2012 MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class oil

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions? The engine fan is defective.
X
At coolant temperatures under 248 ‡ (120 † ), drive to the next
qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid subjecting the engine to heavy loads, e.g. driving in
mountainous terrain, and stop-and-go traffic. # The battery is not being charged.
Possible causes are:
R
a defective alternator
R a torn poly-V-belt
R a malfunction in the electronics
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely and switch off the engine,
paying attention to road and traffic conditions.
X Open the hood.
X Check whether the poly-V-belt is torn.
If the poly-V-belt is torn:
! Do not

continue driving. The engine could otherwise overheat.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
If the poly-V-belt is not damaged:
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. The battery voltage is too low.
X
Switch off electrical consumers that are not required.
X Have the battery and alternator checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. The battery has been charged or the vehicle has been jump-
started.
X
Have the battery and alternator checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. 4
Check
oil

level at
next gas station. The engine oil level has dropped to a critical level.
X
Check the oil level (Y page 211).
X If necessary, add engine oil ( Y page 213).
X Have the engine checked for leaks if the engine oil needs to be
refilled more often than usual. You have added too much engine oil. There is a risk of damaging
the engine or catalytic converter.
X
Siphon off excess engine oil until it is at the specified level.
Observe the legal requirements.172
Display messages
On-board computer and displays

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsThere is water in the engine oil.
X
Have the engine oil examined at a qualified specialist workshop. The measuring system is malfunctioning.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 4
Engine Oil Level
Service Required The engine oil level has dropped to a critical level.
X
Check the oil level (Y page 211).
X If necessary, add engine oil ( Y page 213).
X Have the engine checked for leaks if the engine oil needs to be
refilled more often than usual. You have added too much engine oil. There is a risk of damaging
the engine or catalytic converter.
X
Siphon off excess engine oil until it is at the specified level.
Observe the legal requirements. There is water in the engine oil.
X
Have the engine oil checked. 4
At next gas
station add
1.0
qt.
engine oil.
(USA only)At next
gas station add
1.0 liter engine
oil.(Canada only) The engine oil level is too low.
X
Check the oil level (Y page 211).
X If necessary, add engine oil ( Y page 213).
X Have the engine checked for leaks if the engine oil needs to be
refilled more often than usual. Information on approved engine oils can be obtained from any qualified specialist workshop
or on the Internet at
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com

.
! The oil level is too low. Avoid long journeys with too little engine oil. There is a risk of
engine damage.
The display messages and the corresponding symbol that indicate that the oil level is too
low must not be ignored. Display messages
173
On-board computer and displays Z

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions4
Engine Oil Level
Stop, Turn Engine
Off The engine oil level is too low. There is a risk of engine damage.
X
Pull over and stop the vehicle safely and switch off the engine,
paying attention to road and traffic conditions.
X Switch off the engine.
X Add engine oil ( Y page 213) and check the oil level
(Y page 211). 8
Reserve Fuel The fuel level has fallen below the reserve range. The fuel gauge's
needle does not move any further down. The operation of the
auxiliary heating can no longer be guaranteed.
X
Refuel at the nearest gas station. 8
Gas cap is open. The fuel system pressure is too low. The fuel filler cap is not closed
correctly or the fuel system is leaking.
X
Check that the fuel filler cap is correctly closed.
X If the fuel filler cap is not correctly closed:
close the fuel filler
cap.
X If the fuel filler cap is closed: visit a qualified specialist
workshop. ´
Clean Fuel Filter There is water in the fuel filter. The water must be drained off.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. Driving systems
Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsAAS
Service Required
G
Risk of accident
AAS is not available due to a malfunction. The vehicle may roll
back on a gradient as soon as you remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immediately. Cruise Cont.
Inoperative Cruise control is inoperative.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop.174
Display messages
On-board computer and displays

