ESP MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV 2015 User Guide

Warning and indicator lamps
FunctionPage
:LLow-beam head-
lamps
91
;÷ ESP®165
=K
High-beam head-
lamps
92
?J Brakes (yellow)162
A·Distance warning169
B#! Turn signals92
ChTire pressure monitor170
D6 Restraint system42
EüSeat belt161
FunctionPage
F?Coolant168
GRRear fog lamp91
HOFront fog lamps91
I;Check Engine~
J8 Reserve fuel~
KåESP®
OFF165
L! ABS163
MBrakes (red)
$(USA only)
J(Canada only)162
34Instrument cluster
At a glance

Center console
Center console, upper section
FunctionPage
:COMAND (see separate
operating instructions)
~
;Seat heating85
=sSeat ventilation84
?cPARKTRONIC128
A¤ECO start/stop func-
tion ( AMG vehicles only )
105
FunctionPage
B£Hazard warning
lamps
90
C45 PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
43
Då ESP®66
36Center console
At a glance

ing, as well as damaged doors, can lead to thefunction of the sensors being impaired. The air
bags might therefore not function properly
any more. Consequently, the air bags cannot
protect vehicle occupants as they are
designed to do. There is an increased risk of
injury.
Never modify the doors or parts of the doors. Always have work on the doors or door pan-
eling carried out at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Front air bags
Driver's air bag :deploys in front of the
steering wheel. Front-passenger front air bag ;deploys in front of and above the glove
box.
When deployed, the front air bags offer addi- tional head and thorax protection for the
occupants in the front seats.
A permanently lit PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp informs you that the front-
passenger front air bag is deactivated( Y page 43).
The front-passenger front air bag will only
deploy if:
R an occupant is detected on the front-
passenger seat
R the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is not lit ( Ypage 59)
R the restraint system control unit predicts a
high accident severity
Side impact air bags
GWARNING
Unsuitable seat covers could restrict or even
prevent the deployment of the air bags inte-
grated into the seats. Consequently, the air
bags cannot protect vehicle occupants as
they are designed to do. In addition, the func- tions of BabySmart™ may be impaired. This
poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal
injury.
You should only use seat covers that have
been approved for the respective seat by
Mercedes-Benz.
Side impact air bags :deploy next to the
outer bolster of the seat backrest.
When deployed, the side impact air bag offers additional thorax protection. However, it doesnot protect the:
R head
R neck
R arms
In the event of a side impact, the side impact
air bag is deployed on the side on which the
impact occurs.
Pelvis air bags
GWARNING
Unsuitable seat covers could restrict or even
prevent the deployment of the air bags inte-
grated into the seats. Consequently, the air
bags cannot protect vehicle occupants as
they are designed to do. In addition, the func- tions of BabySmart™ may be impaired. This
50Occupant safety
Safety

poses an increased risk of injury or even fatalinjury.
You should only use seat covers that have
been approved for the respective seat by
Mercedes-Benz.
Pelvis air bags :deploy below next to the
outer seat cushions.
When activated, the pelvis air bag enhances
the level of protection of the vehicle occu-
pants on the side of the vehicle on which the
impact occurs.
The pelvis air bag is deployed on the side of
the impact.
Window curtain air bags
Window curtain air bags :are integrated
into the side of the roof frame and deployed in the area from the A-pillar to the C-pillar.
When deployed, the window curtain air bag
enhances the level of protection for the head.
However, it does not protect the chest orarms. In the event of a side impact, the window cur-
tain air bag is deployed on the side on which
the impact occurs.
If the system determines that they can offer
additional protection to that provided by the
seat belt, a window curtain air bag may be
deployed in other accident situations( Y page 51).
Deployment of Emergency Tensioning
Devices and air bags
Important safety notes
GWARNING
The air bag parts are hot after an air bag has
been deployed. There is a risk of injury.
Do not touch the air bag parts. Have a
deployed air bag replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop as soon as possible.
GWARNING
A deployed air bag no longer offers any pro-
tection and cannot provide the intended pro-
tection in an accident. There is an increased
risk of injury.
Have the vehicle towed to a qualified special- ist workshop in order to have a deployed air
bag replaced.
It is important for your safety and that of your
passenger to have deployed air bags replaced and to have any malfunctioning air bags
repaired. This will help to make sure the air
bags continue to perform their protective
function for the vehicle occupants in the
event of a crash.
GWARNING
Pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning Devices
that have been deployed are no longer opera-
tional and are unable to perform their inten-
ded protective function. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Therefore, have pyrotechnic Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices which have been triggered
Occupant safety51
Safety
Z

