ESP MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV 2008 Service Manual

Driving
tips 169Snow chains
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use snow chains which
have been specially approved for your vehicle
by Mercedes-Benz, or are of a corresponding
standard of quality.
! Information about the use of snow chain-
compatible AMG winter tyres is applicable
for AMG tyres. Use of snow chains is only
permissible with these tyres.
If you intend to fit snow chains, please bear
the following points in mind:
R snow chains cannot be fitted to all wheel/
tyre combinations.
R fit the snow chains for maximum tractive
power and driving stability on all four
wheels. Comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
Do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 50 km/h.
i You may wish to deactivate ESP ®
when
pulling away with snow chains fitted.
(Y page 49)This way you can allow the
wheels to spin in a controlled manner, ach-
ieving an increased driving force (cutting
action). Winter driving
G
Risk of accident
Do not shift 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.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Shift the selector lever to N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by
using corrective steering. Driving tips
Pulling away on slippery surfaces
! If possible, do not let the drive wheels
spin. Otherwise, you could damage the
drive train.
X When necessary, engage the differential
locks (Y page 94). Rolling with the engine switched off
G
Risk of accident
Never switch the engine off while the vehi-
cle is in motion.
There is no power assistance for the steer-
ing and the service brake when the engine
is not running.
You will require considerably more effort to
steer and brake and, therefore, you could
lose control of the vehicle and cause an
accident. Operation
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Driving
tips 170 Braking
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
Make sure that other road users are not
endangered by your braking.
Downhill gradients On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer,
you must select shift range 1,2or 3in good
time.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control or Speedtronic.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
the speed. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly. If you need
additional braking, depress the brake pedal
repeatedly rather than continuously. Heavy and light loads If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
G
Risk of accident
Never depress the brake pedal continu-
ously while the vehicle is in motion, e.g.
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.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet roads If driving in heavy rain for a prolonged period
of time without braking, there may be a
delayed reaction from the brakes when brak-
ing for the first time. You must brake harder.
Therefore, you must maintain a greater dis-
tance from the vehicle in front.Brake firmly after driving on a wet road. This
way the brake discs will become warm, drying
more quickly, which will protect them against
corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salted
roads G
Risk of accident
The layer of salt on the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings may cause a delay in
the braking effect, resulting in a signifi-
cantly longer braking distance, which could
lead to an accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R occasionally brake carefully, without put-
ting other road users at risk, when you
are driving on salted roads. This helps to
remove any salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings.
R maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead and drive with particular care.
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new trip, so that salt residues are
removed from the brake disc. Operation
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Off-road driving
173After the brakes have been exposed to dirty
conditions, have them checked and
cleaned at a qualified specialist workshop,
e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Oth-
erwise, there is a risk that braking power
may be insufficient in the event of an emer-
gency, or that braking efficiency may be
unpredictable.
Read this section before driving your vehicle
off-road. Practise by travelling over more gen-
tle off-road terrain first.
The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving:
R transfer case (Y page 92)
R differential locks (Y page 93)
R 4ETS (Y page 50) Off-road driving
G
Risk of accident
Damage to the vehicle creates the risk of
an accident for yourself and other road
users. If in doubt, have your vehicle
checked at a qualified specialist workshop
which has the necessary specialist knowl-
edge and tools to carry out the work
required. Mercedes-Benz recommends
that you use a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre for this purpose. H
Environmental note
Protection of the environment is of primary
importance. Treat nature with respect.
Observe all prohibiting signs.
General information R
Stop your vehicle and, if necessary, shift
the transfer case to LOW(Ypage 92)
before driving off-road.
R Check that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(Y page 139).
R Engage the differential locks, if necessary
(Y page 93). i
When the differential locks are engaged,
ABS is deactivated. This allows the front
wheels to lock briefly, so that these can dig
into a loose surface. However, please note
that locked wheels skid and can no longer
steer.
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient.
R Drive slowly and evenly, if necessary at a
walking pace.
R Ensure that the wheels are in contact with
the ground at all times.
R Drive with extreme care on unknown off-
road routes where visibility is poor. For
safety reasons, get out of the vehicle first
and survey the off-road route.
R Check the depth of water before fording
rivers and streams.
R Look out for obstacles such as rocks, holes,
tree stumps and furrows.
R Always keep the side windows and the slid-
ing /tilting sunroof* closed during the jour-
ney.
R Do not stray from marked routes or paths. Operation
* optional
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Care
182
X
Switch on the ignition.
