engine MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV 2012 Workshop Manual

Changing gear
The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D.Gearshifting is deter-
mined by:
R a shift range restriction, if selected
R the position of the transfer case (HIGH
RANGE orLOW RANGE)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed Driving tips
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R
little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts
Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
X
Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Towing atrailer X
Drive in the middle of the engine speed
range on uphill gradients.
X Limi tshift range to 3or 2depending on the
uphill or downhill gradient (Y page 153),
even if cruise control or SPEEDTRONIC is
activated.
X Shift the transfer case into low-range driv-
ing position LOW RANGE on extreme uphill
gradients or steep downhill gradients
(Y page 202). Program selector button
General notes The program selector button allows you to
choose between drive programs with differ-
ent driving characteristics.
i
On AMG vehicles, drive program Eis
called drive program C.
Driving programs E
Economy
C Controlled
Efficiency Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
M
Manual Manual gearshifting
i
The automatic transmission switches to
automatic drive program E(drive program
C in AMG vehicles) each time the engine is
started.
i For further information on the automatic
drive program, see (Y page 153).
Selecting the drive program Example: program selector button
X
Press program selector button :repeat-
edly until the letter for the desired gearshift
program appears in the multifunction dis-
play. 152
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Steering wheel gearshift paddles
In the automatic drive program, you can
restrict or derestrict the shift range by using
steering wheel gearshift paddles :and ;
(Y page 153).
In the manual drive program you can change
gears manually using steering wheel gearshift
paddles :and ;(Y page 154).
i You can only change gear with the steer-
ing wheel gearshift paddles when the trans-
mission is in position D.Automatic drive program
Drive program E(drive program Con AMG
vehicles) is characterised by the following:
R comfort-oriented engine and transmission
settings
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin Drive program
Sis characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R sporty engine and transmission settings
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R as a result of the later automatic transmis-
sion shift points, the fuel consumption pos-
sibly being higher Shift ranges
Introduction When the automatic transmission is in posi-
tion
D, it is possible to restrictord erestrict
the shift range.
The shift range selected is shown in the mul-
tifunction display. The automatic transmis-
sion shifts only as far as the selected gear.
Driving situations =
To use the engine's brakin
geffect 5
The braking effect of the engine can
be utilised on downhill gradients or
whe
ndriving:
R on steep mountai nroads
R in mountainous terrain
R in arduous conditions 4
The braking effect of the engine can
be utilised on extremely steep
downhill gradients and long down-
hill stretches.
Restricting the shift range
X
Pull the left-hand steerin gwheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 153).
The automatic transmission shifts down
one gear and restricts the shift range to the
relevant gear.
i If the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the auto- Automatic transmission
153Driving and parking Z

matic transmission protects against engine
damage by not shifting down.
i If the maximu mengine speed for the shift
range is reached and you continue to accel-
erate, the automatic transmission shifts up
in order to prevent the engine from over-
revving, eve nifthe shift range is restricted.
Extending the shift range X
Pull the right-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 153).
The automatic transmission shifts up one
gear and restricts the shift range to the rel-
evant gear.
Clearing the shift range restriction X
Pull and hold the right-hand steering wheel
gearshift paddle (Y page 153) untilDis
shown again in the multifunction display.
The automatic transmission shifts from the
current shift range directly to D.
Selecting the ideal shift range X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 153) and hold it in position.
The automatic transmission shifts to the
gear which allows optimum acceleration
and deceleration. To do this, the automatic
transmission shifts down one or more
gears.
i The automatic transmission cannot shift
down beyond second gear. To shift to first
gear, you have to pull the left steering
wheel gearshift paddle. Manual drive program
Introduction In drive program
M, you can change gear
manually using the steering wheel gearshift
paddles. For this, the transmission must be in
position D.The gear currently selected and engaged is shown in the multifunction dis-
play.
Manual drive program
Mdiffers from drive
programs Eand Swith regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes.
Activating the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
(Y page 152) repeatedly until Mappears in
the multifunction display.
Upshifting (except AMG vehicles) X
Pull the right-hand paddle (Y page 153).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
Upshifting (AMG vehicles) !
In manual gearshift program M, the auto-
matic transmission does not shift up auto-
matically even when the engine limiting
speed for the current gear is reached.
When the engine limiting speed is reached,
the fuel supply is cut to prevent the engine
from overrevving. You must make sure that
the engine speed does not reach the red
area of the rev counter. Otherwise, there is
a risk of engine damage.
X Pull the right-hand paddle (Y page 153).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
Before the engine speed reaches the red area,
an upshift indicator will be shown in the mul-
tifunction display.
X If the colour in the speedometer multifunc-
tion display changes to red and the UP dis-
play message is shown, shift up a gear.
Downshifting X
Pull the left-hand paddle (Y page 153).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear. 154
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

