wheel MERCEDES-BENZ G500 2006 W463 Owner's Guide

86 Safety and Security
Driving and safety systems
Switching off the ESP
To improve the vehicle’s traction, turn off
the ESP in driving situations where it would
be advantageous to have the drive wheels
spin and thus cut into surfaces for better
grip such as:

starting out on slippery surfaces and in
deep snow in conjunction with snow
chains

sand or gravel

when driving off-roadWhen the ESP is turned off,

engine torque is not limited.

the drive wheels can spin.The ESP control switch is located in the up-
per center console.
ESP on/off
Press upper half of switch.
ESP is deactivated and the ESP warning
lamp v in the instrument cluster
comes on.
Warning!G
The ESP should not be switched off during
normal driving other than in the circum-
stances described below. Disabling of the
system will reduce vehicle stability in stan-
dard driving maneuvers.!
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period of time with the ESP
switched off. This may cause serious
damage to the drivetrain which is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
i
Turn ESP on immediately if the afore-
mentioned circumstances do not apply
anymore.

87 Safety and Security
Driving and safety systems
Even if the ESP has been turned off, it is
still active in the following situations:

when braking

at vehicle speeds up to approximately
37 mph (60 km / h), if one wheel reach-
es the grip limit, e.g. when the street is
icy on one side
The brake is applied until the wheel re-
gains sufficient traction.
If one or more drive wheels are spinning,
the ESP warning lampv in the instru-
ment cluster flashes, regardless of the
speed.Switching on the ESP
Press lower half of switch.
The ESP warning lampv in the in-
strument cluster goes out. You are now
again in normal driving mode.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 295).
i
If the ESP is switched off, it will be au-
tomatically activated when exceeding a
vehicle speed of 37 mph (60 km / h) or
exceeding a severity threshold of side
acceleration.
Warning!G
When the ESP warning lampv is
illuminated continuously, the ESP is
switched off.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP.

98 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Opening the tailgate from inside
1Locking knob
2Inside door handle
Pull on door handle2.
If door was locked, pull up locking
knob1 to unlock the tailgate. Then
pull on door handle2 to open the
tailgate.
Closing the tailgateAutomatic central locking
The doors and the tailgate automatically
lock when ignition is switched on and the
wheels are turning at vehicle speeds of ap-
proximately 9 mph (15 km/h) or more.
You can open a locked door from the in-
side. Open door only when conditions are
safe to do so.
You can deactivate the automatic locking
mode using the control system
(
page 142).
Warning!G
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip-
ment may cause an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
Warning!G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the tail-
gate opening when closing the tailgate. Be
especially careful when small children are
around.
Warning!G
Only drive with the tailgate closed as other-
wise exhaust fumes may enter the vehicle
interior.
i
To prevent an inadvertent lockout, do
not place the SmartKey in the cargo
compartment.
i
The doors and the tailgate unlock auto-
matically after an accident if the force
of the impact exceeds a preset
threshold.
To prevent the vehicle door locks from
locking, deactivate the automatic
central locking when the vehicle

is pushed

is on a test stand

100 Controls in detail
Seats
For more information on seat adjustment,
see the “Getting started” section
(
page 37).
Easy-entry/exit feature
This feature allows for easier entry into and
exit from the vehicle.
The easy-entry/exit feature can be
switched on or off, see “Activating
easy-entry/exit feature” (
page 143).
When the SmartKey is inserted in the start-
er switch and the driver’s door is closed,
the steering wheel returns to the last set
position.When exiting the vehicle with the
easy-entry/exit feature activated, the
steering wheel tilts upwards when you

remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch,
or

open the driver’s door with the
SmartKey in starter switch
position0or1.
Warning!G
You must make sure no one can become
trapped or injured by the moving steering
wheel when the easy-entry/exit feature is
activated.
To stop steering wheel movement, do one of
the following

Move steering column lever
(
page 40).

Press memory position switch
(
page 108).
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Children could open the driver’s door an un-
intentionally activate the easy-entry/exit
feature, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
i
If the current position for the steering
wheel is in the uppermost tilt position,
the steering wheel will no longer be
able to move upward when the
easy-entry/exit feature is activated.

101 Controls in detail
Seats
When entering the vehicle, with the
easy-entry/exit feature activated, the
steering wheel will return to its last set po-
sition when you

close the driver’s door with the ignition
switched on,
or

insert the SmartKey into the starter
switch with the driver’s door closed.Removing and installing front seat
head restraints
For more information on head restraint ad-
justment, see the “Getting started” section
(
page 39).
Front seat head restraints
1Switch
Removing front seat head restraint
Press switch1 upwards and hold until
the head restraint is fully extended.
Pull head restraint out.
Warning!G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint so that the head re-
straint supports the back of the head at eye
level. This will reduce the potential for injury
to the head and neck in the event of an ac-
cident or similar situation.
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat
head restraints. Head restraints are intend-
ed to help reduce injuries during an acci-
dent.
Do not interchange head restraints from
front and rear seat.
i
Tilt the seat backrest rearward for eas-
ier removal and installation of the head
restraints.

