traction control MERCEDES-BENZ G500 2008 W463 Owner's Manual

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
W463.boo Seite 6 Montag, 19. November 2007 8:41 08

89
Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
LOW RANGE– ABS
During off-road driving a special low range
system for the Antilock Brake System
(ABS) is operational with transfer case in
position LOW (
page 170).
An improved braking action (dig-in effect)
is obtained for vehicle speeds up to
37 mph (60 km/h) through a change in the
ABS control function.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 324).
BAS
The Brake Assist System (BAS) operates in
emergency situations. If you apply the
brakes very quickly, the BAS automatically
provides full brake boost, thereby poten-
tially reducing braking distance. Apply con-
tinuous full braking pressure until the
emergency braking situation is over. The
ABS will prevent the wheels from locking.
When you release the brake pedal the
brakes function again as normal. The BAS
is then deactivated.
With the BAS malfunctioning, the ABS,
ESP
®, and 4-ETS are also switched off.
Warning!G
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking or steering efficiency
beyond that afforded by the condition of the
vehicle brakes and tires or the traction
afforded. The ABS cannot prevent acci-
dents, including th ose resulting from
excessive speed in turn s, following another
vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning. Only a
safe, attentive, and skillful driver can pre-
vent accidents. The capabilities of an ABS
equipped vehicle must never be exploited in
a reckless or dangerous manner which
could jeopardize the user’s safety or the
safety of others.
Warning!G
If the BAS is malfunctioning, the brake
system is still functi oning normally, but
without the additional brake boost available
that BAS would normally provide in an emer-
gency braking maneuver. Therefore, the
braking distance may increase.
W463.boo Seite 89 Montag, 19. November 2007 8:41 08

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.
W463.boo Seite 91 Montag, 19. November 2007 8:41 08

93
Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Switching off the ESP®
To improve the vehicle’s traction, switch
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:

when driving with snow chains

in deep snow

sand or gravel

when driving off-road When you switch off the ESP
®

the ESP® does not stabilize the vehicle

the engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin and
thus cut into surfaces for better grip

the 4-ETS will still apply the brake to a
spinning wheel

the ESP® continues to operate when
you are braking

you cannot activate the cruise control
system

the cruise control system switches off
if currently activated The ESP
® switch is located on the upper
part of the center console.
1 ESP
® switch
With the engine running, press
switch 1.
The ESP
® warning lamp v in the
instrument cluster comes on.
The ESP
® is deactivated.
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.
Warning!G
Switch on the ESP® immediately if the afore-
mentioned circumstances do not apply any-
more. Otherwise the ESP
® will not stabilize
the vehicle when it is starting to skid or a
wheel is spinning.
iWhen the ESP® is switched off and one or
more drive wheels are spinning, the ESP® warn-
ing lamp v in the instrument cluster flashes.
However, the ESP
® will then not stabilize the
vehicle.
W463.boo Seite 93 Montag, 19. November 2007 8:41 08

174 Controls in detail
Differential locks
A few words about differentials and
differential locks
When a vehicle negotiates a turn, wheels
on the outside of the curve must travel
farther and rotate faster than the inside
wheels. The differential, the operation of a
set of gears that allows the powered
wheels in a vehicle to turn at different
speeds, makes this essential function
possible.
The drawback is that the differential also
sends most of the engine’s power to the
wheel with the least load or strain on it. For
example, if one of a vehicle’s powered
wheels sits on a patch of snow and spins
because there is no traction, all of the
engine’s power will go to that wheel
because the power will take the path of
least resistance. Meanwhile, the opposite
wheel, sitting on dry pavement where it
could get enough grip to start the vehicle
moving, sits idle because it receives no
power. The Electronic Traction System (4-ETS)
addresses this problem and provides for
good control and steer
ing ability by auto-
matically slowing the slipping wheel and
thus increasing the power to the other
non-slipping drive wheels to get the vehicle
moving. The ESP
® and 4-ETS in this vehicle
feature such intelligent limited-slip
differential technology, ideally suited for
on-road and light off-ro ad driving. Transfer
case position LOW (
page 170) also
enhances off-road driving capabilities
(
page 253).
More extreme off-road conditions may call
for another solution, engaging a differen-
tial lock or preventing the differential from
operating altogether. As part of its stan-
dard equipment, this vehicle comes with
three differential locks: front, transfer case
(center) and rear. Each can be engaged
simply by pushing dashboard-mounted
switches in sequential order (center, rear,
front) (
page 175). When the transfer
case (center) differential is locked, half of
the engine’s power is automatically
distributed to the front wheels and half to the rear wheels. When the rear differential
is locked, power going to the rear wheels is
equally distributed, so that both rear
wheels turn at the same speed and torque.
When the front differential is locked, all
four wheels now turn with equal power and
torque. Please be aware that engaging the
differential locks will significantly reduce
the steering ability of the vehicle.
For your safety and the safety of others
and to prevent damage to the vehicle, the
differential locks must not be engaged
when driving on paved roads. It is
important to understand that during
on-road/paved driving, differentials are
absolutely necessary for providing the
essential control and steering ability of the
vehicle. The differential locks, therefore,
must not be engaged when driving on
paved roads and should only be used to
the extent necessary to negotiate off-road
conditions which cannot be handled by the
systems (automatic 4-ETS, the ESP®,
manual switch positi on “LOW” of transfer
case) this vehicle comes equipped with.
W463.boo Seite 174 Montag, 19 . November 2007 8:41 08

175
Controls in detail
Differential locks
Switching differential locks on and off
The switches are located on the upper part
of the center console.
1 Transfer case (center) differential lock
2 Rear axle differential lock
3 Front differential lock
4 Engagement indicator lamps (yellow)
5 Function indicator lamps (red) Switching differential locks on
Transfer case differential lock
Press switch
1.
The yellow engagement indicator
lamp 4 for the transfer case
differential lock comes on.
The ESP
® warning lamp v comes
on. When the differential lock engagement
operation has been completed, the red
function indicator lamp
5 comes on.
The message
ABS not available
differential locked
appears in the
multifunction display.
The ESP
® warning lamp v and
the - indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster come on.
Once the transfer case differential lock
is switched on, you can now, if needed,

switch on rear axle differential
lock 2
or

switch on rear axle differential
lock 2 and front differential
lock 3.
iThe differential locks can only be switched
on in the sequence 1, 2, 3.
!To avoid damage to the transfer case and
differential locks:

Engage differential locks only at low speed
(walking speed, not more than 5 mph
[8 km/h]).

