MERCEDES-BENZ G55AMG 2011 W463 Owner's Manual

4MATIC (permanent all-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are
permanently driven. Together with ESP ®
and
4ETS , it improves the traction of your vehicle
whenever a drive wheel spins due to
insufficient grip.GWarning!
If a drive wheel is spinning due to insufficient
traction:
R While driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
R While driving, ease up on the accelerator
pedal.
R Adapt your speed and driving style to the
prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The 4MATIC cannot prevent accidents
resulting from excessive speed.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground
or be fully raised. Observe the instructions
for towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tires ( M+S tires), with snow
chains if necessary.
! When testing the parking brake, operate
the vehicle only briefly (for a maximum of
ten seconds) on a brake test dynamometer.
When doing this, turn the key to position
0 or 1 in the ignition. Failure to do this can
cause damage to the drive train or the
brake system.
! Function or performance tests may only
be performed on a 2-axle dynamometer. If
you wish to operate the vehicle on such a
dynamometer, please consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
beforehand. You could otherwise damage
the drive train or the brake system.
For information about driving off-road, see
( Y page 142).
Ultrasonic reversing aid
Important safety notes
GWarning!
Make sure no persons or animals are in or
near the area in which you are parking/
maneuvering. Otherwise, they could be
injured.
GWarning
Rear Parking Assist is a supplemental system.
It is not intended to, nor does it replace, the
need for extreme care. The responsibility
during parking and other critical maneuvers
always remains with the driver.
The ultrasonic backing up aid is an electronic
parking aid. It indicates visually and audibly
the distance between the rear area of your
vehicle and an object.
The ultrasonic backing up aid is activated
automatically when you switch on the ignition
and engage reverse gear.
The ultrasonic backing up aid monitors the
rear area of your vehicle using four sensors in
the rear bumper.
:Sensors in the rear bumperDriving systems149Driving and parkingZ

Range of the sensors
The sensors must be free of dirt, ice and
slush; otherwise they may not function
correctly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them
( Y page 224).
Side view
Top view
Sensors
CenterApprox. 59 in (approx.
150 cm)CornersApprox. 40 in (approx.
100 cm)
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer towbars. The
ultrasonic backing up aid does not detect
such objects when they are in the
immediate vicinity of the vehicle. You could
damage the vehicle or the objects.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, a lorry's compressed-air brakes
or a pneumatic drill could cause the
ultrasonic backing up aid to malfunction.
Minimum distanceCenterApprox. 8 in (approx.
20 cm)CornersApprox. 8 in (approx.
20 cm)
If there is an obstacle within this range, all
warning displays flash and a warning tone
sounds. If the distance falls below the
minimum, the distance may no longer be
shown.
Warning displays
The warning display shows the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle.
The warning display is in the rear
compartment next to the rear door.
The warning display is divided into four yellow
and two red segments :. The ultrasonic
backing up aid is ready for use when you hear
a warning tone and segment ; lights up
briefly.
One or more segments : light up as the
vehicle approaches an obstacle, depending
on the distance from the obstacle.
150Driving systemsDriving and parking

From the:
R fourth segment you will hear an
intermittent warning tone
R fifth segment you will hear a faster
intermittent warning tone
R sixth segment you will hear a very fast
intermittent warning tone. This indicates
that you have now reached the minimum
distance.Driving systems151Driving and parkingZ

Problems with ultrasonic reversing aidProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsYou hear a warning
signal when backing
up.The ultrasonic backing up aid sensors are dirty or there is
interference.XClean the ultrasonic backing up aid sensors ( Y page 224).XSwitch the ignition back on.The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves. The ultrasonic backing up aid has switched off
automatically.XSee if the ultrasonic backing up aid functions in a different
location.You hear a warning
tone when backing up
or you do not hear a
warning tone and none
of the segments light
up.The ultrasonic backing up aid is malfunctioning and has switched
itself off.XHave the ultrasonic backing up aid checked at a qualified
specialist workshop as soon as possible.Rear view camera
Important safety notes
The rear view camera is an optical parking aid.
It shows the area behind your vehicle in the
COMAND display.
GWarning!
Make sure no persons or animals are in or
near the area in which you are parking/
maneuvering. Otherwise, they could be
injured.
The rear view camera is in the tailgate above
the rear window wiper.
:Rear view camera
View through the camera
The area behind the vehicle is displayed as a
mirror image, as in the rear-view mirror.
GWarning!
The rear view camera is only an aid and may
display obstacles
R from a distorted perspective
R inaccurately
R may not display obstacles at all
152Driving systemsDriving and parking

