stop start MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV 2008 Owners Manual

Lights
77G
Risk of accident
When it is dark or foggy, turn the light
switch from UtoB in good time.
Otherwise, the headlamps could switch off
temporarily and you could cause an acci-
dent.
X To switch on: turn the light switch to
U.
The side lamps are switched on and off
automatically when the key is in position
1 in the ignition lock.
The dipped-beam headlamps, side lamps
and licence plate lamp are switched on
automatically when the engine is running.
When the dipped-beam headlamps are
switched on, the green dipped-beam indi-
cator lamp in the instrument cluster lights
up.
Front foglamps/rear foglamp G
Risk of accident
If you suspect that driving conditions will be
foggy, turn the light switch to Bbefore
you start your journey. Otherwise, your
vehicle may not be visible and you could
endanger yourself and others. G
Risk of accident
When it is dark or foggy, turn the light
switch from UtoB in good time.
Otherwise, the headlamps could switch off
temporarily and you could cause an acci-
dent.
When the light switch is set to Uyou can-
not switch on the front or rear foglamps.
X Make sure that the key is in position 2in
the ignition lock.
X To switch on the front foglamps: turn the
light switch to the Bposition.
X Pull the light switch out to the first stop.
The ¥ green indicator lamp next to the
light switch lights up.
X To switch on the rear foglamp: turn the
light switch to the Bposition.
X Pull the light switch out to the second
detent.
The † yellow indicator lamp next to the
light switch lights up.
X To switch off the front foglamps/rear
foglamp: push in the light switch to the
stop.
The corresponding indicator lamp goes out. Combination switch (turn signals,
main-beam headlamps and headlamp
flasher)
Turn signals Combination switch
1
To indicate a right turn
2 To indicate a left turn
X To switch on: press the combination
switch in the direction of arrow 1or2.
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lamp in the instrument cluster flashes.
i If you only wish to indicate a minor change
of direction, press the combination switch
briefly in the appropriate direction. The cor-
responding turn signal flashes three times. Controls
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Driving and pa
rking 87
Further information about the automatic
transmission (Y
page 89).
Starting the engine X
Apply the parking brake.
X To start a petrol engine: turn the key to
position 3in the ignition lock (Y page 59)
and release it as soon as the engine is run-
ning.
X To start a diesel engine: turn the key to
position 2in the ignition lock .
The q preglow indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X When the qpreglow indicator lamp
goes out, turn the key to position 3and
release it as soon as the engine is running.
i You can start the engine without preglow
if the engine is warm. Pulling away
! Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
Only shift into reverse gear when the vehi-
cle is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. You could otherwise damage the
drive train.
i It is only possible to move the selector
lever to the desired position if you depress
the brake pedal. Only then is the selector
lever lock released.
X Depress the brake pedal and hold it down.
X Release the parking brake.
X Move the selector lever to position Dor R.
i Wait until the shift process is completed
before pulling away.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
AAS (Start-off Assist) AAS helps you when pulling away on uphill
gradients. 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 depress it before the
vehicle begins to roll back. G
Risk of accident
Never leave the vehicle when it is held by
start-off assist. After approximately one
second, AAS stops holding your vehicle and
it could roll away.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Pull away.
i Once you have taken your foot off the
brake pedal, the vehicle is held for around
one second.
AAS does not function if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or a
downhill gradient
R the selector lever is in the Nposition Controls
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Engine compartment
160
X
Repeat the measurement after about five
minutes if the engine is at normal operating
temperature.
X Repeat the measurement after about
30 minutes if the engine is not at normal
operating temperature (if the engine was
only started briefly).
If the engine is running, the Engine oil
level Not when engine on message
appears.
X Switch off the engine and wait for five
minutes if the engine is at normal operating
temperature, or for about 30 minutes if the
engine is not at normal operating temper-
ature (if the engine was only started
briefly), before measuring.
i If you wish to cancel the measurement,
press the korj button on the multi-
function steering wheel.
Using the oil dipstick
i Only possible on the G 320 CDI and
G 500. On the G 55 AMG, the oil level is
checked using the on-board computer
(Y page 159). Example: G 320 CDI
1
Oil dipstick
2 Maximum mark
3 Minimum mark
X Pull oil dipstick 1out of the oil dipstick
tube.
X Wipe off oil dipstick 1.
X Insert oil dipstick 1into the oil dipstick
tube to the stop, and take it out again.
The oil level is correct if the level is between
minimum mark 3and maximum mark
2.
X Top up the oil if necessary.
i The difference in quantity between mini-
mum mark 3and maximum mark 2is
approximately 2 litres. Topping up the engine oil
G 500
1
Cap G 55 AMG
1
Cap 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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Display
messages 198 Display messages Possible cause/consequence Possible solution
ESP unavailable See
Owner's Manual
G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
is unavailable due to undervoltage.
