2009 MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class ESP

?p Right rear reading lamp on/offAp Left rear reading lamp on/off
Reading lamps
XSwitching on/off: Press respective
reading lamp switch p.
Switching rear interior lamp on/off
manually
The switch for the rear interior lamp and the
cargo compartment lamps is located in the
overhead control panel.
XSwitching rear interior lamp on/off:
Press switch :.
The cargo compartment lamps will also
come on and off.
Switching rear interior lamp on/off
automatically
The rear interior lamp switches on and off
automatically when the automatic control is
switched on (Y page 77) and a rear door is
opened or closed.
iThe rear interior lamp cannot be switched
off with switch : (Y page 78) located in
the front overhead control panel.
Cargo compartment lamps
The switch for the cargo compartment lamps
and the rear interior lamp is located in the
overhead control panel.
The cargo compartment lamps are located
above the rear window.
XSwitching cargo compartment
lamps ; on/off: Press switch :.
iWhen opening the tailgate, cargo
compartment lamps ; come on
automatically. Switching off the cargo
compartment lamps using switch : in the
overhead control panel then is not
possible.
You can switch off cargo compartment
lamps ; if the tailgate should remain open
for a longer period of time, see “Switching
cargo compartment lamps off and on with
the tailgate open” (Y page 79).
78LightingControls in detail
463_AKB; 2; 52, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.7.12008-12-02T10:52:11+01:00 - Seite 78

Switching cargo compartment lamps
off and on with the tailgate open
GWarning!
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.
GWarning!
Make sure the tailgate is closed when the
engine is running and while driving. Among
other dangers, deadly carbon monoxide (CO)
gases may enter vehicle interior resulting in
unconsciousness and death.
! To prevent the vehicle battery from being
discharged, switch off the cargo
compartment lamps if the tailgate should
remain open for a longer period of time.
Switching off
XOpen the tailgate (Y page 61).XPress door lock : down in direction of
arrow until it engages.
! Do not close the tailgate if the lock is
engaged in down position. The lock could
otherwise be damaged.
When locking the tailgate, it is important
that the door lock be in the same original
position as shown in the illustration.
To return door lock : to its original
position, press lock cylinder ;.
Switching onXPress lock cylinder ; to activate the cargo
compartment lamps again.
The cargo compartment lamps will come
on.
Wipers
Notes
! Do not operate the wipers when the
windshield/rear window is dry. Dust that
accumulates on a windshield/rear window
might scratch the glass and/or damage the
wiper blades when wiping occurs on a dry
windshield/rear window. If it is necessary
to operate the wipers in dry weather
conditions, always operate the wipers with
washer fluid.
Combination switch
:Single wipeWiping with washer fluid;Switching on windshield wipersXSwitch on the ignition.
Windshield wipers
Switching on/off
0Windshield wipers offIIntermittent wipingWipers79Controls in detail463_AKB; 2; 52, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.7.12008-12-02T10:52:11+01:00 - Seite 79Z

:Override switch (Y page 49);Left front door window=Right front door window?Right rear door windowALeft rear door windowXSwitch on the ignition.XOpening/closing: Press or pull and hold
switch ; to A to the resistance point.
The corresponding door window will move
downwards or upwards until you release
the switch.
XExpress opening: Press switch ; to A
past the resistance point and release.
The corresponding door window opens
completely.
XStopping during express opening: Press
or pull the respective switch again.
Summer opening feature
When the weather is warm, you can ventilate
the vehicle before driving off by
simultaneously
Ropening the windows
Ropening the tilt/sliding sunroof
The summer opening feature can only be
activated via the remote control of the
SmartKey. The SmartKey must be in close
proximity to the driver’s outside door handle.
XAim transmitter eye of the SmartKey at the
driver’s outside door handle.
XPress and hold button % on the
SmartKey until the windows and the tilt/
sliding sunroof have reached the desired
position.
The vehicle unlocks.
XRelease button % on the SmartKey to
interrupt the opening procedure.
Convenience closing feature
When locking the vehicle, you can
simultaneously close the windows and the
tilt/sliding sunroof.
GWarning!
When closing the windows and the tilt/sliding
sunroof, make sure there is no danger of
anyone being harmed by the closing
procedure.
If potential danger exists, proceed as follows:
RRelease button & to stop the closing
procedure. To open, press and hold button
%. To continue the closing procedure
after making sure that there is no danger of
anyone being harmed by the closing
procedure, press and hold button &.
The SmartKey must be in close proximity to
the driver’s outside door handle.
XAim transmitter eye of the SmartKey at the
driver’s outside door handle.
XPress and hold button & on the
SmartKey until the windows and the tilt/
sliding sunroof are completely closed.
XRelease button & on the SmartKey to
interrupt the closing procedure.
Driving and parking
Safety notes
GWarning!
Make sure absolutely no objects are
obstructing the pedals’ range of movement.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all
obstacles. If there are any floormats or
82Driving and parkingControls in detail
463_AKB; 2; 52, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.7.12008-12-02T10:52:11+01:00 - Seite 82

