manual transmission MERCEDES-BENZ ML320 2008 W164 Owner's Manual

25 At a glance
Cockpit
ItemPage
1Cruise control lever245
2Instrument cluster26
3Multifunction steering
wheel30
4Horn
5Steering wheel gearshift
buttons193
6Gear selector lever for
automatic transmission54
7Front Parktronic* warning
indicators262
8Overhead control panel33
9Glove box release
Glove box lock279
280
ItemPage
aGlove box279
CD changer*279
AUX-socket1279
bPower outlet288
cCenter console31
dStarter switch40
eSteering wheel adjustment,
manual47
fHood lock release341
gParking brake release57
hParking brake pedal65
jPower tailgate switch*121
1Depending on vehicle configuration.
ItemPage
kDoor control panel36
lExterior lamp switch59,
135
mSteering wheel adjustment,
electrical*
Heated steering wheel*48
290
nCombination switch

High beam

Turn signals

Windshield wipers

Rear window wiper
139
59
60
60
62

186 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Shifting from D or R to N
If you want to select neutral positionN
with the transmission being in drive
positionD or reverse gearR:
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.
Step firmly on parking brake pedal
(
page 65).
Move gear selector lever up to resis-
tance point when in drive positionD or
down to resistance point when in
reverse gearR to select neutral
positionN.
Release the brake pedal.
Shifting procedure
The automatic transmission selects indi-
vidual gears automatically, depending on:

drive positionD (page 187) with gear
ranges (
page 192)

the selected program mode (M/C/S)
(ML 63 AMG only) (
page 194)

the position of the accelerator pedal
(
page 190)

the vehicle speedWith drive positionD selected, you can use
the steering wheel gearshift control
buttons (page 193) to influence trans-
mission shifting by:

limiting the gear range

changing gears manually
iWhen the vehicle needs to be moved with
the engine switched off and the transmission set
to neutral positionN (
page 184), do not
depress the parking brake pedal.
!Allow engine to warm up under low load use.
Do not place full load on the engine until the
operating temperature has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or park positionP only
when the vehicle is stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an extended
period when driving off on slippery road
surfaces. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

191 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Rocking the vehicle
Rocking the vehicle by shifting between
drive positionD and reverse gearR can
help free a vehicle stuck in mud or snow.
The engine control system of this vehicle
electronically limits shifting between
drive positionD and reverse gearR to
very low speeds, i.e. approximately
5 mph (9 km/h). To shift between drive
positionD and reverse gearR, move the
gear selector lever past the resistance
point up or down.
Working on the vehicleHill start assist system
On uphill grades with a gradient angle of
more than 5°, the hill start assist system
maintains the pressure in the brake sys-
tem for approximately 1 second after you
have released the brake pedal. Therefore,
you can start off smoothly without the
vehicle moving immediately after releasing
the brake pedal.The hill start assist system is inactive

when starting off on a level road or
downhill grades

with the transmission in neutral
positionN

with the parking brake set

if the ESP® has switched off due to a
malfunction
Towing a trailer
If you tow a trailer, note the following
points:

Manually shift to a lower gear range
(
page 192) if the transmission hunts
between gears on inclines.
A lower gear range and reduction of
speed reduces the chance to overload
or overheat the engine.
For more information on trailer towing, see
the “Operation” section (
page 328).
Warning!G
When working on the vehicle, set the
parking brake and shift to park positionP.
Otherwise the vehicle could roll away.
Warning!G
The hill start assist system is not designed
to function as a parking brake and does not
prevent the vehicle from moving when
parked on an incline.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to park positionP.

193 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Steering wheel gearshift control
With drive positionD selected, you can
limit or extend the gear range.
If your vehicle is equipped with manual
shift program M, you can use the steering
wheel gearshift control to manually shift
the gears.
1Left shift button: limiting gear range or
downshift (in program modeM)
2Right shift button: extending gear
range or upshift (in program modeM)Limiting gear range
Briefly press left shift button1.
The transmission will shift to the next
lower gear as permitted by the shift
program. This action simultaneously
limits the gear range of the automatic
transmission (
page 192).
iML 63 AMG:
For information on using the steering wheel gear-
shift control in program mode M, see “Shift pro-
gram (ML 63 AMG only)” (
page 194).
!Allow engine to warm up under low load use.
Do not place full load on the engine until the
operating temperature has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or park positionP only
when the vehicle is stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an extended
period when driving off on slippery road
surfaces. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
iYou cannot shift with the steering wheel
gearshift control buttons when the transmission
is in positionP,N orR.
Warning!G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced
vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not
prevent this type of loss of control.
iTo avoid overrevving the engine when down-
shifting, the transmission will not shift to a lower
gear if the engine’s max. speed would be ex-
ceeded.

