2002 MERCEDES-BENZ G500 Owner's Manual

222 Driving instructions
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Snow chains
Use only snow chains that are tested and recommended
by Mercedes-Benz. Your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center will be glad to advise you on this
subject.
Snow chains should be used on all four wheels. Follow
the manufacturer’s mounting instructions.
Snow chains should only be driven on snow covered
roads at speeds not to exceed 30 mph (50 km / h).
Remove chains as soon as possible when driving on
roads without snow.Winter driving instructions
The most important rule for slippery or icy roads is to
drive sensibly and to avoid abrupt acceleration, braking
and steering maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control
system under such conditions.
When the vehicle is in danger of skidding, move
selector lever to position “N”. Try to keep the vehicle
under control by corrective steering action.
Important!
Avoid spinning of one drive wheel. This may cause
serious damage to the drive train which is not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
To ensure sufficient traction during off-road driving,
activate differential locks as needed, see page 253.
ABS, ESP and BAS are switched off automatically when
the transfer case differential lock is activated.
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223 Driving instructions
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cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Road salts and chemicals can adversely affect braking
efficiency. Increased pedal force may become necessary
to produce the normal brake effect. We therefore
recommend depressing the brake pedal periodically
when traveling at length on salt-strewn roads. This can
bring road salt impaired braking efficiency back to
normal. A prerequisite is, however, that this be done
without endangering other drivers on the road.
If the vehicle is parked after being driven on salt treated
roads, the braking ef ficiency should be tested as soon as
possible after driving is resumed while observing the
safety rules in the previous paragraph.Winter driving
Have your vehicle winterized at your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center before the onset of
winter.
•Check the engine oil. Change the engine oil if the
engine contains an oil which is not approved for
winter operation. For viscosity (SAE / CCMC class)
and filling quantity, see page 361.
•Check engine coolant anticorrosion / antifreeze
concentration.
•Additive for the windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system: Add MB Concentrate “S” to a
premixed windshield washer solvent / antifreeze
which is form ulated for b elow f r eezin g temperatures
see page 307.
•Test battery: Battery capacity drops with decreasing
ambient temperature. A well charged battery helps
to ensure that the engine can be started, even at low
ambient temperatures.
•Tires: We recommend M+S rated radial-ply tires on
all four wheels for the winter season. Observe
permissible maximum speed for M+S rated
radial-ply tires and the legal speed limit.
Wa r n i n g !
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make sure
that snow is kept clear of the exhaust pipe and
from around the vehicle with engine running.
Otherwise, deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in unconsciousness
and death.To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation, open a
window slightly on the side of the vehicle not
facing the wind.
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224 Driving instructions
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In winter operation, the maximum effectiveness of the
antilock brake system (ABS), the four wheel electronic
traction system (4-ETS), the electronic stability program
(ESP), and electronic brake booster (EBB) can only be
achieved with M+S rated radial-ply tires and / or snow
chains recommended by Mercedes-Benz. Snow chains
maximize performance.
For driving instructions using snow chains see
page 222.Deep water
Caution!
Do not drive through flooded areas or water of unknown
depth. Before driving through water, determine its
depth. It should not be deeper than approximately
20 inches (50 cm).
If you must drive through deep water, drive slowly to
prevent water from entering the engine compartment or
passenger compartment, being ingested by the air
intake, possibly causing damage to electrical
components or wiring, to engine or transmission that is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
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225 Driving instructions
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cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Passenger compartment
Block heater (Canada only)
The engine is equipped with a block heater.
The electrical cable may be installed at your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.Traveling abroad
Abroad, there is a widely-spread Mercedes-Benz service
network at your disposal. If you plan to travel into areas
which are not listed in the index of your Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center directory, you should request
pertinent information from your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Wa r n i n g !
Always fasten items being carried as securely as
possible.In an accident, during hard braking or sudden
maneuvers, loose items will be thrown around
inside the vehicle, and cause injury to vehicle
occupants unless the items are securely fastened in
the vehicle.The rear cargo area is the preferred place to carry
objects.Do not load items on the roof. It may cause
instability during some maneuvers which could
result in an accident. This vehicle is not intended
to carry items on its roof. Thus roof rails and roof
mounted ski or bike holders must not be used.
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226 Driving instructions
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Off-Road driving
Familiarize yourself with the vehicle characteristics and
gear changing before you attempt any difficult terrain
off-road driving. We recommend that you start out with
easy off-road travel.
Please read this chapter carefully before you begin
off-road travel.
Special driving features are available for specific kinds
of operation:
•ABS, see page 239
•ESP, see page 243
•Differential lock, see page 253
•Transfer case, see page 247
Engage the transfer case in position LOW before driving
under off-road conditions. For switching the transfer
case in position LOW, see page 247.Fasten items being carried as securely as possible, see
page 178.
We recommend to keep doors, tailgate, windows, and
roof closed whenever driving in off-road mode.
