MERCEDES-BENZ G500 2008 W463 User Guide

10 Introduction
Operator’s Manual
This Operator’s Manual contains a great
deal of useful information. We urge you to
read it carefully and familiarize yourself
with the vehicle before driving.
For your own safety and longer service life
of the vehicle, we urge you to follow the
instructions and warnings contained in this
manual. Ignoring them could result in dam-
age to the vehicle or personal injury to you
or others. Vehicle damage caused by fail-
ure to follow instructions is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Your vehicle may have some or all of the
equipment described in this manual.
Therefore, you may find explanations for
optional equipment not installed in your
vehicle. If you have any questions about
the operation of any equipment, any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center will be glad to demonstrate the
proper procedures.We continuously strive to improve our
product, and ask for your understanding
that we reserve the right to make changes
in design and equipment. Therefore, infor-
mation, illustrations and descriptions in
this Operator’s Manual might differ from
your vehicle.
Optional equipment is also described in
this manual, including operating instruc-
tions wherever necessary. Since they are
special-order items, the descriptions and
illustrations herein may vary slightly from
the actual equipment of your vehicle.
If there are any equipment details that are
not shown or described in this Operator’s
Manual, any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center will be glad to inform
you of correct care and operating proce-
dures.
The Operator’s Manual and Maintenance
Booklet are important documents and
should be kept with the vehicle.Service and warranty information
The Service and Warranty Information
Booklet contains detailed information
about the warranties covering your
Mercedes-Benz, including:

New Light Truck Limited Warranty

Emission System Warranty

Emission Performance Warranty

California, Maine, Massachusetts,
Vermont Emission Control System
Warranty (California, Maine,
Massachusetts, and Vermont only)

State Warranty Enforcement Laws
(Lemon Laws)
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11
Introduction
Operator’s Manual
Important notice for California retail
buyers and lessees of Mercedes-Benz
automobiles
Under California law you may be entitled to
a replacement of your vehicle or a refund
of the purchase price or lease price, if
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC and/or its
authorized repair or service facilities fail to
fix one or more substantial defects or mal-
functions in the vehicle that are covered by
its express warranty after a reasonable
number of repair at
tempts. During the
period of 18 months from original delivery
of the vehicle or the accumulation of
18 000 miles (approximately 29 000 km)
on the odometer of the vehicle, whichever
occurs first, a reasonable number of repair
attempts is presumed for a retail buyer or
lessee if one or more of the following
occurs: (1) the same substantial defect or mal-
function results in a condition that is
likely to cause death or serious bodily
injury if the vehicle is driven, that
defect or malfunction has been subject
to repair two or more times, and you
have directly notified Mercedes-Benz
USA, LLC in writing of the need for its
repair,
(2) the same substantial defect or mal- function of a less serious nature than
category (1) has been subject to repair
four or more times and you have
directly notified us in writing of the
need for its repair, or (3) the vehicle is out of service by reason
of repair of the same or different sub-
stantial defects or malfunctions for a
cumulative total of more than
30 calendar days.
Written notification shou ld not be sent to a
dealer, it should be adressed to:
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Customer Assistance Center
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
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12 Introduction
Operator’s Manual
Maintenance
The Maintenance Booklet describes all the
necessary maintenance work which should
be performed at regular intervals.
Always have the Maintenance Booklet with
you when you take the vehicle to an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center for service. The service advisor will
record each service in the booklet for you.Roadside Assistance
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Program provides factory-trained technical
help in the event of a breakdown. Calls to
the toll-free Roadside Assistance number
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA)
1-800-387-0100 (in Canada)
will be answered by Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance Representatives
24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Roadside Assistance will be provided in
accordance with standard program guide-
lines which include providing service to the
vehicle up to a reasonable distance from a
paved roadway. We will make every effort
to assist in a breakdown situation, how-
ever, the accessibility of your vehicle will
be determined by our authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Tr uck Center techni-
cian or the tow service provider on a
case-by-case basis and may be a factor in
our ability to respond. Additional charges may
be applicable for a
breakdown location determined not to be a
reasonably accessible roadside location as
determined by our authorized technician
and tow service provider.
For additional information refer to the
Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Program brochure in your vehicle literature
portfolio.
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13
Introduction
Operator’s Manual
Change of address or ownership
If you change your address, be sure to
send in the “Change of Address Notice”
found in the Service and Warranty
Information Booklet, or simply call the
Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance
Center (in the USA) at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes, or Customer
Service (in Canada) at 1-800-387-0100. It
is in your own interest that we can contact
you should the need arise.
If you sell your Mercedes, please leave all
literature with the vehicle to make it avail-
able to the next operator.
If you bought this vehicle used, be sure to
send in the “Notice of Purchase of Used
Truck” found in the Service and Warranty
Information Booklet, or call the
Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Cen-
ter (in the USA) at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes,
or Customer Service (in Canada) at
1-800-387-0100.
Operating your vehicle outside the USA
or Canada
If you plan to operate your vehicle in
foreign countries, please be aware that:

