MERCEDES-BENZ G500 2007 W463 Owner's Manual

310 Operation
Winter driving
Block heater (Canada only)
The engine is equipped with a block
heater.
The electrical cable may be installed at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
Snow chains
Snow chains should only be driven on
snow-covered roads at speeds not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). Remove chains
as soon as possible when driving on roads
without snow.Please observe the following guidelines
when using snow chains:

Use of snow chains is not permissible
with all wheel/tire combinations
(
page 417).

Snow chains should only be used on
the rear wheels. Follow the manufac-
turer’s mounting instructions.

Only use snow chains that are
approved by Mercedes-Benz. Any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
C e n t e r w i l l b e g l a d t o a d v i s e y o u o n t h i s
subject.

Use of snow chains may be prohibited
depending on location. Always check
local and state laws before installing
snow chains.
Warning!G
If you use your spare tire when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may
very well impair turning stability and that
overall driving stability may be reduced.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
iWhen driving with snow chains, you may
wish to deactivate the ESP® (page 92) before
setting the vehicle in motion. This will improve
the vehicle’s traction.

311 Operation
Maintenance
Maintenance
We strongly recommend that you have
your vehicle serviced at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center, in
accordance with the Maintenance Booklet
at the times called for by the maintenance
service indicator.Maintenance service indicator
message
The maintenance service indicator
message will notify you when the next
maintenance service is due.
Starting approximately 1 month before the
next maintenance service is due, one of
the following messages will appear in the
multifunction display while you are driving
or when you switch on the ignition
(example service A):
Service A in XX Days
Service A in XX miles
(km)
Service A due now
The type of maintenance service due is
indicated in the multifunction display:
9Basic service (A)
½Extended service (B)
!Failure to have the vehicle maintained in
accordance with the Maintenance Booklet and
maintenance service indicator at the designated
times/mileage may result in vehicle damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

312 Operation
Maintenance
Clearing the maintenance service
indicator message
The maintenance service indicator
message is automatically cleared

after approximately 10 seconds when
you switch on the ignition or when
reaching the maintenance service
threshold while driving

after approximately 30 seconds, once
the suggested maintenance service
term has passedYou can also clear maintenance service
indicator message yourself.
1Reset button
Press reset button1 on the instru-
ment cluster.
The maintenance service indicator
message is cleared and the standard
display appears in the multifunction
display (
page 140).
iVehicles equipped with Maintenance
System (U.S. vehicles) only:
The Maintenance System in your vehicle tracks
distance driven and the time elapsed since the
last maintenance service and calculates other
maintenance service work required.
iVehicles equipped with FSS (Flexible Service
S
ystem) (Canada vehicles) only:

FSS evaluates engine temperature, oil level,
vehicle speed, engine speed, distance driven
and the time elapsed since the last
maintenance service and calculates other
maintenance service work required.

The interval between maintenance services
depends on your driving habits. A gentle
driving style, moderate engine speeds and
the avoidance of short-distance trips will
lengthen the interval between services.

313 Operation
Maintenance
Maintenance service term exceeded
If you have exceeded the suggested
maintenance service term, you will see the
following message in the multifunction
display:
Service A exceeded by XX Days
Service A exceeded by XX miles (km)
In addition, a signal sounds when the
message appears.
Any authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center will reset the maintenance service
indicator following a completed mainte-
nance service.
Calling up the maintenance service
indicator display
You can call up the maintenance service
indicator display at any time to check
when the next maintenance service is due.
Switch on the ignition (page 39).
Press buttonè orÿ on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel repeatedly
until the standard display appears in
the multifunction display (
page 140).
Press buttonk orj on the
multifunction steering wheel until the
maintenance service indicator display
with the maintenance service
symbol9 or´ and the service
deadline appears in the multifunction
display.Resetting the maintenance service
indicator
In the event that the maintenance service
on your vehicle is not carried out at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center, you can have the maintenance
service indicator reset. The automotive
maintenance facility carrying out the main-
tenance service will find the information
for resetting the maintenance service indi-
cator in the maintenance-relevant informa-
tion for your vehicle. Such information is
available from any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center or
directly from Mercedes-Benz.
iIf the battery is disconnected, the days of
disconnection will not be included in the count
shown by the maintenance service indicator. To
arrive at the true maintenance service deadline,
you will need to subtract these days from the
days shown in the maintenance service indicator
message or maintenance service indicator
display.
Do not confuse the maintenance service indica-
tor with the engine oil level indicator:.
!If the maintenance service indicator was
inadvertently reset, have an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center correct it.
Only reset if the proper maintenance service has
been performed. Resetting the system without
performing the proper maintenance service as
called for by the maintenance service indicator
will result in engine damage and/or other vehicle
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.

