airbag off MERCEDES-BENZ G500 2003 W463 Owner's Manual

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10
Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 13
Operating your vehicle outside the
USA or Canada............................... 13
Where to find it .................................... 15
Symbols ............................................... 16
Operating safety .................................. 17
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 17
Problems with your vehicle .................. 18
Reporting safety defects...................... 19
Reporting safety defects ................ 19
At a glance.......................................... 21
Cockpit ................................................. 22
Instrument cluster ................................ 24
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 26
Center console ..................................... 27
Upper part ...................................... 27
Lower part ...................................... 28
Overhead control panel ........................ 29
Door control panel................................ 30Getting started................................... 31
Unlocking ............................................. 32
Unlocking with the SmartKey.......... 32
Adjusting .............................................. 34
Seats............................................... 34
Steering wheel ................................ 37
Mirrors ............................................ 38Driving .................................................. 40
Fastening the seat belt ................... 40
Starting the engine ......................... 43
Switching on headlamps ................. 46
Turn signals and high beam ............ 46
Windshield wipers ........................... 47
Rear window wiper/washer ............ 48
Problems while driving .................... 49
Parking and locking .............................. 50
Parking brake ................................. 50
Switching off headlamps................. 51
Turning off engine ........................... 51
Safety and Security........................... 53
Occupant safety ................................... 54
Airbags ........................................... 55
Seat belts ....................................... 60
Children in the vehicle .................... 63
Blocking rear door window
operation ........................................ 69
Panic alarm .......................................... 70

40 Getting startedDriving
DrivingFastening the seat beltWarning!
G
Do not lay any objects in the driver’s foot-
well. Be careful that floor mats or carpets in
the driver’s footwell have sufficient clear-
ance for the pedals.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers
the objects could get caught between the
pedals. You could then no longer brake or
accelerate.Warning!
G
Always fasten your seat belt before driving
off. Always make sure your passengers are
properly restrained, even those sitting in the
rear and pregnant women.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and po-
sition your seat belt greatly increases your
risk of injuries and their likely severity in an
accident. You and your passenger should al-
ways wear seat belts.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries
can be considerably more severe without
your seat belt properly buckled. Without
your seat belt buckled, you are much more
likely to hit the interior of the vehicle or be
ejected from it. You can be seriously injured
or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury or
death is lessened if you are wearing your
seat belt. The airbags can only protect as ex-
pected if the occupants are using their seat
belts (
page 54).
Warning!
G
Children 12 years old and under must never
ride in the front seat, except in a
Mercedes-Benz authorized BabySmart
TM
compatible child seat, which operates with
the BabySmart
TM system installed in the ve-
hicle to deactivate the passenger side front
airbag when it is properly installed. Other-
wise they will be struck by the airbag when
it inflates in a crash. If this happens, serious
or fatal injury will result.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing positions. Infants and small children
must ride in back seats and be seated in an
appropriate infant or child restraint system,
which is properly secured with the vehicle's
seat belt and top tether strap, or secured via
lower anchors and top tether strap, fully in
accordance with the child seat manufactur-
er's instructions.

57 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Warning!
G
Accident research shows that the safest
place for children in an automobile is in the
rear seat. Should you choose to place a child
12 years old or under in the passenger seat
of your vehicle, you must properly use a
BabySmart
TM child restraint which will turn
off the passenger side front airbag
(
page 65).
iAirbags are designed to activate only in
certain frontal (front airbags) impacts
which exceed preset thresholds.
Only during these types of impacts, if of
sufficient severity to meet the deploy-
ment thresholds, will they provide their
supplemental protection.
The driver and passenger should al-
ways wear their seat belts. Otherwise it
is not possible for the airbags to pro-
vide their supplemental protection.
In cases of other frontal impacts, an-
gled impacts, roll-overs, other side im-
pacts, rear collisions, or other
accidents, the airbags will not be acti-
vated. The driver and passengers will
then be protected by the fastened seat
belts.
We caution you not to rely on the pres-
ence of the airbags in order to avoid
wearing your seat belt.
Your vehicle was originally equipped
with airbags that are designed to acti-
vate in certain impacts exceeding a
preset threshold to reduce the poten-
tial and severity of injury. It is important
to your safety and that of your passen-
ger that you replace deployed airbags
and repair any malfunctioning airbags
to ensure that the vehicle will continue
to provide supplemental crash protec-
tion for occupants.

