2011 MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS transmission

If it is necessary to switch on the windshield
wipers in dry weather conditions, always
use washer fluid when operating the
windshield wipers.
Switching the windshield wipers on/
off
Combination switch
1III Continuous wipe, fast2II Continuous wipe, slow3I Intermittent wipe/rain sensor40 windshield wipers offAí Single wipe/ î To wipe the
windshield using washer fluidXTurn the SmartKey to position 1 or 2 in the
ignition lock.XTurn the combination switch to the
corresponding position.
! Intermittent wiping with rain sensor: due
to optical influences and the windshield
becoming dirty in dry weather conditions,
the windshield wipers may be activated
inadvertently. This could then damage the
windshield wiper blades or scratch the
windshield.
For this reason, you should always switch
off the windshield wipers in dry weather.
In the I position, the appropriate wiping
frequency is set automatically according to
the intensity of the rain.
Intermittent wiping is interrupted if you stop
and open a front door. This protects people
getting into and out of the vehicle from being
sprayed with water.
Intermittent wiping continues when all doors
are closed and:
R you shift the automatic transmission to
drive position D or reverse gear R
or
R you change the wipe setting on the
combination switch.
Switching the rear window wiper on/
off
:è Intermittent wipe;Indicator lamp=ô To wipe with washer fluid
The rear window wiper comes on
automatically if you shift the selector lever to
R while the windshield wipers are on.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 1 or 2 in the
ignition lock.XTo switch on intermittent wiping: push
button :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up.XTo switch off intermittent wiping: push
button : again.
Indicator lamp ; goes out.XTo wipe with washer fluid: push button
= and hold it there until the rear window
is clean.
The rear window is wiped for a further five
seconds after the button is released.102Windshield wipersLights and windshield wipers
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Vehicle equipment ............................116
Breaking-in notes .............................. 116
Driving ............................................... 116
Automatic transmission ...................121
Refueling ............................................ 131
Parking ............................................... 134
Driving tips ........................................ 136
Driving systems ................................ 147115Driving and parkingProCarManuals.com

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.
118DrivingDriving and parking
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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

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

Selector lever
Overview of transmission positions
Selector lever
PPark position with selector lever lockRReverse gearNNeutralDDrive
Transmission position display
:Transmission position/shift range;Transfer case position
Current shift range : and current transfer
case position ; are shown in the instrument
cluster display.
! If the transmission position display in the
multifunction display is not working, you
should pull away carefully to check whether
the desired transmission position is
engaged. Select transmission position D.
Do not restrict the shift range.
Displays on the cover beside the selector
lever also indicate the current position of the
selector lever.
The displays light up when the SmartKey is
inserted into the ignition lock. The displays go
out when the SmartKey is removed from the
ignition lock.
When the selector lever is in position D, you
can influence the gearshifts made by the
automatic transmission by:
R restricting the shift range
R changing gear yourself
Transmission positions
BPark position
Do not shift the transmission into
position P(Y page 134) unless the
vehicle is stationary. The parking
lock should not be used as a brake
when parking. In addition to
engaging the parking lock, you
must always apply the parking
brake to secure the vehicle.
i The SmartKey can only be
removed if the transmission is in
position P. When there is no
SmartKey in the ignition lock, the
selector lever is locked in
position P.
If the vehicle electronics are
malfunctioning, the selector lever
may be locked in position P. To
release a locked selector lever, see
"Manual override of parking lock"
( Y page 126).
Have the vehicle electronics
checked immediately at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.CReverse gear
Only shift the transmission to R
when the vehicle is stationary.122Automatic transmissionDriving and parking
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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