MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 2004 W163 Workshop Manual

51 Getting started
Driving
Rear window wiper
The button is on the upper part on the cen-
ter console.
1Intermittent wiping
2Indicator lamp
3Wiping with washer fluidSwitching on intermittent wiping
Make sure the ignition is switched on.

Press upper half1 of the button.
Switching off intermittent wiping

Press upper half1 of the button
again.
Wiping with washer fluid

Press and hold lower half3 of the but-
ton.
After releasing the button the wiper op-
erates for additional five seconds.
More information on windshield wipers can
be found in the “Controls in detail” section
(
page 129).
Problems while driving
The engine runs erratically and misfires

An ignition cable may be damaged.


The engine electronics may not be
operating properly.


Unburned gasoline may have entered
the catalytic converter and damaged it.

Give very little gas.

Have the problem repaired by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center as soon as possible.

52 Getting startedDrivingThe coolant temperature is over 248°F
(120°C)
The coolant is too hot and is no longer
cooling the engine.
Stop the vehicle as soon as possible
and turn off the engine. Allow engine
and coolant to cool.

Check the coolant level and add cool-
ant if necessary (
page 222).In case of accident
If the vehicle is leaking gasoline:

Do not start the engine under any cir-
cumstances.

Notify local fire and / or police authori-
ties.
If the extent of the damage cannot be de-
termined:

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.
If no damage can be determined on the


major assemblies


fuel system


engine mount:

Start the engine in the usual manner.

53 Getting started
Parking and locking
Parking and locking
You have now completed your first drive.
You have properly stopped and parked
your vehicle. End your drive as follows.
Parking brake
1Parking brake
2Release handle
Step firmly on parking brake1.
When the engine is running, the indica-
tor lampÉ in the instrument cluster
will be illuminated.
Warning!
G
Wait until the vehicle is stationary before re-
moving the key from the steering lock. The
vehicle cannot be steered when the key is
removed.Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
system. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the
vehicle.
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.


Firmly depress parking brake pedal.


Move the gear selector lever to
positionP.


Slowly release brake pedal.


When parked on an incline, turn front
wheel towards the road curb.


Turn the key to starter switch position0
and remove.


Take the key and lock vehicle when leav-
ing.

54 Getting startedParking and locking
Switching off headlamps
Turn the combination switch to1
(page 48).
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 107).
Turning off engine
Place the gear selector lever in
positionP.

Turn the key in the steering lock
(page 33) to position0 and remove
it.
The immobilizer is activated.

Move the steering wheel slightly to al-
low the locking mechanism to engage.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the steering lock and lock the vehi-
cle. Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehi-
cle. Children could release the parking
brake and / or move the gear selector lever
from positionP, either of which could result
in an accident and / or serious personal
injury.
Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle with the gear
selector lever not fully engaged in positionP
is dangerous. Also, when parked on an in-
cline, positionP alone may not prevent your
vehicle from moving, possibly hitting people
or objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to positionP (
page 53).
When parked on an incline, also turn front
wheel towards the road curb.
iAlways set the parking brake in addi-
tion to shifting to positionP.
On steep slopes, turn the front wheels
towards the road curb.iThe key can only be removed from the
steering lock with the gear selector le-
ver in positionP.

55 Getting started
Parking and locking

Press the seat belt release button
(page 42).
Allow the retractor to completely re-
wind the seat belt by guiding the latch
plate.

After exiting the vehicle, press the lock
button‹ on the remote control
(page 32).
The turn signal lamps flash three times
and the locking knobs on the doors
move down.
More information on parking and locking
can be found in the “Controls in detail”
section (page 88).
iWith the key removed and the driver’s
door open, a warning sounds if the ve-
hicles exterior lamps are not switched
off.Warning!
G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
openings when closing the doors. Be espe-
cially careful when small children are
around.
Before closing doors, ensure that there is no
possibility of someone getting caught in a
door during closing.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the starter switch, and lock your
vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip-
ment may cause an accident and / or seri-
ous personal injury.

