2005 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 low oil pressure

206 OperationDriving instructionsTires

Check the tread depth and maintain
specified tire pressure (see tire pres-
sure label inside the fuel filler flap).


Check tires for possible damage and
remove foreign objects.


Replace missing valve caps.
Rims


Dented or bent rims can cause tire
pressure loss and damage the tire
beads. For this reason, check and, if
necessary, change rims before driving
off-road.
Vehicle tool kit


Check if the vehicle jack is functional.


In all cases take the vehicle tool kit, a
strong tow rope, a shovel and a small
plank (to put under the vehicle jack on
sandy soil) with you.Driving in steep terrain
Slope angle1 25°
226°

Switch to LOW RANGE mode before
starting to drive up or down steep in-
clines (
page 127).


Driving on embankments, slopes and
other steep inclines should only be
done straight up or downhill, i.e. in the
line of gravity. Maximum vehicle climb-
ing ability is a 60% grade.


Do not drive along the side of a slope
(danger of vehicle rollover). If in doing
so the vehicle begins to show a tenden-
cy to roll, immediately steer into a line
of gravity (straight up or downhill).


To help avoid the vehicle rolling over,
never turn it around on steep inclines.
If the vehicle cannot complete the at-
tempted climb, back it down in reverse
gear.


Utilize the engine’s braking power
when descending a slope, observe the
engine speed (do not overrev the en-
gine). Apply the service brake as need-
ed.


Check the brakes after a lengthy down-
grade drive.iAvoid excessive engine speeds – drive
with moderate engine speeds
(max. 3000 RPM).
Select gear range2 or1 on the auto-
matic transmission (
page 122).

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).

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.

232 OperationTires and wheelsLife 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
make sure the tires rotate in the direction
specified.
An arrow on the sidewall indicates the
intended 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
correct the tire pressure if it is too low for
current operating conditions.
A table on the fuel filler flap lists the
specified 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
foreign objects.


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

315 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel requirements
Only use premium unleaded fuel.

The octane number (posted at the
p um p) m us t be 91 mi n. It i s an a vera ge
of both the Research (R) octane num-
ber and the Motor (M) octane number:
(R+M) / 2). This is also known as the
ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.
Unleaded gasoline containing oxygenates
such as ethanol, IPA, IBA and TBA can be
used provided the ratio of any one of these
oxygenates to gasoline does not
exceed 10%; MTBE must not exceed 15%.
The ratio of methanol to gasoline must not
exceed 3% plus additional cosolvents.
Using mixtures of ethanol and methanol is
not allowed. Gasohol, which contains
10% ethanol and 90% unleaded gasoline,
can be used.
These blends must also meet all other fuel
requirements, such as resistance to spark
knock, boiling range, vapor pressure, etc.
Gasoline additives
A major concern among engine manufac-
turers is carbon build-up caused by gaso-
line. Mercedes-Benz recommends only the
use of quality gasoline containing additives
that prevent the build-up of carbon depos-
its.
After an extended period of using fuels
without such additives carbon deposits
can build up, especially on the intake
valves and in the combustion area, leading
to engine performance problems such as:

Warm-up hesitation


Unstable idle


Knocking / pinging


Misfire


Power loss
!To maintain the engine’s durability and
performance, premium unleaded gaso-
line must be used. If premium unleaded
is not available and low octane fuel is
used, follow these precautions:

Have the fuel tank only partially
filled with unleaded regular and fill
up with premium unleaded as soon
as possible.


Avoid full throttle driving and abrupt
acceleration.


Do not exceed an engine speed of
3000 rpm if the vehicle is loaded
with a light load such as two
persons and no luggage.


Do not exceed
2/3 of maximum
accelerator pedal position if the
vehicle is fully loaded or operating
in mountainous terrain.

329 Index
A
ABS 25, 76, 323
ABS control 76
LOW RANGE mode 77
Malfunction indicator lamp 248
Warning lamp 248
Accelerator position,
automatic transmission 124
Accident
In case of 53
Activating
Air circulation mode 141
Air recirculation mode 141
Anti-theft alarm system 83
Automatic climate control 137
ESP 82
Exterior headlamps 50
Hazard warning flasher 113
Headlamps 50
Ignition 33
Immobilizer 55, 83Rear passenger compartment
ventilation and climate control 143
Rear window defroster 135
Rear window wiper 52
Residual heat 142
Seat heater* 98
Tow-away alarm 85
Warning indicators (Parktronic*) 158
Windshield wipers 51
Activating automatic central locking 94
Adding
Coolant 228
Engine oil 226
Additional turn signals 274
Adjustable steering column
Indicator lamp 260
Adjusting 35
Backrest tilt 37, 39
Exterior rear view mirror 41
Head restraint height 37, 39
Head restraint tilt 38, 40Headlamp aim 282
Instrument cluster illumination 117
Interior rear view mirror 41
Manual seat 36
Mirrors 41
Seat cushion tilt 39
Seat fore and aft 36
Seat fore and aft adjustment 38
Seat height 37, 39
Seats 35
Steering wheel 40
Adjusting air distribution
Automatic climate control 139
Adjusting air volume
Automatic climate control 139
Air conditioning
Cooling 141
Air conditioning refrigerant 314
Air pressure see Tire inflation pressure

332 IndexC
CAC (Customer Assistance Center) 323
Calibrating compass 191
California
Important notice 11
Calling up
Service indicator 238
CAN system 323
Capacities
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. 312
Cargo area see Cargo compartment
Cargo compartment
Liftgate 89
Lighting 116
Tie-down rings 161
Cargo compartment cover blind* 164
Closing 164
Installing 165
Opening 164
Removing 164
Cargo floor plates 165
Installing 166
Removing 165
Storing 165Cargo tie-down rings 161
Catalytic converter 217
CD-changer* 265
Center console 27
Lower part 28
Upper part 27
Central locking
Automatic 93
From inside 94
Switch 94
Unlocking from inside 94
Central locking switch 94
Certification label 304
Charge indicator lamp 261
Charging
Vehicle battery 289
Chart
Fuses 298
CHECK ENGINE malfunction
indicator lamp 254, 255Checking
Coolant level 227
Oil level 223
Tire inflate pressure 221
Vehicle lighting 221
Checking weights
Trailer and vehicle 213
Checklist
Off-road driving 205
Returning from off-road driving 210
Child safety 67
Airbags 60
Infant and child
restraint systems 64, 68
LATCH child seat mounts 73
Child safety switch see Blocking of rear
door window operation
Cigarette lighter
Front center console 171