display MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV 2016 Owners Manual

Do not use the
Offroaddrive program on roads
that are snow-covered or icy, or if you have fitted
your vehicle with snow chains.
Selecting the Offroad drive program Selecting the Offroad drive program
X To select a drive program: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller :until indicator lamp ;
lights up.
The Drive program "Offroad" Max.
Drive program "Offroad" Max.
speed 100 km/h speed 100 km/h message appears in the
multifunction display.
The vehicle is raised by 60 mm.
The vehicle is lowered to normal level again if
you: R drive at speeds above 60 km/h (all vehicles
except Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
R drive at speeds above 70 km/h (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles)
R drive at speeds between 65 km/h and
70 km/h for approximately 20 seconds
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
The vehicle changes from the Offroaddrive pro-
gram to the Comfortdrive program if you drive
faster than 110 km/h.
The Please
Please reduce reducespeed
speedmessage appears in
the multifunction display.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(Y page 176).
Offroad programs (vehicles with the
Off-Road Engineering package) General notes
The Offroad andOffroad 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 OffroadorOffroad Plus drive
programs on roads that are snow-covered or icy,
or if you have fitted your vehicle with snow
chains.
Offroad drive program :
DYNAMIC SELECT controller
; Offroad drive program indicator lamp
Select the Offroaddrive program for easily
negotiable offroad 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 of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action 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
accelerate.
You can select the Offroaddrive program at
speeds below 100 km/h. The Drive
Drive program program
"Offroad" Max. speed 100 km/h
"Offroad" Max. speed 100 km/h message
appears in the multifunction display. If you drive
at speeds of more than 100 km/h and select the
Offroad drive program, the Please reduce
Please reduce
speed
speed message appears in the multifunction
display. The last active drive program is selected
again.
Selecting the Offroad drive program X To select a drive program: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller :until indicator lamp ;
lights up.
The Drive program "Offroad" Max. Drive program "Offroad" Max.
speed 100 km/h
speed 100 km/h message appears in the
multifunction display. Driving systems
229Driving and parking Z

The vehicle is raised by 30 mm.
The vehicle changes from the Offroaddrive pro-
gram to the Comfortdrive program if you drive
faster than 110 km/h.
The Please Please reduce
reducespeed
speedmessage appears in
the multifunction display.
Offroad Plus drive program :
DYNAMIC SELECT controller
; 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 72) controls the balance
between both wheels on an axle.
Selecting the Offroad Plus drive program X To select a drive program: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller :until indicator lamp ;
lights up.
The Drive program "Offroad Plus"
Drive program "Offroad Plus"
Max. speed 40 km/h
Max. speed 40 km/h message appears in
the multifunction display.
R The Offroad Plus drive program is selected
and the vehicle is raised by 30 mm com-
pared with the Offroaddrive program.
R DSR is switched on.
R The differential lock is closed.
You can select the Offroad Plus drive program at speeds below 40 km/h.
The Offroad Plus drive program automatically
switches to the Offroad drive program if you
drive faster than 45 km/h. ThePlease
Please reduce reduce
speed
speed message appears in the multifunction
display. Further information about "Driving off-road"
(Y
page 176).
LOW RANGE offroad 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 release the accelerator pedal when
the vehicle is in motion
R if Off-road ABS intervenes when braking
If the wheels lose traction, it will no longer be
possible to steer the vehicle. This increases
the risk of skidding and having an accident.
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. 230
Driving systemsDriving and parking

