2016 MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class cruise control

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

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

do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
:To activate or increase speed
;LIM indicator lamp
=To activate at the current speed/last storedspeed
?To activate or reduce speed
ATo switch between cruise control and varia-
ble SPEEDTRONIC
BTo deactivate cruise control
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you =.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is activated and adjusts the
vehicle's speed to the last speed stored.
iIf no speed is stored, cruise control stores
the current speed and maintains it.
Setting a speed
Adjusting
: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
Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle accelerates or decelerates to
the set speed.
XTo increase the speed: press the cruise con-
trol lever up :.
XTo decrease the speed: press the cruise
control lever down ?.
XKeep the cruise control lever pressed until the
desired speed is reached.
XRelease the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored.
Making adjustments in 1 mp hincrements
(1 km/h increments in Canada)
: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
XBriefly press the cruise control lever up :for
a higher speed or down ?for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or reduced.
or
XKeep the cruise control lever pressed until the
desired speed is reached. Press the cruise
control lever up :for a higher speed or
down ?for a lower speed.
Driving systems143
Driving and parking
Z

Making adjustments in 5 mph increments
(10 km/h increments):
:To activate or increase speed
;LIM indicator lamp
=To activate at the current speed/last storedspeed
?To activate or reduce speed
ATo switch between cruise control and varia-
ble SPEEDTRONIC
BTo deactivate cruise control
XBriefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ?to beyond the pressure point.
The last speed stored is increased or reduced.
or
XKeep the cruise control lever pressed until the
desired speed is reached. Press the cruise
control lever up :for a higher speed or
down ?for a lower speed.
iCruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For example, if
you accelerate briefly to overtake, cruise con-
trol adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished overtak-
ing.
Deactivating 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
There are several ways to deactivate cruise con- trol:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever forwardsB.
or
XBrake.
or
XBriefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selected. LIM indi-
cator lamp ;in the cruise control lever lights
up.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
Ryou apply the parking brake
Ryou are driving at less than 20 mph (30 km/h)
RESP®intervenes or you deactivate ESP®
Ryou shift the transmission to position Nwhile
driving
iThe last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine.
144Driving systems
Driving and parking

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 accident
nor override the laws of physics. SPEEDTRONIC
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 SPEED-
TRONIC when the current road, weather and
traffic conditions permit it to be done safely.
Drive carefully and maintain a suitable distance
to the vehicle in front.
General notes
SPEEDTRONIC brakes automatically so that you
do not exceed the set speed. On long and steep
downhill gradients, especially if the vehicle is
laden or towing a trailer, you must select shift
range 1,2or 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 wear-
ing too quickly. If you need additional braking,
depress the brake pedal repeatedly rather than
continuously.
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
ATo switch between cruise control and varia- ble SPEEDTRONIC
BTo deactivate variable SPEEDTRONIC
You can operate cruise control and variable
SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control lever.
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.
You can use the cruise control lever to limit the
speed to any speed above 30 km/h while the
engine is running.
Selecting variable SPEEDTRONIC
:To activate or increase speed
;LIM indicator lamp
=To activate at the current speed/last stored speed
?To activate or reduce speed
Driving systems145
Driving and parking
Z

ATo switch between cruise control and varia-
ble SPEEDTRONIC
BTo deactivate cruise control
If you fail to adapt your driving style, SPEED-
TRONIC can neither reduce the risk of accident
nor override the laws of physics. SPEEDTRONIC
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 SPEED-
TRONIC when the current road, weather and
traffic conditions permit it to be done safely.
Drive carefully and maintain a suitable distance to the vehicle in front.
XCheck whether LIM indicator lamp ;is on.
If it is on, variable SPEEDTRONIC 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 lights up. Variable SPEEDTRONIC is
selected.
Storing 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 use the cruise control lever to limit the speed to any speed above 18 mph while the
engine is running.
XBriefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ?.
The current speed is stored and shown in the
multifunction display.
Calling up the last speed stored
: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
If you fail to adapt your driving style, SPEED-
TRONIC can neither reduce the risk of accident
nor override the laws of physics. SPEEDTRONIC
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 your lane. Only activate
SPEEDTRONIC when the prevailing road,
weather and traffic conditions permit. Drive
carefully and maintain a suitable distance to the
vehicle in front.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you =.
iIf you call up the stored speed and your cur-
rent speed is higher, you will hear a warning
tone. You will see the Limit Exceeded
mes-
sage in the multifunction display.
iIf no speed is stored, variable SPEED-
TRONIC stores the current speed and main-
tains it.
146Driving systems
Driving and parking

ingly. Drive carefully and maintain a suitable dis-
tance to the vehicle in front.
When DISTRONIC PLUS detects a risk of colli-
sion 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 acousti-
cally. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot prevent a colli-
sion without your intervention. An intermittent
warning tone will then sound and the distance
warning lamp will light up in the instrument clus-
ter. Brake immediately in order to increase the
distance from the vehicle in front, or take eva-
sive action, provided it is safe to do so.
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow vehi-
cles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or vehi-
cles 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:
Rthe sensor is dirty or covered
Rthere is snow or heavy rain
Rthere is interference by other radar sources
Rthere is the possibility of strong radar reflec-
tions, for example, in parking garages.
If DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, the vehicle
brakes automatically in certain situations. This
can happen unexpectedly, especially when tow-
ing or in a car wash. There is a risk of an acci-
dent. In these or similar situations, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS.
If you want DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you, the
following activation condit
ions must be fulfilled
(Ypage 149) and the radar sensor system must
be operational.
General notes
DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and auto- matically helps you maintain the distance to the
vehicle detected in front. DISTRONIC PLUS
brakes automatically so that the set speed is not
exceeded.
On long and steep downhill gradients, especially
if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you
must select shift range 1,2or 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 overheat-
ing 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 respon-
sible 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 tam-
per with, alter, or use in an
y non-approved
way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
iCanada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
2. This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the device
will void any warranties, and is not permitted.
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.
148Driving systems
Driving and parking