2016 MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class Owner's Manual

High-performance brake system for
AMG vehicles
The high-performance brake system is only
installed on the G 63 AMG and the G 65 AMG.
The high-performance brake system is designed
for heavy loads. This may lead to noise when
braking. This will depend on:
RSpeed
RBraking force
REnvironmental conditions, such as tempera-
ture and humidity
The wear of individual components of the brake
system, such as the brake pads/linings or brake
discs, depends on the individual driving style
and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a mile-
age that will be valid under all circumstances. An aggressive driving style will lead to high wear.
You can obtain further information about this
from your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after several
hundred kilometers of driving. Compensate for
this by applying greater force to the brake pedal.
Keep this in mind, and adapt your driving and
braking accordingly during this break-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in correspond-
ingly high brake wear. Observe the brake system
warning lamp in the instrument cluster and noteany brake status messages in the multifunction
display. For high-performance driving in partic-
ular, it is important to maintain and have the
brake system checked regularly.
Parking brake
GWARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking brake, the braking distance is considerably
longer and the wheels could lock. There is an
increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Only use the parking brake to brake the vehi-
cle when the service brake is faulty. Do not
apply the parking brake too firmly. If the
wheels lock, release the parking brake until
the wheels begin turning again.
If you brake the vehicle with the parking brake,
the brake lamps will not light up. If you drive on wet roads or dirt-covered surfa-
ces, road salt and/or dirt could get into the
parking brake.
In order to prevent corrosion and a reduction in
the braking power of the parking brake, observe
the following:
Rpull the parking brake upwards with the
release button depressed from time to time
before beginning the journey (
Ypage 131).
Rdrive for approximately 110 yds (100 m) at a
maximum speed of 12 mph (20 km/h)
Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning
If water has accumulated to a certain depth on
the road surface, there is a danger of hydro-
planing occurring, even if:
Ryou drive at low speeds.
Rthe tires have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or in
conditions in which hydroplaning may occur,
you must drive in the following manner:
Rlower your speed.
Ravoid ruts.
Rbrake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads
!Do not drive through flooded areas. Check
the depth of any water before driving through
it. Drive slowly through standing water. Oth-
erwise, water may enter the vehicle interior or
the engine compartment. This can damage
the electronic components in the engine or
the automatic transmission. Water can also
be drawn in by the engine's air suction nozzles
and this can cause engine damage.
If you have to drive on stretches of road on which
water has collected, please bear in mind that:
Rthe maximum permissible still water depth
depends on the vehicle equipment
Ryou should drive no faster than at a walking
pace
Off-road fording
!Under no circumstances should you accel-
erate before entering the water. The bow
Driving tips135
Driving and parking
Z

wave could cause water to enter and damage
the engine and other assemblies.
!Do not open any of the vehicle's doors while
fording. Otherwise, water could get into the
vehicle interior and damage the vehicle's
electronics and interior equipment.
iYou may only drive through fresh water.
RObserve the safety notes (Ypage 137) and
the general notes (Ypage 137) on off-road
driving.
REstablish how deep the water is and the char-
acteristics of the body of water before ford-
ing.
RSwitch off the air-conditioning system.
RShift the transfer case to LOW RANGE
(Ypage 162).
REngage the differential locks, if necessary
(Ypage 165).
RRestrict the shift range to 1or 2
(Ypage 123).
RAvoid high engine speeds.
REnter and exit the water at a flat place and at
a steady walking pace.
RDrive slowly and at an even speed through the
water.
RDo not stop and do not switch off the engine.
RWater offers a high degree of resistance, and
the ground is slippery and in some cases
unstable. Therefore, it is difficult and danger-
ous to pull away in the water.
REnsure that a bow wave does not form as you
drive.
RClean any mud from the tire tread after ford-
ing.
RApply the brakes to dry them after fording.
Always observe the fording depth values
(
Ypage 296).
Winter driving
General notes
GDANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heatingrunning, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a
window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
GWARNING
If you have installed unsuitable snow chains to the front wheels, they may drag against the
vehicle body or chassis components. This
could cause damage to the vehicle or the
tires. There is a risk of an accident.
Only equip the front wheels with suitable
snow chains that guarantee sufficient dis-
tance to the vehicle body and to the suspen-
sion components in every driving situation.
Always follow the manufacturer's installation
instructions when installing the snow chains.
Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation" sec- tion (
Ypage 264).
Driving with summer tires
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation" sec-tion (Ypage 264).
Slippery road surfaces
GWARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
136Driving tips
Driving and parking

