heating MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 2004 W163 Owner's Manual

79 Safety and Security
Driving and safety systems
4-ETS
The 4-Electronic Traction System (4-ETS)
improves vehicle’s ability to utilize avail-
able traction, especially under slippery
road conditions. The brakes are applied to
the spinning wheel and power is trans-
ferred to the wheel(s) with traction.
The traction control engages at vehicle
speeds up to approximately 24 mph
(40 km / h), and switches off at approxi-
mately 50 mph (80 km / h).
The {indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 25) comes on when you
turn the key to position2. It goes out when
the engine is running.
The 4-ETS / ESP warning lampv, loca-
ted in the speedometer dial, starts to flash
at any vehicle speed, as soon as the tires
lose traction and the wheels begin to spin.
Warning!
G
When you see the 4-ETS / ESP-warning
lampv flashing in the speedometer,
then proceed as follows:

While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.


While driving ease up on the accelera-
tor.


Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The 4-ETS cannot prevent accidents resul-
ting from excessive speed.
!Because of the ESP’s automatic opera-
tion, the engine must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position0
or1) when the parking brake is being
tested on a brake test dynamometer.
Active braking action through ESP may
otherwise seriously damage the front
or rear axle brake system.
Operational tests with the engine
running can only be conducted on a
two-axle dynamometer.iIf the yellow 4-ETS malfunction indica-
tor lamp{ comes on while the
4-ETS / ESP warning lampv flash-
es, the electronic traction system is be-
ing switched off temporarily to prevent
overheating of the drive wheel brakes.

98 Controls in detailSeats
Remove rear center head restraint
(page 96).

If necessary, remove cargo floor plates,
see “Removing cargo floor plates”
(page 162).

Slide rear seats forward, see “Adjusting
rear seat fore and aft” (
page 99).

Fold rear seat backrests down, see
“Folding down the backrest”
(page 100).

From cargo compartment, attach rear
center head restraint1 to underside
of rear center seat.
Make sure front side of head
restraint1 is facing upward.

Press bar2 on both sides into
clips3.
Heated seats*
Both switches for the front seats are loca-
ted in the center console.
1Normal heating
2Rapid heating
Start the engine.
Switching on seat heating

Press upper switch position1.
A red indicator lamp on the switch
lights up.Switching off seat heating

Press upper switch position1 again.
The indicator lamp on the switch turns
off.
Switching on rapid seat heating

Press lower switch position2.
Both red indicator lamps on the switch
turn on.iThe seat heater will be automatically
switched off after approximately
20 minutes.iThe system switches over to normal
heating mode after approximately five
minutes. Only one red indicator lamp
remains on.


99 Controls in detail
Seats
Switching off rapid seat heating
Press lower switch position2 again.
Both red indicator lamps on the switch
turn off.
Rear seats
The rear seats are divided asymmetrically.
To enlarge the cargo area you can adjust
the left and right part separately. The fol-
lowing changes are possible:

moving the seat fore and aft


folding down the backrest


lowering the seatAdjusting rear seat fore and aft
1Release lever

Pull release lever1 in direction of
arrow.

Slide seat to the desired position until
it locks in place.
!If one or both of the lamps on the seat
heater switch are flashing, there is in-
sufficient voltage available since too
many electrical consumers are turned
on. The seat heater switches off auto-
matically.
The seat heater will switch back on
again automatically as soon as suffi-
cient voltage is available.
Warning!
G
Do not adjust the rear seats while driving.
Always seat in an upright position and the
seat belts are properly positioned on the
body. Your seat must be adjusted so that
you can correctly fasten your seat belt.
Adjust head restraint to support the back of
the head approximately at ear level.
Never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being ad-
justed.
Warning!
G
Failure to assure that seats are locked into
place could result in an increased chance of
injury in an accident.

141 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control
Rear passenger compartment ventila-tion and rear automatic climate control
Deactivating
For an improved cooling or heating output
in the front passenger compartment, you
can switch off the rear passenger compart-
ment ventilation.
Press button§ (
page 135).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
The operation of the rear automatic
climate control and the fresh air supply
to the rear compartment is shut off.
Activating

Press button§ again.
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out.
The rear automatic climate control
switches to automatic mode and fresh
air enters the rear compartment.Automatic mode
The automatic climate control panel for the
rear is located on the rear center console.
1Air volume control
2Air distribution control
3Automatic control (air distribution, air
volume)

Press buttonU.
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
The automatic climate control cools or
heats the interior depending on the
temperature selected on the front
climate control unit.Adjusting air volume and air distribu-
tion manually
Adjusting air volume

Press upper part of buttonR.
The blower setting is increased each
time the button is pressed.

