ECO mode MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 2003 W163 Owner's Manual

9
Product information
Introduction
Product informationPlease observe the following in your own
best interest:
We recommend using Mercedes-Benz orig-
inal parts as well as conversion parts and
accessories explicitly approved by us for
your vehicle model.
We have tested these parts to determine
their reliability, safety and their special
suitability for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.We are unable to make an assessment for
other products and therefore cannot be
held responsible for them, even if in indi-
vidual cases an official approval or authori-
zation by governmental or other agencies
should exist. Use of such parts and acces-
sories could adversely affect the safety,
performance or reliability of your vehicle.
Please do not use them.Mercedes-Benz original parts as well as
conversion parts and accessories ap-
proved by us are available at your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center
where you will receive comprehensive in-
formation, also on permissible technical
modifications, and where proper installa-
tion will be performed.

76 Safety and SecurityDriving and safety systemsLOW RANGE – ESP
During off-road driving a special low range
system for the ESP is operational with
transmission in LOW RANGE mode
(page 118).
In the LOW RANGE mode ESP operates in
a traction improving fashion specifically
adapted for off-road driving. At speeds be-low 27 mph (45 km / h), the ESP assists in
over-/understeering, thus improving vehi-
cle traction.
Switching off the ESP
To improve the vehicle’s traction, turn off
the ESP in driving situations where it would
be advantageous to have drive wheels spin
and thus cut into surfaces for better grip
such as:


starting out on slippery surfaces and in
deep snow in conjunction with snow
chains


in sand or gravel


when driving off-roadWhen the ESP is turned off


engine torque is not limited.


the drive wheels can spin.
This helps the wheels cut into surfaces
for a better grip.
!The engine must be shut off when

the parking brake is being tested on
a brake test dynamometer.


the vehicle is being towed with the
front axle raised.
Otherwise, the ESP will engage the
brakes and seriously damage the brake
system.
The ESP will only function properly if
you use wheels of the recommended
tire size (
page 279).
Warning!
G
The ESP should not be switched off during
normal driving other than in the circum-
stances described below. Disabling of the
system will reduce vehicle stability in stan-
dard driving maneuvers.
!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period with the ESP switched
off. This may cause serious damage to
the drivetrain which is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.iTurn ESP on immediately if the afore-
mentioned circumstances do not apply
anymore.

80 Safety and SecurityAnti-theft systemsArming tow-alarm and glass breakage
sensor
When you lock your vehicle, the tow-away
and glass breakage sensor alarm is auto-
matically armed.
Disarming tow-alarm and glass break-
age sensor
To prevent triggering the tow-away alarm
feature, switch off the tow-away alarm and
glass breakage sensor before towing the
vehicle, or when parking on a surface sub-
ject to movement, such as a ferry or auto
train.Vehicles with trip computer*
The buttons are located in the overhead
control panel.
1Reset button
2Mode button
3Display
4Glass breakage sensor

Turn key in steering lock to position1
(page 33).

Press button2.

Return key to position0 and remove it
from the steering lock.

Within 30 seconds press button1 or 2.
The display shows
OFF
.

Exit vehicle and lock vehicle with re-
mote control (
page 32).
The tow-away alarm and glass breakage
sensor remain switched off until the key is
inserted in steering lock and turned to
position1.

117 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Accelerator position
Your driving style influences the transmis-
sion’s shifting behavior:
Less throttle Earlier upshifting
More throttle Later upshifting
Kickdown
Use kickdown when you want maximum
acceleration
Press the accelerator past the point of
resistance.
The transmission shifts into a lower
gear.

Ease on the accelerator when you have
reached the desired speed.
The transmission shifts up again.

Towing a trailer
If you tow a trailer, note the following
points:

Manually shift to a lower gear range
(4,3, 2, 1), if the transmission hunts
between gears on inclines
(page 114).
A lower gear range and reduction of
speed reduces the change to overload
or overheat the engine.


