ESP MERCEDES-BENZ ML55AMG 2002 W163 Repair Manual

280 Towing
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index
To be certain to avoid additional damage to the vehicle
powertrain, however you should do the following:
•With damage to front axle, raise front axle. Remove
flexible drive shaft between rear axle and transfer
case
•With damage to rear axle, raise rear axle and tow
vehicle with wheel lift or dolly placed under front
wheels.
•With damage to transfer case, remove flexible drive
shafts to the drive axles.
Note:
Always install new self-locking nuts when reinstalling
the flexible drive shaft.Caution!
If the vehicle is towed with the front axle raised, the
engine must be shut off (key in steering lock position 1).
Otherwise, the 4-ETS+ may become engaged which may
cause loss of towing control. Switch off the tow-away
alarm (see page 37) as well as the ESP (see page 225).
Note:
To signal turns while being towed with hazard warning
flasher in use, turn key in steering lock to position 2
and activate combination switch for left or right turn
signal in usual manner. Now deactivate the hazard
warning flasher, only the selected turn signal will
operate. Upon canceling the turn signal, the hazard
warning flasher must be activated again.
Wa r n i n g !
With the engine not running, there is no power
assistance for the braking and steering systems. 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.

281 Towing
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index Transmission selector lever, manually unlocking
In the case of power failure the transmission selector
lever can be manually unlocked, e.g. to tow the vehicle.
To do so, insert a pin (1), e.g. ball point pen, into the
covered opening below the position “D” of the shift
pattern. While pushing the pin down, move selector
lever from position “P”.
After removal of the pin from the opening, the cover will
not close fully. Only after moving the selector lever to
position “D–” does the cover return to its closed
position.Stranded vehicle
Freeing a stranded vehicle, on which the wheels are dug
into sand or mud, should be done with the greatest of
care, especially if the vehicle is heavily loaded.
Avoid pulling the vehicle jerkily or diagonally, since it
could result in damage to the chassis alignment.
Never try to free a vehicle that is still coupled to a
trailer.
If possible, a vehicle equipped with trailer hitch receiver
should be pulled backward in its own previously made
tracks.
P27.60-2186-26
1

309 Technical data
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Te ch n i c a l d a t a
Model ML 320 (163 154)
1
ML 500 (163 175)
1
ML 55 AMG (163 174)
1
Engine11 2 113 113
Mode of operation 4-stroke engine,
gasoline injection4-stroke engine,
gasoline injection4-stroke engine,
gasoline injection
No. of cylinders 6 8 8
Bore 3.54 in (89.90 mm) 3.54 in (89.90 mm) 3.82 in (97.00 mm)
Stroke 3.31 in (84.00 mm) 3.31 in (84.00 mm) 3.62 in (92.00 mm)
Total piston displacement 195.2 cu.in. (3199 cm
3) 303.0 cu.in. (4966 cm
3) 332.0 cu.in. (5439 cm
3)
Compression ratio 10:1 10:1 10.5:1
Output acc. to SAE J 1349 215 hp / 5600 rpm
(160 kW / 5600 rpm)288 hp / 5600 rpm
(215 kW / 5600 rpm)342 hp / 5500 rpm
(255 kW / 5500 rpm)
Maximum torque acc. to
SAE J 1349233 ft.lb / 3000 rpm
(315 Nm / 3000 rpm)325 ft.lb / 2700 rpm
(440 Nm / 2700 rpm)376 ft.lb / 2800 rpm
(510 Nm / 2800 rpm)
Maximum engine speed 6000 rpm 6000 rpm 6000 rpm
Firing order 1-4-3-6-2-5 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8
Poly-V-belt 2390 mm 2390 mm 2390 mm
1 The quoted data apply only to the standard vehicle. See an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center for the corresponding data of all
special bodies and special equipment.

314 Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. - capacities
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data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. – capacities
Vehicle components and their respective lubricants must match. Therefore use only brands tested and recommended
by us. Please refer to the Factory Approved Service Products pamphlet, or inquire at your Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. Model Capacity
Engine with oil filter
(recommended engine oils)ML 320 / ML 500
ML 55 AMG8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
8.0 US qt (7.5 l)
Automatic transmission
(automatic transmission fluid)9.0 US qt (8.5 l)
Transfer case
(Dexron 3 or Dexron 2E)1.6 US qt (1.5 l)
Rear axle
(Hypoid gear oil SAE 90, 85 W 90)1.3 US qt (1.25 l)
Front axle
(Hypoid gear oil SAE 90)1.2 US qt (1.1 l)
Power steering
(MB Power steering fluid)approx. 0.65 US qt (0.6 l)
Front wheel hubs
(high temperature roller bearing grease)approx. 1.5 oz (43 g) each

