2016 MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV towing

Removin
gachild restrain tsystem and deacti-
vating th echild seat lock:
X Always comply wit hthe child restrain tsystem
manufacturer' sinstallation instructions.
X Press th erelease butto nofthebelt buckle,
hold th ebelt tongue firmly and guide it back
towards th ebelt sash guide.
The child seat loc kfunction is deactivated. Child restraint system
Observ ethe instruction sfor correc tuse of the
child restraint system (Y page 46).
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Ben zrecom-
mends that you use only achild restraint system
recommended by Mercedes-Benz
(Y page 49). G
WARNING
If th echild restraint system is incorrectly fit-
ted on the seat position suitable for this pur-
pose ,itcannot perform its intended protec-
tive function. In the event of an accident,
sharp braking or asudden change in direction,
the child may not be held securely.T here is an
increased risk of serious or even fatal injuries.
Observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions and the correct use for the child
restraint system. Make sure that the entire
surface of the child restraint system is resting
on the seat surface. Never place objects
under or behind the child restraint system,
e.g. cushions. Only use child restraint sys-
tems with the original cover designed for
them. Only replace damaged covers with gen- uine covers. G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is fitted incor-
rectly or is not secured, it can come loos ein
the event of an accident, heavy braking or a
sudden change in direction. The child
restraint system coul dbethrown about, strik-
ing vehicl eoccupants. There is an increased
risk of injury ,possibly even fatal.
Always fit child restraint systems properly,
even if they are not being used .Make sure that you observe the child restraint system
manufacturer's installation instructions.
Further information on stowing objects, luggage and load ssecurel ycan be found under "Loading
guidelines" (Y page 198). G
WARNING
Child restraint systems or thei rsecuring sys-
tems that have been damaged or subjected to al oa dinana ccident cannot perform their
intended protective function. In the event of
an accident, sharp braking or asudden
change in direction, the child may not be held securely.T here is an increased risk of serious
or even fatal injuries.
Immediately replace child restraint systems
that have been damaged or subjected to a
loadinana ccident. Have the child restraint
securing systems checked in aqualified spe-
cialist worksho pbefore fitting achild restraint
system again.
The securing systems of child restraint systems
are:
R the seat belts ystem
R the ISOFIX securing rings
R the Top Tether anchorages
If circumstances require you to fit achild
restraint system to the front-passenge rseat, be
sure to observe the information on "Child
restraint systems on the front-passenge rseat"
(Y page4 3). Information on disabling the
front-passenge rfront airbag can alsobef ound
there.
Observe the warning labels in the vehicl einte-
rior and on the child restraint system.
i It is advisabl
etouse Mercedes-Benz care
products to clea nchild restraint systems rec-
ommended by Mercedes-Benz. Information
can be obtained at aqualified specialist work-
shop. ISOFIX chil
dseat securing system G
WARNING
ISOFIX chil drestraint systems do not offer
sufficient protective effect for children whose 40
Children in the vehicleSafety

Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximu
macceleration:
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to alower
gear depending on the engine speed.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Towing atrailer X
Drive in the middle of the engine speed range
on uphill gradients.
X Limit the shift range to 3or 2depending on
the uphill or downhill gradient (Y page 105).
X Shift the transfer case int ooff-roa ddriving
position LOWR ANGE on extreme uphill gra-
dients or stee pdownhil lgradients
(Y page 124). Progra
mselector button
General notes The program selector button allows you to
choose between drive programs with different
driving characteristics.
The automatic transmission switches to auto-
matic drive program Eeach time the engine is
started.
Available drive programs E
Economy Com
fortable, economical
driving S
Sport Sport
ydriving style M
Manual Manual gearshifting
Furthe
rinformation on the automatic drive pro-
gra m( Ypage 104). Select
ing the drive program Program selector button
X Press program selector button :repeatedly
until the desired drive program is shown in the multifunction display. Steering wheel gearshift paddles
In the automatic drive program
,you can restrict
or derestrict the shift range using steering wheel gearshift paddles :and ;(Y page 105).
In the manuald rive program, you can change
gears manually using steering wheel gearshift
paddles :and ;(Ypage 106).
