Turning off the engine ........................ 89
Turn signals ......................................... 77
Cleaning lenses ............................. 194
Indicator lamps ................................ 26
Messages in the multifunction
display ........................................... 218
TWR (Tongue Weight Rating) ........... 179
U
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards .................................. 171, 179
Units
Selecting speedometer display
mode ............................................. 108
Unleaded gasoline, premium ........... 262
Unlocking the vehicle
Manually ........................................ 228
SmartKey ......................................... 60
Upholstery, cleaning ......................... 197
Useful features .................................. 134
V
Vehicle
Battery ........................................... 243
Care ............................................... 192
Control system ................................ 99
Identification Number (VIN) ...........254
Locking/unlocking ........................... 60
Lowering (wheel change) ...............242
Modifications and alterations,
Operating safety .............................. 21
Towing ........................................... 246
Unlocking/locking manually ..........228
Vehicle dimensions
see Vehicle specification
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) ................................................... 254
Vehicle jack see Jack
Vehicle lighting .................................... 74
Vehicle loading
Cargo tie-down rings ...................... 130
Cargo volume, expanding ..............130
Instructions .................................... 129
Load limit ....................................... 167
Roof rack ....................................... 130
Terminology ................................... 177
Vehicle maximum load on the tire ... 179
Vehicle specification
G 550 ............................................. 256
G 55 AMG ...................................... 257
Vehicle status message memory .... 105
Vehicle tool kit .................................. 200
Vehicle washing see Vehicle care
Vehicle weights
see Vehicle specification
W
Warning sounds
Driver’s or passenger’s seat belt .....44
Parking brake ................................ 208
Rear Parking Assist system ...........120
Seat belt telltale ............................ 222
Warranty coverage ............................ 254
Washer and headlamp cleaning
system ................................................ 265
Washer fluid
Messages in the multifunction
display ........................................... 210
Mixing ratio .................................... 265
Refilling .......................................... 157
Washing the vehicle .......................... 192
Wear pattern (tires) .......................... 172
Weights (vehicle) see Vehicle specification
Wheel
Changing ....................................... 239
Removing ....................................... 241
Spare ............................................. 239
Tightening torque ........................... 242
Wheels, sizes ..................................... 258
Wheels, Tires and .............................. 158
Window curtain air bags ..................... 37
Windows see Power windows
Windows, cleaning ............................ 195
Windshield
Cleaning wiper blades .................... 195
Defogging ...................................... 126
Washer fluid ................................... 265
Wipers ............................................. 82
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Program brochure (in the USA) or the
Roadside Assistance section of the Service
and Warranty Information Booklet (in
Canada) in your vehicle literature portfolio.
Change of address or ownership
If you change your address, be sure to send
in the “Change of Address Notice” found in
the Service and Warranty Information
Booklet, or simply call the Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance Center (in the USA) at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372), or
Customer Service (in Canada) at
1-800-387-0100. This will assist us in
contacting you in a timely manner should the
need arise.
If you sell your Mercedes, please leave all
literature with the vehicle to make it available
to the next operator.
If you bought this vehicle used, be sure to
send in the “Notice of Purchase of Used
Truck” found in the Service and Warranty
Information Booklet, or call the Mercedes-
Benz Customer Assistance Center (in the
USA) at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1-800-367-6372), or Customer Service (in
Canada) at 1-800-387-0100.
Operating your vehicle outside the
USA or Canada
If you plan to operate your vehicle in foreign
countries, please be aware that:
R Service facilities or replacement parts may
not be readily available.
R Unleaded gasoline for vehicles with
catalytic converters may not be available;
the use of leaded fuels will damage the
catalysts.
R Gasoline may have a considerably lower
octane rating, and improper fuel can cause
engine damage.
Certain Mercedes-Benz models are available
for delivery in Europe under our European
Delivery Program. For details, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or write to:
In the USA:
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
European Delivery Department
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada:
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
European Delivery Department
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9
Sport Utility Vehicle
GWarning!
This Sport Utility Vehicle is designed for both
on-road and off-road use. It can go places and
perform tasks for which conventional 2-wheel
drive passenger cars are not intended. This
vehicle will handle and maneuver differently
from conventional passenger cars in driving
conditions which may occur on streets,
highways and off-road use.
This vehicle has a higher ground clearance
and a higher center of gravity than many
passenger cars. As with other vehicles of this
type, if you make sharp turns at excessive
speeds or abrupt maneuvers, the vehicle may
roll over or may go out of control and crash.
