2003 MERCEDES-BENZ G55AMG tailgate

174 Controls in detailLoading


Always place items being carried
against front or rear seat backrests,
and fasten them as securely as possi-
ble.


The heaviest portion of the cargo
should always be kept as low as possi-
ble against front or rear seat backrest
since it influences the handling charac-
teristics of the vehicle.


For additional safety when transporting
cargo while the rear seats are unoccu-
pied, fasten the outer seat belts cross-
wise into the opposite side buckles.


Always pad off sharp edges.
Warning!
G
Always fasten items being carried as secure-
ly as possible using cargo tie-down rings and
fastening materials appropriate for the
weight and size of the load.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown
around inside the vehicle, and can cause in-
jury to vehicle occupants unless the items
are securely fastened in the vehicle.
To help avoid personal injury during a colli-
sion or sudden maneuver, always use parti-
tion net when transporting cargo.
Never ride vehicle with the tailgate open.
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in uncon-
sciousness and death.
iThe rear cargo area is the preferred
place to carry objects. The enlarged
cargo area (rear seats folded) should
only be used for items which do not fit
in the rear cargo area alone.

190 Controls in detailUseful features
Remote door unlock
In case you have locked your vehicle unin-
tentionally (e.g. key inside vehicle), and the
reserve key is not handy:
Contact the Mercedes-Benz Response
Center at 1-800-756-9018 (in the USA)
or 1-888-923-8367 (in Canada).
You will be asked to provide your pass-
word which you provided when you
completed the subscriber agreement.

Then return to your vehicle and press
the tailgate lock for minimum of
20 seconds until the SOS button is
flashing.
The message
EMERGENCY CALL –
CALL CONNECTED appears in the multi-
function display.
As an alternative, you may unlock the vehi-
cle via Internet using the ID and password
sent to you shortly after the completion of
your acquaintance call.T h e R e s p o n s e C e n t e r w i l l t h e n u nl o c k y o u r
vehicle with the remote door unlocking
feature.
iWhen a Tele Aid call has been initiated,
the COMAND system audio is muted
and the selected mode (radio, tape or
CD) pauses. The optional cellular
phone (if installed) switches off. If you
must use this phone, the vehicle must
be parked. Disconnect the coiled cord
and place the call. The navigation sys-
tem (if engaged) will continue to run.
The display in the instrument cluster is
available for use and spoken com-
mands are only available by pressing
the RPT button on the COMAND unit. A
pop-up window will appear in the CO-
MAND display to indicate that a
Tele Aid call is in progress.
iThe remote door unlock feature is avail-
able if the relevant cellular phone net-
work is available.
The SOS button will flash and the mes-
sage
EMERGENCY CALL –
CALL CONNECTED
will appear in the mul-
tifunction display to indicate receipt of
the door unlock command.
Once the vehicle is unlocked, a Re-
sponse Center specialist will attempt
to establish voice contact with the ve-
hicle occupants.
If the tailgate lock was pressed for
more than 20 seconds before door un-
lock authorization was received by the
Response Center, you must wait
15 minutes before pressing the tailgate
lock again.

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.

266 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
Category
§
TC SHIFT
CANCELLED
The shift process in the transfer
case was cancelled because of a
malfunction.

Repeat the shift process
(page 141).
2
§
TC SHIFT CONDITIONS
NOT FULFILLED
You have not met the shift condi-
tions for a selection process in the
transfer case.

Repeat the shift process
(page 141).
2
§
TRANSFER CASE
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The transfer case is malfunctioning.

Do not switch the transfer
case on.

Visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center as soon as possible.
2
L
TELE AID
VISIT WORKSHOP!
One or more main functions of the
Tele Aid system are malfunctioning.

Have the Tele Aid system
checked by an authorized Mer-
cedes-Benz Light Truck Cen-
ter.
1
Ê
TRUNK OPEN!
This message will appear whenever
the tailgate is open.

Close the tailgate.
2
#
UNDERVOLTAGE
ENGINE ON!
The battery has insufficient voltage.

