Mercedes-Benz GLS Owner's Manual page 203

200 Driving and parking
Do not drive on unknown terrain that is not
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easily visible and stay on marked routes.
Always keep the doors and windows closed
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while the vehicle is in motion.
Deactivate Active Distance Assist
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DISTRONIC, cruise control and the variable
limiter.
Adapt your driving style to the terrain.
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Do not use the HOLD function on steep
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downhill or uphill gradients with slippery or
loose surfaces.
Driving on sand
When driving on sand, also observe the following
instructions:
Select the F drive program.
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Select a higher vehicle level.
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Shift to a lower gear.
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Drive quickly to overcome the rolling resist‐
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ance; the vehicle may otherwise dig itself in.
Drive in the tracks of other vehicles if possi‐
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ble. Make sure that the following prerequi‐
sites are met:
the tyre ruts are not too deep
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the sand is firm enough
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the ground clearance is sufficient
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Fording
Also observe the following information when
fording:
Vehicles with AIR BODY CONTROL: select
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the highest possible vehicle level
( page 269).
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Vehicles with E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL:
select the highest possible vehicle level
( page 278).
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Drive no faster than 10 km/h.
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Observe the maximum permissible fording
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depth ( page 440).
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Switch off automatic climate control
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( page 179).
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Vehicles with stationary heater/ventila‐
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tion: switch the stationary heater/ventilation
off ( page 183).
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Ensure that a bow wave does not form as you
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drive.
Do not stop in the water and do not switch
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off the engine. Ensure the ECO start/stop
function is switched off (
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Driving in mountainous terrain
Also observe the following information when
driving in mountainous terrain:
Observe the values of the approach/depar‐
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ture angle and of the maximum gradient
( page 440).
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Avoid high engine speeds.
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Use the braking power of the engine when
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driving downhill.
Shift to a lower gear on uphill gradients and
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on long, steep downhill gradients.
Activate DSR before driving downhill, if nec‐
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essary ( page 248).
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Checklist after driving off-road
Driving off-road places greater demands on your
vehicle than driving on normal roads. Check the
entire vehicle for damage and foreign bodies
every time after driving off-road. Foreign bodies
in the wheels or drivetrain can lead to imbalan‐
ces and therefore vibrations.
page 202).