ESP MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV 2008 Owner's Guide

Driving sys
tems 116 never cause the brakes to rub by applying
constant slight pedal pressure. This causes
the brake system to overheat, increases
the braking distance and can lead to the
brakes failing completely. G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This
could cause the drive wheels to lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid. G
Risk of accident
Variable Speedtronic is only an aid
designed to assist driving. You are respon-
sible for the vehicle's speed and for braking
in good time.
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the limit speed
stored.
You can operate cruise control and variable
Speedtronic with the cruise control lever.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec-
ted:
R LIM indicator lamp off: Cruise control is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp lit:
Variable Speedtronic is selected.
You can use the cruise control lever to limit
the speed to any speed above 30 km/h while
the engine is running. 1
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
2 LIM indicator lamp
3 To call up the last speed stored
4 To store the current speed or a lower
speed
5 To switch between cruise control and var-
iable Speedtronic
6 To deactivate variable Speedtronic
On downhill slopes, variable Speedtronic can-
not always maintain the stored speed. You will hear a warning tone if the stored
speed is exceeded. You will see the message
Limit exceeded orLimit in the multi-func-
tion display (G 320 CDI).
X If necessary, apply the brakes.
Selecting variable Speedtronic X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp 2is on.
If it is on, variable Speedtronic is already
selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow 5.
LIM indicator lamp 2in the cruise control
lever lights up. Variable Speedtronic is
selected.
i If you select variable Speedtronic and the
current speed is higher than the stored
speed, you will hear a warning tone. You will
see the message Limit exceeded or
Limit in the multi-function display
(G 320 CDI). G
Risk of accident
If there is a change of drivers, advise the
new driver of the limit speed stored.
Only use Speedtronic when you do not have
to accelerate suddenly to a speed higher Controls
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Driving sys
tems 118 Ultrasonic reversing aid* (Station
wagon) G
Risk of accident
The ultrasonic reversing aid is only an aid
and may not detect all obstacles. It is not a
substitute for attentive driving.
You are always responsible for safety and
must continue to pay attention to your
immediate surroundings when parking and
manoeuvring. You could otherwise endan-
ger yourself and others. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that no persons or animals are
in the manoeuvring range. Otherwise, they
could be injured.
The ultrasonic reversing aid is an electronic
parking aid. It indicates visually and audibly
the distance between the rear area of your
vehicle and an object.
The ultrasonic reversing aid is activated auto-
matically when you switch on the ignition and
engage the reverse gear.
The ultrasonic reversing aid monitors the rear
bumper and rear area of your vehicle using
four sensors. 1
Sensors
Range of the sensors The sensors must be free of dirt, ice and
slush, otherwise they may not function cor-
rectly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them. Side view, example: short-wheelbase station
wagon
Top view, example: short-wheelbase station wagon
Centre Approximately 150 cm
Corners Approximately 100 cmControls
* optional
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Driving sys
tems 120Example: reversing camera on the long-wheelbase
station wagon
View through the camera The area behind the vehicle is displayed in a
mirrored fashion, as in the rear-view mirror. G
Risk of accident
The reversing camera is only an aid and may
display obstacles in a distorted manner,
incorrectly or even not display them at all.
The reversing camera does not relieve you
of the responsibility to pay attention. The
camera cannot show objects:
R that are very close to the rear bumper.
R that are underneath the rear bumper. R
under the spare wheel
R close behind the spare wheel
You are always responsible for safety and
must continue to pay attention to your
immediate surroundings when parking and
manoeuvring. This applies to the areas
behind, in front of and next to the vehicle.
You could otherwise endanger yourself and
others. G
Risk of accident
Under the following circumstances, the
reversing camera will not function, or func-
tion in a limited manner:
R if the tailgate is open.
R in heavy rain, snow or fog.
R at night or in very dark places.
R if the camera is exposed to very bright
white light.
R if the area is lit by fluorescent light (the
display may flicker).
R if there is a sudden change in tempera-
ture, e.g. when driving into a heated
garage in winter. R
if the camera lens is dirty or obstructed.
