
31, 2, 3 ...
4ETS (Electronic Traction Support )............ 50 A
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) ..........48
Display message ............................. 196
Warning lamp.................................. 212
Acceleration
Technical data. ............................... 265
Accident
Notes. ............................................. 218
Active service system
see Service display
Airbag
Activation.......................................... 33
Control unit....................................... 33
Driver's ............................................. 37
Front. ................................................ 37
Front passenger ................................ 37
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning
lamp .............................................. 211
System.............................................. 35
Windowbags. .................................... 37
Air conditioning
Activating/deactivating ..................124
Activating/deactivating air-recir-
culation mode. ................................ 129
Auxiliary heating/ventilation........... 130 Controlling automatically.
...............124
Cooling with air dehumidification ...124
Demisting the windscreen ..............127
Malfunction indicator lamp. ............210
Misted-up windows. ........................127
Rear window heating ......................128
Setting the air distribution. .............126
Setting the airflow .......................... 127
Setting the air vents .......................125
Setting the temperature .................125
Switching the residual heat func-
tion on/off ...................................... 129
Thermatic. ...................................... 122
Air-conditioning
Windscreen heating. .......................128
Air-conditioning system
see Air conditioning
Air filter
Display message ............................. 207
Antifreeze concentration................... 281
Anti-lock braking system see ABS
Anti-theft alarm system
see ATA
Anti-theft systems................................ 51
Ashtray................................................ 148
ASSYST see Service display
ATA (anti-theft alarm system)............. 51
Switching off the alarm. ....................52Audible warning signal......................
217
AUTO lights Display message ............................. 204
Automatic car wash........................... 183
Automatic transmission Changing gear yoursel f..................... 90
Display message ............................. 198
Driving tips ....................................... 91
Emergency running mode ...............222
Instrument cluster display. ...............89
Malfunction..................................... 222
Oil level.. ......................................... 161
One-touch gearshifting. ....................90
Releasing the parking lock man-
ually. ............................................... 233
Selector lever positions. ...................89
Shift ranges. ..................................... 91
Trailer towing. ................................... 91
Auxiliary heating ................................ 130
Malfunction..................................... 228
Remote control ............................... 131
Setting (on-board computer).......... .105
Auxiliary ventilation ...........................130
Axle load, maximum permissible
............................................ .271, 272, 273 B
Backrest Display message ............................. 208
BAS (Brake Assist)............................... 48 Index
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Refuelling
156which conforms to European standard
EN 228 or German standard DIN 51626-1.
You could otherwise impair engine output
or damage the engine.
i If the recommended fuel is not available
and only as a temporary measure, you may
also use premium unleaded petrol,
95 RON/85 MON. This may reduce engine
performance and increase fuel consump-
tion. You must avoid driving at full throttle.
! In emergencies, and only when the rec-
ommended fuel is not available, you may
also use standard unleaded petrol,
91 RON/82.5 MON. However, using this
fuel results in considerably higher petrol
consumption and significantly reduced per-
formance. Avoid driving at full throttle, and
only drive in drive program C.
If no fuel other than regular petrol fuel
91 RON/82.5 MO Nor a lower grade is per-
manently available, you should have the
vehicle adapted to run on this fuel by the
local after-sales service. Diesel (EN 590, DIN 51628)
! Refuel using only Diesel which conforms
to European standard EN 590 or German
standard DIN 51628.
You could otherwise impair engine output
or damage the engine.
You will find further information about die-
sel under "Fuel" in the index.
! When refuelling vehicles with a diesel par-
ticulate filter in countries outside the EU,
only low-sulphur Euro diesel with less than
0.005 percent sulphur content by weight
(50 ppm) should be used. In countries in
which diesel with a higher sulphur content
is available (e.g. 0.035 percent by weight),
the engine oil should be renewed at more
frequent intervals. More information about
intervals for changing the engine oil can be
obtained from any Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
! The use of fuels which do not meet the
requirements of EN 590 or German stand-
ard DIN 51628 can cause increased wear,
and damage the engine and the exhaust
system. Do not use the following:
R
marine diesel
R heating oil
R bio-diesel
R vegetable oil
R petrol
R paraffin
R kerosene
Do not add such fuels to diesel fuel and do
not use any special additives (exception:
flow improvers – see "Low outside temper-
atures").
Damage caused by the use of unapproved
fuels or additives is not covered by the war-
ranty.
Low outside temperatures The flow properties of diesel may be insuffi-
cient at low ambient temperatures.
To prevent operating problems, diesel fuel
with improved cold flow qualities is available
during the winter months. Your vehicle must
be refuelled with this winter diesel at temper-
atures of -5 °C or below.
You can use this winter diesel at tempera-
tures down to about -20 °C without problems.Operation
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Engine compartment
157
If only summer diesel fuel or less cold-resist-
ant winter diesel fuel (e.g. in Mediterranean
regions) is available, you should add an
amount of flow improver to the fuel corre-
sponding to the outside temperature.
Mix the additive with the diesel in good time,
before the flow properties of the diesel
become insufficient. Otherwise, malfunctions
can only be rectified by heating the entire fuel
system, e.g. by parking the vehicle in a heated
garage. G
Risk of fire
Do not use petrol to refuel vehicles with a
diesel engine. Never mix diesel with petrol.
This would damage the fuel system and
engine and could result in a vehicle fire.
Flow improver
The effectiveness of a flow improver is not
guaranteed with every fuel. Observe the infor-
mation provided by the manufacturer when
using a flow improver. Only use flow improv-
ers that have been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Information about flow
improvers that have been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz can be obtained
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Engine compartment
Bonnet
G
Risk of accident
Do not pull the release lever while the vehi-
cle is in motion. The bonnet may otherwise
open and block your view.
