2008 MERCEDES-BENZ G55AMG towing

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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23
At a glance
Exterior view
ItemPage
1Tailgate105
Cargo compartment

Loading instructions208

Expanding206

Cargo tie-down rings209

Partition net*210

Cover blind214
2Rear view camera203
3Rear window defroster181
4Rear lamps376
5Fuel filler flap264
Refueling264
Fuel265,
424
ItemPage
6Exterior rear view mirrors
Adjusting46
Auto-dimming rear view
mirrors177
7Hood267
Engine oil269
Coolant274
8Windshield wipers58
Wiper blades, replacing386
Wiper blades, cleaning319
9Windshield
Cleaning with windshield
washer fluid59
Cleaning319
Windshield defroster180
aPower tilt/sliding sunroof195
ItemPage
bDoors
Locking and unlocking100
Opening and closing104
Locking/unlocking in an
emergency368
cHeadlamp cleaning system177
dFront lamps376
eTires and wheels277,414
Checking tire inflation
pressure288
General information277
Flat tire388
Spare wheel366
fFront towing eye402
Rear towing eye402
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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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233
Controls in detail
Useful features
A voice connection between the Roadside
Assistance dispatcher and the occupants
of the vehicle will be established.
Describe the nature of the need for
assistance.
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
dispatcher will either dispatch a qualified
Mercedes-Benz technician or arrange to
tow your vehicle to the nearest
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. For
services such as labor and/or towing,
charges may apply. Refer to the Roadside
Assistance Manual for more information.
The following is only available in the USA:

Sign and Drive services: Services such
as jump start, a few gallons of fuel or
the replacement of a flat tire with the
vehicle spare tire are obtainable. Information button
¡
The Information button ¡ is located
below the center armrest cover.
1 Button to open telephone tray
2 Armrest cover
3 Information button ¡
Press button1 and lift up armrest
cover 2.
iThe indicator lamp on the Roadside
Assistance button • remains illuminated in
red for approximately 10 seconds during the
system self-check after switching on the ignition
(together with the SOS button and the
Information button ¡).
See system self-check (
page 230) if the
indicator lamp does not come on in red or stays
on longer than approximately 10 seconds.
If the indicator lamp on the Roadside Assistance
button • is flashing continuously and there
was no voice connection to the Response Center
established, then the Tele Aid system could not
initiate a Roadside Assistance call (e.g. the rele-
vant cellular phone network was not available).
The message
Call failed appears in the
multifunction display.
Roadside Assistance calls can be terminated
using the t button on the multifunction
steering wheel or the END button on the
COMAND system headunit.

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283
Operation
Tires and wheels
Step 3
Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passengers from
XXX kilograms or XXX lbs.
Step 4
The resulting figure equals the avail-
able amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the “XXX”
amount equals 1 400 lbs and there will
be five 150 lbs passengers in your
vehicle, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs
(1 400 - 750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs). Step 5
Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weig
ht may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in step 4.
Step 6 (if applicable)
If your vehicle will be towing a trailer,
load from your trailer will be trans-
ferred to your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how this reduces
the available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle (
page 285). The following table shows examples on
how to calculate total and cargo load
capacities with varying seating configura-
tions and number and size of occupants.
The following examples use a load limit
of 1 500 lbs.
This is for illustration
purposes only . Make sure you are using
the actual load limit fo r your vehicle stated
on the vehicle’s Tire and Loading
Information placard (
page 281).
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285
Operation
Tires and wheels
Certification label
Even after careful determination of the
combined weight of all occupants, cargo
and the trailer tongue load (if applicable)
(
page 285) as to not exceed the permis-
sible load limit, you must make sure that
your vehicle never exceeds the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for
either the front or rear axle. You can obtain
the GVWR and GAWR from the certification
label. The certification label can be found
on the driver’s door B- pillar, see “Technical
data” (
page 410). Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR):
The total weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all cargo, and the trailer tongue
load (if applicable) (
page 285) must
never exceed the GVWR.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR):
The total allowable weight that can be
carried by a single axle (front or rear).
To assure that your vehicle does not
exceed the maximum permissible weight
limits (GVWR and GAWR for front and rear
axle), have the loaded vehicle (including
driver, passengers and all cargo and, if
applicable, trailer fully loaded) weighed on
a suitable commercial scale. Trailer tongue load
The tongue load of any trailer is an impor-
tant weight to measure because it affects
the load you can carry in your vehicle. If a
trailer is towed, the tongue load must be
added to the weight of all occupants riding
and any cargo you are carrying in the
vehicle. The tongue load typically is
10 percent of the trailer weight and
everything loaded in it.
If an approved Mercedes-Benz trailer hitch
is available for your G-Class vehicle model,
consult the instructions included in the
trailer hitch kit for vehicle towing capacity,
permissible gross trailer weight, trailer
tongue weight rating, and instructions on
loading and towing a trailer.
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323
Practical hints
What to do if …
Where will I find...?
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Opening/closing in an emergency
Brush guard
Replacing SmartKey batteries
Replacing bulbs
Replacing wiper blades
Flat tire
Battery
Jump starting
Towing the vehicle
Fuses
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