differential MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV 2013 User Guide

Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
i Canada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference,
and
2. this device must
accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the
device will void any warranties, and is not
permitted. Do not tamper with, alter, or use
the device in any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
Cruise control lever 0043
To activate or increase speed
0044 To set the specified minimum distance
0087 LIM indicator lamp
0085 To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
0083 To activate or reduce speed
0084 To switch between DISTRONIC PLUS and
variable SPEEDTRONIC
006B To deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS
With the cruise control lever, you can operate
DISTRONIC PLUS and variable
SPEEDTRONIC. X
To switch between variable
SPEEDTRONIC and DISTRONIC PLUS:
press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow 0084.
LIM indicator lamp 0087 on the cruise control
lever indicates which function you have
selected:
R LIM indicator lamp 0087 off: DISTRONIC
PLUS is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp 0087 on: variable
SPEEDTRONIC is selected.
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS Activation conditions
In order to activate DISTRONIC PLUS, the
following conditions must be fulfilled:
R
the engine must be

started. It may take up
to two minutes after pulling away before
DISTRONIC PLUS is operational.
R the parking brake must be released.
R the differential lock must be deactivated.
R ESP ®
must be active, but not intervening.
R the transmission must be in position D.
R the driver's door must be closed when you
shift from P to D or your seat belt must be
fastened.
R the front-passenger door and rear doors
must be closed.
R the vehicle must not skid.
R the DISTRONIC PLUS function must be
selected ( Y page 179).
R the transfer case must be in the HIGH
RANGE transmission position.
R the vehicle must not be on an uphill or
downhill gradient of more than 22-25%.
R the radar sensor must be free from dirt
(Y page 297). Driving systems
179Driving and parking Z

display. If you then release the parking
brake, a warning tone will sound.
Differential locks
General notes G
WARNING
When differential locks are engaged on a firm,
high-grip surface, the vehicle's steerability is
greatly impaired. In particular, engaging the
differential locks when cornering could lead
to you losing control
of the vehicle. There is a
risk of an accident.
Disengage the differential locks immediately
on firm, high-grip surfaces. G
WARNING
ABS, 4ETS, ESP ®
and BAS are deactivated
while the differential locks are engaged. As a
result, the wheels could lock when braking
and the braking distance is increased. There
is a risk of an accident.
Disengage the differential locks immediately
on firm, high-grip surfaces.
! In order to avoid damage to the transfer
case, you must operate the vehicle on a
dynamometer (1-axle dynamometer) only
if:
R the axle not driven on is jacked up
or
R the corresponding propeller shaft is
disconnected and the transfer case
differential lock is activated.
Otherwise, the transfer case can be
damaged.
Differential locks improve the traction of the
vehicle. Your vehicle is equipped with a differential
lock for:
R
the transfer case: this

controls the balance
between the front and rear axles.
R the rear axle: this controls the balance
between the wheels on the rear axle.
R the front axle: this controls the balance
between the wheels on the front axle.
Information on differential and
differential locks When the vehicle drives around a curve, the
wheels on the
outside

of the curve must cover
a greater distance. Therefore, the wheels turn
more rapidly than on the inside. The
differential, a transmission in the drive train,
compensates for these different rotational
speeds, making cornering possible.
The disadvantage of a differential is that more
power is transferred to the wheels that have
the least grip. An example: a wheel of a driven
axle is on a snow-covered surface and
therefore does not have any traction. The
differential causes this wheel to be subjected
to the strongest driving force, as the flow of
force takes the path of least resistance. The
opposite wheel on this axle, however, which
stands on firm ground and could therefore
allow propulsion, receives no driving power.
4ETS compensates for this disadvantage.
4ETS provides good steerability by
automatically braking the spinning wheel.
4ETS provides the wheel on the firm surface
with more drive force, which in turn provides
propulsion.
ESP® and 4ETS are traction systems that are
ideal for road driving and suitable for light off-
road driving. The LOW RANGE off-road gear
also improves off-road capability.
Moreover, the more difficult conditions in off-
road driving require further measures such as
locking one or several differentials. Your
vehicle is equipped with three differential
locks: Off-road driving systems
201
Driving and parking Z