107 Controls in detail
Memory function
Memory function
The memory button and stored position
switch are located on the door.
You can store up to three different settings
per SmartKey.
The following settings are saved for each
stored position:

Driver’s seat and seat backrest posi-
tion, head restraint position

Steering wheel position

Driver’s side exterior rear view mirror
position

Passenger-side exterior rear view
mirror positionThe following settings are not key-depen-
dent. They are stored when using the but-
tons on the front passenger door:

Front passenger seat and backrest po-
sition, head restraint position.
These key-dependent memory settings
can be deactivated if desired
(
page 144).
!
Prior to operating the vehicle, the driv-
er should check and adjust the seat
height, seat position fore and aft, and
seat backrest angle if necessary, to
ensure adequate control, reach and
comfort. The head restraint should also
be adjusted for proper height. See also
the section on airbags (
page 63) for
proper seat positioning.
In addition, adjust the steering wheel to
ensure adequate control, reach, opera-
tion and comfort. Both the interior and
exterior rear view mirrors should be ad-
justed for adequate rear vision.
Fasten seat belts. Infants and small
children should be seated in a properly
secured restraint system that complies
with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards 213 and 225 and Canadian
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213
and 210.2.
Warning!G
Do not activate the memory function while
driving. Activating the memory function
while driving could cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle.

108 Controls in detail
Memory function
1Memory button
2Stored position buttons
Switch on the ignition (page 35).
or
Open the respective door and insert
the SmartKey in the starter switch.
Storing positions into memory
Adjust the seats, steering wheel and
exterior rear view mirrors to the de-
sired position (
page 37).
Press memory button1.
Release memory button and push posi-
tion button2 within three seconds.
All the settings are stored at the select-
ed position.
Recalling positions from memory
Press and hold position button2 until
the seat, steering wheel and rear view
mirrors have fully moved to the stored
positions.
i
Releasing the button immediately
stops movement to the stored posi-
tions.
Warning!G
Do not operate the power seats using the
memory button if the seat backrest is in an
excessively reclined position. Doing so
could cause damage to front or rear seats.
First move seat backrest to an upright posi-
tion.

109 Controls in detail
Memory function
Storing exterior rear view mirror park-
ing position
For easier parking, you can adjust the pas-
senger-side exterior rear view mirror so
that you can see the right rear wheel as
soon as you engage reverse gearR.
For information on activating the parking
position, see “Activating exterior rear view
mirror parking position” (
page 164).
1Adjustment button
2Driver’s side mirror
3Passenger-side mirror
4Memory button
Switch on the ignition (page 35).
Press button3.
The passenger-side exterior rear view
mirror is selected.
Adjust the exterior rear view mirror
with button1 so that you see the rear
wheel and the curb.
Press memory button4 on the door.
Within three seconds, press bottom of
adjustment button1 above the exteri-
or lamp switch.
The parking position is stored if the
mirror does not move.
i
You can store a parking position for the
passenger-side exterior rear view mir-
ror for each SmartKey using the memo-
ry switch.
i
If the mirror does move, repeat the
above steps. After the setting is stored
you can move the mirror again.

110 Controls in detail
Lighting
For information on how to switch on the
headlamps and use the turn signals, see
“Switching on headlamps” (
page 51)
and “Turn signals” (
page 52).
Exterior lamp switch
The exterior lamp switch is located on the
dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.MOff
Daytime running lamp mode
(
page 112)
UAutomatic headlamp mode
Daytime running lamp mode
(
page 112)
CParking lamps (also tail lamps,
license plate lamps, side marker
lamps, instrument panel lamps)
BLow beam headlamps (or high
beam headlamps when the combi-
nation switch is pushed forward)
and parking lamps
ˆStanding lamps, right (turn left one
stop)
‚Standing lamps, left (turn left two
stops)
‡Indicator lamp for front fog lamps
†Indicator lamp for rear fog lampi
If you drive in countries where vehicles
drive on the other side of the road than
the country in which the vehicle is reg-
istered, you must have the headlamps
modified for symmetrical low beams.
Relevant information can be obtained
at your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.

121 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
Switch on the ignition (page 35).
Call up the trip odometer and main
odometer (
page 123) by pressing
buttonè orÿ on the multifunc-
tion steering wheel (
page 124).
Press buttonj ork until the
coolant temperature display appears.During severe operating conditions, e.g.
stop-and-go traffic, the coolant tempera-
ture may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature above 248°F
(120°C). Doing so may cause serious en-
gine damage which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Trip odometer
Make sure you are viewing the trip
odometer display (
page 123).
If it is not displayed, press buttonè
orÿ on the multifunction steering
wheel (
page 124) until the trip
odometer appears.
Press and hold the reset button on the
instrument cluster (
page 120) until
the trip odometer is reset.
Tachometer
The red marking on the tachometer de-
notes excessive engine speed.
To help protect the engine, the fuel supply
is interrupted if the engine is operated
within the red marking.
i
Excessive coolant temperature triggers
a warning in the multifunction display
(
page 308).
!
Avoid driving at excessive engine
speeds, as it may result in serious en-
gine damage that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.