You can only change gear with the steering
wheel gearshift paddles when the transmission
is in position D. Automatic drive program
Drive program Eis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R comfort-orientated engine an dtransmission
settings.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner. 104
Auto
matictransmissionDriving and parking

G
WARNING
If you select the LOW RANGE off-road gearon as lippery road surface, the wheels coul dlose
traction:
R if you release the accelerator peda lwhen
the vehicl eisinmotion
R if Off-road ABS intervenes when braking
If the wheels lose traction, it willnol onger be
possible to steer the vehicle. This increases
the risk of skidding and having an accident.
Never select the LOW RANGE off-road gear
when driving on slippery road surfaces.
Information on the parking brake (Y page114).
Downhill gradients Shift to
alower gearing oodt ime on long and
stee pdownhil lgradients.
Take particula rnote of this when driving alad en
vehicl eand when towing atrailer.
Thi sw illu se the braking effect of the engine, so
less braking will be required to maintai nthe
vehicl espeed. Thi srelieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly.
Heav yand light loads G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave you rfoot on the brake peda lwhile driving.
This increases the braking distance and could
even caus ethe braking system to fail .There is
ar isk of an accident.
Never use the brake peda lasafootrest. Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
peda land the accelerator peda lwhile driving.
! Depressing the brake peda
lconstantly
results in excessive and premature wearto
the brake pads.
If heavy demands are made on the brakes ,do
not park the vehicl eimmediately. Drive on for a
short while. This allows the airflow to cool the
brakes more quickly.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionall ytest their effectiveness.
To do this, brake more firmly from ahigher speed while paying attention to the traffic con-
ditions .This improves the grip of the brakes.
Wet road surfaces If driving in heavy rain for
aprolonge dperiod of
time withou tbraking, there may be adelayed
reaction from the brakes when braking for the
first time. This may also occur after the vehicle
has been washed.
You have to depres sthe brake pedalm ore
firmly .Maintai nagreater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on awet road or having the vehicle
washed, brake firmly whilep aying attention to
the traffic conditions. This willw arm up the
brake discs, thereby drying them more quickly
and protecting them against corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads If you drive on salt-treated roads,
alayer of salt
may form on the brake discs and pads.T his can
increase the braking distance considerably.
R In order to prevent any salt build-up,a pplythe
brakes occasionally whilep aying attention to
the traffic conditions.
R Carefullyd epressthe brake pedalatt he end
of the journey and when starting the next
journey.
R Maintai namuch greater distance to the vehi-
cle in front.
New brake discs and brake pads/
linings Brake pads/linings and discs that either are new
or have been replaced achieve optimum braking
effect only after several hundred kilometres of
driving. Compensate for the reduced braking
effect by applying greater force to the brake
pedal.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends only fittingt he following brake discs and
brake pads/linings:
R brake discs that hav ebeena pproved by
Mercedes-Benz
R brake pads/linings that hav ebeena pproved
by Mercedes-Benz or that are of an equivalent
standard of quality
Other brake discs or brake pads/linings can
compromise the safety of your vehicle. 116
Drivin
gtipsDriving and parking

Alway
sobserve the fording depth values
(Y page 255). Parkin
gthe vehicle after heavy loads
on the engine
! Vehicles with
adiesel engine: your vehi-
cle's exhaust gas turbocharger may get very
hot under heavy engine load, e.g. during:
R trailer towing
R longer motorway journeys at high speed
R longer journeys through mountainous ter-
rain
X Let the engine run for approximately another
two minutes while the vehicle is stationary
before switching off the engine.
This way, the exhaust gas turbocharger can
cool down more effectively. Winte
rdriving G
WARNING
If you shift dow nonaslippery road surface in
an attempt to increas ethe engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels coul dlose their grip.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift downf or additionalengine brak-
ing on aslippery road surface. G
WARNING
If you select the LOW RANGE off-road gearon as lippery road surface, the wheels coul dlose
traction:
R if you release the accelerator peda lwhen
the vehicl eisinmotion
R if Off-road ABS intervenes when braking
If the wheels lose traction, it willnol onger be
possible to steer the vehicle. This increases
the risk of skidding and having an accident.
Never select the LOW RANGE off-road gear
when driving on slippery road surfaces. G
DANGER
If the exhaus tpipe is blocke doradequate
ventilation is no tpossible, poisonous gases
suc hasc arbon monoxide (CO) may ente rthe
vehicle. This is th ecase, e.g. if th evehicle
become strapped in snow. There is ariskof
fatal injury.
If you leav ethe engin eortheauxiliary heating
running, mak esuret he exhaust pipe and area
around th evehicl eare clear of snow. To
ensur eana dequate supply of fresh air, open a
window on th eside of th evehicl ethatisn ot
facing int othe wind.
Hav eyour vehicl ewinterproofed at aqualified
specialist workshop at th eonset of winter.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
per yroads urfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration,
steering and braking manoeuvres.
If th evehicl ethreaten stoskidorc annotbe
stoppe dwhen moving at low speed:
X Shift th eautomatic transmission to position
N.
X Try to bring th evehicl eunder control by using
corrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefor eunsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in th eoutside temperature are dis-
played after ashort delay.
Indicate dtem peratures jus tabov ethe freezing
poin tdon otguarantee that th eroads urfac eis
free of ice .The roa dmay still be icy, especially in
wooded area soronbridges.The vehicl ecould
skid if you fail to adapt your drivin gstyle. Always
adapt your drivin gstyle and drive at aspeed to
suit th eprevailing weather conditions.
You should pay special attention to roa dcondi-
tion swhen temperatures are around freezing
point.
Further information on drivin gwiths nowc hains
(Y page 237).
Further information on drivin gwiths ummer
tyres (Y page 237).
Observ ethe note sint he"Winte roperation "sec-
tion (Y page 236). 118
Driving tipsDriving and parking

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
When leavin gthe vehicle, it can still roll away
despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
R there is amalfunction in the system or in
the voltag esupply
R the HOLD function is deactivated by the
accelerator peda lbeing depressed, e.g. by
av ehicl eoccupant
R the electrica lsystem in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with
R the battery is disconnected
There is arisk of an accident.
Before leaving the vehicle, alwaysd eactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
from rolling away.
Deactivating the HOLD function (Y page123).
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD fun
ction if:
R the vehicle is stationary
R the engin eisrunning or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function
R the driver's door is close dorifyour seat belt
is fastened
R the parking brak eisreleased
R the transmission is in position D,Ror N
Activating th eHOLD function X
Make sure that the activation condition sare
met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further until
ë appears in the multifunction display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
If depressing the brake pedal the first time does not activate the HOLD function, wait briefly and
then try again. Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated automatically
if:
R you depress the accelerator and the trans-
mission is in position Dor R.
R the transmission is in position j.
R you depress the brake pedal again with acer-
tain amount of pressure until ëdisap-
pears from the multifunction display.
On steep uphill or downhill inclines or if there is
am alfunction, the transmission may also be
automatically shifted into position P. Permanent all-wheel drive
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle raised.
This may damage the transfer case. Damage
of this sort is not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz implied warranty. All wheels must
remain either on the ground or be fully raised.
Observe the instructions for towing the vehi-
cle with all wheels in full contact with the
ground.
! When testin
gthe parking brake, operate the
vehicle only briefly (for amaximum of ten sec-
onds) on abrake test dynamometer. When
doing this, turn the key to position 0or 1in
the ignition. Failure to do this can cause dam- age to the drive train or the brake system.
! Af
unction or performanc etest should only
be carried out on atwin-axle dynamometer.
Before you operate the vehicle on such a
dynamometer, please consult aqualified
workshop. You could otherwise damage the
drive train or the brake system.
The all-wheel drive system ensures that all four
wheels are permanently driven. The all-wheel
drive system improves vehicle traction together with ESP ®
and 4ETS if adrive wheel spins due to
insufficient grip.
Only when you use winter tyres (M+S tyres) in
wintry driving condition sand, if necessary, snow
chains (Y page 237). Only in this way can the
maximum effect of all-wheel drive be achieved.
Information about driving off-road (Y page 119). Driving systems
123Driving and parking Z

Disengaging th
ediffere ntial locks You can disengage the differential lock
sinthe
followin gorder: ;,?, =.