immediately replaced at a qualified specialistworkshop.
If Emergency Tensioning Devices are trig-
gered or air bags are deployed, you will hear a bang, and a small amount of powder may also
be released. The 6restraint system warn-
ing lamp lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your
hearing. The powder that is released gener-
ally does not constitute a health hazard, but it
may cause short-term breathing difficulties in
people with asthma or other respiratory prob-
lems. To avoid this, you may wish to get out of
the vehicle or open the windows as soon as it is safe to do so.
Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency Tension-
ing Devices (ETDs) contain perchlorate mate- rial, which may require special handling and
regard for the environment. National guide-
lines must be observed during disposal. In
California, see www.dtsc.ca.gov/
HazardousWaste/Perchlorate/
index.cfm .
Method of operation
During the first stage of a collision, the
restraint system control unit evaluates impor-
tant physical data relating to vehicle deceler- ation or acceleration, such as:
R duration
R direction
R intensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the
Emergency Tensioning Devices during a fron- tal or rear collision.
An Emergency Tensioning Device can only be
triggered, if:
R the ignition is switched on
R the components of the restraint system are
operational; see "Restraint system warning lamp" ( Ypage 42)
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
the respective front-passenger seat The Emergency Tensioning Devices in the
rear compartment are triggered independ-
ently of the lock status of the seat belts.
If the restraint system control unit detects a
more severe accident, further components of
the restraint system are activated independ-
ently of each other in certain frontal collision
situations:
R Driver's air bag
R Front-passenger front air bag
The front-passenger front air bag is activated or deactivated depending on the person on
the front-passenger seat. The front-
passenger front air bag can only deploy in an
accident if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indi- cator lamp is off. Observe the information on
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp ( Y page 43).
Your vehicle has a two-stage driver's air bag.
During the first deployment stage the driver's air bag fills with sufficient propellant gas to
reduce the risk of injuries. The front air bag is
fully deployed with the maximum amount of
propellant gas if a second deployment thresh- old is reached within a few milliseconds.
The activation threshold of the Emergency
Tensioning Devices and the air bag are deter- mined by evaluating the rate of vehicle decel-
eration or acceleration which occurs at vari-
ous points in the vehicle. This process is pre-
emptive in nature. Deployment should take
place in good time at the start of the collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion and the direction of the force are essen- tially determined by:
R the distribution of forces during the colli-sion
R the collision angle
R the deformation characteristics of the vehi-
cle
R the characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided
Factors which can only be seen and measured after a collision has occurred do not play a
decisive role in the deployment of an air bag.
52Occupant safety
Safety

Nor do they provide an indication of air bag
deployment.
The vehicle can be deformed considerably,
without an air bag being deployed. This is the
case if only parts which are relatively easily
deformed are affected and the rate of decel-
eration is not high. Conversely, air bags may
be deployed even though the vehicle suffers
only minor deformation. This is the case if, for example, very rigid vehicle parts such as lon-
gitudinal body members are hit, and sufficient
deceleration occurs as a result.
If the restraint system control unit detects a
side impact or if the vehicle rolls over, the
applicable components of the restraint sys-
tem are activated independently of each
other depending on the apparent type of acci- dent.
R Side impact air bag and pelvis air bag on the
side of impact, independently of the Emer-
gency Tensioning Device and the use of the
seat belt
The side impact air bag on the front-
passenger side deploys under the following conditions: - BabySmart™ detects that the front-
passenger seat is occupied or
- the belt tongue is engaged in the belt
buckle of the front-passenger seat
R Window curtain air bag on the side of
impact, independently of the use of the
seat belt and independently of whether the
front-passenger seat is occupied
R Emergency Tensioning Devices, if the sys-
tem determines that deployment can offer
additional protection in this situation
R Window curtain air bags on the driver's and
front-passenger side in certain situations
when the vehicle rolls over, if the system
determines that deployment can offer addi-
tional protection to that provided by the
seat belt
iNot all air bags are deployed in an acci-
dent. The different air bag systems work
independently of each other. How the air bag system works is deter-
mined by the severity of the accident detec-
ted, especially the vehicle deceleration or
acceleration and the apparent type of acci- dent:
R frontal collision
R side impact
R rollover
NECK-PRO head restraints/NECK-
PRO luxury head restraints
Important safety notes
GWARNING
The function of the head restraint may be
impaired if you: R attach objects such as coat hangers to the
head restraints, for example
R use head restraint covers
If you do so, the head restraints cannot fulfill
their intended protective function in the event of an accident. In addition, objects attached
to the head restraints could endanger other
vehicle occupants. There is an increased risk
of injury.
Do not attach any objects to the head
restraints and do not use head restraint cov-ers.
Method of operation
NECK-PRO head restraints/NECK-PRO luxury
head restraints offer additional protection
against head and neck injuries. In the event of
a rear collision of a certain severity, the NECK-
PRO head restraints/NECK-PRO luxury head
restraints on the driver's and front-passenger
seats are moved forwards and upwards. This
provides better head support.
If the NECK-PRO head restraints/NECK-PRO
luxury head restraints have been triggered in an accident, reset the NECK-PRO head
restraints/NECK-PRO luxury head restraints
on the driver's seat and the front-passenger
seat ( Ypage 54). Otherwise, the additional
Occupant safety53
Safety
Z

