2004 MERCEDES-BENZ G500 maintenance

235 Operation
Battery
Battery
The battery is located in front of the rear
seat bench and below the cup holder. Jump
starting terminals are located in the left
side of the engine compartment
(page 314). Refer to Service Booklet for
battery maintenance intervals.
The battery should always be sufficiently
charged in order to achieve its rated ser-
vice life.
If you use your vehicle less than approxi-
mately 200 miles (300 km) per month,
mostly for short-distance trips, or if it is not
used for long periods of time, you will need
to have the battery charge checked more
frequently and corrected if necessary.
When replacing batteries, always use bat-
teries approved by Mercedes-Benz.
If you do not intend to operate your vehicle
for an extended period of time, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center about steps you need to observe.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.
For more information, see “Battery”
(
page 311).
G
Observe all safety instructions
and precautions when handling
automotive batteries.
A
Risk of explosion
D
Keep flames or sparks away
from battery. Do not smoke.
B
Battery acid is caustic. Do not
allow it to come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing.
In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with clear
water and seek medical help if
necessary.
E
Wear eye protection.
C
Keep children away.
F
Follow the instructions in this
Operator’s Manual.
iIf the battery is discharged

you will no longer be able to turn
the SmartKey in the starter switch


the gear selector lever will remain
locked in positionP

242 OperationMaintenance
MaintenanceWe strongly recommend that you have
your vehicle serviced by your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center, in ac-
cordance with the Service Booklet at the
times called for by the FSS (Flexible Ser-
vice System).
Failure to have the vehicle maintained in
accordance with the Service Booklet at the
designated times /mileage called for by
the FSS may result in vehicle damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
FSS will notify you when your next service
is due.
Approximately one month before your next
service is due, one of the following mes-
sages will appear in the multifunction dis-
play while you are driving or when you
switch on the ignition (example service A):SERVICE A IN XX DAYS
SERVICE A IN XX MILES (KM)
SERVICE A DUE NOW!
The type of service due is indicated in the
speedometer display field:
9Minor service (A)
½Major service (B)Clearing the service indicator
The service indicator is automatically
cleared


after 10 seconds when you switch on
the ignition or when reaching the ser-
vice threshold while driving


after 30 seconds, once the suggested
service term has passed
You can also clear it yourself.

Press the reset button on the instru-
ment cluster (
page 25).
Service term exceeded
If you have exceeded the suggested ser-
vice term, you will see the following mes-
sage in the multifunction display:SERVICE A EXCEEDED BY XX DAYS
SERVICE A EXCEEDED BY XX MILES (KM)An accoustic signal will sound.
The Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center will
reset the service indicator following a com-
pleted service.
iThe interval between services depends
on your driving habits. A gentle driving
style, moderate engine speeds and the
avoidance of short-distance trips will
lengthen the interval between services.

243 Operation
Maintenance
Calling up the service indicator
Switch ignition on.
The standard display of the control sys-
tem appears (
page 115).

Press buttonk orj on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel until the FSS
indicator appears in the multifunction
display.
Resetting the service indicator
In the event that the service on your vehi-
cle is not carried out by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center, you
can reset the service indicator yourself.
Switch ignition on.
The standard display of the control sys-
tem appears (
page 115).

Press buttonk orj on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel until the FSS
indicator appears in the multifunction
display.

Press the reset button (
page 25) for
about three seconds.
This message appears in the tachome-
ter:
SERVICE INTERVAL?
RESET WITH R BUTTON FOR 3 SEC.

To confirm, press reset button until you
hear a signal.
The service indicator now displays the
reset interval.
iIf the vehicle battery is disconnected,
the days of disconnection will not be in-
cluded in the count shown by the ser-
vice indicator. To arrive at the true
service deadline, you will need to sub-
tract these days from the days shown
in the service indicator.
Do not confuse the service indicator
with the engine oil level indicator :.
iIf the service indicator was inadvertent-
ly reset, have a Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center correct it.
Only reset if the proper service has
been performed. Resetting the system
without performing proper service as
called for by the FSS will cause the FSS
to incorrectly determine the next ser-
vice interval which will result in engine
damage not covered by the Mer-
cedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

