2008 MERCEDES-BENZ G500 Owner's Manual

S ommer\ C orp
orate\ Me di a\ AGOperator’s Manual
G-Class Order
No. 6515 4086 13 Part No. 46 3584 90 81 USA Edition B2008
G-Class
4635849081

G500
G55AMG
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Our company and staff congratulate you
on the purchase of your new
Mercedes-Benz.
Your selection of our product is a demon-
stration of your trust in our company
name. Furthermore, it exemplifies your de-
sire to own an automobile that will be as
easy as possible to operate and provide
years of service.
Your Mercedes-Benz represents the ef-
forts of many skilled engineers and crafts-
men. To help assure your driving pleasure,
and also the safety of you and your passen-
gers, we ask you to make a small invest-
ment of time:
Please read this manual carefully, then
return it to your vehicle where it will be
handy for your reference.

Please follow the recommendations
contained in this manual. They are de-
signed to acquaint you with the opera-
tion of your Mercedes-Benz.

Please pay attention to the warnings
and cautions containe d in this manual.
They are designed to help improve the
safety of the vehicle operator and oc-
cupants.
We extend our best wishes for many miles
of safe, pleasurable driving.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
A DaimlerChrysler Company
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Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10 Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 13
Operating your vehicle outside
the USA or Canada......................... 13
Where to find it .................................... 15
Symbols ............................................... 16
Operating safety .................................. 17 Proper use of the vehicle ............... 17
Problems with your vehicle .................. 18
Reporting safety defects...................... 19 Reporting safety defects ................ 19
Vehicle data recording ......................... 20 Information regarding electronic
recording devices ........................... 20At a glance .......................................... 21
Exterior view......................................... 22
Cockpit ................................................. 24
Instrument cluster ................................ 26
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 28
Center console ..................................... 30 Upper part ...................................... 30
Lower part ...................................... 31
Overhead control panel ........................ 32
Door control panel................................ 33
Storage compartments ......................... 34Getting started ................................... 37
Unlocking ............................................. 38 Unlocking with the SmartKey ......... 38
Starter switch positions .................. 39
Adjusting .............................................. 41 Seats .............................................. 41
Steering wheel ................................ 44
Mirrors ............................................ 46
Driving .................................................. 48 Fastening the seat belts ................. 48
Starting the engine ......................... 54
Parking brake ................................. 55
Driving off ....................................... 55
Switching on headlamps ................. 56
Turn signals .................................... 57
Windshield wipers ........................... 58
Rear window wiper/washer ............ 60
Problems while driving.................... 61
Parking and locking .............................. 62 Parking brake ................................. 62
Switching off headlamps................. 64
Turning off engine ........................... 64
Releasing seat belts........................ 64
Locking ........................................... 65
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Contents
Safety and Security........................... 67
Occupant safety................................... 68 Air bags .......................................... 70
Seat belts ....................................... 74
Children in the vehicle.................... 77
Blocking of rear door window
operation ........................................ 85
Panic alarm .......................................... 86 Activating ....................................... 86
Deactivating ................................... 86
Driving safety systems ... ...................... 87
ABS ................................................ 87
BAS ................................................ 89
4-ETS .............................................. 90
EBB................................................. 91
ESP®.............................................. 91
Anti-theft systems....................... ......... 95
Immobilizer..................................... 95
Anti-theft alarm .............................. 95
Tow-away alarm ............................. 97Controls in detail ............................... 99
Locking and unlocking ....................... 100 SmartKey ..................................... 100
Checking batteries in the
SmartKey ..................................... 103
Loss of the SmartKey ................... 103
Opening the doors from the
inside ........................................... 104
Tailgate ........................................ 105
Automatic central locking ............ 106
Locking and unlocking from the
inside ........................................... 107
Seats ................................................. 108 Removing and installing front
seat head restraints ..................... 108
Multicontour seat* ....................... 109
Rear seats .................................... 110
Seat heating ................................. 112
Memory function ............................... 114 Storing positions into memory ..... 115
Recalling positions from memory . 115
Storing exterior rear view mirror
parking position (Canada only) ..... 116 Lighting ............................................. 117
Exterior lamp switch .................... 117
Combination switch ..................... 122
Corner-illuminating front fog
lamps ........................................... 122
Hazard warning flasher ................ 124
Interior lighting in the front .......... 125
Rear interior lamps ...................... 126
Cargo compartment lamps .......... 127
Door entry lamps ......................... 129
Instrument cluster ............................. 130 Adjusting instrument cluster
illumination .................................. 130
Coolant temperature gauge ......... 131
Resetting trip odometer ............... 131
Tachometer.................................. 132
Outside temperature indicator ..... 132
Control system ............ ...................... 133
Multifunction display.................... 133
Multifunction steering wheel........ 134
Menus .......................................... 136
Standard display menu ................ 140
Audio menu.................................. 141
NAV menu .................................... 144
Vehicle status message memory
menu............................................ 144
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Contents
Settings menu .............................. 146
Trip computer menu..................... 157
TEL menu ..................................... 159
Automatic transmission ..................... 162 Gear selector lever ....................... 162
Shifting procedure ....................... 163
Gear selector lever positions ....... 164
Driving tips ................................... 166
Gear ranges ................................. 167
One-touch gearshifting................. 168
Emergency operation
(Limp-Home Mode) ...................... 169
Transfer case ..................................... 170 Transfer case position .................. 170
Switching transfer case................ 170
Differential locks ............................... 173 A few words about differentials
and differential locks.................... 174
