2016 MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class engine overheat

Wear suitable footwear to ensure correct
usage of the pedals.
GWARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect, for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
GWARNING
If the parking brake has not been fully
released when driving, the parking brake can:
Roverheat and cause a fire
Rlose its hold function.
There is a risk of fire and an accident. Release
the parking brake fully before driving off.
!Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use the
engine's full performance until it has reached
operating temperature.
Only shift the automatic transmission to the
desired drive position when the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery roads.
You could otherwise damage the drive train.
!Avoid high engine speeds when the engine
is cold. The engine's service life could other-
wise be significantly shortened. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
!AMG vehicles: at low engine oil tempera-
tures below 68 ‡ (+20 †), the maximum
engine speed is restricted in order to protect the engine. To protect the engine and main-
tain smooth engine operation, avoid driving at
full throttle when the engine is cold.
SmartKey positions
gTo remove the SmartKey
1Power supply for some consumers, such as
the windshield wipers
2Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
3To start the engine
As soon as the ignition is switched on, all the
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster light
up. If an indicator lamp does not go out after
starting the engine or lights up while driving, see
(
Ypage 205).
If the SmartKey is in position 0in the ignition
lock for an extended period of time, it can no
longer be turned in the ignition lock. The steer-
ing is then locked. To unlock, remove the Smart-
Key and reinsert it into the ignition lock.
The steering is locked when you remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XRemove the SmartKey when the engine is
switched off.
The starter battery could otherwise be dis-
charged.
If you cannot turn the SmartKey in the ignition
lock, the starter battery may not be charged
sufficiently.
XCheck the starter battery and charge it if nec-
essary (Ypage 252).
or
XJump-start the vehicle (Ypage 254).
iYou can only remove the SmartKey if:
Rthe SmartKey is in position 0in the ignition
lock.
Rthe automatic transmission selector lever
is in P.
112Driving
Driving and parking

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

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

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

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

The maximum noseweight of the trailer drawbar
on the ball coupling for up to 3 people is 562 lbs
(255 kg). The maximum permissible trailer draw-bar noseweight for more than 3 persons and the
maximum load in the trunk can be found in the
trailer drawbar noseweight table (
Ypage 298).
However, the actual noseweight must not
exceed the value given on the trailer tow hitch or trailer identification plates. The lowest weight
applies.
Please note that when towing a trailer,
PARKTRONIC (
Ypage 158) and Blind Spot
Assist (Ypage 154) are only available with lim-
itations, or not at all.
iOn vehicles without level control, the height
of the ball coupling will alter according to the
load placed on the vehicle. If necessary, use a
trailer with a height-adjustable drawbar.
Driving tips
XOn long and steep downhill gradients, select
shift range 1,2or 3(Ypage 123) in good
time.
iThis also applies if you have activated cruise
control or SPEEDTRONIC.
XIf necessary, shift the transfer case to LOW
RANGE (Ypage 162).
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so that less braking will be required to main-
tain the speed. This 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 continuously.
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginning the journey, check the
trailer's documents to see what the maximum
permissible speed is. Observe the legally pre-
scribed maximum speed in the relevant country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the maxi-
mum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. Refer to the "Technical
data" section to find out whether this applies to
your vehicle. If you utilize any of the added max- imum rear axle load when towing a trailer, the
vehicle/trailer combination may not exceed a
maximum speed of 60 mph (100 km/h) for rea-
sons concerning the operating permit. This also applies in countries in which the permissible
maximum speed for vehicle/trailer combina-
tions is above 60 mph (100 km/h). When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison to
when driving without a trailer and it will con-
sume more fuel.
On long and steep downhill gradients, you must
select shift range
1,2or 3in good time.
iThis also applies if you have activated cruise
control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine, so
that less braking will be required to maintain the
speed. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly. If you need additional
braking, depre ss the bra
ke pedal repeatedly
rather than continuously.
Driving tips
If the trailer swings from side to side:
XDo not accelerate.
XDo not counter-steer.
XBrake if necessary.
RMaintain a greater distance from the vehicle
in front than when driving without a trailer.
RAvoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake gen- tly at first to allow the trailer to run on. Then,
increase the braking force rapidly.
RThe values given for gradient-climbing capa-
bilities from a standstill refer to sea level.
When driving in mountainous areas, note that
the power output of the engine and, conse-
quently, the vehicle's gradient-climbing capa-
bility, decreases with increasing altitude.
Trailer power supply
!
You can connect accessories with a maxi-
mum power consumption of 180 W to the
permanent power supply.
You must not charge a trailer battery using the
power supply.
The trailer socket of your vehicle is equipped at
the factory with a permanent power supply.
The permanent power supply is supplied via
trailer socket pin 9.
A qualified specialist workshop can provide
more information about installing the trailer
electrics.
168Towing a trailer
Driving and parking