X Press the èorÿ button to select the
standard display (Y page 101).
X Press the jork button to select the
service information.
The 9 or½ service symbol and the
service due date are displayed. Fuel/water separator*
If the fuel/water separator needs servicing,
the following message appears in the multi-
function display: You will also hear a brief warning tone.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop,
e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre, as
soon as possible. !
If you continue driving without having the
fuel/water separator serviced, this could
cause damage to the engine. Any resulting
damage is not covered by the warranty. H
Environmental note
Dispose of service products in an environ-
mentally-responsible manner. Care
Notes on care
Regular and proper care maintains the value
of your vehicle.
i It is advisable to use Mercedes-Benz care
products.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected
by corrosion and damage caused by inade-
quate care cannot always be completely
repaired. In such cases, visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop immediately, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Repair damage caused by loose chippings
and remove the following substances imme-
diately, whilst avoiding rubbing too hard:
R Soak insect remains with insect remover
and rinse off afterwards.
R Soak bird droppings with water and rinse
off afterwards.
R Remove tree resin, oils, fuels and greases
by rubbing gently with a cloth soaked in
petroleum ether or lighter fluid.
R Use silicone remover to remove wax.
R Use tar remover to remove tar stains. Operation
* optional
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Care
183H
Environmental note
Dispose of empty packaging, cleaning
cloths and polishing wads in an environ-
mentally responsible manner.
! Do not affix:
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces, otherwise you could
damage the paintwork. Vehicle care
! Do not park the vehicle for a long period
of time directly after cleaning, especially if
the wheels have just been cleaned with a
wheel cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
rapid corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. After cleaning, park
the vehicle when it is at normal operating
temperature.
Automatic car wash You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the beginning. !
Do not use a touch-free automatic car
wash that uses chemical agents to wash
the vehicle.
Preferably use automatic car washes without
brushes.
If the vehicle is very dirty, pre-wash it before
cleaning it in an automatic car wash.
! Make sure that the automatic car wash is
suitable for the size of the vehicle. Fold in
the exterior mirrors before the vehicle is
washed. There is otherwise a risk of dam-
age to the exterior mirrors.
! Make sure that the side windows are com-
pletely closed, that the ventilation/heater
blower is fully turned off and that the wind-
screen wiper switch is set to 0. The rain
sensor may otherwise be activated, trig-
gering unintended wiper movements. This
could cause damage to the vehicle.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe any
wax and drying agents off the windscreen and
the wiper blades. This will prevent smears and
reduce wiping noises caused by residue on
the windscreen. High-pressure cleaners G
Risk of accident
Do not use high-pressure cleaners with cir-
cular-jet nozzles (dirt grinders) to clean
your vehicle or ― especially ― the tyres.
Otherwise, you could damage the tyres and
cause an accident.
! Observe the instructions issued by the
equipment manufacturer concerning the
distance to be maintained between the
nozzle of the high-pressure cleaner and the
vehicle (at least 30 cm).
Move the high-pressure cleaner nozzle
around when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R tyres
R door joint
R electrical components
R battery
R connectors
R lights
R seals
Damaged seals or electrical components
can lead to failures or leaks. Operation
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Care
184
Cleaning the wiper blades and the out-
side of the windscreen G
Risk of injury
Before cleaning the windscreen or wiper
blades, turn the key in the ignition lock to
0. The windscreen wipers could otherwise
move and cause injury.
X Turn the key to position 1in the ignition
lock (Y page 59).
X Set the windscreen wipers to position Ion
the combination switch (Y page 82).
X Turn the key to position 0or remove it when
the wiper arms are vertical (Y page 59).
! Only fold the wiper arms away from the
windscreen when they are in a vertical posi-
tion, otherwise you will damage the bonnet.
X Fold the wiper arms away from the wind-
screen until you feel them snap into place.
X Clean the windscreen and the wiper blades.
X Fold the windscreen wipers back again
before the ignition is switched on.
! Do not clean the wiper blades too often
as this will result in the rubber becoming
porous, leading to wiper noise. Cleaning the windows !
Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-
vents to clean the inside of the windows.
Clean the insides of the windows with a
damp cloth or commercially-available glass
cleaner. Avoid touching the inside of the
rear windscreen and the side windows with
hard objects, e.g. ice scrapers or rings. You
could otherwise cause damage to the win-
dows, rear window heating or aerial on the
rear window.
i Anti-glare film retrofitted to the insides of
the windows could interfere with radio or
mobile phone reception, especially if it is
conductive or metal-coated film. Informa-
tion about anti-glare film can be obtained
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Cleaning the headlamps X
Clean the headlamp lenses with a wet
sponge.