Automatic transmission
Introduction
For information on driving with an automatic
transmission, see “Driving and parking”
(Y page 82).
GWarning!
Make sure absolutely no objects are
obstructing the pedals’ range of movement.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all
obstacles. If there are any floormats or
carpets in the footwell, make sure the pedals
still have sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers
the objects could get caught between the
pedals. You could then no longer brake or
accelerate. This could lead to accidents and
injury.
! Allow the engine to warm up under low
load use. Do not place full load on the
engine until the operating temperature has
been reached.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period when driving off on
slippery road surfaces.
This may cause serious damage to the
engine and the drivetrain which is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
iDuring the brief warm-up, transmission
upshifting is delayed. This allows the
catalytic converter to heat up more quickly
to operating temperature.
Gear selector lever
Gearshift pattern for automatic transmission
jPark position with gear selector lever lockkReverse geariNeutral positionhDrive positionGWarning!
It is dangerous to shift the automatic
transmission out of park position P or neutral
position N if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the
brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or in reverse. You could lose
control of the vehicle and hit someone or
something. Only shift into gear when the
engine is idling normally and when your right
foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
! Only shift the automatic transmission into
reverse gear R or park position P when the
vehicle is stopped. Otherwise the
automatic transmission could be damaged.
iShifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P is only possible with the
brake pedal depressed.
Only depressing the brake pedal releases
the gear selector lever lock.
iThe current gear selector lever position
corresponds with the current transmission
position.
Automatic transmission87Controls in detail463_AKB; 2; 52, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.7.12008-12-02T10:52:11+01:00 - Seite 87Z

EffectANeutral position
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive axle. When the
brakes are released, the vehicle can
be moved freely (pushed or towed).
To avoid damage to the
transmission, never shift the
automatic transmission into neutral
position N while driving.
Exceptions:
RIf the ESP® is deactivated or
malfunctioning, shift the
automatic transmission into
neutral position N if the vehicle is
in danger of skidding.
RShift the automatic transmission
into neutral position N if you have
to shift the transfer case.
! Coasting the vehicle, or driving
for any other reason with the
automatic transmission in neutral
position N can result in
transmission damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
7Drive position
The automatic transmission shifts
automatically. All forward gears are
available.
Driving tips
Kickdown
Use the kickdown when you want maximum
acceleration.
XDepress the accelerator pedal past the
point of resistance.
Depending on the engine speed the
automatic transmission shifts into a lower
gear.
Working on the vehicleGWarning!
When working on the vehicle, engage the
parking brake and shift the automatic
transmission into park position P. Otherwise
the vehicle could roll away which could result
in an accident and/or serious personal injury.
Gear ranges
With the automatic transmission in drive
position D, you can limit or extend the gear
range, see “One-touch gearshifting”
(Y page 90).
The current gear range appears in the
multifunction display.
:Gear range indicator
! If the transfer case is in off-road position
LOW, the automatic transmission will not
shift up automatically, even when the
engine has reached the speed limit for that
gear. There is a risk of damaging the
engine.
It is very important to make sure the
permissible engine speed is not exceeded.
Automatic transmission89Controls in detail463_AKB; 2; 52, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.7.12008-12-02T10:52:11+01:00 - Seite 89Z

