
1, 2, 3 ...
12 Vsocket ........................................ 278
4ETS (Electronic Traction System) Function/notes ................................ 62
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel
drive) .................................................. 197
4MATIC off-road system ...................197 A
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) Display message ............................ 229
Function/notes ................................ 60
Important safety notes ....................60
Warning lamp ................................. 254
Activating/deactivating air-recir-
culation mode .................................... 133
Active Blin dSpot Assist
Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) ............................ 220
Display message ............................ 243
Function/notes ............................. 193
Towing atrailer .............................. 196
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ................................. 64
Adaptive brake lamps .........................61
AdBlue ®
Display message ............................ 240
Notes ............................................. 345
topping up ..................................... 160
Additives (engine oil) ........................346
Airbags Front airbag (driver, front
passenger )....................................... 41
Important safety guidelines .............40
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning
lamp ................................................. 50
Triggering ......................................... 39
Windowba g...................................... 42
Airc onditioning
Windscreen heating .......................132
Air-conditioning system
see Climate control
Airf ilter (white display message) ....240
Airv ents
Important safet ynotes .................. 139
Rea r............................................... 140
Setting ........................................... 139Setting the centre air vents
...........139
Setting the side air vents ...............139
Alarm system
see ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
All-wheel drive
Transfe rcase ................................. 201
AMG menu (on-board computer) .....225
Anti-loc kBraking System
see ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Anti-Theft Alarm system
see ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
Approach/departure angle ..............172
Aquaplaning ....................................... 167
Ashtray ............................................... 277
Assistance menu (on-board com-
puter) ................................................. .220
ASSYST service interval display Service messages ..................294, 295
ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
Activating/deactivating ...................64
Function .......................................... .64
Interior motion sensor .....................65
Switching off the alarm ....................64
Tow-away protection ........................ 65
AUTO lights
Display message ............................ 236
see Lights
Automatic car wash ..........................296
Automatic engine start (ECO start/
stop function) .................................... 147
Automatic engine switch-off (ECO
start/stop function) ..........................146
Automatic headlamp mode ..............105
Automatic transmission Automatic drive program ...............153
Display message ............................ 248
Drive position (ECO start/stop
function) ........................................ 151
Driving tips .................................... 152
Emergency running mode ..............156
Engaging drive position .................. 151
Engaging neutra l............................ 150
Engaging revers egear ................... 150
Engaging the par kposition ............ 150
Important safety notes ..................149
Kickdow n....................................... 152
Manual drive program ....................1544
Index

Neutral (ECO start/stop function)
.150
Overview ........................................ 149
Problem (fault) ............................... 156
Progra mselector button ................152
Pulling away ................................... 144
Selector leve r................................ 149
Shift range s................................... 153
Steering wheel gearshift paddle s... 153
Trailer towing ................................. 152
Transmissio nposition display ........150
Automatic transmission emer-
gency running mode .........................156
Auxiliary heating Activating/deactivating .................134
Activating/deactivating (on the
centre console ).............................. 135
Display message ............................ 250
Important safety notes ..................134
Malfunction ................................... .138
Problem (display message) ............138
Remote control .............................. 135
Setting ........................................... 223
Setting the departur etime ............ .136
Auxiliary ventilation
Activating/deactivating .................134
Activating/deactivating (on the
centre console ).............................. 135
Problem (display message) ............138
Remote control .............................. 135
Axle load, permissible (traile rtow-
ing) ...................................................... 350 B
Backrest (display message) .............249
BAS (Brake Assist System) .................61
Battery Changing (auxiliary heating
remote control) .............................. 137
Changing (key )................................. 71
Checking (key )................................. 71
Important safety guidelines (key )..... 70
Battery (vehicle)
Charging ........................................ 311
Display message ............................ 239
Important safety notes ..................309
Jump starting ................................. 313
Overview ........................................ 309Belt tensioner
Activation ......................................... 39
Function .......................................... .47
Blind Spo tAssist
Activating/deactivating .................220
Display message ............................ 243
Notes/function .............................. 190
Trailer towing ................................. 192
see Active Blind Spot Assist
BlueTEC (AdBlue ®
) ............................. 345
Bonnet Closing .......................................... .291
Display message ............................ 249
Important safety notes ..................290
Opening ......................................... 291
Brake fluid
Display message ............................ 232
Notes ............................................. 346
Brake lamps
Adaptive .......................................... .61
Display message ............................ 235
Brakes
ABS .................................................. 60
BAS .................................................. 61
Brake fluid (notes) .........................346
Display message ............................ 229
Driving tips .................................... 165
High-performance brake system ....166
Important safety notes ..................165
Parking brake ................................ 164
Warning lamp ................................. 253
Breakdown
see Flat tyre
see Towing away
Bulbs
Brake lamp .................................... 118
Cornering light function .................117
Foglamps ....................................... 117
Rea rfoglamp ................................. 118
Reversing lamp .............................. 118
Tai llamp ........................................ 118
see Changing bulbs Index
5

