oil dipstick MERCEDES-BENZ G500 2003 W463 Owner's Manual

218 OperationEngine compartmentChecking engine oil level
When checking the oil level the vehicle
must

be parked on level ground


be at normal operating temperature


have been stationary for at least five
minutes with the engine turned off
With the operating system
You can check the engine oil level on the
multifunction display.

Turn the key in the starter switch to
position2.
The standard display (
page 111) should
appear in the multifunction display.

Press button
k
or
j
on the
steering wheel until the following mes-
sage is seen in the multifunction dis-
play:
ENGINE OIL LEVEL - MEASUREMENT IN
PROCESS! MEASUREMENT CORRECT ONLY
IF VEH. LEVEL
After about three seconds, this mes-
sage is displayed:
ENGINE OIL LEVEL –
MEASURING NOW!
One of the following messages will sub-
sequently appear in the indicator:

ENGINE OIL LEVEL – OK



ENGINE OIL LEVEL – ADD 1.0 QUART
(1.0 LITER)!


ENGINE OIL LEVEL – ADD 1.5 QUART
(1.5 LITER)!


ENGINE OIL LEVEL – ADD 2.0 QUART
(2.0 LITER)!
Other display messages
If there is excessive engine oil with the en-
gine at normal operating temperature, the
following message will appear: ENGINE OIL LEVEL – REDUCE OIL LEVEL! 
Have excess oil siphoned.
If the key is not turned to position2 in the
starter switch:
ENGINE OIL LEVEL – SWITCH ON IGNITION!
Switch on the ignition.
iIf you want to cancel the measuring
process, press the
k
or
j
but-
tons on the multifunction steering
wheel.
!Excessive oil must be siphoned or
drained off. It could cause damage to
the engine and catalytic converter not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
The oil dipstick tube allows for draining
of oil by using a suction device
(page 219).

219 Operation
Engine compartment
If you see the messageOBSERVE WAITING PERIOD 
If engine is at normal operating temper-
ature, wait five minutes before repeat-
ing check procedure.

If the engine is not yet at normal oper-
ating temperature, wait 30 minutes be-
fore repeating check procedure.
If you see the message:
ENGINE OIL LEVEL – NOT WHEN ENGINE ON 
Turn off the engine. If engine is at nor-
mal operating temperature, wait five
minutes before checking oil. If the en-
gine is not yet at normal operating tem-
perature, you must wait 30 minutes
before checking oil.
More information on engine oil can be
found in the “Technical data” section
(
page 316).With the dipstick
1Oil dipstick
2Oil filler cap

Remove oil dipstick1.

Wipe oil dipstick1 clean.

Fully insert oil dipstick1 in tube, and
remove after three seconds to obtain
accurate reading.
Oil dipstick
The oil level is correct when it is be-
tween the lower (min) and upper (max)
mark of the dipstick.

Add engine oil if necessary.iFill quantity between upper and lower
dipstick marking, the level is approxi-
mately 2.1 US qt (2.0 l).

220 OperationEngine compartmentAdding engine oil
Unscrew cap2 from the filler neck.

Add oil. Be careful not to overfill with
oil.
Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
coming into contact with the ground or wa-
ter.

Screw cap2 back on the filler neck.
Transmission fluid level
The transmission fluid level does not need
to be checked. The transmission has a per-
manent supply of automatic transmission
fluid.
If you notice transmission fluid loss or gear
shifting malfunctions, have an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center check
the automatic transmission.Coolant level
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze.
When checking the coolant level

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground


the engine must be cool. The coolant
level should reach the COLD LEVEL
mark in the reservoir.
!Excessive oil must be siphoned or
drained off. It could cause damage to
the engine and catalytic converter not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
The oil dipstick1 tube allows for drain-
ing of oil by using a suction device.
Warning!
G
In order to avoid any possibly serious burns:

Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature display in-
dicates that the coolant is overheated.


Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if engine temperature is above
194°F (90°C). Allow engine to cool
down before removing cap. The coolant
reservoir contains hot fluid and is under
pressure.


Using a rag, slowly open the cap approx-
imately
1⁄2turn to relieve excess pres-
sure. If opened immediately, scalding
hot fluid and steam will be blown out un-
der pressure.


Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine
parts. Antifreeze contains ethylene gly-
col which may burn if it comes into con-
tact with hot engine parts.

255 Practical hints
What to do if …
When the ENGINE OIL LEVEL – CHECK
LEVEL! message appears while the engine
is running and at operating temperature,
the engine oil level has dropped to approx-
imately the minimum mark on the dipstick.
When this occurs, the warning will first
come on intermittently and then stay on if
the oil level drops further.If no oil leaks are noted, continue to drive
to the nearest service station where the
engine oil should be topped to the “full”
mark on the dipstick with an approved oil.:
ENGINE OIL
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The engine oil has dropped to a crit-
ical level.

Check the engine oil level
(page 218) and add oil as re-
quired.

If you must add engine oil fre-
quently, have the engine
checked for possible leaks.
2
There is water in the oil.

Have the oil checked.
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The measuring system is malfunc-
tioning.

Have the measuring system
checked by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
2
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
Category
!The engine oil level warnings should
not be ignored. Extended driving with
the symbol displayed could result in se-
rious engine damage that is not cov-
ered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

343 Index
Off-road driving 203
Checklist 205
Crossing obstacles 208
Driving through water 207
Returning 209
Rules 204
Special driving features 204
Steep terrain 206
Oil
Adding 220
Consumption 217, 218
Dipstick 217
Filler neck 219, 220
Viscosity 326
Oil level
Checking 215
One-touch gearshifting 136
Canceling gear range limit 137
Downshifting 136
Upshifting 136
Opening
Ashtray 179
Doors from the inside 87
Fuel filler flap 214
Fuel filler flap manually 274
Glove box 176Hood 216
Side windows 159
Sliding/pop-up roof 160, 276
Sliding/pop-up roof in an
emergency 276
Sliding/pop-up roof with
SmartKey 161
Tailgate 87, 88
Windows 158
Windows with SmartKey 159
Operating
CD player 117
COMAND see separate operating
instructions
Navigation system 118
Radio 117
Radio transmitters 210
Telephone 132
Operator’s Manual 10
Ornamental moldings 234
Outside temperature indicator 110
Overdue service 230
Overhead control panel 29
Overspeed range 327P
Paintwork 233
Panic alarm 70
Panic button on SmartKey 70
Parcel net
In front passenger footwell 179
Parking 50, 199
Parking brake 44, 50
Engaging 50
Message in display 263
Releasing 44
Parking lamp, front
Replacing bulbs 281
Parking lamps
Replacing bulbs 279, 280
Switching on 100
Parking position
Exterior rear view mirrors 99, 130, 148
Parktronic see Rear Park Assist*
Partition net* 171
Installing behind front seats 172
Installing behind rear seat bench 171
Removing 173
Parts see Spare parts service 308