Page 1001 of 4133

197 Operation
Driving instructions
The tread wear indicator appears as a solid 
band across the tread.
Specified tire pressures must be main-
tained. This applies particularly if the tires 
are subjected to high loads (e.g. high 
speeds, heavy loads, high ambient temper-
atures).
Hydroplaning
Depending on the depth of the water on 
the road, hydroplaning may occur even at 
low speeds and with new tires. Reduce ve-
hicle speed, avoid track grooves in the 
road and apply brakes cautiously in the 
rain.Tire traction
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or 
icy road is always lower than on a dry road.You should pay particular attention to the 
condition of the road whenever the outside 
temperatures are close to the freezing 
point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends M+S rated 
radial-ply tires with a minimum tread depth 
of approximately 
1/6in (4 mm) on all four 
wheels for the winter season to ensure 
normal balanced handling characteristics. 
On packed snow, they can reduce your 
stopping distance as compared with sum-
mer tires.
Stopping distance, however, is still consid-
erably greater than when the road is not 
covered with snow or ice. Exercise appro-
priate caution.
Warning!
G
Although the applicable federal motor vehi-
cle safety laws consider a tire to be worn 
when the tread wear indicators (TWI) be-
come visible at approximately 
1/16in 
(1 .6 mm ), w e re c om men d th a t y o u do n o t a l-
low your tires to wear down to that level. As 
tread depth approaches 
1/8in (3 mm), the 
adhesion properties on a wet road are 
sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and / or road 
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies 
widely.
Warning!
G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects 
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You 
may lose control of the vehicle. Continued 
driving with a flat tire or driving at high 
speed with a flat tire will cause excessive 
heat build-up and possibly a fire.
Warning!
G
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction 
will be substantially reduced. Under such 
weather conditions, drive, steer and brake 
with extreme caution. 
     
        
        Page 1002 of 4133

198 OperationDriving instructionsTire speed rating
Regardless of the tire speed rating, local 
speed limits should be obeyed. Use pru-
dent driving speeds appropriate to prevail-
ing conditions.ML 350
Your vehicle is factory equipped with 
“H”-rated tires, which have a speed rating 
of 130 mph (210 km / h).
An electronic speed limiter prevents your 
vehicle from exceeding a speed of 
130 mph (210 km / h).
ML 500
Your vehicle is factory equipped with 
“V”-rated tires, which have a speed rating 
of 149 mph (240 km / h).
An electronic speed limiter prevents your 
vehicle from exceeding a speed of 
130 mph (210 km / h).
Winter driving instructions
The most important rule for slippery or icy 
roads is to drive sensibly and to avoid 
abrupt acceleration, braking and steering 
maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control 
system under such conditions.
When the vehicle is in danger of skidding, 
move gear selector lever to positionN. Try 
to keep the vehicle under control by cor-
rective steering action.
!Avoid spinning of one drive wheel. This 
may cause serious damage to the 
drivetrain which is not covered by the 
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Warning!
G
Even when permitted by law, never operate 
a vehicle at speeds greater than the maxi-
mum speed rating of the tires.
Exceeding the maximum speed for which 
tires are rated can lead to sudden tire fail-
ure, causing loss of vehicle control and pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and / or serious 
injury and possible death, for you and for 
others.
iFor information on speed ratings for 
winter tires, see “Winter tires” 
(page 230).
iFor information on driving with snow 
chains, see “Snow chains” 
(page 231). 
     
        
        Page 1003 of 4133

199 Operation
Driving instructions
Road salts and chemicals can adversely af-
fect braking efficiency. Increased pedal 
force may become necessary to produce 
the normal brake effect.
Depressing the brake pedal periodically 
when traveling at length on salt-strewn 
roads can bring road-salt-impaired braking 
efficiency back to normal.If the vehicle is parked after being driven 
on salt-treated roads, the braking efficien-
cy should be tested as soon as possible af-
ter driving is resumed.
For more information, see "Winter driving" 
(
page 230).
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift 
in order to obtain braking action. This could 
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of control loss.
Do not engage the transfer case in position 
LOW when driving on ice or packed snow. At 
speeds below 18 mph (30 km / h) vehicle 
steering is adversely affected by the LOW 
RANGE - ABS (
page 77).
Warning!
G
Make sure not to endanger any other road 
users when carrying out these braking ma-
neuvers.Warning!
G
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make 
sure that snow is kept clear of the exhaust 
pipe and from around the vehicle with the 
engine running. Otherwise, deadly carbon 
monoxide (CO) gases may enter vehicle in-
terior resulting in unconsciousness and 
death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation, 
open a window slightly on the side of the ve-
hicle not facing the wind.
Warning!
G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and 
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose. In-
dicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road 
surface is free of ice. 
     
