break MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 2004 W163 User Guide

206 OperationDriving instructionsOff-road driving increases strain on the
vehicle.
We recommend that you inspect the vehi-
cle for possible damage after each off-road
trip. Recognizing any damage and a subse-
quent timely repair reduces the chance of
a possible breakdown or accident later on.
Proceed as follows:

Switch off the LOW RANGE mode
(page 125).


Remove excessive dirt from tires,
wheels, wheel housings, and under-
body.
For instance, after driving in mud, clean
the radiator, chassis, engine, brakes,
and wheels from extreme dirt using a
strong jet of water.


Inspect frame, oil pan, brake hoses,
etc., as well as vehicle underbody for
possible damage.


Check tires for possible damage, clean
all exterior lamps, and conduct a brake
test.


Check for brush or branches caught in
the undercarriage.
They could increase the possibility of a
fire, as well as cut fuel and / or brake
lines, puncture rubber bellows of the
axles or drive shafts.


After continued operation in mud,
sand, water or other dirty conditions
clean the brake discs, wheels, brake
pads and check and clean axle joints.
Trailer towingWarning!
G
Failure to use proper equipment and driving
technique can result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol when towing a trailer.
Improper towing or failure to follow the in-
structions contained in this guide can result
in serious injury. Follow the guidelines be-
low carefully to assure safe trailer operation.
Ask your authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center should you require an explana-
tion of information contained in this guide.

208 OperationDriving instructionsLoading a trailer

When loading a trailer, you should ob-
serve that neither the permissible GTW,
nor the GVWR are exceeded.
Maximum permissible values are listed
on the safety compliance certification
labels for the vehicle and for the trailer
to be towed.
The lowest value listed must be select-
ed when determining how the vehicle
and trailer are loaded.


The tongue weight at the hitch ball
must be added to the GVW to prevent
exceeding your Mercedes-Benz tow
vehicle’s rear GAWR.Checking weights of vehicle and trailer


To assure that the tow vehicle and trail-
er are in compliance with the maximum
permissible weight limits have the load-
ed rig (tow vehicle including driver, pas-
sengers and cargo, trailer fully loaded)
weighed on a commercial scale.


Check the vehicle’s front and rear
Gross Axle Weight (GAW), the GTW and
TW.
The values as measured must not be
exceeded, according to the weight list-
ed under “Vehicle and trailer weight
and ratings”.Attaching a trailer
Observe maximum permitted trailer
dimensions (width and length).
Most states and all Canadian provinces
require


safety chains between your tow vehicle
and the trailer.
The chains should be crisscrossed un-
der the trailer tongue. They must be at-
tached to the hitch receiver, and not to
the vehicle’s bumper or axle.
Be sure to leave enough slack in the
chains to permit turning corners.


a separate brake system at various
trailer weights.


a break-away switch on trailers with a
separate brake system.
The switch activates the trailer brakes
in the possible event that the trailer
might separate from the tow vehicle.
iWe recommend loading the trailer in
such a manner that it has a tongue
weight (TW) between 10% and 15% of
the GTW.

209 Operation
Driving instructions
Towing a trailer
There are many different laws, including
speed limit restrictions, having to do with
trailer towing. Make sure your rig will be le-
gal, not only for where you reside, but also
for where you will be driving. A good
source for this information can be the po-
lice or local authorities.
Note the following points, when driving
with the trailer:

In order to gain skill and an under-
standing of the vehicle’s behavior, you
should practice turning, stopping and
backing up in an area which is free from
traffic.


Before you start driving check the

trailer hitch


break-away switch


safety chains


electrical connections


lighting and tiresAdjust the mirrors 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 be 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 be sure that 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.
!Do not connect a trailer brake system
(if trailer is so equipped) directly to the
vehicle’s hydraulic brake system, as
your vehicle is equipped with antilock
brakes. If you do, neither the vehicle’s
brakes nor the trailer’s brakes will func-
tion properly.iThe provided vehicle electrical wiring
harness for trailer towing has a brake
signal wire (color orange) for hook-up
to a brake controller.
You should consider using a trailer
sway control system. For further infor-
mation see your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.

218 OperationEngine compartment
Closing
Let the hood drop from a height of ap-
proximately 1 ft (30 cm).
The hood will lock audibly.

