2003 Mercedes-benz G Class Owners Manual

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ly. All five forward gears are avail- able. ! Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any other reason with selector lever in N can result in transmission damage that is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. Warning! Getting out of your vehicle with the selector lever not fully engaged in position P is dan- gerous. Also, position P alone is not intend- ed to or capable of preventing your vehicle from moving, possibly hitting people or ob- jects. Always set the parking brake in addition to shifting to position P (컄 page 50). When parked on an incline, turn the front wheels towards the road curb. Controls in detail Automatic transmission Warning! Accelerator position When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key from the starter switch, and lock the ve- hicle. Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. Children could move the selector le- ver from position P, which could result in an accident and/or serious personal injury. Your driving style influences the transmis- sion’s shifting behavior: Less throttle More throttle Earlier upshifting Later upshifting Kickdown Use kickdown when you want maximum acceleration. 왘 Press the accelerator past the point of resistance. The transmission shifts into a lower gear. 왘 Ease on the accelerator when you have reached the desired speed. The transmission shifts up again. 139 Controls in detail Automatic transmission Emergency operation (Limp Home Mode) If vehicle acceleration worsens or the transmission no longer shifts, the trans- mission is most likely operating in limp home (emergency operation) mode. In this mode, only 2nd gear and reverse gear can be activated. 왘 Stop the vehicle. 왘 Move selector lever to P. 왘 Turn off the engine. 왘 Wait at least ten seconds before re- starting. 왘 Restart the engine. 왘 Move selector lever to position D (for 2nd gear) or R. 왘 Have the transmission checked at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center as soon as possible. 140 Transfer case More information on off-road driving can be found in the “Operation” section (컄 page 203). Neutral No power is transmitted from the engine to the drive axle. Switching transfer case The switch is located in the center console. Gear range HIGH Road position LOW Off-road position This position is intended for driving off-road and step gradi- ents. The transmission will not up- shift automatically to the next higher gear range when driving at the rpm limit. The transfer case supports the engine’s driving force (approx. ½ speed). Output is therefore increased. Controls in detail Transfer case 1 Transfer case indicator 2 Gear range indicator Transfer case indicator 1 in the multifunc- tion display shows the gear position of the transfer case. Switching from HIGH to LOW The shift procedure can only be per- formed when: 앫 The engine is running. 앫 The selector lever for the automatic transmission is in position N. 앫 The vehicle speed does not exceed 25 mph (40 km/h). 141 Controls in detail Transfer case 왘 Press upper half 1 (“LOW”) of the 왘 Put gear selector in D. 앫 TC SHIFT – CANCELLED transfer case switch. Once the shift is complete, gear position L is displayed in the transfer case indicator. 왘 Put gear selector in D. Switching from LOW to HIGH The shift procedure can only be per- formed when: 앫 The engine is running. 앫 The selector lever for the automatic transmission is in position N. 앫 The vehicle speed does not exceed 40 mph (70 km/h). 왘 Press lower half 2 (“HIGH”) of the transfer case switch. Once the shift is complete, gear position H is displayed in the transfer case indicator. 142 Messages in the multifunction display If a shift was not completed and the multi- function display shows one of the following messages: 앫 TC SHIFT CONDITIONS NOT FULFILLED The shift does not occur. At least one shift condition was not met. 왘 Repeat the shift procedure. 앫 TC IN NEUTRAL The shift does not occur. The transfer case is in neutral. The gear position N is displayed in the transfer case indicator 1. 왘 Repeat the shift procedure. The shift did not take place. 왘 Repeat the shift procedure. 앫 TRANSFER CASE – VISIT WORKSHOP! There is a malfunction in the system. 왘 Have the vehicle checked at your au- thorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center as soon as possible. If the SmartKey is in starter switch position 0 or 1, an alarm will sound if the transfer case is in position N and the driver’s door is opened. Engage transfer case to gear position HIGH or LOW. Warning! More information can be found in the “Practical hints” section (컄 page 266). If TC is in neutral, transmission position P will not hold vehicle. The parking brake must be applied to hold vehicle in place. Controls in detail Differential locks Warning! Never drive on pavement with differential locks engaged. Steering control will be strongly affected with the differential locks activated. The ABS, BAS and ESP are switched off au- tomatically when the transfer case differen- tial lock is activated. Differential locks Information on off-road driving is found in the “Operation” section (컄 page 203). Differential locks improve the vehicle’s tractive power off-road. Switch differential locks on: 앫 for off-road driving 앫 to turn the ABS off during off-road driv- ing 앫 for driving through water 앫 when driving on deep snow and icy or fouled surfaces Do not engage the front axle differen- tial lock when driving around tight cor- ners. This restricts steering ability. When driving off-road, apply only mod- erate pressure to the accelerator pedal if the differential locks are switched on. When running on a (single-axle) dyna- mometer – no matter how briefly – you must: 앫 raise the non-driven axle or 앫 disconnect its drive shaft and 앫 engage the transfer differential lock Otherwise the transfer case can be damaged, which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. 143 Controls in detail Differential locks A few words about differentials and dif- ferential locks When a vehicle negotiates a turn, wheels on the outside of the curve must travel far- ther and rotate faster than the inside wheels. The differential, the operation of a set of gears that allows the powered wheels in a vehicle to turn at different speeds, make this essential function possi- ble. The drawback is that the differential also sends most of the engine's power to the wheel with the least load or strain on it. For example, if one of a vehicle's powered wheels sits on a patch of snow and spins because there is no traction, all of the en- gine's power will go to that wheel because the power will take the path of least resis- tance. Meanwhile, the opposite wheel, sit- ting on dry pavement where it could get enough grip to start the vehicle moving, sits idle because it receives no power. 