2003 MERCEDES-BENZ ML320 oil temperature

Contents
Loading.............................................. 139
Loading instructions..................... 139
Partition net* ............................... 141
Cargo area cover blind* ............... 143
Cargo floor plates ........................ 144
Roof rack*.................................... 145
Driving systems ................................. 146
Cruise control .............................. 146
Parktronic system*
(Parking assist) ............................ 149
Useful features .................................. 152
Interior storage spaces ................ 152
Cup holders.................................. 154
Armrest in rear seat bench .......... 155
Ashtrays and cigarette lighter ...... 156
Electrical outlet ............................ 158
Telephone* .................................. 158
Tele Aid* ...................................... 159
Garage door opener ..................... 168
Trip computer*............................. 172Operation......................................... 177
The first 1000 miles (1500 km) ......... 178
Driving instructions............................ 179
Drive sensibly – save fuel............. 179Drinking and driving ...................... 179
Pedals ........................................... 179
Power assistance .......................... 179
Brakes........................................... 180
Driving off ..................................... 181
Parking.......................................... 182
Tires .............................................. 182
Hydroplaning................................. 183
Tire traction .................................. 183
Tire speed rating ........................... 184
Winter driving instructions ............ 184
Standing water.............................. 185
Off-road driving ............................. 186
Trailer towing ................................ 192
Passenger compartment ............... 196
Driving abroad .............................. 197
Control and operation of radio
transmitters .................................. 197
Catalytic converter........................ 198
Emission control ........................... 198
Coolant temperature..................... 199
At the gas station ............................... 200
Check regularly and
before a long trip .......................... 201Engine compartment .......................... 202
Hood ............................................. 202
Engine oil ...................................... 203
Transmission fluid level ................ 206
Coolant ......................................... 206
Battery .......................................... 207
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system ........... 208
Tires and wheels ................................ 209
Important guidelines ..................... 209
Life of tire ..................................... 210
Direction of rotation ..................... 210
Checking tire inflation pressure .... 211
Rotating wheels ............................ 212
Winter driving ..................................... 213
Winter tires ................................... 213
Block heater (Canada only) ........... 214
Snow chains ................................. 214
Maintenance ...................................... 215
Clearing the service indicator ....... 215
Service term exceeded ................. 215
Calling up the service indicator .... 216
Resetting the service indicator ..... 216
Vehicle care ....................................... 217
Cleaning and care
of the vehicle ................................ 217

203 Operation
Engine compartment
Closing
Let the hood drop from a height of ap-
proximately 1ft (30cm).
The hood will lock audibly.

Check to make sure that the hood is
fully closed.
If you can raise the hood at a point
above the headlamps, then it is not
properly closed. Open it again and let it
drop with somewhat greater force.
Engine oil
The amount of oil your engine needs will
depend on a number of factors, including
driving style. Higher oil consumption can
occur when

the vehicle is new


the vehicle is driven frequently at high-
er engine speeds.
Engine oil consumption checks should only
be made after the vehicle break-in period.
Checking engine oil level
When checking the oil level the vehicle
must


be parked on level ground


be at normal operating temperature


have been stationary for at least five
minutes with the engine turned off
Warning!
G
If you see flames or smoke coming from the
engine compartment, or if the coolant tem-
perature gauge indicates that the engine is
overheated, do not open the hood. Move
away from vehicle and do not open the hood
until the engine has cooled. If necessary,
call the fire department.Warning!
G
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Because of the high voltage
it is dangerous to touch any components (ig-
nition coils, spark plug sockets, diagnostic
socket) of the ignition system

with the engine running


while starting the engine


if ignition is “on” and the engine is
turned manually
Warning!
G
Be careful that you do not close the hood on
anyone.!Do not push the hood closed manually,
as this could damage it.

