2011 MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS warning

Only shift the automatic transmission to
the desired drive position when the vehicle
is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. You could otherwise damage the
drive train.
! Avoid high engine speeds when the
engine is cold. The engine's service life
could otherwise be significantly shortened.
Do not use the engine's full performance
until it has reached operating temperature.
SmartKey positions
gTo remove the SmartKey1Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windshield wipers2Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position3To start the engine
i You can only remove the SmartKey if:
R the SmartKey is in position 0 in the
ignition lock.
R the automatic transmission selector
lever is in P.
As soon as the ignition is switched on, all the
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster light
up. If an indicator lamp does not go out after
the engine is started or if it lights up while the
vehicle is in motion, see ( Y page 183).
If the SmartKey is in position 0 in the ignition
lock for an extended period of time, it can no
longer be turned in the ignition lock. The
steering is then locked. To unlock, remove the
SmartKey and reinsert it into the ignition lock.
The steering is locked when you remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.XRemove the SmartKey when the engine is
switched off.
The starter battery could otherwise be
discharged.
If you cannot turn the SmartKey in the ignition
lock, the starter battery may not be charged
sufficiently.
XCheck the starter battery and charge if
necessary ( Y page 236).
or
XJump-start the vehicle ( Y page 238).
Starting the engine
Important safety notes
GWarning
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to your
health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide (CO), and inhaling it can cause
unconsciousness and 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 determined and corrected
immediately. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with at least one
window fully open at all times.
! Do not depress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine.
Starting procedure
XShift the automatic transmission to
position P.
The transmission position display in the
multifunction display shows P.Driving117Driving and parkingZProCarManuals.com

iFor further information about the
automatic transmission, see
( Y page 121).
i If you depress the brake when starting the
engine, pedal travel is unusually long and
there is less pedal resistance.XMake sure that the parking brake is
applied.XTurn the SmartKey to position 3 in the
ignition lock (Y page 117) and release it as
soon as the engine is running.
i You can start the engine without preglow
if the engine is warm.
i You can also use the touch-start function.
To do this, turn the SmartKey to position 3
( Y page 117) and release it immediately.
The engine then starts automatically.
Pulling away
Automatic transmission
GWarning
It is dangerous to shift AUTOTRONIC out of
parking 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 to
reverse gear R or park position P when the
vehicle is stationary. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission could be damaged.
i It is only possible to shift the automatic
transmission from position P to a different
position if you depress the brake pedal.
Only then is the selector lever lock
released.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.XShift the automatic transmission to
position D or R.
i
Before driving off, wait until the gear
change is fully completed.
XRelease the parking brake ( Y page 135).XRelease the brake pedal.XCarefully depress the accelerator pedal.
!
Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while depressing the brake pedal. This
impairs engine performance and results in
premature wear on the brake system and
drivetrain.
! If a warning tone sounds and the
Release Park. Brake message appears
in the multifunction display, the parking
brake is still applied. Release the parking
brake.
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic
locking feature ( Y page 165).
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
Hill start assist
Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forwards or in reverse on an uphill gradient.
It holds the vehicle for a short time after you
have removed your foot from the brake pedal.
This gives you enough time to move your foot
from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal
and depress it before the vehicle begins to
roll.
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GWarning
Never leave the vehicle when it is held by hill
start assist. After approximately one second,
hill start assist will no longer brake your
vehicle and it could roll away.
XTake your foot off the brake pedal.
i Once you have taken your foot off the
brake pedal, the vehicle is held for around
one second.
XPull away.
Hill start assist will not function if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or a
downhill gradient.
R the transmission is in position N.
R the parking brake is applied.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning.
Driving119Driving and parkingZProCarManuals.com

Problems with the engineProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsThe engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard.R There is a malfunction in the engine electronics.
R There is a malfunction in the fuel supply.XTurn the SmartKey back to position 0 in the ignition lock before
attempting to start the engine again.XTry to start the engine again ( Y page 117). Avoid excessively
long and frequent attempts to start the engine as these will drain
the battery.
If the engine does not start after several attempts:
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard. The
reserve fuel warning
lamp is on. The needle
of the fuel gauge is
pointing to the reserve
range and does not
drop any further.The fuel tank is empty.XRefuel the vehicle.The engine does not
start. You cannot hear
the starter motor.The on-board voltage is too low because the starter battery is too
weak or discharged.XJump-start the vehicle ( Y page 238).
If the engine does not start despite attempts to jump-start it:
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.The starter motor was exposed to a thermal load that was too high.XAllow the starter motor to cool down for approximately two
minutes.XTry to start the engine again.
If the engine still does not start:
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.120DrivingDriving and parking
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ProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsThe engine is not
running smoothly and
is misfiring.There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or a mechanical
component of the engine management system.XOnly depress the accelerator pedal slightly.XHave the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic
converter and damage it.The coolant
temperature gauge
shows a value above
248 ‡(120 †).
Additionally, a display
message may appear in
the multifunction
display and a warning
tone may sound.The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.XStop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant
to cool down.XCheck the coolant level ( Y page 217). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and add coolant if necessary.Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
GWarning
It is dangerous to shift AUTOTRONIC out of
parking 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.
GWarning
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in
order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehicle
control. Your vehicle's ABS will not prevent
this type of loss of control.
GWarning!
Keep in mind that turning off the engine alone
only will shift AUTOTRONIC into neutral
position N automatically.
Always shift AUTOTRONIC into park position
P before turning off the engine.
Otherwise the vehicle could roll away which
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
i Bear in mind that the power transmission
between the engine and the transmission
is interrupted when the engine is switched
off. Therefore, to prevent the vehicle from
rolling away, shift the automatic
transmission to position P and apply the
parking brake when the engine is switched
off and the vehicle is stationary.
Automatic transmission121Driving and parkingZProCarManuals.com

ANeutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you
to move the vehicle freely, e.g. to
push it or tow it.
Do not shift the transmission to N
while driving. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission could be
damaged.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty:
only shift the transmission to
position N if the vehicle is in danger
of skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
If you want to engage the transfer
case, shift briefly into N
( Y page 126).
! Rolling in neutral N can damage
the drive train.7Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.
Changing gears
The automatic transmission shifts to the
individual gears automatically when it is in
transmission position D. This automatic
gearshifting behavior is determined by:
R a shift range restriction, if selected
R the position of the transfer case ( HIGH or
LOW )
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed
Driving tips
Accelerator pedal position
Your style of driving influences how the
automatic transmission shifts gear:
R little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
XDepress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.XEase off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Working on the vehicle
GWarning
When working on the vehicle, engage the
parking brake and shift AUTOTRONIC into
park position P. Otherwise the vehicle could
roll away which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
Shift ranges
Introduction
When the automatic transmission is in
position D, it is possible to restrict or
derestrict the shift range ( Y page 123).
Automatic transmission123Driving and parkingZProCarManuals.com

Problems with the automatic transmissionProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsThe acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear.The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into second gear and reverse gear.XStop the vehicle.XShift the transmission to position P.XTurn the SmartKey to position 0 in the ignition lock.XWait at least 10 seconds before restarting the engine.XShift the transmission to position D or R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into second gear; if R is
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.XHave the transmission checked at a qualified specialist
workshop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz Service Center,
immediately.You hear a warning
tone.You have:
R switched off the engine
R opened the driver's door
R not moved the selector lever to position PXMove the selector lever to P.Releasing the parking lock manually
In the event of a malfunction, it is possible to
release the selector lever lock manually to
move it out of position P, e.g. if you wish to
have the vehicle towed.XApply the parking brake.XInsert a suitable implement : into the
opening protected by the flap.XPress implement : downwards and
simultaneously move the selector lever out
of position P.XRemove implement :.
The selector lever can now be moved freely
until it is returned to position P.
i
The protective flap only closes completely
if you briefly press to selector lever towards
D- .
Transfer case
General notes
The vehicle has permanent all-wheel drive.
The front and rear axles are being constantly
driven.
For further information on driving off-road,
see ( Y page 142).
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Shift rangesHHIGH
Position for all normal on-road
driving conditions.LLOW
Low-range position for driving off-
road.
Also for use on steep uphill or
downhill gradients, especially
when towing a trailer.
! When the transfer case is in the
off-road driving position LOW
range, the automatic
transmission does not shift up,
even when the engine has
reached the overrevving limit.
There is then a risk of engine
damage. Make sure that you do
not exceed the maximum
permissible engine speed.
The vehicle travels around half the
speed of on-road driving range
HIGH . The drive power is
correspondingly higher.NNeutral
Neutral position.
No power is transmitted to the
drive wheels.
Shifting the transfer case
General notes
GWarning!
Always wait until the procedure of shifting
from HIGH to LOW – and from LOW to HIGH
– has been entirely completed. During this
procedure do not turn off the engine or shift
the automatic transmission into another gear.
If you do not wait until the shifting procedure
has been entirely completed then it might not
be correctly performed. The transfer case
might be in neutral, thus interrupting the
transfer of power between the engine and the
drive axle.
The vehicle is then freely movable, even if a
gear has been selected, and could
unintentionally be set into motion –
particularly on up – or downhill grades. This
could lead to an accident and cause injury to
yourself and others.
Please observe related messages appearing
in the multifunction display.:Current shift range;Current transfer case position
Current shift range : and transfer case
position ; are shown in the instrument
cluster multifunction display.
The switch for the transfer case is on the
lower section of the center console.
Transfer case switch
From HIGH to LOW
! Only carry out the gear selection if:
R the engine is running.
R the vehicle is rolling.
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