144 The Electronic Traction System (ETS) ad- dresses this problem and provides for good control and steering ability by auto- matically slowing the slipping wheel and thus increasing the power to the other non-slipping drive wheels to get the vehicle moving. The ESP and ETS in this vehicle feature such intelligent limited-slip differ- ential technology, ideally suited for on-road and light off-road driving. Transfer case position LOW (컄 page 141) also en- hances off-road driving capabilities (컄 page 203). More extreme off-road conditions may call for another solution, engaging a differen- tial lock or preventing the differential from operating altogether. As part of its stan- dard equipment, this vehicle comes with three differential locks: front, transfer case (center) and rear. Each can be engaged simply by pushing dashboard-mounted buttons in sequential order (center, rear, front) (컄 page 145). When the transfer case (center) differential is locked, half of the engine's power is automatically distrib- uted to the front wheels and half to the rear wheels. When the rear differential is locked, power going to the rear wheels is equally distributed, so that both rear wheels turn at the same speed and torque. When the front differential is locked, all four wheels now turn with equal power and torque. Please be aware that engaging the differential locks will significantly reduce the steering ability of the vehicle. For your safety and the safety of others and to prevent damage to the vehicle, the differential locks must not be engaged when driving on paved roads. It is impor- tant to understand that during on-road/paved driving, differentials are absolutely necessary for providing the es- sential control and steering ability of the vehicle. The differential locks, therefore, must not be engaged when driving on paved roads and should only be used to the extent necessary to negotiate off-road conditions which can not be handled by the systems (automatic 4-ETS, the ESP, manual switch position “LOW” of transfer case) this vehicle comes equipped with. Switching differential locks on and off Switching differential locks on The switch is located in the center console. 1 Transfer case (center) differential lock 2 Rear axle differential lock 3 Front differential lock 4 Engagement indicator lamps (yellow) 5 Function indicator lamps (red) The differential locks can only be switched on in the sequence 1, 2, 3. To avoid damage to the transfer case and differential locks: 앫 Engage differential locks only at low speed (walking speed, not more than 5 mph) 앫 Do not engage differential locks if the driving wheels are spinning 앫 Do not engage on paved roads. Transfer case differential lock 왘 Press switch 1. The yellow engagement indicator lamp for the transfer case differential lock lights up. The v warning lamp lights up. When the differential lock engagement operation has been completed, the red function indicator lamp lights up. Controls in detail Differential locks The message ABS NOT AVAILABLE – DIFFERENTIAL LOCKED appears in the multifunction display. The v and - warning lamps in the instrument cluster come on. Once the transfer case differential lock is switched on, you can now, if needed, 앫 switch on rear axle differential lock 2 or 앫 switch on rear axle differential lock and front differential lock 2 and 3. 145 Controls in detail Differential locks Rear axle differential lock 왘 Press switch 2. The yellow engagement indicator lamp lights up first, followed by the red func- tion indicator lamp. The rear axle differential lock is switched on. Front differential lock 왘 Press switch 3. The yellow engagement indicator lamp lights up first, followed by the red func- tion indicator lamp. The front differential lock is switched on. 146 Switching differential locks off There are two different methods to disen- gage differential locks: 앫 You can switch the differential locks off in reverse order (3, 2, 1). 앫 To switch off all differential locks at the same time: 왘 Press switch 1. The yellow engagement indicator lamps go out first. The red function indicator lamps go out when the switching process has been carried out in the differential. To activate the ESP, BAS and ABS systems, drive again for three seconds using a con- stant driving style. All messages in the multifunction display disappear. The v and - warning lamps in the instrument cluster go out. If the function lamps do not go out when the differential locks are disen- gaged, bring vehicle to a stop and then continue driving. Changing the vehicle load can help to disengage locks. Warning! Always remember to disengage the differen- tial locks when returning to drive on paved roads, see “A few words about differentials and differential locks” (컄 page 144). Good visibility Information on the windshield wipers (컄 page 47) and for setting the rear view mirrors (컄 page 38) is found in the “Get- ting started” section. Rear view mirror Automatic antiglare rear view mirror The reflection brightness of the inside rear view mirror will respond automatically to glare when 앫 the ignition is switched on, and 앫 incoming light from headlamps falls on the sensor in the inside rear view mir- ror The rear view mirror will not react if 앫 reverse gear is engaged 앫 the interior lighting is turned on Controls in detail Good visibility Warning! Warning! The automatic antiglare function does not react if incoming light is not aimed directly at sensors in the inside rear view mirror. In the case of an accident, liquid electrolyte may escape from the mirror housing if the mirror glass breaks. Electrolyte has an irritating effect. Do not al- low the liquid to come into contact with eyes, skin, clothing, or the respiratory sys- tem. In case it does, immediately flush af- fected area with water, and seek medical help if necessary. The inside rear view mirror does not react, for example, if the cargo area is fully loaded. Glare can endanger you and others. Warning! Exercise care when using the passenger side exterior rear view mirror. The mirror surface is convex (outwardly curved surface for a wider field of view). Objects in mirror are closer than they appear. Check your in- side rear view mirror or glance over your shoulder before changing lanes. 147 Controls in detail Good visibility Activating exterior rear view mirror parking position Follow these steps to activate the mirror parking position so that the passen- ger-side exterior rear view mirror will be turned downward to the stored position. 