Displaysan doperation
Instrument cluste r
Instrument clusterlighting
The brightness contro lknob is located on th e
botto mleftof th einstrumen tcluster
(
Ypage 171).
XTur nth ebrightness contro lknob clockwise or
counter-clockwise .
If th eligh tswitch is set to Ã,T or
L ,th ebrightness is dependen tupon th e
brightness of th eambien tlight.
iThe ligh tsensor in th einstrumen tcluster
automatically controls th ebrightness of th e
multifunction display.
In daylight ,th edisplays in th einstrumen t
cluster are no tilluminated.
Displaying th ecoolant temperatur e
GWARNING
Opening th ehoo dwhen th eengin eis over-
heated or when there is afir ein th eengin e
compartmen tcould expos eyou to hot gases
or other servic eproducts .There is aris kof
injury.
Let an overheated engin ecool down befor e
opening th ehood. If there is afir ein th e
engin ecompartment, keep th ehoo dclose d
and contact th efir edepartment.
!A display messag eis shown if th ecoolan t
temperature is to ohigh.
If th ecoolan ttemperature is over 24 8 ‡
(12 0†), do no tcontinue driving. The engin e
will otherwise be damaged .
The coolan ttemperature gage is in th einstru-
men tcluster on th eright-hand sid e
(
Ypage 171).
Under normal operatin gcondition sand wit hth e
specifie dcoolan tlevel, th ecoolan ttemperature
may ris eto 24 8 ‡(120†) .
Tachomete r
!
Do no tdriv ein the overrevvin grange, as this
could damage the engine.
The red band in the tachometer indicates the
engine's overrevving range.
The fuel supply is interrupted to protect the
engine when the red band is reached.
Outside temperature display
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point.
Bear in mind that the outside temperature dis-
play indicates the temperature measured and
does not record the road temperature.
The outside temperature display is in the multi-
function display (
Ypage 173).
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Speedometer with segments
The segments in the speedometer indicate
which speed range is available.
RCruise control activated (Ypage 141):
The segments light up from the stored speed
to the maximum speed.
RVariable SPEEDTRONIC activated
(Ypage 145):
The segments light up from the start of the
scale to the selected limit speed.
RDISTRONIC PLUS activated (Ypage 149):
One or two segments in the set speed range
light up.
RDISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front:
The segments between the speed of the vehi-
cle in front and the stored speed light up.
Displays and operation171
On-board computer and displays
Z

Engine
Display messagesPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
+
Check CoolantLevel. See Opera‐tor's Manual
The coolant level is too low.
XAdd coolant, observing the warning notes before doing so
(Ypage 238).
XHave the coolant system checked at a qualified specialist workshop
if the coolant needs topping up more often than usual.
?The fan motor is faulty.
XAt coolant temperatures below 248 ‡(120 †), drive to the nearest
qualified specialist workshop.
XAvoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in moun-
tainous terrain and stop-start traffic.
?
Coolant Too HotStopVehicleSwitchEngine Off
The coolant is too hot.
A warning tone also sounds.
GWARNING
Do not drive when your engine is overheated. This can cause some
fluids which may have leaked into the engine compartment to catch
fire.
Steam from the overheated engine can also cause serious burns which
can occur just by opening the hood.
There is a risk of injury.
XPull over and stop the vehicle safely and switch off the engine, pay- ing attention to road and traffic conditions.
XSecure the vehicle against rolling away (Ypage 130).
XLeave the vehicle and keep a safe distance from the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.
XMake sure that the air supply to the engine radiator is not blocked,
e.g. by snow, slush or ice.
XDo not start the engine again until the display message goes out and
the coolant temperature is below 248 ‡ (120 †). Otherwise, the
engine could be damaged.
XPay attention to the coolant temperature display.
XIf the temperature increases again, visit a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately.
Under normal operating conditions and with the specified coolant
level, the coolant temperature may rise to 248 ‡ (120 †).
192Display messages
On-board computer and displays