2012 MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class Owner's Manual

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

Activating the special seat belt retractor:
X
Pull the seat belt out fully and let the seat
belt retractor retract it again.
While the
seat belt is retracting, you should
hear a ratcheting sound. The special seat
belt retractor is activated.
X Push down on the child restraint system to
take up any slack.
Removing a child restraint system/
deactivating the special seat belt retractor:
X Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Press the release button on the seat belt
buckle.
X Guide the seat belt tongue into the belt
outlet.
The special seat belt retractor is
deactivated. G
WARNING
Never release the seat belt buckle while the
vehicle is

in motion, since the special seat belt
retractor will be deactivated.
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat anchors
in the rear G
WARNING
Observe "Important safety notes"
(Y page 47). G
WARNING
Children that are too large for a child restraint
must travel in seats using normal seat belts.
Position shoulder belt across the chest and
shoulder, not face or neck.
In order

to attain the correct seating position
for children weighing over 41 lb (18 kg), it may
be necessary to use a booster seat until they
reach a height where a normal lap/shoulder
seat belt lies properly across their bodies
without the need for a booster seat.
Install the child restraint system according to
the manufacturer's instructions. The child restraint system must be installed
firmly on both brackets.
An
incorrectly

installed child restraint system
can come loose in the event of an accident,
causing the child to be severely or fatally
injured.
Child restraint systems/child restraint
retaining brackets that are damaged or have
suffered damage due to an impact must be
replaced.
ISOFIX is a standardized securing system for
specially designed child restraint systems on
the rear seats. Securing rings for two LATCH-
type (ISOFIX) child restraint systems are
installed on the left and right of the rear seats.
Secure non-LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint systems using the vehicle's seat belt
system. Always install child restraint systems
according to the manufacturer's instructions. :
Securing rings
X Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system. Comply with the
manufacturer's instructions when
installing the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system.
X When a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint
system is installed, make sure that the
center seat

belt in the rear compartment is
fully functional and can move freely. 50
Children in the vehicle
Safety

Top Tether
G
WARNING
Observe "Important safety notes"
(Y page 47). G
WARNING
Always lock the rear seat backrests in their
upright position when the rear seats are
occupied by passengers. Lock the rear seat
backrests in their upright position before
installing the Top Tether straps or when the
cargo compartment is not in use. Make sure
that rear
seat backrests are secured properly
by pushing and pulling on the seat backrests.
If the seat backrest is not locked properly, the
seat backrest could fold forward. The child
restraint system is no longer supported
properly or held in position and can no longer
fulfill its function. This could cause serious or
even fatal injuries.
Top Tether provides an additional connection
between a child restraint system, secured
with a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat anchor,
and the rear seat. This helps reduce the risk
of injury even further. X
Remove the cargo compartment cover
(Y page 192).
X Move the head restraint upwards.
X Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system with Top Tether. Comply
with the manufacturer's installation
instructions when doing so.
X Route Top Tether belt = under the head
restraint between the two head restraint
bars.
X Attach Top Tether hook : to Top Tether
anchorage ; on the trunk floor.
X Make sure that Top Tether belt = is not
twisted.
X Tension Top Tether belt =. Comply with
the manufacturer's installation
instructions when doing so.
X Move the head restraint back down again
slightly if necessary (
Y

page 77). Make
sure that you do not interfere with the
correct routing of Top Tether belt =. G
WARNING
Only use the described top tether anchorage
rings for the respective child seat. Other
lashing eyelets could tear in case of an
accident. Make

sure the top tether straps are
not crossed or twisted and the hook is
attached and closed properly. Children in the vehicle
51
Safety Z

