2008 MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV catalytic converter

Driving and pa
rking 87
Further information about the automatic
transmission (Y
page 89).
Starting the engine X
Apply the parking brake.
X To start a petrol engine: turn the key to
position 3in the ignition lock (Y page 59)
and release it as soon as the engine is run-
ning.
X To start a diesel engine: turn the key to
position 2in the ignition lock .
The q preglow indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X When the qpreglow indicator lamp
goes out, turn the key to position 3and
release it as soon as the engine is running.
i You can start the engine without preglow
if the engine is warm. Pulling away
! Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
Only shift into reverse gear when the vehi-
cle is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. You could otherwise damage the
drive train.
i It is only possible to move the selector
lever to the desired position if you depress
the brake pedal. Only then is the selector
lever lock released.
X Depress the brake pedal and hold it down.
X Release the parking brake.
X Move the selector lever to position Dor R.
i Wait until the shift process is completed
before pulling away.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
AAS (Start-off Assist) AAS helps you when pulling away on uphill
gradients. It holds the vehicle for a short time
after you have removed your foot from the
brake pedal. This gives you enough time to
move your foot from the brake pedal to the
accelerator pedal and depress it before the
vehicle begins to roll back. G
Risk of accident
Never leave the vehicle when it is held by
start-off assist. After approximately one
second, AAS stops holding your vehicle and
it could roll away.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Pull away.
i Once you have taken your foot off the
brake pedal, the vehicle is held for around
one second.
AAS does not function if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or a
downhill gradient
R the selector lever is in the Nposition Controls
463_AKB; 1; 8, en-GB
wobuchh
,V ersion: 2.10.6
2008-07-17T15:19:41+02:00 - Seite 87 ZDateiname: 6515_4091_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight

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
463_AKB; 1; 8, en-GB
wobuchh,
Version: 2.10.6 2008-07-17T15:19:41+02:00 - Seite 159 ZDateiname: 6515_4091_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight

Engine compartment
161G 320 CDI
1
Cap
X Unscrew cap 1and remove it.
X Top up with the amount of oil required.
! Do not add too much oil. If too much oil
is added and the oil level is above the max-
imum mark on the dipstick, the engine or
catalytic converter could be damaged.
Have excess oil siphoned off.
X Screw cap 1onto the filler neck. H
Environmental note
When topping up the oil, take care not to
spill any. Oil must not be allowed to escape
into the soil or waterways. You would oth-
erwise be damaging the environment. Oil level in the automatic transmis-
sion
There is no need for you to check the oil level
in the automatic transmission. In the event of
oil loss or problems with gearshifts, have the
automatic transmission checked at a quali-
fied specialist workshop, e.g. at a Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre. Coolant
G
Risk of injury
The cooling system is pressurised. There-
fore, only unscrew the cap once the engine
has cooled down. This means the coolant
temperature gauge must display less than
70 °C. You could otherwise be scalded by
escaping hot coolant.
Coolant consists of water and antifreeze/cor-
rosion inhibitor. Only check the coolant level
when the vehicle is on a level surface and the
engine has cooled down. Checking the coolant level The expansion tank is located in the engine
compartment on the right-hand side of the
vehicle when viewed in the direction of travel.
1
Cap
X Slowly turn cap 1by half a turn in the
direction of the arrow to release excess
pressure.
X Unscrew cap 1completely and remove it.
X Turn cap 2further anti-clockwise and
remove it.
There is sufficient coolant in the expansion
tank if the coolant is level with the mark in
the expansion tank when the coolant is cold
or approximately 1.5 cm higher when hot. Operation
463_AKB; 1; 8, en-GB
wobuchh,
Version: 2.10.6
2008-07-17T15:19:41+02:00 - Seite 161 ZDateiname: 6515_4091_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight

Display
messages 207Display messages Possible cause/consequence Possible solution
. Reversing lamp The reversing lamp is fa
ulty. X
Replace the bulb (Y page 235). . Tail lamp left
Back-up bulb on
or
Tail lamp right
Back-up bulb on The left-hand or right-hand tail lamp is
faulty. Another lamp has taken over its
function. X
Replace the bulb (Y page 235). ò Replace air
cleaner The engine air filter must be replaced. X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. N Check eng. oil
level when next
refuelling The engine oil level has dropped to a crit-
ical level. X
Check the engine oil level (Y page 159) and top
up the engine oil if necessary.
X Have the engine checked for leaks if the engine
oil needs topping up more often than usual. N Engine oil level
Stop car Turn eng.
off There is insufficient oil in the engine.
There is a danger of engine damage. X
Stop the vehicle. Pay attention to traffic con-
ditions as you do so.
X Switch off the engine.
X Top up the engine oil and check the level
(Y page 159). N Engine oil level
Consult workshop You have added too much engine oil.
There is a risk of damaging the engine or
catalytic converter. X
Siphon off excess engine oil until it is at the
specified level. Observe the legal require-
ments. N Engine oil level
Consult workshop There is water in the engine oil. X
Have the engine oil checked. Practical advice
463_AKB; 1; 8, en-GB
wobuchh,
Version: 2.10.6 2008-07-17T15:19:41+02:00 - Seite 207 ZDateiname: 6515_4091_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight

Troubleshooting
220 Engine
Problem Possible cause/consequence Suggested solutions
The engine will not start. You can
hear the starter motor operating. R
There is a malfunction in the
engine electronics.
R There is a malfunction in the
fuel supply. X
Turn the key back to position 0in the ignition lock before the next
starting attempt.
X Try to start the engine again (Y page 86). When doing so, remember
that excessively long and frequent attempts to start the engine will
drain the battery.
If the engine does not start after several attempts:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Vehicles with a diesel engine:
The engine will not start. You can
hear the starter motor operating.
The reserve fuel warning lamp is
on and the fuel gauge shows 0. The fuel tank has been run dry. X
Refuel the vehicle.
X Bleed the fuel system (Y page 219).The engine will not start. You can-
not hear the starter motor oper-
ating. The on-board voltage is too low
because the starter battery is too
weak or discharged. X
Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 251).
If the engine does not start despite attempting to jump-start it:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Vehicles with a petrol engine:
The engine is not running
smoothly and is misfiring. There is a malfunction in the
engine electronics or a mechani-
cal component of the engine con-
trol unit. X
Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic converter
and damage it. Practical advice
463_AKB; 1; 8, en-GB
wobuchh,
Version: 2.10.6 2008-07-17T15:19:41+02:00 - Seite 220Dateiname: 6515_4091_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight

Jump-starting
251
X
Connect positive terminal clamp 1and
secure the cover.
X Connect negative terminal clamp 3.
X Connect breather hose 4. Make sure that
a cell cap is fitted between battery 2and
breather hose 4.
i If the battery power supply has been inter-
rupted (e.g. if it has been reconnected), you
must carry out the following tasks:2
R set the time (Y page 106)
R reset the head restraints on the front
seats (Y page 61)
R reset the side windows ( Ypage 85) Jump-starting
If your vehicle's battery is discharged, the
engine can be jump-started from another
vehicle or from an external battery using jump
leads.
Observe the following points:
R Jump-starting may only be performed when
the engine and catalytic converter are cold.
R Do not start the engine if the battery is fro-
zen. Let the battery thaw first.
R Jump-starting may only be performed with
batteries that have the same nominal volt-
age.
R Only use jump leads which are protected
against polarity reversal and which have a
sufficient cross-section and insulated ter-
minal clamps.
i Jump leads which are protected against
polarity reversal and further information
about jump-starting can be obtained from
any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
! Avoid repeated and lengthy starting
attempts. Only use the jump-starting pro-
cedure for the battery in the engine com-
partment. Do not use a rapid-charging device to start
the engine. G
Risk of injury
There is a risk of acid burns when jump-
starting a vehicle due to the gases which
escape from the battery. Do not lean over
the battery while the engine is being jump-
started. G
Risk of explosion
Gases escaping from the battery during
jump-starting may cause minor explosions.
Avoid creating sparks. Keep naked flames
away from the battery, and do not smoke.
Comply with safety precautions and take
protective measures when handling batter-
ies. You will find these under "Battery" in
the index.
X Make sure that the two vehicles do not
touch.
X Apply the parking brake.
X Move the selector lever to P.
X Switch off all electrical consumers. Practical advice
463_AKB; 1; 8, en-GB
wobuchh,
Version: 2.10.6 2008-07-17T15:19:41+02:00 - Seite 251 ZDateiname: 6515_4091_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight