air condition MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV 2012 User Guide

ary vehicle for up to 30 minutes after the
engine has been switched off
.The heating
time depends on the coolant temperature and
on the interior temperature that has been set.
i The blower will run at a low speed regard-
less of the airflow setting.
i If you activate the residual heat function
at high temperatures, only the ventilation
will be activated.
X Turn the key to position 0(Ypage 143) in
the ignition lock or remove it.
X To activate: press theÁbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ábutton lights
up.
X To deactivate: press theÁbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ábutton goes
out.
i Residual heat is deactivated automati-
cally:
R after approximately 30 minutes
R when the ignition is switched on
R if the battery voltage drops
R if the coolant temperature is too low Auxiliary heating
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Exhaust fumes are produced when the auxili-
ary heating is in operation. Inhaling these
exhaust fumes can be poisonous. You should
therefore switch off the auxiliary heating in
confined spaces without an extraction sys-
tem, e.g. a garage. G
WARNING
When operating the auxiliary heating parts of
the vehicle can get very hot. Make sure that
the exhaust system does not under any cir-
cumstances come into contact with easily
ignitable material such as dry grass or fuels.
The material could otherwise ignite and set the vehicle alight. Choose your parking spot
accordingly.
Operating the auxiliary heating is thus pro-
hibited at filling stations or when your vehicle
is being refuelled. You must therefore switch
off the auxiliary heating at filling stations.
! Operating the auxiliary heating/ventila-
tion draws on the vehicle battery. After you
have heated or ventilated the vehicle a
maximum of two times, drive for a longer
distance.
i Switch the auxiliary heating on regularly
once a month for approximately ten
minutes.
The auxiliary heating heats the air in the vehi-
cle interior without using the heat of the run-
ning engine. The auxiliary heating is operated
directly using the vehicle's fuel. For this rea-
son, the tank content must be at least at
reserve fuel level to ensure that the auxiliary
heating functions.
The auxiliary heating/ventilation automati-
cally adjusts to changes in temperature and
weather conditions. For this reason, the aux-
iliary heating could switch from ventilation
mode to heating mode or from heating mode
to ventilation mode.
You cannot use the auxiliary ventilation to
cool the vehicle interior to a temperature
lower than the outside temperature.
Before switching on X
Turn the key to position 2(Ypage 143) in
the ignition lock.
X Set the temperature.
The auxiliary heating/ventilation can be acti-
vated even when climate control is set to
manual. Optimum comfort can be attained
when the system is set to automatic mode.
Set the temperature to 22 †.
The auxiliary heating/ventilation can be acti-
vated or deactivated using the remote control
or the button on the centre console. 134
Operating the climate control systemClimate control

If the ECO start/stop function has been man-
ually deactivated (Y
page 146) or if a mal-
function has caused the system to be deac-
tivated, the ¤symbol is not displayed.
The Stop/Start active or
Stop/Start inactive message in the AMG menu in the
multifunction display goes out.
Activating/deactivating the ECO start/
stop function ECO button
X
To switch off: in drive program C, press
button :.
or
X Switch to drive program Sor M
(Y page 152).
Indicator lamp ;on button :and the
¤ symbol in the multifunction display go
out.
The Stop/Start active or
Stop/Start inactive message in the AMG menu in the
multifunction display goes out.
X To switch on: press button:.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. If drive pro-
gram Sor Mis active, the automatic trans-
missio nswitches to drive program C.
If all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 146) are fulfilled, the
¤ symbol is shown in gree ninthe mul-
tifunction display. In addition, the Stop/Start active message is shown in the
AMG menu in the multifunction display.
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 146) are fulfilled, the ¤
symbol is not shown. If this is the
case, the ECO start/stop function is not
available. In addition, the Stop/Start inactive message is shown in the AMG
menu in the multifunction display.
i If indicator lamp ;is off, the ECO start/
stop function has been deactivated man-
ually or as the result of a malfunction. The
engine will then not be switched off auto-
matically when the vehicle stops.
i The stop/start function is automatically
activated each time you start the engine
with the ignition key.
Automatic engine switch-off If the vehicle is braked to a standstill in trans-
mission position
Dor N, the ECO start/stop
function switches off the engine automati-
cally.
The ECO start/stop function is operational
and the ¤symbol is displayed in green in
the multifunction display if:
R the indicator lamp in the ECO button is lit
green
R none of the off-road programs are selected
R the vehicle is stationary
R the outside temperature is within the com-
fort range
R the engine is at normal operating temper-
ature
R the set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached
R the battery is sufficiently charged
R the system detects that the windscreen is
not misted up when the air-conditioning
system is switched on
R the bonnet is closed
R the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off are fulfilled, the ¤symbol is
shown in yellow. 146
DrivingDriving and parking

