2003 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 automatic

157 Controls in detail
Useful features
Cigarette lighter
Switch on the ignition.

Push in cigarette lighter2
(page 156).
The cigarette lighter will pop out auto-
matically when hot.
Ashtray and cigarette lighter in the rear
center console
1Ashtray
2Cigarette lighter
3Cover plate
Opening the ashtray

Briefly touch cover plate3.
The ashtray opens automatically.
Removing ashtray insert

Grip the insert on the sides and pull it
out upwards.Reinstalling ashtray insert

Install ashtray insert.

Close the ashtray.
Cigarette lighter

Switch on the ignition.

Push in cigarette lighter2.
The cigarette lighter will pop out auto-
matically when hot.
!Close the ashtray in the rear center
console before folding the rear seat
bench.

160 Controls in detailUseful featuresThe Tele Aid system
(Telematic Alarm Identification on
Demand)
The Tele Aid system consists of three
types of response:

automatic and manual emergency


roadside assistance and


information.
The Tele Aid system is operational provid-
ing that the vehicle’s battery is charged,
properly connected, not damaged and cel-
lular and GPS coverage is available.
The speaker volume of a Tele Aid call can
be adjusted using the volume control on
the MCS unit.

To activate, press the SOS button, the
Roadside Assistance button
•
or
the Information button
¡
, depend-
ing on the type of response required.Shortly after the completion of your ac-
quaintance call, you will receive a user ID
and password via first call mail. By visiting
www.mbusa.com and selecting “Tele Aid”
( U S A o n l y ) , y o u w i l l h a v e a c c e s s t o a c c o u n t
information, remote door unlock, profile
and more.System self-check
Initially, after turning the key in the steer-
ing lock to position2, malfunctions are de-
tected and indicated (the indicator lamps
in the SOS button, the Roadside Assis-
tance button
•
and the Information
button
¡
stay on longer than
10 seconds or do not come on). The mes-
sage
Tele Aid
–Visit workshop!
ap-
pears for approx. 10 seconds in the MCS
display.
iThe SOS button, the Roadside Assis-
tance button
•
and the Information
button
¡
are located in the over-
head control panel.
!The Tele Aid system utilizes the cellu-
lar network for communication and
the GPS (Global Positioning System)
satellites for vehicle location. If either
of these signals are unavailable, the
Tele Aid system may not function and
if this occurs, assistance must be sum-
moned by other means.

161 Controls in detail
Useful features
Emergency calls
An emergency call is initiated automatical-
ly:

following an accident in which the
emergency tensioning detractors
(ETDs) or airbags deploy,


if the anti-theft alarm or the tow-away
alarm stays on for more than
20 seconds. See anti-theft alarm sys-
tem (
page 78) and tow-away alarm
(
page 79).
An emergency call can also be initiated
manually by opening the cover next to the
inside rear view mirror labeled SOS, then
briefly pressing the button located under
the cover. See below for instructions on
initiating an emergency call manually.
Warning!
G
The Tele Aid control unit is located under
the front passenger seat. If there is accumu-
lation of water or other liquid in this area,
the Tele Aid control unit could suffer an
electrical short circuit making the system in-
operative. In this case the indicator lamp in
the SOS button will not illuminate during or
will remain illuminated after the system
self-check. Have the system checked at the
nearest Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center
as soon as possible.
If the indicator lamps in the SOS button, in
the Roadside Assistance button and/or in
the Information button do not come on dur-
ing the system self-check or if any of these
indicators remain illuminated constantly in
red and/or the message
TELE AID - VIS-
IT WORKSHOP
is displayed in the MCS dis-
play after the system self-check, a
malfunction in the system has been detect-
ed.
If a malfunction is indicated as outlined
above, the system may not operate as ex-
pected. Have the system checked at the
nearest Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center
as soon as possible.

162 Controls in detailUseful featuresOnce the emergency call is in progress, the
indicator lamp in the SOS button will begin
to flash. The message
EMERGENCY CALL –
CONNECTING CALL
appears in the MCS dis-
play. When the connection is established,
the message
EMERGENCY CALL –
CALL CONNECTED
appears in the MCS dis-
play. All information relevant to the emer-
gency, such as the location of the vehicle
(determined by the GPS satellite location
system), vehicle model, identification num-
ber and color are generated.
A voice connection between the Response
Center and the occupants of the vehicle
will be established automatically soon af-
ter the emergency call has been initiated.
When a voice connection is established the
audio system mutes and the message
TELE AID – EMERGENCY CALL ACTIVE
ap-
pears in the MCS display. The Response
Center will attempt to determine more pre-
cisely the nature of the accident provided
they can speak to an occupant of the vehi-
cle.The Tele Aid system is available if:


it has been activated and is operation-
al. Activation requires a subscription
for monitoring services, connection
and cellular air time


the relevant cellular phone network
and GPS signals are available and pass
the information on to the response cen-
ter.iLocation of the vehicle on a map is only
possible if the vehicle is able to receive
signals from the GPS satellite network
and pass the information on to the re-
sponse center.
Warning!
G
If the indicator lamp in the SOS button is il-
luminated continuously and there was no
voice connection to the Response Center
established, then the Tele Aid system could
not initiate an emergency call (e.g. the rele-
vant cellular phone network is not available).
The message
EMERGENCY CALL –
Call FAILED appears in the MCS display
for approx. 10 seconds.
Should this occur, assistance must be sum-
moned by other means.