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please
note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops (Y page 20). Engine compartment
Hood
Opening the hood G
WARNING
Do
not pull the release lever while the vehicle
is in motion. Otherwise, the hood could be
forced open by passing air flow.
This could

cause the hood to come loose and
injure you and/or others. G
WARNING
Do not open the hood when the engine is
overheated. You could be seriously injured.
Observe the coolant temperature gauge to
determine whether the engine may be
overheated. If you see flames or smoke
coming from the engine compartment, move
away from the vehicle. Wait until the engine
has cooled. If necessary, call the fire
department. G
WARNING
You
could be injured when the hood is open –
even when the engine is turned off.
Parts of the engine can become very hot. To
prevent burns,

let the engine cool completely
before touching any components on the
vehicle. Comply with all relevant safety
precautions. G
WARNING
To help prevent personal injury, stay clear of
moving parts when the hood is open and the
engine is running.
The radiator fan may continue to run for
approximately 30 seconds or may even
restart after the engine has been turned off.
Stay clear of fan blades. G
WARNING
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Because of the high voltage,
it is dangerous to touch any components
(ignition coils, spark plug sockets, diagnostic
socket) of the ignition system:
R with the engine running
R while starting the engine
R when the ignition is switched on and the
engine is turned manually
X Make sure that the windshield wipers are
switched off. G
WARNING
The windshield wipers and wiper linkage
could be set in motion.
When the hood is open, you or others could
be injured by the wiper linkage.
Make sure that the windshield wipers are
switched off

and that the SmartKey has been
pulled out of the ignition lock before opening
the hood.
The release lever on the hood is in the footwell
on the left-hand side of the vehicle when
viewed in the direction of travel. 210
Engine compartment
Maintenance and care

X
Pull release lever : on the hood.
The hood is released.
! Make sure
that the windshield wipers are
not folded away from the windshield. You
could otherwise damage the windshield
wipers or the hood. X
Lift the hood slightly.
X Push hood catch handle ;
in
the direction
of the arrow and lift the hood.
Closing the hood G
WARNING
When closing the hood, use extreme caution
not to catch hands or fingers. Be careful that
you do not close the hood on anyone.
Make sure the hood is securely engaged
before driving off. Do not continue driving if
the hood can no longer engage after an
accident, for example. The hood could
otherwise come loose while the vehicle is in
motion and injure you and/or others. X
Lower the hood and let it fall from a height
of approximately 8 inches ( 20 cm).
X Check

that the hood has engaged properly.
If the hood can be raised slightly, it is not
properly engaged. Open it again and close
it with a little more force. Engine oil
Notes on the oil level Depending on the driving style, the vehicle
consumes up to 0.9 US qts
(0.8 l) of oil over
a distance of 600 miles (1,000 km). The oil
consumption may be higher than this when
the

vehicle is new or if you frequently drive at
high engine speeds.
Checking the oil level using the oil
dipstick On the G 55 AMG, the oil level can be checked
using the on-board computer.
When checking the oil level:
R
park the vehicle on a level surface.
R the engine should be switched off for
approximately five minutes if the engine is
at normal operating temperature.
R the engine should be switched off for at
least 30 minutes if the engine is not at
operating temperature

(i.e. if you only start
the engine briefly). Oil dipstick (example: G 550) Engine compartment
211Maintenance and care Z

X
Pull oil dipstick : out of the dipstick guide
tube.
X Wipe off oil dipstick :.
X Slowly slide oil dipstick : into the guide
tube to the stop, and take it out again.
The oil

level is correct if the level is between
MIN mark = and MAX mark ;.
X Add oil if necessary.
Checking the oil level using the on-
board computer On the G 55 AMG, the oil level can be checked
using the on-board computer.
When checking the oil level:
R
park the vehicle on a level surface.
R the engine should be switched off for
approximately five minutes if the engine is
at normal operating temperature.
X Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.
X Press the & or * button on the
steering wheel to select the following
message: The measurement takes a few seconds. You
will
see

one of the following messages in the
multifunction display:
R Engine Oil Level OK
R Add 1.0 qt (Canada: 1.0 liter) to
reach maximum oil level. R
Add 1.5 qts (Canada: 1.5 liters) to
reach maximum oil level.
R Add 2.0 qts (Canada: 2.0 liters) to
reach maximum oil level.
X Add oil if necessary.
If the engine is at normal operating
temperature and the Engine Oil Reduce
Oil Level message appears, the engine oil
level is too high.
X Have excess oil siphoned off.
! Do not