In addition, the
Stop/Start inactive mes-
sage is shown in the AMG menu in the multi-
function display.
i If you shift the transmission from Rto D,
the ECO start/stop function is available
again once the ¤symbol reappears in
green in the multifunction display.
i The engine can be automatically switched
off an unlimited number of times.
i You can also activate the HOLD function
when the vehicle is stationary if the engine
has been switched off automatically. It is
then not necessary to continue applying
the brakes during the automatic stop
phase.W hen you depress the accelerator
pedal, the engine starts automatically and
the braking effect of the HOLD function is
deactivated. Depress the accelerator pedal
gently, as the engine must be started first.
i During automatic engine switch-off, the
climate control system only operates at a
reduced capacity. If you require full climate
control capacity, the ECO start/stop func-
tion can be deactivated by pressing the
ECO button (Y page 146). Automatic engine start The engine is started automatically if:
R
In general:
-you switch off the ECO start/stop func-
tion by pressing the ECO button.
- you release the brakes when in transmis-
sion position Dor N, when the HOLD
function is inactive.
R By the driver:
-you release the brakes when in transmis-
sion position Dor N.
- you depress the accelerator pedal.
- you engage reverse gear R.
- you move the transmission out of posi-
tion P.
- you switch to drive program Sor M.
- you unfasten your seat belt or open the
driver's door.
R By the system:
-the vehicle starts to roll.
- the brake system requires this.
- the temperature in the vehicle interior
deviates from the set range.
- the system detects moisture on the
windscreen when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
- the battery's charge status is too low.
i Shifting the transmission to position P
does not start the engine. Driving
147Driving and parking Z

drive short distances, you should take a 20
minute trip on a motorway or rural road at
least every 500km. Brakes
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
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 3
(Y page 153) in good time.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control or SPEEDTRONIC.
This will use the braking effec tofthe engine,
so less braking will be required to prevent the
vehicle from gaining speed. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly. If you need additional braking,
depress the brake pedal repeatedly rather
than continuously.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave
your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This increases the braking distance and could
even cause the braking system to fail. There
is a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest.Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
pedal and the accelerato rpedal while driving. 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.
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 road surfaces
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. This may also occur after
the vehicle has been washed.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi-
cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions .This will warm
up the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads If you drive on salt-treated roads, a layer of
salt may form on the brake discs and pads.
This can increase the braking distance con-
siderably.
R
Apply the brakes occasionally in order to
prevent any salt build-up. Ensure that you
do not endanger other road users when
doing so.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal at the
end of the journey and when starting the
next journey.
R Maintain a much greater distance to the
vehicle in front. Driving tips
165Driving and parking Z

Driving on wet roads
Aquaplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of aqua-
planing occurring, eve nif:
R you are driving at low speeds
R the tyres have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, do not drive in tyre ruts, and
brake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads !
Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction create
waves. This may cause the maximu mper-
missible water depth to be exceeded.
These notes must be observed under all
circumstances. You could otherwise dam-
age the engine, the electronics or the trans-
mission.
If you have to drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R the maximum permissible fording depth in
still water is 60 cm
R you should drive no faster than walking
pace
Off-road fording !
The water depth must not exceed 60 cm.
Note that the possible fording depth is less
in flowing water.
! Under no circumstances should you
accelerate before entering the water. The
bow wave could cause water to enter and
damage the engine and neighbouring
assemblies.
! Do not open any of the vehicle's doors
while fording. Otherwise, water could get
into the vehicle interior and damage the
vehicle's electronics and interior equip-
ment. The fording depth must not exceed 60 cm
when the vehicle is loaded and ready to drive.
Loaded and ready to drive means: a full tank,
all fluids topped up and the driver is in the
vehicle.
i
You may only drive through freshwater.
R Observe the safety notes (Y page 169)and
the general notes (Y page 169) on off-road
driving.
R Establish how deep the water is and the
characteristics of the body of water before
fording.
R Switch off the air-conditioning system.
R Deactivate the auxiliary heating.
R Shift the transfer case to LOW
RANGE( Ypage 201).
R Engage the differential locks, if necessary
(Y page 204).
R Restrict the shift range to 1or
2(Y page 153).
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Enter and exi tthe water at a flat place and
at a steady walking pace.
R Drive slowly and at a constant speed
through the water.
R Do not stop and do not switch off the
engine.
R Water offers a high degree of resistance,
the ground is slippery and, in some cases,
unstable. Therefore, it is difficult and dan-
gerous to pull away in the water.
R Ensure that a bow wave does not form as
you drive. Driving tips
167Driving and parking Z

