After Driving Off-Road - Mercedes-Benz G-Class Owner's Manual

Checklist after driving off-road
Driving over rough terrain places greater
demands on your vehicle than driving on nor-
mal roads. After driving off-road, check the
vehicle. This allows you to detect damage
promptly and reduce the risk of an accident
to yourself and other road users.
X
Shift the transfer case to HIGH
RANGE( Y page 202).
X
Disengage the differential locks
( Y page 204).
X
Clean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage.
X
Clean the front and rear licence plates.
X
Clean the wheels and tyres with a water jet
and remove any foreign objects.
X
Clean the wheels, tyres, wheel arches and
the vehicle underside with a water jet;
check for any foreign objects and damage.
X
Check whether twigs or other parts of
plants have become trapped. These
increase the risk of fire and can damage
fuel pipes, brake hoses or the rubber bel-
lows of the axle joints and propeller shafts.
X
After the trip, examine without fail the
entire undercarriage, wheels, tyres, brakes,
bodywork structure, steering, chassis and
exhaust system for damage.
X
After driving for extended periods across
sand, mud, gravel, water or in similarly dirty
conditions, have the brake discs, wheels,
brake pads/linings and axle joints checked
and cleaned.
X
If you notice strong vibrations after off-road
driving, check for foreign objects in the
wheels and drive train and, if necessary,
remove them. Foreign objects can disturb
the balance and cause vibrations.
Driving on sand
Observe the following rules when driving on
sand:
Shift the transfer case to LOW
R
RANGE( Y page 202).
Avoid high engine speeds.
R
Limit the shift range of the automatic trans-
R
mission according to the off-road condi-
tions.
Drive quickly to overcome the rolling resist-
R
ance. Otherwise, the vehicle could dig itself
into the sand.
Drive in the tracks of other vehicles if pos-
R
sible. Make sure that the ruts are not too
deep, that the sand is firm enough and that
your vehicle has sufficient ground clear-
ance.
Tyre ruts and gravel roads
! Check that the ruts are not too deep and
that your vehicle has sufficient clearance.
Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged
or bottom out and get stuck.
Observe the following rules when driving
along ruts in off-road terrain or on roads with
loose gravel:
Shift the transfer case to LOW
R
RANGE( Y
page 202).
Avoid high engine speeds.
R
Observe the safety notes (
R
the general notes (
driving.
Restrict the shift range of the automatic
R
transmission to 1( Y
Drive slowly.
R
Where ruts are too deep, drive with the
R
wheels on one side on the middle section
of turf if possible.
Driving over obstacles
! Obstacles could damage the floor of the
vehicle or components of the chassis. Ask
passengers for guidance when driving over
Driving tips
Y page 169) and
Y page 169) on off-road
page 153).
171
Z