GWARNING
If you activate the LOW off-road gear while
driving on a slippery road surface, the wheels
may lose traction:
Rif you remove your foot from the accelera-
tor pedal when driving
Rif 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.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road sur-
faces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and
braking maneuvers. Do not use cruise control.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to position N.
XTry to bring the vehicle under control using
corrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freezing
point do not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in
wooded areas or on bridges. You should pay
special attention to road conditions when tem-
peratures are around the freezing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (
Ypage 264).
Off-road driving
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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 charac-
teristics change depending on the material
ingressing the brakes. Clean the brakes after
driving off-road. If you detect a reduced braking
effect or grinding noises, have the brake system checked in a qualified specialist workshop as
soon as possible. Adapt your driving style to the
different braking characteristics.
Driving off-road increases the likelihood of dam-
age to the vehicle, which, in turn, can lead to
failure of the mechanical assembly or systems.
Adapt your driving style to suit the terrain con-
ditions. Drive carefully. Have damage to the
vehicle rectified immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
General notes
HEnvironmental 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.
Driving tips137
Driving and parking
Z

The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving:
R4ETS (Ypage 57)
RTransfer case (Ypage 162)
RDifferential locks (Ypage 162)
Observe the following notes:
Rstop your vehicle and, if necessary, shift the
transfer case to LOW RANGE(Ypage 162)
before driving off-road.
Rin transfer case position LOW RANGEthe
ECO start/stop function is not available
(
Ypage 114).
Rengage the differential locks, if necessary
(Ypage 165).
iABS, 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.
RCheck that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(
Ypage 219).
RTo avoid damaging the vehicle, make sure
there is always sufficient ground clearance.
RAlways keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient.
RAlways keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a slope.
RDrive slowly and evenly, if necessary at a
walking pace.
REnsure that the wheels are in contact with the
ground at all times.
RDrive with extreme care on unfamiliar off-road routes where visibility is poor. For safety rea-
sons, get out of the vehicle first and survey
the off-road route.
RCheck the depth of water before fording rivers
and streams.
RWhen fording, do not stop and do not switch
off the engine.
RLook out for obstacles, such as rocks, holes,
tree stumps and furrows.
RAlways keep the doors, rear door, side win-
dows and the sliding sunroof closed while the
vehicle is in motion.
RSwitch off cruise control.
RDo not stray from marked routes or paths.
RAdapt your speed to the terrain. The rougher,
steeper or more ruts on the terrain, the slower
your speed should be.
RDrive slowly and at an even speed through the
water. Ensure that a bow wave does not form
as you drive.
ROn sand, drive quickly to overcome the rolling resistance. Otherwise the vehicle's wheels
could become st
uck in loose ground.
RDo not jump with the vehicle as this will inter-
rupt the vehicle's propulsion.
RAvoid high engine speeds. Drive at appropri-
ate engine speeds (maximum 3,000 rpm).
RDo not shift the automatic transmission to
transmission position N.
RAlways check the vehicle for damage after off-
road driving.
iInformation about retrofitting special all-ter-
rain tires is available from any qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
iDo not use the HOLD function when driving
off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gradients
or on slippery or loose surfaces. The HOLD
function cannot hold the vehicle on such sur-
faces.
Checklist before driving off-road
!If the engine oil warning lamp lights up while
the vehicle is in motion, stop the vehicle 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.
XOil 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.
XTire-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.
XWheels and tires: check the tire tread depth
and tire pressure.
XCheck for damage and remove any foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the wheels/
tires.
XReplace any missing valve caps.
138Driving tips
Driving and parking

