2012 MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class weight

Adjust the seat belt so that the upper part
of the belt is as close as possible to the
center of the shoulder. It should not touch
the neck. Never route the belt under the
shoulder. The height of the belt outlet can
be altered to ensure correct usage.
R The lap belt should be routed as low as
possible across the hips, not across the
abdomen. If
the lap belt is routed across the
abdomen, it could cause serious injuries in
the event of an impact.
R Never route the seat belt over rigid or
fragile objects in or on your clothing, such
as eyeglasses, pens, keys etc, as this could
cause injuries.
R Always ensure that the seat belt is routed
correctly. This is particularly important if
you are wearing loose clothing.
R Only one person should use each seat belt
at any one time. Never use a seat belt to
restrain more than one person or route the
belt around additional objects.
R Never wear seat belts when they are
twisted. Otherwise, in the event of an
impact, the full width of the seat belt is
unavailable to distribute the force of the
impact. The twisted seat belt routed across
your body could cause injuries.
R Pregnant women should also wear a three-
point seat belt. The lap belt must always
pass across your lap as low down as
possible, i.e. across your hips; not across
your abdomen.
R The seat backrest should be set as close to
vertical as possible.
R Check the seat belt during the journey in
order to make sure that it is correctly
positioned.
R Never rest your feet on the dashboard or
the seat. Always keep both feet on the floor
in front of the seat.
R When using a seat belt to secure an infant
restraint system, child restraint system or
a child on a booster seat, always follow the
child seat manufacturer's instructions. G
WARNING
Do
not pass seat belts over sharp edges. They
could tear.
Do not

allow the seat belt to get caught in the
door or in the seat adjustment mechanism.
This could damage the seat belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to seat
belts. This could impair the effectiveness of
the seat belts.
Fastening seat belts Important safety notes
G
WARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained on the rear
seats than

on the front-passenger seat. Thus,
we strongly recommend that children be
placed in the rear seat whenever possible.
Regardless of seating position, children 12
years old and under must be seated and
properly secured in an appropriately sized
child restraint system or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. For additional information, see the
"Children in the vehicle" section.
A child's risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint. G
WARNING
Children 12 years old and under must never
ride in the front seat, except in a Mercedes-
Benz authorized BabySmart™ compatible
child seat, which operates with the
BabySmart™ system installed in the vehicle
to deactivate

the front passenger front air bag
when it is installed properly. Otherwise they
will be struck by the air bag when it inflates in
a crash. If this happens, serious or fatal injury
will result. Occupant safety
43
Safety Z

Emergency Tensioning Devices, belt
force limiters
The front seat belts and the outer seat belts
in the rear are equipped with ETDs and seat
belt force limiters.
The
ETDs
tighten the seat belts in an accident,
pulling them close against the body.
The ETDs do not correct incorrect seat
positions or incorrectly fastened seat belts.
The ETDs do not pull vehicle occupants back
towards the backrest.
Seat belt force limiters, when triggered, help
to reduce the peak force exerted by the seat
belt on the vehicle occupant.
The front belt force limiters are synchronized
with the front air bags, which take on a part
of the deceleration force. Thus, the force
exerted on the occupant is distributed over a
greater area.
The ETDs can only be activated when:
R the SmartKey is in position 1 or 2 in the
ignition lock.
R the restraint systems are operational; see
"SRS warning lamp" ( Y page 32).
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the lap-shoulder belts in the front.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied and
the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
the front-passenger side
The ETDs are triggered depending on the type
and severity of an accident:
R in the event of a head-on or rear-end
collision if the vehicle decelerates or
accelerates rapidly in a longitudinal
direction during the initial stages of the
impact
R in certain situations if the vehicle overturns
and the system determines that it can
provide additional protection
If the Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs)
are triggered, you will hear a bang, and a small
amount of smoke may also be released. Only
in rare cases will the bang affect your hearing.
The smoke that is released generally does not constitute a health hazard. The + SRS
warning lamp lights up. G
WARNING
Pyrotechnic ETDs that were activated must be
replaced.
For your safety, when disposing of the
pyrotechnic ETDs always follow our safety
instructions. These are available at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
! If the front-passenger seat is not
occupied, do not engage the seat belt
tongue in the buckle on the front-
passenger seat.

