MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS 2018 Owner's Manual
Manufacturer: MERCEDES-BENZ, Model Year: 2018, Model line: G-CLASS, Model: MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS 2018Pages: 294, PDF Size: 4.86 MB
Page 101 of 294

ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The indicator lamp in the
¿orÁ button
flashes three times or
remains off. The "Cool-
ing with air dehumidifi-
cation" function cannot
be switched on.Cooling with air dehumidification has been deactivated due to a mal-
function.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.
Setting climate control to automatic
General notes
In automatic mode, the set temperature is main-
tained at a constant level. The system automat-
ically regulates the temperature of the dis-
pensed air, the airflow and the air distribution.
Automatic mode works best when cooling with
air dehumidification is also activated. If neces-
sary, cooling with air dehumidification can be
deactivated.
Automatic control
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock (Ypage 105).
XSet the desired temperature.
XTo activate: press theÃbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ãbutton lights
up. Automatic air distribution and airflow are
activated.
XTo deactivate: press the_button.
or
XPress the IorK button.
The indicator lamp in the Ãbutton goes
out.
XTo switch to manual mode: press the_
button.
Setting the temperature
Different temperatures can be set for the driv-
er's and front-passenger sides.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock (Ypage 105).
XAdjust control :orB (Ypage 96) to the
desired temperature.
Only change the temperature setting in small
increments. Start at 72 ‡ (22 †).
Setting the air distribution
Air distribution settings
P Directs air through the center and side air
vents
O Directs air through the footwell air vents
S Directs air through the center, side and
footwell vents
¯ Directs air through the defroster vents
b Canada only: directs the airflow through
the defroster, center and side air vents.
a Directs air through the defroster and
footwell vents
_ Canada only: directs the airflow through
the defroster, center and footwell air
vents.
Setting
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock (Ypage 105).
XPress the _button repeatedly until the
desired symbol appears in the display.
Setting the airflow
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock (Ypage 105).
XTo increase: press theKbutton.
XTo reduce: press theIbutton.
iThe airflow from the rear-compartment
vents and the center vents is the same.
Operating the climate control system99
Climate control
Page 102 of 294

Switching the ZONE function on/off
XTo switch on:press theábutton.
The indicator lamp in the ábutton lights
up.
The temperature setting for the driver's side
is not adopted for the front-passenger side
and the rear compartment. The temperature
for the front-passenger side and the rear com-
partment is set separately.
XTo switch off: press theábutton.
The indicator lamp in the ábutton goes
out.
The temperature setting for the driver's side
is adopted for the front-passenger side and
the rear compartment.
Defrosting the windshield
General notes
You can use this function to defrost the wind-
shield or to defrost the inside of the windshield
and the side windows.
Switch off the "Windshield defrosting" function
as soon as the windshield is clear again.
Activating/deactivating
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock (Ypage 105).
XTo activate: press the¬button.
The indicator lamp in the ¬button lights
up.
The climate control system switches to the
following functions:
Rcooling with air dehumidification on
Rhigh airflow
Rhigh temperature
Rair distribution to the windshield and front
side windows
Rair-recirculation mode off
XTo deactivate: press the¬button.
The indicator lamp in the ¬button goes
out. The previously selected settings are
restored. The cooling with air dehumidifica-
tion function remains on. Air-recirculation
mode remains deactivated.
Activating/deactivating MAX COOL
maximum cooling
The MAX COOL function is only available in vehi- cles for the USA.
MAX COOL is only operational when the engine
is running.
XTo activate: press theÙbutton.
The indicator lamp in the button lights up.
XTo deactivate: press theÙbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ùbutton goes
out. The previously selected settings are
restored.
When you activate MAX COOL, the following
functions are also switched on:
Rmaximum cooling
Rmaximum airflow
Rair-recirculation mode
Defrosting the windows
Windows fogged up on the inside
XActivate the Ácooling with air dehumidi-
fication function.
XActivate the Ãautomatic mode.
XIf the windows continue to fog up, activate the
"Windshield defrosting" function
(
Ypage 100).
iYou should only select this setting until the
windshield is clear again.
Windows fogged up on the outside
XSwitch on the windshield wipers (Ypage 93).
XPress the _button repeatedly until the
P orO symbol appears in the display.
iYou should only select this setting until the
windshield is clear again.
iIf you clean the windows regularly, they do
not fog up so quickly.
100Operating the climate control system
Climate control
Page 103 of 294

