2005 MERCEDES-BENZ G500 transmission

271 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those
standard items which may be replaced) of
automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power
seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that
these items are available as
factory-installed equipment (whether
installed or not).
Air pressure
The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire.
Air pressure is expressed in pounds per
square inch (psi), or kilopascal (kPa) or
bars.
Aspect ratio
Dimensional relationship between tire
section height and section width
expressed in percentage.Bar
Another metric unit for air pressure. There
are 14.5038 pounds per square inch (psi)
to 1 bar; there are 100 kilopascals (kPa)
to 1 bar.
Bead
The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the
rim.
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire inflation pressure when your vehicle
has been sitting for at least three hours or
driven no more than one mile (1.6 km).
Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with stan-
dard equipment including the maximum
capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, and, if so
equipped, air conditioning and additional
optional equipment, but without passen-
gers and cargo.DOT (D
epartment o
f T
ransportation)
A tire branding symbol which denotes the
tire meets requirements of the
U.S. Department of Transportation.
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 indicated on the
Certification label located on the driver’s
door B-pillar.
GTW (G
ross T
railer W
eight)
The GTW is the weight of the trailer plus
the weight of all cargo, equipment, luggage
etc. loaded on the trailer.

318 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
<
SEAT BELT SYSTEM
DRIVE TO WORKSHOP!
The seat belt system is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center as soon as
possible.
§
TC IN NEUTRAL
No gear has been selected in the transfer
case, it is in NEUTRAL.

Engage transfer case to gear position
HIGH or LOW (
page 154).
Warning!
G
If the transfer case is in NEUTRAL, the
Pposition of transmission will not hold vehi-
cle. The parking brake must be applied to
hold vehicle in place.

327 Practical hints
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
3Release strap
Pull strap 3 upwards.
The fuel filler flap is unlocked and can
be opened. Manually unlocking the transmission
gear selector lever
In the case of power failure the transmis-
sion gear selector lever can be manually
unlocked, e.g. to tow the vehicle.
1Pin

Insert a pin1, e.g. ball point pen, into
the covered opening.

Perform the following two steps simul-
taneously:
Push pin1 down.

Move gear selector lever from
positionP.

Remove pin1.
The cover returns to its closed position af-
ter moving the gear selector lever to posi-
tions D+ and D-.iThe gear selector lever is locked again
when moving it to positionP.

357 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.iThe gear selector lever will remain
locked in positionP and the SmartKey
will not turn in the starter switch if the
battery is disconnected or discharged.
For more information, see “Battery”
(page 351) and “Jump starting”
(page 354).
For information on manually unlocking
transmission gear selector lever, see
(page 327).
iTo signal turns while being towed with
hazard warning flasher in use, turn
SmartKey in starter switch to
position2 and activate combination
switch for left or right turn signal in
usual manner – only the selected turn
signal will operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the
hazard warning flasher will operate
again.
!When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, note the following:
With the automatic central locking acti-
vated and the SmartKey in starter
switch position2, the vehicle doors
lock if the wheels are turning at vehicle
speeds of approx. 9 mph (15 km/h) or
more.
To prevent the vehicle doors from lock-
ing, deactivate the automatic central
locking (
page 141).
Towing of the vehicle should only be
done using the towing eye. Never at-
tach tow cable, tow rope or tow rod to
vehicle chassis, frame or suspension
parts.

358 Practical hintsTowing the vehicleTransporting the vehicle
When transporting the vehicle, you can use
the towing eyes for pulling the vehicle onto
a trailer or transporter. 
Move the gear selector lever to posi-
tion N.

Shift the transfer case to neutral posi-
tion N.

To avoid damaging the vehicle, it
should only be tied down on the
wheels / wheel rims, not on chassis
components such as the transverse
link or trailing arm.Towing the vehicle - various problem
scenarios
Comply with all towing information
(page 356).
In case of engine damage, transmission
damage or malfunctions in electrical
equipment

Move the gear selector lever to posi-
tion N.

Shift the transfer case to neutral posi-
tion N.In case of transfer case damage or for
towing vehicle distances exceeding
30 miles (50 km)
The propeller shafts to the drive axles must
be removed.
In case of front axle damage
Raise the front axle when towing. The pro-
peller shaft between the rear axle and the
transfer case must be removed.
In case of rear axle damage
When the rear axle is raised, the vehicle
can only be towed with a wheel lift or a dol-
ly placed under its front wheels.!When removing drive shaft, place M10
nuts on bolts as distance sleeves and
tighten using M8 nuts.
Always install new self-locking nuts
when reinstalling the drive shaft.