service facilities or replacement parts
may not be readily available,

unleaded gasoline for vehicles with cat-
alytic converters may not be available;
the use of leaded fuels will damage the
catalysts,

gasoline may have a considerably
lower octane rating, and improper fuel
can cause engine damage.
Certain Mercedes-Benz models are avail-
able for delivery in Europe under our
European Delivery Program. For details,
consult an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center or write to:
In the USA:
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
European Delivery Department
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada:
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
European Delivery Department
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9
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14 Introduction
Operator’s Manual
Warning!G
This Sport Utility Vehicle is designed for both on-road and off-road use. It can go places and perform tasks for which conventi onal 2-wheel drive
passenger cars are not intended. This vehi cle will handle and maneuver differently from conventional passenger cars in driving conditions which
may occur on streets, highways and off-road use.
This vehicle has a higher ground clearance and a higher center of gravity than many passenger cars. As with other vehicles of t his type, if you
make sharp turns at excessive speeds or abru pt maneuvers, the vehicle may roll over or may go out of control and crash. Utility vehicles have a
significantly higher rollover rate than ot her types of vehicles. Failure to operate th is vehicle safely may result in an accident, rollover of the vehicle,
and severe or fatal injury.
Before you start to drive this vehicle, read the Operator’s Ma nual. Take time to become familiar with the driving characteristi cs of this vehicle. Be
sure you are familiar with all vehicle contro ls. Learn how your vehicle handles on different road surfaces. Do not attempt sharp turns at excessive
speeds or abrupt maneuvers or other unsafe driving actions that ca n cause loss of vehicle control. When driving off-road or working the vehicle
hard, do not overload it. And, a lways wear your seat belts at all times. In a ro llover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely to die than
a person wearing a seat belt.
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15
Introduction
Where to find it
 Where to find it
This Operator’s Manual is designed to pro-
vide comprehensive support information
for you, the vehicle operator. Each section
has its own reference color.
At a glance
Here you will find an overview of your vehi-
cle’s interior and exterior main features.
Getting started
Here you will find all the information you
need for your first drive. You should read
this section first if this is your first
Mercedes-Benz vehicle or if you are rent-
ing or borrowing this vehicle.
Safety and Security
Here you will find descriptions of the safety
and security features of your vehicle.
Controls in detail
Here you will find detailed information
about the equipment installed on your
vehicle. This section expands on the “Get-
ting started” section and also describes
technical innovations. If you are already
familiar with the basic functions of your
vehicle, this section will be of particular
interest to you.
Operation
Here you will find all the information you
need for the proper operation of your vehi-
cle.
Practical hints
This section provides fast assistance for
dealing with problems you may encounter.
Technical data
All important technical data for your vehi-
cle can be found in this section.
Indexes
The table of contents and the index are
designed to help you find information
quickly and easily.
The following publicati ons are part of your
vehicle documentation:

this Operator’s Manual

the Maintenance Booklet
Separate operating instructions will be
provided as required depending on the
equipment options installed in your vehi-
cle.
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16 Introduction
Symbols
Trademarks:

ESP® is a registered trademark of
DaimlerChrysler.