Opening G
Risk of injury
There is a risk of injury if the bonnet is open,
even if the engine is not running.
Some engine components can become
very hot.
To avoid the risk of burns, only touch those
components described in the Owner’s Man-
ual and observe the relevant safety notes. G
Risk of injury
The radiator fan between the radiator and
the engine can start automatically, even if
the key has been removed from the ignition
lock. For this reason you must not reach
into the turning area of the fan. You can
otherwise be injured. Vehicles with a petrol engine:
The electronic ignition system uses high
voltage. For this reason, you must never
touch components of the ignition system
(ignition coil, ignition cable, spark plug con-
nector or test socket) when:
R the engine is running
R the engine is being started
R the ignition is switched on and the engine
is being cranked by hand
Vehicles with a diesel engine:
The electronic injection control uses high
voltage. Therefore, never touch fuel injec-
tion system components when:
R the engine is running
R the engine is being started
R the ignition is switched on
X Make sure that the windscreen wipers are
switched off. G
Risk of injury
The windscreen wipers and wiper linkage
could be set in motion.
When the bonnet is open, you or others
could be injured by the wiper rods. Operation
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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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Engine compartment
160
X
Repeat the measurement after about five
minutes if the engine is at normal operating
temperature.
X Repeat the measurement after about
30 minutes if the engine is not at normal
operating temperature (if the engine was
only started briefly).
If the engine is running, the Engine oil
level Not when engine on message
appears.
X Switch off the engine and wait for five
minutes if the engine is at normal operating
temperature, or for about 30 minutes if the
engine is not at normal operating temper-
ature (if the engine was only started
briefly), before measuring.
i If you wish to cancel the measurement,
press the korj button on the multi-
function steering wheel.
Using the oil dipstick
i Only possible on the G 320 CDI and
G 500. On the G 55 AMG, the oil level is
checked using the on-board computer
(Y page 159). Example: G 320 CDI
1
Oil dipstick
2 Maximum mark
3 Minimum mark
X Pull oil dipstick 1out of the oil dipstick
tube.
X Wipe off oil dipstick 1.
X Insert oil dipstick 1into the oil dipstick
tube to the stop, and take it out again.
The oil level is correct if the level is between
minimum mark 3and maximum mark
2.
X Top up the oil if necessary.
i The difference in quantity between mini-
mum mark 3and maximum mark 2is
approximately 2 litres. Topping up the engine oil
G 500
1
Cap G 55 AMG
1
Cap Operation
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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
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Service products and capacities
280
Capacities The following values refer to an oil change including the oil filter.
Engine with oil filter G 500 G 320 CDI G 55 AMG
Replacement amount
9.0 l 8.0 l 8.5 l
Coolant
The coolant is a mixture of water and anti-
freeze/corrosion inhibitor. It performs the
following tasks:
R anti-corrosion protection
R antifreeze protection
R raising the boiling point
i When the vehicle is first delivered, it is
topped up with a coolant that will ensure
adequate antifreeze and corrosion protec-
tion.
! Only top up with coolant that has been
premixed with the desired antifreeze pro-
tection. You could otherwise damage the
engine.
There is more information about coolant
and topping it up on Mercedes-Benz Spec- ifications for Service Products Sheet
310.1.
! Always use a suitable coolant mixture,
even in countries where high temperatures
prevail.
Otherwise, the cooling system will not be
sufficiently protected from corrosion, and
the boiling point will be too low.
If antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor is present in
the correct concentration, the boiling point of
the coolant will be around 130 °C.
The antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor concentra-
tion in the cooling system should:
R be at least 50%. This will protect the cooling
system against freezing down to around
–37 °C.
R not exceed 55% concentration (antifreeze
protection down to –45 °C), otherwise heat
will not be effectively dissipated. If the vehicle has lost coolant, top it up with
equal amounts of water and antifreeze/cor-
rosion inhibitor. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends using an antifreeze/corrosion inhibi-
tor which has been approved for Mercedes-
Benz vehicles.
! The cooling system contains a filling
which must be renewed after 15 years, or
after 250,000 km at the latest. Have the
renewal confirmed in the Service Booklet.
The warranty is only valid if you top up with
an antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor which
has been approved by Mercedes-Benz, and
observe the recommended mixing ratios. Technical data
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Service products and capacities
281
Capacities The following values indicate the total cooling system capacities.
G 500 G 320 CDI G 55 AMG
Coolant
12.1 l 11.6 l 12.7 l
Coolant: vehicles with auxiliary heat-
ing*
12.7 l 12.2 l 13.2 l
Amount of antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor required for antifreeze protection
Down to –37 °C(approx. 50%)
6.05 l 5.8 l 6.4 l
Down to –45 °C(approximately 55%)
6.65 l 6.4 l 7.0 l
Brake fluid
Over a period of time, the brake fluid absorbs
moisture from the air; this lowers its boiling
point. G
Risk of accident
If the boiling point of the brake fluid is too
low, vapour pockets may form in the brake
system when the brakes are applied hard
(e.g. when driving downhill). This would
impair braking efficiency.
Have the brake fluid renewed annually with
brake fluid that has been approved by Mercedes-Benz and have this confirmed in
the Service Booklet.
i There is usually a notice in the engine
compartment to remind you when the next
brake fluid change is due. Windscreen washer system
The washer fluid reservoir holds approxi-
mately 7.5 litres.
The headlamp cleaning system and the wind-
screen washer system are both supplied from
the washer fluid reservoir.
X At temperatures above freezing point:
top up the washer fluid reservoir with a
mixture of water and windscreen washer
concentrate (Y page 162).
X At temperatures below freezing point:
top up the washer fluid reservoir with a
mixture of water, antifreeze and wind-
screen washer concentrate (Y page 162). Technical data
* optional
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