2004 MERCEDES-BENZ ML500 check oil

220 OperationEngine compartmentThe display
------
flashes in the
speedometer display, if a proper oil level
check cannot be performed.

If engine is at normal operating
temperature, wait five minutes before
repeating check procedure.

If engine is not yet at normal operating
temperature, wait 30 minutes before
repeating check procedure.
See the “Practical hints” section
(
page 253) if the low engine oil level
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes.Checking engine oil level with the oil
dipstick
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
To check the engine oil level with the oil
dipstick, do the following:

Open the hood (
page 217).

Pull out oil dipstick1 (
page 221).

Wipe oil dipstick1 clean.

Fully insert oil dipstick1 into the
dipstick guide tube.

Pull out oil dipstick1 again after
approximately three seconds to obtain
accurate reading.
Oil dipstickThe oil level is correct when it is between
the lower (min) and upper (max) mark of
the oil dipstick.
iPerform the engine oil level check with
the dipstick if it cannot be completed
via the speedometer display
(page 220).
In this case we recommend that you
have the system checked at a
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
iThe engine oil level can be checked by
either the oil dipstick or via the
speedometer display in the instrument
cluster (
page 219). The amount of
engine oil needed is shown more
precisely in the speedometer display.

221 Operation
Engine compartment

If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil see (
page 221).
More information on engine oil can be
found in the “Technical data” section
(
page 300) and (
page 301).
See the “Practical hints” section
(
page 253) if the low engine oil level
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes.Adding engine oil
1Oil dipstick
2Filler cap

Unscrew filler cap2 from filler neck.

Add engine oil as required. Be careful
not to overfill with oil.
Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground or water.
iThe filling quantity between the upper
and lower marks on the oil dipstick is
approximately 2.1 US qt. (2.0 l).
!Only use approved engine oils. For a
listing of approved engine oils, refer to
the Factory Approved Service Products
pamphlet in your vehicle literature port-
folio.
In addition, check the oil filler cap for
important information pertaining to the
engine oil needing to meet a specific
Mercedes-Benz specification
(e.g. MB 229.5). If such information is
printed on the oil filler cap, only use an
engine oil from the list of approved en-
gine oils in the Factory Approved Ser-
vice Products pamphlet that meets the
specification indicated on the oil filler
cap. Using engine oils of other specifi-
cation may cause the FSS to incorrect-
ly determine the next service interval
and will result in engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.


222 OperationEngine compartment
Screw filler cap2 back on filler neck.
More information on engine oil can be
found in the “Technical data” section
(
page 300) and (
page 301).
Transmission fluid level
The transmission fluid level does not need
to be checked. If you notice transmission
fluid loss or gear shifting malfunctions,
have an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center check the automatic trans-
mission.Coolant
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion / antifreeze. To check
the coolant level, the vehicle must be
parked on level ground and the engine
must be cool.
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained
off. It could cause damage to the
engine and catalytic converter not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Warning!
G
In order to avoid any possibly serious burns:

Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates that the coolant is overheated.


Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if engine temperature is above
194°F (90°C). Allow engine to cool
down before removing cap. The coolant
reservoir contains hot fluid and is under
pressure.


Using a rag, slowly open the cap approx-
imately ½ turn to relieve excess pres-
sure. If opened immediately, scalding
hot fluid and steam will be blown out un-
der pressure.


Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine
parts. Antifreeze contains ethylene gly-
col which may burn if it comes into con-
tact with hot engine parts.


227 Operation
Tires and wheels
Life of tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon
varying factors including but not limited to:

Driving style


Tire pressure


Distance driven
Direction of rotation
Unidirectional tires offer added advantag-
es, such as better hydroplaning perfor-
mance. To benefit, however, you must
ensure that the tires rotate in the direction
specified.
An arrow on the sidewall indicates the in-
tended direction of rotation of the tire.
Checking tire inflation pressure
Correct the tire pressure only when tires
are cold.
Regularly check your tire pressure at inter-
vals of no more than 14 days.
If the tires are warm, you should only cor-
rect the tire pressure if it is too low for cur-
rent operating conditions.
A table on the fuel filler flap lists the spec-
ified tire inflation pressures for warm and
cold tires as well as for various operating
conditions.
!When the wheels are heavily soiled,
e.g. after driving through mud, clean
the inside of the wheels with a jet of
water.Warning!
G
Tires and spare tire should be replaced after
six years, regardless of the remaining tread.
!Keep unmounted tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as
possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease and gasoline.
Warning!
G
If the tire pressure drops repeatedly:

Check the tires for punctures from for-
eign objects.


Check to see whether air is leaking from
the valves or from around the rim.