194 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Extending gear range
Briefly press right shift button2.
The transmission will shift to the next
higher gear as permitted by the shift
program. This action simultaneously
extends the gear range of the automat-
ic transmission (
page 192).
Canceling gear range limit
Press and hold right shift button2
until the cipher for the current gear
range disappears from the multifunc-
tion display (
page 192).
The transmission will shift from the
current gear range directly to gear
rangeD.Shifting into optimal gear range
Press and hold left shift button1.
The transmission will automatically
select the gear range suited for optimal
acceleration and deceleration. This will
involve shifting down one or more
gears.
Shift program (ML 63 AMG only)You can choose between automatic shift
program C or S and manual shift
programM.
1Program mode selector switch
M Manual For manual gear shifting
C Comfort For standard driving
S Sport For sporty drivingiIf you press on the accelerator when the
engine has reached its rpm limit, the transmis-
sion will upshift beyond any gear range limit
selected.
!Allow engine to warm up under low load use.
Do not place full load on the engine until the
operating temperature has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or park positionP only
when the vehicle is stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an extended
period when driving off on slippery road
surfaces. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!Never change the program mode when the
automatic transmission is out of park positionP.
This could result in a change of driving character-
istics for which you may not be prepared.

195 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
The selected program mode appears in the
multifunction display.
1Current program mode
Automatic shift program
You can choose between automatic shift
program C or S.
Press program mode selector switch
repeatedly until the letter of the
desired program mode appears in the
multifunction display.
SelectCfor standard driving:

The vehicle starts out in second
gear (both forward and reverse) for
gentler starts. This does not apply if
full throttle is applied or gear
range1 is selected.

Traction and driving stability are
improved on icy roads.

Upshifts occur earlier even when
you give more gas. The engine then
operates at lower rpms and the
wheels are less likely to spin.
SelectSfor sporty driving:

The vehicle starts out in first gear.

Upshifts occur later.
Manual shift program
In the manual program mode M,
system-controlled automatic gearshifting
is switched off and you need to change the
the gears by manually upshifting or down-
shifting using the steering wheel gearshift
control buttons to the left and right of the
steering wheel (
page 193).Activating manual shift program
Press program mode selector switch
repeatedly until the
M for the manual
program modeM appears in the multi-
function display.
The transmission switches to the
manual program modeM. Automatic
shifting is switched off. The gear range
is not limited.
You can change the gears manually with
drive positionD selected. You can upshift
or downshift through the gears in succes-
sion.
iThe last selected program mode (C or S) is
switched on when the engine is restarted.
iThe manual program modeM will not be
stored. When the engine is turned off with the
manual program modeM selected, the transmis-
sion will go to the automatic program mode
(CorS) when the engine is restarted.

196 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Upshifting
Briefly press right shift button2
(
page 193).
The transmission shifts to the next
higher gear.
If you have selected the AMG menu in the
control system and you are driving in the
manual program modeM, upshift
indicator2 in the multifunction display
advises you to upshift before the engine
reaches the overspeed range. Thus you
can drive at the maximum engine speed for
each gear without overrevving the engine.1Gear indicator
2Upshift indicator
Shift to the next higher gear.
The fuel supply will otherwise be inter-
rupted to prevent the engine from over-
revving.
Downshifting
Briefly press left shift button1
(
page 193).
The transmission shifts to the next
lower gear.
Kickdown
Using the kickdown when driving in the
manual program modeM is not possible.
Deactivating manual shift program
Press the program mode selector
switch (
page 194) repeatedly until
CorS appears in the multifunction
display.
or
Restart the engine.
The transmission will go to the
automatic program mode (C orS).
The manual program modeM is not
stored.
!In the manual program modeM, the trans-
mission will not upshift, even if the engine has
reached its overrewing range. Shift up to the
next gear before the engine has reached its over-
rewing range. Make absolutely certain that the
engine speed does not reach the red marking on
the tachometer (
page 28). Otherwise the en-
gine could be damaged which is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced
vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not
prevent this type of loss of control.
iWhen you brake or stop, the transmission
shifts down to a gear from which you can easily
accelerate or drive off.

332 Operation
Driving instructions

Adjust the mirrors (page 49) to
permit unobstructed view beyond rear
of trailer.