General notes
:
LOW RANGE offroad gear button
; LOW RANGE offroad gear indicator lamp HIGH RANGE
Position for all normal on-
road driving conditions.
LOW RANGE
Off-road position for driving
off-road and fording.
The transmission ratio
between the engine and
wheels is only approx-
imately one third of that in
the HIGH RANGE road posi-
tion. The drive torque is cor-
respondingly higher as a
result.
Do not use LOW RANGE:
R on slippery road surfaces,
e.g. in the event of slush
R on snow or ice-covered
roads
R if you have snow chains
on your vehicle The LOW RANGE offroad gear assists you when
driving off-road and when fording. When LOW
RANGE is engaged, the engine’s performance
characteristics and the gearshifting character-
istics of the automatic transmission are adapted
for this purpose.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(Y page 176). You will find information about
driving safety systems in conjunction with
LOW RANGE in the "Safety" section (Y page 68).From HIGH RANGE to LOW RANGE
! Only change from HIGH RANGE to LOW
RANGE if:
R the engine is running
R the transmission is in position N
R you are driving at speeds below 40 km/h
X Press LOW RANGE button :.
Indicator lamp ;flashes.
When the gear change is complete, indicator
lamp ;lights up. LOW RANGE indicator
appears in the multifunction display and in the
status indicator.
While indicator lamp ;is flashing, you can
cancel the gear change by pressing LOW
RANGE button :again.
i You cannot activate LOW RANGE if the
SPORT drive program is activated. The LOW LOW
RANGE RANGE Not Notin
indrive
drive program
program SPORT
SPORTmes-
sage then appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
From LOW RANGE to HIGH RANGE ! Only change from HIGH RANGE to LOW
RANGE if:
R the engine is running
R the transmission is in position N
R if you are driving at speeds below
70 km/h X
Press LOW RANGE button :.
Indicator lamp ;flashes.
When the gear change is complete, indicator
lamp ;goes out. In the multifunction dis-
play, the LOW RANGE Off
LOW RANGE Off message appears
and the status indicator goes out.
While indicator lamp ;is flashing, you can
cancel the gear change by pressing LOW
RANGE button :again. Driving systems
231Driving and parking Z

Messages in the multifunction display
If a gear change process has not been successful, the following messages may be displayed in the
multifunction display: Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions LOW RANGE Max.
LOW RANGE Max.
speed 40 km/h speed 40 km/h You have been driving faster than 40 km/h. Additionally, the indicator
lamp on the button in the centre console blinks.
X Drive more slowly to carry out the gear change process. LOW RANGE Shift to
LOW RANGE Shift to
position N briefly position N briefly The transmission is in position
Dand you are driving at below
40 km/h.
X Shift the transmission to Nto complete the gear change process. LOW RANGE Shifting
LOW RANGE Shifting
cancelled Please cancelled Please
reactivate reactivate The gear change process was not carried out.
X Maintain all gear change conditions and carry out the gear change
process again. LOW RANGE Stop
LOW RANGE Stop
Apply parking brake Apply parking brake A warning tone also sounds. The gear change process has not been
completed. LOW RANGE is in the neutral position. There is no con-
nection between the engine and the drive wheels.
! Do not drive any further. You could otherwise damage the vehi-
cle’s drive train.
X Stop the vehicle. Take into account the road and traffic conditions
when doing so.
X Apply the electric parking brake (Y page 170).
X Repeat the gear change process.
If the gear change process has been carried out, the LOW RANGE LOW RANGE
Stop Apply parking brake
Stop Apply parking brake message disappears.Driving dynamics display in the
COMAND display (vehicles with the Off-
Road Engineering-package) General notes
The driving dynamics display allows you to see
the selected drive program and additional infor-
mation about the vehicle's operating status in
the COMAND display. :
Drive program selected
; Status of the differential lock for the transfer
case
= Accelerator pedal position shown in %
? Brake pedal position shown in %
A Status of the LOW RANGE offroad gear
B Angle of inclination
C Steering angle
D Uphill or downhill gradient in percentage 232
Driving systemsDriving and parking

E
Level control
F Compass with angle scale
Activating the driving dynamics display X
Switch on COMAND Online. You can find fur-
ther information in the separate COMAND
Online operating instructions.
X Press button :.
The driving dynamics display appears in the
COMAND display. Towing a trailer
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Vehicles with level control:
The vehicle level may be changed uninten-
tionally, e.g. by other persons. If this happens while you are coupling or decoupling a trailer,
you could become trapped. In addition, other
people could become trapped if their limbs
are between the vehicle body and the wheels or underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury.
When coupling or decoupling a trailer, make
sure that no one:
R opens or closes the doors or the tailgate
R initiates a level change or turns the
DYNAMIC SELECT Controller
R locks or unlocks the vehicle G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle/trailer
combination if it begins to swerve. The vehi- cle/trailer combination could even overturn.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten out the vehicle/trailer combina-
tion by increasing speed. Decrease your
speed and do not countersteer. Brake if nec-
essary. G
WARNING
If the maximum permissible load for a carrier system is exceeded, the carrier could come
loose from the vehicle and endanger other
road users. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never exceed the maximum permissible load
when using a carrier.
Exceeding the maximum permissible nose-
weight of the trailer drawbar on the ball coupling
may cause damage to the following:
R your vehicle
R the trailer
R the ball coupling
R trailer tow hitch
The vehicle/trailer combination could become
unstable.
If the noseweight used is lower than the mini-
mum permissible noseweight, the vehicle/
trailer combination could also become unstable. To avoid hazardous situations:
R make sure to check the noseweight before
each journey
R use a drawbar noseweight as close as possi-
ble to the maximum noseweight
R do not exceed the maximum permissible
noseweight
R do not use a noseweight lower than the min-
imum noseweight
When reversing the vehicle towards the trailer,
make sure there is nobody between the trailer
and the vehicle.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If you do not couple the trailer to the towing vehicle
correctly, the trailer could become detached.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R the permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
R the permissible trailer load Towing a trailer
233Driving and parking Z