sudden change in direction. The child
restraint system could be thrown about, strik-ing vehicle occupants. There is an increased
risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Always install child restraint systems prop-
erly, even if they are not being used. Make
sure that you observe the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer's installation instructions.
You will find further information on stowing
objects, luggage or loads under "Loading
guidelines" ( Ypage 192).
GWARNING
Child restraint systems or their securing sys-
tems which have been damaged or subjected
to a load in an accident can no longer protect
as intended. The child cannot then be
restrained in the event of an accident, heavy
braking or sudden changes of direction. There is an increased risk of injury, possibly evenfatal.
Replace child restraint systems which have
been damaged or subjected to a load in an
accident as soon as possible. Have the secur-
ing systems on the child restraint system
checked at a qualified specialist workshop,
before you install a child restraint system
again.
The securing systems of child restraint sys-
tems are: R the seat belt system
R the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings
R the Top Tether anchorages
iIf it is absolutely necessary to carry a child
on the front-passenger seat, be sure to
observe the information on "Child restraint
systems on the front-passenger seat"( Y page 60). There you will also find infor-
mation on deactivating the front-passenger
front air bag. All child restraint systems must meet the fol-
lowing standards:
R U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stand-
ards 213 and 225
R Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 210.2
Confirmation that the child restraint system
corresponds to the standards can be found
on an instruction label on the child restraint
system. This confirmation can also be found
in the installation instructions that are inclu-
ded with the child restraint system.
Observe the warning labels in the vehicle inte-
rior and on the child restraint system.
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat secur-
ing system
GWARNING
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint systems
do not offer sufficient protective effect for
children whose weight is greater than 48 lbs
(22 kg) who are secured using the safety belt integrated in the child restraint system. In the
event of an accident, a child might not be
restrained correctly. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
If the child weighs more than 48 lbs (22 kg),
only use LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint
systems with which the child is also secured
with the vehicle seat belt. Also secure the
child restraint system with the Top Tether
belt, if available.
Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation and operating instructions for the child restraint system used.
Before every trip, make sure that the LATCH- type (ISOFIX) child restraint system is
engaged correctly in both LATCH-type (ISO-
FIX) securing rings
!When installing the child restraint system,
make sure that the seat belt for the middle seat does not get trapped. The seat belt
could otherwise be damaged.
Children in the vehicle57
Safety
Z

XRoute Top Tether belt =under the head
restraint between the two head restraint
bars.
X Hook Top Tether hook :of Top Tether belt
= into Top Tether anchorage ;.
Make sure that Top Tether belt Bis not
twisted.
X Tension Top Tether belt =. Always comply
with the child restraint system manufactur-
er's installation instructions when doing so.
X Move head restraint back down again
slightly if necessary ( Ypage 85). Make
sure that you do not interfere with the cor-
rect routing of Top Tether belt =.
BabySmart™ air bag deactivation sys-
tem
The BabySmart™ air bag deactivation sys-
tem's sensor system in the front-passenger
seat detects whether a special Mercedes-
Benz child restraint system with a trans-
ponder for the BabySmart™ air bag deactiva-
tion system has been installed. In this case,
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp lights up and remains lit. The front-passengerfront air bag is deactivated.
When the SmartKey is removed from the igni-
tion lock or is in position 0, the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is not lit.
iIf the front-passenger front air bag is
deactivated by the BabySmart™ air bag
deactivation system, the following remain
enabled on the front-passenger side:
R the side impact air bag
R the pelvis air bag
R the window curtain air bag
R the Emergency Tensioning Device
GWARNING
If you secure a child in a child restraint system
on the front-passenger seat and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is
off, the front-passenger front air bag can
deploy in the event of an accident. The child
could be struck by the air bag. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Make sure that the front-passenger front air
bag has been disabled. The PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp must be lit.
GWARNING
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is lit, the front-passenger front air bag isdeactivated. It will not be deployed in the
event of an accident and cannot perform its
intended protective function. A person in the
front-passenger seat could then, for example, come into contact with the vehicle's interior,
especially if the person is sitting too close to
the dashboard. This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
In this case the front-passenger seat may notbe used. You may only transport a child on the
front-passenger seat if they are seated in a
suitable rearward or forward-facing child
restraint system. Always observe the child
restraint system manufacturer's installation
instructions.
GWARNING
If you secure a child in a forward-facing child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat
and you position the front-passenger seat too close to the dashboard, in the event of an
accident, the child could:
R come into contact with the vehicle's inte-
rior if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indi-
cator lamp is lit, for example
R be struck by the air bag if the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is off
This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Move the front-passenger seat as far back as
possible. Always make sure that the shoulder belt strap is correctly routed from the vehicle
belt sash guide to the shoulder belt guide on
the child restraint system. The shoulder belt
strap must be routed forwards and down-
wards from the belt sash guide. If necessary,
adjust the belt sash guide and the front-
Child ren in the vehi cle59
Safety
Z

