check engine MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS 2018 User Guide

XTo deactivate:press button:.
The å ESP®OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
XTo activate: press button :.
The å ESP®OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Characteristics when ESP®is deactivated
If ESP®is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®warning lamp in the
instrument cluster flashes. In such situations,
ESP
®will not stabilize the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP®:
RESP®no longer improves driving stability.
REngine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin.
RTraction control is still activated.
RESP®still provides support when you brake
firmly.
RMercedes-AMG vehicles: and are driving a
speed at above 62 mph (100 km/h), ESP®still
intervenes when one wheel reaches its grip
limit even though it is deactivated.
RAll other models: and are driving at a speed
above 37 mph (60 km/h), ESP®still inter-
venes when one wheel reaches its grip limit
even though it is deactivated.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: if ESP
®is deactiva-
ted, it is reactivated automatically if you are
driving at a speed above 62 mph (100 km/h) or
you exceed a certain lateral acceleration.
All other models: if ESP
®is deactivated, it is
re
activated automatically if you are driving at a
speed above 37 mph (60 km/h) or you exceed a
certain lateral acceleration.
Trailer stabilization
General information
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
swerve, ESP®assists you in this situation. ESP®
slows the vehicle down by braking and limiting
the engine output until the vehicle/trailer com-
bination has stabilized.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilization will not be able to prevent
the vehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailers with a high center of gravity can
tip over before ESP
®can detect this. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your driving style to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
If your vehicle with trailer (vehicle/trailer com-
bination) begins to lurch, you can only stabilize
the vehicle/trailer combination by depressing
the brake firmly.
ESP
®trailer stabilization is active above speeds
of approximately 37 mph (60 km/h).
ESP
®trailer stabilization does not work if ESP®
is deactivated or malfunctioning.
EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General information
EBD monitors and controls the brake pressure
on the rear wheels to improve driving stability
while braking.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 58).
GWARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can
lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases the
risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have
the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (
Ypage 194) as well as display
messages (Ypage 176).
ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE provides increased braking
safety. In addition to the braking function,
ADAPTIVE BRAKE also has the HOLD function
(
Ypage 142) and hill start assist (Ypage 107).
Driving safety systems61
Safety
Z

SmartKey
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
Ropen the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
Rget out and disrupt traffic.
Roperate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
RStart the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
GWARNING
If you attach heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey, the SmartKey could be uninten-
tionally turned in the ignition lock. This could
cause the engine to be switched off. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not attach any heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey. Remove any bulky key rings before
inserting the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
!Keep the SmartKey away from strong mag-
netic fields. Otherwise, the remote control
function could be affected.
Strong magnetic fields can occur in the vicin-
ity of powerful electrical installations.
Do not keep the SmartKey:
Rwith electronic devices, e.g. a mobile phone
or another SmartKey.
Rwith metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal foil.
Rinside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case.
This can affect the functionality of the Smart- Key. A check which periodically establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the Smart-
Key determines whether a valid SmartKey is in
the vehicle. This occurs, for example:
Rwhen starting the engine
Rwhile driving
SmartKey functions
:&
Locks the vehicle
;%Unlocks the vehicle
The SmartKey centrally locks/unlocks:
Rthe doors
Rthe rear door
Rthe fuel filler flap
XTo unlock centrally: press the%button.
If you do not open the vehicle within approx-
imately 40 seconds of unlocking:
Rthe vehicle is locked again.
Rprotection against theft is reactivated.
XTo lock centrally: press the&button.
The turn signals flash once when unlocking and
three times when locking.
You can also set an audible signal to confirm
that the vehicle has been locked. The audible
signal can be activated and deactivated using
the on-board computer (
Ypage 170).
You will receive visual and acoustic locking con-
firmation if all components were able to be
locked.
When the surround lighting is activated via the
on-board computer, it lights up when it is dark
after the vehicle is unlocked with the SmartKey (
Ypage 169).
SmartKey63
Opening and closing
Z

