2015 MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class ECU

vice Booklet or indicated by the service
interval indicator.
Fuel consumption also increases when driv-
ing in cold weather, in stop-start traffic and in
hilly terrain.
Drinking and driving G
WARNING
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs and driving are very dangerous combinations.
Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can
affect your reflexes, perceptions and judg-
ment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal acci-
dent are greatly increased when you drink or
take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or tak-
ing drugs.
Pedals G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell can restrict the pedal travel or obstruct a depressed pedal.
The operating and road safety of the vehicle is
jeopardized. There is a risk of an accident.
Make sure that all objects in the vehicle are
stowed correctly, and that they cannot enter
the driver's footwell. Install the floormats
securely and as specified in order to ensure
sufficient clearance for the pedals. Do not use loose floormats and do not place floormats on
top of one another.
Emission control G
WARNING
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon mon-
oxide (CO), and inhaling it can cause uncon-
sciousness 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 enter- ing 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.
Certain engine systems are designed to keep
the level of poisonous components in exhaust fumes within legal limits.
These systems only work at peak efficiency if they are serviced exactly in accordance with
the manufacturer's specifications. For this
reason, all work on the engine should only be carried out by qualified and authorized
Mercedes-Benz technicians.
The engine settings must not be changed
under any circumstances. Furthermore, all
specific service work must be carried out at
regular intervals and in accordance with the
Mercedes-Benz service requirements. Details
can be found in the Maintenance Booklet. Braking
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you activate the LOW off-road gear while
driving on a slippery road surface, the wheels may lose traction:
R if you remove your foot from the accelera-
tor pedal when driving
R if off road ABS intervenes when braking
If the wheels lose traction. the vehicle can no
longer be steered. There is an increased dan- ger of skidding and accidents.
Never activate the LOW off-road gear while
driving on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients !
On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting
early to a lower gear. This allows you to take
advantage of the engine braking effect and Driving tips
153Driving and parking Z

Off-road driving
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Do not load items on the basic carrier bars. It
may cause instability during some maneuvers which could result in an accident.
Drive slowly in unknown terrain. This will
make it easier to recognize unexpected obsta-
cles and avoid damage to the vehicle.
To help avoid the vehicle rolling over, never
turn it around on steep inclines. If the vehicle cannot complete the attempted climb, back it
down in reverse gear.
Do not drive along the side of a slope. The
vehicle might otherwise rollover. If in doing so
the vehicle begins to show a tendency to roll,
immediately steer into a line of gravity
(straight up or downhill).
Never let the vehicle roll backwards in idle.
You may lose control of the vehicle if you use only the service brake. For information on
driving downhill, see "Driving downhill".
When driving off-road, sand, mud and water,
possibly mixed with oil, for example, could get
into the brakes. This could result in a reduced
braking effect or in total brake failure and also in increased wear and tear. The braking char- acteristics change depending on the material
ingressing the brakes. Clean the brakes after driving off-road. If you detect a reduced brak- ing effect or grinding noises, have the brake
system checked in a qualified specialist work- shop as soon as possible. Adapt your driving
style to the different braking characteristics.
Driving off-road increases the likelihood of
damage to the vehicle, which, in turn, can lead to failure of the mechanical assembly or sys-
tems. Adapt your driving style to suit the ter-
rain conditions. Drive carefully. Have damage to the vehicle rectified immediately at a quali-
fied specialist workshop. General notes H
Environmental note
Protection of the environment is of primary
importance. Treat nature with respect.
Observe all prohibiting signs.
Read this section carefully before driving your
vehicle off-road. Practice by driving over more gentle off-road terrain first.
Familiarize yourself with the characteristics
of your vehicle and the gear shift operation
before driving through difficult terrain.
The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving:
R 4ETS (Y page 63)
R Transfer case (Y page 186)
R Differential locks (Y page 188)
Observe the following notes:
R stop your vehicle and, if necessary, shift the
transfer case to LOW RANGE(Ypage 186)
before driving off-road.
R AMG vehicles: the ECO start/stop func-
tion is not available in transfer case posi-
tion LOW RANGE (Ypage 136).
R engage the differential locks, if necessary
(Y page 189).
i ABS, 4ETS, ESP ®
and BAS are deactivated
while the differential locks are engaged.
This allows the front wheels to lock briefly,
so that these can dig into a loose surface.
However, please note that locked wheels
skid and can no longer steer.
R Check that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(Y page 253).
R To avoid damaging the vehicle, make sure
there is always sufficient ground clearance.
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient.
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a slope.
R Drive slowly and evenly, if necessary at a
walking pace. 158
Driving tipsDriving and parking