X To simultaneously disengage all differen-
tia
llocks: press switch =.
Yellow activatio nindicator lamps Aand red
function indicator lamps :go out.
After approximately three seconds of normal
driving, ABS, 4ETS, ESP ®
and BA Sare activa-
ted.
The Differential lock sactive ABS
Differential lock sactive ABS
and ESP not available
and ESP not available message disap-
pear sint he multifunction displaya nd the
å!÷warnin glamps in th einstru-
men tcluster go out.
X Shif tthe transfer case to the HIGH RANGE
on-road position (Y page 124).
If red function indicator lamps :do not go out
when disengagin gthe differential locks:
X Observe th etraffic situation.
X Make slight steerin gmovements while the
vehicle is in motion.
Red function indicator lamps :go out when
th ed ifferential lock sare disengaged. Towing
atrailer Importan
tsafety notes G
WARNING
Th eb raking system can overheat if you leave
yourf oot on the brake peda lwhile driving.
This increases the braking distance and could
even caus ethe braking system to fail .There is
ar isk of an accident.
Never use the brake peda lasafootrest. Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
peda land the accelerator peda lwhile driving. G
WARNING
You coul dlose control of the vehicle/trailer
combination if it begins to swerve .The vehi-
cle/trailer combination coul deven overturn.
There is arisk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten out the vehicle/trailer combina-
tion by increasing speed. Decrease your speed and do not countersteer. Brake if nec-
essary.
G
WARNING
If the ballc oupling is not fitted correctly and
the bolts supplied are not tightened to the
specified tightening torque ,the trailer could
come loose. There is arisk of an accident.
Always fit the ballc oupling as described.
Observe the specified tightening torque when fitting the coupling. G
WARNING
If the maximu mpermissible loadf orac arrier
system is exceeded, the carrie rcouldc ome
loos efrom the vehicl eand endange rother
road users. There is arisk of an accident and
injury.
Never exceed the maximu mpermissible load
when using acarrier.
! If you have
atrailer tow hitch retrofitted,
changes to the engine cooling system may be necessary, depending on the vehicl etype.
If you have atrailer tow hitch retrofitted,
observe the anchorage points on the chassis.
Retrofitting atrailer tow hitch is only permissible
if at railer loadiss pecified in yourv ehicledocu-
ments. If this is not the case, then the vehicl eis
not approved for towing atrailer.
For more information, please contact aqualified
specialist workshop.
Exceeding the maximu mpermissible nose-
weight of the trailer drawbar on the ballc oupling
may caus edamage.
Damag emay be caused to the following:
R towing vehicle
R trailer
R ballc oupling
R trailer tow hitch
The vehicle/trailer combination coul dbecome
unstable.
The vehicle/trailer combination coul dalso
become unstable if the noseweight used is lower
than the minimu mpermissible noseweight. Towin
gatrailer
127Driving an dparking Z

To avoid hazardous situations:
R make sure to check the noseweight before
each journey
R the noseweight should be as close as possible
to the maximum noseweight
R do not exceed the maximum permissible
noseweight
R the noseweight must not be lower than the
minimum permissible noseweight
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R the permissible noseweight
R the permissible trailer load
R the permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R the maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
When reversin gthe towing vehicle, make sure
there is nobody between the trailer and the vehi- cle.
The applicable permissible values, which must
not be exceeded, can be found:
R in your vehicle documents
R on the type plates for the trailer
R on the vehicle identification plate
If the values differ, the lowest value applies.
You will find the values approved by the manu-
facturer on the identification plates and for the
towing vehicle under "Technical data"
(Y page 256).
When reversin gthe towing vehicle, make sure
there is nobody between the trailer and the vehi- cle.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If youdo not couple the trailer to the towing vehicle
correctly, the trailer could become detached.
When towing atrailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different from when driv-
ing without atrailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradient-
climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance
R is affected more by stron gcrosswinds
R demands more sensitiv esteering
R has alarger turnin gcircle This can impair the vehicle's handling charac-
teristics. Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Maintain asafe distance. Drive carefully.
