2013 MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV ignition

X
Remove the SmartKey when the engine is
switched off.
The starter battery could otherwise be
discharged.
If you cannot turn the SmartKey in the ignition
lock, the starter battery may not be charged
sufficiently.
X Check the starter battery and charge it if
necessary ( Y page 307).
or
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 308).
i You can only remove the SmartKey if:
R the SmartKey is in position 0 in the
ignition lock.
R the automatic transmission selector
lever is in P.Starting the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads
to poisoning. There
is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces
without sufficient ventilation. 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.
! Do not depress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine. Starting procedure X
Shift the automatic transmission to
position P.
The transmission position display in the
multifunction display shows P.
i For further information about the
automatic transmission, see
(Y page 145).
i If you depress the

brake when starting the
engine, pedal travel is unusually long and
there is less pedal resistance.
X Make sure that the parking brake is
applied.
X Turn the SmartKey in the ignition lock to
position 3 (Y page 139) and release it as
soon as the engine is running.
i You can also use

the touch-start function.
To do this, turn the SmartKey to position 3
(Y page 139) and release it immediately.
The engine then starts automatically. Pulling away
Automatic transmission 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.
! Only shift the automatic transmission to
reverse gear R or park position P when the
vehicle is stationary. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission could be damaged.
! Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while depressing the brake pedal. This
impairs engine performance and results in
premature wear on the brake system and
drivetrain. 140
Driving
Driving and parking

!
If a warning tone sounds and the
Release Park. Brake message appears
in the multifunction display, the parking
brake is still applied. Release the parking
brake.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the automatic transmission to
position D or R.
i Before driving off, wait until the gear
change is fully completed.
X Release the parking brake ( Y page 157).
X Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
i It is only possible to shift the automatic
transmission from position P to a different
position if you depress the brake pedal.
Only then is the selector lever lock
released.
i The vehicle locks centrally
once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic
locking feature (Y page 220).
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
Hill start assist G
WARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no
longer brake your vehicle and it could roll
away. There is a

risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forwards or in reverse on an uphill gradient. It holds the vehicle for a short time after you
have
removed your foot

from the brake pedal.
This gives you enough time to move your foot
from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal
and to depress it before the vehicle begins to
roll.
X Take your foot off the brake pedal.
i Once you have taken your foot off the
brake pedal, the vehicle is held for around
one second.
X Pull away.
Hill start assist will not function if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or on
a downhill gradient.
R the transmission is in position N.
R the parking brake is applied.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning. ECO start/stop function (AMG
vehicles)
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically and
you exit the vehicle, the engine is restarted
automatically. The vehicle may

begin moving.
There is a risk of accident and injury.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the ignition and secure the vehicle against
rolling away.
General notes The ECO start/stop function is only available
for the G 63 AMG.
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
stops moving.
The engine starts automatically when the
driver wants to pull away again. The ECO
start/stop function thereby helps you to
reduce the fuel consumption and emissions
of your vehicle. Driving
141
Driving and parking Z

Problems with the engine
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0050 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

Selector lever
005D
Park position
005E Reverse gear
005C Neutral
005B 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. 0043
Transmission position
0044 Drive program
Current transmission position 0043 and current
drive program 0044

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
0045
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. 0046
Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. 0044
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. 003A
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

Problems with the automatic transmission
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0050 SolutionsThe acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into second
gear and reverse gear.
X Stop the vehicle.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0 in the ignition lock.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position D or R.
If D
is selected, the
transmission shifts into second gear; if R is
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist
workshop immediately. You hear a warning
tone. You have:
R
switched off the engine
R opened the driver's door
R not moved the selector lever to position P
X Move the selector lever to position P. Refueling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Gasoline is highly flammable and poisonous.
It burns violently and can cause serious
personal injury.
Never allow sparks, flames or smoking
materials near gasoline.
Turn off the engine before refueling.
Whenever you are around gasoline, avoid
inhaling fumes and any skin or clothing
contact.
Direct skin contact with fuels and the
inhalation of fuel vapors

are damaging to your
health.
! Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
gasoline engine. Even small amounts of the
wrong fuel result in damage to the fuel
system and engine. !
Do not switch on the ignition if you
accidentally refuel with the wrong fuel.
Otherwise, the fuel will

enter the fuel lines.
Notify a qualified specialist workshop and
have the fuel tank and fuel lines drained
completely.
! Overfilling the fuel tank could damage the
fuel system.
! Take care not to spill any fuel on painted
surfaces. You could otherwise damage the
paintwork.
! Use a filter when refueling from a fuel can.
Otherwise, the fuel lines and/or injection
system could be blocked by particles from
the fuel can.
If you overfill the fuel tank, pressure may build
up in the fuel tank. This could cause fuel to
spray out when the fuel pump nozzle is
removed. There is a risk of injury. The fuel
tank is full when the fuel pump nozzle first
switches off. End the refueling process. Refueling
153
Driving and parking Z

For further information on fuel and fuel quality
(Y page 350).
Refueling
Fuel filler flap Example: G 550 fuel filler cap
0043
To open the fuel filler flap
0044 Tire pressure table
0087 Fuel type
0085 To insert the fuel filler cap
When you open or close the vehicle with the
SmartKey, the fuel filler flap is automatically
unlocked or locked.
The position of the fuel filler cap is displayed
00B6 in the instrument cluster. The arrow
next to the filling pump indicates the side of
the vehicle. The
fuel
filler flap is located to the
rear on the right.
Opening 0043
To open the fuel filler flap
0044 Tire pressure table 0087
Fuel type
0085 To insert the fuel filler cap
X Switch off the engine.
i When the engine is running and the fuel
filler flap is open, the yellow reserve fuel
warning lamp and the 00AD (USA only)
or 00B9 (Canada only) Check Engine
warning lamp may light up.
Further information about warning and
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
can be found in the Digital Operator's
Manual.
X Remove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock.
X Press the fuel filler flap in the direction of
arrow 0043.
The fuel filler flap opens slightly.
X Open the fuel filler flap.
X Turn the fuel filler cap counterclockwise
and remove it.
X Insert the fuel filler cap into the holder
bracket on the inside of filler flap 0085.
X Completely insert the filler neck of the fuel
pump nozzle into the tank and refuel.
i Do not add any more fuel after the pump
stops filling for the first time. Otherwise,
fuel may leak out.
Closing X
Replace the fuel filler cap and turn it
clockwise. The fuel filler cap audibly
engages.
X Close the fuel filler flap.
i Close the fuel filler

flap before locking the
vehicle. A locking pin otherwise prevents
the fuel filler flap from closing after the
vehicle has been locked. 154
Refueling
Driving and parking