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher
rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
Failure to operate this vehicle safely may
result in an accident, rollover of the vehicle,
and severe or fatal injury.
Before you start to drive this vehicle, read the
Operator’s Manual. Take time to become
familiar with the driving characteristics of this
vehicle. Be sure you are familiar with all
vehicle controls. Learn how your vehicle
handles on different road surfaces. Do not
attempt sharp turns at excessive speeds or
abrupt maneuvers or other unsafe driving
actions that can cause loss of vehicle control.
When driving off-road or working the vehicle
hard, do not overload it. And, always wear
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your seat belts at all times. In a rollover crash,
an unbelted person is significantly more likely
to die than a person wearing a seat belt.
Operating safety
GWarning!
Work improperly carried out on electronic
components and associated software could
cause them to cease functioning. Because the
vehicle’s electronic components are
interconnected, any modifications made may
produce an undesired effect on other
systems. Electronic malfunctions could
seriously impair the operating safety of your
vehicle.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for repairs or modifications to electronic
components.
Other improper work or modifications on the
vehicle could also have a negative impact on
the operating safety of the vehicle.
Some safety systems only function while the
engine is running. You should therefore never
turn off the engine while driving.
GWarning!
Heavy blows against the vehicle underbody or
tires/wheels may cause serious damage and
impair the operating safety of your vehicle.
Such blows can be caused, for example, by
running over an obstacle, road debris or a
pothole. If you feel a sudden significant
vibration or ride disturbance, or you suspect
that damage to your vehicle as occurred:
R turn on your hazard warning flashers
R slow down carefully
R drive with caution to an area which is a safe
distance from the road
Inspect the vehicle underbody and tires/
wheels for possible damage. If the vehicle
appears unsafe, have it towed to the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or other
qualified maintenance or repair facility for
further inspection or repairs.
Proper use of the vehicle
Proper use of the vehicle requires that you are
familiar with the following information and
rules:
R the safety precautions in this manual
R the “Technical data” section in this manual
R traffic rules and regulations
R motor vehicle laws and safety standards
GWarning!
Various warning labels are attached to your
vehicle. These warning labels are intended to
make you and others aware of various risks.
Do not remove any of these warning labels
unless explicitly instructed to do so by
information on the label itself. Removing
warning labels may cause you and others to
be unaware of certain risks which may result
in an accident and/or personal injury.
Problems with your vehicle
If you should experience a problem with your
vehicle, particularly one that you believe may
affect its safe operation, we urge you to
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately to have the problem diagnosed
and corrected if required. If the matter is not
handled to your satisfaction, please discuss
the problem with the Mercedes-Benz Center
management or, if necessary, contact us at
one of the following addresses:
In the USA:
Customer Assistance Center
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada:
Customer Relations Department
Introduction21463_AKB; 3; 35, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-07-16T20:59:56+02:00 - Seite 21Z
Instrument clusterFunctionPage:Speedometer with:L Low-beam headlamp
indicator lamp75
d Electronic Stability
Program (ESP®) warning
lamp 223
h Combination low tire
pressure/TPMS
malfunction telltale, USA
only
162,
226
h Low tire pressure
telltale, Canada only
162,
226
$ Brake warning lamp,
USA only221
J Brake warning lamp,
Canada only221
;# Left turn signal
indicator lamp 77
=Multifunction display101?! Right turn signal
indicator lamp77
FunctionPageATachometer with: ! Antilock Brake
System (ABS) indicator
lamp 220
7 Seat belt telltale44,
222
+ Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS)
indicator lamp
32,
223
= Engine malfunction
indicator lamp, USA only 225
; Engine malfunction
indicator lamp, Canada only225
K High-beam headlamp
indicator lamp77
BFuel gauge with:8 Fuel filler flap
indicator: The fuel filler flap
is located on the rear right-
hand side. 224
CCoolant temperature gauge9826Instrument clusterAt a glance
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Vehicle equipment
i This Operator’s Manual describes all
features, standard or optional, potentially
available for your vehicle at the time of
purchase. Please be aware that your
vehicle might not be equipped with all
features described in this manual.
Occupant safety
Introduction
In this section you will learn the most
important facts about the restraint system
components of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are:
R Seat belts
R Child restraints
R
Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren
(LATCH) also known as ISOFIX
Additional protection potential is provided by:
R
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) with
- Air bags
- Air bag control unit (with crash sensors)
-
Emergency Tensioning Device (ETD) for
front and rear outer seat belts
- Seat belt force limiter
R Air bag system components with
- Front passenger front air bag off
indicator lamp
- Front passenger seat with BabySmart™
air bag deactivation system
Although the systems are independent, their
protective functions work in conjunction with
each other.