Child-proof locks
Child-proof locks for the rear doors G
WARNING
Observe "Important safety notes"
( Y page 47).
G
WARNING
Children could open a rear door from inside
the vehicle. This could result in serious
injuries or an accident. Therefore, when
children ride

in the rear always secure the rear
doors with the child-proof locks.
You secure each door individually with the
child-proof locks on the rear doors. A door
secured with a child-proof lock cannot be
opened from inside the vehicle. When the
vehicle is unlocked, the door can be opened
from the outside. X
To activate: press the child-proof lock
lever down in the direction of arrow
;.
X Make sure that the child-proof locks are
working properly.
X To deactivate: press the child-proof lock
lever up in the direction of arrow :.
Override feature for the rear side
windows G
WARNING
Observe "Important safety notes"
( Y page 47). G
WARNING
When children ride on the vehicle's rear seats,
activate the override switch. Otherwise, the
children could be injured, e.g. by trapping
themselves in the rear side window. X
To deactivate: slide override switch : to
the right.
The . symbol

becomes visible. Operation
is only possible using the switches in the
driver's door.
X To release: slide override switch
:
to the
left.
The . symbol is covered. Operation using
the switches in the rear compartment is
possible again. Panic alarm52
Panic alarm
Safety

X
To activate: press ! button : for at
least one second.
An alarm sounds and the indicator lamp
flashes.
X To deactivate: press ! button :
again.
or
X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
i USA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
2.
this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
i Canada only:
This device complies with RSS-210
regulations of Industry Canada. Operation
is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference,
and
2. this device must withstand any
interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment. Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In this

section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock Braking System)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) R
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program)
R EBD ( electronic brake force distribution) Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The following factors increase the risk of
accidents:
R Excessive speed, especially in turns
R Wet and slippery road surfaces
R Following another vehicle too closely
The driving safety systems described in this
section cannot reduce these risks or prevent
the natural

laws of physics from acting on the
vehicle. They cannot increase braking or
steering efficiency beyond that afforded by
the condition of the vehicle brakes and tires
or the traction afforded.
Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can
prevent accidents.
The capabilities of a vehicle equipped with the
driving safety systems described in this
section must never be exploited in a reckless
or dangerous manner which could jeopardize
the user's safety or the safety of others.
Always adjust your driving style to the
prevailing road and weather conditions and
keep a safe distance to other road users and
objects on the street.
If a driving system malfunctions, other driving
safety systems may also switch off. Observe
indicator and warning lamps that may come
on as well as messages in the multifunction
display that may appear. G
WARNING
The ABS, the BAS, and the ESP ®
switch off
when the differential locks are switched on.
When the ABS, the BAS, and the ESP ®
are
switched off
R wheels may lock during hard braking
R steering capabilities are reduced Driving safety systems
53Safety
Z

R
braking distance is increased
R vehicle stability in standard driving
maneuvers is increased
Make sure
the differential locks are switched
on at all times except when driving off-road
for example. Switch on the differential locks
immediately when returning from off-road
driving.
i Please note that the driving safety
systems described only work as effectively
as possible if there is adequate contact
between the tires and the road surface. Pay
particular attention to the information
regarding tires, recommended minimum
tire tread depths, etc. in the "Wheels and
tires" section (Y page 242).
In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tires (M+S tires) and if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the
driving safety systems described in this
section work as effectively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Observe "Important safety notes"
(
Y page 53).
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the
vehicle when braking.
ABS operates above a speed of about
5 mph(8 km/h) regardless of road-surface
conditions, provided

the differential locks are
not active. ABS works on slippery surfaces,
even when you only brake gently. G
WARNING
If
the ABS malfunctions, other driving systems
such as

the BAS or the ESP ®
are also switched
off. Observe indicator and warning lamps that may come on as well as messages in the
multifunction display that may appear.
If
the

ABS malfunctions, the wheels may lock
during hard braking, reducing the steering
capability and extending the braking distance.
The ! warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out when the engine is running.
Braking If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel
a pulsing in the brake pedal.
X
If
ABS intervenes:
continue
to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking
situation is over.
X To make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an
indication of hazardous road conditions and
functions as a reminder to take extra care
while driving. G
WARNING
Do
not pump the brake pedal. Use firm, steady
brake pedal pressure instead. Pumping the
brake pedal defeats the purpose of the ABS
and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.
Off-road ABS If the LOW shift range (
Y page 145) is
selected on
the transfer case, an ABS system
specifically suited to off-road terrain is
activated.
At speeds below 37 mph(60 km/h), the front
wheels lock periodically when braking. The
digging-in effect achieved in the process
reduces the stopping distance on off-road
terrain. This limits steering capability. BAS (Brake Assist System)
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section ( Y
page 53).54
Driving safety systems
Safety