163 Controls in detail
Useful features
Initiating an emergency call manually
1Cover
2SOS button
Briefly press on cover1.
The cover will open.

Press SOS button2 briefly.
The indicator lamp in SOS button2 will
flash until the emergency call is con-
cluded.

Wait for a voice connection to the Re-
sponse Center.

Close cover1 after the emergency call
is concluded.Roadside Assistance button
•
1Cover
2Roadside Assistance button
•

Briefly press on cover1.
The cover will open.

Press and hold the button2 (for longer
than 2 seconds)
A call to a Mercedes-Benz Roadside As-
sistance dispatcher will be initiated.
The button will flash while the call is in
progress. The message
ROADSIDE AS-
SISTANCE – CONNECTING CALL
will ap-
pear in the MCS display.
Warning!
G
If you feel at any way in jeopardy when in the
vehicle (e.g. smoke or fire in the vehicle, ve-
hicle 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 loca-
tion. The Response Center will automatically
contact local emergency officials with the
vehicle’s approximate location if they re-
ceive an automatic SOS signal and cannot
make voice contact with the vehicle occu-
pants.

166 Controls in detailUseful featuresFor more details concerning the Tele Aid
system, please visit www.mbusa.com and
use your ID and password (sent to you sep-
arately) to learn more (USA only).Upgrade signals
The Tele Aid system processes calls using
the following priority.


Automatic emergency – First priority


Manual emergency – Second priority


Roadside assistance – Third priority


Information – Fourth priority
Should a higher priority call be initiated
while you are connected, an upgrade (al-
ternating) tone will be heard and the ap-
propriate indicator lamp will flash. If
certain information such as vehicle identi-
fication number or customer information is
not available, the operator may need to re-
transmit.
During this time you will hear a beep and
voice contact will be interrupted. Voice
contact will resume once the retransmis-
sion is completed. Once a call is conclud-
ed, a beep will be heard and the
appropriate indicator lamp will stop flash-
ing. The MCS system operation will re-
sume.
iThe indicator lamp in the Information
button
¡
remains illuminated in red
for approx. 10 seconds during the sys-
tem self-check after turning key in the
steering lock to position2 (together
with the SOS button and the Roadside
Assistance button
•
).
See system self-check (page 160)
when the indicator lamp does not light
up in red or stays on longer than ap-
proximately 10 seconds.
If the indicator lamp in the Information
button
¡
is illuminated continuous-
ly and there was no voice connection to
the Response Center established, then
the Tele Aid system could not initiate
an Information call (e.g. the relevant
cellular phone network is not avail-
able).
The message
INFO CALL FAILED
ap-
pears in the MCS display.
Information calls can be terminated us-
ing the END button on the MCS.
!If the indicator lamps do not start flash-
ing after pressing one of the buttons or
remains illuminated (in red) at any
time, the Tele Aid system has detected
a fault or the service is not currently ac-
tive, and may not initiate a call. Visit
your Mercedes-Benz Center and have
the system checked or contact the Re-
sponse Center at 1-800-756-9018 (in
the USA) or 1-888-923-8367 (in Cana-
da) as soon as possible.

171 Controls in detail
Useful features
Canadian programming
During programming, your hand-held
transmitter may automatically stop trans-
mitting. 
Continue to press and hold the inte-
grated remote control transmitter but-
ton (refer to steps two through four in
the “Programming” portion) while you
press and re-press (“cycle”) your
hand-held transmitter every two sec-
onds until the frequency signal has
been learned.
Upon successful training, the indicator
lamp will flash slowly and then rapidly
after several seconds.Operation of remote control

Turn key in steering lock to position1
or2.

Select and press the appropriate but-
ton to activate the remote controlled
device.
The integrated remote control trans-
mitter continues to send the signal as
long as the button is pressed – up to
20 seconds.Erasing the remote control memory

Turn key in steering lock to position1
or2.

Simultaneously hold down the left and
right side buttons for approximately
20 seconds, or until the indicator lamp
blinks rapidly.
The codes of all three channels are
erased.iIf you sell your vehicle, erase the codes
of all three channels.

172 Controls in detailUseful featuresTrip computer*
The trip computer is located in the over-
head console.
1RESET
2MODE
3Display
Switching on the trip computer
Switch on ignition.
Display3 shows one of the available
functions.

If a function display does not appear,
press MODE2.Selecting functions

Press MODE2 repeatedly until the de-
sired display appears.
The functions are displayed in the follow-
ing order:


Date


Compass


Stop watch


Present fuel consumption


Average fuel consumption


Distance remaining


Country


Switching off trip computerSetting the date

Press MODE2 repeatedly until the
date appears.

Press RESET1.
The month shown blinks.

Press MODE2 to advance to selected
month.

Press RESET1.
The day shown blinks.

Press MODE2 to advance to selected
day.

Press RESET1.
The year shown blinks.

Press MODE2 to advance to selected
year.

Press RESET1.
The display stops blinking and the date
is set.
iWith engine not running, the display
switches off automatically 30 seconds
after the last entry.