! Only use washer fluid which is suitable
for plastic lenses. Unsuitable washer fluid
could damage the plastic lenses of the
headlamps.
Do not use the following: R
dry cloths
R abrasive cleaning agents
R solvents
R cleaning agents containing solvent
You could otherwise scratch or damage the
surface of the lenses.
Plastic trim !
Do not use dry, coarse or hard cloths and
do not scrub. Doing so will scratch or dam-
age the surfaces.
! In order to protect the vehicle's high-qual-
ity surfaces and to retain the overall
appearance, avoid contact with cosmetics
and suntan lotion.
X Wipe plastic parts with a damp, lint-free
cloth (e.g. a microfibre cloth).
X Light soiling: use a low-foaming soap (e.g.
a light liquid hand soap) diluted in water.
X Heavy soiling: use a cleaning agent that is
solvent-free and non-corrosive. Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you use a
Mercedes-Benz cleaning product for this
purpose. Operation
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Care
187
i
Maintenance of the ball coupling and
trailer coupling can also be performed by
any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. H
Environmental note
Dispose of oily and greasy cloths in an envi-
ronmentally-responsible manner. Operation
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Display
messages 194 Display messages
Notes
The on-board computer shows warnings or
malfunctions in the multi-function display.
Certain display messages are accompanied
by a warning tone or a continuous tone.
The multi-function display shows high-priority
display messages in red. In the following
tables, these display messages are printed in
red.
Please respond in accordance with the dis-
play messages and follow the additional
notes in this Owner's Manual. G
Risk of accident
No further messages can be displayed if the
instrument cluster and/or the multi-func-
tion display fails. This means that you will not see information
about the driving situation, such as the
speed, outside temperature, warning/indi-
cator lamps, display messages or system
failures. The vehicle's handling character-
istics may be affected. Adjust your driving
style and speed accordingly.
Immediately consult a qualified specialist
workshop which has the necessary special-
ist knowledge and tools to carry out the
work required. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you use a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre for this purpose. In particu-
lar, work relevant to safety or on safety-
related systems must be carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
The following tables contain all the display
messages. Hiding display messages After a few seconds, the on-board computer
automatically hides some low priority display
messages. Other messages remain visible in
the multi-function display until you hide them
yourself.
Some high priority display messages cannot
be hidden. The multi-function display shows
these messages continuously until the cau-
ses of the messages have been remedied.
Use the buttons on the multi-function steer-
ing wheel.
X
Use the è,·,jork button
to select another display.
The on-board computer saves certain dis-
play messages in the message mem-
ory (Ypage 103). Practical advice
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Display
messages 196 Display messages Possible cause/consequence Possible solution
ABS, ESP
inoperative See
Owner's Manual
G
Risk of accident
ABS and ESP ®
are unavailable due to a
fault.
BAS, 4ETS and the tyre pressure moni-
tor* have also been deactivated.
The brake system continues to function
normally, but without the functions listed
above. X
Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immedi-
ately. ABS, ESP unavailable See
Owner's Manual
G
Risk of accident
ABS and ESP ®
are temporarily unavaila-
ble. It is possible that self diagnosis is not
yet complete.
BAS, 4ETS and the tyre pressure moni-
tor* have also been deactivated.
The brake system continues to function
normally, but without the functions listed
above. X
Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immedi-
ately. AAS Consult workshop
G
Risk of accident
AAS is unavailable due to a malfunction.
The vehicle may roll back on a gradient as
soon as you remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. X
Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immedi-
ately. Practical advice
* optional
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Display
messages 197Display messages Possible cause/consequence Possible solution
ESP inoperative See
Owner's Manual G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
is unavailable due to a malfunction.
BAS, 4ETS and the tyre pressure moni-
tor* have also been deactivated.
The brake system continues to function
normally, but without the functions listed
above. X
Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immedi-
ately. ESP unavailable See
Owner's Manual G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
is temporarily unavailable. It is pos-
sible that self diagnosis is not yet com-
plete.
BAS, 4ETS and the tyre pressure moni-
tor* have also been deactivated.
The brake system continues to function
normally, but without the functions listed
above. X
Carefully drive a short distance at a speed
above 20 km/h.
If the display message disappears, ESP ®
is
available again. Practical advice
* optional
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