2015 MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class Owner's Manual

R
Ensure that the wheels are in contact with
the ground at all times.
R Drive with extreme care on unfamiliar off-
road routes where visibility is poor. For
safety reasons, get out of the vehicle first
and survey the off-road route.
R Check the depth of water before fording
rivers and streams.
R When fording, do not stop and do not
switch off the engine.
R Look out for obstacles, such as rocks,
holes, tree stumps and furrows.
R Always keep the doors, rear door, side win-
dows and the sliding sunroof closed while
the vehicle is in motion.
R Switch off cruise control.
R Do not stray from marked routes or paths.
R Adapt your speed to the terrain. The
rougher, steeper or more ruts on the ter-
rain, the slower your speed should be.
R Drive slowly and at an even speed through
the water. Ensure that a bow wave does not form as you drive.
R On sand, drive quickly to overcome the roll-
ing resistance. Otherwise the vehicle's
wheels could become stuck in loose
ground.
R Do not jump with the vehicle as this will
interrupt the vehicle's propulsion.
R Avoid high engine speeds. Drive at appro-
priate engine speeds (maximum
3,000 rpm).
R Do not shift the automatic transmission to
transmission position N.
R Always check the vehicle for damage after
off-road driving.
i Information about retrofitting special all-
terrain tires is available from any qualified
specialist workshop.
i Do not use the HOLD function when driv-
ing off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gra- dients or on slippery or loose surfaces. The
HOLD function cannot hold the vehicle on
such surfaces. Checklist before driving off-road !
If the engine oil warning lamp lights up
while the vehicle is in motion, stop the vehi- cle in a safe place as soon as possible.
Check the engine oil level. The engine oil
warning lamp warning must not be ignored.
Continuing the journey while the symbol is
displayed could lead to engine damage.
X Oil level: check the engine oil level and add
oil if necessary.
Only then does the engine receive enough
oil when the vehicle is on a steep incline.
X Tire-changing tool kit: check that the jack
is working and make sure you have the lug
wrench, a robust tow cable and a folding
spade in the vehicle.
X Wheels and tires: check the tire tread
depth and tire pressure.
X Check for damage and remove any foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the
wheels/tires.
X Replace any missing valve caps.
X Replace dented or damaged wheels.
X Carry a sound spare wheel.
Checklist after driving off-road Driving over rough terrain places greater
demands on your vehicle than driving on nor-
mal roads. After driving off-road, check the
vehicle. This allows you to detect damage
promptly and reduce the risk of an accident to
yourself and other road users.
X Shift the transfer case to HIGH
RANGE(Y page 186).
X Disengage the differential locks
(Y page 190).
X Clean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage.
X Clean the front and rear license plates.
X Clean the wheels and tires with a water jet
and remove any foreign objects. Driving
tips
159Driving an d parking Z

X
Clean the wheels, tires, wheel housings and
the vehicle underside with a water jet;
check for any foreign objects and damage.
X Check whether twigs or other parts of
plants have become trapped. These
increase the risk of fire and can damage
fuel pipes, brake hoses or the rubber bel-
lows of the axle joints and propeller shafts.
X After the trip, examine without fail the
entire undercarriage, wheels, tires, brakes,
bodywork structure, steering, chassis and
exhaust system for damage.
X After driving for extended periods across
sand, mud, gravel, water or in similarly dirty
conditions, have the brake discs, wheels,
brake pads/linings and axle joints checked and cleaned.
X If you notice strong vibrations after off-road
driving, check for foreign objects in the
wheels and drive train and, if necessary,
remove them.
Foreign objects can disturb the balance
and cause vibrations.
X Test the brakes.
Driving on sand Observe the following rules when driving on
sand:
R Shift the transfer case to LOW
RANGE( Ypage 186).
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Limit the shift range of the automatic trans-
mission according to the off-road condi-
tions.
R Drive quickly to overcome the rolling resist-
ance. Otherwise the vehicle's wheels could become stuck in loose ground.
R Drive in the tracks of other vehicles if pos-
sible. When doing so, make sure that:
- the tire ruts are not too deep.
- the sand is sufficiently firm.
- your vehicle has sufficient ground clear-
ance Tire ruts and gravel roads !
Check that the ruts are not too deep and
that your vehicle has sufficient clearance.
Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged
or bottom out and get stuck.
Observe the following rules when driving
along ruts in off-road terrain or on roads with loose gravel:
R Shift the transfer case to LOW
RANGE(Y page 186).
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Observe the safety notes (Y page 158) and
the general notes (Y page 158) on off-road
driving.
R Restrict the shift range of the automatic
transmission to 1(Y page 145).
R Drive slowly.
R Where ruts are too deep, drive with the
wheels of one side on the center grassy
area, if possible.
Driving over obstacles !
Obstacles could damage the floor of the
vehicle or components of the chassis. Ask
passengers for guidance when driving over
large obstacles. The passenger should
always keep a safe distance from the vehi- cle when doing so in order to avoid injury as
a result of unexpected vehicle movements. After driving off-road or over obstacles,
check the vehicle for possible damage,
especially to the underbody and the com-
ponents of the chassis.
! Drive with particular care when driving
over an obstacle while driving up or down a
steep slope.
The vehicle could otherwise tilt and slide
sideways or tip over. 160
Driving tipsDriving and pa
rking