At very steep inclines switch transfer
case to LOW RANGE mode
(page 118).
For more information on trailer towing, see
the “Operation” section (
page 192).Emergency operation (Limp Home
Mode)
If the vehicle acceleration worsens or the
transmission no longer shifts, the trans-
mission is most likely operating in limp
home mode. In this mode only 2nd gear
and reverse gear can be activated.
Stop the vehicle.

Move selector lever to positionP.

Turn off the engine.

Wait at least ten seconds before re-
starting.

Move selector lever to position D (for
2nd gear) or R.

Have the transmission checked at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center as soon as possible.

125 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control
Automatic climate control panel in the front
Item
1
Thumbwheel center air outlet
2
Center air outlet, adjustable
3
Defroster air outlet windshield
4
Thumbwheels side air outlet
5
Side air outlet, adjustable
6
Footwell air outlet
7
Automatic climate control
Item
1
Air volume control
2
Defrosting
3
Air recirculation
4
Temperature control
5
Automatic control (temperature, air
distribution, air volume)
6
AC
OFF
(AC cooling on/off), econo-
my mode
Residual heat/ventilation
7
Interior temperature sensor
8
Air distribution control
9
Rear window defroster
10
Rear passenger compartment venti-
lation on/off

126 Controls in detailAutomatic climate controlThe automatic climate control is operation-
al whenever the engine is running. You can
operate the climate control system in ei-
ther the automatic or manual mode. The
system cools or heats the interior depend-
ing on the selected interior temperature
and the current 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.
Automatic mode
Switching on
Briefly press button
U

(
page 125).
The indicator lamp lights up. The tem-
perature, air volume and distribution
are controlled automatically.

Adjust the temperature with the tem-
perature control4 (
page 125).
Temperature control is switched off in
the extreme position (blue or red dot).
Warning!
G
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.
iSevere conditions (e.g. strong air pollu-
tion) may require replacement of the fil-
ter before its scheduled interval. A
clogged filter will reduce the air volume
to the interior.
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.
Do not touch the interior temperature
sensor to maintain a precise tempera-
ture.
The set value is indicated by a lighted
segment on the control wheels.

127 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control
Switching off
Briefly press button
U

(
page 125).
The indicator lamp goes out. The auto-
matic mode is switched off
Air volume control1 is set to fan
speed 2 and air distribution is set
toV
.
Activating basic setting

Press button
U
at least three sec-
onds.
All functions are switched to automatic
mode and temperature is set to 72°F
(22°C).Changing basic setting

Set temperature control4
(page 125) to desired temperature.

Press button
U
for ten seconds.
The selected temperature value is
stored and set.Adjusting air volume and air distribu-
tion manually
Adjusting air volume
Turn air volume control1 to one of five
air volume settings.
iAdjust temperature settings in small in-
crements.
iIf you turn air volume control1
(page 125) or air distribution
control8, the automatic mode switch-
es off. The indicator lamp in the
button
U
goes out. The tempera-
ture control will still be in automatic
mode.
iWhen set to 0, the system is fully deac-
tivated and no fresh air is supplied. This
setting should only be selected for
short periods of time.

162 Controls in detailUseful featuresOnce the emergency call is in progress, the
indicator lamp in the SOS button will begin
to flash. The message
EMERGENCY CALL –
CONNECTING CALL
appears in the MCS dis-
play. When the connection is established,
the message
EMERGENCY CALL –
CALL CONNECTED
appears in the MCS dis-
play. All information relevant to the emer-
gency, such as the location of the vehicle
(determined by the GPS satellite location
system), vehicle model, identification num-
ber and color are generated.
A voice connection between the Response
Center and the occupants of the vehicle
will be established automatically soon af-
ter the emergency call has been initiated.
When a voice connection is established the
audio system mutes and the message
TELE AID – EMERGENCY CALL ACTIVE
ap-
pears in the MCS display. The Response
Center will attempt to determine more pre-
cisely the nature of the accident provided
they can speak to an occupant of the vehi-
cle.The Tele Aid system is available if:


