Contents
Operation......................................... 217
The first 1000 miles (1500 km) ......... 218
Driving instructions ............................ 220
Drive sensibly – save fuel ............. 220
Drinking and driving ..................... 220
Pedals .......................................... 220
Power assistance ......................... 221
Brakes .......................................... 221
Driving off..................................... 222
Parking ......................................... 222
Tires ............................................. 223
Hydroplaning ................................ 224
Tire traction .................................. 224
Tire speed rating .......................... 225
Winter driving instructions ........... 225
Standing water ............................. 226
Passenger compartment .............. 227
Off-road driving ............................ 227
Control and operation of
radio transmitters......................... 235
Driving abroad .............................. 236
Catalytic converter ....................... 236
Emission control........................... 237
Coolant temperature .................... 238At the gas station .............................. 239
Refueling ...................................... 239
Check regularly and before
a long trip ..................................... 240
Engine compartment ......................... 242
Hood ............................................ 242
Engine oil ..................................... 243
Transmission fluid level ................ 248
Coolant level ................................ 248
Windshield/rear window
washer system and headlamp
cleaning system ........................... 249
Battery ............................................... 251
Tires and wheels ................................ 252
Important guidelines .................... 252
Tire care and maintenance ........... 253
Direction of rotation ..................... 255
Loading the vehicle ...................... 255
Recommended tire inflation
pressure ....................................... 260
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 261
Tire labeling.................................. 263
Load identification ....................... 267
DOT, Tire Identification Number
(TIN) ............................................. 268
Maximum tire load ....................... 269Maximum tire inflation pressure .. 270
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) ............. 271
Tire ply material ........................... 273
Tire and loading terminology ........ 273
Rotating tires ............................... 276
Winter driving .................................... 278
Winter tires .................................. 278
Block heater (Canada only) .......... 279
Snow chains................................. 279
Maintenance...................................... 280
Clearing the maintenance
service indicator .......................... 281
Maintenance service term
exceeded ..................................... 281
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator .......................... 281
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator .......................... 282
Vehicle care....................................... 283
Cleaning and care of the vehicle .. 283
Contents
Technical data.................................. 365
Parts service ...................................... 366
Warranty coverage ............................. 367
Loss of Service and Warranty
Information Booklet...................... 367
Identification labels............................ 368
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ................. 369
G 500 ........................................... 369
G 55 AMG..................................... 369
Engine ................................................ 370
Rims and tires .................................... 371
Rims and Tires.............................. 372
Spare wheels ................................ 373
Electrical system................................ 374
Main dimensions, vehicle weights
and ratings ......................................... 375
Main dimensions .......................... 375
Vehicle weights and ratings ......... 375Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. ......... 376
Capacities .................................... 376
Engine oils.................................... 377
Engine oil additives ...................... 378
Air conditioning refrigerant .......... 378
Brake fluid .................................... 378
Premium unleaded gasoline ......... 378
Fuel requirements ........................ 379
Gasoline additives ........................ 379
Coolants....................................... 380
Anticorrosion/antifreeze.............. 381
Windshield/rear window
washer system and headlamp
cleaning system ........................... 382Technical terms............................... 383
Index................................................. 389
56 Getting started
Driving
The coolant temperature is above
248°F (120°C)
The coolant is too hot and is no longer
cooling the engine.
Stop the vehicle as soon as possible
and turn off the engine. Allow engine
and coolant to cool.
Check the coolant level and add cool-
ant if necessary (
page 248).In case of accident
If the vehicle is leaking gasoline:
Do not start the engine under any
circumstances.
Notify local fire and/or police
authorities.
If the extent of the damage cannot be
determined:
Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.
If no damage can be determined on the
major assemblies
fuel system
engine mount:
Start the engine in the usual manner.
i
Excessive coolant temperatures trigger
a warning message in the multifunction
display (
page 308).
120 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
A full view illustration of the instrument
cluster can be found in the “At a glance”
section of this manual (
page 24).
1Reset button
The instrument cluster is activated when
you:
Open a door.
Switch on ignition.
Press reset button1.
Switch on the exterior lamps.
You can change the instrument cluster set-
tings in the Instrument cluster submenu of
the control system (
page 136).