R if the rear of your vehicle is damaged.
Have the camera position and setting
checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop in this case. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you use a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre for this purpose.
Do not use the reversing camera in these
types of situation. You could otherwise
injure others or damage objects and your
vehicle while you are parking.
Activating the reversing camera X
Make sure that the key is in position 2in
the ignition lock.
X Make sure that COMAND APS is activated.
(See the separate COMAND APS operating
instructions.)
X Engage reverse gear.
The area behind the vehicle is shown in the
COMAND APS display.
i The image from the reversing camera is
no longer displayed if you activate another
function using COMAND while the revers-
ing camera is switched on. To reactivate
the image, disengage and re-engage
reverse gear. Controls
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Air conditioning
126
Adjusting the side air vents
Side air vents
1
Side air vent
2 Swivelling side air vent
3 Side air vent thumbwheel
X To open/close: turn thumbwheel 3to the
left or right. Adjusting the rear-compartment air
vents Rear-compartment air vents
1
Thumbwheel for rear-compartment air
vents
2 Rear air vent sliders
X To open/close: turn thumbwheel 1up or
down.
X To set the air direction: move slider2
for the left or right rear-compartment air
vent to the left, right, up or down. Setting the air distribution
You can set the air distribution for the entire
vehicle.
The symbols for the air distribution have the
following meanings: Symbol Meaning
Z
Directs air to the windscreen
and side windows through the
demister vents
b
Directs the airflow to the entire
vehicle interior
Y
Directs air into the front and
rear footwells
a
Directs the airflow through the
centre and side air vents
X
Press the Ubutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ubutton goes
out.
X Turn thumbwheel 4(Ypage 122) to the
corresponding symbol. The thumbwheel
can also be turned to the area between two
symbols. Cont
rols
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Sliding sunroof
132R
whether a signal has been transmitted to
the auxiliary heating or ventilation
R about the remote control's battery
charge status:
If the remote control indicator lamp first
lights up orange when you press one of
the buttons, the battery is almost dis-
charged.
If the remote control indicator lamp only
flashes orange when you press one of the
buttons, the battery is discharged.
Replace the battery (Y page 235).
The signal has been interrupted if the indi-
cator lamp on the remote control flashes
green when switching on or red when
switching off.
In this case, repeat the procedure. Stand
somewhere else or move closer to the vehi-
cle, if necessary.
X To deactivate the auxiliary heating/
ventilation: press and hold the OFFbutton
until indicator lamp 4on the remote con-
trol lights up in red.
The red or the yellow indicator lamp in the
button on the centre console goes out. Sliding sunroof
Sliding/tilting sunroof*
G
Risk of injury
Children could injure themselves if they
operate the sliding/tilting sunroof.
Never leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle. Always take the key with you when
leaving the vehicle, even if you are only
leaving it for a short time. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody can become trap-
ped when you are opening and closing the
sliding/tilting sunroof. If there is a risk of
entrapment, release the switch and push it
briefly in any direction to stop the sliding/
tilting sunroof. G
Risk of injury
If you are not wearing a seat belt, there is
a risk that you could be thrown through the
opening in the event of the vehicle over-
turning. Therefore, always wear a seat belt
to reduce the risk of injuries.
! Only open the sliding/tilting sunroof if it
is free of snow and ice. Otherwise, mal-
functions may occur. Do not allow anything to protrude from the
sliding/tilting sunroof. The seals could oth-
erwise be damaged.
i Resonance noises can occur in addition
to the usual airflow noises when the slid-
ing/tilting sunroof is open. They are caused
by minor pressure fluctuations in the vehi-
cle interior.
Change the position of the sliding/tilting
sunroof or open a side window slightly to
reduce or eliminate these noises.
i It is also possible to open and close the
sliding/tilting sunroof from the outside
using the "Summer opening" and "Conve-
nience closing" features respectively. Controls
* optional
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Cabriolet soft top
1371
Backrest
2 Securing hooks
X Attach securing hooks 2to rear seat back-
rest 1on both sides. 3
Tenax fasteners
4 Press-studs
5 Quick-release fastener
X Pull tenax fasteners 3apart to release
them.