Centre console, lower section
Function Page
F
Stowage compartment/
ashtray
277
G
Automatic transmission
selecto
rlever 149
H
To select park position 150
I
+
Selects/deselects
LOW RANGE off-road gear 202
J
Stowage compartment ~
K
To open/close the stowage
compartment
267 Function Page
L
Cigarette lighter 277
M
Audio controller, see the
separate operating instruc-
tions
COMAND controller ~
N
To switch the windscreen
heating on/off
132
O
Ú
Selects the drive pro-
gram 152
P
Parking brake 164Centre console
33At a glance

G
WARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking charac-
teristics may be severely impaired .Addition-
ally, further driving safety systems are deac-
tivated. There is an increased danger of skid-
ding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist workshop.
If ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information
on the ABS warning lamp (Y page 254) and
any display messages that may appear in the
instrument cluster (Y page 229).
ABSr egulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle when braking.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h
upwards, regardless of road-surface condi-
tions. ABSw orks on slippery surfaces, even
when you only brake gently.
The yellow !ABS warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up when the ignition
is switched on. It goes out when the engine is
running.
Brakes 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 sit-
uation is over.
X To make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indica-
tion of hazardous road conditions, and func-
tions as a reminder to take extra care while
driving. Off-road ABS If the
LOW RANGE shift range is selected by
the transfer case, (Y page 202), an ABS sys-
tem specifically suited to off-road terrain is
automatically activated.
At speeds below 60 km/h, the front wheels
lock cyclically during braking. The digging-in
effect achieved in the process reduces the
stopping distance when driving off-road. This
limits steering capability. BAS (Brake Assist System)
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 60). G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
BAS operates in emergency braking situa-
tions. If you depress the brake pedal quickly,
BAS automatically boosts the braking force,
thus shortening the stopping distance.
X Keep the brake pedal depressed firmly until
the emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated. Adaptive brake lamps
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 50 km/ho rifbraking is assisted by BAS,
the brake lamps flash rapidly.Int his way,
traffic travelling behind you is warned in an
even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warn-
ing lamps are activated automatically .Ifthe
brakes are applied again, the brake lamps Driving safety systems
61Safety Z

light up continuously. The hazard warning
lamps switch off automatically if you travel
faster than 10 km/h
.You can also switch off
the hazard warning lamps using the hazard
warning switch button (Y page 109).ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 60). G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilise the vehicle. In addition, other driving
safety systems are switched off. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! Only operate the vehicle for a maximum
of ten seconds on a brake dynamometer.
Switch off the ignition.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on atwin-axle dyna-
mometer. Before you operate the vehicle
on such a dynamometer, please consult a
qualified workshop .You could otherwise
damage the drive train or the brake system.
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction.
Traction is the transmission of power from the
tyres to the road surface.
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up continu-
ously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and the åwarn-
ing lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 256) and any display messages that
appear in the instrument cluster
(Y page 229). If ESP
®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilise the
vehicle. If necessary, the engine output is also
modified to keep the vehicle on the desired
course within physical limits. ESP ®
assists
the driver when pulling away on wet or slip-
pery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilise the vehi-
cle during braking.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷warning lamp
flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
X When pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
i If differential locks are switched on, ABS,
BAS and ESP ®
switch off automatically.
4ETS (Electronic Traction System) Traction control remains active if you deacti-
vate ESP
®
.
X If appropriate for the driving conditions,
engage the LOW RANGE off-road gear
(Y page 202).
Traction control is part of ESP ®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side. In addition, more drive torque is trans-
ferred to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active if you deacti-
vate ESP ®
.
Traction control is no longer active above a
speed of about 60 km/h. 62
Driving safety systemsSafety

Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side. In addition, more drive torque is trans-
ferred to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilises the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following. X
To deactivate: press button:until the
å warning lamp lights up in the instru-
ment cluster.
X To activate: press button :until the
å warning lamp goes out in the instru-
ment cluster.
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
i Vehicles with the ECO start/stop func-
tion: the ECO start/stop function automat-
ically switches the engine off when the
vehicle comes to a stop. When pulling away
again, the engine starts automatically.
ESP ®
remains in its previously selected sta-
tus. Example: if ESP ®
was deactivated
before the engine was switched off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when the engine is
switched on again. It may be best to deactivate ESP
®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited, and
the drive wheels can spin. The spinning of
the wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support if you brake.
R and are driving at above 60 km/h, ESP ®
still intervenes when one wheel reaches its
grip limit even though it is switched off.
i If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more
wheels start to spin, the ÷warning lamp
in the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehi-
cle.
Trailer stabilisation G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to prevent
the vehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailers with a high centre of gravity can
tip over before ESP ®
can detect this. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your driving style to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
Trailer stabilisation does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated or disabled because of a mal-
function.
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
lurch, you can only stabilise the vehicle/
trailer combination by depressing the brake
firmly.
In this situation, ESP ®
assists you and can
detect if the vehicle/trailer combination
begins to lurch. ESP ®
slows the vehicle down Driving safety systems
63Safety Z

If the sliding sunroof is obstructed during
closing and reopens again slightly:
X Immediately after the sliding sunroof
blocks, pull the ¡switch in the over-
head control panel down to the point of
resistance and hold it until the sliding sun-
roof is closed.
If the sliding sunroof is obstructed again dur-
ing closing and reopens again slightly:
X Immediately after the sliding sunroof
blocks, pull the ¡switch in the over-
head control panel down to the point of
resistance and hold it until the sliding sun-
roof is closed. Soft top (G-Class Cabriolet)
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the closed soft top is not locked, it can open
while the vehicle is in motion. This could
cause you to lose control of the vehicle .There
is a risk of an accident.
Only drive with the soft top fully open or
closed.
! Never sit on the soft top or store heavy
objects on it. Otherwise, the soft top will be
damaged.
! The soft top swings upwards when it is
opened or closed. In order to avoid dam-
aging the soft top or other parts of the vehi-
cle when opening or closing the soft top,
observe the following:
R there must be sufficient clearance above
the vehicle.
R the tonneau cover must not be attached
to the opened soft top.
R the luggage compartmentc over must
not be pushed up by the load.
R there must not be any objects on the lug-
gage compartment cover.
R no roof rack must be fitted. R
the outside temperature must be over
−15 †.
R the fabric must not be dirty, wet or fro-
zen.
R the vehicle must not be parked at a steep
angle, e.g. off-road.
R zip fasteners and quick-release fasteners
must be closed.
The soft top can only be opened and closed if
the vehicle is stationary.
i Make sure the soft top is dry before open-
ing it. Water could otherwise enter the vehi-
cle interior or luggage compartment.
i Avoid repeatedly opening and closing the
soft top. This discharges the battery. Operating the soft top
Opening X
Move the selector lever to P.
X Apply the parking brake.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Fold raised sun visors onto the windscreen. X
Swing release lever :to the left until a
warning tone sounds.
X Swing release lever ;to the right, a warn-
ing tone sounds.
The soft top is unlocked. Soft top (G-Class Cabriolet)
81Opening and closing Z

G
WARNING
If anywhere other than the indicated gripping
points is gripped, you or others can become
trapped or stuck. There is a risk of injury.
Take off jewellery and watches. Only hold the
indicated gripping points. Do not reach
between the cover halves and into the hinges.
X Move the selector leve rtoP.
X Apply the parking brake.
X Remove the key from the ignition lock.
X Fold raised su nvisors down. X
Swing release lever :and ;down in the
direction of the arrow.
X Open the front-passenger door. X
Pull door seal =off slightly.
X Remove side trim panel ?on the right
side. X
Turn hexagonal nut Aanti-clockwise as far
as possible. X
Press catch Bon both sides of the vehicle
in the direction of the arrow and, at the
same time, raise the soft top.
X Fold the soft top completely to the front. X
Pull down the soft top using handle Cuntil
at least one of the release levers engages
audibly.
X Swing the engaged release lever up.
X Swing the second release lever up. Soft top (G-Class Cabriolet)
83Opening and closing Z