2003 MERCEDES-BENZ G55AMG check oil

219 Operation
Engine compartment
If you see the messageOBSERVE WAITING PERIOD 
If engine is at normal operating temper-
ature, wait five minutes before repeat-
ing check procedure.

If the engine is not yet at normal oper-
ating temperature, wait 30 minutes be-
fore repeating check procedure.
If you see the message:
ENGINE OIL LEVEL – NOT WHEN ENGINE ON 
Turn off the engine. If engine is at nor-
mal operating temperature, wait five
minutes before checking oil. If the en-
gine is not yet at normal operating tem-
perature, you must wait 30 minutes
before checking oil.
More information on engine oil can be
found in the “Technical data” section
(
page 316).With the dipstick
1Oil dipstick
2Oil filler cap

Remove oil dipstick1.

Wipe oil dipstick1 clean.

Fully insert oil dipstick1 in tube, and
remove after three seconds to obtain
accurate reading.
Oil dipstick
The oil level is correct when it is be-
tween the lower (min) and upper (max)
mark of the dipstick.

Add engine oil if necessary.iFill quantity between upper and lower
dipstick marking, the level is approxi-
mately 2.1 US qt (2.0 l).

220 OperationEngine compartmentAdding engine oil
Unscrew cap2 from the filler neck.

Add oil. Be careful not to overfill with
oil.
Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
coming into contact with the ground or wa-
ter.

Screw cap2 back on the filler neck.
Transmission fluid level
The transmission fluid level does not need
to be checked. The transmission has a per-
manent supply of automatic transmission
fluid.
If you notice transmission fluid loss or gear
shifting malfunctions, have an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center check
the automatic transmission.Coolant level
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze.
When checking the coolant level

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground


the engine must be cool. The coolant
level should reach the COLD LEVEL
mark in the reservoir.
!Excessive oil must be siphoned or
drained off. It could cause damage to
the engine and catalytic converter not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
The oil dipstick1 tube allows for drain-
ing of oil by using a suction device.
Warning!
G
In order to avoid any possibly serious burns:

Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature display in-
dicates that the coolant is overheated.


Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if engine temperature is above
194°F (90°C). Allow engine to cool
down before removing cap. The coolant
reservoir contains hot fluid and is under
pressure.


Using a rag, slowly open the cap approx-
imately
1⁄2turn to relieve excess pres-
sure. If opened immediately, scalding
hot fluid and steam will be blown out un-
der pressure.


Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine
parts. Antifreeze contains ethylene gly-
col which may burn if it comes into con-
tact with hot engine parts.

225 Operation
Tires and wheels
Life of tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon
varying factors including but not limited to:

Driving style


Tire pressure


Distance driven
Direction of rotation
Unidirectional tires offer added advantag-
es, such as better hydroplaning perfor-
mance. To benefit, however, you must
ensure that the tires rotate in the direction
specified.
An arrow on the sidewall indicates the in-
tended direction of rotation of the tire.
Checking tire inflation pressure
Correct the tire pressure only when tires
are cold.
Regularly check your tire pressure at inter-
vals of no more than 14 days.
If the tires are warm, you should only cor-
rect the tire pressure if it is too low for cur-
rent operating conditions.
A table on the fuel filler flap lists the spec-
ified tire inflation pressures for warm and
cold tires as well as for various operating
conditions.
Warning!
G
Tires and spare wheel should be replaced af-
ter six years, regardless of the remaining
tread.!Keep unmounted tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as
possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease and gasoline.
Warning!
G
If the tire pressure repeatedly drops

check the tires for punctures from for-
eign objects


check to see whether air is leaking from
the valves or from around the rim

232 OperationVehicle care
Vehicle careCleaning and care of the vehicle
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected to varying external in-
fluences which, if gone unchecked, can at-
tack the paintwork as well as the
underbody and cause lasting damage.
Such damage is caused not only by ex-
treme and varying climatic conditions, but
also by:

Air pollution


Road salt


Tar, gravel and stone chippingTo avoid paint damage, you should imme-
diately remove:


Grease and oil


Fuel


Coolant


Brake fluid


Bird droppings


Insects


Tree resins, etc.
Frequent washing reduces and/or elimi-
nates the aggressiveness and potency of
the above adverse influences.
More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:


Near the ocean


In industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)


During winter operationYou should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage.
Any damage should be repaired as soon as
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thor-
ough check is a washing of the underbody
followed by a thorough inspection. Dam-
aged areas need to be re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the facto-
ry with a wax-base rustproofing in the body
cavities which will last for the lifetime of
the vehicle. Post-production treatment is
neither necessary nor recommended by
Mercedes-Benz because of the possibility
of incompatibility between materials used
in the production process and others ap-
plied later.
We have selected car-care products and
compiled recommendations which are
specially matched to our vehicles and
which always reflect the latest technology.
You can obtain Mercedes-Benz approved
car-care products at your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Warning!
G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the partic-
ular container. Always open your vehicle’s
doors or windows when cleaning the inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not de-
signed for cleaning your vehicle.

254 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
Category
Ñ
CRUISE CONTROL
VISIT WORKSHOP!
Cruise control is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
2
J
DOOR OPEN!
You are attempting to drive with one
or more doors open.

