fuel MERCEDES-BENZ G500 2004 W463 Owner's Guide

224 OperationAt the gas station
At the gas stationRefueling
The fuel filler flap is located on the
right-hand side of the vehicle towards the
rear. Locking/unlocking the vehicle with
the remote control automatically
locks/unlocks the fuel filler flap.

Turn off the engine.

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.

Open the fuel filler flap by pushing at
the point indicated by the arrow.

Turn the fuel cap to the left and hold on
to it until possible pressure is released.

Take off the cap and set it in the recess
on the fuel filler flap.

To prevent fuel vapors from escaping
into open air, fully insert filler nozzle
unit.

Only fill your tank until the filler nozzle
unit cuts out – do not top up or overfill.

Replace the fuel cap by turning it to the
right.
You should hear the fuel filler cap en-
gage.

Close the fuel filler flap.
Warning!
G
Gasoline is highly flammable and poisonous.
It burns violently and can cause serious inju-
ry. Whenever you are around gasoline, avoid
inhaling fumes and skin contact, extinguish
all smoking materials. Never allow sparks,
flame or smoking materials near gasoline!
Failure to remove the fuel cap slowly could
result in personal injury.
Warning!
G
Overfilling of the fuel tank may create pres-
sure in the system which could cause a gas
discharge. This could cause the gas to spray
back out when removing the fuel pump noz-
zle, which could cause personal injury.!The fuel filler cap is tethered to the fuel
filler neck. Do not drop the cap. It could
damage the vehicle paint finish.
When refueling the vehicle, make cer-
tain that no gasoline comes into con-
tact with plastic tail lamp to prevent
damaging the lens.

225 Operation
At the gas station
Check regularly and before a long trip
1Coolant
2Brake fluid
Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality). For more information,
see “Coolant level” (
page 232) and see
“Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.”
(
page 333).Brake fluid
Windshield/rear window washer sys-
tem and headlamp cleaning system
For more information on refilling the reser-
voir, see “Windshield/rear window washer
system and headlamp cleaning system”
(
page 234).
iUse only premium unleaded gasoline
with a minimum Posted Octane Rating
of 91 (average of 96 RON / 86 MON).
Information on gasoline quality can
normally be found on the fuel pump.
More information on gasoline can be
found in the Factory Approved Service
Products pamphlet. iLeaving the engine running and the fuel
cap open can cause the ? malfunc-
tion indicator lamp to illuminate.
See also “Practical hints” section
(page 256).
iOpening the hood, see (
page 227).
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks immediately. Noti-
fy an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center immediately. Do not add
brake fluid as this will not solve the
problem. For more information, see
“Practical hints” (
page 254) .

237 Operation
Tires and wheels
Life of tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon
varying factors including but not limited to:

Driving style


Tire pressure


Distance driven
Direction of rotation
Unidirectional tires offer added advantag-
es, such as better hydroplaning perfor-
mance. To benefit, however, you must
ensure the tires rotate in the direction
specified.
An arrow on the sidewall indicates the in-
tended direction of rotation of the tire.
Checking tire inflation pressure
Correct the tire pressure only when tires
are cold.
Regularly check your tire pressure at inter-
vals of no more than 14 days.
If the tires are warm, you should only cor-
rect the tire pressure if it is too low for cur-
rent operating conditions.
A table on the fuel filler flap lists the spec-
ified tire inflation pressures for warm and
cold tires as well as for various operating
conditions.
Warning!
G
Tires and spare wheel should be replaced af-
ter six years, regardless of the remaining
tread.!Keep unmounted tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as
possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease and gasoline.
Warning!
G
If the tire pressure drops repeatedly:

Check the tires for punctures from for-
eign objects.


Check to see whether air is leaking from
the valves or from around the rim.

238 OperationTires and wheelsTire pressure changes by approximately
1.5 psi (0.1 bar) per 18°F (10°C) of air
temperature change. Keep this in mind
when checking tire pressure where the
temperature is different from the outside
temperature.
Tire temperature and tire pressure are also
increased while driving, depending on the
driving speed and the tire load.Check the spare tire periodically for condi-
tion and inflation. Spare tire will age and
b e c o m e w o r n o v e r t i m e e v e n i f n e v e r u s e d ,
and thus should be inspected and replaced
when necessary.
Rotating wheels
The wheels can be rotated every 3000 to
6 000 miles (5 000 to 10 000 km) or soon-
er if necessary, according to the degree of
tire wear. The same direction of tire rota-
tion must be retained.
Rotate the wheels before the characteris-
tic tire wear pattern becomes visible
(shoulder wear on front wheels and tread
center wear on rear wheels).
Thoroughly clean the inner side of the
wheels after each rotation. Check and en-
sure proper tire inflation pressure.
iThe pressures listed for light loads are
minimum values offering high driving
comfort.
Increased inflation pressures listed for
heavier loads may also be used for light
loads. These higher pressures produce
favorable handling characteristics. The
ride of the vehicle, however, will be
somewhat harder. Never exceed the
max. values or inflate tires below the
min. values listed in the fuel filler flap.
Warning!
G
Follow recommended inflation pressures.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires
can result in sudden deflation (blowout) be-
cause they are more likely to become punc-
tured or damaged by road debris, potholes,
etc.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear unevenly, adversely affect handling
and fuel economy, and are more likely to fail
from being overheated.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and
the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) as in-
dicated on the certification label on the driv-
er’s door pillar. Overloading the tires can
overheat them, possibly causing a blowout.
Warning!
G
Rotate front and rear wheels only if there are
of the same size.

