2005 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 coolant

215 Operation
Driving instructions


If the transmission hunts between
gears on inclines, manually shift to a
lower gear (select 4, 3, 2 or 1).
A lower gear and reduction of speed re-
duces the chance of engine overload-
ing and / or overheating.


On very steep inclines, not manageable
with gear selector lever in position1,
switch transfer case to LOW RANGE
mode (
page 127).


When going down a long hill, shift into
a lower gear and use the engine’s brak-
ing effect.
Avoid riding the brakes, thus overheat-
ing the vehicle and trailer brakes.


If the engine coolant rises to an ex-
tremely high temperature (coolant tem-
perature needle approaching the red
zone) when the air conditioning is on,
turn off the air conditioning system.
Engine coolant heat can be additionally
vented by opening the windows,
switching the climate control fan speed
to high and setting the temperature
control to the maximum hot position.


Extreme care must be exercised since
your vehicle with a trailer will require
additional passing distance ahead than
when driving without a trailer.
Because your vehicle and trailer is
longer than your vehicle alone, you will
also need to go much farther ahead of
the passed vehicle before you can re-
turn to your lane.
Passenger compartmentWarning!
G
Always fasten items being carried as secure-
ly as possible.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown
around inside the vehicle, and cause injury
to vehicle occupants unless the items are
securely fastened in the vehicle.
The rear cargo compartment is the preferred
place to carry objects. Always use the parti-
tion net when transporting cargo. Partition
net cannot secure hard or heavy objects. Al-
ways fasten items being carried as securely
as possible using the cargo tie-down rings in
the cargo floor area and fastening materials.

218 OperationDriving instructionsCoolant temperature
During severe operating conditions and
stop-and-go city traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise to approx. 248°F
(120°C).
The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature in the red zone.
Doing so may cause serious engine dam-
age which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G


Driving when your engine is badly over-
heated can cause some fluids which
may have leaked into the engine com-
partment to catch fire. You could be se-
riously burned.


Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns and can occur just
by opening the engine hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam
coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.

221 Operation
At the gas station
Check regularly and before a long trip
Open the hood (
page 222).
1Engine oil level
2Coolant level
3Brake fluid
4Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*
Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil, see
“Engine oil” (
page 223).Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality). For more information,
see “Coolant level” (
page 227) and see
“Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.”
(
page 312).
Brake fluidWindshield / rear window washer
system and headlamp cleaning
system*
For more information on refilling the reser-
voir, see “Windshield / rear window washer
system and headlamp cleaning system*”
(
page 230).
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For infor-
mation on replacing light bulbs, see “Re-
placing bulbs” (
page 274).
For more information, see “Combination
switch” (
page 107).
Tire inflation pressure
For more information, see “Checking tire
inflation pressure” (
page 232).
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks immediately. Noti-
fy an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center immediately. Do not add
brake fluid as this will not solve the
problem. For more information, see
“Practical Hints” (
page 251).

223 Operation
Engine compartment
Closing
Let the hood drop from a height of
approximately 1ft (30cm).
The hood will lock audibly.

Check to make sure the hood is fully
closed.
If you can raise the hood at a point
above the headlamps, then it is not
properly closed. Open it again and let it
drop with somewhat greater force.
Engine oil
The amount of oil your engine needs will
depend on a number of factors, including
driving style. Higher oil consumption can
occur when

the vehicle is new


the vehicle is driven frequently at
higher engine speeds
Engine oil consumption checks should only
be made after the vehicle break-in period.
Warning!
G
If you see flames or smoke coming from the
engine compartment, or if the coolant tem-
perature gauge indicates that the engine is
overheated, do not open the hood. Move
away from vehicle and do not open the hood
until the engine has cooled. If necessary,
call the fire department.Warning!
G
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Because of the high voltage
it is dangerous to touch any components (ig-
nition coils, spark plug sockets, diagnostic
socket) of the ignition system

with the engine running


while starting the engine


if ignition is “on” and the engine is
turned manually
Warning!
G
Be careful that you do not close the hood on
anyone.!Do not push the hood closed manually,
as this could damage it.
iDo not use any special lubricant addi-
tives, as these may damage the drive
assemblies. Using special additives not
approved by Mercedes-Benz will
restrict your warranty entitlement.
More information on this subject is
available at any Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.

227 Operation
Engine compartment

Screw filler cap2 back on filler neck.
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 312) and
(
page 314).
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 level
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 coolant temperature is
above 158°F (70°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
1/2 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.

228 OperationEngine compartment1Cap
2COLD LEVEL mark
The coolant level should reach the COLD
LEVEL mark2 in the reservoir.

Using a rag, turn the cap slowly approx-
imately one half turn to the left to re-
lease any excess pressure.

Continue turning the cap to the left and
remove it.

Add coolant as required.

Replace and tighten cap.
For more information on coolant, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 316).
Battery
The battery is located in the engine com-
partment.
The battery should always be sufficiently
charged in order to achieve its rated ser-
vice life. Refer to Maintenance Booklet for
battery maintenance intervals.
If you use your vehicle mostly for
short-distance trips, you will need to have
the battery charge checked more frequent-
ly.
When replacing batteries, always use
batteries approved by Mercedes-Benz.
If you do not intend to operate your vehicle
for an extended period of time, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center about steps you need to observe.
iIf the engine is already at its regular op-
erating temperature, the coolant may
be approximately 0.6 in (1.5 cm) above
the COLD LEVEL mark.

240 OperationVehicle 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.
Any damage should be repaired as soon as
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.

256 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
/
The yellow coolant warning lamp
comes on when the engine is
running.
The coolant is to hot.
The coolant level is too low.

Stop as soon as possible and allow
the engine and coolant to cool down.

Check the coolant level and add
coolant if necessary (
page 227).
If the warning lamp comes on frequently,
there is a leak in the cooling system.

Have the cooling system checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
The coolant temperature gauge is above
248°F (120°C).
The coolant level is too low.

Stop as soon as possible and allow
the engine and coolant to cool down.

Add coolant to prevent engine from
overheating (
page 227).
If the coolant level is correct, the electrical
radiator fan may be broken.

If the coolant temperature is below
the red zone, immediately to the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Avoid high engine loads (e.g. driving
uphill) and stop-and-go driving.