2003 MERCEDES-BENZ G55AMG roof

168 Controls in detailLoading
LoadingRoof rack
This vehicle is not intended to carry items
on its roof. Thus roof rails and any
roof-mounted devices must not be used.
Cargo area cover
1Rear seat bench cover
2Tailgate cover
Pull cover 1 out. Hook it into the
mountings on the rear seat bench.

Pull cover 2 out. Hook it into the
mountings to the left and right of the
tailgate.Rolling up the cover

Grip the cover strap and remove it from
the mountings on both sides.

Guide it slowly back into place.
Warning!
G
Do not load items on the roof. It may cause
instability during some maneuvers which
could result in an accident.

176 Controls in detailUseful features
Useful featuresInterior storage spaces
Glove box
1Unlocked position
2Locked position
3HandleOpening the glove box

Pull handle to open.
The glove box is illuminated with SmartKey
in starter switch position1 or2 when
opening the lid.
Closing the glove box

Push lid up to close.
Warning!
G
To help avoid personal injury during a colli-
sion or sudden maneuver, exercise care
when stowing objects in the vehicle. Put lug-
gage or cargo in the cargo compartment if
possible. Do not pile luggage or cargo higher
than the seat backs.
Luggage nets cannot secure hard or heavy
objects.Warning!
G
Do not load items on the roof. It may cause
instability during some maneuvers which
could result in an accident.
Warning!
G
Keep compartment lids closed. This will help
to prevent stored objects from being thrown
about and injuring vehicle occupants during
an accident and sudden maneuvers.
iThe glove box can be locked and un-
locked with the mechanical key.

203 Operation
Driving instructions
Standing water
Passenger compartment
Off-road driving
!Do not drive through flooded areas or
water of unknown depth. Before driving
through water, determine its depth. It
should not be deeper than approxi-
mately 19 inches (48 cm).
If you must drive through standing wa-
ter, drive slowly to prevent water from
entering the passenger compartment
or the engine compartment. Water in
these areas could cause damage to
electrical components or wiring of the
engine or transmission, or could result
in water being ingested by the engine
through the air intake causing severe
internal engine damage. Any such dam-
age is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
Always fasten items being carried as secure-
ly as possible.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den 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 compartment is the preferred
place to carry objects. Always use partition
net when transporting cargo. Partition net
cannot secure hard or heavy objects. Al-
ways fasten items being carried as securely
as possible using the cargo tie-down rings in
the cargo area floor and fastening material.
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 hold-
ers must not be used.
Warning!
G
Do not load items on the roof. It may cause
instability during some maneuvers which
could result in an accident.Warning!
G
Drive slowly in unknown terrain. This will
make it easier to recognize unexpected ob-
stacles and avoid damage to the vehicle.
To help avoid the vehicle rolling over, never
turn it around on steep inclines. If the vehi-
cle cannot complete the attempted climb,
back it down in reverse gear.
Do not drive along the side of a slope (dan-
ger of vehicle rollover). If in doing so the ve-
hicle begins to show a tendency to roll,
immediately steer into a line of gravity
(straight up or downhill).


204 OperationDriving instructionsRead this chapter carefully before you be-
gin off-road travel.
Familiarize yourself with the vehicle char-
acteristics and gear changing before you
attempt any difficult terrain off-road driv-
ing. We recommend that you start out with
easy off-road travel.Special driving features for off-road
driving
The following driving features are available
for specific kind of operation:


ABS (
page 71)


ESP (
page 75)


4-ETS (
page 74)


Differential lock (
page 145)


Transfer case (
page 141)
Off-road driving rules

Engage the transfer case in position
LOW before driving under off-road con-
ditions (
page 141).

If necessary activate differential locks
(page 145).
The ABS, BAS and ESP are switched off
automatically when the differential
locks are activated.

Fasten items being carried as securely
as possible (
page 173).
Never let the vehicle roll backwards in idle.
You may lose control of the vehicle if you
use only the service brake.
Sand, dirt, mud and other material having
friction property can cause exceptional wear
and tear as well as brake failure.
Have the brakes checked for dirt build-up
and cleaned. There is otherwise a risk that
full braking power may not be available in an
emergency.
iWhenever driving in off-road mode, we
recommend:

Keeping doors, tailgate, windows
and sliding/pop-up roof closed.