Switching differential locks on
and off.......................................... 175
Good visibility .................................... 177 Headlamp cleaning system .......... 177
Rear view mirrors ......................... 177
Sun visors .................................... 179
Windshield defroster .................... 180
Rear window defroster ................. 181 Climate control ................................... 182
Deactivating the climate control
system ............... ........................... 185
Operating the climate control
system in automatic mode............ 185
Setting the temperature................ 185
Adjusting air distribution............... 186
Adjusting air volume ..................... 186
Front defroster.............................. 187
Air recirculation mode .................. 188
Air conditioning............................. 189
Residual heat and ventilation ........ 190
Rear passenger compartment
adjustable air vents....................... 191
Power windows .................................. 192 Opening and closing ..................... 192
Summer opening feature .............. 193
Convenience closing feature......... 194
Power tilt/sliding sunroof................... 195 Opening and closing ..................... 195
Driving systems ............. ..................... 197
Cruise control ............................... 197
Rear Parking Assist ....................... 200
Rear view camera ......................... 203 Loading .............................................. 206
Roof rack ...................................... 206
Expanding cargo compartment ..... 206
Split rear seat bench .................... 206
Loading instructions ..................... 208
Cargo tie-down rings..................... 209
Partition net* (MB Accessory) ...... 210
Cargo compartment cover blind ... 214
Useful features ................................... 215 Storage compartments ................. 215
Ashtrays........................................ 220
Cigarette lighter............................ 222
Electrical outlet............................. 223
Floormats ..................................... 224
Heated steering wheel .................. 225
Telephone* ................................... 226
Tele Aid......................................... 229
Garage door opener ...................... 236
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Contents
Operation......................................... 243
The first 1 000 miles (1 500 km) ......... 244
Driving instructions ............................ 245 Drive sensibly – save fuel ............. 245
Drinking and driving ..................... 245
Pedals .......................................... 245
Power assistance ......................... 246
Brakes .......................................... 246
Driving off..................................... 247
Parking ......................................... 248
Tires ............................................. 248
Hydroplaning ................................ 249
Tire traction .................................. 249
Tire speed rating .......................... 250
Winter driving instructions ........... 251
Standing water ............................. 252
Passenger compartment .............. 252
Off-road driving ............................ 253
Driving abroad .............................. 261
Control and operation of radio
transmitters.................................. 261
Catalytic converter ....................... 262
Emission control........................... 263
Coolant temperature .................... 263 At the gas station .............................. 264
Refueling ...................................... 264
Check regularly and before a
long trip........................................ 265
Engine compartment ......................... 267 Hood ............................................ 267
Engine oil ..................................... 269
Transmission fluid level ................ 273
Coolant level ................................ 274
Windshield/rear window washer
system and headlamp
cleaning system ........................... 275
Tires and wheels ................................ 277 Important guidelines .................... 277
Tire care and maintenance ........... 278
Direction of rotation ..................... 280
Loading the vehicle ...................... 280
Recommended tire inflation
pressure ....................................... 286
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 288
Tire labeling.................................. 294
Load identification ....................... 298
DOT, Tire Identification Number
(TIN) ............................................. 299
Maximum tire load ....................... 300
Maximum tire inflation pressure .. 301 Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) ............. 302
Tire ply material ........................... 304
Tire and loading terminology........ 304
Rotating tires ............................... 307
Winter driving .................................... 309 Winter tires .................................. 309
Block heater (Canada only) .......... 310
Snow chains................................. 310
Maintenance...................................... 311 Maintenance service indicator
message ...................................... 311
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator display .............. 313
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator .......................... 313
Vehicle care....................................... 314 Cleaning and care of the vehicle .. 314
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Contents
Practical hints................................. 323
What to do if … .................................. 324 Lamps in instrument cluster ........ 324
Lamp in center console ................ 335
Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display .................... 336
Where will I find...? ............................ 364
First aid kit ................................... 364
Vehicle tool kit ............................. 364
Vehicle jack.................................. 365
CD changer .................................. 366
Spare wheel ................................. 366
Unlocking/locking in an emergency .. 368 Unlocking the vehicle ................... 368
Locking the vehicle ...................... 369
Fuel filler flap ............................... 370
Manually unlocking the gear
selector lever ............................... 371
Opening/closing in an emergency..... 372 Tilt/sliding sunroof ...................... 372
Brush guard ....................................... 373 Lowering and raising brush guard 373
Replacing SmartKey batteries ........... 374 Replacing bulbs .................................. 375
Bulbs ............................................. 375
Replacing bulbs for front lamps .... 378
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 383
Replacing wiper blades....................... 386 Wiper blades ................................. 386
Flat tire ............................................... 388 Preparing the vehicle .................... 388
Mounting the spare wheel ............ 389
Battery................................................ 394 Disconnecting, removing,
reinstalling and reconnecting the
battery .......................................... 396
Charging the battery ..................... 396
Jump starting ...................................... 397
Towing the vehicle .............................. 399 Transporting the vehicle ............... 401
Towing the vehicle -
various problem scenarios ............ 401
Front towing eye ........................... 402
Rear towing eye ............................ 402
Stranded vehicle ........................... 402 Fuses.................................................. 403
Main fuse box in passenger
compartment ................................ 404
Fuse box in front passenger
footwell ......................................... 404
Fuse box in middle tunnel ............. 405
Fuse box in battery box ................ 406
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