snow chains MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV 2012 Owners Manual

Door
Automati clocking (on-board com-
puter) ............................................ .223
Automatic locking (switch) .............. .74
Central locking/unlocking (key) ......68
Display message ............................ 249
Emergency locking ........................... 75
Emergency unlocking .......................74
Important safety notes ....................73
Opening (from the inside) ................73
Door control panel
Overview .......................................... 35
Doors
Overview .......................................... 73
Draught stop ........................................ 84
Drive program Automatic ...................................... 153
Display ........................................... 150
Manual .......................................... .154
Driver's seat
Display message ............................ 249
Drive system
Active Blind Spot Assist .................192
Driving abroad
Symmetrical dipped bea m............. 104
Driving in mountainous terrain
Approach/departure angl e............ 172
Driving downhill ............................. 173
Gradient-climbing capability
(maximum) ..................................... 173
Driving off-road
see Off-road driving
Driving on flooded roads ..................167
Driving safety system Electronic Brake-force Distributio n..64
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program) .62
Important safety guidelines .............60
Driving safety systems
4ETS (Electronic Traction System) ...62
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) .......60
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ............................. 64
Adaptive brake lamps ......................61
BAS (Brake Assist System) ..............61
Overview .......................................... 60
Driving system
Variabl eSPEEDTRONIC .................178Driving systems
Blind Spot Assist ............................ 190
Cruise control ................................ 173
Display message ............................ 241
Distronic Plu s................................ 182
HOLD function ............................... 196
PARKTRONI C................................. 197
Reversing camera ..........................200
SPEEDTRONIC ............................... 178
Driving tips
Aquaplaning ................................... 167
Automatic transmission .................152
Brakes ........................................... 165
DISTRONI CPLUS ........................... 189
Downhill gradient ........................... 165
Driving abroad ............................... 104
Driving in winter ............................ .168
Driving on flooded road s................ 167
Driving on sand .............................. 171
Driving over obstacles ...................171
Gravel road s.................................. 171
Icy road surfaces ........................... 168
Off-road driving .............................. 169
Off-road fording ............................. 167
Snow chains .................................. 324
Symmetrical dipped bea m............. 104
Towing atrailer .............................. 206
Travelling uphill .............................. 172
Tyr egrip ........................................ 166
Tyr eruts ........................................ 171
Wet road surface ........................... 165
DVD audio
Operating (on-board computer) .....218
DVD video
Operating (on-board computer) .....218 E
EASY-ENTRY feature Activating/deactivating .................224
Function/notes ................................ 98
EASY-EXIT feature
Function/notes ................................ 98
Switching on/off ........................... 224
EBD (electronic brake force distri-
bution)
Display message ............................ 231
Function/notes ................................ 64 8
Index

Bel
ttensioner .................................. 47
Cleaning ......................................... 301
Display message ............................ 232
Fastening ......................................... 44
Fastening, front ............................... 44
Fastening in the rear, centre ............45
Important safety guidelines .............43
Rea rseat belt status indicator .........47
Releasing ......................................... 46
Warning lamp ................................. 252
Warning lamp (function) ................... 47
Seat heating
Malfunction indicator lamp ..............96
Seats
Adjusting (electrically). ....................92
Adjusting the 4-way lumba rsup-
por t.................................................. 94
Adjusting the head restraint ............92
Cleaning the cover .........................300
Correct driver's seat position ........... 90
Important safety notes ....................91
Overview .......................................... 91
Storing settings (memory function) 102
Switching sea theating on/off .........95
Switching the sea tventilation on/
off .................................................... 96
Seat ventilation
Malfunction indicator lamp ..............97
Securing aload .................................. 270
Sensors (cleaning instructions) .......298
Service menu (on-board computer) .220
Service products
AdBlue ®
special additive s.............. 345
Brake fluid ..................................... 346
Coolant (engine) ............................ 347
Engine oil ....................................... 345
Fuel ................................................ 341
Important safety notes ..................341
Notes ............................................. 341
Washer fluid .................................. .347
Settings
Calling up a stored setting .............102
Factory (on-board computer) .........225
On-board computer .......................221
Setting the air distribution ...............131
SETUP (on-board computer) .............226
Shift ranges ....................................... 153Short journeys (diesel particle fil-
ter)
...................................................... 164
Side lamps Switching on/off ........................... 107
Side windows
Convenience opening ......................78
Important safety notes ....................77
Opening/closing .............................. 77
Overview .......................................... 77
Troubleshooting ............................... 78
Ski rack .............................................. 275
Sliding sunroof Important safety information ...........79
Opening/closing .............................. 79
Operating manually ..........................79
Problem (malfunction) .....................80
Snow chains ...................................... 324
Socket Front-passenger footwell ...............278
Luggage compartment ...................278
Rea rcompartmen t......................... 278
Soft top
Closing ............................................ .82
Closing manually in an emergenc y... 82
Important safety notes ....................81
Opening ........................................... 81
Troubleshooting ............................... 87
Spare fuses ........................................ 318
Spare wheel Fitting ............................................ 329
Notes/data .................................... 333
Spare wheel bracket at the rear ....307
Stainless-steel spare wheel cover ..308
Specialist workshop ............................ 22
Speed, controlling see Cruise control
Speedometer
Digita l............................................ 216
In the Instrument cluster ...............211
Segments ...................................... 212
Selecting the unit of measurement 221
see Instrument cluster
SPEEDTRONIC
Display message ............................ 244
Permanent ..................................... 182
Selecting ........................................ 179
Variabl e......................................... 178 Index
15