Instrument cluster illumination
Use the reset button to adjust the illumina-
tion brightness for the instrument cluster.
To brighten illumination
Turn reset button1 in the instrument
cluster clockwise.
The instrument cluster illumination will
brighten.To dim illumination
Turn reset button1 in the instrument
cluster counterclockwise.
The instrument cluster illumination will
dim.
Coolant temperature display
i
The instrument cluster illumination is
dimmed or brightened automatically to
suit ambient light conditions.
The instrument cluster illumination will
also be adjusted automatically when
you switch on the vehicle’s exterior
lamps.
Warning!G
Driving when your engine is badly over-
heated can cause some fluids which
may have leaked into the engine com-
partment to catch fire. You could be se-
riously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns and can occur just
by opening the hood. Stay away from
the engine if you see or hear steam com-
ing from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.
121 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
Switch on the ignition (page 35).
Call up the trip odometer and main
odometer (
page 123) by pressing
buttonè orÿ on the multifunc-
tion steering wheel (
page 124).
Press buttonj ork until the
coolant temperature display appears.During severe operating conditions, e.g.
stop-and-go traffic, the coolant tempera-
ture may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature above 248°F
(120°C). Doing so may cause serious en-
gine damage which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Trip odometer
Make sure you are viewing the trip
odometer display (
page 123).
If it is not displayed, press buttonè
orÿ on the multifunction steering
wheel (
page 124) until the trip
odometer appears.
Press and hold the reset button on the
instrument cluster (
page 120) until
the trip odometer is reset.
Tachometer
The red marking on the tachometer de-
notes excessive engine speed.
To help protect the engine, the fuel supply
is interrupted if the engine is operated
within the red marking.
i
Excessive coolant temperature triggers
a warning in the multifunction display
(
page 308).
!
Avoid driving at excessive engine
speeds, as it may result in serious en-
gine damage that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
127 Controls in detail
Control system
Menus, submenus and functions
Menu1Menu2Menu3Menu4Menu5Menu6Menu7
Standard
displayAUDIONAVIVehicle status
message
memorySettingsTrip computerTEL
(page 128)(page 128)(page 130)(page 131)(page 132)(page 145)(page 146)
Commands/submenu
Coolant
temperature
displaySelect radio
stationShow route guid-
ance instruc-
tions, current
direction trav-
eledCall up vehicle
malfunction,
warning and
system status
messages stored
in memoryReset to factory
settingsFuel
consumption
statistics after
startLoad phone book
Digital
speedometerSelect satellite
radio station*
(USA only)Instrument
cluster submenuFuel
consumption
statistics since
the last resetSearch for name
in phone book
Call up mainte-
nance service
indicatorOperate CD
playerLighting
submenuCall up range
Check engine oil
levelVehicle submenu
Convenience
submenu
128 Controls in detail
Control system
Standard display menu
Press buttonk orj to select
the functions in the standard display
menu.
The following functions are available:
Display digital speedometer
Press buttonj twice.
The current vehicle speed is shown in
the multifunction display.
AUDIO menu
The functions in the
AUDIO menu operate
the audio equipment which you currently
have turned on.
If no audio equipment is currently turned
on, the message
AUDIO OFF is shown in the
display.
The following functions are available:
i
The headings used in the menus table
are designed to facilitate navigation
within the system and are not neces-
sarily identical to those shown in the
control system displays.
The first function displayed in each
menu will automatically show you
which part of the system you are in.
FunctionPage
Call up coolant temperature
display120
Call up digital speedometer128
Call up maintenance service
indicator281
Check engine oil level244
FunctionPage
Select radio station129
Select satellite radio station*
(USA only)129
Operate CD player130
238 Operation
Driving instructions
Coolant temperature
During severe operating conditions, e.g.
stop-and-go city traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise to approx. 248°F
(120°C).
The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature above 248°F
(120°C). Doing so may cause serious en-
gine damage which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
i
Excessive coolant temperatures trigger
a warning message in the multifunction
display (
page 308).
Warning!G
Driving when your engine is badly over-
heated can cause some fluids which
may have leaked into the engine com-
partment to catch fire. You could be se-
riously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns and can occur just
by opening the hood. Stay away from
the engine if you see or hear steam com-
ing from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.