Check to make sure the hood is fully
closed.
If you can raise the hood at a point
above the headlamps, then it is not
properly closed. Open it again and let it
drop with somewhat greater force.
Engine oil
The amount of oil your engine needs will
depend on a number of factors, including
driving style. Higher oil consumption can
occur when

the vehicle is new


the vehicle is driven frequently at
higher engine speeds
Engine oil consumption checks should only
be made after the vehicle break-in period.
Warning!
G
If you see flames or smoke coming from the
engine compartment, or if the coolant tem-
perature gauge indicates that the engine is
overheated, do not open the hood. Move
away from vehicle and do not open the hood
until the engine has cooled. If necessary,
call the fire department.Warning!
G
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Because of the high voltage
it is dangerous to touch any components (ig-
nition coils, spark plug sockets, diagnostic
socket) of the ignition system

with the engine running


while starting the engine


if ignition is “on” and the engine is
turned manually
Warning!
G
Be careful that you do not close the hood on
anyone.!Do not push the hood closed manually,
as this could damage it.
iDo not use any special lubricant addi-
tives, as these may damage the drive
assemblies. Using special additives not
approved by Mercedes-Benz will
restrict your warranty entitlement.
More information on this subject is
available at any Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.


226 OperationTires and wheels
Tires and wheelsSee your authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center for information on tested and
recommended rims and tires for summer
and winter operation. They can also offer
advice concerning tire service and pur-
chase.
Retreaded tires are not tested or recom-
mended by Mercedes-Benz, since previous
damage cannot always be recognized on
retreads. Mercedes-Benz can therefore
not assure the operating safety of the vehi-
cle when such tires are used.
See your authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center for information on tested and
recommended rims and tires for summer
and winter operation.
Important guidelines

Use only sets of tires and rims of the
same type and make.


Tires must be of the correct size for the
rim.


Break in new tires for approximately
60 miles (100 km) at moderate
speeds.


Regularly check the tires and rims for
damage. Dented or bent rims can
cause tire pressure loss or damage to
the tire beads.


If vehicle is heavily loaded, check tire
pressure and correct as required.


Do not allow your tires to wear down
too far. Adhesion properties on wet
roads are sharply reduced at tread
depths under
1/8in (3 mm).


When replacing individual tires, you
should mount new tires on the front
wheels first.
Warning!
G
Replace rims or tires with the same designa-
tion, manufacturer and type as shown on the
original part. See your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center for fur-
ther information. If incorrectly sized rims
and tires are mounted:

The wheel brakes or suspension compo-
nents can be damaged.


The correct operating clearance of the
wheels and the tires are no longer guar-
anteed.
Warning!
G
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the
tire tread is badly worn, or if the tires have
sustained damage, replace them.
When replacing rims, use only genuine
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts specified for the
particular rim type. Failure to do so can re-
sult in the bolts loosening and possibly an
accident.

311 Technical terms
ABS
(A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)
Prevents the wheels from locking up
during braking so that the vehicle can
continue to be steered.
BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation
system
This system detects if a special system
compatible child restraint seat is in-
stalled on the front passenger seat. The
system will automatically deactivate
the passenger front airbag when such a
seat is properly installed (indicator
lamp7 in the instrument cluster
lights up). See your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center for
availability.
BabySmartTM compatible child seats
Special restraint system for children.
The sensor system for the passenger
seat prevents deployment of the pas-
senger front airbag if a BabySmart
TM
compatible child seat is installed.BAS
(B
rake A
ssist S
ystem)
System for potentially reducing braking
distances in emergency braking situa-
tions. The system is activated when it
senses an emergency based on how
fast the brake is applied.
Bi-Xenon headlamps*
Headlamps which use an electric arc as
the light source and produce a more in-
tense light than filament headlamps.
Bi-Xenon headlamps produce low
beam and high beam.
CAC
(C
ustomer A
ssistance C
enter)
Mercedes-Benz customer service cen-
ter, which can help you with any ques-
tions about your vehicle and provide
assistance in the event of a break-
down.CAN system
(C
ontroller A
rea N
etwork)
Data bus network serving to control ve-
hicle functions such as door locking or
windshield wiping.
Cockpit
All instruments, switches, buttons and
indicator / warning lamps in the pas-
senger compartment needed for vehi-
cle operation and monitoring.
Cruise control
Driving convenience system for auto-
matically maintaining the vehicle speed
set by the driver.
Engine number
The number set by the manufacturer
and placed on the cylinder block to
uniquely identify each engine pro-
duced.