314 Operation
Vehicle care
Cleaning and care of the vehicle
Regular and proper care will help to main-
tain the value of your vehicle. The best way
to protect your vehicle from harmful envi-
ronmental influences is to wash it and use
protective treatments regularly.While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected to varying external
influences which, if gone unchecked, can
attack the paintwork as well as the under-
body and cause lasting damage.
Such damage is caused not only by
extreme and varying climatic conditions,
but also by:

Air pollution

Road salt

Tar

Gravel and stone chippingTo avoid paint damage, you should imme-
diately remove:

Grease and oil

Fuel

Coolant

Brake fluid

Bird droppings

Insects

Tree resins, etc.
Frequent washing reduces and/or
eliminates the aggressiveness and
potency of the above adverse influences.
More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:

near the ocean

in industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)

during winter operation
Warning!G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the partic-
ular container. Always open your vehicle’s
doors or windows when cleaning the inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not
designed for cleaning your vehicle.
Always lock away cleaning products and
keep them out of reach of children.

315 Operation
Vehicle care
You should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage.
Any damage should be repaired as soon as
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thor-
ough check is a washing of the underbody
followed by a thorough inspection. Dam-
aged areas need to be re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the
factory with a wax-base rustproofing in the
body cavities which will last for the lifetime
of the vehicle. Post-production treatment
is neither necessary nor recommended by
Mercedes-Benz because of the possibility
of incompatibility between materials used
in the production process and others
applied later.We have selected car-care products and
compiled recommendations which are
specially matched to our vehicles and
which always reflect the latest technology.
You can obtain Mercedes-Benz approved
car-care products at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, corrosion or
damage due to negligent or incorrect care
cannot always be removed or repaired with
the car-care products recommended here.
In such cases it is best to seek aid at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
The following topics deal with the cleaning
and care of your vehicle and give important
“how-to” information as well as references
to Mercedes-Benz approved car-care
products.Power washer
Tar stains
Quickly remove tar stains before they dry
and become more difficult to remove. A tar
remover is recommended.
!Follow the instructions provided by the
power washer manufacturer on maintaining a
distance between the vehicle and the nozzle of
the power washer.
Never use a round nozzle to power-wash tires.
The intense jet of water can result in damage to
the tire.
Always replace a damaged tire.
Always keep the jet of water moving across the
surface. Do not aim directly at electrical parts,
electrical connectors, sensors, seals, or other
rubber parts.

316 Operation
Vehicle care
Paintwork, painted body components
Mercedes-Benz approved Paint Care
should be applied when water drops on the
paint surface do not “bead up”. This should
normally be done every 3 to 5 months,
depending on the climate and washing
detergent used.
Mercedes-Benz approved Paint Cleaner
should be applied if the paint surface
shows signs of dirt embedding (i.e. loss of
gloss).
Do not apply any of these products or wax
if your vehicle is parked in the sun or if the
hood is still hot.
Use the appropriate MB-Touch-Up
Stick for quick and provisional repairs
of minor paint damage (i.e. chips from
stones, vehicle doors, etc.).Engine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment,
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from the intrusion of
water and cleaning agents.
Corrosion protection, such as
MB Anticorrosion Wax, should be applied
to the engine compartment after every
engine cleaning. Before applying, all con-
trol linkage bushings and joints should be
lubricated. The poly-V-belt and all pulleys
should be protected from any wax.Vehicle washing
In the winter, thoroughly remove all traces
of road salt as soon as possible.
When washing the vehicle underbody, do
not forget to clean the inner sides of the
wheels.
Hand-wash
Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle
in direct sunlight.
Only use a mild car wash detergent,
such as Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo.
Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a
diffused jet of water.
Direct only a very weak spray towards
the ventilation intake.
Use plenty of water and rinse the
sponge and chamois frequently.
!Affixing stickers, adhesive tape or similar
materials to painted body components may
damage the paintwork.

