2008 MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV warning light

Occupant safety
37G
Risk of injury
The airbag parts are hot after the airbag has
been deployed. Do not touch them, other-
wise you may burn yourself.
Have the airbags checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. Otherwise, occupants
are not protected by the airbags in the
event of another accident.
Front airbags
The front airbags are designed to increase
protection for the driver's and front-
passenger head and chest.
The driver's front airbag and front-passenger
front airbag are deployed:
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of vehicle acceleration or deceleration in a
longitudinal direction
R if the system determines that airbag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
R if the seat belt is fastened
R independently of other airbags in the vehi-
cle
R if the vehicle overturns, but only if the sys-
tem detects high vehicle deceleration in a
longitudinal direction 1
Driver's front airbag
2 Front-passenger front airbag
Driver's front airbag 1deploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger front airbag
2 deploys in front of and above the glove
compartment.
Front-passenger front airbag 2is only
deployed if the front-passenger seat is occu-
pied or if the 5PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
warning lamp in the centre console is not lit
(Y page 40). This means that a child
restraint system with automatic child seat
recognition has not been fitted or has been
fitted incorrectly.
! Do not place heavy objects on the front-
passenger seat. The system might errone-
ously interpret this as a person occupying
the seat and the restraint systems on the front-passenger seat may then be triggered
in the event of an accident and would have
to be replaced.
Windowbags (long-wheelbase station
wagon)
The purpose of the windowbags is to enhance
the level of protection for the head (but not
chest or arms) of the vehicle occupants on
the side of the vehicle on which the impact
occurs.
The windowbags are integrated into the side
of the roof frame and run from the front door
(A-pillar) to the rear door (C-pillar). 1
Windowbags Safety
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Occupant safety
39G
Risk of injury
To reduce the risk of serious or even fatal
injury to the child in the event of a sudden
change in direction, braking or an accident:
R children less than 1.50 m tall and under
twelve years of age must always be
secured in special child restraint systems
on a suitable vehicle seat. This is neces-
sary because the seat belts are not
designed for children of this size.
R do not secure children under twelve
years of age on the front-passenger seat.
Exception: the child is secured in a vehi-
cle with automatic child seat recognition
on the front-passenger seat and is
secured in a child restraint system with
automatic child seat recognition.
R If you secure a child restraint system to
the front-passenger seat where auto-
matic child seat recognition is not instal-
led, you must move the front-passenger
seat as far back as possible.
R children must never travel sitting on the
lap of another occupant. Due to the
forces occurring in the event of a sudden
change of direction, heavy braking or an
accident, it would not be possible to
restrain the child. The child could be thrown against parts of the vehicle inte-
rior and be seriously or even fatally
injured.
G
Risk of injury
The child restraint system cannot perform
its protective function if is not correctly fit-
ted to a suitable vehicle seat. The child can-
not be restrained in the event of a sudden
change of direction, heavy braking or an
accident. This may lead to serious or even
fatal injuries. For this reason, when fitting
a child restraint system, observe the man-
ufacturer's installation instructions and the
correct use of the child restraint system.
Child restraint systems should preferably
be fitted to the rear seats. Children are gen-
erally better protected there.
The entire base of the child restraint system
must always rest on the seat cushion.
Never place objects, e.g. a cushion, under
the child restraint system.
Only use child restraint systems with their
original covers. Only replace damaged cov-
ers with genuine Mercedes-Benz covers.
For safety reasons, you should only use
child restraint systems which have been approved for use in Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cles.
Child seat on the front-passenger seat Example of a warning sticker on the front-
passenger sun visor
Warning symbol for a rearward-facing child
restraint system Safety
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Occupant safety
40 G
Risk of injury
If the front-passenger front airbag is not
disabled:
R a child secured in a child restraint system
on the front-passenger seat could be
seriously and even fatally injured by the
front-passenger front airbag deploying.
This is especially a risk if the child is in
the immediate vicinity of the front-
passenger front airbag when it deploys.
R a child must never be secured on the
front-passenger seat in a rearward-facing
child restraint system. Only secure a
rearward-facing child restraint system on
a suitable rear seat.
R always move the front-passenger seat to
the rearmost position if you secure a
child in a forward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat.
