2008 MERCEDES-BENZ G500 ESP

40 Getting started
Unlocking
For information on starting the engine, see
(
page 54).
iWhen you switch on the ignition, the indica-
tor and warning lamps (except high beam head-
lamp indicator lamp and turn signal indicator
lamps unless activated) in the instrument cluster
come on. The indicator and warning lamps
(except high beam headlamp indicator lamp and
turn signal indicator lamps if activated) will go
out when the engine is running. This indicates
that the respective systems are operational.
iThe SmartKey can only be removed from the
starter switch with the gear selector lever in park
position P.
iIf the SmartKey is left in starter switch
position 0 for an extended period of time, it can
no longer be turned in the switch. In this case,
the steering is locked. To unlock, remove
SmartKey from the starter switch and reinsert.
!If the SmartKey cannot be turned in the
starter switch, the battery may not be
sufficiently charged.

Check the battery and charge it if necessary
(
page 396).

Get a jump start (page 397).
To prevent accelerated vehicle battery discharge
or a completely discharged vehicle battery,
always remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch when the engine is not in operation.
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41
Getting started
Adjusting
 Adjusting
Seats
Warning!G
All seat, head restraint, steering wheel, and
rear view mirror adjustments, as well as fas-
tening of seat belts, must be done before
the vehicle is put into motion.
Warning!G
Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
back in an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide
under the seat belt in a collision. If you slide
under it, the seat belt would apply force at
the abdomen or neck. That could cause
serious or fatal injuries.
The seat backrest and seat belts provide the
best restraint when the wearer is in a nearly
upright position and seat belts are properly
positioned on the body. Your seat must be
adjusted so that you can correctly fasten
your seat belt (
page 48).
Observe the following points:

Adjust the backrest until your arms are
slightly angled when holding the
steering wheel.

Adjust the seat to a comfortable seating
position that still a llows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely. The po-
sition should be as far back as possible
with the driver still able to operate the
controls properly.

Adjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible and the
center of the head restraint supports
the back of the head at eye level.

Never place hands under the seat or
near any moving parts while a seat is
being adjusted.
Failure to do so could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it
with you, and lock the vehicle.
Even with the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch, the power seats can be
operated when the respective door is open.
Therefore, do not leave children unattended
in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. A child’s unsupervised access to a
vehicle could result in an accident and/or
serious personal injury.
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42 Getting started
Adjusting
Seat adjustment
The seat adjustment switches are located
on the respective front door.1 Head restraint height
2 Seat backrest tilt
3 Seat fore and aft adjustment
4 Seat cushion tilt
5 Seat height
Switch on the ignition (page 39).
or
Open the respective front door.
Warning!G
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing position. Thus, we strongly recommend
that children be placed in the rear seats
whenever possible. Regardless of seating
position, children 12 years old and under
must be seated and properly secured in an
appropriately sized infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat recommended for
the size and weight of the child. For addi-
tional information, see “Children in the vehi-
cle” (
page 77).
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle
and/or the child is no t properly secured in
the child restraint.
!When moving the seat, make sure

there are no items in the footwell or behind
the seat

the cup holder next to the armrest is
removed (
page 219)

the cup holder in the front passenger
footwell is folded closed (
page 220)
Otherwise you could damage the seat and/or
cup holders.
iThe memory function (page 114) lets you
store the setting for the seat position together
with the settings for the steering wheel and the
exterior rear view mirrors.
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57
Getting started
Driving
High beam
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.
Combination switch
1
High beam
2 High beam flasher
Push the combination switch in
direction of arrow 1.
The high beam headlamp indicator
lamp A in the instrument cluster
comes on (
page 26).
For more information on headlamps, see
“Lighting” (
page 117).
Turn signals
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.
Combination switch
1 Turn signals, right
2 Turn signals, left
Press the combination switch in
direction of arrow 1 or 2.
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lamp K orL in the instrument
cluster flashes (
page 26).
The combination switch resets automati-
cally after major steering wheel move-
ments.
iTo signal minor directional changes such as
changing lanes, press co mbination switch only
to point of resistance and release. The corre-
sponding turn signals will flash three times.
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65
Getting started
Parking and locking
Locking
Exit the vehicle and close all doors and
the tailgate.
Press lock button
‹ on the
SmartKey (
page 38).
With the hood, tailgate and all doors
closed:

All turn signal lamps flash three
times.

