brake fluid MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 2003 W163 Owner's Manual

Contents
Loading.............................................. 139
Loading instructions..................... 139
Partition net* ............................... 141
Cargo area cover blind* ............... 143
Cargo floor plates ........................ 144
Roof rack*.................................... 145
Driving systems ................................. 146
Cruise control .............................. 146
Parktronic system*
(Parking assist) ............................ 149
Useful features .................................. 152
Interior storage spaces ................ 152
Cup holders.................................. 154
Armrest in rear seat bench .......... 155
Ashtrays and cigarette lighter ...... 156
Electrical outlet ............................ 158
Telephone* .................................. 158
Tele Aid* ...................................... 159
Garage door opener ..................... 168
Trip computer*............................. 172Operation......................................... 177
The first 1000 miles (1500 km) ......... 178
Driving instructions............................ 179
Drive sensibly – save fuel............. 179Drinking and driving ...................... 179
Pedals ........................................... 179
Power assistance .......................... 179
Brakes........................................... 180
Driving off ..................................... 181
Parking.......................................... 182
Tires .............................................. 182
Hydroplaning................................. 183
Tire traction .................................. 183
Tire speed rating ........................... 184
Winter driving instructions ............ 184
Standing water.............................. 185
Off-road driving ............................. 186
Trailer towing ................................ 192
Passenger compartment ............... 196
Driving abroad .............................. 197
Control and operation of radio
transmitters .................................. 197
Catalytic converter........................ 198
Emission control ........................... 198
Coolant temperature..................... 199
At the gas station ............................... 200
Check regularly and
before a long trip .......................... 201Engine compartment .......................... 202
Hood ............................................. 202
Engine oil ...................................... 203
Transmission fluid level ................ 206
Coolant ......................................... 206
Battery .......................................... 207
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system ........... 208
Tires and wheels ................................ 209
Important guidelines ..................... 209
Life of tire ..................................... 210
Direction of rotation ..................... 210
Checking tire inflation pressure .... 211
Rotating wheels ............................ 212
Winter driving ..................................... 213
Winter tires ................................... 213
Block heater (Canada only) ........... 214
Snow chains ................................. 214
Maintenance ...................................... 215
Clearing the service indicator ....... 215
Service term exceeded ................. 215
Calling up the service indicator .... 216
Resetting the service indicator ..... 216
Vehicle care ....................................... 217
Cleaning and care
of the vehicle ................................ 217

ContentsPractical hints.................................. 223
What to do if … .................................. 224
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 224
Additional indicators in the
speedometer display .................... 235
Where will I find ...?............................ 236
First aid kit ................................... 236
Vehicle tool kit ............................. 237
Electric air pump (ML 55 AMG) .... 238
Spare wheel (space-saver tire) ..... 239
Unlocking/locking in an emergency .. 242
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 242
Locking the vehicle ...................... 243
Changing batteries ....................... 243
Fuel filler flap ............................... 244
Manually unlocking the
transmission selector lever .......... 245
Opening/closing in an emergency ..... 246
Sliding/pop-up roof* .................... 246
Replacing bulbs ................................. 247
Bulbs ............................................ 247
Replacing bulbs for front lamps.... 249
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 251
Adjusting headlamp aim ............... 253Replacing wiper blades ...................... 254
Removal ....................................... 254
Installation ................................... 254
Flat tire .............................................. 255
Mounting the spare wheel ............ 255
Battery ............................................... 261
Disconnecting the battery ............ 261
Removing the batteries ................ 262
Charging and reinstalling
batteries....................................... 262
Reconnecting the batteries .......... 262
Jump starting ..................................... 264
Towing the vehicle ............................. 267
Front towing eye .......................... 269
Rear towing eye ........................... 269
Stranded vehicle .......................... 270
Fuses ................................................. 271
Fuse box in engine
compartment ............................... 271
Auxiliary fuse box in front
passenger footwell ....................... 272
Technical data................................. 273
Spare parts service............................ 274
Warranty coverage ............................ 275
Loss of Service and Warranty
Information Booklet ..................... 275
Identification labels ........................... 276
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ................. 277
Engine ............................................... 278
Rims and tires ................................... 279
Rims and tires .............................. 279
Rims and winter tires* ................. 280
Spare wheel ................................. 280
Electrical system ............................... 281
Main Dimensions ............................... 282
Weights ............................................. 283
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. .......... 284
Capacities .................................... 284
Engine oils ................................... 286
Engine oil additives ...................... 286
Air conditioning refrigerant .......... 286
Brake fluid.................................... 286
Premium unleaded gasoline ......... 286
Fuel requirements ........................ 287
Gasoline additives ........................ 287
Coolants ...................................... 287