        
        Page 1004 of 4133

200 OperationDriving instructionsStanding water
Off-road driving
Read this chapter carefully before you be-
gin off-road travel.
Familiarize yourself with the vehicle char-
acteristics and gear changing before you 
attempt any difficult terrain off-road driv-
ing. We recommend that you start out with 
easy off-road travel.
!Do not drive through flooded areas or 
water of unknown depth. Before driving 
through water, determine its depth. 
Never accelerate before driving into 
water. The bow wave could force water 
into the engine and auxiliary equip-
ment, thus damaging them.
If you must drive through standing wa-
ter, drive slowly to prevent water from 
entering the passenger compartment 
or the engine compartment. Water in 
these areas could cause damage to 
electrical components or wiring of the 
engine or transmission, or could result 
in water being ingested by the engine 
through the air intake, causing severe 
internal engine damage. Any such dam-
age is not covered by the 
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
Drive slowly in unknown terrain. This will 
make it easier to recognize unexpected ob-
stacles and avoid damage to the vehicle.
To help avoid the vehicle rolling over, never 
turn it around on steep inclines. If the vehi-
cle cannot complete the attempted climb, 
back it down in reverse gear.
Do not drive along the side of a slope (dan-
ger of vehicle rollover). The vehicle might 
otherwise rollover. If in doing so the vehicle 
begins to show a tendency to roll, immedi-
ately steer into a line of gravity (straight up 
or downhill).
Never let the vehicle roll backwards in idle. 
You may lose control of the vehicle if you 
use only the service brake.
Warning!
G
Sand, dirt, mud and other material having 
friction property can cause exceptional wear 
and tear as well as brake failure.
Have the brakes checked for dirt build-up 
and cleaned. There is otherwise a risk that 
full braking power may not be available in an 
emergency. 
     
        
        Page 1005 of 4133

201 Operation
Driving instructions
Special driving features for off-road 
driving
The following driving features are available 
for specific kind of operation:
LOW RANGE mode (
page 125)
LOW RANGE – ABS (
page 77)
LOW RANGE – 4-ETS (
page 80)
LOW RANGE – ESP (
page 81)
Off-road driving rules
Engage the LOW RANGE mode before driv-
ing under off-road conditions 
(
page 125).
Fasten items being carried as securely as 
possible (
page 157).Checklist before off-road driving
Tires
Check the tread depth and maintain 
specified tire pressure (see tire pres-
sure label inside the fuel filler flap).
Check tires for possible damage and 
remove foreign objects.
Replace missing valve caps.
iWe recommend keeping doors, liftgate, 
windows, and sliding / pop-up roof* 
closed whenever driving in off-road 
mode.
!Observe the following during off-road 
driving:
Adjust vehicle speed to condition of 
terrain. The more uneven, rutty and 
steeper the terrain, the lower the 
speed should be
Watch out for obstacles, such as 
rocks, holes, tree stumps and ruts.
Be especially careful when driving 
in unknown territory. It may be nec-
essary to get out of the vehicle and 
scout the path you intend to take.
Before driving through water, deter-
mine is depth.
Do not stop vehicle while immersed 
in water, and do not shut off the 
engine.
In sandy soil, please drive at a 
steady speed as allowed by condi-
tions. This helps overcome the vehi-
cle rolling resistance and reduces 
the likelihood of the vehicle sinking 
into the ground.
Do not initiate jumps with the vehi-
cle. It interrupts the forward mo-
mentum of the vehicle.
Always drive onto slopes with the 
the engine running and the vehicle 
in gear. 
     