it has been activated and is operation-
al. Activation requires a subscription
for monitoring services, connection
and cellular air time


the relevant cellular phone network
and GPS signals are available and pass
the information on to the response cen-
ter.iLocation of the vehicle on a map is only
possible if the vehicle is able to receive
signals from the GPS satellite network
and pass the information on to the re-
sponse center.
Warning!
G
If the indicator lamp in the SOS button is il-
luminated continuously and there was no
voice connection to the Response Center
established, then the Tele Aid system could
not initiate an emergency call (e.g. the rele-
vant cellular phone network is not available).
The message
EMERGENCY CALL –
Call FAILED appears in the MCS display
for approx. 10 seconds.
Should this occur, assistance must be sum-
moned by other means.

164 Controls in detailUseful featuresWhen the connection is established, the
message
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE –
CALL CONNECTED
appears in the MCS dis-
play. The Tele Aid system will transmit data
generating the vehicle identification num-
ber, model, color and location (subject to
availability of cellular and GPS signals).
A voice connection between the Roadside
Assistance dispatcher and the occupants
of the vehicle will be established. When a
voice connection is established the audio
system mutes and the message
TELE AID
– ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CALL ACTIVE
ap-
pears in the MCS display.

Describe the nature of the need for as-
sistance.The Mercedes-Benz Roadside assistance
dispatcher will either dispatch a qualified
Mercedes-Benz technician or arrange to
tow your vehicle to the nearest
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. For
services such as labor and / or towing,
charges may apply. Refer to the Roadside
Assistance manual for more information.
These programs are only available in the
USA:


Sign and Drive services: Services such
as jump start, a few gallons of fuel or
the replacement of a flat tire with the
vehicle spare tire are obtainable,


Remote Vehicle Diagnostics: This func-
tion permits the Mercedes-Benz Road-
side Assistance dispatcher to
download malfunction codes and actu-
al vehicle data.
iWhile the call is connected you can
change to navigation menu by pressing
NAVI button on the MCS unit.
iThe indicator lamp in the Roadside As-
sistance button
•
remains illumi-
nated in red for approx. 10 seconds
during the system self-check after turn-
ing the key in the steering lock to
position2 (together with the SOS but-
ton and the Information button
¡
).
See system self-check (
page 160)
when the indicator lamp does not light
up in red or stays on longer than ap-
proximately 10 seconds.

165 Controls in detail
Useful features
Information button
¡
1Cover
2Information button
¡

Briefly press on cover1.
The cover will open.

Press and hold the button (for longer
than 2 seconds).
A call to the Customer Assistance Cen-
ter will be initiated. The button will
flash while the call is in progress. The
message
INFO – CONNECTING CALL
will
appear in the MCS display.When the connection is established, the
message
INFO – CALL CONNECTED
appears
in the MCS display. The Tele Aid system
will transmit data generating the vehicle
identification number, model, color and lo-
cation (subject to availability of cellular
and GPS signals).
A voice connection between the Customer
Assistance Center representative and the
occupants of the vehicle will be estab-
lished. When a voice connection is estab-
lished the audio system mutes and the
message
TELE AID – INFO CALL ACTIVE

appears in the MCS display. Information
regarding the operation of your vehicle, the
nearest Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center
or Mercedes-Benz USA products and ser-
vices is available to you. If the indicator lamp in the Roadside
Assistance button
•
is illuminated
continuously and there was no voice
connection to the Response Center es-
tablished, then the Tele Aid system
could not initiate a Roadside Assis-
tance call (e.g. the relevant cellular
phone network was not available). The
message
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE –
CALL FAILED
appears in the MCS dis-
play.
Roadside Assistance calls can be ter-
minated using the END Button on the
MCS unit.
iWhile the call is connected, you can
change to navigation menu by pressing
NAVI button on the MCS unit.