2008 MERCEDES-BENZ G55AMG light

261
Operation
Driving instructions

Check tires for possible damage.

Inspect frame, oil pan, brake hoses,
etc., as well as vehicle underbody for
possible damage.

Check for brush or br
anches caught in
the underbody.

After continued operation in mud,
sand, water or other dirty conditions,
clean the brake discs, wheels, brake
pads, and check and clean axle joints.

Conduct a brake test.
Driving abroad
Abroad, there is an extensive
Mercedes-Benz service network at your
disposal. If you plan to drive into areas
which are not listed in the index of a
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center
directory, you should request pertinent
information from an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. Control and operation of radio
transmitters
COMAND, radio and telephone*
!Brush or branches could increase the possi-
bility of a fire, as well as cut fuel and/or brake
lines, puncture rubber be llows of the axles or
drive shafts.
Warning!G
Do not forget that your primary responsi-
bility is to drive the vehicle safely. Only
operate the COMAND system, radio or
telephone
1 if road, weather and traffic
conditions permit.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet
(approximately 14 m) every second.
1Observe all legal requirements.
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263
Operation
Driving instructions
Emission control
Certain engine systems serve to keep the
toxic components of the exhaust gases
within permissible limits required by law.
These systems, of course, will function
properly only when maintained strictly
according to factory specifications. Any
adjustments on the engine should,
therefore, be carried out only by qualified
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center autho-
rized technicians.
Engine adjustments should not be altered
in any way. Moreover, the specified service
jobs must be carried out regularly
according to Mercedes-Benz servicing
requirements. For details refer to the
Maintenance Booklet.
Coolant temperature
During severe operating conditions,
e.g. stop-and-go traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise close to approximately
248°F (120°C).
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.
Warning!G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide (CO), and inhaling it can cause
unconsciousness an
d possible death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as a garage) which are not properly
ventilated. If you think that exhaust gas
fumes are entering the vehicle while driving,
have the cause determ ined and corrected
immediately. If you mu st drive under these
conditions, drive only with at least one
window fully open at all times.
iExcessive coolant temperatures trigger a
warning message in the multifunction display
(
page 346).
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 seriously
burned.

Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns which can occur
just by opening th e 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.
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265
Operation
At the gas station
Only fill your tank until the filler nozzle
unit cuts out –
do not top off or
overfill .
Replace fuel filler cap 2 by turning it
clockwise until it audibly engages.
Close fuel filler flap 1.
You should hear the latch close shut.
Check regularly and before a long trip
For information on quantities and require-
ments of operating agents, see “Fuels,
coolants, lubricants, etc.” (
page 420).
Open the hood (page 267).
G 500
1 Coolant
2 Brake fluid
Warning!G
Overfilling of the fuel tank may create pres-
sure in the system which could cause a gas
discharge. This could cause the gas to spray
back out when removing the fuel pump noz-
zle, which could caus e personal injury.
!When refueling the vehicle, make certain
that no gasoline comes into contact with the rear
side marker to prevent damaging the lens.
iMake sure to close the fuel filler flap before
locking your vehicle as the flap locking pin
prevents closing after you have locked the
vehicle.
iLeaving the engine running and the fuel cap
open can cause the ? malfunction indicator
lamp (USA only) or the ± malfunction indica-
tor lamp (Canada only) comes on.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 328).
iOnly use premium unleaded gasoline with a
minimum Posted Octane Rating of 91 (average of
96 RON/86 MON). Information on gasoline
quality can normally be found on the fuel pump.
Please contact gas station personnel in case la-
bels on the pump cannot be found.
For more information on gasoline, see “Premium
unleaded gasoline” (
page 424), refer to the
Factory Approved Service Products pamphlet
(USA only), or contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
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266 Operation
At the gas station
G55AMG
1Coolant
2 Brake fluid Brake fluid
Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water
(potable water quality).
For more information, see “Coolant level”
(
page 274) and see “Fuels, coolants, lu-
bricants, etc.” (
page 420). Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil, see
“Engine oil” (
page 269).
Windshield/rear window washer sys-
tem and headlamp cleaning system
For more information on refilling the
washer reservoir, see “Windshield/rear
window washer syst em and headlamp
cleaning system” (
page 275).
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness.
For information on replacing light bulbs,
see “Replacing bulbs” (
page 375).
For more information, see “Exterior lamp
switch” (
page 117).
Tire inflation pressure
For more information, see “Checking tire
inflation pressure” (
page 288).
!If you find that the brake fluid in the brake
fluid reservoir has fallen to the minimum mark or
below, have the brake system checked for brake
pad thickness and leaks immediately. Notify an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center
immediately. Do not add brake fluid as this will
not solve the problem.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 326) and see “Brake fluid”
(
page 423).
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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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271
Operation
Engine compartment
If necessary, add engine oil
(
page 273).
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 421) and
(
page 423).
Other display messages
If the SmartKey is not turned to position 2
in the starter switch, the following
message will appear:
Switch
ignition on to
check engine
oil level
Switch on the ignition (page 39).
If you see the message:
Observe
waiting time
If the engine is at operating
temperature, wait 5 minutes before
repeating check procedure.
If the engine is not at operating
temperature yet, wait 30 minutes
before repeating check procedure.
If you see the message:
Engine oil
level
Not with
engine on
Turn off the engine.
If the engine is at operating
temperature, wait 5 minutes before
checking oil.
If the engine is not at operating
temperature yet, you must wait
30 minutes before checking oil.
If there is excess engine oil with the engine
at operating temperature, the following
message will appear:
Engine oil
level
Reduce oil
level
Have excess oil siphoned or drained
off. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
For more information on messages in the
multifunction display concerning engine
oil, see the “Practical hints” section
(
page 349).
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off.
It could cause damage to the engine and/or
catalytic converter not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
iG 500 only:
Perform the engine oil level check with the oil
dipstick if it cannot be completed with the
control system (
page 272).
In this case we recommend that you have the
system checked at a Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
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273
Operation
Engine compartment
Adding engine oil
G500
1
Filler cap
G55AMG
1Filler cap
Unscrew filler cap 1 from filler neck.
Add engine oil as required. Never over-
fill with oil.
Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground or water.
Screw filler cap 1 back on filler neck.
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 421) and
(
page 423).
Transmission fluid level
The transmission fluid level does not need
to be checked. If you notice transmission
fluid loss or gear shifting malfunctions,
have an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center check the automatic trans-
mission.
!Only use approved engine oils and oil filters
required for vehicles with Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada vehicles). For a
listing of approved engine oils and oil filters,
refer to the Factory Approved Service Products
pamphlet (USA only) in your vehicle literature
portfolio, or contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of specification
other than those expressly required for the
Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles) or FSS
(Canada vehicles), or changing of oil and oil filter
at change intervals longer than those called for
by the Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles) or
FSS (Canada vehicles) will result in engine or
emission control system damage not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off.
It could cause damage to the engine and/or
catalytic converter not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
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