2004 MERCEDES-BENZ G55AMG cruise control

Contents
Transfer case ..................................... 145
Gear range ................................... 145
Switching transfer case................ 145
Differential locks ............................... 148
A few words about differentials
and differential locks.................... 149
Switching differential locks
on and off..................................... 150
Good visibility .................................... 152
Rear view mirror........................... 152
Headlamp cleaning system .......... 153
Sun visors .................................... 154
Rear window defroster ................. 155
Climate control .................................. 156
Setting the temperature ............... 158
Adjusting air distribution and
volume ......................................... 159
Defrosting .................................... 160
Air recirculation............................ 160
Residual engine heat utilization.... 161
Deactivating the climate control
system ......................................... 162
Air conditioning ............................ 162
Rear passenger compartment
adjustable air vents...................... 163Power windows .................................. 164
Opening and closing the windows. 164
Sliding/pop-up roof ............................ 166
Opening and closing the
sliding/pop-up roof....................... 166
Driving systems .................................. 169
Cruise control ............................... 169
Rear Parking Assist* ..................... 172
Loading............................................... 175
Roof rack ...................................... 175
Cargo compartment cover ............ 175
Enlarged cargo compartment........ 176
Split rear seat bench..................... 176
Partition net* (MB Accessory) ...... 178
Loading instructions ..................... 180
Cargo tie-down rings ..................... 182
Useful features ................................... 183
Interior storage spaces ................. 183
Ashtrays........................................ 186
Cigarette lighter ............................ 188
Electrical outlet ............................. 188
Telephone* ................................... 189
Tele Aid ......................................... 190
Garage door opener ...................... 198
Heated steering wheel .................. 203
Operation.......................................... 205
The first 1000 miles (1500 km) .......... 206
Driving instructions ............................ 207
Drive sensibly – save fuel ............. 207
Drinking and driving...................... 207
Pedals ........................................... 207
Power assistance .......................... 208
Brakes .......................................... 208
Driving off ..................................... 209
Parking ......................................... 209
Tires.............................................. 210
Hydroplaning ................................ 210
Tire traction .................................. 211
Tire speed rating ........................... 211
Winter driving instructions ............ 212
Standing water ............................. 213
Passenger compartment............... 213
Off-road driving ............................. 213
Control and operation of radio
transmitters .................................. 221
Driving abroad .............................. 222
Catalytic converter ....................... 222
Emission control ........................... 222
Coolant temperature .................... 223

23 At a glance
Cockpit
Item
Page
1
Combination switch

Turn signals
46


Windshield wipers
47


High beam
46
2
Headlamp cleaning system
153
3
Cruise control lever
169
4
Instrument cluster
24
5
Lever for voice control sys-
tem*, see separate operat-
ing instructions
Item
Page
6
Starter switch
33
7
Glove box
183
8
Multifunction steering
wheel
26,
116,
203
9
Horn
a
Steering wheel adjustment
stalk
37,
203
b
Exterior lamp switch
46,
104
c
Exterior rear view mirror
adjustment
38

169 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Driving systems
The driving systems of your vehicle are de-
scribed on the following pages:

Cruise control, with which the vehicle
can maintain a preset speed.


Rear Parking Assist*, with which you
can assist your parking maneuvers.
The BAS, ABS, ESP, 4-ETS and EBB driving
systems are described in the “Safety and
Security” section (
page 74).
Cruise control
Cruise control automatically maintains the
speed you set for your vehicle.
Use of cruise control is recommended for
driving at a constant speed for extended
periods of time. You can set or resume
cruise control at any speed over 20 mph
(30 km/h).
The cruise control function is operated by
means of the cruise control lever.
The cruise control lever is the uppermost
lever found on the left-hand side of the
steering column (
page 23).
iThe cruise control should not be acti-
vated during-off road driving.
Warning!
G
Cruise control is a convenience system de-
signed to assist the driver during vehicle op-
eration. The driver is and must always
remain responsible for the vehicle speed
and for safe brake operation.
Only use cruise control if the road, traffic
and weather conditions make it advisable to
travel at a steady speed.

The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on winding roads or in heavy traffic
because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a steady speed.


The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on slippery roads. Rapid changes in
tire traction can result in wheel spin and
loss of control.


Deactivate cruise control when driving
in fog.
The “Resume” function should only be oper-
ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ-
ously set speed and wishes to resume this
particular preset speed.

170 Controls in detailDriving systems1Set current or higher speed
2Set current or lower speed
3Cancel cruise control
4Resume at last set speed
Setting current speed
Accelerate or decelerate to the desired
speed.

Briefly lift1 or depress2 the cruise
control lever.
The current speed is set.

Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Cruise control is activated.Canceling cruise control
There are several ways to cancel cruise
control:

Step on the brake pedal.
or

Briefly push the cruise control lever to
position3.
Cruise control will be canceled. The
last speed set will be stored for later
use.iOn uphill or downhill grades, cruise
control may not be able to maintain the
set speed. Once the grade eases, the
set speed will be resumed.
!Moving gear selector lever to
positionN while driving also cancels
cruise control. However, the gear se-
lector lever should not be moved to
positionN while driving except to coast
when the vehicle is in danger of skid-
ding (e.g. on icy roads).iThe last stored speed is canceled when
you turn off the engine.