234 OperationVehicle care
Vehicle careCleaning and care of the vehicle
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected to varying external in-
fluences which, if gone unchecked, can at-
tack the paintwork as well as the
underbody and cause lasting damage.Such damage is caused not only by ex-
treme and varying climatic conditions, but
also by:


Air pollution


Road salt


Tar


Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should imme-
diately remove:


Grease and oil


Fuel


Coolant


Brake fluid


Bird droppings


Insects


Tree resins, etc.
Frequent washing reduces and / or elimi-
nates the aggressiveness and potency of
the above adverse influences.More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:


near the ocean


in industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)


during winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage.
A n y d a m a g e s h o u l d b e r e p a i r e d a s s o o n a s
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thor-
ough check is a washing of the underbody
followed by a thorough inspection. Dam-
aged areas need to be re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the facto-
ry with a wax-base rustproofing in the body
cavities which will last for the lifetime of
the vehicle. Post-production treatment is
neither necessary nor recommended by
Mercedes-Benz because of the possibility
of incompatibility between materials used
in the production process and others ap-
plied later.
Warning!
G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the partic-
ular container. Always open your vehicle’s
doors or windows when cleaning the inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not de-
signed for cleaning your vehicle.

302 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants etc.Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines. Therefore, use
only engine oils approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Information on approved
engine oils is available in the Factory
Approved Service Products pamphlet, or at
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Engine oil additives
Do not blend oil additives with engine oil.
They may damage the engine.
Damage or malfunctions resulting from
blending oil additives are not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Air conditioning refrigerant
R-134a (HFC) refrigerant and special PAG
lubricating oil is used in the air condition-
ing system.
Never use R-12 (CFC) or mineral-based lu-
bricating oil. Otherwise damage to the
system will occur.
Brake fluid
During vehicle operation, the boiling point
of the brake fluid is continuously reduced
through the absorption of moisture from
the atmosphere. Under extremely strenu-
ous operating conditions, this moisture
content can lead to the formation of bub-
bles in the system, thus reducing the sys-
tem’s efficiency.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be re-
placed every two years, preferably in the
spring.
Only brake fluid approved by
Mercedes-Benz is recommended. Your au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center will provide you with additional in-
formation.
!Always check the oil filler cap
(page 221) for important information
pertaining to the engine oil needing to
meet a specific Mercedes-Benz specifi-
cation (e.g. MB 229.5). If such informa-
tion is printed on the oil filler cap, only
use an engine oil from the list of ap-
proved engine oils in the Factory Ap-
proved Service Products pamphlet that
meets the specification indicated on
the oil filler cap.
Using engine oils of other specification
may cause the FSS to incorrectly deter-
mine the next service interval and will
result in engine damage not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

304 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants etc.Damage or malfunctions resulting from
poor fuel quality or from blending specific
fuel additives are not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion / antifreeze, which pro-
vides:

Corrosion protection


Freeze protection


Boiling protection (by increasing the
boiling point)
The cooling system was filled at the factory
with a coolant providing freeze protection
to approximately -35°F (-37°C) and corro-
sion protection.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to
-22°F (-30°C), the boiling point of the cool-
ant in the pressurized cooling system is
reached at approximately 266°F (130°C).The coolant solution must be used year
round to provide the necessary corrosion
protection and increase in boil-over pro-
tection. Refer to Service Booklet for
replacement interval.
To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least 45%
anticorrosion / antifreeze (equivalent to
freeze protection to approx. - 22°F
[-30°C]). If you use a solution that is more
than 55% anticorrosion / antifreeze (freeze
protection to approx. - 49°F [-45°C]), the
engine temperature will increase due to
the lower heat transfer capability of the so-
lution. 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 the mixture is in accor-
dance 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.

321 Index
Chart
Fuses 287
CHECK ENGINE malfunction indicator
lamp 248
Checking
Coolant level 215, 222
Oil level 218
Tire inflate pressure 216
Vehicle lighting 216
Checking weights
Trailer and vehicle 208
Checklist
Off-road driving 201
Returning from off-road driving 206
Child safety 67
Airbags 60
Infant and child restraint systems 64,
68
LATCH child seat mounts 72
Child safety switch see Blocking of rear
door window operation 73Cigarette lighter
Front center console 168
Cleaning
Cup holder 238
Gear selector lever 238
Hard plastic trim items 238
Headlamps 131
Headliner 238
Instrument cluster 238
Leather upholstery 239
Light alloy wheels 238
MB Tex upholstery 239
Plastic and rubber parts 239
Seat belts 238
Steering wheel 238
Windows 237
Windshield 50
Wiper blades 237
Clock 26, 118Closing
Glove box 164
Hood 218
Liftgate 92
Rear quarter windows* 147
Side windows 145
Sliding/pop-up roof* 148, 265
Closing sliding/pop-up roof*
In an emergency 265
Cockpit 22, 311
Combination switch
High beam flasher 49, 110
Turn signals 49
Windshield wipers 49
Compass 187
Calibrating 188
Setting compass zone 188
Compass zone 188
Consumer information 308
Control and operation of radio
transmitters 211