Windscreen wipers
Problem (malfunction) ...................121
Rea rwindow wiper ........................ 120
Replacing the wiper blades ............120
Switching on/off ........................... 119
Winter
Driving in winter ............................ .168
Winter operatio n............................ 323
Winter operation
Overview ........................................ 323
Snow chains .................................. 324
Winter tyres
Limiting the speed (on-board com-
puter) ............................................. 223
M+S tyres ...................................... 324
Wiper blades
Cleaning ......................................... 298
Important safety notes ..................120
Replacing ....................................... 120 Index
19

X
To activate: press the child-proof lock
lever down in the direction of arrow ;.
X Make sure tha tthe child-proof locks are
working properly.
X To deactivate: press the child-proof lock
lever up in the direction of arrow :.
Override feature for the rear side win-
dows X
To activate/deactivate: press button:.
If indicator lamp ;is lit, operation of the
rear side windows is disabled. Operation is
only possible using the switches in the driv-
er's door. If indicator lamp ;is off, oper-
ation is possible using the switches in the
rear compartment. Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems: R
ABS ( Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
(Y page 60)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) (Y page 61)
R Adaptive brake lamps (Y page 61)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 62)
R EBD ( electronic brake force distribution)
(Y page 64)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 64)
R Trailer stabilisation Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, the driv-
ing safety systems can neither reduce the risk
of accident nor override the laws of physics.
Driving safety systems are merely aids
designed to assist driving. You are responsi-
ble for the distance to the vehicle in front, for
vehicle speed and for braking in good time.
Always adapt your driving style to suit the
prevailing road and weather conditions as
well as the traffic conditions, and maintain a
safe distance from the vehicle in front. Drive
carefully.
i Please note that the driving safety sys-
tems described only work as effectively as
possible when there is adequate contact
between the tyres and the road surface.
Pay particular attention to the information
regarding tyres, recommended minimum
tyre tread depths etc. in the "Wheels and
tyres" section (Y page 322).
In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tyres (M+S tyres) and, if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the driv-
ing safety systems described in this section
work as effectively as possible. ABS (Anti-lockB
raking System)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 60). 60
Driving safet
ysystemsSafety

Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side. In addition, more drive torque is trans-
ferred to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilises the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following. X
To deactivate: press button:until the
å warning lamp lights up in the instru-
ment cluster.
X To activate: press button :until the
å warning lamp goes out in the instru-
ment cluster.
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
i Vehicles with the ECO start/stop func-
tion: the ECO start/stop function automat-
ically switches the engine off when the
vehicle comes to a stop. When pulling away
again, the engine starts automatically.
ESP ®
remains in its previously selected sta-
tus. Example: if ESP ®
was deactivated
before the engine was switched off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when the engine is
switched on again. It may be best to deactivate ESP
®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited, and
the drive wheels can spin. The spinning of
the wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support if you brake.
R and are driving at above 60 km/h, ESP ®
still intervenes when one wheel reaches its
grip limit even though it is switched off.
i If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more
wheels start to spin, the ÷warning lamp
in the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehi-
cle.
Trailer stabilisation G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to prevent
the vehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailers with a high centre of gravity can
tip over before ESP ®
can detect this. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your driving style to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
Trailer stabilisation does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated or disabled because of a mal-
function.
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
lurch, you can only stabilise the vehicle/
trailer combination by depressing the brake
firmly.
In this situation, ESP ®
assists you and can
detect if the vehicle/trailer combination
begins to lurch. ESP ®
slows the vehicle down Driving safety systems
63Safety Z