Activating/deactivating windshield
heating
XTurn theSmartKey to position 2
(Ypage 105) in th eignition loc k .
XTo activate: press button;.
Indicato rlamp :lights up.
XTo deactivate: press button;.
Indicato rlamp :goe sout . At outside temperatures abov
e50 ‡(10 †) the
windshield heating cannot be switched on. Indi-
cator lamp :lights up briefly when you attempt
to activate it and then goes out again.
The windshield defroster has a high current
draw. You should therefore switch it off as soon
as the windshield is clear. Otherwise, the wind-
shield heating switches off automatically after
ten minutes.
When the windshield heating is switched on for
the fourth time in a row, windshield heating
switches off automatically after five minutes.
Indicator lamp :flashes if too many electrical
consumers are switched on at the same time
when the battery voltage is low. After approx-
imately 30 seconds the windshield heating
switches off automatically.
Switching the rear window defroster on/off
General notes
The rear window defroster has a high current draw. You should therefore switch it off as soon as the
rear window is clear. Otherwise, the rear window defroster switches off automatically after several
minutes.
If the battery voltage is too low, the rear window defroster may switch off.
Activating/deactivating
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the ignition lock (Ypage 105).
XPress the ¤button.
The indicator lamp in the ¤button lights up or goes out.
Problems with the rear window defroster
ProblemPossible causes/consequences and MSolutions
The indicator lamp in the
¤button flashes.The on-board voltage is too low.
XSwitch off any consumers that are not required, e.g. reading lamps,
interior lighting or the seat heating.
The rear window
defroster has deactiva-
ted prematurely or can-
not be activated.The battery has not been sufficiently charged.
XSwitch off any consumers that are not required, e.g. reading lamps,
interior lighting or the seat heating.
Operating the climate control system101
Climate control
Page 104 of 294

Switching air-recirculation mode
on/off
General notes
If you switch on air-recirculation mode, the win-
dows can fog up more quickly, in particular at
low temperatures. Only use air-recirculation
mode briefly to prevent the windows from fog-
ging up.
Activating/deactivating
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock (Ypage 105).
XTo activate: press thedbutton.
The indicator lamp in the dbutton lights
up.
iAir-recirculation mode is automatically acti-
vated at high levels of pollution or at high out-
side temperatures. When air-recirculation
mode is activated automatically, the indicator
lamp in the dbutton is not lit.
Outside air is added after about 30 minutes.
XTo deactivate: press thedbutton.
The indicator lamp in the dbutton goes
out.
iAir-recirculation mode switches off auto-
matically:
Rafter approximately five minutes at outside
temperatures below approximately 41 ‡
Rafter approximately five minutes if cooling
with air dehumidification is deactivated
Rafter approximately 30 minutes at outside
temperatures above approximately 41 ‡
(5 †)
Switching the residual heat on or off
General notes
The residual heat function is only available on
vehicles for Canada.
It is possible to make use of the residual heat of
the engine to continue heating the stationary
vehicle for up to 30 minutes after the engine has
been switched off. The heating time depends on the set interior temperature.
Activating/deactivating
XTurn the SmartKey to position gin the igni-
tion lock (Ypage 105) or remove it.
XTo activate: press theÁbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ábutton lights
up.
iThe blower will run at a low speed regardless
of the airflow setting.
iIf you activate the residual heat function at
high temperatures, only the ventilation will be
activated.
XTo deactivate: press theÁbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ábutton goes
out.
Residual heat is deactivated automatically:
Rafter approximately 30 minutes
Rwhen the ignition is switched on
Rif the battery voltage drops
Rif the coolant temperature is too low
Air vents
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Very hot or very cold air can flow from the air
vents. This could result in burns or frostbite in
the immediate vicinity of the air vents. There
is a risk of injury.
Make sure that all vehicle occupants always
maintain a sufficient distance to the air out-
lets. If necessary, redirect the airflow to
another area of the vehicle interior.
In order to ensure the direct flow of fresh air
through the air vents into the vehicle interior,
please observe the following notes:
Rkeep the air inlet between the windshield and
the hood free of blockages, such as ice, snow or leaves.
Rnever cover the air vents or air intake grilles in
the vehicle interior.
iFor virtually draft-free ventilation, adjust the
sliders of the air vents to the center position.
iIf the automatic climate control constantly
differs from the set temperature or if unde-
102Air vents
Climate control
Page 105 of 294

sired drafts are noticeable, proceed as fol-
lows:
XOpen the side air vents
XOpen the center air vents
XOpen the rear air vents
XSet the temperature to 72 ‡ (22 †).
The automatic climate control adjusts tothe set temperature.
Setting the air vents
Air vents are located:
Ron the left and right-hand side of the dash-
board
Rin the middle of the dashboard
Rin the rear-compartment center console
Side air vents
:
Side window defroster vent
;Adjustable side air vent
=Thumbwheel for side air vent
XTo open or close: turn control=to the left
or right.
Adjusting the rear air vents (see the Digital
Operator's Manual).
Air vents103
Climate control
Z
Page 106 of 294

Notes on breaking-in a new vehicle
Important safety notes
The sensor system of some driving and driving
safety systems adjusts automatically while a
certain distance is being driven after the vehiclehas been delivered or after repairs. Full system
effectiveness is not reached until the end of this
teach-in procedure.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after several hundred kilometers of driving. Compensate for
this by applying greater force to the brake pedal.
The first 1000 miles (1500 km)
The more you look after the engine when it is
new, the more satisfied you will be with its per-
formance in the future.
RYou should therefore drive at varying vehicle
and engine speeds for the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km).
RAvoid heavy loads, e.g. driving at full throttle,
during this period.
RWhen shifting gears manually, shift up in good
time, before the tachometer needle reaches
Ô of the way to the red area of the tachom-
eter display.
RDo not manually shift to a lower gear to brake
the vehicle.
RTry to avoid depressing the accelerator pedal
beyond the pressure point (kickdown).
Additional breaking-in notes for Mercedes-AMG
vehicles:
RDo not drive faster than 85 mph (140 km/h)
for the first 1,000 miles (1,500 km).
ROnly briefly allow the engine to reach a max-
imum engine speed of 4,500 rpm.
RAvoid driving off-road before the first differ-
ential oil change at 2,000 miles (3,000 km).
RIdeally, for the first 1,000 miles (1,500 km),
drive in program C.
After 1,000 mile s(1,500 km), you can increase
the engine speed gradually and bring the vehicle
to full speed.
You shoul
d also observe these notes on break-
ing in if the engine or parts of the drive train on
your vehicle have been replaced.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed.
Axle differential transmission
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Change the oil after a breaking-in period of
2,000 miles (3,000 km) to improve protection of
the axle differential transmission.
This oil change prolongs the service life of the
axle differential transmission. Have the oil
change carried out at a qualified specialist work- shop.
Axle differential transmission and
portal transmission (G 500 4x42)
Change the oil after a breaking-in period of
2,000 miles (3,000 km) to improve protection of
the axle differential transmission and portal
transmission.
This oil change prolongs the service life of the
axle differential and portal transmission. Have
the oil change carried out at a qualified special-ist workshop.
Driving
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell may restrict
the clearance around the pedals or block a
depressed pedal. This jeopardizes the oper-
ating and road safety of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Stow all objects securely in the vehicle so that
they do not get into the driver's footwell.
When using floormats or carpets, make sure
that they are properly secured so that they do not slip or obstruct the pedals. Do not place
several floormats or carpets on top of one
another.
GWARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinder correct usage of the pedals, e.g.:
Rshoes with thick soles
Rshoes with high heels
Rslippers
104Driving
Driving and parking
Page 107 of 294

