2008 MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV ignition

Engine compartment
159Engine oil
Depending on driving style, the vehicle con-
sumes a maximum of 0.8 l oil per 1,000 km.
The oil consumption may be higher than this
when the vehicle is new or if you frequently
drive at high engine speeds. You can only
estimate the oil consumption after you have
driven a considerable distance.
You will find further information about engine
oil in the "Technical data" section
(Y page 279).
Checking the engine oil level To do so:
R
the vehicle should be parked on level
ground.
R the engine should be switched off for at
least five minutes if the engine was at nor-
mal operating temperature.
R the engine should be switched off for at
least 30 minutes if the engine was not at
operating temperature (i.e. if you only star-
ted the engine briefly). Via the on-board computer
i
Only possible on the G 55 AMG. On all
other models, a dipstick is used to check
the engine oil level (Y page 160).
X Make sure that the key is in position 2in
the ignition lock (Y page 59).
X Press konce on the multi-function
steering wheel. The measurement takes a few seconds. You
will see one of the following messages in the
display:
R
Engine oil level OK
R Add 1.0 litre to reach maximum oil
level R
Add 1.5 litres to reach maximum oil
level
R Add 2.0 litres to reach maximum oil
level
X Top up the oil if necessary ( Ypage 160).
Other messages in the multi-function dis-
play
If the engine is at normal operating tempera-
ture and there is too much oil, you will see the
following message: Eng. oil level
Reduce oil level.
X Have excess oil siphoned off.
! There is a risk of damage to the engine or
the catalytic converter if there is excess oil
in the engine.
If the Switch ignition on to check
engine oil level message appears:
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 59).
You will see the following message if you did
not observe the required waiting time:
Observe waiting period Operation
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Tyres and wheels
166 help you decide whether the tyre pressures
should be corrected.
The tyre pressure monitor is not able to
warn you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g.
if the tyre is penetrated by a foreign object.
In the event of a sudden loss of pressure,
bring the vehicle to a halt by braking care-
fully. Do not make any sudden steering
movements when doing so.
i The operation of the tyre pressure moni-
tor can be affected by interference from
radio transmitting equipment (e.g. radio
headphones, two-way radios) that may be
being operated in or near the vehicle.
i If you are carrying a deflated tyre in the
vehicle, you may only reactivate the tyre
pressure monitor if:
R the deflated tyre is no longer in the vehi-
cle
R you have adjusted the tyre pressure cor-
rectly Calling up the tyre pressure by using
the on-board computer X
Make sure that the key is in position 2in
the ignition lock.
The standard display appears in the multi-
function display (Y page 100).
X Press the jork button to select the
tyre pressure function on the multi-function
steering wheel. The current tyre pressure for each wheel will
be displayed.
If the vehicle was parked for longer than
20 minutes, the following message appears:
Tyre pressure displayed only after
driving a few mins.
i
The tyre pressure values indicated by the
on-board computer may differ from those measured at a filling station with a pressure
gauge. The on-board computer will gener-
ally give a more accurate value.
Tyre pressure warning If the tyre pressure on one or more wheels
drops significantly, the following message
appears in the multi-function display:
The tyre pressure of the affected wheel(s) will
be displayed in a red rectangle. You will also
hear a warning tone.
Restarting the tyre pressure monitor
In most cases, the tyre pressure monitor will
automatically detect the new reference val-
ues, e.g. if you have:Operation
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Tyres and wheels
167
R
changed the tyre pressure
R changed the wheels or tyres
R fitted new wheels or tyres
If you wish to define the new reference values
manually:
X Use the table on the inside of the fuel filler
flap to ensure that the tyre pressure is set
correctly in all four tyres for the current
operating conditions.
Also observe the notes in the section on
tyre pressures (Y page 164).
X Make sure that the key is in position 2in
the ignition lock.
The standard display appears in the multi-
function display (Y page 101).
X Press the jork button to select the
Tyre pressure function on the multi-func-
tion steering wheel or wait until the follow-
ing message appears:
Tyre pressure displayed only after
driving a few mins.
X Press the reset button on the left of the
instrument cluster (Y page 96).
The following message appears in the
multi-function display:
Tyre pressure monitor
reactivate?