왘 Make sure you stored a parking posi- tion for the passenger-side exterior rear view mirror (컄 page 99). 왘 Make sure that the MIRROR SETTING WHEN PARKING function, found under the CONVENIENCE submenu in the con- trol system, is switched on (컄 page 130). 왘 Switch on ignition. 왘 Press button 3 (컄 page 38) for the pas- senger-side exterior rear view mirror. 왘 Place the gear selector lever in reverse gear R. The passenger-side exterior rear view mirror will be turned downward to the stored position. 148 Headlamp cleaning system The switch is located to the left of the steering column. The exterior rear view mirror returns to its previously stored driving position: 앫 10 seconds after you put the gear se- lector lever out of position R 앫 immediately once you exceed a vehicle speed of approx. 6 mph (10 km/h) 앫 immediately when you press the button for driver’s side mirror (컄 page 38) 1 Headlamp washer switch 왘 Switch on ignition. 왘 Press switch 1. The headlamps will be cleaned with a high-pressure water jet. Sun visors The sun visors protect you from sun glare while driving. Warning! Do not use the vanity mirror while driving. Keep the mirrors in the sun visors closed while vehicle is in motion. Reflected glare can endanger you and others. Controls in detail Good visibility 1 Sun visor 2 Mounting 왘 Swing sun visors 1 down to protect against sun glare. 왘 If sunlight enters through a side win- dow, disengage visor 1 from inner mounting 2 and pivot it to the side. 3 Mirror cover 4 Mirror lamp 왘 Make sure that the ignition is switched on and that the sun visor is engaged in mounting 2. 왘 Open mirror cover 3. Mirror lamp 4 switches on. 149 Controls in detail Climate control Climate control 150 1 Windshield defroster outlets 2 Center air vent, adjustable 3 Thumbwheel for center air vent 4 Side air vent, adjustable 5 Side defroster outlet, fixed 6 Thumbwheel for side air vent 7 Footwell air vents 8 Climate control panel For draft-free ventilation, move the slid- ers for the center air vents to the mid- dle position. Climate control panel Controls in detail Climate control 1 Air volume 2 Temperature control, left 3 Temperature control, right 4 Air distribution control switch 5 Rear window defroster 6 AC cooling on /off (ACOFF) Residual engine heat utilization 7 Air distribution and air volume (au- tomatic mode) 8 Air recirculation 9 Defrosting 151 Controls in detail Climate control The climate control is operational whenev- er the engine is running. You can operate the climate control system in either the au- tomatic or manual mode. The system cools or heats the interior depending on the se- lected interior temperature and the cur- rent outside temperature. Nearly all dust particles, pollutants and odors are filtered out before outside air en- ters the passenger compartment through the air distribution system. The air conditioning will not engage (no cooling) if the ACOFF mode is selected (컄 page 157). Warning! Follow the recommended settings for heat- ing and cooling given on the following pag- es. Otherwise the windows could fog up, impairing visibility and endangering you and others. 152 Increasing 왘 Turn the temperature control a few de- grees to the right. The climate control system will corre- spondingly adjust the interior air tem- perature. Decreasing 왘 Turn the temperature control a few de- grees to the left. The climate control system will corre- spondingly adjust the interior air tem- perature. If the vehicle interior is hot, ventilate the interior before driving off. Keep the air intake grille in front of the windshield free of snow and debris. Setting the temperature Use temperature controls 2 and 3 to sepa- rately adjust the air temperature on each side of the passenger compartment. You should raise or lower the temperature set- ting in small increments, preferably start- ing at 72°F (22°C). When operating the climate control system in automatic mode, you will only rarely need to adjust the tempera- ture, air volume and air distribution. Controls in detail Climate control Adjusting air distribution and volume Use air distribution control 4 (컄 page 151) to adjust the air distribution. The following symbols are found on the controls: Symbol Function a Directs air through the center, side and rear passenger com- partment air vents Z Directs air to the windows X Directs air into the entire vehi- cle interior Y Directs air to the footwells Adjusting manually 왘 Press the U button. Adjusting automatically 왘 Press the U button. The indicator lamp on the button goes out. 왘 Select any of the six air volume speeds and the air distribution. The indicator lamp on the button comes on. Air distribution and volume are adjusted automatically. Windshield fogged on the outside 왘 Switch the windshield wipers on. 왘 Switch to manual mode. 왘 Turn the air distribution control to a or Y. 153 Controls in detail Climate control Defrosting Air recirculation Activating 왘 Press button P. The indicator lamp in the button illumi- nates. The climate control automatically switches to the following functions: 앫 maximum blower and heat output 앫 air distribution to the windshield and the side windows 앫 rear ventilation is turned off Switch to air recirculation mode to prevent unpleasant odors from entering the vehicle from the outside. This setting cuts off the intake of outside air and recirculates the air in the passenger compartment. Warning! When the outside temperature is below 41°F (5°C), only switch to air recirculation mode for short periods to prevent window fogging. Deactivating 왘 Press the P button. Activating 왘 Press button O briefly. The indicator lamp in the button goes out. Defrosting is turned off. The indicator lamp in the button illumi- nates. The air recirculation mode is activated automatically: 앫 at high outside temperatures If you have turned off the air condition- er or the outside temperature is below 41°F (5°C), the air recirculation mode will not switch on automatically. Deactivating 왘 Press button O briefly. The indicator lamp in the button goes out. The air recirculation mode is deactivated automatically: 앫 after 30 minutes if the outside temper- ature is above about 41°F (5°C) 앫 after 5 minutes if the outside tempera- ture is below about 41°F (5°C) 앫 after 5 minutes if economy mode ACOFF is selected 154 Rear window defroster Turn the SmartKey in starter switch to position 2. Activating 왘 Press button F in the control panel of the climate control. The indicator lamp in the button lights up. Deactivating 왘 Press button F in the control panel of the climate control. The indicator lamp in the button goes out. Heavy accumulation of snow and ice should be removed before activating the defroster. The defroster is automatically turned off after approximately 6-17 minutes of operation depending on the outside temperature and vehicle speed. If several power consumers are turned on simultaneously, or the battery is only partially charged, it is possible that the defroster will automatically turn it- self off. When this happens, the indicator lamp inside the switch starts blinking. As soon as the battery has sufficient voltage, the defroster turns itself back on. Controls in detail Climate control The rear window defroster uses a large amount of power. To keep the battery drain to a minimum, turn off the de- froster as soon as the rear window is clear. 