2003 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 Telephone

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

158 Controls in detailUseful featuresElectrical outletElectrical outletOne outlet is located in the front passen-
ger footwell and another on the right-hand
side of the luggage compartment.
Flip up cover and insert electrical plug
(cigarette lighter type).
Telephone*
Radio transmitters, such as a portable tele-
phone or a citizens band unit, should only
be used inside the vehicle if they are con-
nected to an antenna that is installed on
the outside of the vehicle.
The external antenna must be approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Please contact an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center
for information on the installation of an ap-
proved external antenna. Refer to the radio
transmitter operation instructions regard-
ing use of an external antenna.
iThe outlets function even if the key is
not in the ignition.
The electrical outlet can be used to ac-
commodate electrical consumers (e.g.
air pump, auxiliary lamps) up to a max-
imum of 180 W.
If the engine is off, the battery may be-
come discharged if used for long peri-
ods of time.
Warning!
G
Never operate radio transmitters equipped
with a built-in or attached antenna (i.e. with-
out being connected to an external antenna)
from inside the vehicle while the engine is
running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc-
tion of the vehicle’s electronic system, pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.

159 Controls in detail
Useful features
You can take and place telephone calls us-
ing the MCS unit.
See separate instruction manual for infor-
mation on how to operate the telephone.
Tele Aid*
Warning!
G
Please do not forget that your primary re-
sponsibility is to drive the vehicle. A driver’s
attention to the road must always be
his /her primary focus when driving. For
your safety and the safety of others, we rec-
o m m e n d t h a t y o u p u l l o v e r t o a s a f e l o c a t i o n
and stop before placing or taking a tele-
phone call.
If you choose to use the telephone
1 while
driving, please use the hands-free device
and only use the telephone when road,
weather and traffic conditions permit. Some
jurisdictions prohibit the driver from using a
cellular telephone while driving a vehicle.
Only operate the MCS (Modular Control Sys-
tem)
1 if road, weather and traffic conditions
permit.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km / h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of approx. 44 feet (ap-
proximately 13.5 m) every second.
1Observe all legal requirements
Warning!
G
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from
using a cellular telephone while driving a ve-
hicle. Whether or not prohibited by law, for
safety reasons, the driver should not use the
cellular telephone while the vehicle is in mo-
tion.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location before an-
swering or placing a call.
!The initial activation of the Tele Aid sys-
tem may only be performed by com-
pleting the subscriber agreement and
placing an acquaintance call using the
SOS button. Failure to complete either
of these steps will result in a system
that is not activated. If the system is
not activated, the indicator lamp in the
SOS button stays on after turning key
in steering lock to position2 and the
message
TELE AID – NOT ACTIVATED
will be shown in the MCS display for ap-
proximately 10 seconds.
If you have any questions regarding ac-
tivation, please call the Response Cen-
ter at 1-800-756-9018 (in the USA) or
1-888-923-8367 (in Canada).

197 Operation
Driving instructions
Driving abroad
Abroad, there is a widely-spread
Mercedes-Benz service network at your
disposal. If you plan to drive into areas
which are not listed in the index of your
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center directo-
ry, you should request pertinent informa-
tion from your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.Control and operation of radio trans-
mitters
MCS, radio and telephone*Telephones and two-way radios
Radio transmitters, such as a portable tele-
phone or a citizens band unit should only
be used inside the vehicle if they are con-
nected to an antenna that is installed on
the outside of the vehicle.
Refer to the radio transmitter operation in-
structions regarding use of an external an-
tenna.Warning!
G
Do not forget that your primary responsibili-
ty is to drive the vehicle. Only operate the
MCS, radio or telephone
1 if road, weather
and traffic conditions permit.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km / h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of approximately
44 feet (approximately 13.5 m) every sec-
ond.
1Observe all legal requirements.
Warning!
G
Never operate radio transmitters equipped
with a built-in or attached antenna (i.e. with-
out being connected to an external antenna)
from inside the vehicle while the engine is
running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc-
tion of the vehicle’s electronic system, pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or
personal injury.

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.).

316 IndexSwitching off
Automatic climate control 127
ESP 76
Front fog lamps 106
Hazard warning flasher 106
Headlamps 51
Rapid seat heating 91
Rear fog lamp 106
Transmission control – LOW RANGE
mode 118
Switching on
Automatic climate control 126
ESP 77
Front fog lamps 105
Front fog lamps, rear fog lamp 105
Hazard warning flasher 106
Headlamps 46
High beams 102
Rapid seat heating 91
Seat heating 91
Transmission control – LOW RANGE
mode 118
Trip computer 172
Windshield wipers 47Synchronizing
Power windows 136
Remote control 244
Sliding/pop-up roof 138
T
Tachometer 26, 112
Displaying gear range 114
Tail lamps 251
Cleaning 220
Replacing bulbs 248
Tar stains 218
Technical data 286
Brake fluid 286
Coolants 287
Electrical system 281
Engine 278
Engine oil 286
Engine oil additives 286
Fuel requirements 287
Gasoline additives 287
Main dimensions 282
Premium unleaded gasoline 286
Rims and tires 279
Weights 283
Windshield and headlamp washer sys-
tem 290Tele Aid
Information 165
Initiating an emergency call manually
163
Roadside assistance 163
Tele Aid System 160
Tele Aid System* 296
Tele Aid* 159
Emergency calls 161
Remote door unlock 167
Stolen vehicle tracking services 168
System self-check 160
Upgrade signals 166
Telematics* 296
Telephone* 158
Temperature
Grades of tires 292
Tires 211
Third row seats* 96
Folding down single seat 96
Installing single seat 98
Removing single seat 98
Storing single seat 97
Tie-down rings (Cargo compartment) 140
Tightening torque 296
Tightening torque (Wheel bolts) 258

318 IndexTrip odometer display 111
Trunk see Cargo compartment 85
Turn signal lamps
Replacing bulbs 247, 248, 250
Turn signals 47
Additional in mirrors 247
Cleaning lenses 220
Front bulbs 247
Indicator lamps 25
Rear bulbs 248, 251
Turning off
Engine 51
U
Unlocking 32, 84
Centrally from inside 90
Driver’s door in an emergency 242
Driver’s door, fuel filler flap 85
Fuel filler flap 200
In an emergency 242
Transmission selector lever
manually 245
Vehicle in an emergency 167
With the remote control 32
Upgrade signals
Tele Aid* 166Uphill driving
Cruise control 147
Upholstery
Cleaning 222
Upshifting 114
Useful features 152
Ashtrays and cigarette lighter 156
Cup holder 154
Electrical outlet 158
Garage door opener 168
Interior storage spaces 152
Tele Aid* 159
Telephone* 158
Trip computer* 172
V
Vehicle
Locking 28
Locking in an emergency 243
Lowering 258
Proper use of 17
Service battery 261
Towing 267
Unlocking 28
Unlocking in an emergency 242
Vehicle and trailer weights and ratings 193
Vehicle battery 261Vehicle care 217
Cup holder 221
Engine cleaning 219
Gear selector lever 221
Hard plastic trim items 221
Headlamps 220
Instrument cluster 221
Leather upholstery 222
Light alloy wheels 221
MB Tex upholstery 222
Ornamental moldings 220
Paintwork 219
Parktronic* system sensor 220
Plastic and rubber parts 222
Power washer 218
Seat belts 221
Steering wheel 221
Tail lamps 220
Tar stains 218
Turn signals 220
Upholstery 222
Vehicle washing 219
Window cleaning 220
Wiper blades 220
Vehicle identification number (VIN) 276
Vehicle jack 238