56

57 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Panic alarm
Driving and safety systems
Anti-theft systems

58 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Occupant safetyIn this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are

Seat belts


Emergency tensioning device


Airbags


Child seat


Child seat recognition


Lower anchors and tethers for children
(LATCH)
As independent systems, their protective
effects work in conjunction with each
other.The 1 indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 26) comes on for about
four seconds when you turn the key in the
steering lock to position2. It goes out
when you start the engine. This shows that
the restraint systems are operational.
If the lamp does not come on at all or if it
fails to extinguish after approximately four
seconds or if it comes on thereafter, a mal-
function in the system has been detected.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (
page 255).
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and
restraint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 67).
Warning!
G
In the event that the 1malfunction indi-
cator lamp comes on during driving or does
not come at all, the SRS may not be opera-
tional.
For your safety, we strongly recommend
that you visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center immediately to have the
system checked; otherwise the SRS may not
be activated when needed in an accident,
which could result in serious or fatal injury,
or it might deploy unexpectedly and unnec-
essarily which could also result in injury.
Improper work on the restraint systems, in-
cluding incorrect installation and removal,
can lead to possible injury through an unin-
tended activation of the SRS.
In addition, through improper work there is
a risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended airbag deployment.
Work on the SRS must therefore only be per-
formed by qualified technicians. Contact
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.

59 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
AirbagsWarning!
G
Airbags are designed to reduce the potential
of injury and fatality in certain frontal (front
airbags) impacts, or side (side impact and
head protection window curtain airbags) im-
pacts which may cause significant injuries.
However, no system available today can to-
tally eliminate injuries and fatalities.
The activation of the SRS temporarily releas-
es a small amount of dust from the airbags.
This dust, however, is neither injurious to
your health, nor does it indicate a fire in the
vehicle. The dust might cause some tempo-
rary breathing difficulty for people with asth-
ma or other breathing trouble. To avoid this,
you may wish to get out of the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any
breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the
vehicle after the airbag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or door.
Warning!
G
To reduce the risk of injury when the front
airbags inflate, it is very important for the
driver and passenger to always be in a prop-
erly seated position and to wear your seat
belt.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision always be in normal seated position
with your back against the backrest. Fasten
your seat belt and ensure that it is properly
positioned on your body (
page 42).
Since the airbag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating and hands
on steering wheel position will help to keep
you at a safe distance from the airbag. Oc-
cupants who are unbelted, out of position or
too close to the airbag can be seriously in-
jured by an airbag as it inflates with great
force in the blink of an eye:


Sit properly belted in an upright position
with your back against the seat back-
rest.


Adjust the driver seat as far as possible
rearward, still permitting proper opera-
tion of vehicle controls. The distance
from the center of the driver’s breast-
bone to the center of the airbag cover on
the steering wheel must be at least ten
inches (25 cm) or more. You should be
able to accomplish this by a combina-
tion of adjustments to the seat and
steering wheel. If you have any prob-
lems, please see your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.


Airbags and emergency tensioning de-
vices (ETDs) are designed to function on
a one-time only basis. An airbag or ETD
that was activated must be replaced.


Do not lean with your head or chest
close to the steering wheel or dash-
board.


Keep hands on the outside of steering
wheel rim. Placing hands and arms in-
side the rim can increase the risk and
potential severity of hand / arm injury
when driver front airbag inflates.


60 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety

Adjust the passenger seat as far as pos-
sible rearward from the dashboard when
the seat is occupied.


Occupants, especially children, should
never lean their heads in the area of the
door where the side impact airbag in-
flates. This could result in serious inju-
ries or death should the airbag be
triggered. Always sit upright, properly
use the seat belts and appropriate size
infant or child restraint system.


Children 12 years old and under must
never ride in the front seat, except in a
Mercedes-Benz authorized
BabySmart
TM1
compatible child seat,
which operates with the BabySmart
TM
system installed in the vehicle to deacti-
vate the passenger front airbag when it
is properly installed. Otherwise they will
be struck by the airbag when it inflates
in a crash. If this happens, serious or fa-
tal injury will result.
1BabySmart
TMis a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injuries to you or other occu-
pants.
If you sell your vehicle you are responsible
to make the buyer aware of these points. Be
sure to give the buyer this Operator’s
Manual.
Warning
G
Accident research shows that the safest
place for children in an automobile is in the
rear seat. Should you choose to place a child
12 years old or under in the front passenger
seat of your vehicle, you must properly use
a BabySmart
TM child restraint which will
turn off the passenger front airbag
(
page 70). BabySmart
TM will not, howev-
er, turn off any side impact airbag.
It should be noted that with respect to both
front and rear side impact airbags there is a
possibility for a side airbag related injury if
occupants, especially children, are not prop-
erly seated or restrained when next to a side
airbag which needs to deploy rapidly in a
side impact in order to do its job.