fold seats MERCEDES-BENZ ML55AMG 2003 W163 Owner's Manual

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10
Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 12
Operating your vehicle outside
the USA or Canada......................... 13
Where to find it .................................... 15
Symbols ............................................... 16
Operating safety .................................. 17
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 17
Problems with your vehicle .................. 18
Reporting safety defects...................... 19
Reporting safety defects ................ 19
At a glance.......................................... 21
Cockpit ................................................. 22
Instrument cluster ................................ 24
Center console ..................................... 27
Upper part ...................................... 27
Lower part ...................................... 28
Overhead control panel ........................ 29Getting started................................... 31
Unlocking ............................................. 32
Remote control with folding key ..... 32
Adjusting .............................................. 34
Seats............................................... 34
Steering wheel ................................ 37
Mirrors ............................................ 38
Driving .................................................. 40
Fastening the seat belts.................. 40
Starting the engine ......................... 44
Switching on headlamps ................. 46
Turn signals..................................... 47
Windshield wipers ........................... 47
Rear window wiper.......................... 48
Problems while driving .................... 49Parking and locking .............................. 50
Parking brake ................................. 50
Switching off headlamps................. 51
Turning off engine ........................... 51
Safety and Security........................... 53
Occupant safety ................................... 54
Airbags ........................................... 55
Seat belts ....................................... 60
Children in the vehicle .................... 63
Blocking of rear door
window operation ........................... 69
Panic alarm .......................................... 70
Activating........................................ 70
Deactivating.................................... 70
Driving and safety systems .................. 71
ABS ................................................. 71
BAS ................................................. 73
4-ETS .............................................. 73
EBP ................................................. 74
ESP ................................................. 75
Anti-theft systems ................................ 78
Immobilizer ..................................... 78
Anti-theft alarm............................... 78

Contents
Tow-away alarm,
glass breakage sensor.................... 79
Controls in detail............................... 83
Locking and unlocking ......................... 84
Remote control with folding key ..... 84
Opening the doors
from the inside ............................... 86
Opening the liftgate........................ 87
Closing the liftgate ......................... 88
Automatic central locking .............. 89
Locking and unlocking
from the inside ............................... 90
Seats.................................................... 91
Seat heater*................................... 91
Removing and installing
head restraints ............................... 92
Rear seats ...................................... 93
Third row seats* ............................. 96
Memory function*................................ 99
Storing positions in memory ........ 100
Recalling positions from memory . 100
Exterior rear view mirror parking
position (passenger side) ............. 100Lighting.............................................. 102
Combination switch ..................... 102
Fog lamps .................................... 105
Hazard warning flasher ................ 106
Interior lighting............................. 107
Instrument cluster ............................. 110
Instrument cluster illumination .... 110
Coolant temperature gauge ......... 111
Display in the speedometer ......... 111
Resetting trip odometer ............... 112
Tachometer .................................. 112
Outside temperature indicator ..... 112
Setting the clock .......................... 112
Automatic transmission ..................... 113
One-touch gearshifting................. 113
Gear ranges.................................. 114
Gear selector lever position ......... 115
Accelerator position ..................... 117
Towing a trailer ............................ 117
Emergency operation (Limp Home
Mode)........................................... 117
Transmission control –
LOW RANGE mode............................. 118
Switching on LOW RANGE mode .. 118
Switching off LOW RANGE mode . 118Good visibility .................................... 119
Rear view mirror .......................... 119
Headlamp cleaning system* ........ 121
Windshield wipers ........................ 122
Rear window wiper....................... 123
Sun visor ...................................... 123
Automatic climate control ................. 124
Automatic mode .......................... 126
Adjusting air volume and air
distribution manually ................... 127
Defrosting .................................... 128
Air recirculation mode.................. 128
Air conditioning ............................ 129
Residual heat and ventilation ....... 130
Rear window defroster ................. 131
Rear passenger compartment
ventilation and rear automatic
climate control ............................. 131
Front and rear air outlets ............. 132
Power windows.................................. 134
Opening and closing the side
windows ....................................... 134
Rear quarter windows* ................ 136
Sliding/pop-up roof* ......................... 137
Opening and closing the
sliding/pop-up roof ...................... 137

93 Controls in detail
Seats
Rear seats
The rear seats are divided asymetrically.
To enlarge the cargo area you can adjust
the left and right part separately. The fol-
lowing changes are possible:

moving the seat fore and aft


folding down the backrest


lowering the seatAdjusting rear seat fore and aft
1Release lever

Pull release lever1 in direction of ar-
row.

