2006 MERCEDES-BENZ G55AMG ESP

92 Controls in detail
In the “Controls in detail” section you will
find detailed information on how to oper-
ate the equipment installed in your vehicle.
If you are already familiar with the basic
functions of your vehicle, this section will
be of particular interest to you.
To quickly familiarize yourself with the ba-
sic functions of the vehicle, refer to the
“Getting started” section of this manual.
The corresponding page numbers are giv-
en at the beginning of each segment.
Locking and unlocking
SmartKey
Your vehicle comes supplied with two
SmartKeys, each with remote control and
a removable mechanical key. The locking
tabs for the mechanical key portion of the
two SmartKeys are a different color to help
distinguish each SmartKey unit.
The SmartKey provides an extended oper-
ating range. To prevent theft, however, it is
advisable to only unlock the vehicle when
you are in close proximity to it.
The SmartKey centrally locks and unlocks:

the doors

the tailgate

the fuel filler flap
SmartKey with remote control
1‹ Lock button
2Locking tab for mechanical key
3ΠUnlock button
4Battery check lamp
5Â Panic button (
page 79)
i
You can also open and close the power
windows (
page 176) and tilt/sliding
sunroof (
page 179) using the
SmartKey.

97 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Front doors
Pull on door handle2 on the respec-
tive front door to open it.
If the door was locked, locking knob1
moves up.
Rear doors
Pull up locking knob1 on the respec-
tive rear door to unlock door.
Pull on door handle2 on the unlocked
door to open it.
Opening the tailgate Opening the tailgate from the outside
1Lock cylinder
2Handle
Press lock cylinder1 and pull on tail-
gate handle2.
Open the tailgate to the side.
Warning!G
The tailgate swings open to one side. Always
make sure there is sufficient clearance for
the tailgate.
Only drive with the tailgate closed as other-
wise exhaust fumes may enter the vehicle
interior.
i
The vehicle must be unlocked.

98 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Opening the tailgate from inside
1Locking knob
2Inside door handle
Pull on door handle2.
If door was locked, pull up locking
knob1 to unlock the tailgate. Then
pull on door handle2 to open the
tailgate.
Closing the tailgateAutomatic central locking
The doors and the tailgate automatically
lock when ignition is switched on and the
wheels are turning at vehicle speeds of ap-
proximately 9 mph (15 km/h) or more.
You can open a locked door from the in-
side. Open door only when conditions are
safe to do so.
You can deactivate the automatic locking
mode using the control system
(
page 142).
Warning!G
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip-
ment may cause an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
Warning!G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the tail-
gate opening when closing the tailgate. Be
especially careful when small children are
around.
Warning!G
Only drive with the tailgate closed as other-
wise exhaust fumes may enter the vehicle
interior.
i
To prevent an inadvertent lockout, do
not place the SmartKey in the cargo
compartment.
i
The doors and the tailgate unlock auto-
matically after an accident if the force
of the impact exceeds a preset
threshold.
To prevent the vehicle door locks from
locking, deactivate the automatic
central locking when the vehicle

is pushed

is on a test stand

108 Controls in detail
Memory function
1Memory button
2Stored position buttons
Switch on the ignition (page 35).
or
Open the respective door and insert
the SmartKey in the starter switch.
Storing positions into memory
Adjust the seats, steering wheel and
exterior rear view mirrors to the de-
sired position (
page 37).
Press memory button1.
Release memory button and push posi-
tion button2 within three seconds.
All the settings are stored at the select-
ed position.
Recalling positions from memory
Press and hold position button2 until
the seat, steering wheel and rear view
mirrors have fully moved to the stored
positions.
i
Releasing the button immediately
stops movement to the stored posi-
tions.
Warning!G
Do not operate the power seats using the
memory button if the seat backrest is in an
excessively reclined position. Doing so
could cause damage to front or rear seats.
First move seat backrest to an upright posi-
tion.