Pets in the vehicle
GWARNING
If you leave animals unattended or unsecuredin the vehicle, they could press buttons or
switches, for example.
As a result, they could: R activate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
R activate or deactivate systems, thereby
endangering other road users
Unsecured animals could also be flung around
the vehicle in the event of an accident or sud- den steering or braking, thereby injuring vehi-
cle occupants. There is a risk of an accident
and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals properly during
the journey, e.g. use a suitable animal trans-
port box.
Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock Braking System)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System)
R Adaptive brake lights
R ESP ®
(E lectronic Stability Program)
R EBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE
R Trailer stabilization
Important safety notes
GWARNING
The ABS, the BAS, and the ESP ®
switch off
when the differential locks are switched on.
When the ABS, the BAS, and the ESP ®
are
switched off
R wheels may lock during hard braking
R steering capabilities are reduced
R braking distance is increased
R vehicle stability in standard driving maneu-
vers is increased
Make sure the differential locks are switched on at all times except when driving off-road for
example. Switch on the differential locks
immediately when returning from off-roaddriving.
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you
are inattentive, the driving safety systems can neither reduce the risk of an accident nor
override the laws of physics. Driving safety
systems are merely aids designed to assist
driving. You are responsible 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 and maintain a safe dis-
tance from the vehicle in front. Drive care-fully.
iPlease note that the driving safety sys-
tems described only work as effectively as
possible if there is adequate contact
between the tires and the road surface. Pay particular attention to the information
regarding tires, recommended minimum
tire tread depths etc. in the "Wheels and
tires" section ( Ypage 230).
In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tires (M+S tires) and if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the driv-
ing safety systems described in this section work as effectively as possible.
64Driving safety systems
Safety

ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Ypage 64).
GWARNING
If the ABS malfunctions, other driving systems
such as the BAS or the ESP ®
are also switched
off. Observe indicator and warning lamps that may come on as well as messages in the mul-
tifunction display that may appear.
If the ABS malfunctions, the wheels may lock
during hard braking, reducing the steering
capability and extending the braking distance.
GWARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking charac-
teristics may be severely impaired. Addition-
ally, further driving safety systems are deac-
tivated. There is an increased danger of skid- ding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist workshop.
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi- cle when braking.
Provided that the differential locks are not
active, ABS works from a speed of about
5 mph (8 km/h) upwards, regardless of road-surface conditions. ABS works on slippery
surfaces, even if you only brake gently.
The yellow !ABS warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up when the ignition
is switched on. It goes out when the engine is running.
Braking
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel apulsing in the brake pedal. X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal vigorously until the braking sit-
uation is over.
X To make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indica-
tion of hazardous road conditions, and func-
tions as a reminder to take extra care while
driving.
Off-road ABS
If the LOW RANGE shift range is selected by
the transfer case, ( Ypage 132), an ABS sys-
tem specifically suited to off-road terrain is
automatically activated.
At speeds below 37 mph (60 km/h), the front wheels lock cyclically during braking. The dig-
ging-in effect achieved in the process reduces
the stopping distance on off-road terrain. This limits steering capability.
BAS (Brake Assist System)
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Ypage 64).
GWARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of an accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
BAS operates in emergency braking situa-
tions. If you depress the brake pedal quickly,
BAS automatically boosts the braking force,
thus shortening the stopping distance.
X Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed until
the emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated.
Driving safety systems65
Safety
Z