Otherwise, the Emergency
Tensioning Device could be triggered in the
event of an accident. Children in the vehicle
Child restraint systems
Important safety notes We recommend that all infants and children
be properly restrained in an infant or child
restraint
system

at all times while the vehicle
is in motion.
Always use a child restraint system that is
compatible with BabySmart™ on the front-
passenger seat.
The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in all 50
states, the District of Columbia, the U.S.
territories and all Canadian provinces.
Infants and children must always be seated in
an appropriate infant or child restraint system
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. The infant or child restraint system
must be properly secured in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions. All infant or
child restraint systems must comply with U.S.
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213
and 225 and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards 213 and 210.2.
An information label on the child restraint
system indicates whether it meets these Children in the vehicle
47
Safety Z

standards. This information is also provided
in the installation instructions supplied with
the child restraint system.
Always read and follow the manufacturer's
instructions when using an infant or child
restraint system or booster seat.
Observe all warning signs in the vehicle
interior and on the infant or child restraint.
G
WARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front seating
position. Thus, we strongly recommend that
children be
placed in the rear seats whenever
possible. Regardless of seating position,
children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an appropriate
infant restraint, toddler restraint, or booster
seat recommended for the size and weight of
the child.
The infant or child restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle's seat belt, the seat
belt and top tether strap, or lower anchors and
top tether strap, fully in accordance with the
child seat manufacturer's instructions.
Occupants, especially children, should always
sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information when circumstances
require you to place a child in the front
passenger seat:
R Children 12 years old and under must never
ride in the front seat, except in a Mercedes-
Benz authorized BabySmart™ compatible
child seat, which operates with the
BabySmart™ system installed in the vehicle
to deactivate the front passenger front air
bag when it is installed properly. Otherwise
they will be struck by the air bag when it inflates in a crash. If this happens, serious
or fatal injury will result.
R A child

in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front passenger
front air bag inflates in a collision which
could occur under some circumstances,
even with the air bag technology installed
in your vehicle. The only means to
completely eliminate this risk is to never
place a child in a rear-facing child restraint
in the front seat. We therefore strongly
recommend that you always place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint in a backseat.
R If you must install a rear-facing child
restraint on the front passenger seat
because circumstances require you to do
so, make sure the 4 / indicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Should the 4 / indicator lamp not
illuminate or go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation.
Periodically check the 4 / indicator
lamp while driving to make sure the
4 / indicator lamp is illuminated. If
the 4 / indicator lamp goes out or
remains out, do not transport a child on the
front passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.
A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front passenger
front air bag inflates.
R If you have to place a child in a forward-
facing child restraint on the front passenger
seat, move the seat as far back as possible,
use the proper child restraint
recommended for the age, size and weight
of the child, and secure child restraint with
the vehicle's seat belt according to the
child seat manufacturer's instructions. G
WARNING
Infants and small children should never share
a seat belt with another occupant. During an 48
Children in the vehicle
Safety

accident, they could be crushed between the
occupant and seat belt.
A child's risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the

child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
Children too big for a toddler restraint must
ride in seats using regular seat belts. Position
the shoulder belt across the chest and
shoulder, not face or neck. A booster seat
may be necessary to achieve proper seat belt
positioning for children over 41 lb (18 kg) until
they reach a height where a lap/shoulder belt
fits properly without a booster.
When the child restraint is not in use, remove
it from the vehicle or secure it with the seat
belt to prevent the child restraint from
becoming a projectile in the event of an
accident.
If an infant or child is traveling in the vehicle:
X Secure the infant or child with an
appropriate infant or child restraint
recommended for the child's age and
weight.
X Make sure that the infant or child is
properly secured at all times while the
vehicle is in motion. G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. Always take
the SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised
access to

a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. The children
could:
R injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
R be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or cold
R injure themselves or cause an accident with
vehicle equipment that can be operated even if the SmartKey is removed from the
ignition lock or removed from the vehicle,
such as seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment, or the memory function
If children

