1997 MERCEDES-BENZ ML430 fold seats

247
Tires, Wheels
Te ch n ica l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation Driving
Instrument
cluster display Practical hints
Car care Index
6. Place jack on firm ground. Position the jack under
t he take-up bracket so t hat it is always ve rtical
(plumb-line) as seen from the side, even if the
vehicle is parked on an incline.
7. Open jack further until jack arm end seats firmly in the take-up bracket and its base sits sq uarely on the
ground. Jack up the vehicle until the wheel is clear
of the ground. Never start engine while vehicle is
raised. 8. Unscrew and remove all wheel bolts. Keep bolt
threads protected from dirt and sand.
9. Remove wheel. Grip wheel from the sides. Keep hands from beneath the wheels.
Clean contact surfaces of wheel and wheel hub.
Install spare wheel on wheel hub. Insert wheel bolts
and tighten them slightly.
10. Lower vehicle to ground. Remove jack.
Before storing the jack, it should be fully collapsed, with
handle folded in.
For proper storage of jack see page 237.

308
Index
Te ch n ica l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation Driving
Instrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care
Index
Remote control ................................................................. 24 Battery replacement .................................................270
Changing batteries ...................................................270
Operation ..................................................................... 26
Synchronizing remote control ................................ 271
Removable cargo floor plates ....................................... 129
Replacement keys ............................................................ 25
Replacing bulbs ..............................................................260
Replacing wiper blade insert .......................................275
Reporting safety defects ................................................. 16
Reserve key ................................................................ 24, 25
Roadside assistance ......................................................... 10
Roadside assistance call See Tele Aid ............................................................... 148
Roof rack ......................................................................... 276
SSafety guidelines for the seat belt, emergency tensioning retractor and airbag ................................ 63
Screwdriver .....................................................................237
Seat belt warning lamp .................................................223
Seat belts ........................................................................... 46 Fastening ...................................................................... 48
Seat belt nonusage warning system ........................ 47 Unfastening .................................................................. 50
Warning lamp ........................................................... 223
Seat belts and integrated restraint system .................. 46
Seat bench ....................................................................... 120
Seats, folding (Third row seats) ................................... 126
Seats, front ........................................................................37 Heated seats .................................................................44
Manual seats ................................................................39
Power seats .................................................................. 40
Service indicator
See Flexible service system (FSS) ............................ 87
Side marker lamp .......................................................... 264
Skyview Top ....................................................................109 Emergency operation .............................................. 273
Sliding/pop-up roof ........................................................107 Emergency operation .............................................. 272
Express opening ........................................................108
Synchronizing .......................................................... 272
Snow chains ....................................................................179
SOS-call See Tele Aid ...............................................................148
Space-saver tire
Air pump ................................................................... 239
Spare parts service ....................................................... 284
Spare wheel ................................................................... 242 Space-saver tire ........................................................ 243

Removal & Installation (Front)
1. Before proceeding, see AIR BAG SAFETY PRECAUTIONS . Disable air bag system. See
DISABLING & ACTIVATI NG AIR BAG SYSTEM
.
2. Move appropriate front seat full y forward. Remove lower trim panel from outer edge of seat cushion
frame. Remove bolt from seat belt end fitting. Remove end fitting from seat cushion. Remove B-pillar
trim panel. Remove bolt from be lt height adjuster. Disconnect ET R electrical connector. Remove ETR
bolts. Remove ETR.
3. To install, reverse removal procedur e. Tighten ETR, seat belt end fitting and belt height adjuster bolts to
specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
. Activate air bag system . Read diagnostic codes and
erase memory. See DIAGNOSTICS
.
Removal & Installation (Outer Rear)
1. Before proceeding, see AIR BAG SAFETY PRECAUTIONS . Disable air bag system. See
DISABLING & ACTIVATI NG AIR BAG SYSTEM
.
2. Remove appropriate C-pillar trim panel. Remove bolt from upper seat belt guide bracket. Disconnect
ETR connector. Remove bolts from ETR. Remove ETR.
3. To install, reverse removal proc edure. Tighten ETR bolts and upper seat belt guide bracket bolt to
specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
. Activate air bag system Read diagnostic codes and
erase memory. See DIAGNOSTICS
.
HEAD IMPACT AIR BAG MODULE (OUTER REAR)
Removal & Installation
1. Before proceeding, see AIR BAG SAFETY PRECAUTIONS . Disable air bag system. See
DISABLING & ACTIVATI NG AIR BAG SYSTEM
.
2. Remove headliner. See HEADLINER
. Disconnect appropriate head im pact air bag module electrical
connector. Remove screws from rear bracket. Rem ove screws from front and center brackets. Using
Wedge (115-589-03-59-00), remove head impact air ba g module from bracket. Remove head impact air
bag module.
3. To install, reverse removal proce dure. Activate air bag system. Read diagnostic codes and erase memory.
See DIAGNOSTICS
.
HEADLINER
Removal & Installation
1. Before proceeding, see AIR BAG SAFETY PRECAUTIONS . Remove edge trim from sliding/pop-up
roof. Remove front door seals from A- and B-pillars.
2. Remove A-pillar trim panels. Remove front fold ing handle. Remove sun visors and mounting clips.
Remove upper B-pillar trim panels . Remove cargo net holding point c overs. Remove load compartment
handles.
3. Remove coat hooks. Remove C-pill ar trim panels. Remove upper screws from D-pillar trim panels.
Detach rear headliner at roof. Lower headliner until it is supported on front seats. Lower front seat backs
rearward until sufficient ac cess to head impact air ba
g modules is available.