Problems with the SmartKey
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
You can no longer lock or
unlock the vehicle using
the SmartKey.The SmartKey battery is discharged or nearly discharged.
XCheck the SmartKey battery (Ypage 65) and replace it if necessary
(Ypage 65).
If this does not work:
XLock or unlock the vehicle using the mechanical key (Ypage 68).
There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves.
XLock or unlock the vehicle using the mechanical key (Ypage 68).
The SmartKey is faulty.
XLock or unlock the vehicle using the mechanical key (Ypage 68).
XHave the SmartKey checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine cannot be
started using the Smart-
Key.The on-board voltage is too low
XSwitch off non-essential consumers, e.g. seat heating or interior
lighting, and try to start the engine again.
If this does not work:
XCheck the starter battery and charge it if necessary (Ypage 248).
or
XJump-start the vehicle (Ypage 249).
or
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
You have lost a Smart-
Key.XHave the SmartKey deactivated at a qualified specialist workshop.
XReport the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
XIf necessary, have the locks changed as well.
You have lost the
mechanical key.XReport the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
XIf necessary, have the locks changed as well.
Doors
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
Ropen the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
Rget out and disrupt traffic.
Roperate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
RStart the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
66Doors
Opening and closing

XMake sure that wiper blade;is seated cor-
rectly.
XFold wiper arm :back onto the windshield.
Problems with the windshield wipers
ProblemPossible causes/consequences and MSolutions
The windshield wipers
are jammed.Leaves or snow, for example, are obstructing windshield wiper move-
ment. The wiper motor has been deactivated.
XSwitch off the engine.
XRemove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XRemove the cause of the obstruction.
XSwitch the windshield wipers back on.
The windshield wipers
fail completely.The windshield wiper drive is malfunctioning.
XSelect another wiper speed on the combination switch.
XHave the windshield wipers checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
The windshield washer
fluid from the spray noz-
zles no longer hits the
center of the windshield.The spray nozzles are misaligned.
XHave the spray nozzles adjusted at a qualified specialist workshop.
Windshield wipers95
Lights and windshield wipers
Z

since no fresh air is drawn into the vehicle in
air-recirculation mode.
ECO start/stop function
During automatic engine switch-off, the climate
control system only operates at a reduced capa-
city. If you require the full climate control output,
you can switch off the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button (
Ypage 108).
Operating the climate control system
Activating/deactivating climate con-
trol
General notes
When the climate control is switched off, the air
supply and air circulation are also switched off. The windows could fog up. Therefore, switch off
climate control only briefly.
Activate climate control primarily using the
Ã
button (
Ypage 99).
Activating/deactivating
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock (Ypage 105).
XTo activate: press theÃbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ãbutton lights
up. Airflow and air distribution are set to auto-
matic mode.
XTo deactivate: press the^button.
The indicator lamp in the ^button lights
up.
Switching cooling with air dehumidification on/off
General notes
If you deactivate the "Cooling with air-dehumidification" function, the air inside the vehicle will not
be cooled. The air inside the vehicle will also not be dehumidified. The windows can fog up more
quickly. Therefore, only deactivate the "Cooling with air-dehumidification" function briefly.
The "Cooling with air dehumidification" function is only available when the engine is running.
The air inside the vehicle is cooled and dehumidified according to the temperature selected.
Condensation may drip from the underside of the vehicle when it is in cooling mode. This is normal
and not a sign that there is a malfunction.
Activating/deactivating
XTo activate: press the¿orÁ button.
The indicator lamp in the ¿orÁ button lights up.
XTo deactivate: press the¿orÁ button.
The indicator lamp in the ¿orÁ button goes out. The "Cooling with air dehumidification"
function has a delayed switch-off feature.
Problems with the "Cooling with air dehumidification" function
!If the cooling with air dehumidification does not switch on, it is possible that the climate control
system has lost coolant.
Have the cooling with air dehumidification checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
98Operating the climate control system
Climate control