It is possible that the battery is not being
charged.
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.
X Observe the additional messages in the multi-
function display ( Ypage 98). Vehicle Consult workshop The operating reliability of the automatic
transmission can no longer be fully guar-
anteed. X
Drive on carefully.
X Have the transmission checked immediately at
a qualified specialist workshop. Please correct Check tyres
G
Risk of accident
The tyre pressure monitor* has detected
a significant pressure loss. X
Stop the vehicle without making any sudden
steering or braking manoeuvres. Pay attention
to traffic conditions as you do so.
X Check the tyres.
X Check the tyre pressure and correct it, if nec-
essary ( Ypage 164).
X Repair or change the faulty wheel as neces-
sary ( Ypage 244).
X Then restart the tyre pressure monitor* once
the tyre pressure is correct (Y page 166).Practical advice
* optional
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Display
messages 201Display messages Possible cause/consequence Possible solution
# The battery is not being charged. Possible
ca
uses are:
R a faulty alternator
R a torn poly-V-belt
R a malfunction in the electronics X
Stop immediately and safely when traffic con-
ditions allow and check the poly-V-belt.
X If it has torn: do not drive on. Contact the
nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X If it is not damaged: have the vehicle checked
immediately at a qualified specialist workshop. # The battery voltage is too low. X
Start the engine.
X Switch off consumers that are not required. 2 Brake wear The brake pads/linings have reached
their wear limit. X
Have the brake pads/linings replaced as soon
as possible at a qualified specialist workshop. 3 Check brake fluid
level G
Risk of accident
There is insufficient brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir. X
Pull over as soon as it is safe to do so.
X Do not continue driving under any circumstan-
ces.
X Consult the nearest qualified specialist work-
shop.
X Do not top up the brake fluid. This will not rec-
tify the malfunction. 3 Electronic brake
force distribution
Consult workshop G
Risk of accident
Electronic brake force distribution has
been switched off due to a malfunction.
BAS is also inoperative.
The brake system is still available with
complete brake boosting effect. X
Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immedi-
ately. Practical advice
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Display
messages 203Display messages Possible cause/consequence Possible solution
Ï Coolant Stop car
Turn eng. off The coolant is too hot. X
Stop the vehicle. Pa y attention to traffic con-
ditions as you do so.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait until the message disappears before
restarting the engine. Otherwise, there is a risk
of engine damage.
X Observe the coolant temperature gauge.
X If the temperature increases again, visit a quali-
fied specialist workshop immediately. Ï Coolant Stop car
Turn eng. off The poly-V-belt may have torn. X
Stop the vehicle. Pay attention to traffic con-
ditions as you do so.
X Switch off the engine.
X Check the poly-V-belt.
X If it has torn: do not drive on. Contact the
nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X If it is not damaged: do not start the engine
again until the message disappears. Other-
wise, there is a risk of engine damage. B Top up coolant See
Owner's Manual The coolant level is too low. X
Top up the coolant, observing the warning
notes before doing so (Y page 161).
X Have the coolant system checked at a qualified
specialist workshop if the coolant needs top-
ping up more often than usual. Practical advice
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Troubleshooting
221Problem Possible cause/consequence Suggested solutions
A coolant temperature of over
120 † is displa
yed. The coolant
warning lamp may also be on and
a warning tone may sound
(Y page 96). The coolant level is too low. The
coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled suffi-
ciently. X
Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant to
cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 161). Observe the warning notes
as you do so and top up the coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the
radiator fan may be faulty. The
coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled suffi-
ciently. X
If the coolant temperature is less than 120 °C, you can continue
driving to the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving on
mountain roads and stop/start driving. Practical advice
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Troubleshooting
222 Automatic transmission
Problem Possible cause/consequence Suggested solutions
The transmission has problems
shifting gear The transmission is losing oil. X
Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediatel y. The acceleration ability is deteri-
orating.
The transmission no longer
changes gear. The transmission is in emergency
mode.
It is only possible to shift into
2nd
gear and reverse gear. X
Stop the vehicle.
X Move the selector lever to P.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition lock.
X Wait at least 10 seconds before restarting the engine.
X Move the selector lever to position Dor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into 2ndgear; if Ris selec-
ted, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately. Ultrasonic reversing aid*
Problem Possible cause/consequence Suggested solutions
When you engage the selector
lever into position
R, you will not
hear a warning tone and none of
the segments of the ultrasonic
reversing aid will light up. You have a trailer connected.
You have an adapter plug inser-
ted into the trailer power socket. X
Unplug the adapter plug.
The ultrasonic reversing aid functions again as usual. Practical advice
* optional
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