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 If the trailer swings from side to side:
X Do not accelerate under any circumstances.
X Do not countersteer.
X Brake, if necessary.
R Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle in
front than when driving without a trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake gen-
tly at first to allow the trailer to run on. Then,
increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing capa-
bilities from a standstill refer to sea level.
When driving in mountainous areas, note that
the power output of the engine, and conse-
quently the vehicle's gradient-climbing capa-
bility from a standstill, decrease with increas- ing altitude. Swivelling the ball coupling out/in
Using the switch in the driver's door G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not engaged, the trailer
may come loose. There is a risk of an accident. Make sure that the ball coupling is securely
engaged and locked in position.
! Do not attempt to speed the up the swing-
out procedure by applying additional pressure
with your foot. The system could otherwise be
mechanically damaged.
In order to tow a trailer with your vehicle, you
must swing out the ball coupling using the
switch in the driver's door or in the tailgate.
The trailer socket is integrated into the ball cou- pling and swivels out with it.
Release the ball coupling only when the swivel
range is unobstructed. Swivelling out:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch the ignition on.
X Pull switch :briefly.
After a short time, the ball coupling swivels
out from under the rear bumper. It can take up to seven seconds before the ball coupling
visibly swivels out.
X Remove the protective cap from the ball cou-
pling and store it in a safe place.
Until the ball coupling vertically engages in a
securely locked position:
R indicator lamp ;flashes
R the multifunction display shows the display
message Trailer coupling extend‐ Trailer coupling extend‐
ing...
ing... .
The ball coupling swivels back into the out-of-
use position when:
R you drive off before the Trailer
Trailercoupling
coupling
extending...
extending... display message has disap-
peared from the multifunction display
R the ball coupling encounters an obstacle in
the swivel range
Folding in:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
the trailer cables are disconnected.
X Place the protective cap on the ball coupling.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch the ignition on.
X Pull switch :briefly.
After a short time, the ball coupling swivels in under the rear bumper. It can take up to seven
seconds before the ball coupling visibly swiv- els in. Towing a trailer
235Driving and parking Z

Until the ball coupling engages in a securely
locked position under the bumper:
R indicator lamp ;flashes
R the multifunction display shows the display
message Trailer coupling extend‐
Trailer coupling extend‐
ing...
ing...
The ball coupling swivels back into the out-of-
use position when:
R you drive off before the Trailer
Trailer coupling
coupling
extending...
extending... display message has disap-
peared from the multifunction display
R the ball coupling encounters an obstacle in
the swivel range
Using the switch in the tailgate Swivelling out:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary.
X Open the tailgate.
X Pull switch :briefly.
After a short time, the ball coupling swivels
out from under the rear bumper. It can take up to seven seconds before the ball coupling
visibly swivels out.
X Remove the protective cap from the ball cou-
pling and store it in a safe place.
Until the ball coupling vertically engages in a
securely locked position:
R indicator lamp ;flashes
R the multifunction display shows the display
message Trailer coupling extend‐
Trailer coupling extend‐
ing... ing... The ball coupling swivels back into the out-of-
use position when:
R you drive off before the Trailer
Trailercoupling
coupling
extending...
extending... display message has disap-
peared from the multifunction display
R the ball coupling encounters an obstacle in
the swivel range
Folding in:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
the trailer cables are disconnected.
X Place the protective cap on the ball coupling.
X Open the tailgate.
X Pull switch :briefly.
After a short time, the ball coupling swivels in under the rear bumper. It can take up to sevenseconds before the ball coupling visibly swiv-
els in.
Until the ball coupling engages in a securely
locked position under the bumper:
R indicator lamp ;flashes
R the multifunction display shows the display
message Trailer coupling extend‐ Trailer coupling extend‐
ing...
ing...
The ball coupling swivels back into the out-of-
use position when:
R you drive off before the Trailer
Trailercoupling
coupling
extending...
extending... display message has disap-
peared from the multifunction display
R the ball coupling encounters an obstacle in
the swivel range Coupling up a trailer
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Vehicles with level control:
If you disconnect the trailer cable, the vehicle is lowered. This can cause you or others to
become trapped between the vehicle body
and tyres, or underneath the vehicle. This
poses a risk of injury.
Make sure that no-one is in the immediate
vicinity of the wheel arch or underneath the
vehicle when disconnecting the trailer cable. 236
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