111 Controls in detail
Lighting
Manual headlamp mode
The low beam headlamps and the parking
lamps can be switched on and off with the
exterior lamp switch.
Automatic headlamp mode
The following lamps switch on and off au-
tomatically depending on the brightness of
the ambient light:

Low beam headlamps

Tail and parking lamps

License plate lamps

Side marker lamps
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionU.
With the SmartKey in starter switch
position1 only the parking lamps will
switch on and off automatically.
When the engine is running, the low
beam headlamps, the tail and parking
lamps, the license plate lamps, and the
side marker lamps will switch on and
off automatically.
i
With the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch and the driver’s door
open, a warning sounds if the parking
lamps or low beam headlamps are
switched on.
The message
TURN OFF LIGHTS! ap-
pears in the multifunction display.
Warning!G
If the exterior lamp switch is set toU,

the headlamps may switch off unexpect-
edly when the system senses bright am-
bient light, for example light from
oncoming traffic.

the headlamps will not be automatically
switched on under foggy conditions.
To minimize risk to you and to others,
activate headlamps by turning exterior
lamp switch to B when driving or
when traffic and / or ambient lighting
conditions require you to do so.
In low ambient lighting conditions, only
switch from position U to B with
the vehicle at a standstill in a safe loca-
tion. Switching from U to B will
briefly switch off the headlamps. Doing
so while driving in low ambient lighting
conditions may result in an accident.
The automatic headlamp feature is only an
aid to the driver. The driver is responsible for
the operation of the vehicle’s lights at all
times.

112 Controls in detail
Lighting
Daytime running lamp mode
Turn exterior lamp switch to
positionM orU.
When the engine is running, the low
beam headlamps are switched on.
In low ambient light conditions, the
following lamps will switch on
additionally:

Tail and parking lamps

License plate lamps

Side marker lamps
For nighttime driving, you should turn the
exterior lamp switch to positionB to
permit activation of the high beam head-
lamps.Canada only:
The daytime running lamp mode is manda-
tory and therefore in a constant mode.
Vehicles with automatic transmission*:
When the engine is running, and you shift
from a driving position to positionN orP,
the low beam headlamps will switch off
with a three-minute delay.
When the engine is running, and you

turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionC, the parking lamps
switch on additionally.

turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB, the manual headlamp
mode has priority over the daytime run-
ning lamp mode.
The corresponding exterior lamps
switch on (
page 110).USA only:
By default, the daytime running lamp mode
is deactivated. Activate the daytime run-
ning lamp mode using the control system,
see “Setting daytime running lamp mode”
(
page 138).
When the engine is running, and you turn
the exterior lamp switch to
positionCorB, the manual head-
lamp mode has priority over the daytime
running lamp mode.
The corresponding exterior lamps switch
on (
page 110).
i
With the daytime running lamp mode
and the exterior lamp switch in
positionM you cannot switch on the
high beam headlamps.
The high beam flasher is available at all
times.

119 Controls in detail
Lighting
Switching off
Open the tailgate.
Press door lock1 down until it
engages (arrow).Switching on
Press lock cylinder2 to activate the
cargo compartment lamps again.
The cargo compartment lamps will
switch on.
!
Do not close the tailgate if the lock is
engaged in down position. The lock
could otherwise be damaged.
When locking the tailgate, it is impor-
tant that the door lock be in the same
original position as shown in the illus-
tration.
To return the door lock1 to its origi-
nal position, press lock cylinder2.
Warning!G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the tail-
gate opening when closing the tailgate. Be
especially careful when small children are
around.
Only drive with the tailgate closed as other-
wise exhaust fumes may enter the vehicle
interior.

122 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
Outside temperature indicator
The outside temperature is displayed in
the multifunction display (
page 123).
For information on how to select the unit of
the displayed temperature, i.e. degrees
Celsius (°C) or degrees Fahrenheit (°F),
see “Selecting temperature display mode”
(
page 136).The temperature sensor is located in the
front bumper area. Due to its location, the
sensor can be affected by road or engine
heat during idling or slow driving. This
means that the accuracy of the displayed
temperature can only be verified by com-
parison to a thermometer placed next to
the sensor, not by comparison to external
displays (e.g. bank signs, etc.).When moving the vehicle into colder ambi-
ent temperatures (e.g. when leaving your
garage), you will notice a delay before the
lower temperature is displayed.
A delay also occurs when ambient temper-
atures rise. This prevents inaccurate tem-
perature indications caused by heat
radiated from the engine during idling or
slow driving.
Warning!G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.