automatic transmission MERCEDES-BENZ G500 2008 W463 Owner's Manual

Contents
Settings menu .............................. 146
Trip computer menu..................... 157
TEL menu ..................................... 159
Automatic transmission ..................... 162 Gear selector lever ....................... 162
Shifting procedure ....................... 163
Gear selector lever positions ....... 164
Driving tips ................................... 166
Gear ranges ................................. 167
One-touch gearshifting................. 168
Emergency operation
(Limp-Home Mode) ...................... 169
Transfer case ..................................... 170 Transfer case position .................. 170
Switching transfer case................ 170
Differential locks ............................... 173 A few words about differentials
and differential locks.................... 174
Switching differential locks on
and off.......................................... 175
Good visibility .................................... 177 Headlamp cleaning system .......... 177
Rear view mirrors ......................... 177
Sun visors .................................... 179
Windshield defroster .................... 180
Rear window defroster ................. 181 Climate control ................................... 182
Deactivating the climate control
system ............... ........................... 185
Operating the climate control
system in automatic mode............ 185
Setting the temperature................ 185
Adjusting air distribution............... 186
Adjusting air volume ..................... 186
Front defroster.............................. 187
Air recirculation mode .................. 188
Air conditioning............................. 189
Residual heat and ventilation ........ 190
Rear passenger compartment
adjustable air vents....................... 191
Power windows .................................. 192 Opening and closing ..................... 192
Summer opening feature .............. 193
Convenience closing feature......... 194
Power tilt/sliding sunroof................... 195 Opening and closing ..................... 195
Driving systems ............. ..................... 197
Cruise control ............................... 197
Rear Parking Assist ....................... 200
Rear view camera ......................... 203 Loading .............................................. 206
Roof rack ...................................... 206
Expanding cargo compartment ..... 206
Split rear seat bench .................... 206
Loading instructions ..................... 208
Cargo tie-down rings..................... 209
Partition net* (MB Accessory) ...... 210
Cargo compartment cover blind ... 214
Useful features ................................... 215 Storage compartments ................. 215
Ashtrays........................................ 220
Cigarette lighter............................ 222
Electrical outlet............................. 223
Floormats ..................................... 224
Heated steering wheel .................. 225
Telephone* ................................... 226
Tele Aid......................................... 229
Garage door opener ...................... 236
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31
At a glance
Center console
Lower partItemPage
1Storage tray
2Gear selector lever for
automatic transmission54,
162
3Transfer case switch170
4Parking brake lever55, 62
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54 Getting started
Driving
Starting the engineAutomatic transmission
Gearshift pattern for automatic
transmission
PPark position with gear selector lever
lock
R Reverse gear
N Neutral position
D Drive position
For more information, see “Automatic
transmission” (
page 162). Starting
Make sure the gear selector lever is set
to park position
P.
Do not depress the accelerator.
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position 3 (
page 39) and release it
again immediately. The engine starts
automatically.
For information on turning off the engine,
see “Turning off engine” (
page 64).
Starting difficulties
If the SmartKey is left in starter switch
position 0 for an extended period of time,
it can no longer be turn ed in the switch. In
this case, the steering is locked.
To unlock, remove the SmartKey from
the starter switch and reinsert.
If the engine does not start as described,
carry out the following steps:
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position 0 and repeat the starting
procedure.
Warning!G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide (CO), and inha ling it can cause
unconsciousness and possible death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as garage) whic h are not properly
ventilated. If you think that exhaust gas
fumes are entering the vehicle while driving,
have the cause determined and corrected
immediately. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with at least one
window fully open.
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56 Getting started
Driving
After a cold start, the transmission shifts at
a higher engine revolution. This allows the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature earlier.
For more information, see “Driving instruc-
tions” (
page 245).
For information on off-road driving, see
“Off-road driving” (
page 253).
Switching on headlamps
Low beam headlamps
The exterior lamp switch is located on the
dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.
Exterior lamp switch
1 Off
2 Low beam headlamps on
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
position B.
The low beam headlamp indicator
lamp B in the instrument cluster
comes on (
page 26).
iOnce the vehicle is in motion, the automatic
central locking system engages and the locking
knobs drop down.
The automatic door lock feature can be deacti-
vated (
page 155).
You can open a locked door from the inside.
Open door only when conditions are safe to do
so.
Warning!G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of loss of control.
Warning!G
It is dangerous to shift the gear selector
lever out of P or N if the engine speed is
higher than idle speed. If your foot is not
firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
accelerate quickl y forward or in reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and when
your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
!Do not run cold engine at high engine speed.
Running a cold engine at high engine speed may
shorten the service life of the engine.
!Simultaneously depressing the accelerator
pedal and applying the brakes reduces engine
performance and causes premature brake and
drivetrain wear.
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99
Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Seats
Memory function
Lighting
Instrument cluster
Control system
Automatic transmission
Transfer case
Differential locks
Good visibility
Climate control
Power windows
Power tilt/sliding sunroof
Driving systems
Loading
Useful features
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162 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
For more information on driving with an
automatic transmission, see “Automatic
transmission” (
page 54).
Your vehicle’s transmission adapts its gear
shifting process to your individual driving
style by continually adjusting the shift
points up or down. These shift point adjust-
ments are performed based on current
operating and driving conditions.
If the operating conditions change, the
automatic transmission reacts by
adjusting its shift program.
Gear selector lever
The gear selector lever is located on the
lower part of the center console.
Gearshift pattern for automatic
transmission
P Park position
R Reverse gear
N Neutral position
D Drive position
iDuring the brief warm-up, transmission
upshifting is delayed. This allows the catalytic
converter to heat up more quickly to operating
temperature.
Warning!G
Make sure that absolutely no objects are
obstructing the pedal’s range of movement.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all obsta-
cles. If there are any floormats or carpets in
the footwell, make sure that the pedals still
have sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers
the objects could get caught between the
pedals. You could then no longer brake or
accelerate. This could lead to accidents and
injury.
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163
Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Shifting procedure
The automatic transmission selects indi-
vidual gears automatically, depending on:

