2015 MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV trailer

Tow-startingEmergency engine starting ............ 225
Important safety notes .................. 222
Towing a trailer
7-pin connector ............................. 143
Axle load, permissibl e.................... 269
Bulb failure indicator for LED
lamps ............................................. 143
Cleaning the trailer tow hitch ......... 211
Coupling up a traile r...................... 141
Decoupling a trailer ....................... 142
Driving tips .................................... 137
Installing the ball coupling ............. 140
Lights display message .................. 148
Mounting dimensions .................... 268
Power supply ................................. 143
Trailer load s................................... 269
Trailer tow hitch ............................. 268
Towing away
Important safety guidelines ........... 222
In the event of malfunctions .......... 224
With both axles on the ground ....... 223
Towing eye
Front .............................................. 223
Rear ............................................... 223
Traffic reports
see also Digital Operator's Man-
ual .................................................. 172
Trailer
Display message ............................ 148
Trailer coupling
see Towing a trailer
Trailer loads
Technical data ............................... 269
Trailer loads and drawbar nose-
weights ............................................... 142
Trailer tow hitch
Ball position ................................... 270
Trailer towing
ESP ®
................................................ 68
PARKTRONIC ................................. 130
Permissible trailer loads and
drawbar noseweights ..................... 142
Transfer case
General notes ................................ 132
Shift rang e..................................... 132
Shifting .......................................... 132
Shifting (general notes) .................. 133 Shifting (important safety notes
)... 132
Shifting to neutral .......................... 134
Switching off the off-road gear
ratio ............................................... 133
Switching on the off-road gear
ratio ............................................... 133
Transmission
see Automatic transmission
Transmission positions .................... 107
Transporting the vehicle .................. 224
Traveling uphill
Brow of hill ..................................... 112
Driving downhill ............................. 112
Maximum gradient-climbing capa-
bility ............................................... 112
Trim pieces (cleaning instruc-
tions) .................................................. 212
Trip computer (on-board com-puter) .................................................. 147
Trip odometer
Calling up ....................................... 147
Turn signals
Display message ............................ 148
Switching on/of f.............................. 92
TWR (Tongue Weight Rating) (defi-
nition) ................................................. 250
Type identification plate
see Vehicle identification plate
U
UnlockingEmergency unlocking ....................... 75
From inside the vehicle (central
unlocking button) ............................. 75
V
Variable SPEEDTRONICFunction/note s............................. 115
Vehicle
Correct use ...................................... 28
Data acquisition ............................... 29
Display message .................... 148, 160
Equipment ....................................... 27
Limited Warranty ............................. 29
Loading .......................................... 238
Locking (in an emergency) ............... 75
Index19

Pets in the vehicle
GWARNING
If you leave animals unattended or unsecuredin the vehicle, they could press buttons or
switches, for example.
As a result, they could: R activate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
R activate or deactivate systems, thereby
endangering other road users
Unsecured animals could also be flung around
the vehicle in the event of an accident or sud- den steering or braking, thereby injuring vehi-
cle occupants. There is a risk of an accident
and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals properly during
the journey, e.g. use a suitable animal trans-
port box.
Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock Braking System)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System)
R Adaptive brake lights
R ESP ®
(E lectronic Stability Program)
R EBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE
R Trailer stabilization
Important safety notes
GWARNING
The ABS, the BAS, and the ESP ®
switch off
when the differential locks are switched on.
When the ABS, the BAS, and the ESP ®
are
switched off
R wheels may lock during hard braking
R steering capabilities are reduced
R braking distance is increased
R vehicle stability in standard driving maneu-
vers is increased
Make sure the differential locks are switched on at all times except when driving off-road for
example. Switch on the differential locks
immediately when returning from off-roaddriving.
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you
are inattentive, the driving safety systems can neither reduce the risk of an accident nor
override the laws of physics. Driving safety
systems are merely aids designed to assist
driving. You are responsible for the distance
to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed and
for braking in good time. Always adapt your
driving style to suit the prevailing road and
weather conditions and maintain a safe dis-
tance from the vehicle in front. Drive care-fully.
iPlease note that the driving safety sys-
tems described only work as effectively as
possible if there is adequate contact
between the tires and the road surface. Pay particular attention to the information
regarding tires, recommended minimum
tire tread depths etc. in the "Wheels and
tires" section ( Ypage 230).
In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tires (M+S tires) and if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the driv-
ing safety systems described in this section work as effectively as possible.
64Driving safety systems
Safety

