2015 MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class maintenance

After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax from the windshield and the wiper
blades. This will prevent smears and reduce
wiping noises caused by residue on the wind- shield.
Washing by hand In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays.
Observe the legal requirements in all coun-
tries concerned.
When using the vehicle in winter, remove all
traces of road salt deposits carefully and as
soon as possible.
When washing the vehicle underbody, also
clean the inside of the wheels.
X Do not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
X Use a soft sponge to clean.
X Use a mild cleaning agent, such as a car
shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.
X Thoroughly hose down the vehicle with a
gentle jet of water.
X Do not point the water jet directly towards
the air inlets.
X Use plenty of water and rinse out the
sponge frequently.
X Rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
X Do not let the cleaning agent dry on the
paintwork.
Power washers G
WARNING
The water jet from a circular jet nozzle (dirt
blasters) can cause invisible exterior damage to the tires or chassis components. Compo-
nents damaged in this way may fail unexpect-edly. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use power washers with circular jet
nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have damaged
tires or chassis components replaced imme-
diately. !
Always maintain a distance of at least
11.8 in (30 cm) between the vehicle and the
power washer nozzle. Information about
the correct distance is available from the
equipment manufacturer.
Move the power washer nozzle around
when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R tires
R door gaps, roof gaps, joints, etc.
R electrical components
R battery
R connectors
R lights
R seals
R trim
R ventilation slots
Damaged seals or electrical components
can lead to leaks or failures.
Cleaning the wheels !
Do not use acidic wheel cleaning products
to remove brake dust. This could damage
wheel bolts and brake components.
! Do not park the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly after having cleaned the wheels with wheel
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after clean-
ing. Braking heats the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The
vehicle can then be parked.
Cleaning the paintwork !
Do not affix:
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces. You could otherwise
damage the paintwork. 282
CareMaintenance and care

Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected
by corrosion and damage caused by inade-
quate care cannot always be completely
repaired. In such cases, visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
X Remove dirt immediately, where possible,
while avoiding rubbing too hard.
X Soak insect remains with insect remover
and rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
X Soak bird droppings with water and rinse
off the treated areas afterwards.
X Remove coolant, brake fluid, tree resin,
oils, fuels and greases by rubbing gently
with a cloth soaked in petroleum ether or
lighter fluid.
X Use tar remover to remove tar stains.
X Use silicone remover to remove wax.
If water no longer forms "beads" on the paint
surface, use the paint care products recom-
mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
This is the case approximately every three to
five months, depending on the climate con-
ditions and the care product used.
If dirt has penetrated the paint surface or if
the paint has become dull, the paint cleaner
recommended and approved by Mercedes-
Benz should be used.
Do not use these care products in the sun or
on the hood while the hood is hot.
X Use a suitable touch-up stick, e.g. MB
Touch-Up Stick, to correct smaller areas of
paint damage quickly and provisionally.
Matte finish care !
Never polish the vehicle or the light alloy
wheels. Polishing causes the finish to
shine.
! Never use paint cleaner, buffing or pol-
ishing products, or gloss preserver, e.g.
wax. These products are only suitable for
high-gloss surfaces. Their use on vehicles
with matte finish leads to considerable sur- face damage (shiny, spotted areas). Always have paintwork repairs carried out
at a qualified specialist workshop.
! Do not use wash programs with a hot wax
treatment under any circumstances.
If your vehicle has a clear matte finish,
observe the following instructions in order to
avoid damage to the paintwork due to incor-
rect care.
These notes also apply to light alloy wheels
with a clear matte finish.
i The vehicle should preferably be washed
by hand using a soft sponge, car shampoo
and plenty of water.
i Use only insect remover and car shampoo
from the range of recommended and
approved Mercedes-Benz care products.
Cleaning the windows G
WARNING
You could become trapped by the windshield wipers if they start moving while cleaning the
windshield or wiper blades. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before cleaning the windshield or
wiper blades.
! Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol- vents to clean the inside of the windows. Do
not touch the insides of the windows with
hard objects, e.g. an ice scraper or ring.
There is otherwise a risk of damaging the
windows.
! Clean the water drainage channels of the
windshield and the rear window at regular
intervals. Deposits such as leaves, petals
and pollen may under certain circumstan-
ces prevent water from draining away. This
can lead to corrosion damage and damage to electronic components.
X Clean the inside and outside of the win-
dows with a damp cloth and a cleaning Care
283Maintenance and care Z