HomeLink® is a registered trademark
of Prince, a Johnson Controls
Company.

BabySmartTM is a trademark of
Siemens Automotive Corp. The following symbols are found in this
Operator’s Manual:
* Optional equipment is identified
with an asterisk. Since standard
equipment varies between models,
the descriptions and illustrations in
this manual may differ slightly from
the actual equipment of your
vehicle.
This symbol points to instructions for
you to follow.
A number of these symbols appearing
in succession indicates a multiple-step
procedure.
 page This symbol tells you where to look for further information on a
topic.
This continuation symbol marks
a warning which is continued on
the next page.
This continuation symbol marks
a procedure which is continued
on the next page.
-> This symbol is used to indicate cross-references to term defini-
tions.
DisplayWords appearing in the multi-
function display are printed in
the type shown here.
Warning!G
Warning notices draw yo ur attention to haz-
ards that may endanger your health or life,
or the health or life of others.
!Highlights hazards that may result in dam-
age to your vehicle.
iHelpful hints or further information you may
find useful.
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17
Introduction
Operating safety
 Operating safety
Proper use of the vehicle
Proper use of the vehi cle requires that you
are familiar with the following information
and rules:

the safety precautions in this manual

the “Technical data” section in this
manual

traffic rules and regulations

motor vehicle laws and safety stan-
dards
Warning!G
Work improperly carried out on electronic
components and associated software could
cause them to cease functioning. Because
the vehicle’s electronic components are
interconnected, any modifications made
may produce an undesired effect on other
systems. Electronic malfunctions could
seriously impair the operating safety of your
vehicle.
See an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center for repairs or modifications to
electronic components.
Other improper work or modifications on the
vehicle could also have a negative impact on
the operating safety of the vehicle.
Some safety systems only function while the
engine is running. You should therefore
never turn off the engine while driving.
Warning!G
Heavy blows against the vehicle underbody
or tires/wheels, for example when running
over an obstacle, road debris or a pothole,
may cause serious damage and impair the
operating safety of your vehicle. If you feel a
sudden significant vibration or ride distur-
bance, or you suspect that damage to your
vehicle has occurred, you should turn on
your hazard warning flashers, carefully slow
down, and drive with ca ution to an area
which is a safe distance from the road.
Inspect the vehicl e underbody and
tires/wheels for possible damage. If the
vehicle appears unsafe, have it towed to the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center or other qualified maintenance
or repair facility for further inspection or
repairs.
Warning!G
Various warning labels are attached to your
vehicle. These warning labels are intended
to make you and others aware of various
risks. You should not remove any of these
warning labels unless exp licitly instructed to
do so by information on the label itself.
Removal of any of th ese labels may cause
you and others to be unaware of certain
risks which may result in an accident and/or
personal injury.
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18 Introduction
Problems with your vehicle
If you should experience a problem with your vehicle, particularly one that you believe may affect its safe operation, we urge you to
immediately contact an authorized Mercedes-B enz Light Truck Center to have the problem diagnosed and corrected if required. If the
matter is not handled to your satisfaction, please discuss the problem with the Merc edes-Benz Light Truck Center management, or if
necessary contact us at one of the following addresses:
In the USA:
Customer Assistance Center
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada:
Customer Relations Department
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario, M4G 4C9
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19
Introduction
Reporting safety defects
 Reporting safety defects
For the USA only:
The following text is published as required of manufacturers under Title 49, Code of U.S. Federal Regulations, Part 575 pursuant t o the
“National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966”.
Reporting safety defects
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should immediately inform
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHT SA) in addition to notifying Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect exists in a group of v ehicles, it
may order a recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot beco me involved in individual problems between you, your dealer,
or Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to
http://www.safercar.gov; or write to: Admini strator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, D.C. 20590. You can also obtai n
other information about motor vehicle safety from http://www.safercar.gov.
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