When towing atrailer, alway sadjust your speed
to the current road and weather conditions. Do
not exceed the maximum permissible speed for
your vehicle/trailer combination. Notes on to
wingatrailer
General notes When towing
atrailer, set the tyre pressure on
the rear axle of the towing vehicle for amaxi-
mum load. Further information on the tyre pres-
sure table in the fuel filler flap (Y page 109).
The height of the ball coupling changes with the load of the vehicle. If necessary, use atrailer
with aheight-adjustable drawbar.
You will find permissible trailer loads under
"Technical data" (Y page 256).
Driving tips X
Observe the information on ESP ®
trailer sta-
bilisation (Y page 55).
X On long and steep downhill gradients, select
shift range 1,2or 3(Y page 105) in good time.
X If necessary, shift the transfer case to LOW
RANGE (Ypage 124).
This will use the braking effect of the engine, so less braking will be required to maintain
the vehicle 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 continu-
ously.
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginnin gthe journey, check the
trailer's documents to see what the maximum
permitted speed is. Observe the maximum per-
missible speed in the relevant country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the maxi-
mum permissibler ear axle load is increased
when towing atrailer. See the "Technical data"
section to find out whether this applies to your
vehicle (Y page 256). In the event of increased
rear axle load, the car/trailer combination may
not exceed amaximum speed of 100 km/h for
reasons concerning the operating permit. This 128
Towing
atrailerDriving and parking

also applies in countries in whic
hthe maximum
permissible spee dfor car/trailer combinations
is greate rtha n1 00 km/h.
When towing atrailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be differen ttowhen driving
without atrailer and th evehicle will consume
mor efuel.
Driving tips R
Maintain agreater distance to the vehicle in
front than when driving without atrailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake gen-
tly at first to allow the trailer to run on. Then,
increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing capa-
bilities from astandstill 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 from astandstill, decrease with increas-
ing altitude.
If the trailer swings from side to side:
X Do not accelerate under any circumstances.
X Do not countersteer.
X Brake, if necessary. Coupling up
atrailer
! Do no
tconnect th etrailer brak esystem (if
th et railer is fitte dwitho ne)d irectly to the
towing vehicle's hydraulic brak esystem,
since this is equipped wit hananti-lock brak-
ing system. Otherwise, neither th ebrakes on
th et ow ing vehicle no rthe brakes on the
trailer will work.
Observ ethe maximum permissible trailer
dimension s(widt hand length).
X Apply th evehicle's parking brake.
X Mak esure that th eautomatic transmission is
in transmission position P.
X Positio nthe trailer on aleve lsurface behind
th ev ehicle.
X Couple up th etrailer.
X Establish th eelectrical connection between
th ev ehicle and th etrailer.
X Chec kthatthe trailer lighting system is work-
ing.
X Push th ecombinatio nswitch upward sand
downwards and check whether th ecorre- sponding tur
nsignal indicator on the trailer is
flashing.
Ac onnected trailer is only detected when the
electrical connection is established correctly
and when the lighting system is working prop-
erly. The function of other systems, such as
ESP ®
also depends on this. Uncoupling
atrailer G
WARNING
If you uncouple atrailer with an engaged over-
run brake, you coul dtrap yourh and between
the vehicl eand the trailer drawbar. This poses
ar isk of injury.
Do not uncouple atrailer with an engaged
overru nbrake.
! Do not disconnect
atrailer with an engaged
overru nbrake. Otherwise, yourv ehiclecould
be damaged by the rebounding of the overrun brake.
X Apply the parking brake.
X Make sure that the automatic transmission is
in transmission position P.
X Secure the vehicl eand trailer against rolling
away.
X Close all doors, including the rear door.
X Remove the trailer cable.
X Uncoupl ethe trailer. Traile
rpower supply
! Yo
uc an connect accessories with amaxi-
mu mp ower consumption of 180 Wtothe
permanent powe rsupply.
Yo um ustn ot charge atrailer battery using the
powe rsupply.
The trailer socket of your vehicl eisequippe dat
the factory with apermanent powe rsupply.
The permanent powe rsuppl yiss upplie dvia
trailer socket pi n9.
Yo uc an find mor einformatio nabout installing
the trailer electrics at aquali fied specialis twork-
shop. Towin
gatrailer
129Driving an dparking Z