318 IndexAir conditioning refrigerant 302
Air outlets
Automatic climate control 142
Air pressure see Tire inflation
pressure 227
Air recirculation mode 138
Activating 139
Deactivating 139
AIRBAG OFF
Warning lamp 243
Airbags 59
BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation
system 311
BabySmartTM deactivation
system 70
Children 60
Front 63
Passenger 63
Safety guidelines 62
Side impact 64
Window curtain 64Alarm
Audible 75, 84, 86
Canceling 84, 86
Visual 83
Alarm system
Anti-theft 83
Anticorrosion/antifreeze 305
Antiglare
Automatic 126
Antilock brake system (ABS) 311
Anti-theft alarm system
Arming 83
Canceling alarm 84, 86
Disarming 84
Anti-theft systems
Anti-theft alarm system 83
Immobilizer 83
Tow-away alarm, glass breakage
sensor 84
Aquaplaning see Hydroplaning 197
Armrest
Storage compartment in front of 165
Storage spaces 165Armrest in rear seat bench 167
Ashtray
Front center console 168
Rear center console 169
ATF (automatic transmission fluid) 222
Attaching a trailer 208
Automatic antiglare for rear view
mirror 126
Automatic central locking
Activating 93
Deactivating 93
Automatic climate control 134
Adjusting air distribution 137
Adjusting air volume 137
Air conditioning 139
Air outlets 142
Air recirculation mode 138
Basic setting 137
Changing basic setting 137
Defrosting 138
Economy mode 135

319 Index
Rear passenger compartment 141
Rear window defroster 133
Residual heat utilization 140
Residual ventilation 140
Switching off 137
Switching on 137
Automatic headlamp mode 108
Automatic interior lighting control
Activating 113
Deactivating 113
Automatic locking when driving 93
Automatic transmission 119
Accelerator position 123
Emergency operation (Limp Home
Mode) 124
Gear ranges 121
Gear selector lever position 122
Gear shifting malfunctions 124
Kickdown 123
Manual shifting 120
One-touch gearshifting 120Selector lever position 119
Towing a trailer 124
Transmission fluid 222
B
BabySmart
TM
Airbag deactivation system 70
Compatible child seats 70, 311
Self-test 70
BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation
system 311
Backrest tilt 35
Backup lamps 267, 270
Bulbs 267
BAS 78, 311
Malfunction indicator lamp 245, 246,
247
Warning lamp 245, 246, 247
Batteries, remote control
Changing 262
Batteries, vehicle 223
Battery discharged
Jump starting 281Battery indicator lamp
Indicator lamp 254
Battery, vehicle 223, 278
Charging 279
Disconnecting 279
Reconnecting 279
Reinstalling 279
Removing 279
Bi-Xenon headlamps* 311
Blocking
Rear door window operation 73
Brake assist system (BAS) 311
Brake fluid 302
Brake lamp bulbs 267
Brake lamp, high mounted 267
Brake pad wear
Indicator lamp 254
Brakes 194
Warning lamp 244
Break-in period 192

326 IndexGear range 312
Automatic transmission 121
Limiting 121
Shifting into optimal 120
Gear range limit
Canceling 120
Gear selector lever
Cleaning 238
Position 122
Glass breakage sensor 84
Global Positioning System (GPS) 312
Glossary 311
Glove box 23, 164
Closing 164
Opening 164
Good visibility 126
GPS 312H
Hard plastic trim items
Cleaning 238
Hazard warning flasher 112
Switching off 112
Switching on 112
Head restraints
Manual seats 36
Power seats* 38
Headlamp aim
Adjusting 272
Headlamp cleaning system* 224
Headlamps
Automatic control 108
Bi-Xenon* 311
Cleaning 236
Cleaning system* 131, 224
Refilling washer fluid 224
Switching off 54
Switching on 48
Washer fluid 307
Washer system 307Headliner
Cleaning 238
Heated seats* 98
Height adjustment
Head restraints 36, 38
Seat belts 45
Steering wheel 39
High beam flasher 49, 110
High beam headlamps
Replacing bulbs 266, 269
Switching on 110
High mounted brake lamp 267
Replacing bulbs 271
Hood 217
Closing 218
Opening 217
Hooks
Loading 159
Hydroplaning 197