2013 MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class Owner's Manual

R
the vehicle is stationary.
R the outside temperature is within the
comfort range.
R the engine is at normal operating
temperature.
R the
set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached.
R the battery is sufficiently charged.
R the system detects that the windshield is
not fogged up when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
R the hood is closed.
R the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened.
If conditions for automatic engine switch-off
have not been fulfilled, the ¤ symbol will
be shown in yellow.
In addition, the Stop/Start inactive
message is shown in the AMG menu in the
multifunction display.
i If you shift the transmission from R to D,
the ECO start/stop function is available
again once the ¤ symbol reappears in
green in the multifunction display.
i The engine can be automatically switched
off an unlimited number of times.
i You can still activate the HOLD function
when the vehicle is stationary, even if the
engine has been switched off
automatically. It is then not necessary to
continue applying the brakes during the
automatic stop phase. When you depress
the accelerator pedal, the engine starts
automatically and the braking effect of the
HOLD function is deactivated. Depress the
accelerator pedal carefully, as the engine
must be started first.
i During automatic engine switch-off, the
climate control system only operates at a
reduced capacity. If you require full climate
control capacity, the ECO start/stop
function can be deactivated by pressing the
ECO button ( Y page 142). Automatic engine start The engine starts automatically if:
R
In general:
-you switch off the ECO start/stop
function by pressing the ECO button.
- you release the brakes when in
transmission position D or N and when
the HOLD function is not active.
R By the driver:
-you release the brakes when in
transmission position D or N.
- you depress the accelerator pedal.
- you engage reverse gear R.
- you move the transmission out of
position P.
- you switch to drive program S or M.
- you unfasten your seat belt or open the
driver's door.
R By the system:
-the vehicle starts to roll.
- the brake system requires this.
- the temperature in the vehicle interior
deviates from the set range.
- the system detects moisture on the
windshield when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
- the

charge level of the battery is too low.
i Shifting the transmission to position P
does not start the engine. Driving
143
Driving and parking Z

Problems with the engine
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsThe engine does not
start.
The starter motor
can be heard. R
There is a malfunction in the engine electronics.
R There is a malfunction in the fuel supply.
X Turn the SmartKey back to position 0
in the ignition lock before
attempting to start the engine again.
X Try to start the engine again (Y page 140). Avoid excessively
long and frequent attempts to start the engine, as this
(Y page 139) will drain the battery.
If the engine does not start after several attempts:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start.

The starter motor
can be heard. The
yellow reserve fuel
warning lamp is lit and
the needle of the fuel
gauge display shows 0. The fuel tank is empty.
X
Refuel the vehicle. The engine does not
start. You cannot hear
the starter motor. The on-board voltage is too low because the battery is too weak
or discharged.
X
Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 308).
If the engine does not start despite attempts to jump-start it:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The starter motor was exposed to a thermal load that was too high.
X
Allow the starter motor to cool down for approximately two
minutes.
X Try to start the engine again.
If the engine still does not start:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine is not
running smoothly and
is misfiring. There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanical
component of the engine management system.
X
Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic
converter and damage it.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.144
DrivingDriving and parking

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsThe coolant
temperature display is
showing more than
248 ‡
(120 †). A
display message may
also appear in the
multifunction display
and a warning tone may
sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X
Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant
to cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 291). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and add coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the radiator fan may be faulty. The
coolant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled
sufficiently.
X
At coolant temperatures below 248 ‡
(120 †), drive to the next
qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in
mountainous terrain and stop-and-go traffic. Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position D or
R,

the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There
is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position D or R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate. G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to
neutral position N when you switch off the
engine. The vehicle may roll away. There is a
risk of an accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked
vehicle from rolling away by applying the
parking brake.
i Bear

in mind that the power transmission
between the engine and the transmission
is interrupted when the engine is switched
off. Therefore, to prevent the vehicle from
rolling away, shift the automatic
transmission to position P and apply theparking brake when the engine is switched
off and the vehicle is stationary.
Selector lever
Overview of transmission positions !
If the engine speed is too high or if the
vehicle is rolling, do not shift the
transmission directly from D to R, from R
to D or directly to P.
Do not open the driver's door while the
vehicle is in motion. At low speeds in
transmission

position D or R, park position
P is otherwise engaged automatically.
The transmission could be damaged. Automatic transmission
145
Driving and parking Z

Selector lever
j
Park position
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
When you select a transmission position, the
selector lever subsequently returns to its
original position.
The current transmission position P, R, N or
D appears in the transmission position
display in the multifunction display.
Transmission position and drive
program display !
If the transmission position display in the
multifunction display is not working, you
should pull away carefully to check whether
the desired transmission position is
engaged. Select transmission position D.
Do not restrict the shift range. :
Transmission position
; Drive program
Current transmission position :
and current
drive program ; appear in the multifunction
display. The current position of the selector lever is
shown by the indicators next to the selector
lever.
The

indicators light up when the SmartKey is
inserted into the ignition lock. The indicators
go out when the SmartKey is removed from
the ignition lock.
When the selector lever is in position D, you
can influence the gearshifts made by the
automatic transmission by:
R restricting the shift range
R changing gear yourself
Engaging park position P X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Press the P button in the center console.
i If you depress the brake pedal and push
the selector lever forwards or back to the
first point of resistance, park position P is
disengaged. The transmission shifts to
neutral N.
Park position P is automatically engaged:
R if you remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock
R if