Driving with DISTRONIC PLUS
Pulling away and driving
X
If the vehicle in front pulls away: remove
your foot from the brake pedal.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?, or press it up :or down A.
or
X Accelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its
speed to that of the vehicle in front.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in front has slowed down, it brakes your vehicle.
In this way, the distance you have selected is maintained.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle infront is driving faster, it accelerates your vehi-
cle, but only up to the speed you have stored.
If you depress the brake, DISTRONIC PLUS is
deactivated unless your vehicle is stationary.
Changing lanes
If you change to the passing lane, DISTRONIC
PLUS supports you when:
R you are driving faster than 40 mph
(60 km/h)
R DISTRONIC PLUS is maintaining the dis-
tance to a vehicle in front
R you switch on the appropriate turn signal
R DISTRONIC PLUS does not detect a danger
of collision If these conditions are fulfilled, your vehicle is
accelerated. Acceleration will be interrupted
if changing lanes takes too long or if the dis-
tance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front becomes too small.
i When changing lanes, DISTRONIC PLUS
monitors the left lane on left-hand drive
vehicles and the right lane on right-hand
drive vehicles.
Stopping G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, even if it is braked
only by DISTRONIC PLUS, it could roll away if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R DISTRONIC PLUS has been deactivated
with the cruise control lever, e.g. by a vehi-
cle occupant or from outside the vehicle.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
R the accelerator pedal has been depressed,
e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until it
is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains
stationary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
i Depending on the specified minimum dis-
tance, your vehicle will come to a standstill
at a sufficient distance behind the vehicle in front. The specified minimum distance is
set using the control on the cruise control
lever.
On steep uphill or downhill inclines or if there
is a malfunction, the transmission may also
automatically be shifted into position P. Driving syste
ms
173Driving an d parking Z

Deactivating the HOLD function
G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R the HOLD function has been deactivated by
pressing the accelerator pedal or the brake
pedal, e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
The HOLD function is deactivated automati-
cally if:
R you accelerate and the transmission is in
position Dor R.
R you shift the transmission to position P.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until ëdis-
appears from the multifunction display.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
On steep uphill or downhill gradients or if
there is a malfunction, the transmission may
also be automatically shifted into position P.Permanent all-wheel drive
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case. Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground or
be fully raised. Observe the instructions for
towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
! When testing the parking brake, operate
the vehicle only briefly (for a maximum of ten seconds) on a brake test dynamometer.
When doing this, turn the SmartKey to posi-
tion 0or 1in the ignition. Failure to do this
can cause damage to the drive train or the brake system.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a two-axle dyna-
mometer. Before you operate the vehicle
on such a dynamometer, please consult a
qualified workshop. You could otherwise
damage the drive train or the brake system.
The all-wheel drive system ensures that all
four wheels are permanently driven. The all-
wheel drive system improves vehicle traction together with ESP ®
and 4ETS if a drive wheel
spins due to insufficient grip.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip:
R Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
R Take your foot off the accelerator, slowly,
while the vehicle is in motion.
The permanent all-wheel drive system can
neither reduce the risk of accident nor over-
ride the laws of physics if you fail to adapt
your driving style or if you are inattentive. The
all-wheel drive system cannot take into
account road, weather or traffic conditions.
The all-wheel drive system is only an aid. You
are responsible for maintaining a safe dis-
tance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time and for staying in
lane.
In wintry driving conditions, always use winter
tires (M+S tires) and if necessary, snow
chains (Y page 309). Only in this way can the
maximum effect of all-wheel drive be ach-
ieved.
For information on driving off-road, see
(Y page 158). Driving syste
ms
181Driving an d parking Z

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

After approximately three seconds of nor-
mal driving, ABS, 4ETS, ESP ®
and BAS are
activated.
The ABS ABS not
not available
available Differential
Differential
Locked
Locked message disappears in the multi-
function display and the å,!and
÷ warning lamps in the instrument clus-
ter go out.
X Shift the transfer case to the HIGH RANGE
on-road position (Y page 186).
i If red function indicator lamps
:do not
go out when disengaging the differential
locks, stop the vehicle safely as soon as
possible, in accordance with the traffic con- ditions. Then, continue driving and the load
change can release the differential lock. Towing a trailer
Notes on towing a trailer
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. G
WARNING
When the vehicle/trailer combination begins
to lurch, you could lose control of it. The vehi- cle/trailer combination could even rollover.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten up the vehicle/trailer combination
by increasing the speed. Reduce vehicle
speed and do not countersteer. Apply the
brake as necessary. G
WARNING
If you install a ball coupling other than the one
delivered with the vehicle, the trailer tow hitch and the rear axle may be overloaded. This
applies especially if the ball coupling in ques-tion is longer or angled differently. This could seriously impair the driving characteristics
and the trailer can come loose. There is a risk
of an accident.
Only install the ball coupling delivered with
the vehicle or a ball coupling that is designed
to meet your trailer towing requirements. Do
not modify the ball coupling or the trailer tow hitch. G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not installed correctly or not secured with the bolt provided and the
corresponding spring cotter, the trailer may
come loose. There is a risk of an accident.
Always install and secure the ball coupling as
described. Before every journey, ensure that
the ball coupling is secured with the bolt and
the corresponding spring cotter.
Please observe the manufacturer's operating instructions for the trailer coupling if a
detachable trailer coupling is used.
You will find the applicable permissible val-
ues, which must not be exceeded, in the vehi-
cle documents.
You will find the values approved by the man- ufacturer on the vehicle identification plates
and those for the towing vehicle in the "Tech-
nical data" section (Y page 346).
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If
you do not couple the trailer to the towing
vehicle correctly, the trailer could become
detached.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R the permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
R the permissible trailer load Towing a trailer
191Driving and parking Z

X
Open the socket cover.
X Insert the connector with lug :into
groove ;on the socket and turn the con-
nector clockwise to the stop.
X Make the cover engage.
X If you are using an adapter cable, secure
the cable to the trailer with cable ties.
i When the socket is connected, the ultra-
sonic backing up aid is deactivated. 194
Towing a trailerDriving and parking