60 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetySeat belts
The seat belt nonusage warning lamp
<

in the instrument cluster lights up and a
warning sounds for a short time when you
turn the key in the starter switch to
position2 and the driver’s seat belt is not
fastened.
After starting the engine, the seat belt non-
usage warning lamp blinks for a brief peri-
od to remind the driver and passengers to
fasten their seat belts.
The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in all
50 states, the District of Columbia and all
Canadian provinces. Even where this is not
the case, all vehicle occupants should have
their seat belts fastened whenever the ve-
hicle is in motion.
Information on fastening seat belts is
found in the “Getting started” section
(
page 40).
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and re-
straint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 63)
Warning!
G
Always fasten your seat belt before driving
off. Always make sure your passengers are
properly restrained, even those sitting in the
rear and pregnant women.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and po-
sition your seat belt greatly increases your
risk of injuries and their likely severity in an
accident. You and your passengers should
always wear seat belts.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries
can be considerably more severe without
your seat belt properly buckled. Without
your seat belt buckled, you are much more
likely to hit the interior of the vehicle or be
ejected from it. You can be seriously injured
or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury or
death is lessened if you are properly wearing
your seat belt. Airbags can only protect as
they are designed if the occupants are prop-
erly wearing their seat belts.

103 Controls in detail
Lighting
Switching on rear fog lamp
Check that the low beam headlamps
are switched on.

Pull out exterior lamp switch to second
stop.
The yellow indicator lamp
†
in the
lamp switch lights up.
Combination switch
The combination switch is located on the
left side of the steering column.
1High beam
2High beam flasher
Switching on high beams
Turn exterior lamp switch to
position
B
or to
U

(
page 100).

Push the combination switch in
direction1.
The high beam symbol
A
in the
instrument cluster lights up.High beam flasher

Pull the combination switch briefly in
direction2.
Hazard warning flasher
The hazard warning flasher can be activat-
ed with the ignition switched on or off. It is
activated automatically when an airbag is
deployed.
The switch is located on the center con-
sole.
1Hazard warning flasher switch

242 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
3
(Canada only)
;
(USA only)
-
The red brake warning lamp and
the yellow ABS malfunction indi-
cator lamp come on when the
engine is running and you hear a
warning sound for approximately
five seconds.
The EBB has detected a malfunction and has
switched off. You should be prepared for your
vehicle to perform differently than normal
when braking.

Continue driving with added caution.

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Cen-
ter as soon as possible.

Also note the messages in the multi-
function display (
page 246).
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of accidents.
1
The red SRS indicator lamp lights
up while driving.
There is a malfunction in the restraint sys-
tems. The airbags or emergency tensioning
device (ETDs) could deploy unexpectedly or
fail to activate in an accident.

Drive with added caution to the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Warning!
G
In the event a malfunction of the SRS is indi-
cated as outlined above, the SRS may not be
operational.
For your safety, we strongly recommend
that you visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center immediately to have the
system checked; otherwise the SRS may not
be activated when needed in an accident.
This could result in serious or fatal injury, or
it might deploy unexpectedly and unneces-
sarily which could also result in an accident
and/or injury to you or others.

244 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Lamp in center consoleProblem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
The yellow fuel tank reserve warning lamp is
blinking.
The fuel cap is not closed tight.

Check the fuel cap.
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
7
The indicator lamp lights up.
A BabySmart
TM child seat is installed on the
front passenger seat. Therefore the front
passenger airbag is switched off.
The system is malfunctioning when there is
no BabySmart
TM child seat installed on the
front passenger seat.

Have the system checked as soon as
possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.