Slide seat to the desired position until
it locks in place.Folding down the backrest
1Lock button

Close cup holder in rear center console
(page 155).

Move front seats forward. Manual seat
(page 35) or power seat (
page 37).

Slide seat forward.

Remove head restraint(s) (
page 92).

Pull lock button1 up and fold backrest
forward until it locks in place.
The red backrest lock indicator at lock
button1 is not visible in the locked po-
sition.
Warning!
G
Do not adjust the rear seats while driving.
Always seat in an upright position and the
seat belts are properly positioned on the
body. Your seat must be adjusted so that
you can correctly fasten your seat belt.
Adjust head restraint to support the back of
the head approximately at ear level.
Never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being ad-
justed.
Warning!
G
Failure to assure that seats are locked into
place could result in an increased chance of
injury in an accident.

94 Controls in detailSeatsFolding up the backrest
Pull lock button1 up and unfold back-
rest until it locks in place.
Make sure that the seat belt is not
caught in the seat.

Check for secure locking by pulling and
pushing on the backrest.
The red backrest lock indicator at lock
button1 is not visible in the locked po-
sition.

Install head restraint (
page 92).

Slide seat rearward to desired position
(page 93).

Adjust front seats to desired position.
Manual seats (
page 35) and power
seats (
page 37). Lowering the rear seat
1Release button
2Lever
3Release lever

Close cup holder in rear center console
(page 155).

Move front seats forward. Manual seat
(page 35) or power seat (
page 37).

Press and hold release button1 to un-
lock lever2.

Pull lever2 in direction of arrow.

Pull release lever3 and push down rear
seat until it locks in place.

Fold down the backrest (
page 93).

Adjust front seats to desired position.
Manual seats (
page 35) and power
seats (
page 37).
Folding up the rear seat

Move front seats forward. Manual seat
(page 35) or power seat (
page 37).

Pull release lever3 and raise rear seat
until it locks in place.Warning!
G
Failure to assure that seats are locked into
place could result in an increased chance of
injury in an accident.

95 Controls in detail
Seats
Easy entry/exit feature*
The easy entry/exit feature allows access
to the third row seats*. The right cargo
floor plate must be removed (
page 144).
Folding rear seat forward
1Lever

Move right seat forward. Manual seats
(page 35) and power seats
(page 37).

Move rear seat forward (
page 93).

Push head restraint fully down and tilt
it forward.

Fold backrest forward (
page 93).

Pull lever1 up and fold the rear seat
forward.
Resetting rear seat

Pull down on seat bench until it locks
into place.

Pull lock button1 (
page 93) up and
unfold backrest until it locks into place.

Pull down on seat bench until it locks
into place.

Check for secure locking by pulling and
pushing on the backrest.
The red backrest lock indicator at lock
button1 (
page 93) is not visible in
the locked position.

Move the rear and front seats in de-
sired position.

Pull up and adjust head restraint
(page 36).
Warning!
G
Never drive with the second row right seat
folded forward (easy entry/exit feature). It
could open and fold back unintentionally.

96 Controls in detailSeatsThird row seats* Folding down single seat
1Head restraint
2Hook
3Tensioner
4Hook and loop strip

Remove cargo floor plate
(page 144).

Remove head restraint1 from seat
cushion.

Lift tensioner3 upward to a horizontal
position to release tension of the belt.

Disengage hook2 while holding onto
the seat firmly with one hand.

Attach belt at hook and loop strip4 on
underside of seat.
5Backrest release
6Seat release

Fold seat down until it locks securely in
place.
The red marking on the seat release
should6 not be visible.

Store cargo floor plates inside the
backrest (
page 144).

Pull backrest release5 and unfold
backrest until it locks securely in place.

Install head restraint1 in backrest
(page 92).
Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint to support the back of
the head approximately at ear level.
Failure to assure that seats 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.

97 Controls in detail
Seats
Storing single seat
Remove head restraint from backrest
(page 92).

Pull backrest release5 and fold back-
rest forward until it locks securely in
place.

Remove cargo floor plates from the
backrest.

Pull seat release6 (
page 96) and
fold seat up.

Disengage belt and engage hook2
(page 96) in ceiling mount.

Pull on free end of belt until tight.

Install head restraint in openings pro-
vided in seat cushion.

Install cargo floor plates (
page 144).
Warning!
G
After folding the seats up, manually place
the lap belt portion of the seat belt behind
the seat (arrow). Otherwise, the lap belt may
be subject to damage and could rip.