X Press tenax fasteners 3onto the corre-
sponding pegs on the vehicle.
X Push press studs 4onto the correspond-
ing pegs on the vehicle.
X Push quick-release fasteners 5into the
corresponding holes on the tailgate until
they engage.
Removing
X Turn quick-release fasteners 5anti-clock-
wise and pull out.
X Detach press-studs 4. X
Pull tenax fasteners 3to detach them.
X Detach securing hooks 2.
X Fold up the tonneau cover and stow it in the
bag in the load compartment. Controls
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Loading and stowing
141
Short-wheelbase station wagon and cab-
riolet
There are two further lashing eyelets moun-
ted at the sides in the luggage compartment
and under the rear bench seat. Guide the load restraints in a cross pattern
over the load, as shown in the illustration. Enlarging the luggage compartment
Short-wheelbase station wagon and cabrio-
let: the rear bench seat is split 50/50.
Long-wheelbase station wagon: the rear
bench seat is split 50/50.
The left-hand and right-hand rear seats can
be folded down to increase the luggage com-
partment capacity. You can:
R fold the seat backrests forward
R fold the rear bench seat back fully. G
Risk of injury
Do not carry heavy or hard objects inside
the vehicle or in the luggage compartment
unless they are secured.
Otherwise, you and other vehicle occu-
pants could be injured by objects being
thrown around the vehicle in the event of
sharp braking, a sudden change in direction
or an accident.
When using the luggage compartment
enlargement, you should always clip in the
safety net*, if at hand. G
Risk of poisoning
Keep the boot lid/tailgate closed when the
engine is running. Otherwise, you could be poisoned by exhaust fumes entering the
vehicle.
Folding the seat backrest forwards Example; long-wheelbase station wagon
1
Seat backrest release lever
2 Rear bench seat release lever
X Remove the centre head restraint
(Y page 61).
X Pull release lever 1.
The corresponding seat backrest is
released.
X Fold the seat backrest forward, until it
engages. Controls
* optional
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Loading and stowing
142
Folding back the seat backrest i
Long-wheelbase station wagon: open the
rear doors. This allows you better access to
release lever 1.
X Pull release lever 1and fold the seat back-
rest up.
! Make sure that the seat belt does not
become trapped.
X Fold the seat backrest back until it engages
audibly in the seat catch.
X Fit the head restraints.
Folding the rear bench seat forwards X
Fold the seat backrest forward.
X Pull release lever 2.
The corresponding rear bench seat is
released.
X Fold the rear bench seat forward until it
engages. Folding rear bench seat into an upright
position X
Fold back the rear bench seat backrest
until it engages audibly in the seat catch.
X Fold back the seat backrest.
X Fit the head restraints. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that the rear bench seat and
front seat backrest are correctly engaged
in position.
If the front seat backrests or rear bench
seat backrest are not fully engaged and the
following occurs:
R sharp braking
R a sudden change of direction
R an accident
the seat backrests or rear bench seat may
fold forwards and instead of being
restrained by the seats as intended you
could be injured by them. Occupants could
then also be injured in the event of an acci-
dent, e.g. by objects being thrown forwards
from the luggage compartment. Luggage compartment cover*
G
Risk of accident and injury
The luggage compartment cover is not a
restraint system. Secure the load under the
luggage compartment cover by suitable
means. Make sure that the luggage com-
partment cover is engaged securely. If lug-
gage is not sufficiently secured, it can be
thrown over the backrest into the
passenger compartment during, for
instance, heavy braking, sudden changes of
direction or in the event of an accident. You
could cause an accident or cause injury to
yourself and others.
! When loading the vehicle, make sure that
you do not stack the load in the luggage
compartment higher than the lower edge of
the side windows. Do not place heavy
objects on top of the luggage compartment
cover.
Long-wheelbase station wagon G
Risk of injury
If the luggage compartment cover is fitted,
the side-facing bench seat* must not be
occupied. Controls
* optional
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Tyres and wheels
162
X
Top up the coolant if necessary.