The front-passenger front airbag is not dis-
abled:
R on vehicles without automatic child seat
recognition on the front-passenger seat.
R in vehicles with automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat, if
there is no child restraint system with automatic child seat recognition fitted to
the front-passenger seat.
R on vehicles with automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat if
the 5 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warn-
ing lamp is not lit.
To draw attention to this danger, there is an
appropriate warning sticker on the dash-
board as well as on both sides of the sun
visor on the front-passenger side.
Information about recommended child
restraint systems is available at any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Automatic child seat recognition on the
front-passenger seat
The indicator lamp is located on the centre
console. 1
5 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning
lamp
The front-passenger seat sensor system for
child restraint systems detects whether a
special Mercedes-Benz child seat with auto-
matic child seat recognition has been fitted.
In such cases, 5PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF indicator lamp 1lights up. The front-
passenger airbag is deactivated. G
Risk of injury
If the 5 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warn-
ing lamp does not light up when the child
restraint system is fitted, the front-
passenger front airbag has not been disa-
bled. If the front-passenger front airbag is
deployed, the child could be seriously or
even fatally injured. Safety
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Occupant safety
41Proceed as follows:
R
do not use a rearward-facing child
restraint system on the front-passenger
seat.
R fit a rearward-facing child restraint sys-
tem on a suitable rear seat.
or
R only use a forward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat and
move the front-passenger seat to its rear-
most position.
R have the automatic child seat recognition
checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
To ensure that the automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat func- tions correctly, never place objects (such
as a cushion) under the child restraint sys-
tem. The entire base of the child restraint
system must always rest on the seat cush-
ion. An incorrectly fitted child restraint sys-
tem cannot perform its intended protective
function in the event of an accident, and
could lead to injuries.
i The windowbags and the belt tensioner
on the front-passenger side are still active
even if the front-passenger front airbag is
disabled. G
Risk of injury
Do not place items of electronic equipment
on the front-passenger seat, e.g.:
R laptops, when switched on
R mobile phones
R cards with transponders, e.g. ski passes
or access cards Signals from electronic equipment can
cause interference in the automatic child
seat recognition sensor system. This could
lead to a system malfunction. This may
cause the
5PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
warning lamp to light up without there
being a child seat with automatic child seat
recognition fitted. This means that the
front-passenger airbag does not deploy
during an accident. It is also possible that
the 5 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning
lamp will not light up briefly if you turn the
key in the ignition lock to position 2. Safety
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Driving safety sys
tems48 conditions. Maintain sufficient distance
from other road users and objects on the
road. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle when braking.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h
upwards, regardless of road surface condi-
tions. ABS works on slippery surfaces, even
when you only brake gently. G
Risk of accident
Do not depress the brake pedal several
times in quick succession (pumping).
Depress the brake firmly and evenly. Pump-
ing the brake pedal reduces the braking
effect.
Braking If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel
a pulsing in the brake pedal.
X If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking sit-
uation is over. X
To make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force. G
Risk of accident
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. This limits the steerability of the
vehicle when braking and the braking dis-
tance may increase.
If ABS is deactivated due to a malfunction,
then BAS, ESP ®
and 4ETS are also deacti-
vated. There is an increased risk of your
vehicle skidding in certain situations.
You should always adapt your driving style
to suit prevailing road and weather condi-
tions. BAS (Brake Assist)
BAS operates in emergency braking situa-
tions. If you depress the brake pedal quickly,
BAS automatically boosts the braking force,
thus shortening the stopping distance.
X Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed until
the emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated. G
Risk of accident
If BAS has malfunctioned, the braking sys-
tem remains available with full brake boost-
ing effect. However, braking force is not
automatically increased in emergency
braking situations and the stopping dis-
tance may increase. ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between tyres and
the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilise the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified, if
necessary, to keep the vehicle on the desired
course within physical limits. ESP ®
assists
the driver when pulling away on wet or slip-
pery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilise the vehi-
cle during braking.
When ESP ®
intervenes, the vwarning
lamp flashes in the speedometer. G
Risk of accident
If the v warning lamp in the speedom-
eter flashes, proceed as follows: Safety
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Driving safety sys
tems 49R
do not deactivate ESP ®
under any cir-
cumstances.
