Rear door MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 2008 W164 Owner's Manual

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10
Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 13
Operating your vehicle
outside the USA or Canada ............ 13
Where to find it .................................... 15
Symbols ............................................... 16
Operating safety .................................. 17
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 17
Problems with your vehicle .................. 18
Reporting safety defects...................... 19
Reporting safety defects ................ 19
Vehicle data recording ......................... 20
Information regarding electronic
recording devices ........................... 20At a glance.......................................... 21
Exterior view ......................................... 22
Cockpit ................................................. 24
Instrument cluster ................................ 26
Instrument cluster ................................ 28
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 30
Center console ..................................... 31
Upper part ...................................... 31
Lower part ...................................... 32
Overhead control panel ........................ 33
Storage compartments ......................... 34
Door control panel................................ 36Getting started................................... 37
Unlocking ............................................. 38
Unlocking with the SmartKey ......... 38
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO*......... 39
Starter switch positions .................. 39
Adjusting .............................................. 43
Seats .............................................. 43
Steering wheel ................................ 46
Mirrors ............................................ 49
Driving .................................................. 51
Fastening the seat belts ................. 51
Starting the engine ......................... 54
Parking brake ................................. 57
Driving off ....................................... 58
Switching on headlamps ................. 59
Turn signals .................................... 60
Windshield wipers ........................... 60
Rear window wiper/washer ............ 62
Problems while driving.................... 63
Parking and locking .............................. 65
Parking brake ................................. 65
Switching off headlamps................. 66
Turning off the engine..................... 66
Releasing seat belts........................ 68
Locking ........................................... 68

Contents
Safety and Security........................... 71
Occupant safety................................... 72
Air bags .......................................... 74
Occupant Classification System ..... 79
Seat belts ....................................... 84
Active head restraint ...................... 88
Rear head restraints ....................... 89
Children in the vehicle .................... 89
Blocking of rear door
window operation ........................... 96
Panic alarm .......................................... 97
Activating ....................................... 97
Deactivating ................................... 97
Driving safety systems ......................... 98
ABS ................................................ 98
BAS .............................................. 100
ESP
®............................................. 100
EBP............................................... 104
4-ETS ............................................ 104
Anti-theft systems.............................. 106
Immobilizer................................... 106
Anti-theft alarm system ................ 106
Controls in detail ............................. 109
Locking and unlocking ....................... 110
SmartKey ..................................... 110
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ...... 113
Checking the batteries in the
SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* .............................. 118
Loss of the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ...... 118
Opening the doors
from the inside ............................. 118
Tailgate/Power tailgate*.............. 119
Automatic central locking ............ 125
Locking and unlocking
from the inside ............................. 126
Seats ................................................. 127
Front seat active head restraints . 127
Rear seat head restraints ............. 127
Lumbar support............................ 129
Multicontour seat* ....................... 129
Seat heating* ............................... 130
Seat ventilation* .......................... 131Memory function* ............................. 133
Storing positions into memory ..... 134
Recalling positions from memory. 134
Lighting ............................................. 135
Exterior lamp switch .................... 135
Combination switch ..................... 139
Corner-illuminating
front fog lamps*........................... 140
Hazard warning flasher ................ 141
Interior lighting ............................ 142
Door entry lamps ......................... 144
Cargo compartment lamp ............ 144
Instrument cluster ............................. 145
Adjusting instrument
cluster illumination ...................... 145
Resetting trip odometer ............... 146
Tachometer.................................. 146
Outside temperature indicator ..... 146