i
If you slow down or stop withou tshifting
down, the automatic transmission auto-
matically shifts down.
Selecting the optimal gear for maxi-
mum acceleration X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle until the transmission selects the
optimum gear for the current speed.
Kickdown You can also use kickdown for maximum
acceleration in manual drive program
M.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
X Shift back up once the desired speed is
reached.
i Vehicles with an AMG engine: it is not
possible to use kickdown in manual drive
program M.
i Vehicles without an AMG engine: if you
apply full throttle, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts up to the next gear when the
maximum engine speed is reached. This
prevents the engine from overrevving.
Deactivating the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
(Y page 152) repeatedly until E(C in AMG
vehicles) or Sappears in the multifunction
display. Automatic transmission
155Driving and parking Z

Problems with the automatic transmission
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X
Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into
secondgear and reverse gear.
X Stop.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition lock.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. You hear a warning
tone. You have:
R
switched off the engine
R opened the driver's door
R not moved the selector lever to position P
X Move the selector lever to P.Refuelling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and explo-
sion.
You must avoid fire, naked flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before
refuelling. G
WARNING
Fuels are poisonous and hazardous to health.
There is a danger of injury.
Do not swallow fuel or let it come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing. Do not inhale fuel vapours. Keep fuels out of the reach of chil-
dren.
If you or others come into contact with fuel,
observe the following:
R Wash the fuel off any affected areas of skin
with water and soap immediately.
R If you get fuel in your eyes, rinse them thor-
oughly with clean water immediately. Seek
immediate medical attention.
R If fuel is swallowed, seek immediate medi-
cal attention. Do not induce vomiting.
R Change any clothing that has come into
contact with fuel immediately. G
WARNING
Do not use petrol to refuel vehicles with a die-
sel engine. Do not mix diesel with petrol. This 156
RefuellingDriving and parking

would result in damage to the fuel system and
engine, which could lead to a vehicle fire.
! Do not use petrol to refuel vehicles with a
diesel engine. Do not use diesel to refuel
vehicles with a petrol engine. Even small
amounts of the wrong fuel result in damage
to the fuel system and the engine.
! Do not switch on the ignition if you acci-
dentally refuel with the wrong fuel. Other-
wise, the fuel will enter the fuel lines .Notify
a qualified specialist workshop and have
the fuel tank and fuel lines drained com-
pletely.
! Overfilling the fuel tank could damage the
fuel system.
! Take care not to spill any fuel on painted
surfaces. You could otherwise damage the
paintwork.
! Use a filter when adding fuel from a fuel
can. The fuel lines and/or the diesel injec-
tion system could otherwise be blocked by
particles from the fuel can.
For further information on fuel and fuel quality
(Y page 341). Refuelling
Fuel filler flap !
AdBlue ®
is not a fuel additive and must
not be added to the fuel tank.IfA dBlue®
is
added to the fuel tank, this can lead to
engine damage. Example: fuel filler cap G 500
:
To open the fuel filler flap
; Tyre pressure table
= Fuel type
? To insert the fuel filler cap
When you open or close the vehicle with the
key, the fuel filler flap is automatically
unlocked or locked.
The position of the fuel filler cap is displayed
8 in the instrument cluster. The arrow
nex tto the filling pump indicates the side of
the vehicle. The fuel filler flap is located to the
rear on the right.
Opening :
To open the fuel filler flap
; Tyre pressure table
= Fuel type
? To insert the fuel filler cap
X Press the fuel filler flap in the direction of
arrow :.
The fuel filler flap opens slightly.
X Open the fuel filler flap. Refuelling
157Driving and parking Z

