2015 MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class Owner's Manual

Front sensors
Center Approx. 40 in (approx.
100 cm from the brush
guard)
Corners Approx. 24 in (approx.
60 cm)
Rear sensors
Center Approx. 36 in (90 cm) from
the spare wheel Corners Approx. 32 in (approx.
80 cm)
Minimum distance
Center Approx. 8 in (approx.
20 cm)
Corners Approx. 8 in (approx.
20 cm)
If there is an obstacle within this range, the
relevant warning displays light up and a warn- ing tone sounds. If the distance falls below
the minimum, the distance may no longer be
shown.
Warning displays Warning display for the front area
: Segments on the left-hand side of the
vehicle
; Segments on the right-hand side of the
vehicle
= Segments showing operational readiness The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is located
on the dashboard above the center air vents.
The warning display for the rear area is loca-
ted on the headliner in the rear compartment.
The warning display for each side of the vehi-
cle is divided into five yellow and two red seg- ments. PARKTRONIC is operational if yellow
segments showing operational readiness =
light up.
The selected transmission position and the
direction in which the vehicle is rolling deter-
mine which warning display is active when the engine is running. Transmission
position Warning display
D
Front area activated
R,
Nor the vehicle
is rolling back-
wards Rear and front areas
activated P
No areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the
vehicle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
R sixth segment onwards, you will hear an
intermittent warning tone for approx-
imately two seconds.
R seventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two sec-
onds. This indicates that you have now
reached the minimum distance. Driving systems
183Driving and parking Z

Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC
:
Indicator lamp
; To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC
If indicator lamp :lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the SmartKey to position 2in
the ignition lock.
Towing a trailer PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer. 184
Driving syste
msDriving and parking

Problems with PARKTRONIC
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is deacti-
vated after a few sec-
onds, and the indicator
lamp in the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up. PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.
X If problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is deacti-
vated after a few sec-
onds. The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
X Clean the PARKTRONIC sensors (Y page 284).
X Switch the ignition back on. The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves.
X See if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location. Rear view camera
Important safety notes The rear view camera is only an aid. It is not a
replacement for your attention to your imme-
diate surroundings. You are always responsi-
ble for safe maneuvering and parking. When
maneuvering or parking, make sure that there are no persons, animals or objects in the area in which you are maneuvering.
Under the following circumstances, the rear
view camera will not function, or will function
in a limited manner:
R the rear door is open
R in heavy rain, snow or fog
R at night or in very dark places
R if the camera is exposed to very bright light
R if the area is lit by fluorescent light or LED
lighting (the display may flicker) R
if there is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. when driving into a heated garage in
winter
R if the camera lens is dirty or obstructed
R if the rear of your vehicle is damaged. In this
event, have the camera position and setting checked at a qualified specialist workshop
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
this purpose Driving systems
185Driving and parking Z

Activating/deactivating the rear view
camera :
Rear view camera X
To activate: make sure that the SmartKey
is in position 2in the ignition lock.
X Make sure that the rear view camera func-
tion is selected in COMAND (see the sepa-
rate operating instructions for COMAND).
X Engage reverse gear.
The area behind the vehicle is shown in the
COMAND display.
To deactivate: the rear view camera is deac-
tivated if you:
R shift the transmission to position P
R drive forward ten meters
R shift the transmission from Rto another
position after 15 seconds
R drive forwards at a speed of over 5 mph
(10 km/h) Off-road driving systems
Transfer case
General notes The vehicle has permanent all-wheel drive.
Power is always transmitted to both axles.
For further information on driving off-road,
see (Y page 158).
Shift ranges G
WARNING
If you do not wait for the transfer case gear
change process to complete, the transfer
case could remain in the neutral position. The power transmission to the driven wheels is
then interrupted. There is a danger of the
vehicle rolling away unintentionally. There is a
risk of an accident.
Wait until the transfer case shift process is
completed.
Do not switch off the engine while changing
gear and do not shift the automatic transmis-
sion to another gear. HIGH
RANGE
Position for all normal on-
road driving conditions
LOW
RANGE
Low-range position for driv-
ing off-road.
Also for use on steep uphill
or downhill gradients, espe-
cially when towing a trailer.
The vehicle travels around
half the speed of on-road
driving range HIGH RANGE.
The tractive power is corre-
spondingly higher. Shifts the transfer case
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
When the transfer case is in the neutral posi-
tion, power transmission to the driven wheels 186
Off-road driving systemsDriving and pa
rking

