2013 MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV ESP

Warning and indicator lamps
Function Page
0043
0058 Low-beam
headlamps
99
0044
00E5 ESP
® 252
0087
0057 High-beam
headlamps
103
0085
004D Brakes (yellow)
249
0083
00BA Distance warning
258
0084
003E003D Turn signals
103
006B
0077 Tire pressure monitor
259
006C
0075 SRS
255
006D
00E9 Seat belt
248 Function Page
006E
00AC Coolant
256
006F
005E Rear fog lamp
101
0070
005B Front fog lamps
101
0071
00B9 Check Engine
256
0072
00B6 Reserve fuel
256
0073
00BB ESP
®
OFF 252
0074
0025 ABS
250
0075
Brakes (red)
0027 (USA only)
004D (Canada only)
24930
Instrument clusterAt a glance

Center console
Center console, upper section
Function Page
0043
Audio system; see the
separate operating
instructions
COMAND 00FC
0044
Seat heating 89
0087
008E Seat ventilation
90
0085
008F PARKTRONIC
194 Function Page
0083
00A7 ECO start/stop
function
141
0084
002F Hazard warning
lamps
104
006B
00730074 Indicator lamp
006C
00BB ESP
® 6232
Center consoleAt a glance

Air bags
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Air bags are designed to reduce the potential
of injury and fatality in certain
R frontal impacts (front air bags)
R side impacts (window curtain air bags)
However, no system available today can
completely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
Deployment of the air bags temporarily
releases a small amount of dust from the air
bags. This dust, however, is neither harmful
to your health, nor
does it indicate a fire in the
vehicle. The dust might cause some
temporary breathing difficulty for people with
asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid
this, you may wish to get out of the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any
breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the
vehicle after the air bag inflates, then get fresh
air by opening a window or door. G
WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury when the front air
bags inflate, it
is

very important for the driver
and front passenger to always be in a properly
seated position and to wear their respective
seat belt.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision always be in normal seated position
with your back against the seat backrest.
Fasten your seat belt and make sure it is
properly positioned on your body. Since the air bag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating position
and correct positioning of the hands on the
steering wheel will
help

to keep you at a safe
distance from the air bag. Occupants who are
not wearing their seat belt, are not seated
properly or are too close to the air bag can be
seriously injured or killed by an air bag as it
inflates with great force instantaneously:
R Sit with the seat belt properly fastened in a
position that is as upright as possible with
your back against the seat backrest.
R Move the driver's seat as far back as
possible, still permitting proper operation
of vehicle controls. The distance from the
center of the driver's chest to the center of
the air bag cover on the steering wheel
must be at least 10 inches (25 cm) or more.
You should be able to accomplish this by
adjusting the seat and steering wheel. If
you have any difficulties, please contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
R Do not lean your head or chest close to the
steering wheel or dashboard.
R Keep hands on the outside of the steering
wheel rim. Placing hands and arms inside
the rim can increase the risk and potential
severity of hand/arm injury when the driver
front air bag inflates.
R Adjust the front passenger seat as far as
possible rearward from the dashboard
when the seat is occupied.
R Occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their heads
in the area of the door where the window
curtain air bag inflates. This could result in
serious injuries or death should the window
curtain air bag be deployed. 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.
R Children 12 years old and under must never
ride in the front seat, except in a Mercedes-
Benz authorized BabySmart™ compatible Occupant safety
41
Safety
Z

passenger air bag if the impact fulfills the
specified criteria. If the 00730074 indicator
lamp lights up, the front-passenger front air
bag is disabled and will not be deployed in
certain situations. If the
00730074 indicator
lamp does not light up, the front-passenger
front air bag is
enabled and can be deployed.
Window curtain air bags G
WARNING
Observe "Important safety notes"
(Y page 41). Window curtain air bags
0043
enhance the
level
of protection for the head, but not chest or
arms,

of the vehicle occupants on the side of
the vehicle on which the impact occurs.
Window curtain air bags 0043 are integrated
into the side of the roof frame and deploy in
the area extending from the front door (A-
pillar) to the rear door (C-pillar).
Window curtain air bags 0043 are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, e.g. in a side impact
R regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied
R independently of seat belt use
R if the vehicle rolls over and the system
determines that window curtain air bag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
R independently of the front air bags Window curtain air bags will not deploy in
impacts which do not exceed the system's
preset deployment thresholds for lateral
acceleration/deceleration. You will then be
protected by the fastened seat belt.
BabySmart™ air bag deactivation
system
How the air bag deactivation system
works 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 air44
Occupant safety
Safety

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 0073 007C indicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Should the 0073 007C indicator lamp not
illuminate or go out while the restraint is installed, please check installation.
Periodically check the
0073 007C
indicator
lamp while driving to make sure the
0073 007C indicator lamp is illuminated. If
the 0073 007C 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. In the event
of an 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 that are too large for a child restraint
must travel in seats using normal 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. Children in the vehicle
55
Safety Z

installing the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system.
X When a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat
securing system is installed, make sure
that the center seat belt in the rear
compartment is fully functional and can
move freely.
Top Tether G
WARNING
Observe "Important safety notes"
(Y page 54). 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. 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.
Top Tether provides an additional connection
between a child restraint system, secured
with a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat mount,
and the rear seat. This helps reduce the risk
of injury even further. X
Remove cargo compartment cover
(Y page 267).
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 0087 under the head
restraint between the two head restraint
bars.
X Attach Top Tether hook 0043 to Top Tether
anchorage 0044 on the cargo compartment
floor.
X Hook Top Tether hook 0043 of Top
Tether
belt
0087 into Top Tether anchorage 0044.
Ensure that:
R Top Tether hook 0043 is hooked into Top
Tether anchorage 0044 as shown.
R Top Tether belt 0087 is not twisted.
X Make sure that Top Tether belt 0087 is not
twisted. 58
Children in the vehicle
Safety

X
To activate/deactivate: press button 0043.
If indicator lamp 0044
is lit, operation of the
rear side windows is disabled. Operation is
only possible using the switches in the
driver's door. If indicator lamp 0044 is off,
operation is possible using the switches in
the rear compartment. 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)
(Y page 61)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) ( Y page 61)
R Adaptive brake lamps (Y page 62)
R ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program)
(Y page 62)
R EBD ( electronic brake force distribution)
(Y page 64)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE(Y page 64)
R Trailer stabilization Important safety notes
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
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.
If you fail to adapt your driving style or
become distracted, the driving safety
systems can neither reduce the risk of
accident nor override the laws of physics.
Driving safety systems are merely aids
designed to assist driving. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed and for braking in
good time. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions and maintain a safe distance from
the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
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 318).
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. 60
Driving safety systems
Safety

ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section ( Y page 60). 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. G
WARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking
characteristics may be severely impaired.
Additionally, further driving safety systems
are deactivated. There
is

an increased danger
of skidding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked
immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
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.
Provided that the differential locks are not
active, ABS works from a speed of about
5 mph (8 km/h) upwards, regardless of road-
surface conditions. ABS works on slippery
surfaces, even if you only brake gently.
The yellow 0025 ABS 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 vigorously 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.
Off-road ABS If the
LOW RANGE shift range is
selected by
the transfer case, (Y page 199), an ABS
system specifically suited to off-road terrain
is automatically activated.
At speeds below 37 mph (60 km/h), the front
wheels lock cyclically during 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 60). G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of an accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
BAS operates in emergency braking
situations. If you depress the brake pedal
quickly, BAS automatically boosts

the braking
force, thus shortening the stopping distance.
X Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed 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. Driving safety systems
61
Safety Z