Problems with the fuel and fuel tank
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle.
G
Risk of explosion or fire
The fuel line or the fuel tank is defective.
X Turn the key to position 0(Ypage 143) in the ignition lock
immediately and remove it.
X Do not restart the engine under any circumstances.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The fuel filler flap can-
not be opened. The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
or
The key batteries are discharged.
X
Unlock the vehicle (Y page 68).
or
X Unlock the vehicle using the emergency key element
(Y page 70).
X Open the rear door.
X Manually unlock the fuel filler flap using the emergency release
(Y page 158). The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jam-
med.
X
Manually unlock the fuel filler flap using the emergency release
(Y page 158).
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start. The fuel tank of a vehicle with a diesel engine has been run com-
pletely dry.
X
Refuel the vehicle with at least 5litres of diesel.
X Turn the ignition on for around 10 seconds(Y page 143).
X Start the engine continuously for up to 40 seconds until it runs
smoothly.
If the engine does not start:
X Turn the ignition on again for approximately
10 seconds(Y page 143).
X Start the engine again continuously for up to 40 seconds until
it runs smoothly.
If the engine does not start after three attempts:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Refuelling
159Driving and parking Z

AdBlue
®
Important notes on use To function properly, BlueTEC exhaust gas
aftertreatment 1
mus tbe operated with the
reducing agent AdBlue ®
.
When the supply of AdBlue ®
is almost used
up, the Refill AdBlue See Owner's Man‐
ual message is shown in the multifunction
display. Awarning tone also sounds.
If the Refill AdBlue No start in: .. km message is shown in the multifunction dis-
play, you can still driv ethe vehicle over the
distance shown. Awarning tone also sounds.
If the AdBlue ®
is no ttopped up, you will sub-
sequently be unable to start the engine.
After receiving the warning message, it is
preferable to fill the AdBlue ®
tank with
10 litres of AdBlue ®
.Int his way, you can
ensure that the AdBlue ®
supply lasts until the
next regular service date.
Further information about BlueTEC exhaust
gas aftertreatment and about AdBlue ®
can
be obtained from any Mercedes-Ben zService
Centre.
Topping up AdBlue ®!
Only use AdBlue ®
in accordance with
ISO 22241. Do not mix any additives with
AdBlue ®
, and do not dilute AdBlue ®
with
water. This may destroy the BlueTEC
exhaust gas aftertreatmen tsystem.
! In order to fill the AdBlue ®
tank, the vehi-
cle mus tbe parked on a level surface. The
AdBlue ®
tank can only be filled as intended
with the vehicle parked on a level surface.
Fluctuations in capacity will thus be avoi-
ded. Filling a vehicle standing on an uneven
surface is not permitted. There is a danger
of overfilling, which can cause damage to
BlueTEC exhaust gas aftertreatmen tcom-
ponents. !
Do not fill the AdBlue ®
container with a
pump nozzle.
! If there are steep gradients while driving
off-road, a sufficient filling level in the
AdBlue ®
tank must be ensured. Make sure
for this reason that there is a minimum fill
level of ten litres before driving off-road.
! Surfaces which have come into contact
with AdBlue ®
while refilling should be
rinsed immediately with water, or remove
AdBlue ®
with a moist cloth and cold water.
If AdBlue ®
has already crystallised, use a
sponge and cold water to clean the area.
AdBlue ®
residue crystallises after a certain
amount of time and soils the affected sur-
faces.
! AdBlue ®
is not a fuel additive and must
not be added to the fuel tank.IfA dBlue®
is
added to the fuel tank, this can lead to
engine damage.
If you open the AdBlue ®
tank cap, small
amounts of ammonia vapour may be
released.
Ammonia vapours have a pungen todour and
are particularly irritating to:
R skin
R mucous membranes
R eyes
You may experience a burning sensation in
your eyes, nose and throat, as well as cough-
ing and watering of the eyes.
Do not inhale any ammonia vapours that may
be released. Fill the AdBlue ®
tank only in well-
ventilated areas.
1 BlueTEC vehicles only. 160
RefuellingDriving and parking

