2004 MERCEDES-BENZ ML500 wiring

62 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetySafety guidelines for the seat belt,
emergency tensioning device and
airbag
When you sell your vehicle, we strongly
urge you to give notice to the subsequent
owner that it is equipped with an SRS by
alerting them to the applicable section in
the Operator’s Manual.Warning
G


Damaged seat belts or belts that were
highly stressed in an accident must be
replaced and their anchoring points
must also be checked. Use only belts in-
stalled or supplied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.


No modifications of any kind may be
made to any components or wiring of
the SRS. This includes changing or re-
moving any component or part of the
SRS, the installation of additional trim
material, badges, etc. over the steering
wheel hub, passenger front airbag cov-
er, or door trim panels, and installation
of additional electrical / electronic
equipment on or near SRS components
and wiring. Keep area between airbags
and occupants free from objects (e.g.
packages, purses, umbrellas, etc.).


Airbags and emergency tensioning de-
vices (ETDs) are designed to function on
a one-time only basis. An airbag or ETD
that was activated must be replaced.


Do not pass belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.


Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness of the belts.


Do n o t h a ng i te ms su ch as c o at ha n ger s
from the coat hooks or handles over the
door. These items may turn into projec-
tiles and cause head and other injuries
when curtain airbag is deployed.


An airbag system component within the
steering wheel gets hot after the airbag
has inflated. Do not touch.


Improper work on the system, including
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 inop-
erative or causing unintended airbag de-
ployment. Work on the SRS must
therefore only be performed by qualified
technicians. Contact your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.


For your protection and the protection
of others, when scrapping the airbag
unit or emergency tensioning device,
our safety instructions must be fol-
lowed. These instructions are available
from your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.


Given the considerable deployment
speed and the textile structure of the
airbags, there is the possibility of abra-
sions or other injuries resulting from air-
bag deployment.

200 OperationDriving instructionsStanding water
Off-road driving
Read this chapter carefully before you be-
gin off-road travel.
Familiarize yourself with the vehicle char-
acteristics and gear changing before you
attempt any difficult terrain off-road driv-
ing. We recommend that you start out with
easy off-road travel.
!Do not drive through flooded areas or
water of unknown depth. Before driving
through water, determine its depth.
Never accelerate before driving into
water. The bow wave could force water
into the engine and auxiliary equip-
ment, thus damaging them.
If you must drive through standing wa-
ter, drive slowly to prevent water from
entering the passenger compartment
or the engine compartment. Water in
these areas could cause damage to
electrical components or wiring of the
engine or transmission, or could result
in water being ingested by the engine
through the air intake, causing severe
internal engine damage. Any such dam-
age is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
Drive slowly in unknown terrain. This will
make it easier to recognize unexpected ob-
stacles and avoid damage to the vehicle.
To help avoid the vehicle rolling over, never
turn it around on steep inclines. If the vehi-
cle cannot complete the attempted climb,
back it down in reverse gear.
Do not drive along the side of a slope (dan-
ger of vehicle rollover). The vehicle might
otherwise rollover. If in doing so the vehicle
begins to show a tendency to roll, immedi-
ately steer into a line of gravity (straight up
or downhill).
Never let the vehicle roll backwards in idle.
You may lose control of the vehicle if you
use only the service brake.
Warning!
G
Sand, dirt, mud and other material having
friction property can cause exceptional wear
and tear as well as brake failure.
Have the brakes checked for dirt build-up
and cleaned. There is otherwise a risk that
full braking power may not be available in an
emergency.

209 Operation
Driving instructions
Towing a trailer
There are many different laws, including
speed limit restrictions, having to do with
trailer towing. Make sure your rig will be le-
gal, not only for where you reside, but also
for where you will be driving. A good
source for this information can be the po-
lice or local authorities.
Note the following points, when driving
with the trailer:

In order to gain skill and an under-
standing of the vehicle’s behavior, you
should practice turning, stopping and
backing up in an area which is free from
traffic.


Before you start driving check the

trailer hitch


break-away switch


safety chains


electrical connections


lighting and tiresAdjust the mirrors to permit unobstructed
view beyond rear of trailer.


If the trailer has electric brakes, start
your vehicle and trailer moving slowly,
and then apply only the trailer brake
controller by hand to be sure the
brakes are working properly.


Always secure items in the trailer to
prevent load shifts while driving.


When towing a trailer, check occasion-
ally to be sure that the load is secure,
and that lighting and trailer brakes (if
so equipped) are functioning properly.


Take into consideration that when tow-
ing a trailer, the handling characteris-
tics are different and less stable from
those when operating the vehicle with-
out a trailer.
It is important to avoid sudden maneu-
vers.
!Do not connect a trailer brake system
(if trailer is so equipped) directly to the
vehicle’s hydraulic brake system, as
your vehicle is equipped with antilock
brakes. If you do, neither the vehicle’s
brakes nor the trailer’s brakes will func-
tion properly.iThe provided vehicle electrical wiring
harness for trailer towing has a brake
signal wire (color orange) for hook-up
to a brake controller.
You should consider using a trailer
sway control system. For further infor-
mation see your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.