iIf ESP®
is deactivated, it is reactivated
automatically if you are driving at above
37 mph (60 km/h) (on AMG vehicles above
62 mph (100 km/h)) or you exceed a cer-
tain lateral acceleration.
Trailer stabilization
GWARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilization will not be able to prevent the vehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailers with a high center of gravity can
tip over before ESP ®
can detect this. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your driving style to the prevail- ing road and weather conditions.
Trailer stabilization does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated because of a malfunction.
If your vehicle with trailer (vehicle/trailer
combination) begins to lurch, you can only
stabilize the vehicle/trailer combination by
depressing the brake firmly.
In this situation, ESP ®
assists you and can
detect if the vehicle/trailer combination
begins to lurch. ESP ®
slows the vehicle down
by braking and limiting the engine output until the vehicle/trailer combination has stabi- lized.
Trailer stabilization is active above speeds of
about 37 mph (60 km/h).
EBD (electronic brake force distribu- tion)
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Ypage 64).
GWARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can
lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases the
risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have
the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps ( Ypage 163) as well as dis-
play messages ( Ypage 148).
EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability while braking.
ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE provides increased braking
safety. In addition to the braking function,
ADAPTIVE BRAKE also has the HOLD function
( Y page 126) and hill start assist
( Y page 105).
Theft deterrent locking system
Immobilizer
X
To activate: remove the SmartKey from
the ignition lock.
X To deactivate: switch on the ignition.
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. The
engine can be started by anyone with a valid
SmartKey that is left inside the vehicle.
iThe immobilizer is always deactivated
when you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be star-
ted when the starter battery is fully
charged, the immobilizer may be faulty.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA) or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
68Theft deterrent locking system
Safety

Useful information............................102
Notes on breaking-in a new vehi- cle ....................................................... 102
Driving ............................................... 102
Automatic transmission ...................105
Refueling ............................................ 107
Parking ............................................... 110
Driving tips ........................................ 112
Driving systems ................................ 112
Off-road driving systems ..................132
Towing a trailer ................................. 137
101
Driving and parking

Deactivating 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
iThe last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine.
SPEEDTRONIC
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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.
General notes
SPEEDTRONIC brakes automatically so that
you do not exceed the set speed. On long andsteep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must
select shift range 1,2 or 3in good time. By
doing so, you will make use of the braking
effect of the engine, which relieves the load
on the brake system and prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too quickly. If
you need additional braking, depress the
brake pedal repeatedly rather than continu-
ously.
iThe speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the limit speed
stored.
Cruise control lever
:To store the current speed or a higher
speed
;LIM indicator lamp
=To call up the last speed stored
?To store the current speed or a lower
speed
Driving systems115
Driving an d parking
Z

time and for staying in your lane. Only engage
DISTRONIC PLUS when the current road,
weather and traffic conditions permit it to bedone safely, and adapt your driving style
accordingly. Drive carefully and maintain a
suitable distance to the vehicle in front.
When DISTRONIC PLUS detects a risk of col-
lision with the vehicle in front but is unable to
sufficiently decelerate the vehicle in order to
maintain the set distance from the vehicle in
front, you will be warned visually and acous-
tically. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot prevent a
collision without your intervention. An inter-
mittent warning tone will then sound and the distance warning lamp will light up in the
instrument cluster. Brake immediately in
order to increase the distance from the vehi-
cle in front, or take evasive action, provided it
is safe to do so.
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line. Therefore,
always pay attention to traffic conditions
even when DISTRONIC PLUS is activated.
Otherwise, you may fail to recognize dangers
in time, cause an accident and injure yourself and others.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
R the sensor is dirty or covered
R there is snow or heavy rain
R there is interference by other radar sources
R there is the possibility of strong radar
reflections, for example, in parking
garages.
If DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, the vehicle
brakes automatically in certain situations.
This can happen unexpectedly, especially
when towing or in a car wash. There is a risk of an accident. In these or similar situations,
deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS.
If you want DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you,
the following activation conditions must be
fulfilled ( Ypage 119) and the radar sensor
system must be operational.General notes
DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front.
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes automatically so
that the set speed is not exceeded.
On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer,
you must select shift range 1,2 or 3in good
time. By doing so, you will make use of the
braking effect of the engine. This relieves the load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a slower-moving
vehicle in front, your vehicle is braked in order
to maintain the preset distance to the vehicle in front.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control in the speed range between 20 mph
(Canada: 30 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
200 km/h). If a vehicle is driving in front of
you, it operates in the speed range between
0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
200 km/h).
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS while driving on
roads with steep gradients.
As DISTRONIC PLUS transmits radar waves, it
can resemble the radar detectors of the
responsible authorities. You can refer to the
relevant chapter in the Operator's Manual if
questions are asked about this.
iUSA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC as a "Vehicular Radar System". The radar
sensor is intended for use in an automotive
radar system only. Removing, tampering
with, or altering the device will void any
warranties, and is not permitted by the
FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
118Driving systems
Driving an d parking

PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes
!When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle
or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on uneven terrain.
PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with ultrasonic sensors. It indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a replace-
ment for your attention to your immediate
surroundings. You are always responsible for
safe maneuvering, parking and exiting a park-
ing space. Ensure that the areas in front,
behind and to the side of the vehicle are safe
before maneuvering, parking or pulling away. There must not be any persons, animals or
objects in the area in which you are maneu-vering.
PARKTRONIC does not take into account any persons or objects located below or above
the detection range. As a result,
PARKTRONIC cannot warn you about objects
in this area.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position D,R or N
R release the parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/h). It is reactivated at lowerspeeds. PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the front bumper
and four sensors in the rear bumper.Range of the sensors
General notes
:Example: sensors in the front bumper,
right-hand side
Side view
Top view
The sensors must be free from dirt, ice or
slush. Otherwise, they may not function cor-
rectly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them( Y page 211).
128Driving systems
Driving and parking

Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC
:Indicator lamp
;To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC
If indicator lamp :lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated.
iPARKTRONIC 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.
130Driving syste ms
Driving and parking