X Replace cap 1and tighten all the way to
the stop.
You will find further information about coolant
in the "Technical data" section
(Y page 280). Windscreen washer system/head-
lamp cleaning system
The washer fluid reservoir is located in the
engine compartment on the right when
viewed in the direction of travel. The head-
lamp cleaning system is also supplied from
the washer fluid reservoir. 1
Cap
X Add windscreen washer concentrate to the
washer fluid all year round. G
Risk of fire
Windscreen washer concentrate is highly
flammable. Fire, naked flames and smoking
are prohibited when windscreen washer
concentrate is being handled.
Use
R a windscreen washer fluid additive
such as MB Summerwash to prevent
smearing (for temperatures above freez-
ing).
R a windscreen washer fluid additive with
antifreeze properties such as MB Winter-
wash (if there is a risk of frost).
X Mix the windscreen washer fluid in a con-
tainer beforehand. Adapt the mixing ratio
to the outside temperatures.
! Only use windscreen washer fluid which
is suitable for plastic lamp lenses. Unsuit-
able windscreen washer fluid could dam-
age the plastic lamp lenses of the head-
lamps.
X To open: pull cap1upwards by the tab.
X To close: press cap 1onto the filler neck
until it clicks into place. Tyres and wheels
Points to remember
! For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz rec-
ommends that you only use tyres and
wheels which have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz specifically for your vehi-
cle. These tyres have been specially adap-
ted for use with the control systems, such
as ABS or ESP ®
, and are marked as follows:
R MO = Mercedes-Benz Original
If you use other tyres and wheels,
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept any respon-
sibility for damage that may result. Further
information about tyres, wheels and
approved combinations can be obtained
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
If you use tyres other than those tested and
recommended for Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cles, characteristics such as handling, vehi-
cle noise emissions and fuel consumption
may be adversely affected. In addition, the
wheels may come into contact with the
body or axle components when heavily loa-
ded or when driving with snow chains. This
could result in damage to the tyres or the
vehicle. Operation
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Winter driving
168
!
On vehicles fitted with a tyre pressure
monitor*, electronic components are loca-
ted in the wheel.
Tyre-fitting tools should not be applied in
the area of the valve, as this could damage
the electronic components.
Always have the wheels interchanged/
changed at a qualified specialist workshop,
e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
i Vehicles with a tyre pressure monitor*
If the positions of the wheels on the vehicle
are changed, the tyre pressure may be tem-
porarily displayed at the wrong position.
This is rectified after a few minutes of driv-
ing; the tyre pressures are then displayed
for the correct positions. Winter driving
Points to remember
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. at a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre, at the onset of winter. Winter tyres
Use winter tyres at temperatures below +7 °C
and on snow or ice-covered roads. Only then
can the effect of the ABS, BAS, 4ETS and
ESP ®
driving systems also be ensured in win-
ter.
Use winter tyres of the same make and tread
on all wheels to maintain safe handling char-
acteristics. G
Risk of accident
Winter tyres with a tread depth of less than
4 mm must be replaced immediately. They
are no longer suitable for winter use and
can no longer provide sufficient grip. This
could cause you to lose control of your
vehicle and cause an accident.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the winter tyres you have
fitted. If you fit winter tyres which have a
lower maximum permissible speed than that of the vehicle, affix an appropriate warning
sign in the driver's field of vision. This can be
obtained at a qualified specialist workshop,
e.g. from a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Once you have fitted the winter tyres:
X
Check the tyre pressures (Y page 164).
X Restart the tyre pressure moni-
tor* (Y page 166). G
Risk of accident
If you fit the spare wheel when driving with
winter tyres, bear in mind that driving sta-
bility will be impaired due to unstable cor-
nering characteristics caused by the differ-
ent tyres. Therefore, you should adapt your
driving style and drive even more carefully.
Have the spare wheel replaced at the near-
est qualified specialist workshop which has
the necessary specialist knowledge and
tools to carry out the work required.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use
a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this
purpose. In particular, work relevant to
safety or on safety-related systems must be
carried out at a qualified specialist work-
shop. Operation
* optional
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