Contents
Control system .................................. 147
Multifunction display .................... 147
Multifunction steering wheel ........ 148
Menus .......................................... 150
Standard display menu ................ 154
AMG menu ................................... 156
Off-road Mode menu .................... 159
AUDIO menu ................................ 160
NAV* menu .................................. 161
AIRMATIC*/Compass menu ........ 162
Vehicle status message
memory menu .............................. 162
Settings menu .............................. 163
Vehicle configuration ................... 177
Trip computer menu..................... 178
TEL* menu ................................... 180
Automatic transmission ..................... 183
Gear selector lever ....................... 183
Shifting procedure ....................... 186
Transmission positions................. 187
Driving tips ................................... 190
Gear ranges ................................. 192
Steering wheel gearshift control .. 193
Shift program (ML 63 AMG only).. 194
Emergency operation
(Limp-Home Mode) ...................... 197Transfer case ...................................... 198
Good visibility ..................................... 199
Headlamp cleaning system* ......... 199
Rear view mirrors .......................... 199
Power folding exterior
rear view mirrors* ......................... 200
Sun visors ..................................... 201
Rear window defroster .................. 203
Climate control ................................... 204
Deactivating the
climate control system ................. 208
Operating the climate control
system in automatic mode............ 208
Setting the temperature................ 209
Adjusting air distribution............... 209
Adjusting air volume ..................... 210
Front defroster.............................. 210
Air recirculation mode .................. 212
Air conditioning............................. 214
Residual heat and ventilation ........ 215
Rear climate control*.................... 2163-zone automatic climate control* ..... 218
Deactivating the
automatic climate
control system .............................. 222
Operating the automatic
climate control system
in automatic mode ........................ 223
Setting the temperature ............... 223
Adjusting air distribution .............. 224
Adjusting air volume ..................... 225
Front defroster ............................. 225
Maximum cooling MAXCOOL ........ 226
Air recirculation mode .................. 227
Air conditioning ............................ 229
Using driver-side settings
for all temperature zones.............. 229
Residual heat and ventilation........ 230
Rear automatic climate control..... 231
Power windows .................................. 235
Door windows ............................... 236
Synchronizing the door windows .. 237
Summer opening feature .............. 237
Convenience closing feature......... 238
Power tilt/sliding sunroof .................. 240
Opening and closing ..................... 240
Synchronizing ............................... 242

Contents
Driving systems ................................. 244
Cruise control............................... 244
Downhill Speed Regulation
(DSR) ............................................ 249
Off-road driving program .............. 253
Air suspension program* ............. 254
Adaptive Damping System
(ADS)* .......................................... 255
Vehicle level control* ................... 255
Parktronic system* ...................... 259
Rear view camera* ....................... 264
Loading .............................................. 266
Carriers* ...................................... 266
Loading instructions ..................... 266
Cargo tie-down rings .................... 268
Hooks ........................................... 269
Expanding cargo compartment .... 269
Cargo compartment cover blind ... 271
Cargo net* ................................... 272
Cargo management system*........ 275Useful features .................................. 279
Storage compartments ................ 279
Parcel nets ................................... 283
Cup holders.................................. 284
Ashtrays ....................................... 285
Cigarette lighter ........................... 286
Power outlets ............................... 287
Floormats ..................................... 289
Heated steering wheel* ............... 290
Telephone* .................................. 291
Tele Aid ........................................ 294
Garage door opener ..................... 302
Compass ...................................... 307
Infrared reflecting windshield* ..... 308
Operation......................................... 309
The first 1000 miles (1500 km) ......... 310
Driving instructions ........................... 311
Drive sensibly – save fuel............. 311
Drinking and driving ..................... 311
Pedals .......................................... 311
Power assistance ......................... 312
Brakes.......................................... 312
Driving off .................................... 315
Parking......................................... 315
Tires ............................................. 315
Hydroplaning................................ 316
Tire traction ................................. 316
Tire speed rating .......................... 317
Winter driving instructions ........... 318
Standing water............................. 319
Off-road driving ............................ 319
Trailer towing ............................... 328
Passenger compartment .............. 334
Driving abroad ............................. 334
Control and operation of radio
transmitters ................................. 334
Catalytic converter
(gasoline engine).......................... 335

23 At a glance
Exterior view
ItemPage
1Tailgate119
Power tailgate*119
Cargo compartment

Loading instructions266

Cargo tie-down rings268

Hooks269

Expanding269

Cover blind271

Cargo net*272
Vehicle tool kit448
Spare wheel452
2Rear window defroster206
3Rear lamps464
4Fuel filler flap337
Refueling337
Fuel338,
526
ItemPage
5Exterior rear view mirrors
Adjusting49
Auto-dimming rear view
mirrors*199
Power folding*200
6Towing eye bolt499
Installing towing eye bolt501
7Tires and wheels348,
515
Checking tire inflation
pressure359
General information348
Flat tire478
Spare wheel452
8Hood341
Opening341
Engine oil343
Coolant345
ItemPage
9Windshield wipers60
Wiper blades, replacing475
Wiper blades, cleaning395
aWindshield
Cleaning with wiper fluid62
Cleaning395
bRoof rails266
Carriers*266
cPower tilt/sliding sunroof240
dDoors
Locking and unlocking110
Opening118
Unlocking/locking in an
emergency455
eFront lamps464
fHeadlamp cleaning system*199