We recommend to switch the cruise control off.
Important!
Adjust vehicle speed to condition of terrain. The more
uneven, rutty and steeper the terrain, the lower the
speed should be.
Watch out for obstacles, such as rocks, holes,
tree-stumps, ruts.
Wa r n i n g !
Do not load items on the roof. It may cause
instability during some maneuvers which could
result in an accident.
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227 Driving instructions
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cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Be especially careful when driving in unknown
territory. It is good practice to get out of the vehicle and
scout the path you intend to take.
Continuous and speedy driving in sandy soil overcomes
the vehicle rolling resistance, and helps to prevent the
vehicle from sinking into the ground. Switch on the
differential locks, see page 253.
Do not initiate jumps with the vehicle. It interrupts the
forward momentum of the vehicle.
Always drive on slopes with the engine running and the
vehicle in gear.
Sand, dirt, mud and other material having friction
property, can cause exceptional wear and tear as well as
failure of the brakes.
In this case the brakes may be less effective or even fail
when you most need them. Always clean and check the
brakes following each off-road trip.Checklist before off-road driving
• Engine oil level: Check the engine oil level, see
page 127 and page 304. The display “ENGINE OIL
LEVEL – O.K.” must appear in the multifunction
display.
Only then is a trouble free oil supply obtained even
on steep gradients with the vehicle.
•Tires: Check t he tr ead de pt h an d main tain s pec if ied
tire pressure (see tire pressure label inside the fuel
filler flap). Check tires for possible damage and
remove foreign objects. The valve caps must be
mounted.
•Rims: Dented or bent rims can cause tire pressure
loss and damage the tire beads. For this reason,
check and, if necessary, change rims before driving
off-road.
• Vehicle tool kit: Check if the vehicle jack is
functional. In all cases take the vehicle tool kit, a
strong tow rope, a shovel and a small plank (to put
under the vehicle jack on sandy soil) with you.
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228 Driving instructions
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Driving in steep terrain
Slope angle:
127
°
236°
Switch the transfer case in position LOW before starting
to drive up or down steep inclines, see page 248.
If necessary activate differential locks, see page 253.
ABS, BAS and ESP are switched off automatically when
the differential locks are activated.Maximum vehicle climbing ability is a 80% grade.
Driving on embankments, slopes and other steep
inclines should only be done straight up or downhill, i.e.
in the line of gravity.
Do not drive along the side of a slope (danger of vehicle
rollover). If in doing so, the vehicle begins to show a
tendency to roll, immediately steer into a line of gravity
(straight up or downhill).
To help avoid the vehicle rolling over, never turn it
around on steep inclines. If the vehicle cannot complete
the attempted climb, back it down in reverse gear.
Utilize the engine’s braking power when descending a
slope, observe the engine speed (do not overrev the
engine). Apply the service brake as needed.
Check the brakes after a lengthy downgrade drive.
Notes:
Avoid excessive engine speeds – drive with moderate
engine speeds (max. 3000 RPM).
Select gear range “2” or “1” on the automatic
transmission, see page 207.1
2
P00.00-3186-26
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229 Driving instructions
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cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Traction in steep terrain:
Be easy on the accelerator and watch for continuous
wheel traction when driving in steep terrain.
When the differential locks are not engaged, 4-ETS
helps greatly when starting out on a steep incline. The
front wheels have then the tendency to slip due to the
weight reduction over the front axle. The ETS
recognizes the situation and limits the torque for the
front wheels by braking them. Simultaneously the
torque for the rear wheels is increased.
See page 241 for four wheel electronic traction system
(4-ETS).
Driving across a hilltop:
To prevent the vehicle from speeding up too much after
climbing a hill, decelerate just ahead of a hilltop (do not
select gear range “N”). Use the momentum of the
vehicle to drive across the hilltop. Driving in this
manner prevents the vehicle from jumping across the
hilltop and thus loosing its forward momentum.
Driving downhill:
Select gear range “1” on the automatic transmission,
see page 207.Drive downhill observing the same rules as driving
uphill.
Driving on embankments, slopes and other steep
inclines should only be done straight up or downhill, i.e.
in the line of gravity.
Do not drive along the side of a slope (danger of vehicle
rollover). If in doing so, the vehicle begins to show a
tendency to roll, immediately steer into a line of gravity
(straight up or downhill).
Utilize the engine’s braking power when descending a
slope, observe the engine speed (do not overrev the
engine). Apply the service brake as needed.
The special LOW range ABS setting allows for precise
and brief (cyclical) blocking of the front wheels,
permitting them to dig into loose ground. Remember
that the front wheels when stopped, slide across a
surface, thus loose their ability to steer the vehicle.
Check the brakes after a lengthy downgrade drive.
Important!
Only apply the service brake if the vehicle travels
straight downhill, i.e. in the line of gravity.
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