155 Controls in detail Climate control Residual engine heat utilization With the engine switched off, it is possible to continue to heat or ventilate the interior for a short while, depending on the temper- ature setting of the climate control. Air vol- ume and distribution are controlled automatically. Deactivating 왘 Press button ° again to switch off. The indicator lamp in the button goes out. The residual heat is automatically turned off: 앫 when the SmartKey in starter switch is Activating 왘 Turn the SmartKey in starter switch to position 1 or 0 or remove it altogether. turned to position 2 앫 after about 30 minutes 앫 if the battery voltage drops Deactivating the climate control system Deactivating 왘 Set the air volume control switch to position 0. Reactivating 왘 Set the air volume control switch to any speed. 왘 Press button °. The indicator lamp in the button lights up. Set the left and right temperature to your personal requirements. 156 Air conditioning The air conditioning is operational while the engine is running and cools the interior air to the temperature set by the operator. Condensation may drip out from under- neath the vehicle. This is normal and not an indication of a malfunction. Deactivating It is possible to deactivate the air condi- tioning (cooling) function of the climate control system. The air in the vehicle will then no longer be cooled or dehumidified. 왘 Press button ° (컄 page 151). The indicator lamp on the button ° lights up. Activating Moist air can fog up the windows. You can dehumidify the air with the air conditioner. 왘 Press button ° again (컄 page 151). The indicator lamp on the button ° goes out. The air conditioner uses the refrigerant R134a. This refrigerant is free of CFCs which are harmful to the ozone layer. If the ° button on the climate con- trol panel starts to blink, this indicates that the air conditioner is losing refrig- erant. The compressor has turned itself off. The air conditioner cannot be turned on again. 앫 Have the air conditioner checked at the nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Controls in detail Climate control Rear passenger compartment adjust- able air vents 1 Air volume control for center air vents 2 Left center air vent, adjustable 3 Right center air vent, adjustable 157 Controls in detail Power windows Power windows Opening and closing the windows The side windows can be opened and closed electrically. The switches for all the side windows are on the driver’s door. The switches for the respective windows are on the front passenger and the rear doors. 1 Switch for rear door window override (컄 page 69) 2 Left front window 3 Right front window 4 Right rear window 5 Left rear window 158 Warning! 왘 Turn key in the starter switch to position 1 or 2. When closing the windows, make sure that there is no danger of anyone being harmed by the closing procedure. The closing procedure can be immediately halted by releasing the switch or by releas- ing button ‹ on the remote control. When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key from starter switch, and lock your vehi- cle. Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehi- cle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equipment can cause an accident and/or serious per- sonal injury. With a front door opened and the key in starter switch position 0 or 1, or re- moved from starter switch, the power windows can be operated for approx. 30 minutes. Opening the windows 왘 Press switch to resistance point. The window will move downwards until you release the switch. Closing the windows 왘 Pull on switch. The window will move upwards until you release the switch. Fully opening windows 왘 Press switch past resistance point and release. The window opens completely. Stopping windows 왘 Press or pull respective switch again. Opening and closing windows with the SmartKey The sliding/pop-up roof will also be opened or closed when you operate the power windows with the key. Warning! Never operate the windows or slid- ing/pop-up roof if there is the possibility of anyone being harmed by the opening or closing procedure. In case the procedure causes potential dan- ger, the procedure can be immediately halt- ed by releasing the remote control button. To reverse direction of movement, press Œ for opening or ‹ for closing. 왘 Aim transmitter eye at the driver’s door handle. Opening (Summer opening feature) 왘 Press and hold button Œ after un- locking the vehicle. The windows and sliding/pop-up roof begin to open after approximately one second. 왘 Release transmit button to interrupt procedure. Controls in detail Power windows Closing (Convenience feature) 왘 Press and hold button ‹ after lock- ing the vehicle. The windows and sliding/pop-up roof begin to close after approximately one second. 왘 Release transmit button to interrupt procedure. Ensure that all side windows and the slid- ing/pop-up roof are properly closed before leaving the vehicle. 159 Controls in detail Sliding/pop-up roof Sliding/pop-up roof Opening and closing the sliding/pop-up roof 1 Push back to slide roof open 2 Push forward to slide roof closed 3 Push up to raise roof at rear 4 Pull down to lower roof at rear Warning! When closing the sliding/pop-up roof, make sure that there is no danger of anyone being harmed by the closing procedure. The closing procedure of the sliding/pop-up roof can be immediately reversed by either moving the switch in any direction, 160 or pressing button Œ on the SmartKey and holding it. When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key from starter switch, and lock your vehi- cle. Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehi- cle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equipment can cause an accident and/or serious per- sonal injury. 