26 At a glanceInstrument cluster
Item
Page
5
Photo sensor
(adjusts the brightness of
the digital displays located
in 1, 4 and 8)
6
Right indicator lamps
with:W
Low wind-
shield/headlamp
washer system fluid
level warning lamp
234
7
Front passenger air-
bag switched off
232
‡
Front fog lamp
switched on
105
Item
Page
_
Steering wheel ad-
justment not locked
229
<
Seat belt nonusage
warning lamp
234
1
Supplemental Re-
straint System
(SRS) indicator
227
É
Brake warning lamp
228
229
#
Charge indicator
lamp
233
A
High beam head-
lamp switched on
47
Item
Page
7
Knob for setting clock
112
8
Tachometer with:
Selector lever
position
114
Clock
112
9
K
Turn signal
indicator lamp right
10
L
Turn signal
indicator lamp left

180 OperationDriving instructionsBrakes
To help prevent brake disk corrosion after
driving on wet road surfaces (particularly
salted roads), it is advisable to brake the
vehicle with considerable force prior to
parking. The heat generated serves to dry
the brakes.
If your brake system is normally only sub-
jected to moderate loads, you should occa-
sionally test the effectiveness of the
brakes by applying above-normal braking
pressure at higher speeds. This will also
enhance the grip of the brake pads.If the parking brake is released and the
brake warning lamp in the instrument clus-
ter stays on and there is no audible warn-
ing (EBP), the brake fluid level in the
reservoir is too low.
Brake pad wear or a leak in the system may
be the reason for low brake fluid in the res-
ervoir.
Have the brake system inspected at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center immediately.
All checks and service work on the brake
system should be carried out by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.Warning!
G
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without applying the brakes or through wa-
ter deep enough to wet brake components,
the first braking action may be somewhat
reduced and increased pedal pressure may
be necessary to obtain expected braking ef-
fect. Maintain a safe distance from vehicles
in front.
Resting your foot on the brake pedal will
cause excessive and premature wear of the
brake pads.
It can also result in the brakes overheating,
thereby significantly reducing their effec-
tiveness. It may not be possible to stop the
vehicle in sufficient time to avoid an acci-
dent.
!Be very careful not to endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
Refer to the description of the Brake
Assist System (BAS) (
page 73).

181 Operation
Driving instructions
Install only brake pads and brake fluid rec-
ommended by Mercedes-Benz.
After hard braking, it is advisable to drive
on for some time, rather than immediately
parking, so the air stream will cool down
the brakes faster.
Driving off
Apply the brakes to test them briefly after
driving off. Perform this procedure only
when the road is clear of other traffic.
Warm up the engine smoothly. Do not
place full load on the engine until the oper-
ating temperature has been reached.
When starting off on a slippery surface, do
not allow one drive wheel to spin for an ex-
tended period with the ESP switched off.
Doing so may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
If other than recommended brake pads are
installed, or other than recommended brake
fluid is used, the braking properties of the
vehicle can be degraded to an extent that
safe braking is substantially impaired. This
could result in an accident.
!When driving down long and steep
grades, relieve the load on the brakes
by shifting into a lower gear to use the
engine’s braking power. This helps
prevent overheating of the brakes and
reduces brake pad wear.