gear selector lever position
D
(
page 164) with gear ranges
(
page 167)

transfer case position ( HIGH or LOW )
(
page 170)

the position of the accelerator pedal
(
page 166)

the vehicle speed When the gear selector lever is in drive
position
D, you can influence transmission
shifting by:

limiting the gear range

changing gears manually
iThe current gear selector lever position P,
R ,N, or D appears in the multifunction display
(
page 164).
Warning!G
It is dangerous to shift the gear selector
lever out of park position P or neutral
position N if the engine spee d is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the
brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or reverse. You could lose
control of the vehicle and hit someone or
something. Only shift into gear when the
engine is idling normally a n d w h e n y o u r r i g h t
foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
!Allow engine to warm up under low load use.
Do not place full load on the engine until the
operating temperature has been reached.
Shift into reverse gear R or park position P only
when the vehicle is stopped.
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164 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Gear selector lever positions
The current gear selector lever position
appears in the multifunction display.1 Current gear selector lever positionEffect
ìPark position
Gear selector lever position
when the vehicle is parked. Place
gear selector lever in park
position P only when vehicle is
stopped. The park position is not
intended to serve as a brake
when the vehicle is parked.
Rather, the driver should always
set the parking brake in addition
to placing the gear selector lever
in park position P to secure the
vehicle.
Effect
The SmartKey can only be
removed from the starter switch
with the gear selector lever in
park position P. With the
SmartKey removed, the gear
selector lever is locked in park
position P.
If the vehicle’s electrical system
is malfunctioning, the gear
selector lever could remain
locked in park position P
(
page 371).
íReverse gear
Place gear selector lever in
position R only when vehicle is
stopped.
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165
Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Effect
ëNeutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive axle. When
the brakes are released, the
vehicle can be moved freely
(pushed or towed).
To avoid damage to the trans-
mission, never engage neutral
position
N while driving except:

to coast when vehicle is in
danger of skidding (e.g. on
icy roads) when the ESP
® is
deactivated or malfunction-
ing

when you have to shift the
transfer case
êDrive
The transmission shifts
automatically. All forward gears
are available.
!Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any other
reason with gear selector lever in neutral
position N can result in transmission damage
that is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Warning!G
Getting out of your vehicle with the gear
selector lever not fully engaged in park
position P is dangerous. Also, park
position P alone is not intended to or capa-
ble of preventing your vehicle from moving,
possibly hitting people or objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to park position P (
page 62).
When parked on an in cline, turn the front
wheels towards the road curb.
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it
with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Children
could move the gear selector lever from
park position P, which could result in an
accident and/or seri ous personal injury.
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166 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Driving tips
Accelerator position
Your driving style influences the
transmission’s shifting behavior:
Less throttle Earlier upshifting
More throttle Later upshifting
Kickdown
Use kickdown when you want maximum
acceleration.
Press the accelerator past the point of
resistance.
Depending on the engine speed the
transmission shifts into a lower gear.
Ease on the accelerator when you have
reached the desired speed.
The transmission shifts up again.Stopping
When you stop briefly, e.g. at traffic lights:
Leave the transmission in gear.
Hold the vehicle with the brake.
When you stop for a longer period of time
with the engine idling and/or on a hill:
Set the parking brake.
Move the gear selector lever to park
position P. Maneuvering
When you maneuver in tight areas,
e.g. when pulling into a parking space:
Control the vehicle speed by gradually
releasing the brakes.
Accelerate gently.
Never abruptly step on the accelerator.
Working on the vehicle
Warning!G
When working on the vehicle, set the
parking brake and move gear selector lever
to park position P. Otherwise the vehicle
could roll away.
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