product that is recommended and
approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning wiper blades G
WARNING
You could become trapped by the windshield wipers if they start moving while cleaning the
windshield or wiper blades. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before cleaning the windshield or
wiper blades.
! Do not pull the wiper blade. Otherwise,
the wiper blade could be damaged.
! Do not clean wiper blades too often and
do not rub them too hard. Otherwise, the
graphite coating could be damaged. This
could cause wiper noise.
! Hold the wiper arm securely when folding
back. The windshield could be damaged if
the wiper arm smacks against it suddenly.
X Fold the windshield wiper arms away from
the windshield.
X Carefully clean the wiper blades with a
damp cloth.
X Fold the windshield wiper arms back again
before switching on the ignition.
Cleaning the headlamps !
Only use cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths which are suitable for plastic head-
lamp lenses. Unsuitable cleaning agents or cleaning cloths could scratch or damage
the plastic headlamp lenses.
X Clean the headlamp lenses with a damp
sponge and a mild cleaning agent, e.g.
Mercedes-Benz car shampoo or cleaning
cloths. Cleaning the sensors !
If you clean the sensors with a power
washer, make sure that you keep a dis-
tance of at least 11.8 in (30 cm) between
the vehicle and the power washer nozzle.
Information about the correct distance is
available from the equipment manufac-
turer. X
Clean sensors :of the driving systems
with water, car shampoo and a soft cloth.
Cleaning the rear view camera !
Do not clean the camera lens and the area
around the rear view camera with a power
washer. 284
CareMaintenance and care

X
Use clear water and a soft cloth to clean
camera lens :.
Cleaning chrome parts !
Do not clean the exhaust pipe with acid-
based cleaning agents such as sanitary
cleansers or wheel cleaners.
Impurities combined with the effects of road
grit and corrosive environmental factors may cause flash rust to form on the surface. You
can restore the original shine of the chrome
parts by cleaning them regularly, especially in
winter and after washing.
X Clean the chrome parts with a chrome care
product tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
Cleaning the trailer coupling H
Environmental note
Dispose of rags soaked in oil and grease in an environmentally responsible manner.
! Do not clean the ball coupling with a
power washer. Do not use solvents.
! Please note the care instructions in the
trailer coupling manufacturer's operating
instructions. Ball coupling
:must be cleaned if it
becomes dirty or corroded.
X After cleaning, lightly oil or grease ball cou-
pling :.
X Check that the vehicle's trailer tow hitch is
working properly.
i You can also have the maintenance work
on the ball coupling and the trailer tow hitch
carried out by a qualified specialist work-
shop. Interior care
Cleaning the display !
For cleaning, do not use any of the fol-
lowing:
R alcohol-based thinner or gasoline
R abrasive cleaning agents
R commercially-available household clean-
ing agents
These may damage the display surface. Do not put pressure on the display surface
when cleaning. This could lead to irrepara-
ble damage to the display.
X Before cleaning the display, make sure that
it is switched off and has cooled down.
X Clean the display surface using a commer-
cially available microfiber cloth and
TFT/LCD display cleaner.
X Dry the display surface using a dry micro-
fiber cloth. Care
285Maintenance and care Z

Cleaning the plastic trim
G
WARNING
Care products and cleaning agents containing solvents cause surfaces in the cockpit to
become porous. As a result, plastic parts may
come loose in the event of air bag deploy-
ment. There is a risk of injury.
Do not use any care products and cleaning
agents to clean the cockpit.
! Do not affix the following to plastic surfa-
ces:
R stickers
R films
R scented oil bottles or similar items
You can otherwise damage the plastic.
! Do not allow cosmetics, insect repellent
or sunscreen to come into contact with the
plastic trim. This maintains the high-quality look of the surfaces.
X Wipe the plastic trim with a damp, lint-free
cloth, e.g. a microfiber cloth.
X Heavy soiling: use care and cleaning prod-
ucts recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
The surface may change color temporarily.
Wait until the surface is dry again.
Cleaning the steering wheel and gear or selector lever X
Thoroughly wipe with a damp cloth or use
leather care agents that have been recom-
mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning genuine wood and trim strips !
Do not use solvent-based cleaning agents
such as tar remover, wheel cleaners, pol-
ishes or waxes. There is otherwise a risk of
damaging the surface.
! Do not use chrome polish for trim strips.
The trim strips have a chrome look but are
mostly made of anodized aluminum and
can lose their shine if chrome polish is used. Use a damp, lint-free cloth instead
when cleaning the trim strips.
If the chrome-plated trim strips are very
dirty, you can use a chrome polish. If you
are unsure as to whether the trim strips are
chrome-plated or not, consult an author-
ized Mercedes-Benz Center.
X Wipe the wooden trim and trim strips with a
damp, lint-free cloth, e.g. a microfiber
cloth.
X Heavy soiling: use car care and cleaning
products recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning the seat covers General notes
! Do not use microfiber cloths to clean gen-
uine leather, artificial leather or DINAMICA
covers. If used often, these can damage the cover.
i Note that regular care is essential to
ensure that the appearance and comfort of the covers is retained over time.
Genuine leather seat covers
! To retain the natural appearance of the
leather, observe the following cleaning
instructions:
R Clean genuine leather covers carefully
with a damp cloth and then wipe the cov-
ers down with a dry cloth.
R Make sure that the leather does not
become soaked. It may otherwise
become rough and cracked.
R Only use leather care agents that have
been tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz. You can obtain these from a quali- fied specialist workshop.
Leather is a natural product.
It exhibits natural surface characteristics, for
example: 286
CareMaintenance and care