329 Technical data
Rims and tires
Rims and tires
Use only tires and rims which have been
specifically developed for your vehicle and
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Other tires and rims can have detrimental
effects, such as

poor handling characteristics


increased noise


increased fuel consumption
Rims and Tires
!Moreover, tires and rims not approved
by Mercedes-Benz may, under load, ex-
hibit dimensional variations and differ-
ent tire deformation characteristics
that could cause them to come into
contact with the vehicle body or axle
parts. This may result in damage to the
tires or the vehicle.
iFurther information on tires and rims is
available at any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. A
tire inflation pressure table is located
on the fuel filler flap of the vehicle. The
tire pressure should be checked regu-
larly and should only be adjusted on
cold tires. Follow tire manufacturer’s
maintenance recommendation includ-
ed with vehicle.
G500
G55AMG
Rims (light alloy)
71/2 J x18 H2
91/2 J x 18 EH2
Wheel offset
1.69 in (43 mm)
1.97 in (50 mm)
All season tires (radial-ply tires)
265/60 R18 110V
285/55 R18 113V

344 Technical termsDifferential locks
On slippery surfaces, differential locks
prevent one wheel of an axle from spin-
ning while the other wheel stands still,
resulting in driving force no longer be-
ing transferred.
Cruise control
Driving convenience system for auto-
matically maintaining the vehicle speed
set by the driver.
Engine number
The number set by the manufacturer
and placed on the cylinder block to
uniquely identify each engine pro-
duced.
Engine oil viscosity
Measurement for the inner friction (vis-
cosity) of the oil at different tempera-
tures. The higher the temperature an
oil can tolerate without becoming thin,
or the lower the temperature it can tol-
erate without becoming viscous, the
better the viscosity.ESP
(E
lectronic S
tability Pr
ogram)
Improves vehicle handling and direc-
tional stability.
ETD
(E
mergency T
ensioning D
evice)
Device which deploys in certain frontal
and rear collisions exceeding the sys-
tem's threshold to tighten the seat
belts.
->SRS
FSS
(F
lexible S
ervice S
ystem)
Service indicator in the speedometer
display that informs the driver when
the next vehicle maintenance service is
due.
GAWR
(G
ross A
xle W
eight R
ating)
The GAWR is the maximum permissible
axle weight. The gross vehicle weight
on each axle must never exceed the
GAWR for the front and rear axle indi-
cated on the certification label located
on the driver’s door pillar.GVW
(G
ross V
ehicle W
eight)
The GVW comprises the weight of the
vehicle including fuel, tools, spare
wheel, installed accessories, passen-
gers and cargo. The GWV must never
exceed the GVWR indicated on the cer-
tification label located on the driver’s
door pillar.
GVWR
(G
ross V
ehicle W
eight R
ating)
This is the maximum permissible vehi-
cle weight. It is indicated on certifica-
tion label located on the driver’s door
pillar.
Gear range
Number of gears which are available to
the automatic transmission for shifting.
The automatic gear shifting process
can be adapted to specific operating
conditions using the gear selector le-
ver.

361 Index
Lock button 345
Locking 51, 86
Fuel filler flap 224
Global, SmartKey 87
Separately the tailgate 90
Vehicle in an emergency 288
Loss of keys 88
Loss of Service and Warranty Information
Booklet 325
Low beam headlamps
Messages in display 276
Replacing bulbs 295, 297
LOW RANGE - ABS 75
Lowering
Vehicle 310
Lubricants
Technical data 333
M
Main dimensions 332
Maintenance 242Malfunction
Displaying 122
Rear Parking Assist* 174
Malfunction memory 122
Calling up 122
Clearing 123
Manual headlamp mode 105
Manual operations
Fuel filler flap 290
Interior lighting control 109
Locking the tailgate 90
Locking the vehicle 288
Sliding/pop-up roof 292
Unlocking the driver’s door 287
Unlocking the tailgate 91, 287
Unlocking transmission gear selector
lever 290
MB Tex upholstery
Cleaning 249
Mechanical key 287
Memory function 101, 345
Recalling positions from
memory 102Storing exterior rear view mirror park-
ing positions 103
Storing key dependent settings 102
Menus 116
AUDIO 120
Control system 345
In control system 118, 119
Malfunction memory 122
NAVI 122
Settings menu 123
Standard display 120
Submenus 117
TEL 137
Trip computer 136
Messages in the multifunction display
Symbol messages 265
Text messages 261
Middle tunnel
Fuse box in 321
Miles/kilometers in speedometer
Setting 128