2014 MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV Owners Manual

Useful information
..............................40
Occupant safety .................................. 40
Children in the vehicle ........................53
Driving safety systems .......................59
Theft deterrent locking system .........63 39Safety

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Read the information on qualified
specialist workshops: (Y page 27).Occupant safety
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Modifications to the restraint system, may
cause it to no longer work as intended. The
restraint system may then not perform its
intended protective function by failing in an
accident or triggering unexpectedly, for
example. There is an increased risk of injury.
Never modify parts of the restraint system.
Never tamper with the wiring as well as
electronic components or their software.
In this section, you will learn the most
important facts about the restraint system
components of the vehicle.
The restraint system consists of:
R Seat belts
R Child restraint systems
R LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat securing
system
Additional protection is provided by:
R SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
R NECK-PRO head restraints
R Air bag system components with:
-The 45indicator lamp
- Front-passenger seat with BabySmart™
air bag deactivation system Although the systems are independent, their
protective functions work in conjunction with
each other. Not all air bags are always
deployed in an accident.
i Observe the additional information on
infants and children traveling with you in
the vehicle and restraint systems for
infants and children (Y page 53). SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
Introduction SRS reduces the risk of occupants coming
into contact with the vehicle's interior in the
event of an accident. It can also reduce the
effect of the forces to which occupants are
subjected during an accident.
SRS consists of:
R SRS warning lamps 6
R Air bags
R Air bag control unit (with crash sensors)
R Emergency Tensioning Device (ETD) for
seat belts
R Seat belt force limiter
SRS warning lamp SRS functions are checked regularly when
you switch on the ignition and when the
engine is running. Therefore, malfunctions
can be detected in good time.
The
6 SRS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out no later than a few seconds
after the engine is started.
The SRS components are in operational
readiness when the 6SRS indicator lamp
goes out while the engine is running. 40
Occupant safetySafety

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
41Safety
Z

child seat, which operates with the
BabySmart™ air bag deactivation 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.
Failure to follow these instructions can result
in severe injuries to you or other occupants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that you
make the buyer aware of this safety
information. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator's Manual. G
WARNING
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children in an automobile is in a rear seat.
Should you choose to place a child 12 years
old or under in the front passenger seat of
your vehicle, you must properly use a
BabySmart TM
child restraint which will turn off
the front passenger front air bag.
To help avoid the possibility of injury, please
follow these guidelines:
(1) Always sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt properly, and for
children 12 years old and under,
use an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or
booster seat recommended for the
size and weight of the child.
(2) Always wear seat belts properly. G
WARNING
The service life of the air bag is limited to 15
years. After a maximum of 15 years, have the
air bag replaced at a qualified specialist
workshop that has the necessary specialist
knowledge and tools to carry out the work
required. Mercedes-Benz recommends that
you use an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for this purpose. In particular, work relevant to safety or on
safety-related systems must be carried out at
a qualified specialist workshop.
The air bags are deployed if the air bag control
unit detects the need for deployment. Only in
the event of such a situation will the air bags
provide their supplemental protection.
If the driver and front passenger do not wear
their seat belts, it is not possible for the air
bags to provide their supplemental
protection.
In the event of other types of impacts and
impacts below air bag deployment
thresholds, the air bags will not deploy. The
driver and passenger will then be protected
to the extent possible by a properly fastened
seat belt. A properly fastened seat belt is also
needed to provide the best possible
protection if the vehicle rolls over.
Air bags provide additional protection; they
are not, however, a substitute for seat belts.
All vehicle occupants must fasten their seat
belts regardless of whether your vehicle is
equipped with air bags or not.
It is important for your safety and that of your
passenger to have deployed air bags replaced
and to have any malfunctioning air bags
repaired. This will help to make sure the air
bags continue to provide supplemental crash
protection for occupants.
Front air bags G
WARNING
Observe "Important safety notes"
(Y page 41). G
WARNING
Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology which disables the front-
passenger air bag if the system recognizes
that the front-passenger seat is empty .
If the front-passenger seat is occupied by an
adult or young person and the 4/
indicator lamp is lit up, the front-passenger air 42
Occupant safetySafety

