2008 MERCEDES-BENZ G500 ignition

61
Getting started
Driving
Problems while driving
The engine runs erratically and misfires

An ignition cable may be damaged.

The engine electronics may not be
operating properly.

Unburned gasoline may have entered
the catalytic converter and damaged it.
Give very little gas.
Have the problem repaired at an
authorized Mercedes
-Benz Light Truck
Center as soon as possible. The coolant temperature is above
248°F (120°C)
The coolant is too hot and is no longer
cooling the engine.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location as
soon as possible and turn off the
engine. Allow engine and coolant to
cool off.
Check the coolant level and add
coolant if necessary (
page 274).
In case of accident
If the vehicle is leaking fuel:
Do not start the engine under any
circumstances.
Notify local fire and/or police
authorities.
If the extent of the damage cannot be
determined:
Contact an authoriz ed Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center or call Roadside
Assistance.
If no damage can be determined on the

major assemblies

fuel system

engine mount:
Start the engine in the usual manner.
iExcessive coolant temperatures trigger a
warning message in the multifunction display
(
page 346).
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63
Getting started
Parking and locking
1
Parking brake lever
Pull parking brake lever 1 up as many
notches as possible.
When the ignition is switched on or the
engine is running, the brake warning
lamp ; (USA only) or 3 (Canada
only) in the instrument cluster comes
on.
Warning!G
Getting out of your vehicle with the gear
selector lever not fully engaged in park
position P is dangerous. Also, when parked
on an incline, park position P alone may not
prevent your vehicle from moving, possibly
hitting people or objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to park position P (
page 164).
W h e n p a r k e d o n a n i n c l ine, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, 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. Children
could release the parking brake and/or
move the gear selector lever from park
position P, either of which could result in an
accident and/or seri ous personal injury.
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90 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 338).
4-ETS
The 4-Electronic Traction System (4-ETS)
improves vehicle’s ability to utilize avail-
able traction, especially under slippery
road conditions. The brakes are applied to
the spinning wheel and power is allowed to
flow to the wheel(s) with traction.
The 4-ETS function is available between
vehicle speeds of 0 mph (km/h) and
37 mph (60 km/h).
The ESP
® warning lampv in the instru-
ment cluster (
page 26) comes on when
you switch on ignition (
page 39). It goes
out when the engine is running.
The ESP
® warning lamp v starts to
flash at any vehicle speed, as soon as a tire
loses traction and the wheel begins to
spin.
Warning!G
The BAS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking ef ficiency beyond that
afforded by the condition of the vehicle
brakes and tires or the traction afforded.
The BAS cannot prevent accidents, includ-
ing those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, following another vehicle too closely,
or hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The
capabilities of a BAS equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner which could jeopardize the
user’s safety or the safety of others.
Warning!G
When you see the ESP® warning lamp v
flashing in the instru ment cluster, then
proceed as follows:

While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.

While driving ease up on the accelera-
tor.

Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe th ese guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The 4-ETS cannot prev ent accidents result-
ing from excessive speed.
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91
Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 330).
EBB
The Electronic Brake Booster (EBB)
enhances braking effectiveness by allow-
ing the rear brakes to supply a greater
proportion of the braking
effort in straight
line braking circumstances without a loss
of vehicle stability.
For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 327).
ESP®
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) is
operational as soon as the engine is run-
ning and monitors the vehicle’s traction
(force of adhesive friction between the
tires and the road surface) and handling.
The ESP
® recognizes when a wheel is
spinning or if the vehicle starts to skid.
By applying the brakes to the appropriate
wheel and by limiting engine output, the
ESP
® works to stabilize the vehicle.
The ESP® is especially useful while driving
off and on wet or slippery road surfaces.
The ESP
® also stabilizes the vehicle during
braking and steering maneuvers.
The ESP
® warning lamp v in the instru-
ment cluster (
page 26) flashes when the
ESP® is engaged.
The ESP
® warning lamp v comes on
when you switch on ignition (
page 39).
It goes out when the engine is running.
!Operational or performance test must only
be conducted on a two-axle dynamometer. If
such tests are necessary, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. You could
otherwise seriously damage the brake system or
the transfer case which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!Because the ESP® operates automatically,
the engine and ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position 0 or 1)
when testing the parking brake on a brake test
dynamometer and such testing should be no
longer than 10 seconds.
Active braking action through ESP
® may
otherwise seriously damage the brake system
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Warning!G
If the EBB is malfun ctioning, the brake
system is still functionin g. However, the rear
wheels may lock during hard braking, caus-
ing you to lose control over the vehicle and
possibly causing an accident. Adjust your
driving style to the non-operating status of
the EBB.
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92 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Warning!G
Never switch off the ESP® when you see the
ESP® warning lamp v flashing in the
instrument cluster. In this case proceed as
follows:

While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.