284 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.Capacities
Vehicle components and their respective
lubricants must match.Therefore use only brand tested and rec-
ommended by us.Please refer to the Factory Approved Ser-
vice Products pamphlet, or inquire at your
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Engine with oil filter
ML 320, ML 350,
ML 500
8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
Recommended engine oils
ML 55 AMG
8.0 US qt (7.5 l)
Recommended engine oils
Automatic transmis-
sion
9.0 US qt (8.5 l)
MB Automatic Transmission Oil
1
1MB part no. 001 989 21 03 10Transfer case
1.6 US qt (1.5 l)
(Dexron 3 or Dexron 2E)
Rear axle
1.3 US qt (1.25 l)
(Hypoid gear oil SAE 90, 85 W 90)
Front axle
1.2 US qt (1.1 l)
(Hypoid gear oil SAE 90)
Power steering
approx. 0.65 US qt (0.6 l)
MB Power Steering Fluid
Front wheel hubs
approx. 1.5 oz (43 g) each
High temperature roller bearing grease
Brake system
0.75 US qt (0.7 l)
MB Brake Fluid (DOT 4+)

285 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Cooling system
approx. 12.7 US qt (12.0 l)
MB Anticorrosion / Antifreeze
Fuel tank
ML 320, ML 350,
ML 500
22.0 US gal (83.0 l)
Premium unleaded gasoline:
Posted Octane 91 (Avg. of 96 RON/86 MON
ML 55 AMG
25.0 US gal (95.0 l)
Premium unleaded gasoline:
Posted Octane 91 (Avg. of 96 RON/86 MON
including a reserve of
approx. 3.2 US qt (12.0 l)
Air conditioning system
R-134a refrigerant and special PAG lubricant
oil (never R-12)
Windshield washer and
headlamp cleaning sys-
tem
8.0 US qt (7.6 l)
MB Windshield Washer Concentrate
1
1Use MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “S” and water for temperatures above freezing or MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “S” and commercially available pre-
mixed windshield washer solvent / antifreeze for temperatures below freezing. Follow suggested mixing ratios (
page 290).

288 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants etc.The coolant solution must be used year
round to provide the necessary corrosion
protection and increase in boil-over pro-
tection. You should have it replaced every
3years.
To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least 45% anticor-
rosion/antifreeze (equivalent to freeze
protection to approx. - 22°F [-30°C]). If
you use a solution that is more than 55%
anticorrosion/antifreeze (freeze protec-
tion to approx. - 49°F [-45°C]), the engine
temperature will increase due to the lower
heat transfer capability of the solution.
Therefore, do not use more than this
amount of anticorrosion/antifreeze.If the coolant level is low, water and MB
anticorrosion /antifreeze should be used
to bring it up to the proper level (have cool-
ing system checked for signs of leakage).
Please make sure that the mixture is in ac-
cordance with label instructions.
The water in the cooling system must meet
minimum requirements, which are usually
satisfied by normal drinking water. If you
are not sure about the water quality, con-
sult your authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Anticorrosion/antifreeze
Your vehicle contains a number of alumi-
num parts. The use of aluminum compo-
nents in motor vehicle engines
necessitates that anticorrosion/antifreeze
coolant used in such engines be specifical-
ly formulated to protect the aluminum
parts. (Failure to use such anticorro-
sion/antifreeze coolant will result in a sig-
nificantly shortened service life.)
Therefore, the following product is strongly
recommended for use in your vehicle:
Mercedes-Benz Anticorrosion/Antifreeze
agent.
Before the start of the winter season (or
once a year in hot southern regions), you
should have the anticorrosion/antifreeze
concentration checked. The coolant is also
regularly checked each time you bring your
vehicle to your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center for service.

294 Technical termsEngine oil viscosity
Measurement for the inner friction (vis-
cosity) of the oil at different tempera-
tures. The higher the temperature an
oil can tolerate without becoming thin,
or the lower the temperature it can tol-
erate without becoming viscous, the
better the viscosity.
ESP
(E
lectronic S
tability Pr
ogram)
Improves vehicle handling and direc-
tional stability.
ETD
(E
mergency T
ensioning D
evice)
Device which deploys in certain frontal
and rear collisions exceeding the sys-
tem's threshold to tighten the seat
belts.
->SRSFSS
(F
lexible S
ervice S
ystem)
Service indicator in the speedometer
display that informs the driver when
the next vehicle maintenance service is
due.
Gear range
Number of gears which are available to
the automatic transmission for shifting.
The automatic gear shifting process
can be adapted to specific operating
conditions using the selector lever.
GPS
(G
lobal P
ositioning S
ystem)
Satellite-based system for relaying
geographic location information to and
from vehicles equipped with special re-
ceivers. Employs CD digital maps for
navigation.
Instrument cluster
The displays and indicator/warning
lamps in the driver’s field of vision, in-
cluding the tachometer, speedometer,
engine temperature and fuel gauge.Kickdown
Depressing the accelerator past the
point of resistance shifts the transmis-
sion down to the lowest possible gear.
This very quickly accelerates the vehi-
cle and should not be used for normal
acceleration needs.
Line of fall
The direct line that an object moves
downhill when influenced by the force
of gravity alone.
Lock button
Button on the door which indicates
whether the door is locked or un-
locked. Pushing the lock button down
on an individual door from inside will
lock that door.
MCS
(M
odular C
ontrol S
ystem)
Information and operating center for
vehicle sound and communications
systems, including the radio and the ra-
dio and navigation system, as well as
for other optional equipment (CD
changer, telephone, etc.).

