Clear the seats and cargo area, then briefly pull the L or R third-row switch for the corresponding seatback and wait until it reaches and locks in its end position.
Check that your vehicle has it.
Verified for 2024 U.S. seven-seat GLS configurations with powered third-row seatbacks; Mercedes-Maybach seating layouts are excluded from this guide.
- Required equipment / service
- seven-seat GLS 450 4MATIC, GLS 580 4MATIC or Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 with electrically folding third row
Does the documented scope match your car?
This check combines the verified year, any source-supported powertrain scope, source-named trim/package and required equipment. It does not read a VIN or factory build record.
Published availability and qualifications
Verified for 2024 U.S. seven-seat GLS configurations with powered third-row seatbacks; Mercedes-Maybach seating layouts are excluded from this guide.
Know what kind of control to look for.
This original category diagram is an orientation aid, not a picture of your exact trim. Use the written labels and your vehicle manual to identify the real control.
Step by step.
- 01
Park, open the cargo area and remove people, child seats and loose objects from the third-row seat and movement path.
- 02
Lower the third-row head restraint if needed and make sure the second-row position leaves room for movement.
- 03
Briefly pull the L or R switch on the cargo-area side trim to move the corresponding third-row seatback forward.
- 04
To return it, briefly pull the matching control in the raise direction and wait for the seatback to reach its upright end position.
- 05
Check the instrument cluster and physically confirm the seatback is engaged before carrying passengers.
Important limits
- Seat movement can trap occupants or damage objects left in the seat or footwell.
- A seatback that is not engaged and locked is reported on the instrument display and must not carry an occupant.
- Installed child restraints and cargo can prevent full movement.
Quick checks.
- ✓If the seat stops, remove the obstruction and return the neighboring seat to a position with adequate clearance.
- ✓If the display reports an unlocked backrest, operate the control again until the end position is reached.
- ✓Do not push or pull against the electric mechanism; have a persistent fault checked by Mercedes-Benz service.
What happened on your vehicle?
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2024 Mercedes-Benz GLS SUV Owner's Manual — Third-Row Seatbacks
Relevant section or page: Seats and stowing, pp. 135–136. We use the written official source to determine the steps and applicability shown above.
Reviewed with a visible trail.
Scope and steps were checked by Car Cheat Codes Editorial Review. A guide is narrowed or corrected when the source does not support a broader claim.
- Published
- Last modified
- Source checked
Guide change history
- Initial verified publication.