Close the doors.
1
e
ENGINE AIR FILTER
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The engine filter is clogged and must
be replaced.

Visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center as soon as possible.
2
:
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
STOP, ENGINE OFF!
There is no oil in the engine. There is
a danger of engine damage.
See also comments on the following
page.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a
halt as soon as possible.

Turn off the engine.

Add engine oil and check the
engine oil level (
page 218).
1
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
CHECK LEVEL!
The engine oil level is too low.
See also comments on the following
page.

Check the engine oil level
(page 218) and add oil as re-
quired.
2
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
REDUCE OIL LEVEL!
You have added too much engine oil.
There is a risk of damaging the en-
gine or the catalytic converter.
See also comments on the following
page.

Have oil siphoned. Observe all
legal requirements with re-
spect to its disposal.
2

255 Practical hints
What to do if …
When the ENGINE OIL LEVEL – CHECK
LEVEL! message appears while the engine
is running and at operating temperature,
the engine oil level has dropped to approx-
imately the minimum mark on the dipstick.
When this occurs, the warning will first
come on intermittently and then stay on if
the oil level drops further.If no oil leaks are noted, continue to drive
to the nearest service station where the
engine oil should be topped to the “full”
mark on the dipstick with an approved oil.:
ENGINE OIL
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The engine oil has dropped to a crit-
ical level.

Check the engine oil level
(page 218) and add oil as re-
quired.

If you must add engine oil fre-
quently, have the engine
checked for possible leaks.
2
There is water in the oil.

Have the oil checked.
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The measuring system is malfunc-
tioning.

Have the measuring system
checked by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
2
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
Category
!The engine oil level warnings should
not be ignored. Extended driving with
the symbol displayed could result in se-
rious engine damage that is not cov-
ered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

280 Practical hintsReplacing bulbsRear lamps Notes on bulb replacement


Use only 12-volt bulbs of the same type
and with the specified watt rating.


Switch lights off before changing a bulb
to prevent short circuits.


Always use a clean lint-free cloth when
handling bulbs.


Your hands should be dry and free of oil
and grease.


If the newly installed bulb does not light
up, visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.


Have the LEDs for the following lamps
replaced by an authorized Mer-
cedes-Benz Light Truck Center.

The additional turn signals in the ex-
terior rear view mirrors


The high mounted brake lamp
Lamp
Type
7
High mounted brake
lamp
LED
8
Turn signal lamp
PY 21 W
Brake lamp
P 21 W
Tail, parking and
standing lamps
R 5 W
9
Backup lamp
P 21 W
10
License plate lamps
C 5 W
11
Side marker lamp
T 4 W
12
Rear fog lamp
P 21 W
Warning!
G
Keep bulbs out of reach of children.
Bulbs and bulb sockets can be very hot. Al-
low the lamp to cool down before changing
a bulb.
Halogen lamps contain pressurized gas. A
bulb can explode if you:

touch or move it when hot


drop the bulb


scratch the bulb
Wear eye and hand protection.
iHave the headlamp settings checked
regularly by a Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Do not turn the headlamp adjusting
screws. If the adjusting screws are
turned, the headlamp setting must be
checked by a Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.

319 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Gasoline additives
A major concern among engine manufac-
turers is carbon build-up caused by gaso-
line. Mercedes-Benz recommends only the
use of quality gasoline containing additives
that prevent the build up of carbon depos-
its.
After an extended period of using fuels
without such additives, carbon deposits
can build up especially on the intake valves
and in the combustion area, leading to en-
gine performance problems such as:

Warm-up hesitation


Unstable idle


Knocking/pinging


Misfire


Power loss
Do not blend other specific fuel additives
with fuel. This only results in unnecessary
cost and may be harmful to the engine op-
eration.Damage or malfunctions resulting from
poor fuel quality or from blending specific
fuel additives are not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion / antifreeze, which pro-
vides:

Corrosion protection


Freeze protection


Boiling protection (by increasing the
boiling point)
The cooling system was filled at the factory
with a coolant providing freeze protection
to approximately -35°F (-37°C) and corro-
sion protection.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to
-22°F (-30°C), the boiling point of the cool-
ant in the pressurized cooling system is
reached at approximately 266°F (130°C).The coolant solution must be used year
round to provide the necessary corrosion
protection and increase in the boil-over
protection. You should have it replaced
every 3 years.
To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least 45% anticor-
rosion/antifreeze (equivalent to freeze
protection to approx. - 22°F [-30°C]).
If you use a solution that is more than 55%
anticorrosion/antifreeze (freeze protec-
tion to approx. - 49°F [-45°C]), the engine
temperature will increase due to the lower
heat transfer capability of the solution.
Therefore, do not use more than this
amount of anticorrosion/antifreeze.
If the coolant level is low, water and MB
anticorrosion /antifreeze should be used
to bring it up to the proper level (have cool-
ing system checked for signs of leakage).
Please make sure that the mixture is in ac-
cordance with label instructions.
The water in the cooling system must meet
minimum requirements, which are usually
satisfied by normal drinking water. If you