왘 Turn the key in the starter switch to position 1 or 2. Opening and closing the sliding/pop-up roof 왘 To open, close, raise or lower the slid- ing/pop-up roof, move the switch to re- sistance point in the required direction. Release the switch when the roof has reached the required position. Opening and closing the sliding/pop-up roof automatically 왘 Move the switch past resistance point in the direction required and release. The sliding/pop-up roof opens or clos- es completely. Stopping the sliding/pop-up roof 왘 Move the switch in any direction. If the movement of the sliding/pop-up roof is blocked during the closing pro- cedure, the roof will stop and reopen slightly. To avoid damaging the seals, do not transport any objects with sharp edges which can stick out of the slid- ing/pop-up roof. The sliding/pop-up roof can be opened or closed manually should an electrical malfunction occur (컄 page 276). Controls in detail Sliding/pop-up roof Opening 왘 Press and hold button Œ after un- Closing 왘 Press and hold button ‹ after lock- locking the vehicle. The windows and sliding/pop-up roof begin to open after approximately one second. ing the vehicle. The windows and sliding/pop-up roof begin to close after approximately one second. 왘 Release transmit button to interrupt 왘 Release transmit button to interrupt procedure. procedure. Ensure that all side windows and the slid- ing/pop-up roof are properly closed before leaving the vehicle. Opening and closing the sliding/pop-up roof with the SmartKey The power windows will also be opened or closed when you operate the slid- ing/pop-up roof with the key. Warning! Never operate the windows or slid- ing/pop-up roof if there is the possibility of anyone being harmed by the opening or closing procedure. In case the procedure causes potential dan- ger, the procedure can be immediately halt- ed by releasing the remote control button. To reverse direction of movement, press Œ for opening or ‹ for closing. 왘 Aim transmitter eye at the driver’s door handle. 161 Controls in detail Driving systems Driving systems The driving systems of your vehicle are de- scribed on the following pages: 앫 Cruise control, with which the vehicle can maintain a preset speed. 앫 Rear Park Assist*, with which you can assist your parking maneuvers. The BAS, ABS, ESP, 4-ETS and EBB driving systems are described in the “Safety and Security” section (컄 page 71). 162 Cruise control Cruise control automatically maintains the speed you set for your vehicle. Use of cruise control is recommended for driving at a constant speed for extended periods of time. You can set any speed over 20 mph (30 km/h). The cruise control function is operated by means of the cruise control lever. The cruise control lever is the uppermost lever found on the left-hand side of the steering column (컄 page 22). The cruise control should not be acti- vated during-off road driving. Warning! Cruise control is a convenience system de- signed to assist the driver during vehicle op- eration. The driver is and must always remain responsible for the vehicle speed and for safe brake operation. Only use cruise control if the road, traffic and weather conditions make it advisable to travel at a steady speed. 앫 The use of cruise control can be danger- ous on winding roads or in heavy traffic because conditions do not allow safe driving at a steady speed. 앫 The use of cruise control can be danger- ous on slippery roads. Rapid changes in tire traction can result in wheel spin and loss of control. 앫 Deactivate cruise control when driving in fog. The “Resume” function should only be oper- ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ- ously set speed and wishes to resume this particular preset speed. Controls in detail Driving systems Moving gear selector lever to position N while driving also cancels cruise control. However, the gear se- lector lever should not be moved to position N while driving except to coast when the vehicle is in danger of skid- ding (e.g. on icy roads). The last stored speed is canceled when you turn off the engine. On uphill or downhill grades, cruise control may not be able to maintain the set speed. Once the grade eases, the set speed will be resumed. Canceling cruise control There are several ways to cancel cruise control: 왘 Step on the brake pedal. or 왘 Briefly push the cruise control lever to position 3. Cruise control will be canceled. The last speed set will be stored for later use. 163 1 Set current or higher speed 2 Set current or lower speed 3 Cancel cruise control 4 Resume at previously set speed Saving current speed 왘 Accelerate or decelerate to the desired speed. 왘 Briefly lift 1 or depress 2 the cruise control lever. The current speed is set. 왘 Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal. Cruise control is activated. Controls in detail Driving systems Setting stored speed (“Resume” function) Warning! The speed stored in memory should only be set again if prevailing road conditions per- mit. Possible acceleration or deceleration differences arising from returning to preset speed could endanger yourself and others. 왘 Briefly push the cruise control lever to position 4. Cruise control will resume the last pre- viously set speed. 왘 Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal. 164 Setting a higher speed 왘 Lift the cruise control lever to position 1 and hold it up until the de- sired speed is reached. 왘 Release the cruise control lever. The new speed is set. Depressing the accelerator pedal does not deactivate the cruise control. After brief acceleration (e.g. for passing), the cruise control will resume the last speed set. Setting a lower speed 왘 Depress the cruise control lever to position 2 and hold it down until the desired speed is reached. 왘 Release the cruise control lever. The new speed is set. When you use the cruise control lever to decelerate, the transmission will au- tomatically downshift if the engine’s braking power does not brake the vehi- cle sufficiently. Fine adjustment in 1 mph (1 km/h) in- crements Faster 왘 Briefly tip the cruise control lever in the direction of arrow 1. Slower 왘 Briefly tip the cruise control lever in the direction of arrow 2. Rear Park Assist* Warning! Rear Park Assist (rear Parktronic) is a sup- plemental system. It is not intended to, nor does it replace, the need for extreme care. The responsibility during parking and other critical maneuvers always rests with the driver. Special attention must be paid to objects with smooth surfaces or low silhouettes (e.g. trailer couplings, painted posts, or street curbs). Such objects may not be de- tected by the system and can damage the vehicle. The operational function of the Rear Park Assist can be affected by dirty sensors, es- pecially at times of snow and ice. See “Cleaning the Rear Park Assist sensors” (컄 page 234). Interference caused by other ultrasonic sig- nals (e.g. working jackhammers or the air brakes of trucks) can cause the system to send erratic indications, and should be tak- en into consideration. Warning! Make sure that no persons or animals are in the area in which you are maneuvering. You could otherwise injure them. The Rear Park Assist system is an electron- ic aid designed to assist the driver during parking maneuvers. It visually and audibly indicates the relative distance between the rear of the vehicle and an obstacle. The Rear Park Assist system is automati- cally activated when you switch on the ig- nition and shift the gear selector lever to position R. Controls in detail Driving systems The Rear Park Assist system monitors the rear area of your vehicle by means of four sensors in the rear bumper. 