317 Operation
Vehicle care
Rinse with clean water and thoroughly
dry with a chamois.
Do not allow cleaning agents to dry on
the finish.
Automatic car wash
You can have your car washed in an auto-
matic car wash from the start. Automatic
car washes without brushes are prefera-
ble.
To protect the filter system, switch the
climate control to air recirculation
mode (
page 183).If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it
before running it through the automatic
car wash.Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of
ornamental moldings, use a damp cloth.
!Do not use scouring agents on these parts.
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the vehicle.
Do not attempt to wipe the surface with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the paint.
!Do not clean your vehicle in an automatic
touchless car wash which use caustic spray.
Otherwise the caustic spray will damage the
paint or ornamental moldings.
!Make sure that the windshield wiper switch
is set to0 (
page 58). Otherwise, e.g. the rain
sensor could activate and cause the wipers to
move unintentionally. This may lead to vehicle
damage.
Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in exterior
rear view mirrors prior to running the vehicle
through an automatic car wash to prevent
damage to the mirrors.
iAfter running the vehicle through an auto-
matic car wash, wipe any wax off of the wind-
shield (
page 319). This will prevent smears
and reduce wiping noise which can be caused by
residual wax on the windshield.
When leaving the car wash, make sure that the
mirrors are folded out. Otherwise they may
vibrate.
!Do not use chrome cleaner on ornamental
moldings. Although ornamental moldings may
have chrome appearance, they could be made of
anodized aluminum that will be damaged when
cleaned with chrome cleaner. Instead, use a
damp cloth to clean those ornamental moldings.
For very dirty ornamental moldings of which you
are sure are chrome-plated, use a chrome
cleaner. If in doubt whether an ornamental
molding is chrome-plated, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.

318 Operation
Vehicle care
Headlamps, brake lamps, tail lamps,
side markers, turn signal lenses
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo, with plenty of water.Cleaning the Rear Parking Assist
sensors
1Sensors
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo, with plenty of water and a
soft, non-scratching cloth to clean
sensors1 on the bumper.
!Only use window cleaning solutions that are
suitable for plastic lamp lenses. Window clean-
ing solutions which are not suitable may damage
the plastic lamp lenses of the headlamps. There-
fore, do not use abrasives, solvents or cleaners
that contain solvents.
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the lenses.
Do not attempt to wipe dirty lenses with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the lens
surface.
!Do not apply strong pressure to the sensor
covers. Applying strong pressure may damage
the sensor covers.
Follow the instructions provided by the power
washer manufacturer on maintaining a distance
between the vehicle and the nozzle of the power
washer.
!To prevent scratches, never apply strong
force and only use a soft, non-scratching cloth
when cleaning the sensors. Do not attempt to
wipe dirty sensors with a dry cloth or sponge.

319 Operation
Vehicle care
Cleaning the rear view camera lens
1Camera lens
Only use clean water and a soft,
non-scratching cloth to clean camera
lens1.Be careful not to apply wax to camera
lens1 when waxing the vehicle. If
necessary, remove the wax using the
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Shampoo
with plenty of water.Cleaning the windows and the wiper
blades
Make sure the hood is fully closed.
Switch off the ignition (page 39).
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Fold wiper arms forward until they snap
into place.
!Do not clean the camera and the area
around the camera:

with a high-pressure cleaner

with a dry cloth and high pressure

with aggressive cleaning agents
You could otherwise damage the camera.
Warning!G
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and
remove SmartKey from starter switch
before cleaning the windshield and/or the
wiper blades. Otherwise, the wiper motor
can suddenly turn on and cause injury.
!Never open the hood when the wiper arms
are folded forward.
!Do not pull on the wiper blade inserts. They
could tear.