add too much oil. Adding too much
oil can result in damage to the engine or the
catalytic converter. Have excess oil
siphoned off.
If the Switch ignition on to check
engine oil level message appears:
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
If the Observe Waiting Time message
appears:
X If the engine is at normal operating
temperature: repeat the measurement
after about five minutes.
If the engine is not at normal operating
temperature (e.g. if the engine was only
started briefly): repeat the measurement
after about 30 minutes.
If the Engine Oil Level Not With
Engine On message appears:
X Switch off the engine.
X If the engine is at normal operating
temperature: wait about five minutes
before carrying out the measurement.
If the engine is not at normal operating
temperature, e.g. if the engine was only
started briefly: wait about 30 minutes
before carrying out the measurement.
i If you wish to cancel the measurement,
press the * or & button on the
multifunction steering wheel. 212
Engine compartment
Maintenance and care

Adding engine oil
H
Environmental note
When adding oil, take care not to spill any. If
oil enters the soil or waterways, it is harmful
to the environment.
! Use only engine oils and oil filters that
have been approved for vehicles equipped
with a service system. A list of the engine
oils and oil filters tested and approved in
accordance with the Mercedes-Benz
Specifications for Service Products can be
obtained from any authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.
Damage to
the engine or exhaust system is
caused by the following:
R using engine oils and oil filters which
have not been specifically approved for
the service system.
R replacing the engine oil or oil filter after
the replacement interval required by the
service system has elapsed
R using engine oil additives. Example: engine oil cap Engine oil cap (G 55 AMG)
X
Turn cap : counterclockwise
and remove
it.
X Add the amount of oil required.
Observe the specifications in the on-board
computer when

doing so or fill carefully to the
maximum mark on the oil dipstick.
i The difference in quantity between the
MIN mark and the MAX mark on the
dipstick is approximately 2.1 US qts. (2 l).
! Do not add too much oil. If the oil level is
above the "max" mark on the dipstick, too
much oil has been added. This can lead to
damage to the engine or the catalytic
converter. Have excess oil siphoned off.
For further information on engine oil, see
(Y page 275).
X Replace cap : on the filler neck and
tighten clockwise.
Ensure that the cap locks into place
securely. Checking and adding other service
products
Coolant level Only check the coolant level when the vehicle
is on

a level surface and the engine has cooled
down. Engine compartment
213
Maintenance and care Z

Maintaining the time-dependent service
schedule:
X
Before disconnecting the battery, note
down the service due date displayed.
or:
X After reconnecting the battery, subtract
the battery
disconnection periods from the
service date shown on the display.
i The service

interval display should not be
confused with the 4 engine oil level
display.
Hiding a service message X
Press the reset button on the left of the
instrument cluster (

Y page 25).
Displaying service messages Use the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel.
X
Switch on the ignition.
X Press the V or U button on the
steering wheel to select the standard
display menu (Y page 156).
X With & or * select the service
interval display.
The ¯ or ± service symbol and the
service due date are displayed.
Please bear the following in mind A qualified specialist workshop will reset the
service interval display after the necessary
service work has been carried out.
Further information, on maintenance for
example, can be obtained at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or directly from
Mercedes-Benz.
!
If the service interval display has been
reset unintentionally, have the setting
corrected at a Mercedes-Benz Center.
Have service

work carried out as described
in the Maintenance Booklet. This may
otherwise lead to increased wear and damage to the major assemblies or the
vehicle.
Fuel/water separator
If the fuel/water separator needs servicing,
the following message appears in the
multifunction display: You will also hear a brief warning tone.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop as
soon as possible.
! If you

continue driving without having the
fuel/water separator serviced, this could
cause damage to the engine. Any resulting
damage is not covered by the warranty. H
Environmental note
Dispose of service products in an
environmentally responsible manner. Care
Notes on care
Regular care

of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents
recommended and approved by Mercedes-
Benz. G
WARNING
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the
particular container. Always open your 216
Care
Maintenance and care