1 Sensors 165 Controls in detail Driving systems Range of the sensors To function properly, the sensors must be free of dirt, ice, snow and slush. Clean the sensors regularly, being careful not to scratch or damage them. Minimum distance The minimum distance between the sen- sors and an obstacle is approximately 20 in (50 cm). If you encounter an obstacle in this range, all the warning lamps light up and you hear a warning signal. If the obsta- cle is closer than the minimum distance, the actual distance may no longer be indi- cated by the system. Center Corners approx. 59.1 in (150 cm) approx. 40 in (100 cm) During parking maneuvers, pay special attention to objects located above or below the height of the sensors (e.g. planters or trailer hitches). The Rear Park Assist system will not detect such objects at close range and damage to your vehicle or the object may result. Ultrasonic signals from outside sourc- es (e.g. truck air brakes or jackham- mers) may impair the operation of the Rear Park Assist system. 166 Warning indicator Visual signals indicate to the driver the rel- ative distance between the sensors and an obstacle. The warning indicator is located next to the tailgate. An intermittent acoustic warning will sound as the fourth segment lights up and a constant acoustic warning lasting a max- imum of three seconds will sound for the sixth segment. Rear Park Assist malfunction There is a malfunction in the Rear Park As- sist system if: 앫 a low warning tone sounds while the vehicle is reversing The Rear Park Assist sensors are dirty or malfunctioning. 왘 Clean the Rear Park Assist system sensors (컄 page 234). 왘 Switch on the ignition again. Warning indicator As your vehicle approaches an object, one or more segments will light up, depending on the distance. When the sixth segment lights, you have reached the minimum dis- tance. Controls in detail Driving systems 앫 no segments light up and no warning sounds The Rear Park Assist is malfunctioning. 왘 Have the Rear Park Assist system checked by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center as soon as possible. Malfunction may also be caused by inter- ference from other radio or ultrasonic sig- nals. 왘 Check the Rear Park Assist operation at another location to rule out interfer- ence from outside radio or ultrasonic signals. 167 Controls in detail Loading Loading Roof rack This vehicle is not intended to carry items on its roof. Thus roof rails and any roof-mounted devices must not be used. Warning! Do not load items on the roof. It may cause instability during some maneuvers which could result in an accident. 168 Cargo area cover Rolling up the cover 왘 Grip the cover strap and remove it from the mountings on both sides. 왘 Guide it slowly back into place. 1 Rear seat bench cover 2 Tailgate cover 왘 Pull cover 1 out. Hook it into the mountings on the rear seat bench. 왘 Pull cover 2 out. Hook it into the mountings to the left and right of the tailgate. Removing and installing the cover Enlarged cargo area Split rear seat bench Controls in detail Loading The rear seat bench can be folded and low- ered to increase the cargo area. The left, right or both seat backrests sections may folded down according to need. Warning! Always lock seat backrest in its upright po- sition when rear seat bench is occupied by passengers, or cargo is being carried behind the seat bench. To help avoid personal injury from smaller objects flying in the occupant area during a collision or sudden maneuver, always use partition net when transporting cargo (컄 page 171). For more information refer to “Split rear bench seat”. Removing the cover 왘 Open latch 1 on right and left side in di- rection of arrow. 왘 Pull cover 2 out upwards. Installing the cover 왘 Place cover into recesses. 왘 Press right and left sides of cover down until it locks into place. 1 Lever for seat backrest sections 2 Lever for seat bench sections The rear seat bench can be folded and low- ered to enlarge the cargo area. The left, right or both seat backrest sections may be folded down as required. 169 Folding seat backrest forward 왘 Remove the head restraints (컄 page 93). 왘 Pull release lever 1 in direction of ar- row and fold seat backrest forward un- til it locks in place. Folding seat bench forward 왘 Fold seat backrest forward. 왘 Pull release lever 2 in direction of ar- row and fold seat bench forward to- gether with the seat backrest. Returning seat bench and seat back- rest to sitting position 왘 Fold up seat bench until it locks in place. 왘 Pull release lever 1 and raise seat backrest until it locks in place. 왘 Check to ensure the seat is locked by pushing and pulling on the seat back- rest. Warning! Failure to assure that seats and seat back- rests are locked into place could result in an increased chance of injury in an accident. Controls in detail Loading Warning! Failure to assure that seats and seat back- rest are locked into place could result in an increased chance of injury in an accident. Never place hands under seat or near any moving parts while a seat is being adjusted. For safety reasons, the rear seat bench must only be adjusted when the vehicle is stationary. Never ride vehicle with the tailgate open. Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may enter vehicle interior resulting in uncon- sciousness and death. Before folding the seat backrest for- ward and the rear seat bench down, be sure that all containers in the rear cup holder are removed. 170 The partition net can be installed behind the seat backrests of the rear seat bench, or behind the front seats if the rear seat bench is folded down. Installation can be performed by open- ing the rear doors. Partition net* (MB Accessory) Use of the partition net is a particularly im- portant safety factor when the vehicle is loaded higher than the top of the seat backrests with smaller objects. While the partition net will help protect you from smaller objects, it cannot prevent the movement of large, heavier objects into the passenger area in an accident. Such items must be properly secured using the cargo tie-down rings in the cargo area floor. Controls in detail Loading Installation behind rear seat bench 1 Partition net 2 Mounting 왘 Fold the rear seat bench forward (컄 page 169). This cannot be done by folding the rear seat backrest forward. 