Do not engage differential locks if the driving
wheels are spinning due to lack of traction.

Do not engage differential locks on paved
roads.
W463.boo Seite 175 Montag, 19 . November 2007 8:41 08

197
Controls in detail
Driving systems
 Driving systems
The driving systems of your vehicle are
described on the following pages:

Cruise control (page 197), with
which the vehicle can maintain a preset
speed.

Rear Parking Assist (page 200) and
rear view camera (
page 203), which
serve as parking aid.
For information on the ABS, BAS, ESP
®,
4-ETS, and EBB driving systems, see “Driv-
ing safety systems” (
page 87).
Cruise control
The cruise control automatically maintains
the speed you set for your vehicle.
The use of the cruise control is recom-
mended for driving at a constant speed for
extended periods of time. You can set or
resume the cruise control at any speed
over 20 mph (30 km/h).
The cruise control function is operated by
means of the cruise control lever.
The cruise control lever is the uppermost
lever found on the left-hand side of the
steering column (
page 24).
iThe cruise control should not be activated
during-off road driving.
Warning!G
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must always
remain responsible for the vehicle’s speed
and for safe brake operation.
Only use the cruise cont rol if the road, traffic
and weather conditions make it advisable to
travel at a steady speed.

The use of the cruise control can be
dangerous on winding roads or in heavy
traffic because conditions do not allow
safe driving at a steady speed.

The use of the cruise control can be
dangerous on slippery roads. Rapid
changes in tire traction can result in
wheel spin and loss of control.

Deactivate the cruise control when
driving in fog.
The “Resume” function should only be
operated if the driver is fully aware of the
previously set speed and wishes to resume
this particular preset speed.
W463.boo Seite 197 Montag, 19 . November 2007 8:41 08

214 Controls in detail
Loading
Cargo compartment cover blind
The cargo compartment cover blind can be
installed behind the rear seat bench.1 Rear seat bench cover blind
2 Tailgate cover blind Rolling out blind
Grip the blind strap and pull blind
1
forward across the cargo compart-
ment.
Engage blind into the mounts on the
rear seat backrest and release.
Grip the blind strap and pull blind 2
rearward across the cargo compart-
ment.
Engage blind into the mounts to the left
and right of the tailgate.
Rolling up blind
Disengage blind 1 from the mounts
on the rear seat backrest and guide
retraction by its blind strap.
Disengage blind 2 from the mounts to
the left and right of the tailgate and
guide retraction by its blind strap. Removing and installing blind
1 Latch
2 Blind
Removing blind
Roll the blind up (page 214).
Open latch 1 on the right and left side
of blind 2 in direction of the arrow.
Pull blind 2 out upwards.
Installing blind
Place blind into recesses.
Press the right and left side of blind
down until blind locks into place.
W463.boo Seite 214 Montag, 19 . November 2007 8:41 08

249
Operation
Driving instructions
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and
become visible at a tread depth of
approximately
1/16in (1.6 mm), at which
point the tire is considered worn and
should be replaced.
The treadwear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread. Specified tire inflation pressures must be
maintained. This applies particularly if the
tires are subjected to high loads (e.g. high
speeds, heavy loads, high ambient temper-
atures).
For more information, see “Tires and
wheels” (
page 277).
Hydroplaning
Depending on the depth of the water layer
on the road, hydroplaning may occur, even
at low speeds and with new tires. Reduce
vehicle speed, avoid track grooves in the
road and apply brakes cautiously in the
rain.
Tire traction
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or
icy road is always lower than on a dry road.
You should pay particular attention to the
condition of the road whenever the outside
temperatures are close to the freezing
point.
Warning!G
Although the applicable federal motor
vehicle safety laws consider a tire to be
worn when the treadw
ear indicators (TWI)
become visible at approximately
1/16in
(1.6 mm), we recommend that you do not
allow your tires to wear down to that level.
As tread depth approaches
1/8in (3.0 mm),
the adhesion properties on a wet road are
sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.
Warning!G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
may lose control of the vehicle. Continued
driving with a flat tire or driving at high
speed with a flat tire will cause excessive
heat build-up and possibly a fire.
Warning!G
If ice has formed on th e road, tire traction
will be substantially reduced. Under such
weather conditions, drive, steer and brake
with extreme caution.
W463.boo Seite 249 Montag, 19 . November 2007 8:41 08

302 Operation
Tires and wheels
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
(U.S. vehicles)
Tire manufacturers are required to grade
tires based on three performance
factors: treadwear, traction and
temperature resistance.1 Treadwear
2 Traction
3 Temperature resistance Quality grades can be found, where
applicable, on the tire sidewall between
tread shoulder and maximum section
width. For example:
All passenger car tires must conform to
federal safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is
a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1
1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual condit ions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly
from the norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in above illustration.
TreadwearTractionTemperature
200AAA
W463.boo Seite 302 Montag, 19 . November 2007 8:41 08