2006 MERCEDES-BENZ ML500 engine

388 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
The yellow fuel tank reserve
warning lamp comes on while
driving.
The fuel level has gone below the reserve
mark.

Refuel at the next gas station
(page 323).
<
The red seat belt telltale comes
on and a warning chime sounds
for approximately six seconds af-
ter starting the engine with all
doors closed.
The seat belt telltale reminds you and your
passengers to fasten your seat belts before
driving off.

Fasten your seat belts.
The seat belt telltale goes out.

400 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
ESP
Display malfunction
Visit workshop
In addition, the yellow ESP
® warning
lampv comes on.
The ESP
® or the ESP
® display is
malfunctioning.

Continue driving with added caution.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases
the risk of accident.
P
Gear selector lever
in park position
You have attempted to turn off the
engine with the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button with the gear
selector lever not inP.
You have opened the driver’s door
with the gear selector lever not inP.

Select gear positionP using the gear
selector lever.
Please move gear
selector lever to N or P
You have attempted to start the en-
gine with the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button while the gear
selector lever was in positionR orD.

Select gear positionP orN using the gear
selector lever.
Make sure the brake pedal is depressed
when attempting to start the engine with
the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button.

407 Practical hints
What to do if …
Symbol messagesDisplay symbol
Display messages
Possible cause
Possible solution
#
Undervoltage
Switch off consumers
The battery has insufficient volt-
age.

Turn off unnecessary electrical
consumers.
malfunction
Visit workshop
The battery was charged with a
battery charger or jump started.

Have the battery checked at a service
station.
Battery/Alternator
Stop vehicle
The battery is no longer charg-
ing.
Possible causes:

alternator malfunctioning


broken poly-V-belt
Do not forget that the brake sys-
tem requires electrical energy
and may be operating with re-
stricted capability. Considerably
greater brake pedal force is
required and the stopping dis-
tance is increased.

Stop immediately and check the
poly-V-belt.
If it is broken:

Do not continue to drive. Otherwise the
engine will overheat due to an inoperative
water pump which may result in damage
to the engine. Notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
If it is intact:

Drive immediately to the nearest autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Adjust driving to be consistent with re-
duced braking responsiveness.

409 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
;
(USA only)
!
(Canada only)
Release
parking brake
You are driving with the parking
brake set.

Release the parking brake (
page 52).
Brake fluid too low
Visit workshop
There is insufficient brake fluid
in the reservoir.

Risk of accident! Stop the vehicle and no-
tify an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center. Do not add brake fluid! This
will not solve the problem.
Warning!
G
Driving with the message
Brake fluid
too low Visit workshop
displayed can
result in an accident. Have your brake
system checked immediately. Do not add
brake fluid before checking the brake
system. Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir
can result in spilling brake fluid on hot
engine parts and the brake fluid catching
fire. You can be seriously burned.!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.
!Brake pad thickness must be visually
inspected by a qualified technician at
the intervals specified in the
Maintenance Booklet.

410 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause
Possible solution
?
(USA only)
±
(Canada only)
Visit workshop
There may be a malfunction in
the:

Fuel injection system


Ignition system


Exhaust system


Fuel system

Have the measuring system checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
B
Coolant
Check level
The coolant level is too low.

Add coolant (
page 332).

If you have to add coolant frequently,
have the cooling system checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
Warning!
G
Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which
may burn if it comes into contact with hot
engine parts. You can be seriously burned.
!Do not ignore the low engine coolant
level warning. Extended driving with
the message and symbol displayed
may cause serious engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Do not drive without sufficient amount
of coolant in the cooling system. The
engine will overheat causing major en-
gine damage.

411 Practical hints
What to do if …
During severe operation conditions and
stop-and-go city traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause
Possible solution
Ï
Coolant
Stop, engine off
The coolant is too hot.

Stop the vehicle and immediately turn off
the engine.

Only start the engine again after the mes-
sage disappears. You could otherwise
damage the engine.
Warning!
G
Driving when your engine is badly overheat-
ed can cause some fluids which may have
leaked into the engine compartment to
catch fire. You could be seriously 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.
!The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature above 248°F
(120°C). Doing so may cause serious
damage which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

412 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause
Possible solution
Ï
Coolant
Stop, engine off
The poly-V-belt could be broken.

Stop the vehicle and immediately turn off
the engine.

Check the poly-V-belt.
If it is broken:

Do not continue to drive. Otherwise the
engine will overheat due to an inoperative
water pump which may result in damage
to the engine. Notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
If it is intact:

Do not continue to drive the vehicle with
this message displayed. Doing so could
result in serious engine damage that is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limit-
ed Warranty.

Drive immediately to the nearest autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Coolant
Visit workshop
The cooling fan for the coolant is
malfunctioning.

Observe the coolant temperature gauge
in the instrument cluster.

Have the fan replaced as soon as possi-
ble.

414 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause
Possible solution
N
Check eng. oil level
when next refueling
The engine oil level is too low.

Check the engine oil level (
page 328)
(ML 500 only), or (
page 330) (ML 350
only).
USA only:Add 1 qt. engine oil
when next refuelingCanada only:Add 1 liter engine oil
when next refueling
The engine oil level is too low.

Add engine oil (
page 331) and check
the engine oil level (page 328) (ML 500
only), or (
page 330) (ML 350 only).
Engine oil level
Stop, engine off
There is no oil in the engine.
There is a danger of engine dam-
age.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt as
soon as possible.

Turn off the engine.

Add engine oil (
page 331) and check
the engine oil level (page 328) (ML 500
only), or (
page 330) (ML 350 only).
Engine oil level
Reduce oil level
You have added too much en-
gine oil. There is a risk of damag-
ing the engine or the catalytic
converter.

Have oil siphoned or drained off. Observe
all legal requirements with respect to its
disposal.