There is a risk of an accident.
Wear suitable footwear to ensure correct
usage of the pedals.
GWARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect, for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
GWARNING
If the parking brake has not been fully
released when driving, the parking brake can:
Roverheat and cause a fire
Rlose its hold function.
There is a risk of fire and an accident. Release
the parking brake fully before driving off.
!Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use the
engine's full performance until it has reached
operating temperature.
Only shift the automatic transmission to the
desired drive position when the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery roads.
You could otherwise damage the drive train.
!Avoid high engine speeds when the engine
is cold. The engine's service life could other-
wise be significantly shortened. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
!Mercedes-AMG vehicles: at low engine oil
temperatures below 68 ‡ (+20 †), the max-
imum engine speed is restricted in order to
protect the engine. To protect the engine and
maintain smooth engine operation, avoid driv-
ing at full throttle when the engine is cold.
Key positions
gTo remove the SmartKey
1Power supply for some consumers, such as
the windshield wipers
2Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
3To start the engine
As soon as the ignition is switched on, all the
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster light
up. If an indicator lamp does not go out after
starting the engine or lights up while driving, see
(
Ypage 193).
If the SmartKey is in position gin the ignition
lock for a longer period, it can no longer be
turned in the ignition lock. The steering is then
locked. To unlock, remove the SmartKey and
reinsert it into the ignition lock.
The steering is locked when you remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XRemove the SmartKey when the engine is
switched off.
The starter battery could otherwise be dis-
charged.
If you cannot turn the SmartKey in the ignition
lock, the starter battery may not be charged
sufficiently.
XCheck the starter battery and charge it if nec-
essary (Ypage 248).
or
XJump-start the vehicle (Ypage 249).
You can only remove the SmartKey if:
Rthe SmartKey is in position gin the ignition
lock
Rthe automatic transmission selector lever is
in j
Driving105
Driving and parking
Z

Starting the engine
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
Ropen the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
Rget out and disrupt traffic.
Roperate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
RStart the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
GWARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There
is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation.
GWARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can
ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or
parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
!Do not depress the accelerator when start-
ing the engine.
Starting procedure
XShift the automatic transmission to position
j.
XMake sure that the parking brake is applied.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 3in the igni-
tion lock (Ypage 105) and release it as soon
as the engine is running.
You can also use the touch-start function. To do
this, turn the SmartKey to position 3
(
Ypage 105) and release it immediately. The
engine then starts automatically.
Pulling away
General notes
GWARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is
a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate.
!Do not depress the accelerator pedal while
depressing the brake pedal. This impairs
engine performance and results in premature
wear on the brake system and drivetrain.
!If a warning tone sounds and the ReleasePark. Brakemessage appears in the multi-
function display, the parking brake is still
applied. Release the parking brake.
Depress the accelerator carefully when pulling
away.
The vehicle locks centrally once you have pulled
away. The locking knobs in the doors drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at any
time.
You can also deactivate the automatic locking
feature (
Ypage 170).
It is possible to shift the transmission from posi-
tion jto the desired position only if you
depress the brake pedal. Only then is the selec-
tor lever lock released.
iUpshifts take place at higher engine speeds
after a cold start. This helps the catalytic con-
106Driving
Driving and parking

ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The coolant temperature
gauge is in the area
marked in red behind the
H. A display message
may also appear in the
multifunction display
and a warning tone may
sound.The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine is no
longer being cooled sufficiently.
XStop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant to
cool down.
XCheck the coolant level (Ypage 234). Observe the warning notes
as you do so and add coolant if necessary.
If the coolant level is correct, the radiator fan may be faulty. The cool-
ant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
XIf the coolant temperature is below the Hmarking, drive to the
nearest qualified specialist workshop.
XAvoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in moun-
tainous terrain and stop-and-go traffic.
Adjustable damping
General notes
With adjustable damping you can choose
between two different suspension settings.
Suspension settings
COMFcomfortable suspension setting
Sportsports suspension setting
Selecting the suspension setting
iIf you select the sports suspension setting,
the vehicle will dampen more roughly.
XPress button :.
The indicator lamp lights up. SPORTis dis-
played in the multifunction display. The sports
suspension setting is activated.
iIf you select the comfortable suspension
setting, the vehicle will dampen more softly.
XPress button ;.
The indicator lamp lights up. COMFis dis-
played in the multifunction display. The com-
fortable suspension setting is activated.
Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is
a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate.
GWARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
iBear in mind that the power transmission
between the engine and the transmission is
interrupted when the engine is switched off.
Automatic transmission111
Driving and parking
Z