The locking knobs in the doors
move down.

The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
For more information, see “Locking and
unlocking” (
page 100).
Warning!G
To prevent possible pe rsonal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
openings when closing the doors. Be
especially careful when small children are
around.
Before closing doors, make sure there is no
possibility of someone getting caught in a
door during closing.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicl e, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it
with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. A child’s
unsupervised access to a vehicle could
result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
iIf you hear a warning signal you have forgot-
ten to switch off the headlamps before opening
the driver’s door.
In addition the message
Switch off lights
appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the headlamps.
!Failure to switch off the headlamps when
leaving the vehicle may result in a discharged
battery.
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70 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Air bags
Warning!G
Air bags are designed to reduce the poten-
tial of injury and fatality in certain frontal
impacts (front air bags), or side impacts
(window curtain air bags). However, no
system available today can completely elim-
inate injuries and fatalities.
The deployment of the air bags temporarily
releases a small amount of dust from the air
bags. This dust, however, is neither injurious
to your health, nor does it indicate a fire in
the vehicle. The dust might cause some tem-
porary breathing difficulty for people with
asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid
this, you may wish to get out of the vehicle
as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any
breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the
vehicle after the air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or door.
Warning!G
The service life of the passenger front air
bag extends to the date indicated on the
label located on the driver side B pillar. To
provide continued reliab ility after that date,
they should be inspected at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center at that
time and replaced when necessary.
Warning!G
To reduce the risk of injury when the front
air bags inflate, it is very important for the
driver and front passen ger to always be in a
properly seated position and to wear their
respective seat belts.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision always be in no rmal seated position
with your back against the seat backrest.
Fasten your seat belt and make sure it is
properly positioned on your body
(
page 50).
Since the air bag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating and hands
on steering wheel position will help to keep
you at a safe distance from the air bag.
Occupants who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the air bag can be seriously
injured or killed by an air bag as it inflates
with great force in the blink of an eye:

Sit properly belted in a position that is
as upright as possible with your back
against the seat backrest.
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77
Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Emergency Tensioning Device (ETD),
seat belt force limiter
The seat belts for the front and rear outer
seats are equipped with emergency
tensioning devices and seat belt force
limiters.
The ETD is designed to activate in the
following cases:

in frontal or rear-end impacts
exceeding the system deployment
threshold

if the restraint systems are operational
and functioning correctly, see
1
indicator lamp (
page 68) When activated, emergency tensioning
devices remove slack from the seat belts in
such a way that the seat belts fit more
snugly against the body. Seat belt force
limiters reduce the force exerted by the
seat belts on occupants during a crash.
Children in the vehicle
If an infant or child is traveling with you in
the vehicle:
Secure the child using an infant or child
restraint appropriate to the age and
size of the child.
Make sure the infant or child is
properly secured at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
iThe ETDs for the front seats will only acti-
vate if the respective front seat belt is fastened
(latch plate properly inserted into buckle).
The ETDs for the rear outer seats will activate
with or without the respective seat belt fastened.
Warning!G
An Emergency Tensioning Device (ETD) that
was activated must be replaced.
When disposing of emergency tensioning
device, our safety instructions must be
followed. These are available at any autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
!Do not place objects heavier than 20 lbs
(9 kg) on the front passenger seat. This could
cause the passenger front air bag and, with the
seat belt fastened to secure the object, the ETD
on the front passenger side to deploy in a crash
which exceeds the system’s deployment thresh-
old.
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84 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Hook fastened to respective anchorage ring
1Hook
5 Top tether strap
Guide top tether strap 5 between
head restraint and top of seat backrest.
Securely fasten hook 1, which is part
of top tether strap 5, to respective
anchorage ring 2,3 , or 4. Make sure

the top tether strap is not twisted

the head restraint is installed and
positioned such that the top tether
strap can pass freely between the head
restraint and top of the seat backrest
Once the top tether anchorage hook is
attached, the child restraint itself can be
secured. Secure child restraint and tighten
the top tether strap according to the child
restraint manufacturer’s instructions.
iFor safety, make sure hook 1 has attached
to respective anchorage ring beyond the safety
catch, as shown in the illustration above.Warning!G
Use only the described anchorage rings for
the respective child seat. Other lashing
eyelets could tear in case of an accident.
Make sure

the fastening straps are not crossed or
twisted.

the hook is properly attached and is
closed.

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