While driving ease up on the accelera-
tor.

Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP
® cannot prevent accidents result-
ing from excessive speed.
Warning!G
The ESP® cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase the traction afforded. The ESP
®
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessiv e speed in turns, fol-
lowing another vehicle too closely, or hydro-
planing. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful
driver can prevent accidents. The capabili-
ties of a ESP
® equipped vehicle must never
be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner which could jeopardize the user’s
safety or the safety of others.
!Operational or performance test must only
be conducted on a two-axle dynamometer. If
such tests are necessary, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. You could
otherwise seriously damage the brake system or
the transfer case which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!Because the ESP® operates automatically,
the engine and ignition must be shut off when
testing the parking brake on a brake test
dynamometer and such testing should be no
longer than 10 seconds.
Active braking action through ESP
® may
otherwise seriously damage the brake system
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
iThe ESP® will only function properly if you
use wheels of the recommended tire size
(
page 414).
iThe ABS, BAS, and ESP® are automatically
switched off when the differential locks are
switched on (
page 175).
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97
Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Tow-away alarm
Once the tow-away alarm is armed, a visual
and audible alarm will be triggered when
someone attempts to raise the vehicle.
Arming tow-away alarm
Lock the vehicle with the SmartKey
(
page 65).
The tow-away alarm is automatically
armed after approximately
30 seconds. Disarming tow-away alarm
To prevent triggering the tow-away alarm
feature, switch off the tow-away alarm
before towing the vehicle, or when parking
on a surface subject to movement, such as
a ferry or auto train.
The tow-away alarm off switch is located
on the upper part of the center console.
1 Tow-away alarm off switch
2 Indicator lamp
Switch off the ignition and remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch.
Press switch 1.
Indicator lamp 2 comes on briefly.
Exit and lock the vehicle with the
SmartKey (
page 65).
Canceling the tow-away alarm
Press the Œ or‹ button on the
SmartKey.
or
Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
iYou cannot disarm the tow-away alarm
when the ignition is switched on.
iWhen you unlock the vehicle, the tow-away
protection disarms automatically.
The tow-away alarm remains disarmed until you
lock your vehicle again.
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106 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Closing the tailgateAutomatic central locking
The doors and the tailgate lock automati-
cally when the ignition is switched on and
the wheels are turning at vehicle speeds of
approximately 9 mph (15 km/h) or more.
You can open a locked door from the
inside. Open door only when conditions
are safe to do so.
For information on towing the vehicle, see
“Towing the vehicle” (
page 399).
You can deactivate the automatic locking
mode using the control system
(
page 155).
Warning!G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the cargo
compartment opening when closing the
tailgate. Be especially careful when small
children are around.
When leaving the vehicle, 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. Unsuper-
vised use of vehicle equipment may cause
an accident and/or se rious personal injury.
Warning!G
Never drive vehicle with the tailgate open.
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in uncon-
sciousness and death.
iTo prevent an inadvertent lockout, do not
place the SmartKey in the cargo compartment.
iThe doors and the tailgate unlock auto-
matically after an accident if the force of the
impact exceeds a preset threshold.
The vehicle automatically locks when the ignition
is switched on and the wheels are turning at
vehicle speeds of approximately 9 mph
(15 km/h) or more. You could therefore lock
yourself out when the vehicle

is pushed or towed

is on a test stand
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109
Controls in detail
Seats
Installing front seat head restraint
Press switch
1 upwards and hold for
about 5 seconds.
Insert the head restraint into openings
on the seat backrest.
Push the head restraint down until it
engages.
Adjust the head restraint to the desired
position.
Multicontour seat*
The multicontour seat has an extendable
seat cushion and inflatable air chambers
built into the seat backrest to provide
additional lumbar and side support.
The seat cushion depth, seat backrest
cushion-height and curvature can be
continuously varied with switches on the
inside of each front seat.
1 Seat cushion depth
2 Backrest bottom
3 Backrest center
4 Backrest side bolstersSwitch on the ignition (page 39).
Seat cushion depth
Adjust the seat cushion depth to the
length of your upper leg using
switch 1.
Backrest contour
Adjust the contour of the backrest to
the desired position using switches 2
and 3.
Backrest side bolsters
Adjust the backrest side bolsters so
that they provide good lateral support
using switch 4.
iThe guide bar with the detent must be on the
left.
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