For this reason, shift the automatic transmis-
sion to jwhen the engine is switched off
and the vehicle is stationary. Apply the park-
ing brake to prevent the vehicle from rolling
away.
Selector lever
Overview of transmission positions
!If the engine speed is too high or the vehicle
is in motion, do not shift the automatic trans-
mission directly from htok, from ktoh
or directly to j.
Do not open the driver's door while the vehi-
cle is in motion. At low speeds in transmission
position hork, otherwise park position j
is engaged automatically.
The transmission could be damaged.
:B button: park position with parking lock
kReverse gear
iNeutral
hDrive
When you select a transmission position, the
selector lever subsequently returns to its origi-
nal position.
The current transmission position j,k,ior
h is shown on the transmission position dis-
play on the multifunction display.
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
!If the transmission position display in the
multifunction display is not working, you
should pull away carefully to check whether
the desired transmission position is engaged. Select transmission position D. Do not
restrict the shift range.
Current transmission position :and current
drive program ;appear in the multifunction
display.
The current position of the selector lever is
shown by the indicators next to the selector
lever.
The indicators light up when the SmartKey is
inserted into the ignition lock. The indicators go
out when the SmartKey is removed from the
ignition lock.
When the selector lever is in position h, you
can influence the gearshifts made by the auto-
matic transmission by:
Rrestricting the shift range
Rchanging gear yourself
Selecting park position
XMake sure that the vehicle is stationary.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
XPress the Bbutton on the center console.
If you depress the brake pedal and push the
selector lever forwards or back to the first point of resistance, park position jis disengaged.
The transmission shifts to neutral i.
Engaging reverse gear
!Only move the automatic transmission to
k when the vehicle is stationary.
XMake sure that the vehicle is stationary.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
XPush the selector lever forwards past the first
point of resistance.
The transmission position kis engaged.
If you engage reverse gear and the ECO start/
stop function is activated, the engine starts
automatically (
Ypage 107).
112Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

XWhen gearshift recommendation:appears
on the multifunction display, pull the right-
hand steering wheel paddle shifter
(
Ypage 116).
The automatic transmission shifts to recom-
mended gear ;.
Downshifting
XPull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Ypage 116).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
If you slow down or stop without shifting down, the automatic transmission automatically shifts
down.
Selecting the optimal gear for maxi-
mum acceleration
XPull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter until the transmission selects the opti-
mum gear according to the speed.
Switching off the manual drive program
XAll vehicles (except Mercedes ‑AMG vehi-
cles): press the program selector button
repeatedly until Eor Sis shown in the multi-
function display.
XMercedes‑AMG vehicles: press the program
selector button repeatedly until Cor Sis
shown in the multifunction display.
Problems with the automatic transmission
ProblemPossible causes/consequences and MSolutions
The transmission has
problems shifting gear.The transmission is losing oil.
XHave the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no lon-
ger changes gear.The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift intosecondgear and reverse gear.
XStop the vehicle.
XShift the transmission to position j.
XTurn the SmartKey to positiongin the ignition lock.
XWait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
XShift the transmission to position hork.
If h is selected, the transmission shifts to secondgear; ifkis
selected, the transmission shifts to reverse gear.
XHave the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
You hear a warning tone.You have:
Rswitched off the engine
Ropened the driver's door
Rnot shifted the selector lever to position j
XShift the selector lever to positionj.
Automatic transmission119
Driving and parking
Z