25 At a glance
Cockpit
ItemPage
1Cruise control lever245
2Instrument cluster26
3Multifunction steering
wheel30
4Horn
5Steering wheel gearshift
buttons193
6Gear selector lever for
automatic transmission54
7Front Parktronic* warning
indicators262
8Overhead control panel33
9Glove box release
Glove box lock279
280
ItemPage
aGlove box279
CD changer*279
AUX-socket1279
bPower outlet288
cCenter console31
dStarter switch40
eSteering wheel adjustment,
manual47
fHood lock release341
gParking brake release57
hParking brake pedal65
jPower tailgate switch*121
1Depending on vehicle configuration.
ItemPage
kDoor control panel36
lExterior lamp switch59,
135
mSteering wheel adjustment,
electrical*
Heated steering wheel*48
290
nCombination switch

High beam

Turn signals

Windshield wipers

Rear window wiper
139
59
60
60
62

33 At a glance
Overhead control panel
Overhead control panel
ItemPage
1Left reading lamp switch142
2Rear interior lighting switch142
3Automatic interior lighting
switch142
4Front interior lighting switch142
5Right reading lamp switch142
6Front right interior lamp142
7Power tilt/sliding sunroof
switch240
8Tele Aid (emergency call
system) button297
9Interior rear view mirror199
aFront right reading lamp142
ItemPage
bFront left reading lamp142
cGarage door opener302
dVehicles without
telephone* installed:
Hands-free microphone for
Tele Aid (emergency call
system)294
eVehicles with telephone*
installed:
Hands-free microphone for
Tele Aid (emergency call
system) and telephone*294
fFront left interior lamp142

35 At a glance
Storage compartments
ItemPage
1Parcel net in front passen-
ger footwell283
2Glove box/CD changer*279
3Door pocket
4Parcel net on front passen-
ger seat backrest283
5Door pocket
6Vehicle tool kit, spare wheel448
7Door pocket
8Parcel net on driver’s seat
backrest283
9Door pocket
aHolder for gas cards202
ItemPage
bStorage compartment (de-
pending on equipment con-
figuration for your model)281
cDepending on vehicle con-
figuration:
Storage compartment
Ashtray
281
285
dCup holders284
eStorage/telephone* com-
partment with coin holder281
fRear storage compartments282
gCup holder in rear armrest284

36 At a glance
Door control panel
ItemPage
1Inside door handle118
2Central unlocking switch
Central locking switch126
126
3Exterior rear view mirror
adjustment49
4Selection buttons for exteri-
or rear view mirror adjust-
ment
Power-folding exterior rear
view mirrors*49
200
5Switches for opening/clos-
ing front and rear door
windows235
6Rear door window override
switch96
7Remote tailgate release
switch, power tailgate*121,
119

44 Getting started
Adjusting
Seat adjustment
The seat adjustment switch is located on
the entry side of each front seat base.
1 Head restraint height (vehicles with
memory function)*
2Seat cushion tilt
3Seat height
4Backrest tilt
5Seat fore and aft adjustment
Warning!G
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing position. Thus, we strongly recommend
that children be placed in the rear seats
whenever possible. Regardless of seating
position, children 12 years old and under
must be seated and properly secured in an
appropriately sized infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat recommended for
the size and weight of the child. For addi-
tional information, see “Children in the vehi-
cle” (
page 89).
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle
and/or the child is not properly secured in
the child restraint.
!When moving the seats, make sure there are
no items in the footwell or behind the seats;
otherwise you could damage the seats.
!When the rear seats are folded forward, e.g.
for cargo compartment expansion (
page 269),
the front seats may not be moved to the rear-
most position. Otherwise you could damage the
front and rear seats.
!When adjusting the seat backrest tilt and
head restraint height, make sure the sun visor is
folded up (
page 201). If the head restraint is in
the uppermost position, it could hit and damage
the sun visor.
iVehicles without memory function*:
The seats can be adjusted within 5 minutes after
either front door has been opened. The counter
resets each time

you open or close a front door

you insert the SmartKey into the starter
switch

you remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch

you switch the ignition on or off