R
Clean any mud from the tyre tread after
fording.
R Apply the brakes to dry them after fording.
R Water offers a high degree of resistance,
the ground is slippery and ,insome 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.
R Clean any mud from the tyre tread after
fording.
R Apply the brakes to dry them after fording. Parking the vehicle after heavy loads
on the engine
! Vehicles with adiesel engine: your
vehicle's exhaust gas turbocharger may get
very hot under heavy engine load, e.g. dur-
ing:
R trailer towing
R longe rmotorway journeys at high speed
R longer journeys through mountainous
terrain
X Let the engine run for approximately
another two minutes while the vehicle is
stationary before switching off the engine.
This way, the exhaust gas turbocharger can
cool down more effectively. Winter driving
General notes G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the
vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open
a window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind. G
WARNING
If you have fitted snow chains to the front
wheels, they may scrape against the vehicle
body or chassis components. This could
cause damage to the vehicle or the tyres.
There is a risk of an accident.
To avoid hazardous situations:
R never fit snow chains on the front wheels
R fit snow chains to the rear wheels in pairs.
At the onset of winter, have your vehicle win-
terproofed at a qualified specialist workshop.
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 323).
Driving with summer tyres Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y
page 323).
Slippery road surfaces 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.
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 Move the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by
using corrective steering.
i For more information on driving with
snow chains, see (Y page 324).168
Driving tipsDriving and parking

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

Mercedes-Ben
zcannot accept responsibility
for this type of damage. M+S tyres
G
WARNING
M+S tyres with a tyre tread depth of less than
4mma re not suitable for use in winter as they
do not provide sufficient traction. There is a
risk of accident.
M+S tyres with a tread depth of less than
4 mm must be replaced. G
WARNING
The spare wheel and M+S tyres have different
tyre characteristics. Driving characteristics
can be severely impaired when you fit the
spare wheel. There is a risk of an accident.
You should therefore adapt yourd riving style
and drive carefully.H ave the spare wheel
replaced with a new wheel with an M+S tyre
at the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
At temperatures below +7 †, use winter tyres
or all-season tyres. Both types of tyre are
identified by the M+S marking.
Only winter tyres bearing the isnowflake
symbol in addition to the M+S marking pro-
vide the best possible grip in wintry road con-
ditions. Only these tyres will allow driving
safety systems such as ABS and ESP ®
to
function optimally in winter, as these tyres
have been designed specifically for driving on
snow.
Use M+S tyres of the same make and tread
on all wheels to maintain safe handling char-
acteristics.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tyres you have
fitted.
If you fit M+S tyres that have a lower maxi-
mum permissible speed than that of the vehi-
cle, affix an appropriate warning sign in the
driver's field of vision .This can be obtained
at a qualified specialist workshop. Under these circumstances, you should also
restrict the maximum speed of the vehicle
using variable SPEEDTRONIC so that it does
not exceed the maximum permissible speed
for the M+S tyres(Y
page 178).
When you have fitted the M+S tyres:
X Check the tyre pressures (Y page 327).
X Restart the tyre pressure monitor
(Y page 328).
i You can obtain information about winter
tyres that have been approved by
Mercedes-Ben zespecially for your vehicle
at any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
i For further information about tyres, see
(Y page 333). Snow chains
! Information aboutt he use of snow chain
compatible AMG winter tyres is applicable
for AMG tyres. Use of snow chains is only
permissible with these tyres.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Ben zrecom-
mends that you only use snow chains that
have been specially approved for your vehicle
by Mercedes-Benz, or that are of a corre-
sponding standard of quality.
R only use snow chains when the road sur-
face is completely snow-covered. Remove
the snow chains as soon as possible when
you come to road that is not snow-covered.
R local regulations may restrict the use of
snow chains. Observe the appropriate reg-
ulations if you wish to fit snow chains.
R Do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 50 km/h.
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 (Y page 62).
R fit the snow chains on all four wheels for
maximum tractive power and driving sta-
bility. Observe the manufacturer's fitting
instructions. 324
Winter operationWheels and tyres