Press lower part of buttonR.
The blower setting is decreased each
time the button is pressed.iWhen the air volume or air distribution
control is pressed, the automatic mode
is switched off. The indicator lamp in
buttonU is turned off. Temperature
setting remains in automatic mode.


168 Controls in detailUseful featuresAshtrays and cigarette lighter Ashtray and cigarette lighter in the
front center console
1Ashtray
2Cigarette lighter
3Cover plate
Opening the ashtray

Briefly touch cover plate3.
The ashtray opens automatically.Removing ashtray insert

Secure vehicle from movement by set-
ting the parking brake. Move the gear
selector lever to positionN.
Now you have more room to take out
the insert.

Grip the insert on the sides and pull it
out upwards.
Reinstalling ashtray insert

Install ashtray insert.

Close the ashtray.
Warning!
G
Never touch the heating element or sides of
the cigarette lighter; they are extremely hot.
Hold the knob only.
When leaving the vehicle always remove the
key from the steering lock. Do not leave chil-
dren unattended in the vehicle, or with ac-
cess to an unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised
use of vehicle equipment may cause an ac-
cident and / or serious personal injury.iThe cigarette lighter socket can be
used to accommodate electrical acces-
sories up to a maximum of 50 W.
If the engine is off, the battery may be-
come discharged when used for long
periods of time.
Warning!
G
Remove ashtray only with vehicle standing
still. Set the parking brake to secure vehicle
from movement. Move gear selector lever to
positionN. With gear selector lever in
positionN, turn off the engine.

194 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 immedi-
ately. Contact your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
All checks and service work on the brake
system should be carried out by qualified
technicians only. Contact your authorized
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 78).

195 Operation
Driving instructions
Install only brake pads and brake fluid
recommended 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 a 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.

210 OperationDriving instructions

The vehicle and trailer combination is
heavier, and therefore is limited in ac-
celeration and climbing ability, and re-
quires longer stopping distances.
I t i s m o r e p r o n e t o r e a c t i n g t o s i d e w i n d
gusts, and requires more sensitive
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 hunts between
gears on inclines, manually shift to a
lower gear (select 4, 3, 2 or 1).
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 gear selector lever in position1,
switch transfer case to LOW RANGE
mode (
page 125).


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.


Extreme care must be exercised since
your vehicle with a trailer will require
additional passing distance ahead than
when driving without a trailer.
Because your vehicle and trailer is
longer than your vehicle alone, you will
also need to go much farther ahead of
the passed vehicle before you can re-
turn to your lane.
!If the trailer should begin to sway, re-
duce the vehicle’s speed and use the
brake controller by hand to straighten
out the vehicle and trailer.
In no case should you attempt to
straighten out the tow vehicle and trail-
er by increasing the speed or overstee-
ring and stepping on the brakes.

249 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
/
The yellow coolant warning lamp
comes on when the engine is
running.
The coolant is to hot.
The coolant level is too low.

Stop as soon as possible and allow
the engine and coolant to cool down.

Check the coolant level and add
coolant if necessary (
page 222).
If the warning lamp comes on frequently,
there is a leak in the cooling system.

Have the cooling system checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
The coolant temperature gauge is above
248 °F (120 °C).
The coolant level is too low.

Stop as soon as possible and allow
the engine and coolant to cool down.

Add coolant to prevent engine from
overheating (
page 222).
If the coolant level is correct, the electrical
radiator fan may be broken.

If the coolant temperature is below
the red zone, drive on to the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Avoid high engine loads (e.g. driving
uphill) and stop-and-go driving.

332 IndexPartition net* 159
Engaging 159
Removing 161
Tightening 160
Parts see Spare parts service
Passenger compartment 211
Interior lighting 112
Passenger footwell
Fuse box in 288
Passenger safety see Occupant
safety 58
Pedals 193
Plastic and rubber parts
Cleaning 239
Poly-V-belt drive 314
Layout 293
Positions (Memory function*)
Recalling from memory 106
Storing into memory 106
Power assistance 193Power seat*
Adjusting backrest tilt 38
Adjusting head restraint height 38
Adjusting seat cushion tilt 38
Adjusting seat height 38
Seat fore and aft adjustment 37
Power seats* 37
Power train 314
Power washer 235
Power windows
Blocking of rear door window
operation 73
Side windows 144
Synchronizing 146
Practical hints
First aid kit 257
Fuses 287
Lamps in instrument cluster 242
Spare wheel 259
Towing the vehicle 283
Vehicle jack 258
Vehicle tool kit 257Premium unleaded gasoline 303
Problems
While driving 51
With vehicle 18
Product information 9
Programming or reprogramming the inte-
grated remote control 182
R
Radio transmitters, control and
operation 211
Rain sensor* 130, 131
Rapid seat heating
Switching off 99
Rapid seat heating*
Switching on 98
Reading lamp 29