144 Controls in detailLoadingCargo floor plates
Removing cargo floor plates
Lift cargo floor plate at rear edge (ar-
row).
Cargo floor plate unhinges automati-
cally.

Remove cargo floor plate by pulling it
rearwards.Storing cargo floor plates
1Hook and loop strip

Fold the left cargo floor plate together.

Open the hook and loop strip at the
bottom of backrest of the third row
seats* and insert cargo floor plate.

Close the hook and loop strip. Installing cargo floor plates
1Opening
2Pins
3Attachment opening
4Latch

Grip into opening1 and guide pins2
into attachment opening3.
The center pin must snap into place in
latch4.
iBefore you can remove the cargo floor
plates, it is possible that the third row
seats* (
page 96) must be removed.

312 IndexPower windows
Blocking of rear door window
operation 69
Side windows 134
Synchronizing 136
Practical hints
First aid kit 236
Fuses 271
Lamps in instrument cluster 224
Spare wheel 239
Towing the vehicle 267
Vehicle jack 238
Vehicle tool kit 237
Premium unleaded gasoline 286
Problems
While driving 49
With vehicle 18
Product information 9
R
Radio transmitters, control and
operation 197
Rain sensor 122, 123
Rapid seat heating
Switching off 91
Switching on 91
Reading lamp 29Reading lamps 108
Rear automatic climate control 131
Adjusting air volume and air distribu-
tion manually 132
Automatic mode 132
Rear bench seat
Foldable 93
Rear door window
Blocking operation 69
Rear fog lamp 248
Bulb 248
Switching off 106
Switching on 105
Rear lamp bulbs
Replacing 251
Rear parking lamp
Replacing bulbs 251
Rear passenger compartment ventilation
and climate control
Activating 131
Deactivating 131
Rear passenger compartment ventilation
and rear automatic climate control 131
Rear quarter windows 136
Opening 136Rear quarter windows*
Closing 136
Rear seats 93
Easy entry/exit feature* 95
Enlarging cargo area 93
Folding down backrest 93
Folding up 94
Folding up backrest 94
Fore and aft 93
Lowering 94
Third row* 96
Rear standing lamp
Replacing bulbs 251
Rear towing eyes 269
Rear view mirror automatic antiglare 119
Rear view mirrors see Mirrors
Rear window defroster 131
Activating 131
Deactivating 131
Rear window wiper 123
Rain sensor* 123
Rear window wiper/washer 48
Reconnecting
Vehicle battery 262
Refrigerant
Air conditioning 286

313 Index
Regular checks 201
Reinstalling vehicle battery 262
Remote control
Changing battery 243
Global locking 85
Global unlocking 85
Synchronizing 244
Unlocking liftgate 85
Unlocking the driver’s door, fuel filler
flap 85
Unlocking with 32
Remote control with folding key 84
Remote controls
Integrated 169
Remote door unlock
With Tele Aid* 167
Remote Vehicle Diagnostics 295
Removing
Head restraint 92
Vehicle battery 262
Wheel 257
Wiper blades 254
Removing spare wheel (except
ML 55 AMG) 239
Removing spare wheel (ML 55 AMG) 240Replacing
Backup lamp bulbs 251
Brake lamp bulbs 251
Bulbs 247
Front lamp bulbs 249
Front turn signal bulbs 249
Fuses 271
High beam bulbs 250
High mounted brake lamp 252
License plate lamp bulbs 252
Low beam bulbs 249
Rear fog lamp bulbs 251
Rear lamp bulbs 248, 251
Rear parking lamp bulbs 251
Rear side marker lamp bulbs 251
Rear standing lamp bulbs 251
Rear turn signal bulbs 251
Wiper blades 254
Replacing front fog lamp bulb 251
Reporting
Safety defects 19
Resetting
Service indicator (FSS) 216
Trip odometer 112
Residual heat utilization 130, 295Residual ventilation 130
REST (Residual engine heat utilization) 295
Restraint system 295
Restraint system see Infant and child re-
straint systems 63, 67
Restraint systems 54
Airbags 54
Child seat recognition 54
Child seats 54
Emergency tensioning device (ETD) 54
Lower anchors and tethers for children
(LATCH) 54
Seat belts 54
Returning from off-road driving 191
Rims 279
Roadside assistance 12
Tele Aid* 163
Rolling code programming 170
RON 200
RON (Research Octane Number) 296
Roof rack 145
Rotating wheels 212
Rubber parts
Cleaning 222