i
You may wish to deactivate
ESP ®
(Y page 62) when pulling away with
snow chains fitted. This way you can allow
the wheels to spin in a controlled manner,
achieving an increased driving force (cut-
ting action). Tyre pressure
Tyre pressure specifications
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Underinflated or overinflated tyres pose the
following risks:
R the tyres may burst, especially as the load
and vehicle speed increase.
R the tyres may wear excessively and/or
unevenly, which may greatly impair tyre
traction.
R the driving characteristics, as well as steer-
ing and braking, may be greatly impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
Observe the recommended tyre pressure and
chec kthe tyre pressure of all the tyres includ-
ing the spare wheel:
R at least every two weeks
R when the load changes
R before embarking on a longer journey
R for changed operating conditions, e.g. off-
road driving
If necessary, correct the tyre pressure. G
WARNING
If you fit unsuitable accessories onto tyre
valves, the tyre valves may be overloaded and
malfunction, which can cause tyre pressure
loss. Due to their design, retrofitted tyre pres-
sure monitors keep the tyre valve open. This
can also result in tyre pressure loss. There is
a risk of accident.
Only screw standard valve caps or valve caps
specifically provided by Mercedes-Ben zfor
your vehicle onto the tyre valve. G
WARNING
If the tyre pressure drops repeatedly, the
wheel, valve or tyre may be damaged. Tyre
pressure that is too low may result in a tyre
blow-out. There is a risk of accident.
R Check the tyre for foreign objects.
R Check whether the wheel is losing air or the
valve is leaking.
If you are unable to rectify the damage, con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop. H
Environmental note
Check the tyre pressure regularly, at least
every 14 days.
General notes You will find a table of tyre pressures for var-
ious operating conditions on the inside of
your vehicle's fuel filler flap.
Operation with a trailer:
the applicable
value for the rear tyres is the maximum tyre
pressure value stated in the table inside the
fuel filler flap.
The table inside the fuel filler flap may state
tyre pressures for different load conditions.
These are defined in the table as different
numbers of passengers and amounts of lug-
gage. The actual number of seats may vary –
for more information, please refer to the vehi-
cle's registration documents.
If tyre sizes are not specified, the tyre pres-
sures stated on the tyre pressure information
label apply for all tyres approved for this vehi-
cle. Tyre pressure
325Wheels and tyres Z

Tyres Light-alloy
wheels
265/60 R18 110 V
M+S
Tyre manufacturer
recommended by
Mercedes-Benz: Yoko-
hama. 7.5J x 18 H2 ET 63
i
The spare wheel matches the standard
tyres.
i You can obtai ninformation abou ttyres
and tyre dimensions that are no tlisted here
at any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
G 63 AMG Summer tyres
Tyres Light-alloy
wheels
275/50 R20 113
WXL
Use of snow chains
not permitted.
Tyre manufacturer
recommended by
Mercedes-Benz:Y oko-
hama. 9.5Jx20 H2 ET 50
i
You can obtai ninformation abou ttyres
and tyre dimensions that are no tlisted here
at any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Winter tyres Tyres Light-alloy
wheels
265/55 R19 109H
M+S
Tyre manufacturer
recommended by
Mercedes-Benz: Dun-
lop. 9.5J x 19 H2 ET 50 i
You can obtain information about tyres
and tyre dimensions that are not listed here
at any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Spare wheel
! The spare wheel must be inflated to the
maximum tyre pressure given in the table
on the inside of the fuel filler flap. Tyres Light-alloy
wheels
265/55 R19 109H
M+S
Tyre manufacturer
recommended by
Mercedes-Benz: Dun-
lop. 9.5J x 19 H2 ET 50
i
You can obtain information about tyres
and tyre dimensions that are not listed here
at any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
G 65 AMG Summer tyres
Tyres Light-alloy
wheels
275/50 R20 113
WXL
Use of snow chains
not permitted.
Tyre manufacturer
recommended by
Mercedes-Benz:Y oko-
hama. 9.5Jx20 H2 ET 50
i
You can obtai ninformation abou ttyres
and tyre dimensions that are no tlisted here
at any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Wheel and tyre combinations
335Wheels and tyres Z