bag is disabled. If the front-passenger seat is
recognized as empty, the air bag control unit
will not deploy the front-passenger air bag in
the event of a collision.
Ask your passenger to sit correctly on the
front-passenger seat in an upright position
until the 4/ indicator lamp goes out.
If the 4/ indicator lamp does not go
out, please consult an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center. Driver's air bag
:deploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger front air
bag ;deploys in front of and above the glove
box.
The front air bags increase protection for the
driver's and front-passenger's head, neck and
chest.
They are deployed:
R in the event of certain frontal impacts
R if the system determines that air bag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
R independently of other air bags in the
vehicle
R depending on whether the seat belt is being
used
If the vehicle rolls over, the front air bags are
generally not deployed. If the system detects
high vehicle deceleration in a longitudinal
direction, the front air bags are deployed.
Your vehicle is equipped with a dual-stage
driver's air bag and a single-stage front-
passenger front air bag. In the event of a
collision, the air bag control unit evaluates the vehicle deceleration. In the first deployment
stage, the driver's air bag is filled with enough
propellant gas to reduce the risk of injuries.
The front-passenger front air bag, however, is
immediately filled with the maximum amount
of propellant gas. The driver's air bag is fully
deployed if a second deployment threshold is
exceeded within a few milliseconds.
The lighter the front passenger, the higher the
vehicle deceleration rate required (predicted
at the start of the impact) for triggering the
front-passenger front air bag.
The front air bags will not deploy in impacts
with vehicle deceleration or acceleration
rates which do not exceed the system’s
preset deployment thresholds for vehicle
deceleration or acceleration. You will then be
protected by the fastened seat belt.
Front-passenger front air bag ;will only
deploy if:
R the front-passenger seat is occupied
R the 45 indicator lamp on the center
console is not lit (Y page 44)
R the impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold
The front-passenger air bag is automatically
activated and deactivated. Both driver and
passenger should always check whether the
front-passenger air bag is activated or
deactivated.
The deployment of the driver's air bag does
not mean that the front-passenger air bag will
also deploy. If the system recognizes that the
front-passenger seat is empty, the front-
passenger air bag does not deploy even if the
impact fulfills the criteria and the driver's air
bag has deployed.
If the system detects that the front-passenger
seat is occupied, the 45indicator
lamp lights up for approximately six seconds
if:
R you turn the SmartKey to position 1or 2in
the ignition lock.
R the engine is running and then you switch
it off. Occupant safety
43Safety Z

This indicates the operational readiness of
the front-passenger air bag.
Note that objects placed on the front-
passenger seat may cause the system to
recognize the seat as occupied. This can
result in the deployment of the front-
passenger air bag if the impact fulfills the
specified criteria. If the 45indicator
lamp lights up, the front-passenger front air
bag is disabled and will not be deployed in
certain situations. If the 45indicator
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
: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 :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 :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. 44
Occupant safetySafety

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 BabySmart™
compatible 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
When using a BabySmart™ compatible child
seat on the front passenger seat, the front
passenger front air bag will not deploy only if
the 4/indicator lamp remains
illuminated.
Please be sure to check the 4/
indicator lamp every time you use a
BabySmart™ compatible child seat on the
front passenger seat. Should the 4/
indicator lamp go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation. If the
4/indicator lamp remains out, do not
use the BabySmart™ restraint to transport a
child on the front passenger seat until the
system has been repaired. G
WARNING
The BabySmart™ air bag disabling system
ONLY works with specially adapted child
restraint systems. It does not work with child
restraint systems that are not compatible with
BabySmart™.
Never place anything between the seat
cushion and the child restraint system (e.g. a
cushion), as this reduces the effectiveness of
the BabySmart™ air bag deactivation system.
The underside of the child restraint system
must lie against the seat cushion of the front-
passenger seat. In the event of an accident,
an incorrectly installed child restraint system
could injure the child instead of offering
protection. Occupant safety
45Safety
Z

Observe the manufacturer's instructions
when installing special child restraint
systems. Your vehicle is equipped with a BabySmart™
system.
Special child restraint systems which are
compatible with BabySmart™ are necessary
for deactivating the front-passenger air bag.
When the special BabySmart™-compatible
child restraint system is installed correctly
and is recognized by the sensor system in the
front-passenger seat, the front-passenger air
bag is deactivated. In this case, 45
indicator lamp :lights up. If you have any
questions regarding the special BabySmart™-
compatible child restraint systems, consult
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If the SmartKey has been removed from the
ignition lock or is in position 0,45
indicator lamp :does not light up.
The system does not disable:
R the window curtain air bag
R the Emergency Tensioning Device
System self-test G
WARNING
Do not leave any switched on notebooks,
mobile phones, electronic tags (e.g. a ski
pass) or similar electronic devices on the
front-passenger seat. Signals emitted from
such devices can interfere with the
BabySmart™ air bag deactivation system.
Such interference can lead to the 45 indicator lamp not lighting up during the self-
test.
If the
+ SRS warning lamp and the
4/ indicator lamp light up
simultaneously in the instrument cluster, the
system is malfunctioning. The front-
passenger air bag could deploy without cause,
or may fail to deploy in the event of an
accident.
Have the system checked as soon as possible
at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
The 45 indicator lamp lights up when
the SmartKey is turned to position 1or 2in
the ignition lock.
The 45 indicator lamp goes out after
approximately six seconds.
If the 45 indicator lamp does not light
up or is always lit, then the system is
malfunctioning. Have the BabySmart™
system checked at an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center before transporting a child on
the front-passenger seat.
For further information, see "Problems with
air bag deactivation system" (Y page 47).46
Occupant safetySafety