R
differences in the texture
R signs of stretching and marking
R slight nuances of color
These are characteristics of leather and not
material defects.
Seat covers of other materials
! Observe the following when cleaning:
R Clean artificial leather covers with a cloth
moistened with a solution containing 1%
detergent (e.g. dish washing liquid).
R Clean cloth covers with a microfiber
cloth moistened with a solution contain-
ing 1% detergent (e.g. dish washing liq-
uid). Rub carefully and always wipe entire
seat sections to avoid leaving visible
lines. Leave the seat to dry afterwards.
Cleaning results depend on the type of
dirt and how long it has been there.
R Clean Alcantara® covers with a damp
cloth. Make sure that you wipe entire
seat sections to avoid leaving visible
lines.
Cleaning the seat belts G
WARNING
Seat belts can become severely weakened if
bleached or dyed. This could cause the seat
belts to tear or fail, for instance, in the event of an accident. This poses an increased risk of
injury or fatal injury.
Never bleach or dye the seat belts.
! Do not clean the seat belts using chemical
cleaning agents. Do not dry the seat belts
by heating at temperatures above 176 ‡
(80 †) or in direct sunlight.
X Use clean, lukewarm water and soap solu-
tion.
Cleaning the headliner and carpets X
Headliner: if it is very dirty, use a soft brush
or dry shampoo. X
Carpets: use the carpet and textile clean-
ing agents recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Care
287Maintenance and care Z

Tire pressure monitor
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked at least once a month
when cold and inflated to the pressure rec-
ommended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the Tire and Loading Information placard on
the driver's door B-pillar or the tire pressure
label on the inside of the fuel filler flap. If your vehicle has tires of a different size than the
size indicated on the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard or the tire pressure label, you should determine the proper tire pressure for
those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pres-
sure telltale when one or more of your tires
are significantly underinflated. Accordingly,
when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates,
you should stop and check your tires as soon
as possible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly underin-
flated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Underinflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, andmay affect the vehicle's handling and stop-
ping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er's responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if underinflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
USA only:
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate if the
system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the
low tire pressure telltale. When the system
detects a malfunction, the warning lamp will
flash for approximately a minute and then
remain continuously illuminated. This
sequence will be repeated every time the vehi- cle is started as long as the malfunction
exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunc- tions may occur for a variety of reasons,
including the mounting of incompatible
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from func-
tioning properly. Always check the TPMS mal-
function telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that
the replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function prop-
erly.
It is the driver's responsibility to set the tire
pressure to the recommended cold tire pres-
sure suitable for the operating situation
(Y page 309). Note that the correct tire pres-
sure for the current operating situation must
first be taught-in to the tire pressure monitor. If there is a substantial loss of pressure, the
warning threshold for the warning message is aligned to the reference values taught-in.
Restart the tire pressure monitor after adjust-
ing to the cold tire pressure (Y page 315).
The current pressures are saved as new ref-
erence values. As a result, a warning message will appear if the tire pressure drops signifi-
cantly.
The tire pressure monitor does not warn you
of an incorrectly set tire pressure. Observe
the notes on the recommended tire pressure
(Y page 309).
The tire pressure monitor is not able to warn
you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. if the
tire is penetrated by a foreign object. In the
event of a sudden loss of pressure, bring the
vehicle to a halt by braking carefully. Avoid
sudden steering movements.
In order to check the tire pressure, the vehi-
cle's wheels are installed with sensors that
monitor the tire pressure in all four tires. The tire pressure monitor warns you if the pres-
sure drops in one or more of the tires. The tire Tire pressure
313Wheels and tires Z

rectly, the jack could tip over with the vehi-
cle raised.
R The jack is designed only to raise and hold
the vehicle for a short time while a wheel
is being changed. It is not suited for per-
forming maintenance work under the vehi- cle.
R Avoid changing the wheel on uphill and
downhill slopes.
R Before raising the vehicle, secure it from
rolling away by applying the parking brake
and inserting wheel chocks. Never disen-
gage the parking brake while the vehicle is raised.
R The jack must be placed on a firm, flat and
non-slip surface. On a loose surface, a
large, load-bearing underlay must be used.
On a slippery surface, a non-slip underlay
must be used, e.g. rubber mats.
R Do not use wooden blocks or similar
objects as a jack underlay. Otherwise, the
jack will not be able to achieve its load-
bearing capacity due to the restricted
height.
R Make sure that the distance between the
underside of the tires and the ground does
not exceed 1.2 in (3 cm).
R Never place your hands and feet under the
raised vehicle.
R Never lie under the raised vehicle.
R Never start the engine when the vehicle is
raised.
R Never open or close a door or the tailgate
when the vehicle is raised.
R Make sure that no persons are present in
the vehicle when the vehicle is raised. X
Using lug wrench :, loosen the bolts on
the wheel you wish to change by about one full turn. Do not unscrew the wheel bolts
completely. Pump lever
;
X Assemble the pump lever for the jack. It can
be found with the vehicle tool kit
(Y page 290). Changing a wheel
329Wheels and tires Z