2004 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 Lock

47 Getting started
Driving
Starting difficulties
If the engine does not start as described,
carry out the following steps:
Turn key in starter to position0 and re-
peat starting procedure.
Remember that extended starting at-
tempts can drain the battery.

Get a jump start (
page 281).
If the engine does not start after several
starting attempts, there could be a mal-
function in the engine electronics or in the
fuel supply system.

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.Parking brake
1Parking brake pedal
2Release handle

Release the parking brake by pulling on
handle2.
The indicator lampÉ in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
Driving

Depress the brake pedal.

Place the gear selector lever in
positionD orR.

Release the brake pedal.

Carefully depress the accelerator
pedal.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the steering lock and lock the vehi-
cle. Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehi-
cle. Children could release the parking
brake, which could result in an accident
and / or serious personal injury.
iWait for the gear selection process to
complete before setting the vehicle in
motion.

50 Getting startedDriving
Switching on windshield wipers
Make sure the ignition is switched on.

Turn the wiper switch to the desired po-
sition 1,2 or3, depending on the
intensity of the rain.
Single wipe

Press wiper switch briefly in the direc-
tion of arrow2.
The windshield wipers wipe one time
without washer fluid.
Wiping with windshield washer fluid

Pull and hold wiper switch in direction
of arrow4.
The windshield wiper operates with
washer fluid.
Information on filling up the washer reser-
voir can be found in the “Operation” sec-
tion (page 224).
!Vehicles with rain sensor*:
Do not leave windshield wipers in inter-
mittent setting when the vehicle is tak-
en to an automatic car wash or during
windshield cleaning. Wipers will oper-
ate in the presence of water sprayed on
the windshield, and wipers may be
damaged as a result.
The switch should not be left in inter-
mittent setting as the wipers will wipe
the windshield once every time the en-
gine is started. Dust that accumulates
on the windshield might scratch the
glass and / or damage the wiper blades
when wiping occurs on a dry wind-
shield.
!If anything blocks the windshield wip-
ers (leaves, snow, etc.), switch them off
immediately.

For safety reasons, withdraw key
from steering lock before attempt-
ing to remove any blockage.


Remove blockage.


Turn the windshield wipers on
again.
If windshield wipers fail to function at
all in switch position1,


set the combination switch to the
next highest wiper speed


have the windshield wipers
checked at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center

53 Getting started
Parking and locking
Parking and locking
You have now completed your first drive.
You have properly stopped and parked
your vehicle. End your drive as follows.
Parking brake
1Parking brake
2Release handle
Step firmly on parking brake1.
When the engine is running, the indica-
tor lampÉ in the instrument cluster
will be illuminated.
Warning!
G
Wait until the vehicle is stationary before re-
moving the key from the steering lock. The
vehicle cannot be steered when the key is
removed.Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
system. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the
vehicle.
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.


Firmly depress parking brake pedal.


Move the gear selector lever to
positionP.


Slowly release brake pedal.


When parked on an incline, turn front
wheel towards the road curb.


Turn the key to starter switch position0
and remove.


Take the key and lock vehicle when leav-
ing.

54 Getting startedParking and locking
Switching off headlamps
Turn the combination switch to1
(page 48).
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 107).
Turning off engine
Place the gear selector lever in
positionP.

Turn the key in the steering lock
(page 33) to position0 and remove
it.
The immobilizer is activated.

Move the steering wheel slightly to al-
low the locking mechanism to engage.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the steering lock and lock the vehi-
cle. Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehi-
cle. Children could release the parking
brake and / or move the gear selector lever
from positionP, either of which could result
in an accident and / or serious personal
injury.
Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle with the gear
selector lever not fully engaged in positionP
is dangerous. Also, when parked on an in-
cline, positionP alone may not prevent your
vehicle from moving, possibly hitting people
or objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to positionP (
page 53).
When parked on an incline, also turn front
wheel towards the road curb.
iAlways set the parking brake in addi-
tion to shifting to positionP.
On steep slopes, turn the front wheels
towards the road curb.iThe key can only be removed from the
steering lock with the gear selector le-
ver in positionP.

55 Getting started
Parking and locking

Press the seat belt release button
(page 42).
Allow the retractor to completely re-
wind the seat belt by guiding the latch
plate.

After exiting the vehicle, press the lock
button‹ on the remote control
(page 32).
The turn signal lamps flash three times
and the locking knobs on the doors
move down.
More information on parking and locking
can be found in the “Controls in detail”
section (page 88).
iWith the key removed and the driver’s
door open, a warning sounds if the ve-
hicles exterior lamps are not switched
off.Warning!
G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
openings when closing the doors. Be espe-
cially careful when small children are
around.
Before closing doors, ensure that there is no
possibility of someone getting caught in a
door during closing.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the starter switch, and lock your
vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip-
ment may cause an accident and / or seri-
ous personal injury.