DISTRONIC PLUS has not yet detected the
vehicle in front on the edge of the carriage-
way, because of its narrow width
.The dis-
tance to the vehicle in front will be too short.
Obstructions and stationary vehicles DISTRONIC PLUS does not brake for obsta-
cles or stationary vehicles. If, for example, the
detected vehicle turns a corner and reveals
an obstacle or stationary vehicle, DISTRONIC
PLUS will not brake for these.
Crossing vehicles
DISTRONIC PLUS may detect vehicles that
are crossing your lane by mistake. Activating
DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic lights with cross-
ing traffic, for example, could cause your vehi-
cle to pull away unintentionally. Blind Spot Assist
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Blind Spot Assist does not react to:
R vehicles overtaken too closely on the side,
placing them in the blind spot area
R vehicles approaching and driving by with a
speed difference of more than approx-
imately 11 km/h
As a result, Blind Spot Assist may not give
warnings in such situations. There is a risk of
an accident.
Always observe the traffic conditions care-
fully, and maintain a safe lateral distance.
Blind Spot Assist is only an aid. It may fail to
detect some vehicles and is no substitute for
attentive driving.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else cover-
ing the sensors
R visibility is poor, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain
or snow
R there is a narrow vehicle travelling in front,
e.g. a motorcycle or bicycle
R the road has very wide lanes
R the road has narrow lanes
R you are not driving in the middle of the lane
R there are barriers or other road boundaries
General notes Blind Spot Assist uses a radar sensor system
to monitor both the left and right sides of your
vehicle. It supports you from speeds of
30 km/h. A warning display in the exterior
mirrors draws your attention to vehicles
detected in the monitored area. If you then
switch on the corresponding turn signal to
change lane, you will also receive an optical
and audible collision warning. For this pur-
pose, Blind Spot Assist uses sensors in the
rear bumper.190
Driving systemsDriving and parking

In such situations, Active Blind Spot Assist
cannot warn you or intervene. There is a risk
of an accident.
Always observe the traffic conditions care-
fully, and maintain a safe lateral distance.
Active Blind Spot Assist is only an aid.Itm ay
fail to detect some vehicles and is no substi-
tute for attentive driving.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
R there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors.
R visibility is poor, e.g .due to fog, heavy rain
or snow.
R there is a narrow vehicl etravelling in front,
e.g. a motorcycle or bicycle.
R the road has very wide lanes.
R the road has narrow lanes.
R you are not driving in the middle of the lane.
R there are barriers or other road boundaries.
General notes Active Blind Spot Assist uses a rada
rsensor
system to monitor the side areas of your vehi-
cle which are behind the driver. Awarning
display in the exterior mirrors draws your
attentio nto vehicles detected in the moni-
tored area. If you then switch on the corre-
sponding turn signal to change lane, you will
also receive an optical and audible collision
warning. If a risk of lateral collision is detec-
ted, corrective braking may help you avoid a
collision. To support the course-correcting
brake application, Active Blind Spot Assist
also uses the forward-facing radar sensor sys-
tem.
Active Blind Spot Assist supports you from a
speed of approximately 30 km/h.
Monitoring range G
WARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist monitors certain
areas in the immediate vicinity of your vehicle. Vehicles that approach and drive past at high
speeds are not detected. No visual nor audi-
ble warnings are emitted and the system does
not brake the vehicle to correct your course.
If the lanes are very wide, it may not be pos-
sible to monitor the complete width of the
neighbouring lane. For this reason, vehicles in
the next lane may not be detected, especially
if they are driving in a staggered formation.
This may be the case if vehicles are driving at
the edge of their lane that is furthest away
from your vehicle.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions and
your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to
recognise dangers in time, cause an accident
and injure yourself and others.
Active Blind Spot Assist monitors the area up
to 3.0 m behind your vehicle and directly next
to your vehicle, as shown in the diagram. For
this purpose, Active Blind Spot Assist uses
radar sensors in the rear bumper.
If the lanes are narrow, vehicles driving in the
lane beyond the lane next to your vehicle may
be indicated, especially if the vehicles are not
driving in the middle of their lane. This may
be the case if there are vehicles at the edge
of their lane nearest your vehicle. Driving systems
193Driving and parking Z