R
a central differential lock for the transfer
case,
R a differential lock for the front axle and
R a differential lock for the rear axle.
Each differential lock can
be engaged with the
respective switch on the center console. If
the transfer case differential is disabled, the
front and rear wheels turn at the same speed.
If the differential for the rear axle is locked,
both rear wheels turn at the same speed,
regardless of their individual torques. Please
note that activating the differential locks
severely restricts the vehicle's steerability.
Please note that the functions of the
differential are absolutely necessary for
driving on paved roads. The differential locks
must never be engaged when driving on
paved roads. Otherwise, the vehicle may not
be steerable and you could lose control of the
vehicle. The differential locks must therefore
only be engaged when driving off-road. You
may only engage the differential locks if the
functions of the 4ETS and ESP ®
driving
systems and the LOW RANGE off-road gear
are insufficient.
i The differential locks are only available in
the LOW RANGE off-road gear.
Activating the differential lock Important safety notes
G
WARNING
When differential locks are engaged on a firm,
high-grip surface, the vehicle's steerability is
greatly impaired. In particular, engaging the
differential locks when cornering could lead
to you losing control

of the vehicle. There is a
risk of an accident.
Disengage the differential locks immediately
on firm, high-grip surfaces. G
WARNING
ABS, 4ETS, ESP ®
and BAS are deactivated
while the differential locks are engaged. As a
result, the wheels could lock when braking and the braking distance is increased. There
is a risk of an accident.
Disengage the differential locks immediately
on firm, high-grip surfaces.
! Only activate the differential locks when:
R you are driving at walking pace.
R the driven wheels are not spinning.
R you are not driving

on a firm road surface.
General notes
The switches are located on the center
console. 0043
Function indicator lamps (red)
0044 Differential lock for the front axle
0087 Differential lock for the transfer case
0085 Differential lock for the rear axle
0083 Activation indicator lamps (yellow)
Activate the differential locks:
R off-road
R to deactivate ABS, 4ETS, ESP ®
and BAS
while off-road
R when fording
For further information on driving off-road,
see ( Y page 164).
i You can only engage

the differential locks
if the transfer case is in the LOW RANGE
off-road driving position (Y page 198).
i You can activate the differential locks in
the following order 0087, 0085, 0044.202
Off-road driving systems
Driving and parking

Differential lock for the transfer case
X
To engage: switch the transfer case to the
LOW RANGE off-road driving position ( Y
page 199).
X Press switch 0087.
When the transfer case is in the LOW
RANGE off-road driving position,

the yellow
activation indicator lamp below switch 0087
lights up.
The 00BB warning lamp in the instrument
panel lights up.
When the differential is locked, the red
function indicator lamp above switch 0087
lights up.
In the multifunction display you see the:
ABS not available Differential
Locked
The 00BB002500E5 warning lamps in the
instrument cluster light up.
The differential lock for the transfer case is
engaged.
4ETS, ESP ®
, BAS and ABS are deactivated.
The vehicle's ability to steer is severely
restricted. Drive carefully and accelerate
gently for optimum traction.
i You can now engage the differential lock
for rear axle 0085

and the differential lock for
front axle 0044 as required.
Differential lock for the rear axle X
To engage: press switch 0085.
Yellow activation indicator lamp 0083 lights
up first, followed by red function indicator
lamp 0043 of switch 0085.
The differential lock for the rear axle is
engaged.
Differential lock for the front axle X
To engage: press switch 0044.
First, the yellow activation indicator lamp
lights up, followed by the red function
indicator lamp. The differential lock for the front axle is
engaged.
Deactivating the differential lock You can deactivate the differential locks in
this order: 0044, 0085, 0087.
X
To simultaneously deactivate all
differential locks: press switch 0087.
Yellow activation indicator lamps 0083 and
red function indicator lamps 0043 go out.
After approximately three seconds of
normal driving, ABS, 4ETS, ESP ®
and BAS
are activated.
The ABS not available
Differential
Locked

message disappears from the
multifunction display and the 00BB, 0025
and 00E5 warning lamps in the instrument
cluster go out.
X Shift the transfer case to the HIGH
RANGE on-road position (Y page 199).
i If red function indicator lamps 0043 do not
go out after disengaging the differential
locks, bring the vehicle to a standstill in
accordance with the traffic conditions.
Then continue driving, as the load change
can release the differential locks. Towing a trailer
Notes on towing a trailer
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system

can overheat. This
increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time. Towing a trailer
203
Driving and parking Z