Start the engine.
1
UNDERVOLTAGE
SWITCH CONSUMER OFF!
The battery has insufficient voltage.

Have the battery checked at a
service station.
1

270 Practical hintsWhere will I find ...?Spare wheel
The spare wheel is located under a cover
on the outside of the vehicle’s tailgate.
The spare wheel rim is mounted with a full
size tire of the same type as on the vehicle,
and is fully functional.
For rim and tire specifications, refer to
(page 313).
Removing cover
1Cover ring
2Key
3Tab

Open lock for cover ring1 with key2
for the spare wheel cover.

Fold tab3 downwards.
4Cover plate

Pull cover ring1 slightly outwards in di-
rection of arrows and remove.

Pull cover plate4 upward towards you.5Catch
6Recess
iWhen replacing cover plate4, make
sure that catch5 engages in recess6.
Ensure that the lock faces downwards
when mounting cover ring1.
For safety reasons, check regularly that
the spare wheel is securely fastened.

272 Practical hintsUnlocking/locking in an emergency
Unlocking/locking in an emergencyUnlocking the vehicle
If you are unable to unlock the vehicle with
the SmartKey, open the driver’s door and
the tailgate using the mechanical key.
The passenger door cannot be unlocked
manually.
1Mechanical key locking tab
2Mechanical key

Move locking tab1 in direction of ar-
row and slide the mechanical key2 out
of the housing.Unlocking the driver’s door

Unlock the door with the mechanical
k e y . T o d o s o , p u s h t h e m e ch a n i c a l k e y
in the lock until it stops and turn it to
the left.
Unlocking the tailgate

Unlock the tailgate with the mechani-
cal key. To do so, push the mechanical
key in the lock until it stops and turn it
to the left.
iUnlocking your vehicle with the me-
chanical key will trigger the anti-theft
alarm system. To cancel the alarm, do
one of the following:

Press button
Œ
or
‹
on the
SmartKey.


Insert the key in the starter switch.

273 Practical hints
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Locking the vehicle
If you are unable to lock the vehicle with
the SmartKey, lock it with the mechanical
key as follows:
Close the passenger doors and the tail-
gate.

Press the central locking switch in the
cockpit (
page 90).

Check to see whether the locking
knobs on the passenger doors are still
visible. If necessary, push them down
manually.

Slide the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey.

Lock the driver’s door with the me-
chanical key.

Lock the tailgate if necessary with the
mechanical key.
Changing batteries in the SmartKey
If the batteries in the SmartKey are dis-
charged, the vehicle can no longer be
locked or unlocked. It is recommended to
have the batteries replaced at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Batteries contain materials that can harm
the environment if disposed of improperly.
Recycling of batteries is the preferred
method of disposal. Many states require
sellers of batteries to accept old batteries
for recycling.1Mechanical key
2Battery compartment
Replacement batteries:
Lithium, type CR 2025 or equivalent.Warning!
G
Keep the batteries out of reach of children.
If a battery is swallowed, seek medical help
immediately.
iWhen changing batteries, always re-
place both batteries.
The required replacement batteries are
available at any Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.

274 Practical hintsUnlocking/locking in an emergency
Remove mechanical key1
(page 272).

Insert the mechanical key in side open-
ing and push briefly gray slide.
Battery compartment2 is unlatched.

Pull battery compartment2 out of the
key housing in direction of arrow.

Remove the batteries.
3Battery
4Contact spring

Using a lint-free cloth, insert new bat-
teries under the contact spring with the
plus (+) side facing up.

Return battery compartment into hous-
ing until locked in place.

Slide mechanical key1 back into the
SmartKey.
Fuel filler flap
The emergency release is in the cargo area
behind the rear panel trim.
1Edge protection
2Rear panel trim
Open the tailgate.

Remove edge protection1 from the
door pillar.

Remove rear panel trim2.
iWhen inserting the batteries, make
sure that they are clean and free of lint.