Yes No
X Press the æbutton on the multi-func-
tion steering wheel.
The following message appears in the
multi-function display:
Tyre pressure monitor restarted
The tyre pressure monitor has stored the
pressure of the tyres as a new reference
value.
If you wish to cancel the restart:
X Press the çbutton on the multi-func-
tion steering wheel.
The tyre pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored. Interchanging the wheels
G
Risk of accident
Interchange the front and rear wheels only
if they have the same dimensions: for exam-
ple size, offset, etc.
After every wheel interchange/change,
have the tightening torque checked at a
qualified specialist workshop that has the
necessary specialist knowledge and tools
to carry out the work required. Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you use a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this pur-
pose. In particular, work relevant to safety
or on safety-related systems must be car-
ried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
The wheels could work loose if they are not
tightened to a torque of 130 Nm.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use wheel bolts of the
correct size which have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The wear patterns on the front and rear tyres
differ depending on the operating conditions.
Interchange the wheels before a clear wear
pattern has formed on the tyres. Front tyres
typically wear more on the shoulders and the
rear tyres in the centre.
Interchange the wheels every 5,000 km to
10,000 km depending on the degree of tyre
wear, provided that the vehicle has the same
size front and rear tyres. Do not reverse the
direction of tyre rotation.
Clean the contact surfaces of the wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a wheel
is interchanged. Check the tyre pressure and
reactivate the tyre pressure monitor* if nec-
essary. Operation
* optional
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Care
182
X
Switch on the ignition.
X Press the èorÿ button to select the
standard display (Y page 101).
X Press the jork button to select the
service information.
The 9 or½ service symbol and the
service due date are displayed. Fuel/water separator*
If the fuel/water separator needs servicing,
the following message appears in the multi-
function display: You will also hear a brief warning tone.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop,
e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre, as
soon as possible. !
If you continue driving without having the
fuel/water separator serviced, this could
cause damage to the engine. Any resulting
damage is not covered by the warranty. H
Environmental note
Dispose of service products in an environ-
mentally-responsible manner. Care
Notes on care
Regular and proper care maintains the value
of your vehicle.
i It is advisable to use Mercedes-Benz care
products.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected
by corrosion and damage caused by inade-
quate care cannot always be completely
repaired. In such cases, visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop immediately, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Repair damage caused by loose chippings
and remove the following substances imme-
diately, whilst avoiding rubbing too hard:
R Soak insect remains with insect remover
and rinse off afterwards.
R Soak bird droppings with water and rinse
off afterwards.
R Remove tree resin, oils, fuels and greases
by rubbing gently with a cloth soaked in
petroleum ether or lighter fluid.
R Use silicone remover to remove wax.
R Use tar remover to remove tar stains. Operation
* optional
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Care
184
Cleaning the wiper blades and the out-
side of the windscreen G
Risk of injury
Before cleaning the windscreen or wiper
blades, turn the key in the ignition lock to
0. The windscreen wipers could otherwise
move and cause injury.
X Turn the key to position 1in the ignition
lock (Y page 59).
X Set the windscreen wipers to position Ion
the combination switch (Y page 82).
X Turn the key to position 0or remove it when
the wiper arms are vertical (Y page 59).
! Only fold the wiper arms away from the
windscreen when they are in a vertical posi-
tion, otherwise you will damage the bonnet.
X Fold the wiper arms away from the wind-
screen until you feel them snap into place.
X Clean the windscreen and the wiper blades.
X Fold the windscreen wipers back again
before the ignition is switched on.
! Do not clean the wiper blades too often
as this will result in the rubber becoming
porous, leading to wiper noise. Cleaning the windows !
Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-
vents to clean the inside of the windows.
Clean the insides of the windows with a
damp cloth or commercially-available glass
cleaner. Avoid touching the inside of the
rear windscreen and the side windows with
hard objects, e.g. ice scrapers or rings. You
could otherwise cause damage to the win-
dows, rear window heating or aerial on the
rear window.
i Anti-glare film retrofitted to the insides of
the windows could interfere with radio or
mobile phone reception, especially if it is
conductive or metal-coated film. Informa-
tion about anti-glare film can be obtained
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Cleaning the headlamps X
Clean the headlamp lenses with a wet
sponge.
