2016 MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class change time

Useful information
i
This Operator's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment of
your vehicle available at the time of publica-
tion of the Operator's Manual. Country-spe-
cific differences are possible. Please note
that your vehicle may not be equipped with all
features described. This also applies to
safety-related systems and functions.
iRead the information on qualified specialist
workshops: (Ypage 23).
Notes on breaking-in a new vehicle
Important safety notes
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.
The first 1000 miles (1500 km)
The more you look after the engine when it is
new, the more satisfied you will be with its per-
formance in the future.
RYou should therefore drive at varying vehicle
and engine speeds for the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km).
RAvoid heavy loads, e.g. driving at full throttle, during this period.
RChange gear in good time, before the tach-
ometer needle is Ôof the way to the red area
of the tachometer.
RDo not manually shift to a lower gear to brake
the vehicle.
RTry to avoid depressing the accelerator pedal
beyond the point of resistance (kickdown).
ROnly select shift ranges 3,2or 1when driving
slowly, e.g. in mountainous terrain.
After 1,000 miles (1,500 km), you can increase
the engine speed gradually and bring the vehicle
to full speed.
Additional breaking-in notes for AMG vehicles:
RDo not drive faster than 85 mph (140 km/ h)
for the first 1,000 miles (1,500 km).
ROnly allow the engine to reach a maximum
engine speed of 4,500 rpm briefly.
RChange gear in good time.
RAvoid driving off-road before the differential
oil change at 2,000 miles (3,000 km).
RIdeally, for the first 1,000 miles (1,500 km),
drive in program C.
iYou should also observe these breaking-in
notes if the engine or parts of the drive train
on your vehicle have been replaced.
iAlways observe the respective speed limits.
AMG vehicles with self-locking rear
axle differential
Change the oil after a breaking-in period of
2,000 mile s(3,000 km) to improve protection of
the differential. This oil change prolongs the ser-
vice life of the differential. Have the oil change
carried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for this pur-
pose.
Driving
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinder correct usage of the pedals, e.g.:
Rshoes with thick soles
Rshoes with high heels
Rslippers
There is a risk of an accident.
Driving111
Driving and parking
Z

Starting the engine
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There
is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation.
GWARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can
ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or
parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
!Do not depress the accelerator when start-
ing the engine.
Starting procedure
XShift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
The transmission position display in the mul-
tifunction display shows P.
iFor further information about the automatic
transmission, see (Ypage 118).
iIf you depress the brake when starting the
engine, pedal travel is unusually long and
there is less pedal resistance.
XMake sure that the parking brake is applied.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 3(Ypage 112)
in the ignition lock and release it as soon as
the engine is running.
iYou can also use the touch-start function. To
do this, turn the SmartKey to position 3
(
Ypage 112) and release it immediately. The
engine then starts automatically.
Pulling away
Automatic transmission
GWARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is
a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate.
!Only shift the automatic transmission to
reverse gear Ror park position Pwhen the
vehicle is stationary. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could be damaged.
!Do not depress the accelerator pedal while
depressing the brake pedal. This impairs
engine performance and results in premature
wear on the brake system and drivetrain.
!If a warning tone sounds and the ReleasePark. Brakemessage appears in the multi-
function display, the parking brake is still
applied. Release the parking brake.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
XShift the automatic transmission to position D
or R.
iBefore driving off, wait until the gear change
is fully completed.
XRelease the parking brake (Ypage 131).
XRelease the brake pedal.
XCarefully depress the accelerator pedal.
iIt is only possible to shift the automatic
transmission from position Pto a different
position if you depress the brake pedal. Only
then is the selector lever lock released.
iThe vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at any
time.
You can also deactivate the automatic locking feature (
Ypage 180).
iUpshifts take place at higher engine speeds
after a cold start. This helps the catalytic con-
Driving113
Driving and parking
Z

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
GWARNING
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
GWARNING
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
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.
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
helps avoid overheating and excessive wear
of the brakes.
When you take advantage of the engine brak-
ing effect, a drive wheel may not turn for some
time, e.g. on a slippery road surface. This
could cause damage to the drive train. This
type of damage is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz warranty.
Heavy and light loads
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.
Driving tips133
Driving and parking
Z