GWarning!
Modifications to or work improperly
conducted on restraint system components
or their wiring, as well as tampering with
interconnected electronic systems, can lead
to the restraint systems no longer functioning
as intended.
Air bags or Emergency Tensioning Devices
(ETDs), for example, could deploy
inadvertently or fail to deploy in accidents
although the deceleration threshold for air
bag deployment is exceeded. Therefore,
never modify the restraint systems. Do not
tamper with electronic components or their
software.
i See “Children in the vehicle”
( Y page 46) for information on
R infants and children traveling with you in
the vehicle
R restraint systems for infants and children
SRS indicator lamp
The SRS system conducts a self-test when
the ignition is switched on and in regular
intervals while the engine is running. This
facilitates detection of system malfunctions.
The SRS indicator lamp + in the
instrument cluster comes on when the
ignition is switched on. It goes out no later
than a few seconds after the engine has been
started.
The SRS components are in operational
readiness when the SRS indicator lamp
+ is not lit while the engine is running.
GWarning!
The SRS self-check has detected a
malfunction when the SRS indicator lamp
+
R does not come on at all
R fails to go out after approximately
4 seconds after the engine was started
R comes on after the engine was started or
while driving
For your safety, we strongly recommend that
you contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center immediately to have the system
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Driver and front passenger front air bags are
deployed
R in the event of certain frontal impacts
R if the system determines that air bag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
R depending on whether the respective seat
belt is in use
R independently of the window curtain air
bags
The driver front air bag is designed to inflate
in two stages. This allows the driver front air
bag to have different rates of inflation. The
rate of inflation is based on the vehicle
deceleration rate as assessed by the air bag
control unit.
The air bags will not deploy in impacts which
do not exceed the system’s preset
deployment thresholds. You will then be
protected by the fastened seat belts.
The front air bags will not deploy in the event
of a rollover unless the vehicle’s rate of
longitudinal deceleration or acceleration
exceeds the preset deployment threshold for
the front air bags.
The front passenger front air bag will only be
deployed if
R the front passenger seat is occupied
R the 4/ indicator lamp in the center
console is not lit ( Y page 37)
R the impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold
The front passenger front air bag is activated
or deactivated automatically. Both the driver
and the front passenger should always use
the 4/ indicator lamp to check
whether the front passenger front air bag is
activated or deactivated.
Deployment of the driver front air bag does
not mean that the front passenger front air
bag also should have deployed. If the front
passenger seat have determined as being
empty the system suppresses deployment ofthe front passenger front air bag even though
the impact met the criteria and was of
sufficient severity to deploy the driver front
air bag.
When the front passenger seat is detected as
being occupied, the 4/ indicator lamp
will illuminate for approximately 6 seconds
when the SmartKey is in starter switch
position 1 or 2 or the engine is started and
then goes out, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is activated.
Keep in mind that objects placed on the front
passenger seat may cause the system to
recognize the seat as occupied. This could
cause the front passenger front air bag to
deploy in a crash which exceeds the system’s
deployment threshold.
If the 4/ indicator lamp is illuminated,
the front passenger front air bag is
deactivated and will not be deployed.
If the 4/ indicator lamp is not
illuminated, the front passenger front air bag
is activated and will be deployed.GWarning!
Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to deactivate the front
passenger front air bag in your vehicle when
the system detects the front passenger seat
as empty.
If the 4/ indicator lamp illuminates
when an adult or someone larger than a small
individual is in the front passenger seat, the
front passenger front air bag is deactivated.
In the event of a collision, the air bag control
unit will not allow front passenger front air bag
deployment when the front passenger seat is
detected as being empty.
Have the front passenger reposition himself
or herself in the seat until the 4/
indicator lamp goes out. If the 4/
indicator lamp does not go out, contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
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Releasing the seat beltsXReleasing front seat belts and rear
outer seat belts: Press seat belt release
button ? (Y page 42).
Allow the retractor to completely rewind
the seat belt by guiding latch plate ;
( Y page 42).
!