왘 Hook partition net 1 in mountings 2 on both sides. 171 Controls in detail Loading 3 Lift tensioner 4 Tie down Lift tensioner 3 on tie downs 4 must point in the direction of the arrow. 172 5 Hook 6 Ring 왘 Set the length of the tie downs 4 and lift tensioner 3 to the rings 6. 왘 Insert tie down hooks 5 in rings 6. Pull on loose ends of tie downs until net is slightly tensioned. 왘 Fold up seat bench until it locks in place. The partition net will be tightened by the rear seat bench cushion. After driving a short period, check the ten- sion of the partition net, retighten if neces- sary. Installation behind front seats 1 Partition net 2 Mounting 왘 Fold rear seat bench fully forward (컄 page 169). 왘 Engage partition net1 in holders 2. Removing partition net 왘 Lift tensioner upward to a horizontal position to release tensioning of strap. 왘 Disengage tie down hooks from rings. 왘 Remove partition net from holders. Storing partition net 왘 Roll up partition net and secure it. 왘 Store partition net behind rear seat bench. Controls in detail Loading Loading instructions The total load weight including vehicle oc- cupants and luggage/cargo should not ex- ceed the vehicle capacity weight indicated on the certification label which can be found on the left door pillar. The handling characteristics of a fully load- ed vehicle depend greatly on the load dis- tribution. It is therefore recommended to load the vehicle according to the illustra- tions shown, with the heaviest items being placed towards the front of the vehicle. 173 3 Lift tensioner 4 Tie down 5 Hook 6 Ring Lift tensioner 3 must point in the direction of the cargo compartment. 왘 Set the length of tie downs 4 and lift tensioner 3 to the rings 6. 왘 Insert tie down hooks 5 in rings 6. 왘 Pull loose ends of tie downs 4 until net is tight. After driving a short distance, check the tension of the partition net, retighten if necessary. Controls in detail Loading Warning! Always fasten items being carried as secure- ly as possible using cargo tie-down rings and fastening materials appropriate for the weight and size of the load. In an accident, during hard braking or sud- den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown around inside the vehicle, and can cause in- jury to vehicle occupants unless the items are securely fastened in the vehicle. To help avoid personal injury during a colli- sion or sudden maneuver, always use parti- tion net when transporting cargo. Never ride vehicle with the tailgate open. Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may enter vehicle interior resulting in uncon- sciousness and death. 174 앫 For additional safety when transporting cargo while the rear seats are unoccu- pied, fasten the outer seat belts cross- wise into the opposite side buckles. 앫 Always pad off sharp edges. The rear cargo area is the preferred place to carry objects. The enlarged cargo area (rear seats folded) should only be used for items which do not fit in the rear cargo area alone. 앫 Always place items being carried against front or rear seat backrests, and fasten them as securely as possi- ble. 앫 The heaviest portion of the cargo should always be kept as low as possi- ble against front or rear seat backrest since it influences the handling charac- teristics of the vehicle. Warning! While the partition net will help protect you from smaller objects, it cannot prevent the movement of large, heavier objects into the passenger area in an accident. Such items must be properly secured using the cargo tie-down rings in the cargo area floor. Cargo tie-down rings The cargo area is provided with four tie-down anchors. Carefully secure cargo by applying even load on all rings with rope of sufficient strength to hold down the cargo. Controls in detail Loading 175 Controls in detail Useful features Useful features Interior storage spaces Warning! To help avoid personal injury during a colli- sion or sudden maneuver, exercise care when stowing objects in the vehicle. Put lug- gage or cargo in the cargo compartment if possible. Do not pile luggage or cargo higher than the seat backs. Luggage nets cannot secure hard or heavy objects. Warning! Do not load items on the roof. It may cause instability during some maneuvers which could result in an accident. 176 Warning! Keep compartment lids closed. This will help to prevent stored objects from being thrown about and injuring vehicle occupants during an accident and sudden maneuvers. Glove box Opening the glove box 왘 Pull handle to open. The glove box is illuminated with SmartKey in starter switch position 1 or 2 when opening the lid. The glove box can be locked and un- locked with the mechanical key. Closing the glove box 왘 Push lid up to close. 1 Unlocked position 2 Locked position 3 Handle Storage compartments below the arm- rest Closing small compartment 왘 Lower armrest until it engages in lock. Storage compartment in front of arm- rest Controls in detail Useful features Opening 왘 Slide cover 3 backward. Closing 왘 Slide cover 3 forward. Located in the cover of the storage compartment is a storage area for small items such as checks. Opening large compartment 왘 Press button 2 and lift armrest. Closing large compartment 왘 Lower armrest until it engages in lock. In the large storage compartment there is a storage area for up to three CDs. Opening small compartment 왘 Press button 1 and lift armrest. 177 Cup holder next to the armrest Cup holder in front passenger footwell 왘 Place cup holder bracket 1 into recess. If the cup holder is no longer in use, it can for example, be stored in the storage com- partment below the armrest or in storage pouch on the door panel. 왘 Swing bracket 1 upwards until it clicks into place. Fold the cup holder closed before mov- ing the front passenger seat fully for- ward. Controls in detail Useful features Cup holders Warning! When not in use, keep the cup holder closed. Place only containers that fit into the cup holder to prevent spills. Use lids on open containers and do not fill containers to a height where the contents, especially hot liquids, could spill during vehicle maneu- vers. 178 Cup holder in rear passenger footwell Parcel net in front passenger footwell A small convenience parcel net is located in the front passenger footwell. It is for small and light items, such as road maps, mail, etc. Ashtrays Center console ashtray Controls in detail Useful features Before folding the seat backrest for- ward and the rear seat bench down, be sure that all containers in the rear cup holder are removed. Warning! Do not place heavy or fragile objects, or ob- jects having sharp edges in the parcel net. In an accident, during hard braking or sud- den maneuvers, they could be thrown around inside the vehicle and cause injury to vehicle occupants. When large objects are stored in the parcel net, do not slide the seat fully forward, it could damage them. 1 Ashtray 2 Cigarette lighter 3 Cover plate Opening ashtray 왘 Briefly push the cover plate 3. The ashtray opens automatically. 