is interrupted. As a result, the vehicle could
roll away. There is a risk of an accident.
Secure the vehicle with the parking brake, and on uphill or downhill gradients, also secure it
with a device such as a wheel chock.
Always wait for the gear change process from HIGH RANGE toLOW RANGE and from
LOW RANGE toHIGH RANGE to complete.
Do not switch off the engine while changing
gear and do not shift the automatic transmis-
sion to another gear.
General notes :
Current shift range :
Indicator lamp
; LOW RANGE button
Switching on the off-road gear ratio
! Only carry out the gear selection if:
R the engine is running.
R the vehicle is rolling.
R the automatic transmission is in selector
lever position N.
R you are driving no faster than 25 mph
(40 km/h).
You could otherwise damage the transfer
case. i
AMG vehicles:
the ECO start/stop func-
tion is not available in transfer case posi-
tion LOW RANGE (Ypage 136).
X Press LOW RANGE button ;.
When the shift procedure is complete, the
LOW RANGE LOW RANGE transfer case position appears
in the multifunction display.
Indicator lamp :lights up.
X Shift the transmission to position D.
Switching off the off-road gear ratio G
WARNING
When the transfer case is in the neutral posi-
tion, power transmission to the driven wheels
is interrupted. As a result, the vehicle could
roll away. There is a risk of an accident.
Secure the vehicle with the parking brake, and on uphill or downhill gradients, also secure it
with a device such as a wheel chock.
! Only carry out the gear selection if:
R the engine is running.
R the vehicle is rolling.
R the automatic transmission is in selector
lever position N.
R you are driving no faster than 43 mph
(70 km/h).
You could otherwise damage the transfer
case.
X Press button ;.
When the shift procedure is complete, the
HIGH
HIGH RANGE RANGE transfer case position appears
in the multifunction display. Off-road driving systems
187Driving and parking Z

Indicator lamp
:goes out.
If the gear change is not completed, the fol-
lowing messages could appear in the display:
R TC Shift Conditions Not Fulfilled
TC Shift Conditions Not Fulfilled
You have not met one or more shift condi-
tions.
R TC NEUTRAL On
TC NEUTRAL On
The transfer case has canceled the gear
change process and is in N. Transfer case
position N Nappears in the multifunction dis-
play.
R TC Shift Canceled
TC Shift Canceled
The transfer case has not performed the
gear change process.
X Carry out the gear change process again.
Make sure to meet all conditions for chang-
ing gears.
R TC Malfunction Visit Workshop TC Malfunction Visit Workshop
There is a malfunction in the transfer case.
X Do not shift the transfer case.
X Have the vehicle checked as soon as pos-
sible at a qualified specialist workshop.
Shifting to neutral G
WARNING
When the transfer case is in the neutral posi-
tion, power transmission to the driven wheels
is interrupted. As a result, the vehicle could
roll away. There is a risk of an accident.
Secure the vehicle with the parking brake, and on uphill or downhill gradients, also secure it
with a device such as a wheel chock.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock (Y page 133).
X Apply the parking brake.
X Depress the brake pedal. X
Move the selector lever to position N
(Y page 139).
X Press and hold LOW RANGE button ;for
approximately 10 seconds.
When the shift procedure is complete, the
TC NEUTRAL
TC NEUTRAL message appears in the mul-
tifunction display for 5 seconds.
If the gear change is not completed, the fol-
lowing messages could appear in the display
(Y page 225).
i If the transfer case is in
neutral, the
SmartKey is in the ignition lock and you
open the driver's door, the TC TCIn
InNeutral
Neutral
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play. If you then release the parking brake, a warning tone will sound. Differential locks
General notes G
WARNING
When the differential locks are engaged, ABS, 4ETS, ESP ®
and BAS are deactivated. As a
result, the wheels could lock when braking
and the braking distance is increased. There is
a risk of an accident.
Disengage the differential locks immediately
on firm surfaces with good grip.
! In order to avoid damage to the transfer
case, you must operate the vehicle on a
dynamometer (1-axle dynamometer) only
if:
R the axle not driven on is jacked up
or
R the corresponding propeller shaft is dis-
connected and the transfer case differ-
ential lock is engaged.
Otherwise, the transfer case can be dam-
aged.
Differential locks improve the traction of the
vehicle. 188
Off-road driving systemsDriving and parking

Your vehicle is equipped with a differential
lock each for:
R the transfer case: this controls the balance
between the front and rear axles.
R the rear axle: this controls the balance
between the wheels on the rear axle.
R the front axle: this controls the balance
between the wheels on the front axle.
Information on differential gear system
and differential lock When the vehicle drives around a curve, the
wheels on the outside of the curve must cover
a greater distance. Therefore, the wheels turn
more rapidly than on the inside. The differen- tial, a gear system in the drive train, allows for
differing rotational speeds and facilitates cor-
nering.
The disadvantage of a differential is that the
wheels that have the least grip, get the most
drive. An example: a wheel of a driven axle is
on a snow-covered surface and therefore
does not have any traction. The differential
sends most of the drive force to this wheel
because the force takes the route of the low-
est resistance. The opposite wheel on this
axle, however, which stands on firm ground
and could therefore allow propulsion,
receives no driving power. 4ETS compen-
sates for this disadvantage. 4ETS provides
good steerability by automatically braking the spinning wheel. 4ETS provides the wheel on
the firm surface with more drive force, which
in turn provides propulsion.
ESP® and 4ETS are traction systems that are
ideal for road driving and suitable for light off- road driving. The LOW RANGEoff-road gear
also improves off-road capability.
More challenging off-road conditions require
additional measures such as locking one or
more differential. Your vehicle is equipped
with three differential locks: R
a central differential lock for the transfer
case
R a differential lock for the front axle and
R a differential lock for the rear axle
Each differential lock can be engaged with the corresponding switch on the center console.
If the differential in the transfer case is
locked, the front and rear wheels rotate at the
same speed. If the differential for the rear axle
is locked, both rear wheels rotate at the same speed, regardless of their respective torque.
Note, engaging the differential lock greatly
impairs the vehicle's steerability.
Note, it is imperative to use the differential
function when driving on firm road surfaces.
Under no circumstances should the differen-
tial be locked when driving on firm road sur-
faces. Otherwise, the vehicle may not be
steerable and you could lose control of the
vehicle. Therefore, only engage the differen-
tial lock when driving off-road. You should
only engage the differential lock if activating
4ETS and ESP ®
driving systems and LOW
RANGE off-road gear prove to be insufficient.
Engaging the differential locks Important safety notes
G
WARNING
When differential locks are engaged on a firm,
high-grip surface, the vehicle's steerability is
greatly impaired. In particular, engaging the
differential locks when cornering could lead
to you losing control of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Disengage the differential locks immediately
on firm surfaces with good grip. G
WARNING
When the differential locks are engaged, ABS, 4ETS, ESP ®
and BAS are deactivated. As a
result, the wheels could lock when braking
and the braking distance is increased. There is
a risk of an accident.
Disengage the differential locks immediately
on firm surfaces with good grip. Off-road driving systems
189Driving and parking Z

!
Only engage the differential locks when:
R you are driving at walking pace.
R the driven wheels are not spinning.
R you are not driving on a firm road surface.
General notes
The switches are located on the center con-
sole. :
Function indicator lamps (red)
; Differential lock for the front axle
= Differential lock for the transfer case
? Differential lock for the rear axle
A Activation indicator lamps (yellow)
Engage the differential locks: R off-road
R to deactivate ABS, 4ETS, ESP ®
and BAS
while off-road
R when fording
For further information on driving off-road,
see (Y page 158).
i You can engage the differential locks in
the following order: =,?, ;.
Differential lock for the transfer case X
To engage: switch the transfer case to the
LOW RANGE off-road driving position
(Y page 186).
X Press switch =.
If the transfer case is in the LOW RANGE
off-road position, the yellow activation indi- cator lamp under switch =lights up. The
å warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
If the differential is locked, the red function indicator lamp above switch =lights up.
In the multifunction display you see the:
ABS not available Differential
ABS not available Differential
Locked Locked message.
The å!÷ warning lamps light up
in the instrument cluster.
The differential lock for the transfer case is
engaged.
4ETS, ESP ®
, BAS and ABS are deactivated.
The vehicle's ability to steer is severely
restricted. Drive carefully and accelerate gen-
tly for optimum traction.
i You can now engage the differential lock
for rear axle ?and the differential lock for
front axle ;as required.
Differential lock for the rear axle X
To engage: press switch ?.
Yellow activation indicator lamp Alights
up first, followed by red function indicator
lamp :of switch ?.
The differential lock for the rear axle is
engaged.
Differential lock for the front axle X
To engage: press switch ;.
First, the yellow activation indicator lamp
lights up, followed by the red function indi- cator lamp.
The differential lock for the front axle is
engaged.
Disengaging the differential locks You can disengage the differential locks in the
following order: ;,?,=.
X To simultaneously disengage all differ-
ential locks: press switch=.
Yellow activation indicator lamps Aand
red function indicator lamps :go out. 190
Off-road driving systemsDriving and parking