XReplacedente dor damaged wheels.
XCarr y asoun dspar ewheel.
Checklist after driving off-road
Drivin gove rroug hterrain places greate r
demand son your vehicl ethan driving on normal
roads. Afte rdriving off-road, chec kth evehicle.
This allows you to detec tdamag epromptly and
reduce th eris kof an acciden tto yourself and
other road users.
XShift th etransfer cas eto HIG H
RANGE (Ypage 162).
XDisengage th edifferential locks
(Ypage 166).
XClean th eheadlamps and rear lights and
chec kfor damage.
XClean th efron tand rear license plates.
XClean th ewheels and tires wit h awater je t
and remove any foreign objects .
XClean thewheels, tires ,whee lhousing sand
th evehicl eunderside wit h awater jet; chec k
for any foreign objects and damage.
XChec kwhether twigs or other part sof plants
hav ebecome trapped .These increas eth eris k
of fir eand can damag efuel pipes ,brak e
hoses or th erubber bellows of th eaxl ejoint s
and propelle rshafts .
XAfterth etrip, examin ewithout fail th eentire
undercarriage, wheels, tires ,brakes, body-
wor kstructure, steering ,chassi sand exhaust
system for damage.
XAfte rdriving for extended periods across
sand, mud, gravel, water or in similarl ydirt y
conditions, hav eth ebrak ediscs, wheels,
brak epads/lining sand axl ejoint schecke d
and clea
ned.
XIf you notice stron
gvibration safter off-road
driving ,chec kfor foreign objects in th e
wheels and driv etrain and ,if necessary,
remove them.
Foreign objects can disturb th ebalance and
caus evibrations.
XTes tth ebrakes.
Driving on sand
Observ eth efollowin grule swhen driving on
sand:
RShift th etransfer cas eto LOW
RANGE (Ypage 162).
RAvoid high engin espeeds.
RLimit th eshif trange of th eautomatic trans -
mission according to th eoff-road conditions.
RDrive quickly to overcome th erollin gresist -
ance. Otherwise th evehicle's wheels could
become stuck in loos eground .
RDrive in th etrack sof other vehicles if possi-
ble. When doin gso, mak esur ethat:
-th etire rut sare no tto odeep .
-thesan dis sufficientl yfirm.
-your vehicl ehas sufficien tground clear-
anc e
Tire ruts and gravel roads
!Chec kthat th erut sare no tto odeep and
that your vehicl ehas sufficien tclearance .
Otherwise, your vehicl ecould be damaged or
botto mout and get stuck .
Observ eth efollowin grule swhen driving alon g
rut sin off-road terrain or on road swit hloos e
gravel:
RShift th etransfer cas eto LOW
RANGE (Ypage 162).
RAvoid high engin espeeds.
RObserv eth esafet ynote s (Ypage 137) and
th egeneral note s (Ypage 137) on off-road
driving .
RRestric tth eshif trange of th eautomatic
transmission to 1(Ypage 123).
RDrive slowly.
RWhererut sare to odeep ,driv ewit hth e
wheels of on eside on th ecenter grassy area,
if possible.
Driving over obstacles
!Obstacles could damag eth efloor of th e
vehicl eor component sof th echassis. As k
passenger sfor guidance when driving ove r
larg eobstacles. The passenger should always
keep asaf edistanc efrom th evehicl ewhen
doin gso in order to avoi dinjury as aresult of
unexpecte dvehicl emovements. Afte rdriving
off-road or ove robstacles, chec kth evehicl e
Driving tips139
Driving and parking
Z