303 Index
Compass 173
Calibrating 174
Setting compass zone 174
Compass zone 174
Consumer information 291
Control and operation of radio
transmitters 197
Coolant 206, 287
Adding 206
Anticorrosion/antifreeze quantity 288
Checking level 206
Indicator lamp 230
Temperature 199
Temperature gauge 111
Coolant level
Checking 201, 206
Crossing obstacles 190
Cruise control 146, 293
Canceling 147
Driving downhill 147
Driving uphill 147
Fine adjustment 148
LOW RANGE mode 148
Saving current speed 147
Setting speeds 148Cruise control lever 146
Cup holder 154
Cleaning 221
In front seat armrest 155
In instrument panel 154
In rear centerconsole 155
Customer Assistance Center (CAC) 293
D
Daytime running lamp mode 103
Deactivating
Air conditioning (cooling) 129
Air recirculation mode 129
Alarm 79
Anti-theft alarm system 79
Automatic climate control 125, 127
Cruise control 147
Defrost 128
Engine 51
ESP 76
Front fog lamps, rear fog lamp 105
Hazard warning flasher 106
Headlamps 51
Immobilizer 78
Rear passenger compartment
ventilation and climate control 131Rear window defroster 131
Residual heat 130
Seat heater 91
Tow-away alarm 80
Tow-away alarm (vehicles with trip
computer*) 80
Tow-away alarm (vehicles without trip
computer) 81
Deactivating automatic central locking 89
Deep water see Standing water 185
Defogging
Windshield 128
Defrosting 128
Difficulties
While driving see Problems while
driving 49
With starting 45
Direction of rotation (tires) 210
Discharged battery
Jump starting 264
Disconnecting
Vehicle battery 261
Display
Engine oil level 204
Display in the speedometer 111

307 Index
Headlamps
Automatic control 103
Bi-Xenon 293
Cleaning 220
Cleaning system 121
Cleaning system* 208
Refilling washer fluid 208
Switching off 51
Switching on 46
Washer fluid 290
Washer system 290
Headliner
Cleaning 221
Heated seats 91
Height adjustment
Head restraints 36, 37
Seat belts 43
Steering wheel 37
High beam flasher 47, 102
High beam headlamps
Replacing bulbs 247, 250
Switching on 102
High mounted brake lamp 248
Replacing bulbs 252Hood 202
Closing 203
Opening 202
Hooks
Loading 140
Hydroplaning 183
I
Identification labels 276
Certification label 276
Vehicle identification number
(VIN) 276
Ignition 33
Immobilizer 78
Activating 51, 78
Deactivating 78
Indicator lamp
Adjustable steering column 229
Brake pad wear 234
Coolant 230
Front fog lamps 229
Low engine oil level 229
Indicators, additional
Speedometer display 235
Infant and child restraint systems 63
Installing 67
LATCH child seat mounts 68Inflating
Spare tire 259
Information
About service and warranty 10
Button for Tele Aid* 165
Inside rear view mirror
Antiglare 119
Installing
Head restraint 92
Infant and child restraint systems 67
Wiper blades 254
Instrument cluster 24, 110, 294
Cleaning 221
Coolant temperature gauge 111
Display in the speedometer 111
Illumination 110
Lamps in 233
Outside temperature indicator 112
Instruments and controls see Cockpit 22
Integrated remote control
Canadian programming 171
Erasing memory 171
Hand-held transmitter 169
Operating 171
Rolling code programming 170