Make sure the seat belt retracts
completely. Otherwise the seat belt and/or
latch plate could get caught or pinched in
the door or in the seat mechanism. This can
damage the seat belt and impair its
effectiveness, and/or cause damage to the
door and/or door trim panel. Such damage
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Damaged seat belts must be replaced.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
XReleasing rear center seat belt: Press
release button B on buckle A for free-
sliding latch plate C (Y page 42).XPress release button = on buckle ; for
fixed latch plate ? (Y page 42).XAllow the retractor to completely rewind
the rear center seat belt by guiding fixed
latch plate ? (Y page 42).XGuide both latch plates ? and C one after
the other into attachment : (Y page 42).GWarning!
To help prevent the possibility of injury,
always store the rear center seat belt latch
plates in the attachment when the rear center
seat belt is not in use.
Enhanced seat belt reminder system
When the engine is started, the seat belt
telltale 7 will always illuminate for
6 seconds to remind you and your passengers
to fasten your seat belts.
If the driver’s seat belt and/or the passenger
seat belt (with the front passenger seat
occupied) is not fastened when the engine is
started, an additional warning chime will
sound. The warning chime goes out after
approximately 6 seconds or once the driver’s
seat belt and/or the passenger seat belt (with
the front passenger seat occupied) is
fastened.
If after these 6 seconds the driver’s or the
front passenger’s seat belt (with the front
passenger seat occupied) is not fastened with
front doors closed,
R the seat belt telltale 7 remains
illuminated for as long as either the driver’s
or front passenger’s seat belt is not
fastened.
R and if the vehicle speed once exceeds
15 mph (25 km/h), the seat belt telltale
7 starts flashing and a warning chime
sounds with increasing intensity for a
maximum of 60 seconds or until the
driver’s and front passenger’s seat belt are
fastened.
If you and/or your passenger release the
seat belt during driving, the seat belt
telltale 7 starts flashing and the
warning chime sounds as described before.
If the driver’s or the front passenger’s seat
belt remains unfastened after 60 seconds,
the warning chime stops sounding, the seat
belt telltale 7 stops flashing but
continues to be illuminated.
After a vehicle standstill, the warning chime
is reactivated and the seat belt telltale
7 is flashing again if the vehicle speed
once exceeds 15 mph (25 km/h).
The seat belt telltale 7 will only go out if
both the driver’s and the front passenger’s
seat belt (with the front passenger seat
occupied) are fastened, or the vehicle is
standing still and a front door is opened.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
( Y page 222).44Occupant safetySafety and security
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On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will
respond even to light brake pressure.
The ABS indicator lamp ! in the
instrument cluster comes on when you switch
on the ignition. It goes out when the engine
is running.
Braking
At the instant one of the wheels is about to
lock up, a slight pulsation can be felt in the
brake pedal. The pulsation indicates that the
ABS is in the regulating mode.
XKeep firm and steady pressure on the brake
pedal while you feel the pulsation.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to steer
the vehicle.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an
indication of hazardous road conditions and
functions as a reminder to take extra care
while driving.
Emergency brake maneuver
XKeep continuous full pressure on the brake
pedal.GWarning!
If the ABS malfunctions, other driving safety
systems such as the BAS or the ESP ®
are also
switched off. Observe indicator and warning
lamps that may come on as well as messages
in the multifunction display that may appear.
If the ABS malfunctions, the wheels may lock
during hard braking, reducing steering
capability and extending the braking distance.
LOW-RANGE ABS
During off-road driving, a special low-range
system for the ABS is operational with the
transfer case in position LOW ( Y page 93).
An improved braking action (dig-in effect) is
obtained for vehicles speeds of up to 37 mph
(60 km/h) through a change in the ABS
control function.
BAS
GObserve Safety notes, see page 52.
The Brake Assist System (BAS) operates in
emergency situations. If you apply the brakes
very quickly, the BAS provides full brake
boost automatically, thereby potentially
reducing the braking distance.
XApply continuous full braking pressure until
the emergency braking situation is over.
The ABS will prevent the wheels from
locking.
When you release the brake pedal, the brakes
function again as normal. The BAS is then
deactivated.
GWarning!
If the BAS malfunctions, the brake system still
functions, but without the additional brake
boost available that the BAS would normally
provide in an emergency braking maneuver.
Therefore, the braking distance may increase.
EBB
GObserve Safety notes, see page 52.
The Electronic Brake Booster (EBB) enhances
braking effectiveness by allowing the rear
brakes to supply a greater proportion of the
braking effort in straight-line braking without
a loss of vehicle stability.
GWarning!
If the EBB malfunctions, the brake system is
still functioning. However, the rear wheels
may lock up during hard braking. You may to
lose control over the vehicle and possibly
cause an accident. Adjust your driving style to
the non-operating status of the EBB.
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