The rear view camera does not relieve you of
the responsibility to be cautious. Take care
and pay careful attention. The rear view
camera may not show objects which are
R very close to the rear bumper
R under the rear bumper
R under the spare wheel
R nearby behind the spare wheel
You are responsible for safety at all times and
must continue to pay attention to the
immediate surroundings when parking and
maneuvering. This includes the area behind,
in front of, and beside the vehicle. Otherwise
you could endanger yourself and/or others.GWarning!
The rear view camera either will not function
or will not function to its full capability if
R the tailgate is open
R it is raining very hard, snowing or foggy
R it is night or you are parking/maneuvering
your vehicle in an area where it is very dark
R the camera is exposed to a very bright white
light
R the immediate surroundings are
illuminated with fluorescent light (the
display may flicker)
R there is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. if you drive into a heated garage from
the cold (lens condensation)
R the camera lens is dirty or covered
R the rear of your vehicle is damaged
In this case, have the position and setting
of the camera checked by a qualified
specialist workshop. Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you contact a Mercedes-
Benz Center for this purpose.
Do not use the rear view camera in these
situations. Otherwise you could injure
yourself or others and/or damage property
including your vehicle while parking/
maneuvering.
Activating the rear view cameraXMake sure that the SmartKey is in
position 2 in the ignition lock.XMake sure that the "rear view camera"
function is selected in COMAND (see the
separate operating instructions for
COMAND).XEngage reverse gear.
The area behind the vehicle is shown in the
COMAND display.Driving systems153Driving and parkingZ

154

Vehicle equipment ............................156
Important safety notes ....................156
Displays and operation ....................156
Menus and submenus ......................159
Display messages ............................. 169
Warning and indicator lamps in the
instrument cluster ............................183155On-board computer and displays

Vehicle equipment
i This manual describes all the standard
and optional equipment of your vehicle
which was available at the time of
purchase. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
relevant systems and functions.
Important safety notes
You will find an illustration of the instrument
cluster in the "At a glance" section
( Y page 26).
GWarning
A driver's attention to the road and traffic
conditions must always be his/her primary
focus when driving.
For your safety and the safety of others,
selecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions permit
it to be done safely.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h ), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximately
14 m) every second.
GWarning!
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction
display is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see
information about your driving conditions,
such as
R speed
R outside temperature
R warning/indicator lamps
R malfunction/warning messages
R failure of any systems
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, do so with added
caution. Contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center as soon as possible.GWarning
Malfunction and warning messages are only
indicated for certain systems and are
intentionally not very detailed. The
malfunction and warning messages are
simply a reminder with respect to the
operation of certain systems. They do not
replace the owner's and/or driver's
responsibility to maintain the vehicle's
operating safety. Have all required
maintenance and safety checks performed on
the vehicle. Bring the vehicle to an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center to address the
malfunction and warning messages.
Displays and operation
Tachometer
The red band in the tachometer indicates the
engine's overrevving range.
! Do not drive in the overrevving range, as
this could damage the engine.
The fuel supply is interrupted to protect the
engine when the red band is reached.
Displaying the coolant temperature
GWarning
Driving when your engine is overheated can
cause some fluids which may have leaked into
the engine compartment to catch fire. You
could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns which can occur just by opening
the engine hood. Stay away from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming from it.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from
other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of the
vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle until
the engine has cooled down.
156Displays and operationOn-board computer and displays

The coolant temperature gauge is in the
instrument cluster on the left-hand side.
Under normal driving conditions, with the
correct anti-corrosion and antifreeze additive
concentration, the reading may rise to
248 ‡(120 †).
! If the coolant temperature exceeds
248 ‡(120 †) do not continue driving. The
engine will otherwise be damaged.
Outside temperature display
The outside temperature display is in the
multifunction display ( Y page 158).
GWarning!
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
Changes in the outside temperature are
displayed after a short delay.
Operating the on-board computer
The on-board computer is activated as soon
as you turn the SmartKey to position 1 in the
ignition lock.
You can control the multifunction display and
the settings in the on-board computer using
the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel.
:Multifunction display;WX
Selects submenus in the Settings
menu
Changes values
Adjusts the volume=~
Rejects or ends a call
Exits phone book/redial memory
6
Makes or accepts a call
Switches to the redial memory?VU
Selects a menu: scrolls back and
forthDisplays and operation157On-board computer and displaysZ

A&*
Press briefly:
Scrolls back and forth within a menu
In the Audio menu: selects a stored
station, an audio track or a video
scene
In the Telephone menu: switches to
the phone book and selects a name
or a telephone number&*
Press and hold:
In the Audio menu: selects the
previous/next station or selects an
audio track using rapid scrolling
In the Telephone menu: starts rapid
scrolling through the phone book
Multifunction display
To activate the multifunction display:
R switch on the ignition.
R switch on the lights.
R open the door.
R press the reset button on the instrument
cluster.
The multifunction display shows you values
and settings as well as possible messages.
:Display area for menus or submenus;Status bar with outside temperature or
speed ( Y page 163)=Transfer case position?Selector lever position/shift rangeFurther information on displaying the
transmission position ( Y page 122).158Displays and operationOn-board computer and displays