1997 MERCEDES-BENZ ML430 instrument panel

99
Climate control
Te ch n ica l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation
Driving Instrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care Index
1
Air volume control switch
2 Temperature selector switch
3 Air distribution switch
4 Air recirculation
5 Air conditioning mode
6 Air volume control for center air outlets,
turn wheel up to open.
7 Air volume control for side air outlet,
turn wheel up to open.
8 Center air outlets, adjustable
9 Side air outlets, adjustable
10 Windshield air outlets
11 Floor outlets
The air conditioning mode only operates with the œ
button pushed, the air volume control switch set to
position 1 to 4, and the engine running. To quickly cool down the passenger compartment, turn
temperature selector switch fully to the left to
position O. Turn temperature selector to maintain
desired temperature.
The air conditioning mode removes considerable
moisture from the air during operation in the cooling
mode. It is normal for water to drip on the ground
through ducts in the underbody.
Important!
This vehicle is equipped with an air conditioner system
that uses R–134a (HFC: hydrof luorocarbon) as a
refrigerant. Repairs should always be performed by a
qualified technician, and refrigerant should be collected
in a recovery system for recycling.
Note:
For the air flow-through system to function properly, the
air vents, located in the left and right side rear
passenger compartment trim panel covers, should be
ke pt un obst ru cte d .

110
Interior equipment
Te ch n ica l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation
Driving Instrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care Index
Interior lighting
Lamps above instrument panel
Interior lamps above instrument panel are switched on,
and off (soft fade) delayed, when unlocking the vehicle,
or when opening a front door or closing front doors.
With doors closed, push on lamp lens to switch interior
lamps on or off. Reading lamps in inside rear view mirror
1 Reading lamp, left
2 Push button to switch left reading lamp on and off
3 Push button to switch right reading lamp on and off
4 Reading lamp, right
The reading lamps cannot be switched on and off by the
door contact switches.
R ESETM O
DE

116
Interior equipment
Te ch n ica l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation
Driving Instrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care Index
Storage compartment under front passenger seat
(standard; optional on model ML 320)
The storage compartment under the front passenger
seat is lockable with its separate key (1).
Note:
Slide seat rearward to gain easier access to the storage
compartment. Cup holder in instrument panel
Touch top of cover. The cup holder (1) opens
automatically.
Caution!
Keep cup holder closed while traveling. Place only
containers that fit into the cup holder to prevent spills.
Do not fill containers to a height where the contents
could spill during vehicle maneuvers, especially hot
liquids.

133
Interior equipment
Te ch n ica l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation
Driving Instrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care Index
Hooks
Four hooks, located on the rear compartment trim
panels can be used to secure light weight items
(maximum permissible weight per hook: 9 lbs. [4 kg]). Partiti on net
(Optional)
Use of the partition net is a particularly important safety
factor when the vehicle is loaded higher than the top of
the seat backrests with smaller objects.
The partition net can be installed behind the backrests
of the front or rear seats.
Note:
Passenger use of seats behind installed partition net is
restricted because of the footwell being taken up by the
net.

152
Tele Aid
Te ch n ica l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation
Driving Instrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care Index
Roadside Assistance button •
Located in the overhead control panel is the Roadside
Assistance button •. Briefly press on cover (3) – the
cover will open.
Pressing and holding the Roadside Assistance
button • (for longer than 2 seconds) will initiate a
call to a Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance dispatcher.
The button will flash while the call is in progress. The
message “ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE – CONNECTING
CALL” appears in the MCS display.
Wa r n i n g !
If you feel at any way in jeopardy when in the
vehicle (e.g. smoke or fire in the vehicle, vehicle in
a dangerous road location), please do not wait for
voice contact after you have pressed the emergency
button. Carefully leave the vehicle and move to a
safe location. The Response Center will
automatically contact local emergency officials
with the vehicle’s approximate location if they
receive an automatic “SOS” signal and cannot make
voice contact with the vehicle occupants.

RESET
MOD E
3

154
Tele Aid
Te ch n ica l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation
Driving Instrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care Index
If the indicator lamp in the Roadside Assistance
button • is illuminated continuously and there was
no voice connection to the Response Center established,
then the Tele Aid system could not initiate an Roadside
Assistance call (e.g. the relevant cellular phone network
is not available). The message “ROADSIDE
ASSISTANCE – CALL FAILED” appears in the MCS
display.
Should this occur, assistance must be summoned by
other means.
Roadside Assistance calls can be terminated using the
END button on the MCS unit. Information button
¡
Located in the overhead control panel is the Information
button ¡. Briefly press on cover (3) – the cover will
open.
Pressing and holding the Information button ¡ (for
longer than 2 seconds) will initiate a call to the Client
Assistance Center. The button will flash while the call is
in progress. The message “INFO – CONNECTING CALL”
appears in the MCS display. When the connection is
established, the message “INFO – CALL CONNECTED”
appears in the MCS display.

RESET
MOD E
3

173
Parking brake
Te ch n ica l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation
Driving Instrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care Index
Parking brake
To engage, firmly depress parking brake pedal (1).
When the key is in steering lock position 2, the brake
warning lamp É in the instrument cluster should
come on brightly. To release the parking brake, pull handle (2) on
instrument panel. The brake warning lamp É in the
instrument cluster should go out.
A warning sounds, if you start to drive without having
released the parking brake.
Also see brake warning lamp on page 219.
Wa r n i n g !
When leaving the vehicle always remove the key
from the steering lock, and lock the vehicle. Do not
leave children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Children could
release the parking brake, which could result in an
accident or serious injury.

209
Driving systems
Te ch n ica l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation
Driving Instrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care Index
Transmission control – LOW RANGE mode
The switch is located in the instrument panel.
Important!
When switching to or from the LOW RANGE mode,
observe the following:
• The vehicle must be at a complete standstill.
• The engine speed must not exceed 1500 rpm. Failure to do so may result in transmission / engine
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty
The LOW RANGE mode should be switched on:
• during off-road driving,
• when crossing waters.
For additional practical hints refer to off-road driving
on page 183.
Switching on: 1. Sto p t h e v e h i c l e .
2. Move transmission selector lever to position “N”.
3. Push top end of switch. The LOW RANGE indicator lamp in the instrument cluster blinks slowly during
the changeover.
Once the changeover is complete, the indicator lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up continuously.
Note:
If the indicator lamp blinks fast, one or more switching
conditions were not observed, or the LOW RANGE mode
is defective.