2003 MERCEDES-BENZ G55AMG spare wheel

ContentsTires and wheels ................................ 224
Important guidelines .................... 224
Life of tire ..................................... 225
Direction of rotation ..................... 225
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 225
Rotating wheels............................ 226
Winter driving..................................... 228
Winter tires................................... 228
Block heater (Canada only) .......... 228
Snow chains ................................. 229
Maintenance ...................................... 230
Clearing the service indicator....... 230
Service term exceeded................. 230
Calling up the service indicator .... 231
Resetting the service indicator ..... 231
Vehicle care ....................................... 232
Cleaning and care of the vehicle .. 232Practical hints.................................. 237
What to do if … .................................. 238
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 238
Lamp in center console ................ 244
Messages in the display ............... 246Where will I find ................................ 268
First aid kit ................................... 268
Vehicle tool kit ............................. 268
Vehicle jack.................................. 269
CD-changer .................................. 269
Spare wheel ................................. 270
Unlocking/locking in an emergency .. 272
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 272
Locking the vehicle ...................... 273
Changing batteries in
the SmartKey ............................... 273
Fuel filler flap ............................... 274
Manually unlocking the
transmission selector lever .......... 275
Opening/closing in an emergency ..... 276
Sliding/pop-up roof ..................... 276
Brush guard* ..................................... 277
Lowering and raising brush guard 278
Replacing bulbs ................................. 279
Bulbs ............................................ 279
Replacing bulbs for front lamps ... 281
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps..... 286
Replacing wiper blades ...................... 289
Removal ....................................... 289
Installation ................................... 289Flat tire .............................................. 290
Preparing the vehicle ................... 290
Mounting the spare wheel............ 291
Battery............................................... 295
Charging the battery .................... 295
Disconnecting the battery ............ 296
Reconnecting the battery............. 296
Jump starting ..................................... 297
Towing the vehicle ............................. 299
Transporting the vehicle .............. 301
Towing the vehicle with
various faults ............................... 301
Front towing eye .......................... 302
Rear towing eye ........................... 302
Freeing a stranded vehicle ........... 302
Fuses ................................................. 303
Fuse box in passenger
compartment ............................... 303
Fuse box in battery box................ 303
Fuse box in front passenger
footwell ........................................ 304
Fuse box in middle tunnel ............ 305

Contents
Technical data................................. 307
Spare parts service ............................ 308
Warranty coverage............................. 309
Loss of Service and Warranty
Information Booklet ..................... 309
Identification labels ........................... 310
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ................. 311
G 500/G 55 AMG ........................ 311
Engine................................................ 312
Rims and tires.................................... 313
Tires and Spare wheel .................. 313
Electrical system ............................... 314
Main dimensions, vehicle weights
and ratings......................................... 315
Main dimensions .......................... 315
Vehicle weights and ratings ......... 315Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. ........... 316
Capacities ..................................... 316
Engine oils .................................... 317
Engine oil additives ....................... 317
Air conditioning refrigerant ........... 317
Brake fluid..................................... 318
Premium unleaded gasoline .......... 318
Fuel requirements ......................... 318
Gasoline additives......................... 319
Coolants ....................................... 319
Anticorrosion/antifreeze .............. 320
Windshield/rear window washer
system and headlamp cleaning
system .......................................... 321
Consumer information ........................ 322
Uniform tire quality grading .......... 322
Technical terms............................... 325Index................................................. 331

76 Safety and SecurityDriving and safety systems
Switching off the ESP
To improve the vehicle's traction, turn off
the ESP in driving situations where it would
be advantageous to have the drive wheels
spin and thus cut into surfaces for better
grip such as:

starting out on slippery surfaces and in
deep snow in conjunction with snow
chains.


sand or gravel.


when driving off-road.
When the ESP is turned off


engine torque is not limited.


the drive wheels can spin.
Warning!
G
The ESP cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase the traction afforded. The ESP
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, fol-
lowing another vehicle too closely, or aqua-
planing. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful
driver can prevent accidents. The capabili-
ties of a ESP equipped vehicle must never be
exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner
which could jeopardize the user’s safety or
the safety of others.!Driving the vehicle with varied size tires
will cause the wheels to rotate at differ-
ent speeds, possibly causing the ESP to
activate. For this reason, all wheels, in-
cluding the spare wheel, must have the
same tire outside diameter.
!The engine must be shut off when

the parking brake is being tested on
a brake test dynamometer.


the vehicle is being towed with one
axle raised.
Otherwise, the ESP will engage the
brakes and seriously damage the brake
system.
iThe ABS, BAS and ESP are automatical-
ly switched off when the differential
locks are switched on (
page 145).
Warning!
G
The ESP should not be switched off during
normal driving other than in the circum-
stances described below. Disabling of the
system will reduce vehicle stability in stan-
dard driving maneuvers.