58 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Occupant safetyIn this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are

Seat belts


Emergency tensioning device


Airbags


Child seat


Child seat recognition


Lower anchors and tethers for children
(LATCH)
As independent systems, their protective
effects work in conjunction with each
other.The 1 indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 26) comes on for about
four seconds when you turn the key in the
steering lock to position2. It goes out
when you start the engine. This shows that
the restraint systems are operational.
If the lamp does not come on at all or if it
fails to extinguish after approximately four
seconds or if it comes on thereafter, a mal-
function in the system has been detected.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (
page 255).
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and
restraint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 67).
Warning!
G
In the event that the 1malfunction indi-
cator lamp comes on during driving or does
not come at all, the SRS may not be opera-
tional.
For your safety, we strongly recommend
that you visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center immediately to have the
system checked; otherwise the SRS may not
be activated when needed in an accident,
which could result in serious or fatal injury,
or it might deploy unexpectedly and unnec-
essarily which could also result in injury.
Improper work on the restraint systems, in-
cluding incorrect installation and removal,
can lead to possible injury through an unin-
tended activation of the SRS.
In addition, through improper work there is
a risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended airbag deployment.
Work on the SRS must therefore only be per-
formed by qualified technicians. Contact
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.

68 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyInfant and child restraint systems
Use only a BabySmart
TM1
compatible child
restraint for the front passenger seat in
this vehicle.
We recommend that all infants and
children be properly restrained at all times
while the vehicle is in motion. All lap-shoul-
der belts except the driver’s seat belt have
special seat belt retractors for secure fas-
tening of child restraints.
To fasten a child restraint, follow child re-
straint instructions for mounting. Then pull
shoulder belt out completely and let it re-
tract. During the seat belt retraction a
ratcheting sound can be heard to indicate
that the special seat belt retractor is acti-
vated. The belt is now locked. Push down
on child restraint to take up any slack.
To deactivate, release seat belt buckle and
let seat belt retract completely. The seat
belt can again be used in the usual man-
ner.
1BabySmart
TMis a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
iInformation on child seats with mount-
ing fittings for tether anchorages
(page 71).
For information on child seat anchors –
LATCH type (
page 72).
Warning!
G
Never release the seat belt buckle while the
vehicle is in motion, since the special seat
belt retractor will be deactivated.!The use of infant or child restraints is
required by law in all 50 states, the
District of Columbia, the U.S. territo-
ries and all Canadian provinces.
Infants and small children should be
seated in an appropriate infant or child
restraint system properly secured by a
lap-shoulder belt or, if so equipped, a
child restraint lower anchorage system
that complies with U.S. Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards 213 and 225
and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 213 and 210.2. A statement
by the child restraint manufacturer of
compliance with this standard can be
found on the instruction label on the re-
straint and in the instruction manual
provided with the restraint.
When using any infant or child restraint
system, be sure to carefully read and
follow all manufacturer’s instructions
for installation and use.
Please read and observe warning labels
affixed to inside of vehicle and to infant
or child restraints.

70 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyBabySmart
TM
airbag deactivation
system
Special BabySmart
TM1
compatible child
seats, designed for use with the
Mercedes-Benz system and available at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center, are required for use with the
BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation system.
With the special seat properly installed,
the passenger front airbag will not deploy.
The 7indicator lamp located in the in-
strument cluster will be illuminated, ex-
cept with the key removed or in steering
lock position0 (
page 33).Self-test BabySmart
TM
without special
child seat installed
After turning the key in the steering lock to
position1 or2, the 7indicator lamp lo-
cated in the instrument cluster comes on
for approximately six seconds, extin-
guishes, then flashes once.
If the indicator lamp should not come on or
is continuously lit, the system is not func-
tioning. You must see an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center before
seating any child on the front passenger
seat.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (page 243).
1BabySmart
TMis a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
iThe system does not deactivate the
door mounted side impact airbag, the
window curtain airbags and the emer-
gency tensioning device.
Warning!
G
The BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation sys-
tem will ONLY work with a special child seat
designed to operate with it. It will not work
with child seats which are not BabySmart
TM
compatible.
Never place anything between seat cushion
and child seat (e.g. pillow), since it reduces
the effectiveness of the deactivation sys-
tem. The bottom of the child seat must
make full contact with the passenger seat
cushion. An incorrectly mounted child seat
could cause injuries to the child in case of an
accident, instead of protecting the child.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
installation of special child seats.
When using a BabySmart
TM compatible
child seat on the front passenger seat, the
passenger front airbag will not deploy only if
the 7indicator lamp remains illumi-
nated.