If the trailer has electric brakes, start
your vehicle and trailer moving slowly,
and then apply only the trailer brake
controller by hand to make sure the
brakes are working properly.

Always secure items in the trailer to
prevent load shifts while driving.

When towing a trailer, check occasion-
ally to make sure the load is secure,
and that lighting and trailer brakes (if
so equipped) are functioning properly.

Take into consideration that when tow-
ing a trailer, the handling characteris-
tics are different and less stable from
those when operating the vehicle with-
out a trailer.
It is important to avoid sudden maneu-
vers.

The vehicle and trailer combination is
heavier, and therefore is limited in ac-
celeration and climbing ability, and re-
quires longer stopping distances.
It is more prone to reacting to cross
wind gusts, and requires more sensi-
tive steering input.

If possible, do not brake abruptly, but
rather engage the brake slightly at first
to permit the trailer to activate its
brake. Then increase the braking force.

If the transmission repeatedly shifts
between gears on inclines, manually
shift to a lower gear (select 4, 3, 2 or 1)
(
page 192).
A lower gear and reduction of speed re-
duces the chance of engine overload-
ing and/or overheating.

On very steep inclines, not manageable
with automatic transmission in1,
switch on off-road driving program
(
page 253).

When going down a long hill, shift into
a lower gear and use the engine’s brak-
ing effect.
Avoid riding the brakes, thus overheat-
ing the vehicle and trailer brakes.

If the engine coolant rises to an ex-
tremely high temperature (coolant tem-
perature needle approaching the red
zone) when the air conditioning is on,
turn off the air conditioning system.
Engine coolant heat can be additionally
vented by opening the windows,
switching the climate control fan speed
to high and setting the temperature
control to the maximum hot position.
!If the trailer should begin to sway, reduce
the vehicle’s speed immediately.
In no case attempt to straighten out the tow
vehicle and trailer by increasing the speed.

416 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
ABSUnavailable
See Operator’s ManualThe self-diagnosis has not yet been
completed yet.The display will clear after driving a
short distance at a vehicle speed of
above 12 mph (20 km/h).
Cruise Control And
SPEEDTRONICInoperativeThe cruise control is malfunctioning.Have cruise control checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Cruise Control––– MPHYou have attempted to set a speed
while driving below 20 mph
(30 km/h).Accelerate to a speed exceeding
20 mph (30 km/h) and set the
speed (
page 244).
The ESP® is switched off.Switch on the ESP® (page 100).
The automatic transmission is set to
positionP, R, orN.Set the automatic transmission to
positionD (
page 185).
The vehicle is secured with the
parking brake.Release the parking brake
(
page 57).

532 Index
Automatic climate control (3-zone)* 218
Air conditioning, Cooling 229
Air distribution, Front 224
Air distribution, Rear 233
Air recirculation mode 227
Air vents, Front 224
Air volume 225
Control panel, Front 220
Control panel, Rear 231
Deactivating system 222
Defogging 225
Defrosting 225
Maximum cooling, MAXCOOL 226
Rear passenger compartment 231
Rear window defroster 203
Residual engine heat (REST) 230
Using driver-side settings for
all temperature zones 229
Automatic headlamp mode 136
Automatic lighting control, Interior
lighting 142
Automatic locking when driving 125
Automatic shift program
(ML 63 AMG only) 195Automatic transmission 54
Accelerator position 190
Automatic shift program
(ML 63 AMG only) 195
Emergency operation
(Limp-Home Mode) 197
Gear ranges 192
Gear selector lever 54, 183
Gear shifting malfunctions 197
Hill start assist system 191
Kickdown 190
Kickdown, manual shift program
(ML 63 AMG only) 196
Manual shift progam
(ML 63 AMG only) 195
Program mode selector switch
(ML 63 AMG only) 194
Shift program (ML 63 AMG only) 194
Shifting procedure 186
Starting the engine 54
Steering wheel gearshift control 193
Towing a trailer 191
Transmission fluid level 345
Transmission positions 187
Automatic Transmission Fluid see ATFB
Backrest
Seat 44
Seat, Lumbar support 129
Seat, Multicontour* 129
Backup lamps
Messages in the multifunction
display 438
Replacing bulbs 471
Bar 380
BAS 100
Lamps in instrument cluster 400
Messages in the multifunction
display 415
Basic carrier bars* 266
Batteries, SmartKey
Check lamp 110, 113
Messages in the multifunction
display 427
Replacing 461
Battery, Vehicle 489
Charging 496
Disconnecting and connecting 491
Jump starting 497
Removing and installing 491