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
Page 108 of 294

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
Page 109 of 294

verter to reach its operating temperature
more quickly.
Pulling away with a trailer
To ensure that you do not roll back when pulling
away on an uphill slope, apply the parking brake.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
XShift the automatic transmission to position
hork.
iAlways wait until the shifting process is
complete before driving off.
XRelease the parking brake (Ypage 123).
XRelease the brake pedal.
XCarefully depress the accelerator pedal.
Hill start assist
Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forward or in reverse on an uphill gradient. It
holds the vehicle for a short time after you have
removed your foot from the brake pedal. This
gives you enough time to move your foot from
the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal and to
depress it before the vehicle begins to roll.
GWARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no lon-
ger brake your vehicle and it could roll away.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
Hill start assist will not function if:
Ryou are pulling away on a level road or on a
downhill gradient
Rthe transmission is in position i
Rthe parking brake is applied
RESP®is malfunctioning
ECO start/stop function
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically and
you exit the vehicle, the engine is restarted
automatically. The vehicle may begin moving.
There is a risk of accident and injury.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the ignition and secure the vehicle against
rolling away.
General notes
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle stops
moving.
The engine starts automatically when the driver
wants to pull away again. The ECO start/stop
function thereby helps you to reduce the fuel
consumption and emissions of your vehicle.
The ECO start/stop function is activated each
time the engine is switched on or when you
switch the drive program (except Mercedes-
AMG vehicles).
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the ECO start/stop
function is activated after the engine is restarted
and is only available in drive program C. When
drive program Sor Mis selected, the ECO start/
stop function is deactivated.
The system is operational if all conditions for
automatic engine switch-off have been fulfilled
(
Ypage 108) and the èsymbol is shown in
green in the multifunction display.
If not all conditions for automatic engine switch-
off are fulfilled (
Ypage 108), the èECO
symbol is shown in yellow in the multifunction
display.
If the ECO start/stop function has been man-
ually deactivated (
Ypage 108) or a malfunction
has caused the system to be deactivated, the
è ECO symbol is not displayed.
Driving107
Driving and parking
Z
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Deactivating/activating theECO start/
stop function
XTo activate :press butto n:.
Indicator lamp ;on butto n: and th eè
EC Osymbol in th emultifunction display go
out .
Selecting drive program Sor Min Mercedes -
AM Gvehicles automatically deactivates th e
EC Ostart/sto pfunction .
XTo activate :press butto n:.
Indicator lamp ;lights up.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles :if drive program S
or Mis active ,th eautomatic transmissio n
switches to drive program C.
If all condition sfo rautomatic engin eswitch -
of f (
Ypage 108) are fulfilled, th eè sym-
bol is shown in green in th emultifunction dis -
play.
If th econdition sfo rautomatic engin eswitch -
of fare no tall fulfille d (
Ypage 108), th eè
EC Osymbol is lit yellow. If this is th ecase, th e
EC Ostart/sto pfunction is no tavailable .
iIf indicator lamp ;is off, th eEC Ostart /
stop function has bee ndeactivated manually
or as th eresult of amalfunction .The engin e
will then no tbe switched of fautomatically
when th evehicle stops .
Automatic engin eswitch-off
If th evehicle is brake dto astandstill wit hth e
transmissio nin h ori ,th eEC Ostart/sto p
function switches of fth eengin eautomatically. The EC
Ostart/sto pfunction is operational and
th eè ECOsymbol is shown in green in th e
multifunction display, if:
Rth eindicator lamp in th eè ECObutto nis
lit green
Rth etransfe rcas eis in th eHIG HRANGE on-
road position
Rth evehicle is stationary
Rth eoutsid etemperature and th eatmospheri c
air pressure is within th erange that is suitable
fo rth esyste m
Rtheengin eis at normal operatin gtemperature
Rth eset temperature fo rth evehicle interio r
has bee nreached
Rth ebattery is sufficientl ycharged
Rth esyste mdetects that th ewindshield is no t
fogge dup when th eair-conditionin gsystem is
switched on
Rth ehoo dis close d
Rthedriver's doo ris close dand th edriver's
seat belt is fastene d
If th econdition sfo rautomatic engin eswitch-off
are no tall fulfilled, th eè ECOsymbol is
shown in yellow.
iIf you shift th etransmissio nfrom Rto D, the
EC Ostart/sto pfunction is avai lable again
once th eè ECOsymbol reappears in
green in th emultifunction display.
iThe engin ecan be automatically switched
of fan unlimite dnumber of times .
iYou can still activat eth eHOLD function
when th evehicle is stationary, eve nif th e
engin ehas bee nswitched of fautomatically. It
is then no tnecessary to continue applyin gth e
brake sdurin gth eautomatic stop phase.
Whe nyou depress th eaccelerator pedal, th e
engin estart sautomatically and th ebraking
effect of th eHOLD function is deactivated.
Depress th eaccelerator peda lcarefully, as
th eengin emus tbe started first .
iDuringautomatic engin eswitch-off ,th ecli-
mat econtro lsystem only operates at a
reduce dcapacity. If you require full climat e
contro lcapacity, th eEC Ostart/sto pfunction
can be deactivated by pressing th eEC Obut -
to n (
Ypage 108).
108Driving
Driving and parking