Switching cruise control off.
!Observe the following during off-road
driving:

Adjust vehicle speed to condition of
terrain. The more uneven, rutty and
steeper the terrain, the lower the
speed should be. Drive through wa-
ter slowly at an even speed, avoid-
ing a bow wave.


Be especially careful when driving
in unknown territory. It may be nec-
essary to get out of the vehicle and
scout the path you intend to take.


Watch out for obstacles, such as
rocks, holes, tree stumps and ruts.

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.

276 Practical hintsOpening/closing in an emergency
Opening/closing in an emergencySliding/pop-up roof
You can open or close the sliding/pop-up
roof manually in the case of power failure.
The sliding/pop-up roof drive is located on
the left side of the cargo area behind the
rear panel trim.
1Edge protection
2Rear panel trim
Open the tailgate.

Remove edge protection1 from door
pillar.

Remove rear panel trim2.3Key (vehicle tool kit)
4Screwdriver (vehicle tool kit)

Fit key3 into hexagon nut of drive.

Insert screwdriver4 into the key as a
lever.

Turn crank 3 clockwise to:

close slide roof


raise roof at the rear

Turn crank 3 counterclockwise to:

open slide roof


lower roof at the rear
iDo not disconnect electrical connec-
tors.

295 Practical hints
Battery
Battery
The battery is located in front of the rear
seat bench and below the cup holder
Batteries contain materials that can harm
the environment if disposed of improperly.
Large 12-volt storage batteries contain
lead.
Recycling of batteries is the preferred
method of disposal. Many states require
sellers of batteries to accept old batteries
for recycling.
Charging the battery
Have the battery removed at a
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
If you charge the battery yourself, make
sure to comply with the operating instruc-
tions for your battery charger.
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injury or death.
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries
(page 223).
Never lean over batteries while connecting,
you might get injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water and seek
medical help if necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking etc.
Warning!
G
Do not place metal objects on the battery as
this could result in a short circuit.
Use leak-proof battery only to avoid the risk
of acid burns in the event of an accident.
Warning!
G
Never charge a battery while still installed in
the vehicle. Gases may escape during charg-
ing and cause explosions that may result in
paint damage, corrosion or personal injury.!Have the battery checked regularly by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Refer to Service Booklet for mainte-
nance intervals or contact your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center for further information.

334 IndexCHECK ENGINE malfunction indicator
lamp 243
Checking
Coolant level 215, 220
Oil level 215, 217, 218
Checklist
Off-road driving 205
Child safety 63
Infant and child restraint systems 54,
60, 63
LATCH child seat mounts 68
Child safety switch see Blocking of rear
door window operation 69
Cigarette lighter 181
Cleaning
Cup holder 235
Gear selector lever 235
Hard plastic trim items 236
Headlamps 148
Headliner 236
Illuminated door sill panels 236
Instrument cluster 235
Leather upholstery 236
Light alloy wheels 235
MB Tex upholstery 236
Plastic and rubber parts 236Rear Park Assist sensors* 234
Seat belts 236
Steering wheel 235
Windows 235
Windshield 47
Wiper blades 235
Climate control 150
Adjusting 153
Defogging windshield 153
Defrosting 154
Rear window defroster 155
Setting the temperature 152
Clock 25
Closing
Glove box 176
Hood 217
Side windows 158
Sliding/pop-up roof 160, 276
Sliding/pop-up roof
with SmartKey 161
Tailgate 88
Windows 158
Windows with SmartKey 159
Closing sliding/pop-up roof
In an emergency 276
Cockpit 22, 325Cockpit management and data system
(COMAND) 325
COMAND 325
COMAND see separate operating
instructions
Combination switch 23, 103
High beam flasher 46, 103
Turn signals 46
Windshield wipers 47
Consumer information 322
Control and operation of
radio transmitters 210
Control system 111, 325
AUDIO menu 116
Convenience submenu 128
Display digital speedometer 116
Functions 112, 115
Instrument cluster submenu 122
Lighting submenu 124
Malfunction memory menu 118
Menus 114, 115, 327
Multifunction display 111
Multifunction steering wheel 112
NAVI menu 118
Selecting radio system 117
Settings menu 119