Switching on while stationary
This function may be useful if you want to keep
up with the traffic flow, e.g. at the end of a tail-
back.
You can only activate DISTRONIC PLUS if:
Rthe vehicle in front and
Ryour vehicle are stationary
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you?, or press it up :or down A.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
iDISTRONIC PLUS can only be activated
when the vehicle is stationary and at speeds
below 20 mph (30 km/h) if a vehicle in front
has been detected. Therefore, the
DISTRONIC PLUS distance display in the
instrument cluster should be activated
(
Ypage 178).
XKeep the cruise control lever pressed up :or
down Auntil the desired speed is set.
iYou can use the cruise control lever to set
the stored speed and the control on the cruise
control lever to set the specified minimum
distance (
Ypage 152).
Activating at the current speed/last
stored speed
GWARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it differs
from the current speed, the vehicle acceler-
ates or decelerates. If you do not know the
stored speed, the vehicle could accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you
do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. The first time it
is activated, the current speed is stored. Oth-
erwise, it sets the vehicle cruise speed to the
previously stored value.
Driving with DISTRONIC PLUS
Pulling away and driving
XIf the vehicle in front pulls away: remove
your foot from the brake pedal.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?, or press it up :or down A.
or
XAccelerate 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 main-
tained.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in
front is driving faster, it accelerates your vehicle,
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:
Ryou are driving faster than 40 mph (60 km/h)
RDISTRONIC PLUS is maintaining the distance
to a vehicle in front
Ryou switch on the appropriate turn signal
RDISTRONIC 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 distance
between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
becomes too small.
150Driving systems
Driving and parking

The vehicle's ability to steer is severely restric-
ted. Drive carefully and accelerate gently for
optimum traction.
iYou can now engage the differential lock for
rear axle ?and the differential lock for front
axle ;as required.
Differential lock for the rear axle
XTo 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
XTo engage: press switch ;.
First, the yellow activation indicator lamp
lights up, followed by the red function indica-
tor lamp.
The differential lock for the front axle is
engaged.
Disengaging the differential locks
You can disengage the differential locks in the
following order: ;,?,=.
XTo simultaneously disengage all differen-
tial locks: press switch =.
Yellow activation indicator lamps Aand red
function indicator lamps :go out.
After approximately three seconds of normal
driving, ABS, 4ETS, ESP
®and BAS are activa-
ted.
The ABS not available differential
lockedmessage disappears in the multifunc-
tion display and the å,!and÷
warning lamps in the instrument cluster go
out.
XShift the transfer case to the HIGH RANGE
on-road position (Ypage 162).
iIf 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 conditions. Then,
continue driving and the load change can
release the differential lock.
Towing a trailer
Notes on towing a trailer
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.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
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.
166Towing a trailer
Driving and parking

Useful information
i
This Operator's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment of
your vehicle available at the time of publica-
tion of the Operator's Manual. Country-spe-
cific differences are possible. Please note
that your vehicle may not be equipped with all
features described. This also applies to
safety-related systems and functions.
iRead the information on qualified specialist
workshops: (Ypage 23).
Loading guidelines
GWARNING
If objects, luggage or loads are not secured or
not secured sufficiently, they could slip, tip
over or be flung around and thereby hit vehicle
occupants. There is a risk of injury, particu-
larly in the event of sudden braking or a sud-
den change in direction.
Always store objects so that they cannot be
flung around. Secure objects, luggage or
loads against slipping or tipping before the
journey.
GWARNING
If you distribute the load unevenly in the vehi- cle, the handling as well as the steering and
braking characteristics are severely affected.
There is a risk of an accident.
Distribute the load evenly in the vehicle.
Secure the load to prevent it from slipping.
GWARNING
The exhaust tail pipe and tail pipe trim can
become very hot. If you come into contact
with these parts of the vehicle, you could burn
yourself. There is a risk of injury.
Always be particularly careful around the
exhaust tail pipe and the tail pipe trim. Allow
these components to cool down before touch-
ing them.
GWARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. If the rear
door is open when the engine is running, par-
ticularly if the vehicle is moving, exhaust
fumes could enter the passenger compart-
ment. There is a risk of poisoning.
Turn off the engine before opening the rear
door. Never drive with the rear door open.
Driving, braking and steering characteristics
change depending on:
Rtype of load
Rweight
Rthe center of gravity of the load
You should therefore load your vehicle as shown
in the illustrations.
The gross vehicle weight (GVW) is the vehicle
weight including fuel, vehicle tool kit, spare
wheel, accessories installed, vehicle occupants
and luggage/load.
Do not exceed the load limit or permitted gross
vehicle weight rating (GVWR) for your vehicle.
The gross load limit and the GVWR are specified
on the vehicle identification plate on the B-pillar
of the driver's door (
Ypage 288).
Furthermore, the load must be distributed in
such a way that the weight on each axle never
exceeds the gross axle weight rating (GAWR) for
the front and rear axles. The specifications for
GVWR and GAWR are on the vehicle identifica-
tion plate on the B-pillar of the driver's door
(
Ypage 288).
Further information can be found in the "Loading
the vehicle" section (
Ypage 271).
214Loading guidelines
Stowage and features

