2004 MERCEDES-BENZ G500 warning light

248 OperationVehicle careLight alloy wheels
Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care
should be used for regular cleaning of the
light alloy wheels.
If possible, clean wheels once a week with
Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care, us-
ing a soft bristle brush and a strong spray
of water.
Follow instructions on container.Instrument cluster
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution. Wipe with a cloth moist-
ened in lukewarm solution. Do not use
scouring agents.
Steering wheel and gear selector lever
Wipe with a damp cloth and dry thoroughly
or clean with Mercedes-Benz approved
Leather Care.
Cup holder
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution. Wipe with a cloth moist-
ened in lukewarm solution. Do not use
scouring agents.Hard plastic trim items
Pour Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care onto soft lint-free cloth and apply
with light pressure.
Headliner
Clean with soft bristle brush, or use a
dry-shampoo cleaner in case of excessive
dirt.
Seat belts
The webbing must not be treated with
chemical cleaning agents. Use only clear,
lukewarm water and soap. Do not dry the
webbing at temperatures above 176°F
(80°C) or in direct sunlight.
iOnly use acid-free cleaning materials.
The acid could lead to corrosion or may
damage the clear coat.
Warning!
G
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.

254 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
;
(USA only)
3
(Canada only)The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving and you
hear a warning sound.
You are driving with the parking brake set.

Release the parking brake
(page 44).

Also note the messages in the multi-
function display (
page 260).
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving.
There is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir.

Risk of accident! Carefully stop the
vehicle and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Do not add brake fluid! This will not
solve the problem.

Also note the messages in the multi-
function display (
page 260).
Warning!
G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lap stays on.
Do not add brake fluid before checking the
brake system. Overfilling the brake fluid res-
ervoir can result in spilling brake fluid on hot
engine parts and the brake fluid catching
fire. You could be seriously burned.
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks.

255 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
;
(USA only)
3
(Canada only)
-
The red brake warning lamp and
the yellow ABS indicator lamp
come on when the engine is run-
ning and you hear a warning
sound for approximately five sec-
onds.
The EBB has detected a malfunction and has
switched off. You should be prepared for your
vehicle to perform differently than normal
when braking.

Continue driving with added caution.

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Cen-
ter as soon as possible.

Also note the messages in the multi-
function display (
page 260).
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of accidents.

257 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
v
The yellow ESP warning lamp
comes on and remains on while
driving.
You engaged the differential locks. The ABS,
ESP, BAS, EBB and 4-ETS are switched off.

The driving systems will switch on
again after the differential locks have
been disengaged.

Also note the messages in the multi-
function display (
page 260).
The ESP is deactivated.
Risk of accident! Adapt your speed and driv-
ing to the prevailing road conditions.

Turn the ESP back on (
page 81).
If the ESP cannot be turned back on, have
the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center as
soon as possible.
The ESP is deactivated because of interrupt-
ed power supply. The ABS may still be opera-
tional. The ESP has to be synchronized.

Note the messages in the multifunc-
tion display (
page 260).
The ESP, ABS, BAS, EBB or 4-ETS has detect-
ed a malfunction. All driving systems are
switched off.
Risk of accident! Adapt your speed and driv-
ing to the prevailing road conditions.

Note the messages in the multifunc-
tion display (
page 260).

258 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
<
The red seat belt non-usage
warning lamp illuminates briefly
after starting the engine.
The warning lamp reminds you to fasten seat
belts.

Fasten your seat belt.
The yellow fuel tank reserve warning lamp
illuminates while driving.
The fuel level has gone below the reserve
mark.

Refuel at the next gas station.

Also note the messages in the multi-
function display (
page 260).
The yellow fuel tank reserve warning lamp is
blinking.
The fuel cap is not closed tight.

Check the fuel cap.
1
The red SRS indicator lamp
comes on while driving.
There is a malfunction in the restraint sys-
tems. The airbags or emergency tensioning
device (ETD) could deploy unexpectedly or
fail to activate in an accident.

Drive with added caution to the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Warning!
G
In the event a malfunction of the SRS is indi-
cated as outlined above, the SRS may not be
operational.
For your safety, we strongly recommend
that you visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center immediately to have the
system checked; otherwise the SRS may not
be activated when needed in an accident.
This could result in serious or fatal injury, or
it might deploy unexpectedly and unneces-
sarily which could also result in an accident
and/or injury to you or to others.

260 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Messages in the multifunction display
The control system shows warning and
malfunction messages in the multifunction
display.
Certain warning and malfunction messag-
es are accompanied by an audible signal.
Address these messages accordingly and
follow the additional instructions given in
this Operator’s Manual.
Selecting the malfunction memory menu in
the control system (
page 122) displays
both cleared and uncleared messages.
High-priority messages appear in the mul-
tifunction display in red colour.
Certain messages of high priority cannot
be cleared from the multifunction display
using the reset button (page 112).
Other high-priority messages and messag-
es of less immediate priority (regular dis-
play colours) can be cleared from the
multifunction display using the reset but-
ton and are then stored in the malfunction
message memory (
page 122).On the pages that follow, you will find a
compilation of the most important warning
and malfunction messages that may ap-
pear in the multifunction display. High-
priority messages appear on a red back-
ground.
Warning!
G
All categories of messages contain impor-
tant information which should be taken note
of and, where a malfunction is indicated, ad-
dressed as soon as possible at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Failure to repair condition noted may cause
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty, or result in property dam-
age or personal injury.Warning!
G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction dis-
play is inoperative. Systems that have a sig-
nificant influence on handling performance
may not be functioning.
Contact your nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
iTurning the SmartKey in starter switch
to position2 causes all lamps as well
as the multifunction display to come
on. Make sure they are all in working
order before starting your journey.

266 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
#
UNDERVOLTAGE
SWITCH CONSUMERS OFF!
The battery has insufficient voltage.

Have the battery checked at a ser-
vice station.
2
BRAKE WEAR
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The brake pads have reached their
wear limit.

Have the brake pads replaced as
soon as possible.
3
BRAKE FLUID
VISIT WORKSHOP!
There is insufficient brake fluid in the
reservoir.

Risk of accident! Stop the vehicle
and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Do not add brake fluid! This will not
solve the problem.
Warning!
G
Driving with the last message displayed can
result in an accident. Have your brake sys-
tem checked immediately.
Do not add brake fluid before checking the
brake system. Overfilling the brake fluid res-
ervoir can result in spilling brake fluid on hot
engine parts and the brake fluid catching
fire. You can be seriously burned.
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks. !Brake pad thickness must be visually
checked by a qualified technician at the
intervals specified in the Service book-
let.

268 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
B
COOLANT
CHECK LEVEL!
The coolant level is too low.

Add coolant (
page 232).

If you have to add coolant frequently,
have the cooling system checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Warning!
G
Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which
may burn if it comes into contact with hot
engine parts. You could be seriously burned.
!Do not ignore the low engine coolant
level warning. Extended driving with
the message and symbol displayed
may cause serious engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Do not drive without sufficient amount
of coolant in the cooling system. The
engine will overheat causing serious
engine damage.
Observe the coolant temperature dis-
play (
page 112).