X
Turn AdBlue ®
refill bottle :anti-clockwise
and remove it.
X Screw the protective cap onto AdBlue ®
refill bottle :again.
Closing the AdBlue ®
filler cap and fuel
filler flap X
Fit blue AdBlue ®
filler cap ;on the filler
neck and turn it clockwise.
X To close the fuel filler flap, press it in the
direction of arrow :.
i The Refill AdBlue See Owner's Man‐
ual message goes out at the latest after
a driving distance of several kilometres.
i Have the AdBlue ®
supply topped up fully
if necessary. Mercedes-Benz recommends
that you use a qualified specialist workshop
for this purpose. Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
the parking position P
R starting the engine.
They could also operate the vehicle's equip-
ment.T here is a risk of an accident and injury. When leaving the vehicle, always take the key
with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unsupervised in the vehicle.
G
WARNING
If flammable materials such as leaves, grass
or twigs are exposed to prolonged contact to
parts of the exhaust system that heat up, they
could ignite. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rials come into contact with parts of the vehi-
cle which are hot. Take particular care not to
park on dry grassland or harvested grain
fields. G
WARNING
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.Y ou will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the parking brake must be applied.
R the transmission must be in position Pand
the key must be removed from the ignition
lock
R the transfer case must not be in position
N.
R on uphill or downhill gradients, turn the
front wheels towards the kerb. Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
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 Parking
163Driving and parking
Z

boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effor
tto steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Shift the transmission to position P.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock (Y page 143) and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X Apply the parking brake firmly.
X Turn the steering wheel until the steering
wheel lock engages.
i If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position Ror D, the automatic
transmission shifts to Nautomatically.
If you then open one of the front doors or
remove the key from the ignition, the auto-
matic transmission shifts to P.
If you shift the automatic transmission to
N before switching off the engine, the auto-
matic transmission remains in Neven if a
door is opened.
i The key can only be removed if the auto-
matic transmission is in position P.Parking brake
i
When you apply parking brake ;to brake
the vehicle, the brake lamps do not light up.
X To apply: pull parking brake ;up firmly.
Parking brake ;is applied. If the key is in position
1or 2in the ignition
lock, the !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster is lit.
X To release: depress the brake pedal and
keep it depressed.
The selector lever lock is released.
X Pull parking brake ;up firmly.
X Press release button :on parking
brake ;and move parking brake ;down
to the stop.
The ! indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
i If you pull away with parking brake ;
applied, a warning tone sounds. Parking up the vehicle
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than four weeks, the battery may be damaged
by exhaustive discharging.
X Disconnect the battery.
or
X Connect the battery to a trickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop.
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than six weeks, the vehicle may suffer dam-
age as a result of lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice. Driving tips
Short journeys
! Vehicles with adiesel particle filter: if
the vehicle is mostly driven for short dis-
tances, it is possible that malfunctions may
occur during the automatic cleaning of the
diesel particle filter. This may lead to fuel
collecting in the engine oil and cause
engine failure. Therefore, if you frequently 164
Driving tipsDriving and parking