X
Start the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
X Switch off the engine. Trailer power supply
! You can connect accessories with a power
rating of up to 180 W to the permanent power
supply and with a power rating of up to 180 W to the power supply that is switched on via the ignition lock.
The trailer battery may not be charged from
the power supply.
When it leaves the factory, your vehicle's trailer
socket is equipped with a permanent power
supply and a power supply that is switched on
via the ignition lock.
The permanent power supply is supplied via
trailer socket pin 9.
The power supply that is switched on via the
ignition lock is supplied via trailer socket pin 10.
The trailer's permanent power supply is
switched off in the event of low vehicle supply
voltage and after six hours at the latest.
You can find more information about fitting the
trailer electrics at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
X To switch the connected power supply on
or off: turn the key to position 2or0respec-
tively (Y page 148). Failure check for LEDs
If LED lamps are fitted in the trailer, a malfunc-
tion message may appear in the multifunction
display even if there is no fault. The reason for
the error message may be that the current has
fallen below the minimum of 50 mA. To ensure reliable indication of the failure, each
LED chain in the trailer lighting must be guaran-
teed a minimum current of 50 mA. Trailer with 7-pin connector
General notes Trailer with 7-pin connector:
you can connect
to the 13-pin socket on the ball coupling using
an adapter or, if necessary, an adapter cable.
Both can be obtained at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Fitting the adapter !
Make sure that there is sufficient cable play
so that the cable cannot become detached
when cornering.
! Remove the adapter cable before folding in
the ball coupling. You could otherwise dam-
age the rear bumper and the adapter cable. X
Open the socket cover.
X Insert the plug connector with lug :into
groove =on the socket.
X Turn bayonet connection ;clockwise to the
stop.
X Let the cover engage.
X If you are using an adapter cable, secure the
cable to the trailer with cable ties. 238
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

Problems with trailer towing
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The displaced ball cou-
pling does not reach the
securely locked position. R
The indicator lamp in the button flashes.
R The Check trailer hitch lock Check trailer hitch lock message appears in the multi-
function display.
X Initiate a new swivelling procedure.
If the ball coupling does not reach the safely engaged position as a
result:
X Start the engine
or
X Pull and hold the button during the whole swivelling procedure.
If the unlocked ball coupling does not reach the safely engaged posi- tion even after several attempts:
X Make sure that there is sufficient ground clearance before continu-
ing the journey.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
As long as the Check trailer hitch lock
Check trailer hitch lock display message is
shown in the multifunction display, no trailer should be attached. Unlocking using the
button in the tailgate:
The ball coupling does
not swivel, even though:
R
the vehicle is station-
ary
R no trailer cable is con-
nected
R the button was briefly
pulled The on-board voltage is too low.
X Start the engine.
If the ball coupling still does not unlock:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Towing a trailer
239Driving and parking Z

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Unlocking using the
button in the driver's
door:
The ball coupling does
not swivel, even though:
R the vehicle is station-
ary
R no trailer cable is con-
nected The on-board voltage is too low.
X Engage park position P.
X Switch on the power supply.
or X Start the engine.
If the ball coupling still does not unlock: X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The ball coupling does
not swivel. The indicator
lamp in the button is
flashing permanently.
The
Check trailer Check trailer
hitch lock
hitch lock message
appears in the multifunc- tion display. There is a malfunction in the release electronics.
X When the ball coupling is retracted: pull and hold the button in
the tailgate until the ball coupling engages into a securely engaged
and locked in a vertical position and then engages again under the
bumper.
X When the ball coupling is extended: pull and hold the button in
the tailgate until the ball coupling engages underneath the bumper.
If the ball coupling still does not unlock:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. 240
Towing a trailerDriving and parking