switches in sequential order (center, rear,
front) (Y page 94). When the transfer case
(center) differential is locked, half of the
engine’s power is automatically distributed to
the front wheels and half to the rear wheels.
When the rear differential is locked, power
going to the rear wheels is equally distributed,
so that both rear wheels turn at the same
speed and torque. Please be aware that
engaging the differential locks will
significantly reduce the steering ability of the
vehicle.
For your safety and the safety of others and
to prevent damage to the vehicle, the
differential locks must not be engaged when
driving on paved roads. It is important to
understand that during on-road/paved
driving, differentials are absolutely necessary
for providing the essential control and
steering ability of the vehicle. The differential
locks, therefore, must not be engaged when
driving on paved roads and should only be
used to the extent necessary to negotiate off-
road conditions which cannot be handled by
the systems (the 4-ETS, the ESP®, and the
manual switch position “LOW” of transfer
case) this vehicle comes equipped with.
Switching differential locks on and off
The switches are located on the upper part of
the center console.
:Transfer case (center) differential lock;Rear axle differential lock=Front differential lock?Engagement indicator lamps (yellow)AFunction indicator lamps (red)
The differential locks can only be switched on
in the sequence :, ;, =.
Switching differential locks on
! To avoid damage to the transfer case and
differential locks:
REngage the differential locks only at low
speed (walking speed, not more than
5 mph [8 km/h]).
RDo not engage the differential locks if the
driving wheels are spinning due to lack
of traction.
RDo not engage the differential locks on
paved roads.
Transfer case differential lock
XPress switch :.
Yellow engagement indicator lamp ? for
the transfer case differential lock comes
on.
The ESP® warning lamp d in the
instrument cluster comes on.
When the differential lock engagement
operation has been completed, the red
function indicator lamp A comes on.
The message ABS not available
differential locked appears in the
multifunction display.
The ESP® warning lamp d and the !
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster come
on.
Once the transfer case differential lock is
switched on, you can now, if needed, switch
on rear axle differential lock ;, or switch on
rear axle differential lock ; and front
differential lock =.
94Differential locksControls in detail
463_AKB; 2; 52, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.7.12008-12-02T10:52:11+01:00 - Seite 94

Rear axle differential lockXPress switch ;.
Yellow engagement indicator lamp ?
comes on first, followed by red function
indicator lamp A.
The rear axle differential lock is switched
on.
Front differential lock
XPress switch =.
Yellow engagement indicator lamp ?
comes on first, followed by red function
indicator lamp A.
The front differential lock is switched on.
Switching differential locks off
There are two different methods to disengage
differential locks:
RYou can switch the differential locks off in
reverse order (=, ;, :).
RTo switch off all differential locks at the
same time:
XPress switch :.
Yellow engagement indicator
lamps ? go out first. Red function
indicator lamps A go out when the
switching process has been carried
out in the differential.
To activate the ESP®, BAS, and ABS systems,
drive again for 3 seconds using a constant
driving style.
All messages in the multifunction display
disappear. The ESP® warning lamp d and
the ! indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster go out.
iIf red function indicator lamps A do not
go out when the differential locks are
disengaged, bring vehicle to a stop and
then continue driving. Changing the vehicle
load can help to disengage the differential
locks.
GWarning!
Always remember to disengage the
differential locks when returning to drive on
paved roads, see “A few words about
differentials and differential locks”.
Instrument cluster
Introduction
For a full view illustration of the instrument
cluster, see “Instrument cluster”
(Y page 26).
GWarning!
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction
display is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see
information about your driving conditions,
such as
Rspeed
Routside temperature
Rwarning/indicator lamps
Rmalfunction/warning messages
Rfailure of any systems
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, please do so
with added caution. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
:Reset button Instrument cluster95Controls in detail463_AKB; 2; 52, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.7.12008-12-02T10:52:11+01:00 - Seite 95Z

The following functions are available:
RChecking tire inflation pressure with the
Advanced TPMS (Y page 157)
RCalling up digital speedometer or outside
temperature (Y page 100)
RCalling up maintenance service indicator
display (Y page 186)
RChecking engine oil level (Y page 150)
Calling up digital speedometer or
outside temperature
You can select whether the digital
speedometer or the outside temperature
appears in the multifunction display
(Y page 105).
GWarning!
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
XPress button & or * repeatedly until
the digital speedometer or the outside
temperature appears in the multifunction
display.
Digital speedometer
Outside temperature
Audio/DVD menu
The functions in the Audio/DVD menu
operate the audio or video equipment which
you have currently switched on.
The following functions are available:
RSelecting radio station (Y page 100)
ROperating audio devices/audio media
(Y page 101)
ROperating video DVD (Y page 101)
If no audio equipment is currently switched
on, the message AUDIO Off appears in the
multifunction display.
Selecting radio station
The HD Radio with SIRIUS Satellite Radio is
treated as a radio application.
For more information on HD Radio with
SIRIUS Satellite Radio, refer to separate
COMAND system operating instructions.
Additional optional satellite radio equipment
and a subscription to satellite radio service
provider are required for satellite radio
operation. Contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center for details and availability for
your vehicle.
100Control systemControls in detail
463_AKB; 2; 52, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.7.12008-12-02T10:52:11+01:00 - Seite 100