244 OperationVehicle care
Vehicle careCleaning and care of the vehicle
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected to varying external in-
fluences which, if gone unchecked, can at-
tack the paintwork as well as the
underbody and cause lasting damage.Such damage is caused not only by ex-
treme and varying climatic conditions, but
also by:


Air pollution


Road salt


Tar


Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should imme-
diately remove:


Grease and oil


Fuel


Coolant


Brake fluid


Bird droppings


Insects


Tree resins, etc.
Frequent washing reduces and/or elimi-
nates the aggressiveness and potency of
the above adverse influences.More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:


Near the ocean


In industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)


During winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage.
A n y d a m a g e s h o u l d b e r e p a i r e d a s s o o n a s
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thor-
ough check is a washing of the underbody
followed by a thorough inspection. Dam-
aged areas need to be re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the facto-
ry with a wax-base rustproofing in the body
cavities which will last for the lifetime of
the vehicle. Post-production treatment is
neither necessary nor recommended by
Mercedes-Benz because of the possibility
of incompatibility between materials used
in the production process and others ap-
plied later.
Warning!
G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the partic-
ular container. Always open your vehicle’s
doors or windows when cleaning the inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not de-
signed for cleaning your vehicle.

256 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
?
The yellow “CHECK ENGINE”
malfunction indicator lamp
comes on while driving.
There is a malfunction of:

The fuel management system


The ignition system


The emission control system


Systems which impact emissions
Such malfunctions may result in excessive
emissions values and may switch the engine
to its limp-home (emergency operation)
mode. Serious damage can occur to the
emission system.

Have the vehicle checked as soon as
possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
An on-board diagnostic connector is
used by the service station to link the
vehicle to the shop diagnostics sys-
tem. It allows the accurate identifica-
tion of system malfunctions through
the readout of diagnostic trouble
codes. It is located near the hood lock
release on the upper left of footwell.
The fuel cap is not closed tightly.

Check the fuel cap.
Your gas tank is empty.

After refuelling, start the engine three
or four times in succession. The
limp-home mode is canceled.

258 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
<
The red seat belt non-usage
warning lamp illuminates briefly
after starting the engine.
The warning lamp reminds you to fasten seat
belts.

Fasten your seat belt.
The yellow fuel tank reserve warning lamp
illuminates while driving.
The fuel level has gone below the reserve
mark.

Refuel at the next gas station.

Also note the messages in the multi-
function display (
page 260).
The yellow fuel tank reserve warning lamp is
blinking.
The fuel cap is not closed tight.

Check the fuel cap.
1
The red SRS indicator lamp
comes on while driving.
There is a malfunction in the restraint sys-
tems. The airbags or emergency tensioning
device (ETD) 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 to others.

271 Practical hints
What to do if …
When the
ADD 1.0 QT. ENG. OIL
-
WHEN
NEXT REFUELLING!
(Canada:
1.0 LITER
)
message appears while the engine is run-
ning and at operating temperature, the en-
gine oil level has dropped to approximately
the minimum level.
When this occurs, the warning will first
come on intermittently and then stay on if
the oil level drops further.Visually check for oil leaks. If no obvious oil
leaks are noted, drive to the nearest ser-
vice station where the engine oil should be
topped to the required level with an ap-
proved oil.
Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
Ñ
CRUISE CONTROL
DRIVE TO WORKSHOP!
Cruise control is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.
J
DOOR OPEN!
You are attempting to drive with one or
more doors open.

Close the doors.
e
ENGINE AIR FILTER
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The engine filter is clogged and must be
replaced.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center as soon as
possible.
:
USA only:ADD 1.0 Qt. ENGINE OIL
WHEN NEXT REFUELING!Canada only:ADD 1.0 LITER ENG. OIL
WHEN NEXT REFUELING!
The engine oil level is too low.

Add engine oil (
page 231) and check
the engine oil level (
page 229).
!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.

273 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
A
RESERVE FUEL
GO TO GAS STATION
The fuel level has dropped below the re-
serve mark.

Refuel at the next gas station
(page 224).
CHECK GAS CAP
SEE OPERATOR’S MANUAL
The fuel cap is not closed tightly.

Check the fuel cap (
page 224).
Y
HOOD OPEN!
You are driving with the hood open.

Close the hood (
page 228).
I
REMOVE KEY!
You have forgotten to remove the Smart-
Key.

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
REPLACE KEY
DRIVE TO WORKSHOP!
No additional code available for Smart-
Key.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.

290 Practical hintsUnlocking/locking in an emergencyFuel filler flap
The emergency release is in the cargo
compartment behind the rear panel trim.
1Edge protection
2Rear panel trim
Open the tailgate.

Remove edge protection1 from the
door pillar.

Remove rear panel trim2.3Release strap

Pull strap 3 upwards.
The fuel filler flap is unlocked and can
be opened. Manually unlocking the transmission
gear selector lever
In the case of power failure the transmis-
sion gear selector lever can be manually
unlocked, e.g. to tow the vehicle.
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