Observe the following rules when driving over
tree stumps, large stones and other obsta-
cles:
R Observe the safety notes (Y page 158) and
the general notes (Y page 158) on off-road
driving.
R Shift the transfer case to LOW RANGE
(Y page 186).
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Restrict the shift range to 1(Y page 145).
R Make sure that you have enough ground
clearance before driving across an obsta-
cle.
R Drive very slowly.
R Try to drive straight over the center of
obstacles: front wheel first, then rear
wheel. Traveling uphill
Approach/departure angle G
WARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle
could slip sideways, tip and rollover. There is a risk of an accident.
Always drive on a steep incline in the line of
fall (straight up or down) and do not turn the
vehicle.
Always observe the approach/departure
angle values (Y page 346). R
Observe the safety notes (Y page 158) and
the general notes (Y page 158) on off-road
driving.
R Do not drive at an angle on slopes, inclines
or gradients, but instead follow the direct
line of fall. Note that the climbing ability of your vehicle depends on the terrain condi-
tions.
R Before driving on extreme uphill and down-
hill gradients, shift the transfer case to
LOW RANGE (Ypage 186).
R Engage the differential locks, if necessary
(Y page 189).
R Drive slowly.
R Accelerate gently and make sure that the
wheels are gripping.
R Avoid high engine speeds, except when
driving on sandy and muddy routes with
high driving resistance.
R Avoid high engine speeds – drive at an
appropriate engine speed (maximum
3,000 rpm).
R When driving down an incline, make use of
the engine's braking effect. Observe the
engine speed; do not overrev the engine.
i Further information on the maximum
engine speed: (Y page 198).
R Select a shift range appropriate to the gra-
dient.
R Before tackling steep downhill gradients,
select shift range 1(Y page 145).
R Always check the brakes after driving off-
road.
i Hill start assist will aid you when pulling
away on a hill.
For more information, see "Hill start assist"
(Y page 135).
Maximum gradient-climbing capability Always observe the maximum gradient climb-
ing ability values (Y page 346). Driving tips
161Driving and parking Z

Hilltops
When driving on an uphill gradient, reduce
pressure slightly on the accelerator immedi-
ately before reaching the top of the hill (do not
shift the transmission to position N). Use the
vehicle's own impetus to drive over the top of the hill.
This style of driving prevents:
R the vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill
R loss of traction
R the vehicle from traveling too quickly down
the other side
Driving downhill R
Before tackling steep downhill gradients,
select shift range 1(Ypage 145).
This way you use the engine's braking
effect to reduce the speed. If this is not
sufficient, brake gently. When doing so,
make sure that the vehicle is facing in the
direction of the line of fall.
R Observe the notes on driving in mountain-
ous terrain (Y page 161).
R Drive slowly.
R Do not drive at an angle down steep
inclines. Steer into the line of fall and drive
with the front wheels aligned straight. Oth-erwise, the vehicle could slip sideways, tip
and roll over.
R Check that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
i The special off-road ABS setting
(Y page 62) enables repeated, brief, pre-
cise locking of the front wheels, which
leads to the wheels digging into the loose
ground. Note that when the front wheels
are fully braked, they slide easily over the
surface of the ground, making it difficult to
steer. Driving systems
Cruise control
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The brake pedal moves when cruise control
brakes the vehicle. A foot in the area under
the brake pedal could become trapped. The
movement of the pedal, and therefore the
vehicle's ability to brake, may be restricted by objects in the area under the brake. There is a
risk of an accident and injury.
Do not place your foot under the brake pedal. Keep the area under the brake pedal free from
obstructions.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. Cruise
control cannot take account of road, weather and traffic conditions. Cruise control is only
an aid. You are responsible for the distance to
the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed and for braking in good time. Adjust your driving style to the traffic conditions. Only engage cruise
control when the current road, weather and
traffic conditions permit it to be done safely.
Drive carefully and maintain a suitable dis-
tance to the vehicle in front.
Do not use cruise control:
R in traffic conditions that do not allow you to
drive at a constant speed, e.g. heavy traffic,
on winding roads or off-road
R on slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. On long and steep downhill
gradients, especially if the vehicle is laden,
you must select shift range
1,2or 3in good
time. By doing so, you will make use of the 162
Driving systemsDriving and parking