171 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Setting a higher speed
Lift the cruise control lever to
position1 and hold it up until the de-
sired speed is reached.

Release the cruise control lever.
The new speed is set.
Setting a lower speed

Depress the cruise control lever to
position2 and hold it down until the
desired speed is reached.

Release the cruise control lever.
The new speed is set.Fine adjustment in 1 mph
(Canada: 1 km/h) increments
Faster

Briefly tip the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow1.
Slower

Briefly tip the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow2.Setting to last stored speed
(“Resume” function)

Briefly push the cruise control lever to
position4.
Cruise control will resume the last set
speed.

Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
iDepressing the accelerator pedal does
not deactivate the cruise control. After
brief acceleration (e.g. for passing), the
cruise control will resume the last
speed set.
iWhen you use the cruise control lever
to decelerate, the transmission will au-
tomatically downshift if the engine’s
braking power does not brake the vehi-
cle sufficiently.
Warning!
G
The speed stored in memory should only be
set again if prevailing road conditions per-
mit. Possible acceleration or deceleration
differences arising from returning to preset
speed could endanger yourself and others.

212 OperationDriving instructionsWinter driving instructions
The most important rule for slippery or icy
roads is to drive sensibly and to avoid
abrupt acceleration, braking and steering
maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control
system under such conditions.
When the vehicle is in danger of skidding,
move gear selector lever to positionN. Try
to keep the vehicle under control by cor-
rective steering action.Road salts and chemicals can adversely af-
fect braking efficiency. Increased pedal
force may become necessary to produce
the normal brake effect.
Depressing the brake pedal periodically
when traveling at length on salt-strewn
roads can bring road-salt-impaired braking
efficiency back to normal.
If the vehicle is parked after being driven
on salt-treated roads, the braking efficien-
cy should be tested as soon as possible af-
ter driving is resumed.
For more information, see “Winter driving”
(
page 240).
iFor information on driving with snow
chains, see “Snow chains”
(page 241).
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of control loss.
Do not engage the transfer case in position
LOW when driving on ice or packed snow. At
speeds below 18 mph (30 km / h) vehicle
steering is adversely affected by the LOW
RANGE – ABS (
page 75).
Warning!
G
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when carrying out these braking ma-
neuvers.
Warning!
G
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make
sure snow is kept clear of the exhaust pipe
and from around the vehicle with the engine
running. Otherwise, deadly carbon monox-
ide (CO) gases may enter vehicle interior re-
sulting in unconsciousness and death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation,
open a window slightly on the side of the ve-
hicle not facing the wind.Warning!
G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
s i g n e d t o s e r v e a s a n i c e - w a r n i n g d e v i c e a n d
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose. In-
dicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice.

215 Operation
Driving instructions
Checklist before off-road driving
Engine oil level

Check the engine oil level
(page 229). The display
ENGINE OIL
LEVEL - OK
must appear in the multi-
function display.
Only then can the vehicle obtain a trou-
ble-free oil supply, even on steep gradi-
ents.
Tires


Check the tread depth and maintain
specified tire pressure (see tire pres-
sure label inside the fuel filler flap).


Check tires for possible damage and
remove foreign objects.


Replace missing valve caps.
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.


Avoid excessive engine
speeds – drive at moderate engine
speeds (max. 3000 rpm).


Before driving through water, deter-
mine its depth.


Do not stop vehicle while immersed
in water, and do not shut off the en-
gine.


In sandy soil, drive at a steady
speed as allowed by conditions.
This helps overcome the vehicle
rolling resistance and reduces the
likelihood of the vehicle sinking into
the ground.


Do not initiate jumps with the vehi-
cle. It interrupts the forward mo-
mentum of the vehicle.


Always drive on slopes with the en-
gine running and the vehicle in
gear.


Inspect the vehicle for possible
damage after each off-road trip.

271 Practical hints
What to do if …
When the
ADD 1.0 QT. ENG. OIL
-
WHEN
NEXT REFUELLING!
(Canada:
1.0 LITER
)
message appears while the engine is run-
ning and at operating temperature, the en-
gine oil level has dropped to approximately
the minimum level.
When this occurs, the warning will first
come on intermittently and then stay on if
the oil level drops further.Visually check for oil leaks. If no obvious oil
leaks are noted, drive to the nearest ser-
vice station where the engine oil should be
topped to the required level with an ap-
proved oil.
Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
Ñ
CRUISE CONTROL
DRIVE TO WORKSHOP!
Cruise control is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.
J
DOOR OPEN!
You are attempting to drive with one or
more doors open.

Close the doors.
e
ENGINE AIR FILTER
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The engine filter is clogged and must be
replaced.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center as soon as
possible.
:
USA only:ADD 1.0 Qt. ENGINE OIL
WHEN NEXT REFUELING!Canada only:ADD 1.0 LITER ENG. OIL
WHEN NEXT REFUELING!
The engine oil level is too low.

Add engine oil (
page 231) and check
the engine oil level (
page 229).
!The engine oil level warnings should
not be ignored. Extended driving with
the symbol displayed could result in se-
rious engine damage that is not cov-
ered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.