Dr ivi ng an d parki ng, Driving systems – Mercedes-Benz GL-Class 2014 Owners Manual User Manual

Page 203

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Driving downhill

R

Drive slowly.

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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.

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Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand

paddle shifter before tackling steep

downhill gradients.

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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.

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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

completely braked and therefore lose their

ability to steer.

Driving systems

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 downhill 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

conditions 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

control 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:

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in road and traffic conditions which do not

allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g.

in heavy traffic or on winding roads

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on slippery road surfaces. Braking or

accelerating could cause the drive wheels

to lose traction and the vehicle could then

skid

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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.

Cruise control lever

:

To activate or increase speed

;

To activate or reduce speed

=

To deactivate cruise control

?

To activate at the current speed/last

stored speed

Driving systems

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