328 Technical termsRemote Vehicle Diagnostics
Transmission of vehicle data and cur-
rent location to the Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance Center for sub-
scribers to Tele Aid service.
REST
(Residual engine heat utilization)
Feature that uses the engine heat
stored in the coolant to heat the vehi-
cle interior for a short time after the en-
gine has been turned off.
Restraint system
Seat belts, belt tensioner, airbags and
child seat restraint systems. As inde-
pendent systems, their protective func-
tions complement one another.RON
(R
esearch O
ctane N
umber)
The Research Octane Number for gaso-
line as determined by a standardized
method. It is an indication of a gaso-
line's ability to resist undesired detona-
tion (knocking). The average of both
the ->MON (Motor Octane Number)
and RON (Research Octane Number) is
posted at the pump, also known as
ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.
Shift lock
When the vehicle is parked, this lock
prevents the transmission selector le-
ver from being moved out of positionP
without key turned and brake pedal de-
pressed.
SRS
(S
upplemental R
estraint S
ystem)
Seat belts, emergency tensioning de-
vice and airbags. Though independent
systems, they are closely interfaced to
provide effective occupant protection.Tele Aid System
(T
elematic A
larm I
dentification on
D
emand)
The Tele Aid system consists of three
types of response: automatic and man-
ual emergency, roadside assistance
and information. Tele Aid is initially ac-
tivated by completing a subscriber
agreement and placing an acquain-
tance call.
The Tele Aid system is operational pro-
viding that the vehicle’s battery is
charged, properly connected, not dam-
aged and cellular and GPS coverage is
available.
Telematics*
A combination of the terms “telecom-
munications” and “informatics”.
Tightening torque
Force times lever arm (e.g. a lug
wrench) with which threaded fasteners
such as wheel bolts are tightened.

331 Index
A
ABS 25, 71, 325
LOW RANGE mode 72
Malfunction indicator lamp 240
Messages in display 247
Warning lamp 240
Accelerator position, automatic
transmission 139
Accident
In case of 49
Activating
Air conditioning (cooling) 157
Air recirculation mode 154
Anti-theft alarm system 79
Central locking (control system) 128
Defrost 154
Easy-entry/exit feature 128
ESP 78
Exterior headlamps 46
Exterior lamps 101
Exterior rear view mirror parking
position 148
Hazard warning flasher 104
Headlamps 46
High beams 103
Ignition 33Rear fog lamp 101
Rear window defroster 155
Seat heater, front 95
Seat heater, rear 96
Windshield wipers 47
Adding
Coolant 221
Engine oil 220
Additional turn signals 279
Adjusting 34
Air distribution 153
Air volume 153
Backrest tilt 36
Exterior rear view mirror 38
Head restraint height 36
Head restraint tilt 36
Inside rear view mirror 38
Instrument cluster illumination 108
Mirrors 38
Multicontour seat* 94
Seat cushion length 94
Seat cushion tilt 36
Seat fore and aft adjustment 35
Seat height 36
Seats 34
Steering column height 37Steering column length 37
Steering wheel 37
Air conditioning (cooling)
Turning off 157
Turning on 157
Air conditioning refrigerant 317
Air distribution
Adjusting 153
Air pressure see Tire inflation pressure
Air recirculation mode 154
Activating 154
Deactivating 154
Air volume
Adjusting 153
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp 244
Airbags 55
BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation
system 325
BabySmartTM deactivation system 65
Front 59
Safety guidelines 58
Alarm
Audible 70, 80
Canceling 80
Visual 79

333 Index
Battery, vehicle 223, 295
Charging 295
Disconnecting 296
Messages in display 266
Reconnecting 296
Block heater 228
Blocking
Rear door window operation 69
Brake assist system (BAS) 325
Brake fluid 215, 318
Brake lamp bulbs, left and right 280
Brake lamp, high mounted 280
Brake pads
Message in display 250
Brakes 198
Warning lamp 241, 242
Break-in period 196
Brush guard* 277
Lowering 278
Bulbs, replacing
Additional turn signals 279
Backup lamp 287
Backup lamps 280
Brake lamps 280
Fog lamps 279
Front fog lamps 283Front lamps 279
Front turn signal lamps 284
High and low beam 279
High beam lamps 281
High mounted brake lamp 280
License plate lamps 280, 288
Low beam lamps 281
Parking lamps 279, 280, 281
Rear fog lamp 287
Side marker lamps 279, 285
Standing lamps 279, 280, 281
Tail lamp assemblies 280, 286
Turn signal lamp, side 284
Turn signal lamps 279, 280
C
CAC (Customer Assistance Center) 325
Calling up
Range (distance to empty) 131
Service indicator 231
CAN system 325
Capacities
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. 316
Cargo area cover 168
Installing 169
Removing 169Cargo area see Cargo compartment 87, 88
Cargo compartment
Tailgate 87, 88
Tie-down rings 175
Cargo tie-down rings 175
Catalytic converter 211
CD player
Operating 117
Center console 27
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp 244
Lower part 28
Upper part 27
Centigrade
Setting temperature units 122
Central locking
From inside 89
Switch 89
Switching on/off (control system) 128
Unlocking from inside 89
Central locking switch 89
Certification label 310
Changing
Batteries (SmartKey) 273
Key setting 128
Charging
Vehicle battery 295