2008 MERCEDES-BENZ G500 open hood

267
Operation
Engine compartment
 Engine compartment
Hood
Opening
Warning!G
Do not pull the release lever while the vehi-
cle is in motion. Otherwise the hood could
be forced open by passing air flow.
This could cause the hood to come loose
and injure you and others.
Warning!G
If you see flames or smoke coming from the
engine compartment, or if the coolant tem-
perature display indicates that the engine is
overheated, do not open the hood. Move
away from vehicle and do not open the hood
until the engine has cooled. If necessary,
call the fire department.
Warning!G
You could be injured when the hood is open
– even when the engi ne is switched off.
Parts of the engine can become very hot. To
prevent burns, let the engine cool off com-
pletely before touching any components on
the vehicle. Comply with all relevant safety
precautions.
Warning!G
To help prevent personal injury, stay clear of
moving parts when the hood is open and the
engine is running.
The radiator fan may continue to run for
approximately 30 seconds or even restart
after the engine has b een turned off. Stay
clear of fan blades.
Warning!G
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Becaus e of the high voltage,
it is dangerous to touch any components
(ignition coils, spark plug sockets,
diagnostic socket) of the ignition system

with the engine running

while starting the engine

if ignition is “on” and the engine is
turned manually
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268 Operation
Engine compartment
The hood lock release lever is located to
the left of the steering wheel under the
dashboard.1 Hood lock release lever
Pull release lever 1 upward.
The hood is unlocked.
G500
2 Safety hook
Lift hood up slightly.
Pull safety hook 2 in direction of
arrow.
The hood is unlocked.
Open the hood.
G55AMG
3 Safety hook
Lift hood up slightly.
Push safety hook 3 in direction of
arrow.
The hood is unlocked.
Open the hood.
!To avoid damage to the windshield wipers or
hood, open the hood only with wipers in parked
position.
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269
Operation
Engine compartment
ClosingLower hood and let it drop into lock
from a height of approximately 0.7 ft
(20 cm).
The hood will lock audibly.
Check to make sure the hood is fully
closed.
If you can raise the hood at a point
above the turn signals to the left and
right of the hood, then it is not properly
closed. Open it again and let it drop
with somewhat greater force.
Engine oil
The amount of oil your engine needs will
depend on a number of factors, including
driving style. Higher
oil consumption can
occur when

the vehicle is new

the vehicle is driven frequently at
higher engine speeds
Engine oil consumption checks should only
be made after the vehicle break-in period.
Warning!G
When closing the hood, use extreme caution
not to catch hands or fi ngers. Be careful that
you do not close the hood on anyone.
Make sure that the hood is securely
engaged before driving off. Do not continue
driving if the hood can no longer engage
after an accident, for example. The hood
could otherwise come loose while the
vehicle is in motion and endanger you and
others.
!Do not push the hood closed manually, as
this could damage it. !Do not use any special lubricant additives,
as these may damage the drive assemblies.
Using special additives not approved by
Mercedes-Benz may cause damage not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
More information on this subject is available at
any Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
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272 Operation
Engine compartment
Checking engine oil level with the oil
dipstick (G 500 only)
When checking the oil level

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground

with the engine at operating
temperature, the vehicle must have
been stationary for at least 5 minutes
with the engine turned off

with the engine not at operating
temperature yet, the vehicle also must
have been stationary for at least
5 minutes with the engine turned off
Open the hood (page 267).1
Oil dipstick
2 Upper mark
3 Lower mark
Pull out oil dipstick 1.
Wipe oil dipstick 1 clean.
Fully insert oil dipstick 1 into the
dipstick guide tube.
Pull out oil dipstick 1 again after
approximately 3 seconds to obtain
accurate reading.
The oil level is correct when it is
between lower mark 3 (min.) and
upper mark 2 (max.) of the oil
dipstick.
If necessary, add engine oil
(
page 273).
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 421) and
(
page 423).
For more information on messages in the
multifunction display concerning engine
oil, see the “Practical hints” section
(
page 349).
iThe filling quantity between the upper and
lower marks on the oil dipstick is approximately
2.1 US qt (2.0 l).
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274 Operation
Engine compartment
Coolant level
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze.
When checking the coolant level,

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground

the coolant temperature must be be-
low 158°F (70°C)The coolant expansion tank is located on
the passenger side of the engine compart-
ment.
1 Cap
Warning!G
In order to avoid any potentially serious
burns:

Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature display
indicates that the coolant is overheated.

Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if coolant temperature is
above 158°F (70°C). Allow engine to
cool down before removing cap. The
coolant reservoir contains hot fluid and
is under pressure.

Using a rag, slowly open the cap
approximately 1/2turn to relieve excess
pressure. If opened immediately, scald-
ing hot fluid and steam will be blown out
under pressure.

Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine
parts. Antifreeze contains ethylene
glycol which may burn if it comes into
contact with hot engine parts.
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319
Operation
Vehicle care
Cleaning the rear view camera lens
1 Camera lens
Only use clean water and a soft,
non-scratching cloth to clean camera
lens 1. Be careful not to apply wax to camera
lens
1 when waxing the vehicle. If
necessary, remove the wax using the
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Shampoo
with plenty of water. Cleaning the windows and the wiper
blades
Make sure the hood is fully closed.
Switch off the ignition (page 39).
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Fold wiper arms forward until they snap
into place.
!Do not clean the camera and the area
around the camera:

with a high-pressure cleaner

with a dry cloth and high pressure

with aggressive cleaning agents
You could otherwise damage the camera.
Warning!G
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and
remove SmartKey from starter switch
before cleaning the windshield and/or the
wiper blades. Otherwise, the wiper motor
can suddenly turn on and cause injury.
!Never open the hood when the wiper arms
are folded forward.
!Do not pull on the wiper blade inserts. They
could tear.

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347
Practical hints
What to do if …
During severe operating conditions and
stop-and-go city traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
Display symbolDisplay messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
Observe the coolant temperature gauge in the
instrument cluster (
page 26).
If the temperature rises again:
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center immediately.
Warning!G
Driving when your engine is overheated can
cause some fluids which may have leaked
into the engine compartment to catch fire.
You could be se riously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns and can oc cur just by opening
the hood. Stay away from the engine if you
see or hear steam coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.
!The engine should not be operated with the
coolant temperature above 248°F (120°C).
Doing so may cause serious engine damage
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
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351
Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbolDisplay messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
AReserve fuel
levelThe fuel level has dropped below the
reserve mark.Refuel at the next gas station
(
page 264).
4Gas cap
is openA loss of pressure has been detected in
the fuel system. The fuel filler cap may
not be closed properly or the fuel system
may be leaky.Check the fuel filler cap (page 264).
If it is not closed properly:
Close the fuel filler cap.
If it is closed properly:
Have the fuel system checked at an
authorized Mercedes -Benz Light Truck
Center.
YYou are driving with the hood open.Risk of accident!
Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as
soon as it is safe to do so.
Close the hood (page 269).
IRemove
keyYou have forgotten to remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch.Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Get a new
keyThe SmartKey is no longer functional.Contact an authoriz ed Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.
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