201 Operation
At the gas station
Check regularly and before a long trip
Open the hood (
page 202)
1Engine oil level
More information on engine oil can be
found in the “Operation” section
(
page 203).
2Coolant level
For normal replenishing, use water (po-
table water quality). More information
on the coolant level can be found in the
“Operation” section (
page 206).
3Brake fluid
More information on brake fluid can be
found in the “Technical data” section
(
page 284).4Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system
More information on filling the reser-
voir can be found in the “Operation”
section (
page 208).
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. More in-
formation on replacing light bulbs can be
found in the “Practical hints” section
(
page 247).
Combination switch (
page 102).
Tire inflation pressure
More information on tire inflation pressure
can be found in the “Operation” section
(
page 211).
iLeaving the engine running and the fuel
cap open can cause the
?
lamp to
illuminate.
See also “Practical hints” section
(
page 232).

217 Operation
Vehicle care
Vehicle care
Cleaning and care of the vehicle
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected to varying external in-
fluences which, if gone unchecked, can at-
tack the paintwork as well as the
underbody and cause lasting damage.Such damage is caused not only by ex-
treme and varying climatic conditions, but
also by:


Air pollution


Road salt


Tar, gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should imme-
diately remove:


Grease and oil


Fuel


Coolant


Brake fluid


Bird droppings


Insects


Tree resins, etc.Frequent washing reduces and/or elimi-
nates the aggressiveness and potency of
the above adverse influences.
More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions, for ex-
ample:


Near the ocean


In industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)


During winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage.
A n y d a m a g e s h o u l d b e r e p a i r e d a s s o o n a s
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thor-
ough check is a washing of the underbody
followed by a thorough inspection. Dam-
aged areas need to be re-undercoated.
Warning!
G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the partic-
ular container. Always open your vehicle’s
doors or windows when cleaning the inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not de-
signed for cleaning your vehicle.

228 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
É
The red brake warning lamp
lights up while driving and you
hear a warning sound.
You are driving with the parking brake set.

Release the parking brake
(page 45).
É
The red brake warning lamp
lights up while driving.
There is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir.

Risk of accident! Carefully stop the
vehicle and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Do not add brake fluid! This will not
solve the problem.
Warning!
G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on. Don’t add
brake fluid before checking the brake sys-
tem. Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir can
result in spilling brake fluid on hot engine
parts and the brake fluid catching fire. You
can be seriously burned.
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks.

234 Practical hintsWhat to do if …<
The red seat belt warning lamp
blinks for a brief period after
starting the engine.
The warning lamp reminds you to fasten seat
belts.

Fasten your seat belt (
page 60).
W
The yellow low washer system
fluid level lamp lights up after
starting the engine or while driv-
ing.
There is approximately 1.3 US qt. (1.25 l) of
washer fluid remaining in the reservoir.

Add washer fluid (
page 208).
The washer fluid may have frozen

Move the vehicle to a warmer environ-
ment so that the washer fluid will
thaw.

Correct the concentration level after
the washer fluid in the reservoir
thaws.
2
The yellow brake indicator lamp
lights up during braking or after
starting the engine.
The brake pads are worn down.

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
!Brake pad thickness must be visually
checked by a qualified technician at the
intervals specified in the Service book-
let.

284 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.Capacities
Vehicle components and their respective
lubricants must match.Therefore use only brand tested and rec-
ommended by us.Please refer to the Factory Approved Ser-
vice Products pamphlet, or inquire at your
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Engine with oil filter
ML 320, ML 350,
ML 500
8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
Recommended engine oils
ML 55 AMG
8.0 US qt (7.5 l)
Recommended engine oils
Automatic transmis-
sion
9.0 US qt (8.5 l)
MB Automatic Transmission Oil
1
1MB part no. 001 989 21 03 10Transfer case
1.6 US qt (1.5 l)
(Dexron 3 or Dexron 2E)
Rear axle
1.3 US qt (1.25 l)
(Hypoid gear oil SAE 90, 85 W 90)
Front axle
1.2 US qt (1.1 l)
(Hypoid gear oil SAE 90)
Power steering
approx. 0.65 US qt (0.6 l)
MB Power Steering Fluid
Front wheel hubs
approx. 1.5 oz (43 g) each
High temperature roller bearing grease
Brake system
0.75 US qt (0.7 l)
MB Brake Fluid (DOT 4+)