374 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Capacities
Vehicle components and their respective
lubricants must match.Therefore use only products tested and ap-
proved by Mercedes-Benz.Please refer to the Factory Approved Ser-
vice Products pamphlet, or inquire at an
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Engine with oil filter
G 500
G55AMG
8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
9.0 US qt (8.5 l)
Approved engine oils
Automatic transmission
9.0 US qt (8.5 l)
MB Automatic Transmission Fluid
Transfer case
2.96 US qt (2.8 l)
MB part no. A 001 989 28 03 10
Differential lock mechanism
0.47 - 0.63 US qt
(0.45 - 0.6 l)
Brake fluid DOT 3+4, SAE J1703
Front axle
G 500
G55AMG
1.5 US qt (1.4 l)
1.5 US qt (1.4 l)
Hypoid gear oil SAE 85W-90
Hypoid gear oil Castrol SAF-XJ
Rear axle
G 500
G55AMG
1.9 US qt (1.8 l)
1.9 US qt (1.8 l)
Hypoid gear oil SAE 85W-90
Hypoid gear oil Castrol SAF-XJ
Power steering
approx. 1.06 US qt (1.0 l)
MB Power Steering Fluid, or
approved Dexron III ATF
Front wheel hubs
approx. 1.5 oz (43 g) each
High temperature roller bearing grease
Fuel tank
including a reserve of
G 500
G55AMG
25.4 US gal (96.0 l)
23.8 US gal (90.0 l)
3.4 US gal (13.0 l)
Premium unleaded gasoline:
Minimum Posted Octane 91
(average of 96 RON / 86 MON)

383 Technical terms
GAWR
(G
ross A
xle W
eight R
ating)
(
page 271)
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.
GPS
(Global P
ositioning S
ystem)
Satellite-based system for relaying
geographic location information to and
from vehicles equipped with special re-
ceivers. Employs CD digital maps for
navigation.
GVW
(G
ross V
ehicle W
eight)
(
page 272)
GTW
(Gross T
railer W
eight)
(
page 271)GVWR
(G
ross V
ehicle W
eight R
ating)
(
page 272)
Instrument cluster
The displays and indicator/warning
lamps in the driver’s field of vision, in-
cluding the tachometer, speedometer,
engine temperature and fuel gauge.
Kickdown
Depressing the accelerator past the
point of resistance shifts the transmis-
sion down to the lowest possible gear.
This very quickly accelerates the vehi-
cle and should not be used for normal
acceleration needs.
Kilopascal (kPa)
(page 272)
Line of fall
The direct line that an object moves
downhill when influenced by the force
of gravity alone. Lock button
Button on the door which indicates
whether the door is locked or un-
locked. Pushing the lock button down
on an individual door from inside will
lock that door.
Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles)
Maintenance service indicator in the
speedometer display that informs the
driver when the next vehicle mainte-
nance service is due. The Maintenance
System tracks distance driven and the
time elapsed since your last mainte-
nance service, and calls for the next
maintenance service accordingly.
Maximum load rating
(
page 272)
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
(page 272)
Maximum tire inflation pressure
(page 272)

384 Technical termsMemory function*
Used to store three individual seat,
steering wheel and mirror positions for
each SmartKey.
MON
(M
otor O
ctane N
umber)
The Motor Octane Number for gasoline
as determined by a standardized meth-
od. It is an indication of a gasoline's
ability to resist undesired detonation
(knocking). The average of both the
MON (Motor Octane Number) and
->RON (Research Octane Number) is
posted at the pump, also known as
ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.
Multifunction display
A display field in the instrument cluster
used to present information provided
by the control system.
Normal occupant weight
(
page 272)Overspeed range
Engine speeds within the red marking
of the tachometer dial. Avoid this en-
gine speed range, as it may result in se-
rious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Poly-V-belt drive
Drives engine-components (alternator,
AC compressor, etc.) from the engine.
Power train
Collective term designating all compo-
nents used to generate and transmit
motive power to the drive axles, includ-
ing


Engine


Clutch/torque converter


Transmission


Transfer case


Drive shaft


Differential


Axle shafts/axlesProduction options weight
(
page 272)
PSI
(Pounds per square i
nch)
(
page 272)
Recommended tire inflation pressure
(page 272)
Rear Parking Assist*
System which uses visual and acoustic
signals to assist the driver during park-
ing maneuvers.
REST
(Residual engine heat utilization)
Feature that uses the engine heat
stored in the coolant to heat the vehi-
cle interior for a short time after the en-
gine has been turned off.
Restraint system
Seat belts, belt tensioner, airbags and
child seat restraint systems. As inde-
pendent systems, their protective func-
tions complement one another.