! Only use washer fluid which is suitable
for plastic lenses. Unsuitable washer fluid
could damage the plastic lenses of the
headlamps.
Do not use the following: R
dry cloths
R abrasive cleaning agents
R solvents
R cleaning agents containing solvent
You could otherwise scratch or damage the
surface of the lenses.
Plastic trim !
Do not use dry, coarse or hard cloths and
do not scrub. Doing so will scratch or dam-
age the surfaces.
! In order to protect the vehicle's high-qual-
ity surfaces and to retain the overall
appearance, avoid contact with cosmetics
and suntan lotion.
X Wipe plastic parts with a damp, lint-free
cloth (e.g. a microfibre cloth).
X Light soiling: use a low-foaming soap (e.g.
a light liquid hand soap) diluted in water.
X Heavy soiling: use a cleaning agent that is
solvent-free and non-corrosive. Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you use a
Mercedes-Benz cleaning product for this
purpose. Operation
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Display
messages 206 Display messages Possible cause/consequence Possible solution
. Main-beam left
or
Main-beam right The left-hand or right-hand main-beam
headlamp is fa
ulty. X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. . Licence plate
lamp, left
or
Licence plate
lamp, right The left-hand or right-hand licence plate
lamp is faulty. X
Replace the bulb (Y page 235).. Remove key You have left the key in the ignition lock. X
Remove the key from the ignition lock. . Switch off lights
or remove key You have left the key in the ignition lock. X
Remove the key from the ignition lock. . Fog-lamp left
or
Fog-lamp right The front left-hand or right-hand foglamp
is faulty. X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. . Rear foglamp Back-
up bulb on The rear foglamp is faulty. Another lamp
has taken over its function. X
Replace the bulb (Y page 235).. Parking lamp front
left Back-up bulb
on
or
Parking lamp front
right Back-up bulb
on The front left-hand or right-hand parking
lamp is faulty. Another lamp has taken
over its function. X
Replace the bulb (Y page 235).Practical advice
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Troubleshooting
215Problem Possible cause/consequence Suggested solutions
3
The red brake system
warning lamp comes on
while the engine is run-
ning. G
Risk of accident
There is insufficient brake fluid in
the fluid reservoir. X
Do not continue driving under an y circumstances.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop immediately.
X Observe the additional messages in the multi-function display
(Y page 194).
X Under no circumstances should you top up the brake fluid. This will
not rectify the fault. ±
The yellow engine diagnos-
tics warning lamp comes
on while the engine is run-
ning. Vehicles with a diesel engine: the
fuel tank has run dry. X
Start the engine three to four times after refuelling.
Emergency running mode is cancelled. The vehicle need not be
checked. There may be a malfunction:
R
in the fuel injection system
R in the exhaust system
R in the ignition system (on vehi-
cles with a petrol engine)
The emission limit values may be
exceeded and the engine may be
running in emergency mode. X
Have the vehicle checked as soon as possible at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. The engine electronics are mal-
functioning. The engine power
output is reduced. X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop immediately.
X Do not drive at full throttle and do not exceed an engine speed of
2,500 rpm. The diesel particle filter* is full
and can no longer be regenerated
(self-cleaning). X
Have the diesel particle filter* checked at a qualified specialist
workshop as soon as possible. Practical advice
* optional
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Troubleshooting
218 Problem Possible cause/consequence Suggested solutions
You hear a warning tone. Vehicles with automatic trans-
mission:
You have:
R
switched off the engine
R opened the driver's door
R not moved the selector lever to
position P X
Move the selector lever to P.Accident
Problem Possible cause/consequence Suggested solutions
Fuel is leaking from the vehicle.
G
Risk of fire
The fuel line or the fuel tank has
been damaged. The leaking fuel
creates a risk of fire or explosion. X
Switch off the ignition immediatel y.
X Remove the ignition key.
Do not restart the engine under any circumstances. The leaking fuel
creates a risk of fire or explosion.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. You are unable to determine the
extent of the damage. X
Consult a qualified specialist workshop. You cannot detect any damage. X
Start the engine as normal. Practical advice
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