There is a risk of an accident.
Before leaving the vehicle, always deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
from rolling away.
The HOLD function is deactivated automati-
cally if:
R you accelerate and the transmission is in
position Dor R.
R you shift the transmission to position P.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until ëdis-
appears from the multifunction display.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
On steep uphill or downhill gradients or if
there is a malfunction, the transmission may
also be automatically shifted into position P.4MATIC (permanent all-wheel drive)
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz implied warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground
or be fully raised. Observe the instructions
for towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
! When testing the parking brake, operate
the vehicle only briefly (for a maximum of
ten seconds) on a brake test dynamometer.
When doing this, turn the key to position
0 or 1in the ignition .Failure to do this can
cause damage to the drive train or the
brake system.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on atwin-axle dyna-
mometer. Before you operate the vehicle
on such a dynamometer, please consult a
qualified workshop .You could otherwise
damage the drive train or the brake system.
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are per-
manently driven. Together with ESP ®
and
4ETS, it improves the traction of your vehicle whenever a drive wheel spins due to insuffi-
cient grip.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip:
R
when pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary.
R accelerate less when driving.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC
can neither reduce the risk of accident nor
override the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot
take account of road, weather and traffic con-
ditions. 4MATIC is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in lane. Only engage
4MATIC when the current road, weather and
traffic conditions permit it to be done safely,
and adapt your driving style accordingly.
Drive carefully and maintain a suitable dis-
tance to the vehicle in front.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tyres (M+ Styres), with snow
chains if necessary.
Fo rinformation abou tdriving off-road, see
(Y page 169). PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes !
When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars .PARK-
TRONIC does not detect such objects when
they are in the immediate vicinity of the
vehicle. You could damage the vehicle or
the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and
objects which absorb ultrasoni csources.
Ultrasonic sources, such as an automatic
car wash, a lorry's compressed-air brakes
or a pneumatic drill, could cause PARK-
TRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain. Driving systems
197Driving and parking Z

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all mod-
els, series and optional equipment for your
vehicle that were available at the time of
going to press. Country-specific differen-
ces are possible. Note that your vehicle
may not be fitted with all features descri-
bed. This is also the case for systems and
functions relevant to safety.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops: (Y page 22). Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only use the on-board computer when road
and traffic conditions permit .You would oth-
erwise be distracted and unable to concen-
trate properly on driving, and could cause an
accident. G
WARNING
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction dis-
play is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see infor-
mation about your driving conditions, such as
speed, outside temperature, warning and indi-
cator lamps, display messages or system fail-
ures. Driving characteristics may be impaired.
Adjust your driving style and vehicle speed
accordingly.
Contact a qualified specialist workshop
immediately. G
WARNING
The on-board computer only records and dis-
plays malfunctions and warnings from certain
systems. For this reason, you should always
make sure that your vehicle is safe to use. You
could otherwise cause an accident by driving
an unsafe vehicle. G
WARNING
The operating safety of your vehicle could be
impaired if maintenance work is carried out
incorrectly. This could cause you to lose con-
trol of your vehicle and cause an accident.
Moreover, the safety systems may no longer
be able to protect you or others as they are
designed to do.
Always have service work carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
For an illustration of the instrument cluster,
see (Y page 211). 210
Important safety notesOn-board computer and displays

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
J
Check brake fluid
level There is insufficien
tbrake fluid in the brake fluid reservoir. In addi-
tion, the Jwarning lamp in the instrument cluster lights up and
a warning tone sounds.
G WARNING
The braking efficiency may be impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions. Do not continue driving
under any circumstances.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 163).
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
X Do not top up the brake fluid. This does not correct the error. #
Check brake pad
wear The brake pads/linings have reached their wearl
imit.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. ü If the symbol appears in the multifunction display,
aseat belt
tongue has been inserted into a rear seat belt buckle.
Further information on the status indicator for the rear seat belts
(Y page 47). ý If the symbol appears in the multifunction display,
aseat belt
tongue has not been inserted in a rear seat belt buckle.
G WARNING
As eat belt which is not worn correctly, or which has not been
engaged in the seat belt buckle correctly, cannot provide the
intended level of protection.
This poses an increased risk of injury.
X If necessary, ask the occupants in the rear to fasten their seat
belts (Y page 44).
Further information on the status indicator for the rear seat belts
(Y page 47). 232
Display messagesOn-board computer and displays