you open the driver's door while traveling
at low speed in transmission position D or
R
R if DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 177) brakes
your vehicle until it is stationary and at least
one of the following conditions is fulfilled:
-the engine is switched off.
- the driver's door is open and the seat belt
is not fastened.
- there is a system malfunction.
- the power supply is insufficient.
Engaging reverse gear R !
Only shift the automatic transmission to
R when the vehicle is stationary. 146
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Push the selector lever forwards past the
first point of resistance.
Transmission position R is engaged.
i For AMG vehicles: when reverse gear is
engaged and the ECO start/stop function
is switched on, the engine starts up
automatically
(Y page 141).
Shifting to neutral N G
WARNING
When leaving the SmartKey in the starter
switch, do not leave children unattended in
the

vehicle. It is possible for children to switch
on the ignition which could result in
unsupervised use of vehicle equipment.
Unsupervised use of vehicle equipment could
result in an accident and/or serious personal
injury.
If the vehicle is stationary:
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Depending on the current transmission
position, press the selector lever forwards
or backwards to the first point of
resistance.
The automatic transmission shifts to N.
If the engine has been switched off, the
automatic transmission automatically shifts
to N.
i For AMG vehicles: the ECO start/stop
function switches the engine off
automatically if the vehicle is braked to a
standstill when in neutral N and the brake
is still depressed

(Y page 141). Remaining in neutral N G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of
parking position P.
R starting the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey

with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
X Make sure that the ignition is switched on.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X If the parking brake is applied, release it.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
Shifting to transmission position D X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Push the selector lever back past the first
point of resistance.
Transmission position D is engaged.
i For AMG vehicles: the ECO start/stop
function switches the engine off
automatically if the vehicle is braked to a
standstill when in transmission position D
and the brake is still depressed
(Y page 141). Automatic transmission
147
Driving and parking Z

Transmission positions
B
Park position
Do not shift the transmission into
position
P (Y page
145) unless the
vehicle is stationary. The parking
lock should not be used as a brake
when parking. In addition to
engaging the parking lock, you
must always apply the parking
brake to secure the vehicle.
i The SmartKey can only be
removed if the transmission is in
position P. When there is no
SmartKey in the ignition lock, the
selector lever is locked in
position P.
Have the vehicle electronics
checked immediately at a qualified
specialist workshop. C
Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. A
Neutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing

the brakes will allow you
to move the vehicle freely, e.g. to
push it or tow it.
Do not shift the transmission to N
while driving. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission could be
damaged.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty:
only shift the transmission to
position N if the vehicle is in danger
of skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
If you want to engage the transfer
case, shift briefly into N
(Y page 199).
! Rolling in neutral N can damage
the drive train. 7
Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.
Changing gear
The automatic transmission shifts to the
individual gears automatically when it is in
transmission position D. This automatic
gearshifting behavior is determined by:
R a shift range restriction, if selected
R the position of the transfer case ( HIGH
RANGE or LOW RANGE)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed148
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Driving tips
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the
automatic transmission shifts gear:
R
little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts
Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
X
Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The
automatic transmission shifts back up.
Rocking the vehicle free Rocking the vehicle free by shifting back and
forth between transmission positions
D and
R can help to free a vehicle that has become
stuck in mud or snow. The vehicle's engine
management restricts repeated shifting
between transmission positions D and R up
to a maximum speed of up to

5 mph
(9 km/h). To shift back and forth between
transmission positions D and R, move the
selector lever forwards and backwards past
the point of resistance.
Towing a trailer X
Drive in the middle of the engine speed
range on uphill gradients.
X Limit shift range to 3
or 2 depending on the
uphill or downhill gradient ( Y page 150),
even if cruise control or SPEEDTRONIC is
activated.
X Shift the transfer case into low-range
driving position LOW RANGE on extreme
uphill

gradients or steep downhill gradients
(Y page 199). Program selector button
General notes The program selector button allows you to
choose between drive programs with
different driving characteristics.
i
In

AMG vehicles, drive program E is called
drive program C.
Drive programs E Economy
C Controlled
Efficiency Comfortable, economical
driving
S Sport Sporty driving style
M Manual Manual gear shifting
i
When
the engine is started, the automatic
transmission always switches to automatic
drive program E (drive program C in AMG
vehicles).
i For further information on the automatic
drive program, see ( Y page 150).
i Only change from automatic drive
program E or S to manual drive program
M when the vehicle is stationary.
Selecting the drive program Example: program selector button
X
Press program selector button :
repeatedly until the letter for the desired Automatic transmission
149
Driving and parking Z

gearshift program appears in the
multifunction display.
i Only change from automatic drive
program E or S to manual drive program
M when the vehicle is stationary. Steering wheel paddle shifters
In the automatic drive program, you can
restrict or derestrict the shift range by using
steering wheel paddle shifters
: and ;
(Y page 150).
In the manual drive program you can change
gears manually using steering wheel paddle
shifters : and ;(Y page 151).
i You can only change gear with the
steering wheel paddle shifters when the
transmission is in position D. Automatic drive program
Drive program E (drive program C on AMG
vehicles) is characterized by the following:
R comfort-oriented engine and transmission
settings
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully R
increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin
Drive program S is characterized by the
following:
R sporty engine and transmission settings
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R the fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic
transmission shift points Shift ranges
Introduction When the automatic transmission is in
position D, it is possible to restrict or
derestrict the shift range.
The shift range selected is shown in the
multifunction display. The automatic
transmission

shifts only as far as the selected
gear.
Driving situations =
You can use the engine's braking
effect.
5
The braking effect of the engine can
be utilized on downhill gradients or
when driving:
R
on steep mountain roads
R in mountainous terrain
R in arduous conditions 4
The braking effect of the engine can
be utilized on extremely steep
downhill gradients and long
downhill stretches.150
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking