2006 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 steering

456 Practical hintsFlat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Park the vehicle as far as possible from
moving traffic on a hard surface.

Turn on the hazard warning flashers.

Turn the steering wheel so that the
front wheels are in a straight ahead po-
sition.

Set the parking brake.

Shift automatic transmission to park
positionP.
Vehicles with Air suspension package*:

Do not open or close a door or tailgate
while mounting the spare wheel.
Vehicles with SmartKey:

Turn off the engine (
page 34).

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:

Turn off the engine by pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* button once
(page 63).

Open the driver’s door (this puts the
starter switch in position0, same as
with the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch). The driver’s door then
can be closed again.

Have any passenger exit the vehicle at
a safe distance from the roadway.
Warning!
G
The dimensions of the Minispare wheel are
different from those of the road wheels. As
a result, the vehicle handling characteristics
change when driving with a mounted
Minispare wheel. Adapt your driving style
accordingly.
The Minispare wheel is for temporary use
only. When driving with a Minispare wheel
mounted, ensure proper tire pressure and
do not exceed a vehicle speed of
50 mph (80 km/h).
Drive to the nearest Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center as soon as possible to have the
Minispare wheel replaced with a regular
road wheel.
Never operate the vehicle with more than
one spare wheel mounted.
Do not switch off the ESP
® when a
Minispare wheel is mounted.
iOpen doors only when conditions are
safe to do so.

473 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
!
To be certain to avoid additional dam-
age to the vehicle powertrain, however
you should observe the following:

With damage to the front axle

raise front axle


remove flexible drive shaft be-
tween rear axle and transfer
case


With damage to the rear axle

raise rear axle


tow vehicle with wheel lift or
dolly placed under front wheels


With damage to the transfer case

remove flexible drive shaft to
the drive axles
Warning!
G
If circumstances require towing the vehicle
with all wheels on the ground, always tow
with a tow bar if:

the engine will not run


there is a malfunction in the power sup-
ply or in the vehicle’s electrical system
as that will be necessary to adequately con-
trol the towed vehicle.
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, make sure the SmartKey is in
starter switch position2.
If the SmartKey is left in starter switch
position0 for an extended period of time, it
can no longer be turned in the switch. In this
case, the steering is locked. To unlock, re-
move SmartKey from starter switch and re-
insert.
Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. 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. Adapt your driving accordingly.iTo signal turns while being towed with
hazard warning flasher in use, turn
SmartKey in starter switch to
position2 and activate combination
switch for left or right turn signal in usu-
al manner – only the selected turn sig-
nal will operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the
hazard warning flasher will operate
again.

485 Technical data
Layout of poly-V-belt drive
Layout of poly-V-belt drive
ML 350
1Idler pulley
2Idler pulley
3Automatic belt tensioner
4Power steering pump
5Air conditioning compressor
6Crankshaft
7Coolant pump
8Generator (alternator)
ML 500
1Automatic belt tensioner
2Power steering pump
3Air conditioning compressor
4Crankshaft
5Coolant pump
6Generator (alternator)
7Idler pulley

493 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Capacities
Vehicle components and their respective
lubricants must match.Therefore only use products tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz.Please refer to the Factory Approved
Service Products pamphlet, or inquire at
your Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Engine with oil filter
ML 350
8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
Approved engine oils
ML 500
9.1 US qt (8.5 l)
Approved engine oils
Automatic transmission
9.6 US qt (9.0 l)
MB Automatic Transmission Fluid
Transfer case single speed
0.5 US qt (0.5 l)
MB Automatic Transmission Fluid
Front axle
1.2 US qt (1.1 l)
Hypoid gear oil
Rear axle
1.2 US qt (1.1 l)
Hypoid gear oil
Power steering
approx. 1.3 US qt (1.2 l)
MB Power Steering Fluid
Front wheel hubs
approx. 1.5 oz (43 g) each
High temperature roller bearing grease

502 Technical termsControl system
The control system is used to call up
vehicle information and to change
component settings. Information and
messages appear in the multifunction
display. The driver uses the buttons on
the multifunction steering wheel to
navigate through the system and to ad-
just settings.
Cruise control
Driving convenience system for
automatically maintaining the vehicle
speed set by the driver.
Curb weight
(
page 365)
DOT
(Department o
f Transportation)
(
page 365)
DSR
(Downhill S
peed R
egulation)
Driving convenience system for auto-
matically maintaining the vehicle speed
on downhill driving.Engine number
The number set by the manufacturer
and placed on the cylinder block to
uniquely identify each engine
produced.
Engine oil viscosity
Measurement for the inner friction (vis-
cosity) of the oil at different tempera-
tures. The higher the temperature an
oil can tolerate without becoming thin,
or the lower the temperature it can tol-
erate without becoming viscous, the
better the viscosity.
ESP
®(Electronic S
tability Pr
ogram
®)
Improves vehicle handling and direc-
tional stability.
ETD
(E
mergency T
ensioning D
evice)
Device which deploys in certain frontal
and rear collisions exceeding the
system’s threshold to tighten the seat
belts.
->SRSFSS PLUS (Canada vehicles)
(F
lexible S
ervice S
ystem PLUS)
Maintenance service indicator in the
multifunction display that informs the
driver when the next vehicle mainte-
nance service is due. FSS evaluates en-
gine temperature, oil level, vehicle
speed, engine speed, distance driven
and the time elapsed since your last
maintenance service, and calls for the
next maintenance service accordingly.
GAWR
(G
ross A
xle W
eight R
ating)
The GAWR is the maximum permissible
axle weight. The gross vehicle weight
on each axle must never exceed the
GAWR for the front and rear axle indi-
cated on the certification label located
on the driver’s door pillar.

504 Technical termsMaximum tire inflation pressure
(
page 366)
Modular COMAND System
Information and operating center for
vehicle sound and communications
systems, including the radio and the ra-
dio and navigation system, as well as
for other optional equipment (CD
changer, telephone, etc.).
Memory function*
Used to store three individual seat,
steering wheel and exterior mirror
positions.
MON
(Motor O
ctane N
umber)
The Motor Octane Number for gasoline
as determined by a standardized meth-
od. It is an indication of a gasoline’s
ability to resist undesired detonation
(knocking). The average of both the
MON (Motor Octane Number) and
->RON (Research Octane Number) is
posted at the pump, also known as
ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.Multifunction display
The display field in the instrument clus-
ter used to present information provid-
ed by the control system.
Multifunction steering wheel
Steering wheel with buttons for operat-
ing the control system.
Normal occupant weight
(
page 366)
OCS
(Occupant C
lassification S
ystem)
The system automatically turns the
front passenger front air bag on or off
based on the classified occupant size
category determined by weight sensor
readings from the seat.
Overspeed range
Engine speeds within the red marking
on the tachometer dial. Avoid this en-
gine speed range, as it may result in se-
rious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.Parktronic (Parking assist)*
System which uses visual and acoustic
signals to assist the driver during park-
ing maneuvers.
Poly-V-belt drive
Drives engine-components (alternator,
AC compressor, etc.) from the engine.
Power train
Collective term designating all compo-
nents used to generate and transmit
motive power to the drive axles, includ-
ing


Engine


Clutch/torque converter


Transmission


Transfer case


Drive shaft


Differential


Axle shafts/axles

507 Index
A
ABS 93, 501
ABS control 93
Malfunction indicator lamp 382
Messages in display 397
Off-road - ABS 94
Warning lamp 382
Accelerator position, automatic
transmission 190
Accessory weight 365
Accident
In case of 59
Activating
Air circulation mode 226
Air conditioning (cooling) 211
Air recirculation mode 209, 224
Anti-theft alarm system 101
Central locking (control system) 172
Defrosting 208
Easy-entry/exit feature* 173
ESP
®
98Exterior headlamps 54
Hazard warning flasher 145
Headlamps 54
High beams 142
Ignition 34
Immobilizer 62, 100
Rear window defroster 201
Rear window wiper 58
Residual heat 212, 227
Seat heating* 134
Tow-away alarm 102
Warning indicators (Parktronic*) 256
Windshield wipers 55
Adaptive Damping
System (ADS)* 249, 501
Adding
Coolant 333
Engine oil 331
Additional turn signals 443Adjusting 38
Air distribution 207, 222
Air volume 207, 208, 222
Backrest tilt 40
Compass zone 171
Exterior rear view mirror 44
Head restraint height 40
Head restraint tilt 41
Headlamp aim 451
Instrument cluster illumination 148
Interior rear view mirror 44
Mirrors 43
Multicontour seat* 132
Seat cushion depth 132
Seat cushion tilt 40
Seat fore and aft adjustment 39
Seat height 39
Seats 38
Steering column height 43
Steering wheel 41
Adjusting steering column 43
ADS* 501

511 Index
Checking
Coolant level 332
Engine oil with the
control system (ML 500 only) 328
Engine oil with the
oil dipstick (ML 350 only) 330
Oil level 327
Tire inflate pressure 325
Vehicle lighting 325
Checking tire pressure
electronically with the
Advanced Tire Pressure Monitoring
System* (Advanced TPMS*) 351
Checking weights
Trailer and vehicle 315
Checklist
Off-road driving 307
Returning from off-road driving 313
Child safety 78
Air bags 68
Infant and child
restraint systems 73, 78
LATCH type child seat mounts 88Child safety switch see Blocking of rear
door window operation
Cigarette lighter*
Front center console 275
Cleaning
Carpet 379
Cup holder 379
Gear selector lever 379
Hard plastic trim items 379
Headlamps 194
Headliner 379
Instrument cluster 379
Leather upholstery* 380
Light alloy wheels 379
MB Tex upholstery 380
Plastic and rubber parts 380
Seat belts 379
Steering wheel 379
Windows 378
Windshield 56
Wiper blades 378
Cleaning and care of the vehicle 374
Cleaning tires 337Climate control 202
Adjusting 207
Adjusting air volume 208
deactivating 206
Defrosting 208
Rear passenger compartment 213
Rear window defroster 200
Setting the temperature 207
Clock 165
Closing
Glove box 270
Hood 327
Power tilt/sliding sunroof* 439
Side windows 231
Side windows with
KEYLESS-GO* 234
Tailgate 120
Vehicle with KEYLESS-GO* 123,
124
Tilt/sliding sunroof* 235
Tilt/sliding sunroof* with
KEYLESS-GO* 234
Windows 230