for possible damage, especially to the under-
body and the components 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 side-
ways or tip over.
Observe the following rules when driving over
tree stumps, large stones and other obstacles:
RObserve the safety notes (Ypage 137) and
the general notes (Ypage 137) on off-road
driving.
RShift the transfer case to LOW RANGE
(Ypage 162).
RAvoid high engine speeds.
RRestrict the shift range to 1(Ypage 123).
RMake sure that you have enough ground
clearance before driving across an obstacle.
RDrive very slowly.
RTry to drive straight over the center of obsta-
cles: front wheel first, then rear wheel.
Traveling uphill
Approach/departure angle
GWARNING
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 (
Ypage 296).
RObserve the safety notes (Ypage 137) and
the general notes (Ypage 137) on off-road
driving.
RDo 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 vehi- cle depends on the terrain conditions.
RBefore driving on extreme uphill and downhillgradients, shift the transfer case to LOW
RANGE (
Ypage 162).
REngage the differential locks, if necessary
(Ypage 165).
RDrive slowly.
RAccelerate gently and make sure that the
wheels are gripping.
RAvoid high engine speeds, except when driv-
ing on sandy and muddy routes with high driv-
ing resistance.
RAvoid high engine speeds – drive at an appro-
priate engine speed (maximum 3,000 rpm).
RWhen driving down an incline, make use of the
engine's braking effect. Observe the engine
speed; do not overrev the engine.
iFurther information on the maximum engine
speed: (Ypage 171).
RSelect a shift range appropriate to the gradi-
ent.
RBefore tackling steep downhill gradients,
select shift range 1(Ypage 123).
RAlways check the brakes after driving off-
road.
iHill start assist will aid you when pulling
away on a hill.
For more information, see "Hill start assist"
(
Ypage 114).
Maximum gradient-climbing capability
Always observe the maximum gradient climbing ability values (Ypage 297).
Hilltops
When driving on an uphill gradient, reduce pres-
sure slightly on the accelerator immediately
before reaching the top of the hill (do not shift
the transmission to position N). Use the vehi-
cle's own impetus to drive over the top of the
hill.
This style of driving prevents:
Rthe vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill
Rloss of traction
Rthe vehicle from traveling too quickly down
the other side
Driving downhill
RBefore tackling steep downhill gradients,
select shift range 1(Ypage 123).
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
140Driving tips
Driving and parking

the vehicle is facing in the direction of the line
of fall.
RObserve the notes on driving in mountainous
terrain (Ypage 140).
RDrive slowly.
RDo not drive at an angle down steep inclines.
Steer into the line of fall and drive with the
front wheels aligned straight. Otherwise, the
vehicle could slip sideways, tip and roll over.
RCheck that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
iThe special off-road ABS setting (Ypage 56)
enables repeated, brief, precise locking of the
front wheels, which leads to the wheels dig-
ging 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
GWARNING
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 con-
trol can neither reduce the risk of accident nor
override the laws of physics. Cruise control can-
not 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 con-
ditions. Only engage cruise control when the
current road, weather and traffic conditions per-
mit it to be done safely. Drive carefully and
maintain a suitable distance to the vehicle in
front. Do not use cruise control:
Rin traffic conditions that do not allow you to
drive at a constant speed, e.g. heavy traffic,
on winding roads or off-road
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
Rwhen 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
1,2 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 sys-
tem 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).
iCruise 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
ATo switch between cruise control and varia-
ble SPEEDTRONIC
BTo deactivate cruise control
You can operate cruise control and variable
SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control lever.
Driving system s141
Driving an d parking
Z

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 selected:
RLIM indicator lamp off:cruise control is
selected.
RLIM indicator lamp on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected.
Activation conditions
To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions must be fulfilled:
Rthe parking brake must be released.
Ryou are driving faster than 20 mph (30 km/h).
RESP®must be active, but not intervening.
Rthe 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
ATo switch between cruise control and varia-
ble SPEEDTRONIC
BTo deactivate cruise control
XCheck 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.
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
ATo switch between cruise control and varia-
ble SPEEDTRONIC
BTo deactivate cruise control
You can store the current speed if you are driv-
ing faster than 20 mph (30 km/h).
XAccelerate the vehicle to the desired speed.
XBriefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ?.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle auto-
matically maintains the stored speed.
iCruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill and downhill gra-
dients. 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
GWARNING
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
142Driving systems
Driving and parking