179 Controls in detail Useful features Removing the ashtray insert 왘 Press sliding knob 4 to the right. Warning! The insert will protrude a short dis- tance. Remove ashtray only with vehicle standing still. Turn off the engine and set the parking brake. Otherwise the vehicle might move as a result of unintended contact with the gear selector lever. 왘 Remove insert 5 in direction of arrow. Reinstalling the ashtray insert 왘 Press the insert into the frame until it snaps into place. Rear passenger compartment Opening ashtray 왘 Pull at top of cover 1. Removing the ashtray insert 왘 Push down on catch 2. 왘 Pull out the ashtray insert 3. Reinstalling the ashtray insert 왘 Position the insert and close the cover. 4 Sliding knob 5 Astray insert 180 1 Cover 2 Catch 3 Ashtray insert Cigarette lighter The lighter socket can be used to accom- modate electrical accessories up to a maximum of 180 W. 1 Cigarette lighter 왘 Briefly touch the cover plate. The ashtray opens automatically. 왘 Turn the key in the starter switch to position 1 or 2. 왘 Push in cigarette lighter 1. The lighter will pop out automatically when hot. Controls in detail Useful features Warning! Electrical outlet Never touch the heating element or sides of the lighter; they are extremely hot. Hold the knob only. When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key from the starter switch. Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsuper- vised use of vehicle equipment may cause an accident and/or serious personal injury. Electrical outlet An electrical outlet is located in the rear passenger footwell. 181 Controls in detail Useful features 왘 Turn the key in the starter switch to Telephone* position 1 or 2. 왘 Flip up cover and insert electrical plug (cigarette lighter type). Warning! The electrical outlet can be used to ac- commodate electrical consumers (e.g. air pump, auxiliary lamps) up to a max- imum of 180 W. Never operate radio transmitters equipped with a built-in or attached antenna (i.e. with- out being connected to an external antenna) from inside the vehicle while the engine is running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc- tion of the vehicle’s electronic system, pos- sibly resulting in an accident and/or personal injury. Radio transmitters, such as a portable tele- phone or a citizens band unit, should only be used inside the vehicle if they are con- nected to an antenna that is installed on the outside of the vehicle. The external antenna must be approved by Mercedes-Benz. Please contact an autho- rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center for information on the installation of an ap- proved external antenna. Refer to the radio transmitter operation instructions regard- ing use of an external antenna. 182 Warning! Please do not forget that your primary re- sponsibility is to drive the vehicle. A driver’s attention to the road must always be his/her primary focus when driving. For your safety and the safety of others, we rec- ommend that you pull over to a safe location and stop before placing or taking a tele- phone call. If you choose to use the telephone1 while driving, please use the hands-free device and only use the telephone when road, traf- fic and weather conditions permit. Some ju- risdictions prohibit the driver from using a cellular telephone while driving a vehicle. Only operate the COMAND (Cockpit Man- agement and Data System)1 if road, traffic and weather conditions permit. Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph (approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is covering a distance of approx. 44 feet (ap- proximately 13.5 m) every second. 1 Observe all legal requirements You can take and place telephone calls us- ing the í and ì buttons on the steering wheel. Use the control system for performing other telephone functions (컄 page 132). See separate instruction manual for infor- mation on how to operate the telephone. Warning! Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from using a cellular telephone while driving a ve- hicle. Whether or not prohibited by law, for safety reasons, the driver should not use the cellular telephone while the vehicle is in mo- tion. Stop the vehicle in a safe location before an- swering or placing a call. Tele Aid The initial activation of the Tele Aid sys- tem may only be performed by com- pleting the subscriber agreement and placing an acquaintance call using the SOS button. Failure to complete either of these steps will result in a system that is not activated. If the system is not activated, the indicator lamp in the SOS button stays on after turning key in starter switch to position 2 and the message TELE AID – NOT ACTIVATED will be shown in the multifunction dis- play for approx. 10 seconds. If you have any questions regarding ac- tivation, please call the Response Cen- ter at 1-800-756-9018 (in the USA) or 1-888-923-8367 (in Canada). Controls in detail Useful features The Tele Aid system (Telematic Alarm Identification on Demand) The Tele Aid system consists of three types of response: 앫 Automatic and manual emergency 앫 Roadside Assistance and 앫 Information The Tele Aid system is operational provid- ing that the vehicle’s battery is charged, properly connected, not damaged and cel- lular and GPS coverage is available. The speaker volume of a Tele Aid call can be adjusted when using the volume control on the multifunction steering wheel. To raise, press button æ and to lower, press button ç. 왘 To activate, press the SOS button, the Roadside Assistance button • or the Information button ¡, depend- ing on the type of response required. 183 System self-check Initially, after turning the key in starter switch to position 2, malfunctions are de- tected and indicated (the indicator lamps in the SOS button, the Roadside Assis- tance button • and the Information button ¡ stay on longer than 10 seconds or do not come on). The mes- sage TELE AID – VISIT WORKSHOP! ap- pears for approx. 10 seconds in the multifunction display. Warning!

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2003 Mercedes-benz G Class Owners Manual