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
0050 SolutionsDifferential Locks
Available Only in
LOW RANGE The LOW RANGE button has been pressed. The transfer case is in
the LOW RANGE off-road driving position and a differential lock
is engaged.
X
Disengage the differential locks (Y page 201).
X Repeat the gearshift process. TC-NEUTRAL
On The transfer case is in the Neutral
neutral position.
A warning tone will also sound when the driver's door is opened
and the brake pedal is not depressed.
X Close the driver's door.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away ( Y page 156).
X Shift the transfer case according to driving conditions
(Y page 198). Differential Lock
Preselected
ESP Not Available A differential lock has been engaged. The differential gear has not
yet locked the respective differential. The activation indicator
lamp (yellow) (
Y page 201) of the switch lights up.
ESP is unavailable.
ABS is still available. Differential Locks
Active
ABS and ESP Not
Available A differential lock was engaged and the differential gear has
locked the respective differential. The activation indicator lamp
(yellow) and function indicator lamp (red) (
Y page 201) on the
switch light up.
ABS and ESP are unavailable. Display messages
239On-board computer and displays Z

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0050 Solutions0025
The yellow ABS
warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running. A
warning tone also
sounds. EBD is malfunctioning. Therefore, ABS, BAS, ESP
®
, the HOLD
function, hill start assist,
the adaptive brake lights and ESP ®
trailer
stabilization are also not available, for example.
G WARNING
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The front and rear wheels could therefore
lock if you brake hard, for example.
The steerability and braking characteristics may be severely
affected. The braking distance in an emergency braking situation
can increase.
If ESP ®
is not operational,

ESP®
is unable to stabilize the vehicle.
There is an increased risk of skidding and an accident.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 0025
The yellow ABS
warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running. You have engaged the differential locks. ABS is deactivated.
X
Disengage the differential locks.
Subsequently ABS is reactivated. 0027 (USA only)
004D (Canada only)
00E500BB0025
The yellow brake
warning lamp, the
yellow ESP
®
and
ESP ®
OFF warning
lamps and the yellow
ABS warning lamp are
lit while the engine is
running. ABS and ESP
®
are malfunctioning. Therefore,
BAS, EBD, the HOLD
function, hill start assist, the adaptive brake lights and ESP ®
trailer
stabilization, for example, are also not available.
G WARNING
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The front and rear wheels could therefore
lock if you brake hard, for example.
The steerability and braking characteristics may be severely
affected. The braking distance in an emergency braking situation
can increase.
If ESP ®
is not operational,

ESP®
is unable to stabilize the vehicle.
There is an increased risk of skidding and an accident.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop.252
Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
On-board computer and displays

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0050 Solutions00E500BB
The yellow ESP
®
and
ESP ®
OFF warning
lamps are lit while the
engine is running. ESP
®
, BAS, the HOLD function, hill start assist and ESP ®
trailer
stabilization are temporarily unavailable.
BAS and the adaptive brake lights may also have failed.
Self-diagnosis is not yet complete.
G WARNING
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above.
The braking distance in an emergency braking situation can thus
increase.
If ESP ®
is not operational,
ESP®
is unable to stabilize the vehicle.
There is an increased risk of skidding and an accident.
X Carefully drive a suitable distance making slight steering
movements at a speed above 12 mph (20 km/h).
The functions mentioned above are available again when the
warning lamp goes out.
If the warning lamp is still on:
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 00BB
The yellow ESP
®
OFF
warning lamp is lit

while
the engine is running. You have engaged the differential locks. ABS, ESP
®
, 4ETS and BAS
have been deactivated.
X Disengage the differential locks.
ESP ®
, 4ETS and BAS are subsequently reactivated.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.254
Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
On-board computer and displays