braking effect of the engine. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
i Cruise control should not be activated
when driving off-road.
Cruise control lever :
To activate or increase speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
? To activate or reduce speed
A To switch between cruise control and var-
iable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
You can operate cruise control and variable
SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control lever.
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display
for five seconds.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec-
ted:
R LIM indicator lamp off: cruise control is
selected.
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected. Activation conditions To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions must be fulfilled:
R the parking brake must be released.
R you are driving faster than 20 mph
(30 km/h).
R ESP ®
must be active, but not intervening.
R the transmission must be in position D.
Selecting cruise control :
To activate or increase speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
? To activate or reduce speed
A To switch between cruise control and var-
iable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
X Check whether LIM indicator lamp ;is off.
If it is off, cruise control is already selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever goes out. Cruise control is selected. Driving systems
163Driving and parking Z

Storing, maintaining and calling up a
speed Storing and maintaining the current
speed
:
To activate or increase speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
? To activate or reduce speed
A To switch between cruise control and var-
iable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
You can store the current speed if you are
driving faster than 20 mph (30 km/h).
X Accelerate the vehicle to the desired
speed.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever up :
or down ?.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle
automatically maintains the stored speed.
i Cruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill and downhill
gradients. The stored speed is resumed
when the gradient levels out. Cruise control
maintains the stored speed on downhill
gradients by automatically applying the
brakes. Calling up the stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it is lower
than the current speed, the vehicle deceler-
ates. If you do not know the stored speed, the vehicle could decelerate unexpectedly. There
is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again. :
To activate or increase speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
? To activate or reduce speed
A To switch between cruise control and var-
iable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you =.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Cruise control is activated and adjusts the
vehicle's speed to the last speed stored.
i If no speed is stored, cruise control stores
the current speed and maintains it. 164
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Setting a speed
Adjusting
:
To activate or increase speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
? To activate or reduce speed
A To switch between cruise control and var-
iable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment until the vehicle accelerates or decelerates to
the set speed.
X To increase the speed: press the cruise
control lever up :.
X To decrease the speed: press the cruise
control lever down ?.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed until
the desired speed is reached.
X Release the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored. Making adjustments in 1 mph increments
(1 km/h increments in Canada) :
To activate or increase speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
? To activate or reduce speed
A To switch between cruise control and var-
iable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
X Briefly press the cruise control lever up :
for a higher speed or down ?for a lower
speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Making adjustments in 5 mph increments
(10 km/h increments): :
To activate or increase speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
? To activate or reduce speed Driving systems
165Driving and parking Z

A
To switch between cruise control and var-
iable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
X Briefly press the cruise control lever up :
or down ?to beyond the pressure point.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
i Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For exam-
ple, if you accelerate briefly to overtake,
cruise control adjusts the vehicle's speed
to the last speed stored after you have fin- ished overtaking.
Deactivating cruise control :
To activate or increase speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
? To activate or reduce speed
A To switch between cruise control and var-
iable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control: X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards B.
or
X Brake. or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selected. LIM
indicator lamp ;in the cruise control lever
lights up.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if: R you apply the parking brake
R you are driving at less than 20 mph
(30 km/h)
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R you shift the transmission to position N
while driving
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine. SPEEDTRONIC
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, SPEED-
TRONIC can neither reduce the risk of acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. SPEED- TRONIC cannot take account of road, weather
and traffic conditions. SPEEDTRONIC is only
an aid. You are responsible for the distance to
the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for
braking in good time and for staying in lane.
Only engage SPEEDTRONIC when the current road, weather and traffic conditions permit it
to be done safely. Drive carefully and main-
tain a suitable distance to the vehicle in front. 166
Driving systemsDriving and parking