        
        Page 1006 of 4133

202 OperationDriving instructionsRims
Dented or bent rims can cause tire 
pressure loss and damage the tire 
beads. For this reason, check and, if 
necessary, change rims before driving 
off-road.
Vehicle tool kit
Check if the vehicle jack is functional.
In all cases take the vehicle tool kit, a 
strong tow rope, a shovel and a small 
plank (to put under the vehicle jack on 
sandy soil) with you.
Driving in steep terrain
Slope angle1 25°
226°
Switch to LOW RANGE mode before 
starting to drive up or down steep in-
clines (
page 125).
Driving on embankments, slopes and 
other steep inclines should only be 
done straight up or downhill, i.e. in the 
line of gravity. Maximum vehicle climb-
ing ability is a 60% grade.
Do not drive along the side of a slope 
(danger of vehicle rollover). If in doing 
so, the vehicle begins to show a ten-
dency to roll, immediately steer into a 
line of gravity (straight up or downhill).
To help avoid the vehicle rolling over, 
never turn it around on steep inclines. 
If the vehicle cannot complete the at-
tempted climb, back it down in reverse 
gear.
Utilize the engine’s braking power 
when descending a slope, observe the 
engine speed (do not overview the en-
gine). Apply the service brake as need-
ed.
Check the brakes after a lengthy down-
grade drive.
Traction in steep terrain
Be easy on the accelerator and watch 
for continuous wheel traction when 
driving in steep terrain.
The 4-ETS helps greatly when starting 
out on a steep incline when the front 
wheels have then the tendency to slip 
due to the weight shifting away the 
front axle.iAvoid excessive engine speeds – drive 
with moderate engine speeds 
(max. 3000 RPM).
Select gear range2 or1 on the auto-
matic transmission (
page 121). 
     
        
        Page 1007 of 4133

203 Operation
Driving instructions
The 4-ETS recognizes the situation and 
limits the torque for the front wheels by 
braking them. Simultaneously the 
torque for the rear wheels is increased.
Driving across a hilltop
Decelerate just ahead of a hilltop (do 
not select gear rangeN), to prevent the 
vehicle from speeding up too much af-
ter climbing a hill.
Use the momentum of the vehicle to 
drive across the hilltop.
Driving in this manner prevents the ve-
hicle from jumping across the hilltop 
and thus loosing its forward momen-
tum.Driving downhill
Select gear range1 on the automatic 
transmission (
page 121).
Drive downhill observing the same 
rules as driving uphill (
page 202).
The special LOW RANGE – ABS setting 
allows for precise and brief (cyclical) 
blocking of the front wheels, permitting 
them to dig into loose ground. 
Remember that the front wheels when 
stopped, slide across a surface, thus 
loose their ability to steer the vehicle.Driving through water
120 in (50 cm)
Before driving through water, deter-
mine its depth.
It should not be deeper than approxi-
mately 20 inches (50 cm).
Make sure you check the water bed. 
The ground surface may not be firm 
which may result in deeper waters than 
expected when driving the vehicle 
through it.
Switch to LOW RANGE mode before 
driving through water (
page 125). 
     
        
        Page 1008 of 4133

204 OperationDriving instructions
Switch off the exterior lamps as well as 
the climate control.
Select gear range1 on the automatic 
transmission (
page 121).
Enter the water only at a shallow spot, 
driving at walking speed.
Do not stop vehicle while immersed in 
water, and do not shut off the engine.
There is a very high level of driving re-
sistance in water. The surface is slip-
pery and may not be firm, making 
pulling away in water difficult and dan-
gerous.
Clean mud off the tire tread after driv-
ing through water.
To dry the brakes, apply pressure to the 
brake pedal several times after leaving 
the water.
Crossing obstacles
!Never accelerate before driving into 
the water. The bow wave could force 
water into the engine and auxiliary 
equipment, thus damaging them.
!Obstacles can damage the vehicle 
undercarriage or suspension compo-
nents. If possible use the assistance of 
a second person outside the vehicle to 
scout the path you intend to take and 
check for adequate ground clearance 
when you cross obstacles with your ve-
hicle. The person assisting you outside 
the vehicle should always be a safe dis-
tance away from the vehicle and posi-
tioned so that he or she cannot get hurt 
in case of any unexpected vehicle 
movement.
After off-road driving or crossing obsta-
cles, inspect vehicle for any damage, 
especially vehicle undercarriage and 
suspension components. Failure to do 
so can adversely affect the vehicle's fu-
ture performance, including increased 
chance of an accident.