2004 Mercedes-Benz ML350
2004 ACCESSORIES/SAFETY EQUIPMENT Merce des-Benz - Air Bag Restraint Systems
me
Saturday, October 02, 2010 3:40:40 PMPage 7 © 2006 Mitchell Repair Information Company, LLC.

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
At a glance.......................................... 21
Cockpit ................................................. 22
Instrument cluster ................................ 24
Center console ..................................... 27
Upper part ...................................... 27
Lower part ...................................... 28
Overhead control panel ........................ 29Getting started................................... 31
Unlocking ............................................. 32
Remote control with folding key ..... 32
Adjusting .............................................. 34
Seats............................................... 34
Steering wheel ................................ 39
Mirrors ............................................ 40Driving .................................................. 42
Fastening the seat belts ................. 42
Starting the engine ......................... 46
Switching on headlamps ................. 48
Turn signals .................................... 49
Windshield wipers ........................... 49
Rear window wiper ......................... 51
Problems while driving.................... 51
Parking and locking .............................. 53
Parking brake ................................. 53
Switching off headlamps................. 54
Turning off engine ........................... 54

ContentsSafety and Security........................... 57
Occupant safety................................... 58
Airbags ........................................... 59
Seat belts ....................................... 64
Children in the vehicle .................... 67
Blocking of rear door
window operation ........................... 73
Panic alarm .......................................... 75
Activating ....................................... 75
Deactivating ................................... 75
Driving and safety systems .................. 76
ABS ................................................ 76
BAS ................................................ 78
4-ETS .............................................. 79
EBP................................................. 80
ESP ................................................. 80
Anti-theft systems................................ 83
Immobilizer..................................... 83
Anti-theft alarm .............................. 83
Tow-away alarm,
glass breakage sensor.................... 84
Controls in detail............................... 87
Locking and unlocking ......................... 88
Remote control with folding key..... 88
Opening the doors
from the inside ............................... 90
Opening the liftgate ....................... 91
Closing the liftgate ......................... 92
Automatic central locking .............. 93
Locking and unlocking
from the inside ............................... 94
Seats ................................................... 95
Removing and installing
front seat head restraints............... 95
Rear seat head restraints ............... 96
Heated seats* ................................ 98
Rear seats ...................................... 99
Third row seats* .......................... 102
Memory function* ............................. 105
Storing exterior rear view mirror
parking position ........................... 105
Storing positions in memory ........ 106
Recalling positions from memory . 106Lighting ............................................. 107
Combination switch ..................... 107
Fog lamps .................................... 111
Hazard warning flasher ................ 112
Interior lighting ............................ 112
Instrument cluster ............................. 116
Instrument cluster illumination .... 116
Coolant temperature gauge ......... 117
Display in the speedometer ......... 117
Resetting trip odometer ............... 118
Tachometer .................................. 118
Outside temperature indicator ..... 118
Setting the clock .......................... 118
Automatic transmission ..................... 119
One-touch gearshifting ................ 120
Gear ranges ................................. 121
Gear selector lever position ......... 122
Accelerator position ..................... 123
Towing a trailer ............................ 124
Emergency operation
(Limp Home Mode) ...................... 124

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.

100 Controls in detailSeatsFolding down the backrest
1Lock button
Close cup holder (
page 167) and
ashtray (
page 169) in rear center
console (page 167).

Move front seats forward. Manual seat
(page 35) or power seat (
page 37).

Slide seat forward.

Remove head restraint(s) (
page 95).

Pull lock button1 up and fold back-
rest forward until it locks in place.The red backrest lock indicator at lock
button1 is not visible in the locked
position.
Folding up the backrest

Close cup holder (
page 167) and
ashtray (
page 169) in rear center
console.

Pull lock button1 up and unfold back-
rest until it locks in place.
M a k e s u r e t h e s e a t b e l t i s n o t c a u g h t i n
the seat.

Check for secure locking by pulling and
pushing on the backrest.
The red backrest lock indicator at lock
button1 is not visible in the locked
position.

Install head restraint (
page 96).

Slide seat rearward to desired position
(page 99).

Adjust front seats to desired position.
Manual seats (
page 35) or power
seats (
page 37).
Lowering the rear seat
1Release button
2Lever
3Release lever