2012 MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class service

accelerate. This could lead to accidents and
injury.
Rolling with the engine switched off G
WARNING
There is no power assistance for the steering
and the

brake when the engine is not running.
Steering and braking requires significantly
more effort and you could lose control of the
vehicle and cause an accident as a result.
Do not turn off the engine while the vehicle is
in motion.
Exhaust check G
WARNING
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.
Certain engine systems are designed to keep
the level of poisonous components in exhaust
fumes within legal limits.
These systems only work at peak efficiency
when they are maintained exactly in
accordance with the manufacturer's
specifications. For this reason, all work on the
engine must be carried out only by qualified
and authorized Mercedes-Benz technicians.
The engine settings must not be changed in
any circumstances. Furthermore, all specific
service work must be carried out at regular
intervals and in accordance with the
Mercedes-Benz service requirements. Details
can be found in the Maintenance Booklet. Brakes
Important safety notes G
WARNING
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 control loss.
Do not engage the transfer case in position
LOW when driving on ice or packed snow. At
speeds below 18 mph (30 km/h) vehicle
steering is adversely affected by the Off-road
ABS.
Downhill gradients !
On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting
early to

a lower gear. This allows you to take
advantage of the engine braking effect and
helps avoid overheating and excessive
wear of the brakes.
When you take advantage of the engine
braking effect, a drive wheel may not turn
for some time, e.g. on a slippery road
surface. This could cause damage to the
drive train. This type of damage is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz warranty.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
Depressing
the brake pedal constantly results
in excessive

and premature wear to the brake
pads.
It may also cause the brakes to overheat,
seriously impairing their effectiveness. It may
then not be possible to stop the vehicle in
sufficient time to avoid an accident.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the
airflow to cool the brakes more quickly. 130
Driving tips
Driving and parking

cannot complete the attempted climb, back it
down in reverse gear.
Do not drive along the side of a slope. The
vehicle might

otherwise rollover. If in doing so
the vehicle begins to show a tendency to roll,
immediately steer into a line of gravity
(straight up or downhill).
Never let the vehicle roll backwards in idle.
You may lose control of the vehicle if you use
only the service brake. For information on
driving downhill, see "Driving downhill". G
WARNING
Do not reduce the tire inflation pressure
before driving through sand. However, if you
do so, remember to correct the tire inflation
pressure before continuing your trip. Driving
with reduced

tire inflation pressure increases
the risk of losing control of the vehicle and
rolling over.
General notes Read
this section carefully before driving your
vehicle off-road.

Practice by driving over more
gentle off-road terrain first.
Familiarize yourself with the characteristics
of your vehicle and the gear shift operation
before driving through difficult terrain.
The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving:
R 4ETS ( Y page 56)
R transfer case (Y page 145)
R differential locks (Y page 148)
Observe the following notes:
R stop your vehicle and, if necessary, shift the
transfer case to LOW (Y page 145) before
driving off-road.
R engage the differential locks, if necessary
(Y page 148).
i ABS, 4ETS, ESP ®
and BAS are deactivated
when the differential locks are activated.
This allows the front wheels to lock briefly,
so that these can dig into a loose surface. However, please note that locked wheels
skid and can no longer steer.
R Check that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(Y page 192).
R Make sure

there is always sufficient ground
clearance to prevent damage to the
vehicle.
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient.
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a slope.
R Drive slowly and evenly, if necessary at a
walking pace.
R Ensure that the wheels are in contact with
the ground at all times.
R Drive with extreme care on unknown off-
road routes where visibility is poor. For
safety reasons, get out of the vehicle first
and survey the off-road route.
R Check the depth of water before fording
rivers and streams.
R When fording, do not stop and do not
switch off the engine.
R Look out for obstacles such as rocks, holes,
tree stumps and furrows.
R Always keep the doors, rear door, side
windows and the sliding sunroof closed
while the vehicle is in motion.
R Switch off cruise control.
R Do not stray from marked routes or paths.
R Adapt your speed to the terrain. The
rougher, steeper or more ruts on the
terrain, the slower your speed should be.
R Drive slowly and at an even speed through
the water. Ensure that a bow wave does not
form as you drive.
R On sand, drive quickly to overcome the
rolling resistance. Otherwise, the vehicle
could dig itself into the sand.
R Do not jump with the vehicle as this will
interrupt the vehicle's propulsion. Driving tips
135
Driving and parking 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). Important safety notes
You will find an illustration of the instrument
cluster in the "At a glance" section
(
Y page 25).
G
WARNING
A driver's attention to the road and traffic
conditions must always be his/her primary
focus when driving.
For your safety and the safety of others,
selecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when

traffic and road conditions permit
it to be done safely.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h ), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximately
14 m) every second. G
WARNING
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction
display is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see
information about your driving conditions,
such as
R speed
R outside temperature
R warning/indicator lamps R
malfunction/warning messages
R failure of any systems
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
If you

must continue to drive, do so with added
caution. Contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center as soon as possible. G
WARNING
Malfunction and warning messages are only
displayed for certain systems and are
intentionally not very detailed. The
malfunction and warning messages are
simply a reminder with respect to the
operation of certain systems. They do not
replace the owner's and/or driver's
responsibility to maintain the vehicle's
operating safety. Have all required
maintenance services and safety checks
performed on

the vehicle. Bring the vehicle to
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center to
address the malfunction and warning
messages. Displays and operation
Tachometer
The red

band in the tachometer indicates the
engine's overrevving range.
! Do not drive in the overrevving range, as
this could damage the engine.
The fuel supply is interrupted to protect the
engine when the red band is reached. Displaying the coolant temperature
G
WARNING
Driving when your engine is overheated can
cause some

fluids which may have leaked into
the engine compartment to catch fire. You
could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns which can occur just by opening 152
Displays and operation
On-board computer and displays