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

226 OperationTires and wheelsTire pressure changes by approximately
1.5 psi (0.1 bar) per 18°F (10°C) of air
temperature change. Keep this in mind
when checking tire pressure where the
temperature is different from the outside
temperature.
Tire temperature and tire pressure are also
increased while driving, depending on the
driving speed and the tire load.Check the spare tire periodically for condi-
tion and inflation. Spare tire will age and
b e c o m e w o r n o v e r t i m e e v e n i f n e v e r u s e d ,
and thus should be inspected and replaced
when necessary.
Rotating wheels
The wheels can be rotated every 3000 to
6 000 miles (5000 to 10 000 km) or sooner
if necessary, according to the degree of
tire wear. The same direction of tire rota-
tion must be retained.
Rotate the wheels before the characteris-
tic tire wear pattern becomes visible
(shoulder wear on front wheels and tread
center wear on rear wheels).
Thoroughly clean the inner side of the
wheels after each rotation. Check and en-
sure proper tire inflation pressure.
iThe pressures listed for light loads are
minimum values offering high driving
comfort.
Increased inflation pressures listed for
heavier loads may also be used for light
loads. These higher pressures produce
favorable handling characteristics. The
ride of the vehicle, however, will be
somewhat harder. Never exceed the
max. values or inflate tires below the
min. values listed in the fuel filler flap.
Warning!
G
Follow recommended inflation pressures.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires
can result in sudden deflation (blowout) be-
cause they are more likely to become punc-
tured or damaged by road debris, potholes
etc.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear unevenly, adversely affect handling
and fuel economy, and are more likely to fail
from being overheated.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified vehicle capacity weight (as indicat-
ed by the label on the pillar in the driver’s
door opening). Overloading the tires can
overheat them, possibly causing a blowout.
Warning!
G
Rotate front and rear wheels only if there are
of the same size.

228 OperationWinter driving
Winter drivingBefore the onset of winter, have your vehi-
cle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. This
service includes:

Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.


Addition of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning system. Add MB Concentrate
“S” to a premixed windshield washer
solvent/antifreeze which is formulated
for below freezing temperatures
(page 321).


Battery test. 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.


Tire change. We recommend M+S rat-
ed radial-ply tires on all four wheels for
the winter season.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 39°F (4°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Use of winter tires
is the only way to achieve the maximum ef-
fectiveness of the ABS, ESP, EBB and
4-ETS in winter operation.
For safe handling, ensure that all winter
tires mounted are of the same make and
have the same tread design.
Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires installed on your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your ve-
hicle, you must place a notice to this effect
where it will be seen by the driver. Such no-tices are available from your tire dealer or
from any authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Block heater (Canada only)
The engine is equipped with a block heat-
er.
The electrical cable may be installed at
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Winter tires with a tread depth under 0.16 in
(4 mm) must be replaced. They are no long-
er suitable for winter operation.
Warning!
G
If you use your spare tire when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may
very well impair turning stability and that
overall driving stability may be reduced.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.

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.

271 Practical hints
Where will I find ...?
Removing the spare wheel
1Mounting screws
Unscrew mounting screws1.

Remove the spare wheel.Please also refer to the “Flat tire” section
when changing the wheel (
page 290).
Warning!
G
Make sure that no one is injured when re-
moving the spare wheel.
Grip wheel from the sides.
Keep hands from beneath the wheel.
iAfter changing the wheel, secure the
replaced wheel on the spare wheel car-
rier. Make sure that the wheel cannot
come loose.
Cover the wheel with the cover plate.
Repair or replace damaged tire as soon
as possible and return spare tire as
original spare.