Useful information
i
This Operator's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment of
your vehicle available at the time of publica-
tion of the Operator's Manual. Country-spe-
cific differences are possible. Please note
that your vehicle may not be equipped with all
features described. This also applies to
safety-related systems and functions.
iRead the information on qualified specialist
workshops: (Ypage 23).
Where will I find...?
Warning triangle
Setting up the warning triangle
:Press-stud
;Reflectors
=Feet
XFold feet =down and out to the side.
XPull side reflectors ;up to form a triangle
and lock them at the top using press-stud :.
First-aid kit
i
Check the expiration date on the first-aid kit
at least once a year. Replace the contents if
necessary, and replace missing items.
Vehicle tool kit
General notes
iWhen they leave the factory, vehicles are
not equipped with the tools needed to change
a wheel, such as a jack or lug wrench. Some
tools for changing a wheel are specific to the
vehicle. To obtain tools approved for your
vehicle, contact a qualified specialist work-
shop.
The vehicle tool kit contains:
Rvehicle tool kit bag with:
-fuse extractor
-an Allen key, e.g. to operate the sliding roof
manually in an emergency
-a pump lever for the vehicle jack
-a screwdriver
-Lug wrench
Rjack
Vehicle tool kit
The vehicle tool kit is under the cover in the
footwell in front of the rear bench seat.
XFold cover :to the side.
XPull vehicle tool kit ;out by the tab.
Jack
!Make sure that, while installing the vehicle
jack, there are no cables on the holder, in
order to avoid them becoming trapped.
248Where will I find...?
Breakdown assistance

Winter operation
General notes
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section (
Ypage 281).
Driving with summer tires
At temperatures below 45 ‡ (+7 †), summer
tires lose elasticity and therefore traction and
braking power. Change the tires on your vehicle
to M+S tires. Using summer tires at very cold
temperatures could cause cracks to form,
thereby damaging the tires permanently.
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept responsibility for
this type of damage.
M+S tires
GWARNING
M+S tires with a tire tread depth of less than
ã in (4 mm) are not suitable for use in winter
and do not provide sufficient traction. There is
a risk of an accident.
M+S tires with a tread depth of less than ãin
(4 mm) must be replaced immediately.
GWARNING
Wheel and tire dimensions as well as the type of tire can vary between the spare wheel and
the wheel to be replaced. When the spare
wheel is mounted, driving characteristics may be severely affected. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
In order to reduce risks:
Ryou should therefore adapt your driving
style and drive carefully.
Rnever mount more than one spare wheel
that differs from the wheel to be replaced.
Ronly use a spare wheel that differs from the
wheel to be replaced for a short time.
Rdo not deactivate ESP®.
Rhave a spare wheel that differs from the
wheel that has been changed replaced at
the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
You must observe the correct wheel and
tire dimensions as well as the wheel type.
Do not exceed a maximum speed of 50 mph
(80 km/h) if a spare wheel of a different size is
installed.
At temperatures below 45 ‡ (+7 †), use all-
season tires or winter tires. Both types of tire are
identified by the M+S marking.
Not all tires with the M+S marking provide the
driving characteristics of winter tires. In addition
to the M+S marking, winter tires also have the
i snowflake symbol on the tire wall. Tires
with this marking fulfill the requirements of the
Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) and
the Rubber Association of Canada (RAC) regard-
ing snow traction, and were specially developed
for driving on snow. Only these tires will allow
driving safety systems such as ABS and ESP
®to
function optimally in winter, since these tires
have been designed specifically for driving on
snow.
Use M+S tires of the same make and tread on all
wheels to maintain safe handling characteris-
tics.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tires you have
mounted.
When you have mounted the M+S tires:
XCheck the tire pressures (Ypage 265).
XRestart the tire pressure monitor
(Ypage 270).
iYou can obtain information about winter
tires that have been approved by Mercedes-
Benz especially for your vehicle at any
Mercedes-Benz Service center.
iFor further information about tires, see
(Ypage 286).
Snow chains
GWARNING
If you drive too fast with snow chains moun-
ted, they may snap. As a result, you could
injure others and damage the vehicle. There is
a risk of an accident.
264Winter operation
Wheels and tires