318 Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Gasoline additives
A major concern among engine manufacturers is carbon
build up caused by gasoline. Mercedes-Benz
recommends the use of only quality gasoline containing
additives that prevent the build up of carbon deposits.
After an extended period of using fuels without such
additives, carbon deposits can build up especially on the
intake valves and in the combustion area, leading to
engine performance problems such as:
•warm-up hesitation,
•unstable idle,
•knocking / pinging,
•misfire,
•power loss.
Do not blend other specific fuel additives with fuel.
They only result in unnecessary cost, and may be
harmful to the engine operation.
Damage or malfunctions resulting from poor fuel
quality or from blending specific fuel additives are not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water and
anticorrosion / antifreeze, which provides:
•corrosion protection,
•freeze protection,
•boiling protection (by increasing the boiling point).
The cooling system was filled at the factory with a
coolant providing freeze protection to approximately
-35
°F (-37
°C) and corrosion protection.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to -22
°F (-30
°C), the
boiling point of the coolant in the pressurized cooling
system is reached at approx. 266
°F (130
°C).
The coolant solution must be used year round to provide
the necessary corrosion protection and increase in the
boil-over protection. You should have it replaced every
3years.
To provide the important corrosion protection, the
solution must be at least 45% anticorrosion / antifreeze
(equals a freeze protection to approx. - 22°F [-30
°C]). If
you use a solution that is more than 55% anticorrosion/
antifreeze (freeze protection to approx. - 49
°F [-45
°C])-,

321 Consumer information
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Tempera t u re
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger vehicle tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Wa r n i n g !
The temperature grade for this tire is established
for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause excessive heat build up
and possible tire failure.

325 Index
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car careIndex Driving instructions ...................................................... 192
Driving off ....................................................................... 194
Dust filter ......................................................................... 111
EEBP (Electronic brake proportioning) ........................ 222
Electrical outlet .............................................................. 252
Electronic brake proportioning (EBP) ........................ 222
Electronic stability program (ESP) .............................. 223
Control switch ...........................................................225
Malfunction indicator lamp ..................................... 243
Synchronizing ...........................................................224
Warning lamp ............................................................243
Electronic traction system (4-ETS+) ........................... 221
LOW RANGE – 4-ETS ...............................................222
Malfunction indicator lamp ..................................... 243
Emergency call
See Tele Aid ............................................................... 166
Emergency tensioning retractor (ETR) ......................... 57
Emergency unlocking in case of accident ................... 33
Emission control ............................................................ 179
Emission control label .................................................. 307
Engine compartment .....................................................253Engine malfunction
CHECK ENGINE
malfunction indicator lamp ............................... 240
Engine oil additives ....................................................... 316
Engine oil consumption ............................................... 256
Engine oil level
Checking .............................................................. 96, 255
Warning ..................................................................... 246
Engine oil level indicator ................................................ 96
Engine oils ...................................................................... 316
Capacities ................................................................... 314
Low engine oil level warning ................................. 246
Engine overheating ..........................................................87
Engine speed limit
Overrevving .................................................................. 88
Enlarged cargo area ....................................................... 149
Entrance lamps ............................................................... 130
ESP
LOW RANGE — ESP .................................................. 226
ESP (Electronic stability program) ............................. 223
Control switch .......................................................... 225
Malfunction indicator lamp .................................... 243
Synchronizing .......................................................... 224
Warning lamp ........................................................... 243
ETR (Emergency tensioning retractor) .........................57

329 Index
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car careIndex Locator lighting .............................................................. 102
Lockable storage compartment .................................... 134
Locking and unlocking the vehicle ............................... 27
Low beam
See Exterior lamp switch ........................................... 97
Low engine coolant level warning .............................. 246
Low engine oil level warning .......................................246
LOW RANGE
Indicator lamp ...........................................................243
LOW RANGE mode ........................................................ 227
LOW RANGE – 4-ETS+ ............................................. 222
LOW RANGE – ABS .................................................. 220
LOW RANGE – ESP ................................................... 226
MMaintenance ................................................................... 165
Malfunction and indicator lamps
in the instrument cluster .........................................240
Manual locking/unlocking the doors ........................... 29
Manual operation of sliding/pop-up roof ................... 294
Manual seat, front ........................................................... 40Manual setting of air volume and
air distribution in the
rear passenger compartment .................................. 119
MCS, radio and telephone ............................................ 164
Mechanical keys ...............................................................29
Memory function ............................................................. 43
Recalling positions from memory ............................ 44
Storing positions into memory ................................. 43
Mirror, exterior
Parking position ..........................................................78
Mirror, exterior, adjusting .............................................. 77
Mirror, exterior, parking position,
front passenger side ...................................................78
Mirror, exterior, rear view .............................................. 77
Mirror, inside, rear view .................................................75
Mirrors, vanity ................................................................ 131
NNight security illumination .......................................... 101