerator pedal must
be depressed much further in order to acceler-
ate.
You can select the Offroad drive program at
speeds below 60 mph (96 km/h). The Drive
Program "Offroad" Max. Speed 60 mph
message appears in the multifunction display. If
you drive at speeds above 60 mph (96 km/ h)
and select the Offroad drive program, the
Drive More Slowly message appears in the220
Driving systems
Driving and parking

multifunction display. The last active drive pro-
gram is selected again.
Selecting the Offroad program X
To select a drive program: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller C until indicator lamp D
lights up.
The Drive program "Offroad" Max.
speed 60 mph message appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
The vehicle is raised by +1.2 in (30 mm).
The vehicle changes from the Offroad drive pro-
gram to the Comfort drive program if you drive
faster than 70 mph (112 km/h).
The Drive more slowly message appears in
the multifunction display.
Offroad Plus drive program
C
DYNAMIC SELECT controllerD
Offroad Plus drive program indicator lamp
Select the Offroad Plus drive program for rough
terrain, e.g. for steep and/or uneven terrain or
for driving on rocky terrain.
Your vehicle has an automatically activated dif-
ferential lock for the transfer case. It controls
the balance between the front and rear axles.
The differential lock improves the vehicle's trac-
tion. 4ETS ( Y
page 70) controls the balance
between both wheels on an axle.
Selecting the Offroad Plus drive program X
To select drive program: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller C until indicator lamp D
lights up.
The Drive program "Offroad Plus"
Max. speed 25 mph message appears in the
multifunction display. R
The Offroad Plus program is selected and
the vehicle is raised by +1.2 in (30 mm)
compared with the Offroad drive program.R
DSR is switched on. R
The differential lock is closed.
You can select the Offroad Plus drive program at
speeds below 25 mph (40 km/h).
The Offroad Plus drive program automatically
switches to the Offroad drive program if you
drive faster than 30 mph (45 km/h). The Drive
more slowly message appears in the multi-
function display.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
( Y
page 170).
LOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles
with the Off-Road Engineering package) Important safety notes
G WARNING
If you select the LOW RANGE off-road gear on
a slippery road surface, the wheels could lose
traction: R
if you remove your foot from the accelera-
tor pedal when driving R
if off road ABS intervenes when braking
If the wheels lose traction. the vehicle can no
longer be steered. There is an increased dan-
ger of skidding and accidents.
Never select the LOW RANGE off-road gear
when driving on slippery road surfaces.
G WARNING
If you do not wait for the transfer case gear
change process to complete, the transfer
case could remain in the neutral position. The
power transmission to the driven wheels is
then interrupted. There is a danger of the
vehicle rolling away unintentionally. There is a
risk of an accident.
Wait until the transfer case shift process is
completed.
Do not turn off the engine while changing gear
and do not shift the automatic transmission to
another position.Driving systems 221
Driving and parking Z

Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
Check Tires The tire pressur e in on e or mor e tires has dropped significantly. The
whee l position is displayed in th e multifunction display.
A warning tone also sounds.
G WARNIN G
Tir e pressures that are to o low pos e th e followin g hazards :R
they may burst, especially as th e load and vehicl e speed increase.R
they may wear excessivel y and/o r unevenly, whic h may greatl y
impair tire traction .R
th e drivin g characteristics , as well as steering and braking , may be
greatl y impaired.
There is a ris k of an accident.X
Stop th e vehicl e without making any sudden steering or braking
maneuvers . Pay attention to th e traffic condition s as you do so.X
Secur e th e vehicl e against rollin g away ( Y
page 161).X
Chec k th e tires and , if necessary, follow th e instruction s for a flat
tire ( Y
page 339). X
Chec k th e tire pressur e ( Y
page 361).X
If necessary, correc t th e tire pressure.
Warnin g Tir e Mal ‐
function The tire pressur e in on e or mor e tires has dropped suddenly. The whee l
position is shown in th e multifunction display.
G WARNIN G
Drivin g wit h a flat tire poses a ris k of th e followin g hazards :R
a flat tire affects th e abilit y to steer or brak e th e vehicle.R
you could lose control of th e vehicle.R
continued drivin g wit h a flat tire will caus e excessive heat build-up
and possibl y a fire.
There is a ris k of an accident.X
Stop th e vehicl e without making any sudden steering or braking
maneuvers . Pay attention to th e traffic condition s as you do so.X
Secur e th e vehicl e against rollin g away ( Y
page 161).X
Chec k th e tires and , if necessary, follow th e instruction s for a flat
tire ( Y
page 339).
Tir e Press. Monito r
Currently Unavaila‐
ble Becaus e there is interferenc e from a stron g source of radi o waves, no
signals from th e tire pressur e sensor s are detected. The tire pressur e
monitor is temporarily malfunctioning .X
Drive on .
The tire pressur e monitor restarts automatically as soo n as th e
problem has been resolved.
Tir e Press. Sen ‐
sor(s) Missin g There is no signal from th e tire pressur e sensor of on e or several
wheels. The pressur e of th e affecte d tire is no t displayed in th e mul-
tifunction display. X
Hav e th e fault y tire pressur e sensor replace d at a qualified special -
ist workshop .274
Display messages
On-board computer and displays

MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat
properties) With MOExtended tires (tires with run flat char-
acteristics), you can continue to drive your vehi-
cle even if there is a total loss of pressure in one
or more tires.
MOExtended tires may only be used in conjunc-
tion with an active tire pressure loss warning
system or with an active tire pressure monitor
and on wheels specifically tested by Mercedes-
Benz.
Notes on driving with MOExtended tires with a
flat tire ( Y
page 340).
i Vehicles equipped with MOExtended tires
are not equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the fac-
tory. It is therefore recommended that you
additionally equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT
kit if you mount tires that do not feature run-
flat properties, e.g. winter tires. A TIREFIT kit
may be obtained from a qualified specialist
workshop.
Winter operation
General notes Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section ( Y
page 374).
Driving with summer tires At temperatures below 45 ‡ (+7 †), the elas-
ticity of summer tires and therefore also the
traction and braking capability are reduced con-
siderably. Change the tires on your vehicle to
M+S tires. Using summer tires at very cold tem-
peratures could cause cracks to form, thereby
damaging the tires permanently. Mercedes-
Benz cannot accept responsibility for this type
of damage.
G WARNING
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control of
your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tires regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tires immediately. M+S tires
G WARNING
M+S tires with a tire tread depth of less than

To avoid hazardous situations: R
never install snow chains to the front
wheels R
always install snow chains in pairs to the
rear wheels.
! Check the snow chains for damage before
mounting them. Damaged or worn snow
chains may snap and damage the following
components: R
wheel R
wheel housing R
wheel suspension
For this reason, you must use only snow
chains that are free of defects. Observe the
manufacturer's mounting instructions.
! You must drive at raised vehicle level (height
1) if snow chains have been installed. The
vehicle may otherwise be damaged.
! Vehicles with ADS (Adaptive Damping
System): do not use the sport mode when
driving with snow chains mounted. The vehi-
cle may otherwise be damaged.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use snow chains that have
been specially approved for your vehicle by
Mercedes-Benz, or are of a corresponding
standard of quality. For more information,
please contact a qualified specialist workshop.
Install the snow chains on all driven wheels for
maximum tractive power and driving stability. If
you own snow chains for two driven wheels only,
install the snow chains to the wheels on the rear
axle. The vehicle then remains more stable
under braking.
If you intend to mount snow chains, please bear
the following points in mind: R
Snow chains may not be mounted on all
wheel/tire combinations. Permissible
wheel/tire combinations ( Y
page 379).R
Only use snow chains when driving on roads
completely covered by snow. Remove the
snow chains as soon as possible when you
come to a road that is not snow-covered. R
Local regulations may restrict the use of snow
chains. Observe the appropriate regulations if
you wish to mount snow chains. R
Do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 30 mph (50 km/h). R
Never use Parking Pilot when snow chains are
installed ( Y
page 195).
You may wish to deactivate ESP ®
( Y
page 71)
when pulling away with snow chains mounted.
You can thereby allow the wheels to spin in a
controlled manner, achieving an increased driv-
ing force (cutting action).
Information about driving with an emergency
spare wheel ( Y
page 380).
Tire pressure
Tire pressure specifications
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Underinflated or overinflated tires pose the
following risks: R
the tires may burst, especially as the load
and vehicle speed increase. R
the tires may wear excessively and/or
unevenly, which may greatly impair tire
traction. R
the driving characteristics, as well as steer-
ing and braking, may be greatly impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures
and check the pressure of all the tires includ-
ing the spare wheel: R
monthly, at least R
if the load changes R
before beginning a long journey R
under different operating conditions, e.g.
off-road driving
If necessary, correct the tire pressure.
Details on tire pressure can be found at the fol-
lowing positions in the vehicle: R
Tire and Loading Information placard on the
B-pillar on the driver's side R
table for tire pressure on the inside of the fuel
filler flap
The tire pressure monitor does not warn you of: Tire pressure 357
Wheels and tires Z

All passenger car tires must conform to the stat-
utory safety requirements in addition to these
grades.
i The actual values for tires are vehicle-spe-
cific and may deviate from the values in the
illustration.
Treadwear The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified U.S.
government course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half times as well
on the government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service practices
and differences in road characteristics and cli-
mate.
Traction
G WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor-
nering, hydroplaning, or peak traction char-
acteristics.
! Avoid wheelspin. This can lead to damage to
the drive train.
The traction grades – from highest to lowest –
are AA, A, B and C. Those grades represent the
tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as meas-
ured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and con-
crete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or icy
road is always lower than on dry road surfaces.
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends a minimum tread
depth of