parking brake MERCEDES-BENZ G500 2008 W463 Owner's Manual

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10 Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 13
Operating your vehicle outside
the USA or Canada......................... 13
Where to find it .................................... 15
Symbols ............................................... 16
Operating safety .................................. 17 Proper use of the vehicle ............... 17
Problems with your vehicle .................. 18
Reporting safety defects...................... 19 Reporting safety defects ................ 19
Vehicle data recording ......................... 20 Information regarding electronic
recording devices ........................... 20At a glance .......................................... 21
Exterior view......................................... 22
Cockpit ................................................. 24
Instrument cluster ................................ 26
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 28
Center console ..................................... 30 Upper part ...................................... 30
Lower part ...................................... 31
Overhead control panel ........................ 32
Door control panel................................ 33
Storage compartments ......................... 34Getting started ................................... 37
Unlocking ............................................. 38 Unlocking with the SmartKey ......... 38
Starter switch positions .................. 39
Adjusting .............................................. 41 Seats .............................................. 41
Steering wheel ................................ 44
Mirrors ............................................ 46
Driving .................................................. 48 Fastening the seat belts ................. 48
Starting the engine ......................... 54
Parking brake ................................. 55
Driving off ....................................... 55
Switching on headlamps ................. 56
Turn signals .................................... 57
Windshield wipers ........................... 58
Rear window wiper/washer ............ 60
Problems while driving.................... 61
Parking and locking .............................. 62 Parking brake ................................. 62
Switching off headlamps................. 64
Turning off engine ........................... 64
Releasing seat belts........................ 64
Locking ........................................... 65
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Contents
Operation......................................... 243
The first 1 000 miles (1 500 km) ......... 244
Driving instructions ............................ 245 Drive sensibly – save fuel ............. 245
Drinking and driving ..................... 245
Pedals .......................................... 245
Power assistance ......................... 246
Brakes .......................................... 246
Driving off..................................... 247
Parking ......................................... 248
Tires ............................................. 248
Hydroplaning ................................ 249
Tire traction .................................. 249
Tire speed rating .......................... 250
Winter driving instructions ........... 251
Standing water ............................. 252
Passenger compartment .............. 252
Off-road driving ............................ 253
Driving abroad .............................. 261
Control and operation of radio
transmitters.................................. 261
Catalytic converter ....................... 262
Emission control........................... 263
Coolant temperature .................... 263 At the gas station .............................. 264
Refueling ...................................... 264
Check regularly and before a
long trip........................................ 265
Engine compartment ......................... 267 Hood ............................................ 267
Engine oil ..................................... 269
Transmission fluid level ................ 273
Coolant level ................................ 274
Windshield/rear window washer
system and headlamp
cleaning system ........................... 275
Tires and wheels ................................ 277 Important guidelines .................... 277
Tire care and maintenance ........... 278
Direction of rotation ..................... 280
Loading the vehicle ...................... 280
Recommended tire inflation
pressure ....................................... 286
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 288
Tire labeling.................................. 294
Load identification ....................... 298
DOT, Tire Identification Number
(TIN) ............................................. 299
Maximum tire load ....................... 300
Maximum tire inflation pressure .. 301 Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) ............. 302
Tire ply material ........................... 304
Tire and loading terminology........ 304
Rotating tires ............................... 307
Winter driving .................................... 309 Winter tires .................................. 309
Block heater (Canada only) .......... 310
Snow chains................................. 310
Maintenance...................................... 311 Maintenance service indicator
message ...................................... 311
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator display .............. 313
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator .......................... 313
Vehicle care....................................... 314 Cleaning and care of the vehicle .. 314
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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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55
Getting started
Driving
Remember that extended starting
attempts can drain the battery.
Get a jump start (page 397).
If the engine does not start after several
starting attempts, there could be a mal-
function in the engine electronics or in the
fuel supply system.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center or call Roadside
Assistance.
Parking brake 1
Parking brake lever
2 Release buttonPull up slightly on parking brake
lever 1 and press release button 2.
Push parking brake lever 1 down to
its original position.
The brake warning lamp ;
(USA only) or 3 (Canada only) in
the instrument cluster goes out.
Driving off
Depress the brake pedal.
The gear selector lever lock is released.
Move the gear selector lever to drive
position D or reverse gear R.
Release the brake pedal.
Carefully depress the accelerator.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicl e, 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 release the parking brake, which
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
!In order to avoid damage to the transmis-
sion:

Wait for the gear selection process to com-
plete before setting the vehicle in motion.

Place the gear selector lever in park
position P or reverse gear R only when the
vehicle is stopped.
!If you hear a warning signal and the
message
Release parking brake appears in
the multifunction display when driving off, you
have forgotten to release the parking brake.
Release the parking brake (
page 55).
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62 Getting started
Parking and locking
You have now completed your first drive.
You have properly stopped and parked
your vehicle. End your drive as follows.Parking brake
Warning!G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and the
steering system. In this case, it is important
to keep in mind that a considerably higher
degree of effort is necessary to brake and
steer the vehicle.
Warning!G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where
combustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as thes e materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury or
damage to the vehicle drivetrain as a result
of vehicle movement, before turning off the
engine and leaving the vehicle always:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.

Pull the parking brake lever up as many
notches as possible.

Move the gear selector lever to park
position P.