R only depress the accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
R adapt your driving style to suit the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
The vehicle could otherwise go into a skid.
ESP ®
cannot reduce the risk of an accident
if you drive too fast. ESP ®
cannot override
the laws of physics.
! If:
R the vehicle is being towed with the front
or rear axle raised,
R the parking brake is being tested using a
dynamometer,
the ignition must be switched off (key in
position 0or 1in the ignition lock). Other-
wise, application of the brakes by ESP ®
could destroy the brake system on the front
or rear axle.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a twin-axle dyna-
mometer. If you wish to operate the vehicle
on such a dynamometer, please consult a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre in advance. You could otherwise damage the drive train
or the brake system.
i If differential locks are switched on, ABS,
BAS and ESP ®
switch themselves off auto-
matically.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
Activating/deactivating ESP ® ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is running.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel G
Risk of accident
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin. If you deactivate ESP
®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels can spin. Spinning of the
wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
R and are driving at above 60 km/h, ESP ®
still intervenes when one wheel reaches its
grip limit even though it is switched off.
i If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more
wheels start to spin, the vwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehi-
cle. Safety
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Driving safety sys
tems501
Activating/deactivating ESP ®
X To deactivate: press button1until the
v warning lamp in the speedometer
lights up. G
Risk of accident
If the v warning lamp in the speedom-
eter is continuously lit when the engine is
running, ESP ®
is deactivated or not availa-
ble due to a malfunction. There is an
increased risk of your vehicle skidding in
certain situations.
You should always adapt your driving style
to suit prevailing road and weather condi-
tions. X
To activate: press button 1until the
v warning lamp in the speedometer
goes out. EBV (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
EBV monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability under braking. G
Risk of accident
If EBV is malfunctioning, the brake system
is still available with full brake boosting
effect. However, the rear wheels can still
lock, e.g. under full braking. This could
cause you to lose control of your vehicle
and cause an accident. You should there-
fore adapt your driving style to the different
handling characteristics. 4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
4ETS makes it possible to pull away or accel-
erate on a slippery surface. It brakes the
wheels individually if they start to spin.
The v warning lamp in the speedometer
lights up briefly when the engine is started.
This indicates that the warning lamp is opera-
tional.
4ETS switches itself on if at least one tyre has
reached its grip limit. It brakes wheels indi-
vidually until enough traction has been
attained.
4ETS remains active when you deactivate
ESP ®
.
4ETS is no longer active above a speed of
about 60 km/h.
The v warning lamp in the speedometer
flashes at any speed if at least one tyre has
exceeded its tyre grip limit. Safety
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Anti-theft syste
ms 51G
Risk of accident
If the v warning lamp in the speedom-
eter flashes, proceed as follows:
R only depress the accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
R accelerate less when driving.
R adapt your driving style to suit the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
Otherwise, the vehicle could go into a skid.
If you drive too fast, 4ETS cannot reduce
the risk of an accident. 4ETS cannot over-
ride the laws of physics.
! If:
R the vehicle is being towed with the front
or rear axle raised,
R the parking brake is being tested using a
dynamometer,
the ignition must be switched off (key in
position 0or 1in the ignition lock). Other-
wise, application of the brakes by 4ETS
could destroy the brake system on the front
or rear axle. Anti-theft systems
Immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
X To activate: remove the key from the igni-
tion lock.
X To deactivate: turn the key to position 2
in the ignition lock. ATA* (anti-theft alarm system)
A visual and audible alarm is triggered when
the alarm system is primed and you open:
R a door
R a door using the emergency key element
R the rear door or tailgate (convertible)
R the bonnet
The alarm is also triggered if:
R the position of the vehicle is changed.
R a window is smashed.
The alarm is not switched off even if you close
a door again. 1
Indicator lamp
X To prime: lock the vehicle using the key.
Indicator lamp 1flashes. The alarm sys-
tem is primed after approximately 15 sec-
onds.
X To deactivate: unlock the vehicle using the
key.
i If you then do not open a side door or the
rear door, the alarm system switches itself
back on again after approximately 40 sec-
onds. Safety
* optional
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