open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system's
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned on these
parts. G
WARNING
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment

or trunk unless they
are firmly secured in place.
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child's risk of injury in the event
of
R strong braking maneuvers
R sudden changes of direction
R an accident
Special seat belt retractor G
WARNING
Observe "Important safety notes"
(
Y page 47).
All seat

belts except the driver's seat belt are
equipped with a special seat belt retractor.
When activated, the special seat belt
retractor ensures that the seat belt will not
slacken once the child restraint system has
been secured.
Installing a child restraint system:
X Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Pull the seat belt smoothly from the seat
belt retractor.
X Engage the seat belt tongue in the belt
buckle. Children in the vehicle
49
Safety Z

Seats
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
In order to avoid possible loss of vehicle
control, all seat, head restraint, steering
wheel and rear view mirror adjustments, as
well as fastening of seat belts, must be done
before setting the vehicle in motion. G
WARNING
Do not adjust the driver's seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never travel
in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide under
the seat belt in a collision. If you slide under
it, the seat belt would apply force at the
abdomen or neck. This could cause serious or
fatal injuries. The seat backrest and seat belts
provide the best restraint when the wearer is
in a position that is as upright as possible and
seat belts are properly positioned on the
body. G
WARNING
Your seat belt must be adjusted so that you
can correctly fasten your seat belt.
Observe the following points:
R adjust the

seat backrest until your arms are
slightly angled when holding the steering
wheel.
R adjust the seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely. The
position should be as far back as possible
with the driver still able to operate the
controls properly.
R adjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible and the center of the head restraint supports the back of
the head at eye level.
R never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being
adjusted.
Failure to do so could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. G
WARNING
The electrically adjustable seats can be
operated at

any time. Therefore, do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. A child's
unsupervised access to a vehicle could result
in an accident and/or serious personal injury. G
WARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained on the rear
seats than

on the front-passenger seat. Thus,
we strongly recommend that children be
placed in the rear seat whenever possible.
Regardless of seating position, children 12
years old and under must be seated and
properly secured in an appropriately sized
child restraint system or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. For additional information, see the
"Children in the vehicle" section.
A child's risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint. G
WARNING
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust the

head restraint so that it is as close
to the head as possible and the center of the
head restraint supports the back of the head
at eye level. This will reduce the potential for
injury to the head and neck in the event of an
accident or similar situation. Seats
75
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Z

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). Loading guidelines
G
WARNING
Always
fasten items being carried as securely
as possible using cargo tie-down rings and
fastening materials

appropriate for the weight
and size of the load.
In an accident, during hard braking or sudden
maneuvers, loose items will be thrown around
inside the vehicle. This can cause injury to
vehicle occupants unless the items are
securely fastened in the vehicle.
To help avoid personal injury during a collision
or sudden maneuver, exercise care when
transporting cargo. Do not pile luggage or
cargo higher than the seat backrests.
Never drive a vehicle with the tailgate open.
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in
unconsciousness and death.
The handling characteristics of a laden
vehicle are dependent on the distribution of
the load within the vehicle. You should
therefore load your vehicle as shown in the
illustrations. The
gross vehicle weight (GVW) is the vehicle
weight including fuel, vehicle tool kit, spare
wheel, installed accessories, vehicle
occupants and luggage/cargo.
The gross load limit and the gross vehicle
weight rating (GVWR) for your vehicle must
never be exceeded. The gross load limit and
the GVWR are specified on the vehicle
identification plate on the B-pillar of the
driver's door ( Y page 271).
The load

must also be distributed so that the
weight on each axle never exceeds the gross
axle weight rating (GAWR) for the front and
rear axles. The specifications for GVWR and
GAWR are on the vehicle identification plate
on the B-pillar of the driver's door
(Y page 271).
Further information can be found in the
"Loading the vehicle" section ( Y page 252).
Observe the following notes when
transporting a load:
R position heavy loads as far forwards as
possible and as low down in the cargo
compartment as possible.
i Transport loads when possible in the
cargo compartment. You should only use
the cargo compartment enlargement if the
load does not fit in the cargo compartment.
R always place the load against the front or
rear seat backrests.188
Loading guidelines
Stowing and features