Slowly release brake pedal.

When parked on an incline, turn front
wheels towards the road curb.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
position 0 and remove.

Take the SmartKey with you and lock
vehicle when leaving.
Warning!G
Engaging the parking brake while the vehicle
is in motion can cause the rear wheels to
lock up. You could lose control of the vehicle
and cause an accident. In addition, the
vehicle’s brake lights do not light up when
the parking brake is engaged.
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63
Getting started
Parking and locking
1
Parking brake lever
Pull parking brake lever 1 up as many
notches as possible.
When the ignition is switched on or the
engine is running, the brake warning
lamp ; (USA only) or 3 (Canada
only) in the instrument cluster comes
on.
Warning!G
Getting out of your vehicle with the gear
selector lever not fully engaged in park
position P is dangerous. Also, when parked
on an incline, park position P alone may not
prevent your vehicle from moving, possibly
hitting people or objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to park position P (
page 164).
W h e n p a r k e d o n a n i n c l ine, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.
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 release the parking brake and/or
move the gear selector lever from park
position P, either of which could result in an
accident and/or seri ous personal injury.
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64 Getting started
Parking and locking
Switching off headlamps
Turn the exterior lamp switch toM
(
page 56).
For more information, see “Lighting”
(
page 117).
Turning off engine
Move the gear selector lever to park
position P. Apply the parking brake (
page 62).
Turn SmartKey in the starter switch to
position
0.
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
The immobilizer is activated.
Releasing seat belts
Press seat belt release button
(
page 50).
Allow the retractor to completely
rewind the seat belt by guiding latch
plate.
Warning!G
Do not turn off the engine before the vehicle
has come to a complete stop. With the
engine not running, there is no power assis-
tance for the brake and steering systems. In
this case, it is important to keep in mind that
a considerably higher degree of effort is
necessary to brake and steer the vehicle.
iAlways set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to park position P (
page 164).
On slopes, turn the front wheels towards the
road curb.
iThe SmartKey can only be removed from the
starter switch with the gear selector lever in park
position P and the SmartKey in starter switch
position 0.
!M a k e s u r e t h e s e a t b e l t r e t r a c t s f u l l y s o t h a t
the seat belt and/or latch plate cannot get
caught or pinched in the door or in the seat
mechanism. This can damage the seat belt and
impair the effectiveness of the seat belt, and/or
cause damage to the door and/or door trim
panel. Such damage is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Damaged seat belts must be replaced. Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
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91
Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 330).
EBB
The Electronic Brake Booster (EBB)
enhances braking effectiveness by allow-
ing the rear brakes to supply a greater
proportion of the braking
effort in straight
line braking circumstances without a loss
of vehicle stability.
For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 327).
ESP®
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) is
operational as soon as the engine is run-
ning and monitors the vehicle’s traction
(force of adhesive friction between the
tires and the road surface) and handling.
The ESP
® recognizes when a wheel is
spinning or if the vehicle starts to skid.
By applying the brakes to the appropriate
wheel and by limiting engine output, the
ESP
® works to stabilize the vehicle.
The ESP® is especially useful while driving
off and on wet or slippery road surfaces.
The ESP
® also stabilizes the vehicle during
braking and steering maneuvers.
The ESP
® warning lamp v in the instru-
ment cluster (
page 26) flashes when the
ESP® is engaged.
The ESP
® warning lamp v comes on
when you switch on ignition (
page 39).
It goes out when the engine is running.
!Operational or performance test must only
be conducted on a two-axle dynamometer. If
such tests are necessary, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. You could
otherwise seriously damage the brake system or
the transfer case which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!Because the ESP® operates automatically,
the engine and ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position 0 or 1)
when testing the parking brake on a brake test
dynamometer and such testing should be no
longer than 10 seconds.
Active braking action through ESP
® may
otherwise seriously damage the brake system
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Warning!G
If the EBB is malfun ctioning, the brake
system is still functionin g. However, the rear
wheels may lock during hard braking, caus-
ing you to lose control over the vehicle and
possibly causing an accident. Adjust your
driving style to the non-operating status of
the EBB.
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92 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Warning!G
Never switch off the ESP® when you see the
ESP® warning lamp v flashing in the
instrument cluster. In this case proceed as
follows:

While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.

While driving ease up on the accelera-
tor.

Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP
® cannot prevent accidents result-
ing from excessive speed.
Warning!G
The ESP® cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase the traction afforded. The ESP
®
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessiv e speed in turns, fol-
lowing another vehicle too closely, or hydro-
planing. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful
driver can prevent accidents. The capabili-
ties of a ESP
® equipped vehicle must never
be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner which could jeopardize the user’s
safety or the safety of others.
!Operational or performance test must only
be conducted on a two-axle dynamometer. If
such tests are necessary, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. You could
otherwise seriously damage the brake system or
the transfer case which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!Because the ESP® operates automatically,
the engine and ignition must be shut off when
testing the parking brake on a brake test
dynamometer and such testing should be no
longer than 10 seconds.
Active braking action through ESP
® may
otherwise seriously damage the brake system
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
iThe ESP® will only function properly if you
use wheels of the recommended tire size
(
page 414).
iThe ABS, BAS, and ESP® are automatically
switched off when the differential locks are
switched on (
page 175).
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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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