Menus and submenus
Overview of menus
The number of menus shown depends on the optional equipment in the vehicle. Function
:
Standard display
menu ( Y page 156)
R tire pressure monitor (Y page 249)
R service interval display ( Y

page 215)
R G 55 AMG: oil level (Y page 211) ;
Audio
menu (
Y page 156)
=
Navigation menu (Y page 158)
?
Message memory
9
menu ( Y page 165)
A
Settings menu (Y page 158)
B
Trip computer
menu ( Y page 162)
C
Telephone
menu ( Y page 163)
9
The menu is only visible when there is a display message. Menus and submenus
155
On-board computer and displays Z

Standard display menu
Standard display X
Press the V or U button on the
steering wheel to select the standard
display. Standard display
:
Trip odometer
; Odometer
You can select the following functions in the
Standard display menu using the & or
* button:
R tire pressure monitor (Y page 249)
R digital speedometer or outside
temperature ( Y page 156)
R Service display (Y

page 215)
R G 55 AMG: oil level ( Y page 211)
X To reset the trip odometer: press and
hold the reset button in the instrument
cluster until the trip odometer is reset.
Displaying the digital speedometer or
outside temperature If you have selected the digital speedometer
as the status line (
Y
page 159), the outside
temperature is displayed here 10
. G
WARNING
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose. Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing
point

do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges. Digital speedometer (example)
Outside temperature (example)
X
Press the
V or U button on the
steering wheel to select the standard
display.
X Press the & or * button on the
steering to select digital speedometer :
or the outside temperature. Audio menu
Selecting a radio station i
SIRIUS XM satellite radio acts like a
normal radio.
For more information on satellite radio
operation, see the separate operating
instructions.
10 Vehicles for the United Kingdom: the outside temperature is always displayed.156
Menus and submenus
On-board computer and displays

Calling up the range
X
Press the V or U button to select
From Start.
X Press the & or * button to select
Range:.
The multifunction display shows the
estimated range of the vehicle, based on
the current driving style and the fuel level.
If there is only a small amount of fuel
remaining in the fuel tank, a gas pump
7 appears instead of the range. Telephone menu
Introduction You can establish a Bluetooth
®
connection to
COMAND (see the separate operating
instructions). G
WARNING
A driver's attention to the road must always
be his/her primary focus when driving. For
your safety and the safety of others, we
recommend that you pull over to a safe
location and stop before placing or taking a
telephone call. If you choose to use the
telephone while

driving, please use the hands-
free device and only use the telephone when
weather, road and traffic conditions permit.
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from
using a mobile phone while driving a vehicle.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h ), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximately
14 m) every second.
X Switch on the mobile phone and COMAND
(see the separate operating instructions).
X Press the V or U button on the
steering wheel to select the Telephone
menu.
You will see one of the following display
messages in the multifunction display: R
Ready or

the name of the network provider:
the mobile phone has found a network and
is ready to receive.
R Bluetooth Ready : the mobile phone is not
yet connected via Bluetooth ®
to COMAND.
R No Service: no network is available.
Accepting a call If someone calls you when you are in the
Telephone
menu,

a display message appears
in the multifunction display, for example: COMAND display (example)
X
Press the 6 button on the steering
wheel to accept an incoming call.
If you are not in the Telephone menu,
you can
still accept a call.
Rejecting or ending a call X
Press the ~ button on the steering
wheel.
If you are not in the Telephone menu,
you can
still accept a call.
Dialing a number from the phone book You can enter new telephone numbers into
the
phone

book via the mobile phone (see the
separate operating instructions). If your
mobile phone is operational, you can select
and dial a number from the phone book at any
time. Menus and submenus
163
On-board computer and displays Z

G
WARNING
Driving with the message
Check
Brake
Fluid Level displayed can result in an accident. Have
your brake system checked immediately.
Do not add brake fluid before checking the brake system. Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir can
result in spilling brake fluid on hot engine parts and the brake fluid catching fire. You can be
seriously burned. Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M
Solutions
#
Brake Wear The brake pads/linings have reached their wear limit.
X
Have the brake pads/linings replaced as soon as possible at a
qualified specialist workshop. G
Tele Aid
Inoperative USA only: one or more main functions of the mbrace system are
malfunctioning.
Canada only: one or more main functions of the TELEAID system
are malfunctioning.
X
USA only: have the mbrace system checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.
X Canada only: have the TELEAID system checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. +
Restraint System
Malfunction
Service Required G
Risk of injury
The restraint systems are malfunctioning.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immediately. G
WARNING
In the event a malfunction of the SRS is indicated as outlined above, the SRS may not be
operational.
For your safety, we strongly recommend that you contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately to

have the system checked. Otherwise the SRS may not be activated when needed
in an accident, which could result in serious or fatal injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly and
unnecessarily which could also result in injury. Display messages
167
On-board computer and displays Z

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