X
To open the stowage tray (telephone
compartment): press
button : and raise
the armrest.
X To open the stowage compartment:
press button ; and raise the armrest.
The stowage

tray is raised together with the
armrest.
X To open the stowage compartment in
the center console: slide cover = back
using the handle.
i The º(Y page 200) Roadside
Assistance call button and
E(Y page 201) MB Info call button are
located in

the stowage compartment under
the armrest.
Stowage compartments in the rear Stowage pockets
G
WARNING
Storage bags are intended for storing light-
weight items only.
Heavy objects, objects with sharp edges or
fragile objects may not be transported in the
storage bag. In an accident, during hard
braking, or

sudden maneuvers, they could be
thrown around inside the vehicle and cause
injury to vehicle occupants.
Storage bags cannot protect transported
goods in the event of an accident.
The stowage pockets are located on the rear
side of the front seats. Parcel nets
G
WARNING
Parcel nets are intended for storing light-
weight items only, such as road maps, mail,
etc.
Heavy objects, objects with sharp edges, or
fragile objects may not be transported in the
parcel nets. In an accident, during hard
braking, or

sudden maneuvers, they could be
thrown around inside the vehicle and cause
injury to vehicle occupants.
Parcel nets cannot protect transported goods
in the event of an accident.
The parcel nets are located in the front-
passenger footwell. Cargo compartment enlargement
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Always lock the seat backrest in its upright
position when the rear seat bench is
occupied, or

the extended cargo volume is not
in use.
Check for secure locking by pushing and
pulling on the seat backrest.
In an accident, during hard braking or sudden
maneuvers, loose items will be thrown around
inside the vehicle. This can cause injury to
vehicle occupants unless the items are
securely fastened in the vehicle.
To help avoid personal injury during a collision
or sudden maneuver, exercise care when
transporting cargo. G
WARNING
Failure to assure that the seat bench and seat
backrests are locked into place could result
in an increased chance of injury in an
accident.
Never place hands under seat or near any
moving parts while a seat is being adjusted. 190
Stowage areas
Stowing and features

standard display appears in the
multifunction display
(Y
page 156).
X Press and hold the & or * button
until the
tire pressure of each wheel or the
Tire pressure displayed only after
driving for a few minutes message
appears.
X Press the reset button on the instrument
cluster (Y page 25).
The Restart Tire Pres. Monitor?
message appears in the multifunction
display.
If you wish to confirm the restart:
X Press the W button.
The Tire Pres. Monitor Restarted
message appears in the multifunction
display.
After driving

for a few minutes, the system
checks whether the current tire pressures
are within the specified range. The new tire
pressures are then accepted as reference
values and monitored.
If you wish to cancel the restart:
X Press the X button.
The tire pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored. Loading the vehicle
Instruction labels for tires and loads
G
WARNING
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver's door B-pillar . Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout.

Overloading the tires can also result
in handling or steering problems, or brake
failure. Two instruction labels on your vehicle show
the maximum possible load.
(1) The Tire and Loading Information placard
on the B-pillar on the driver's side. The
Tire and Loading Information placard
shows the

maximum permissible number
of occupants and the maximum
permissible vehicle load. It also contains
details of the tire sizes and
corresponding pressures for tires
mounted at the factory.
(2) The vehicle identification plate is on the B-pillar on the driver's side. The vehicle
identification plate informs you of the
gross vehicle

weight rating. It is made up
of the vehicle weight, all vehicle
occupants, the fuel and the cargo. You
can also find information about the
maximum gross axle weight rating on the
front and rear axle.
The maximum gross axle weight rating is
the maximum weight that can be carried
by one axle (front or rear axle). Never
exceed the maximum load or the
maximum gross axle weight rating for the
front or rear axle. :
B-pillar, driver's side Maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating
i The specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the
illustration are examples. The maximum
permissible gross vehicle weight rating is 252
Loading the vehicle
Wheels and tires