2006 MERCEDES-BENZ ML500 oil

313 Operation
Driving instructions
Returning from off-road drivingOff-road driving increases strain on the
vehicle.
We recommend that you inspect the vehi-
cle for possible damage after each off-road
trip. Recognizing any damage and a subse-
quent timely repair reduces the chance of
a possible breakdown or accident later on.
Proceed as follows:


Switch off the Off-road driving program
(page 248).


Switch off the DSR (
page 245).


Remove excessive dirt from tires,
wheels, wheel housings, and under-
body.
For instance, after driving in mud, clean
the radiator, chassis, engine, brakes,
and wheels from extreme dirt using a
strong jet of water.


Inspect vehicle underbody, oil pan,
brake hoses, etc., as well as vehicle un-
derbody for possible damage.


Check tires for possible damage, clean
all exterior lamps, and conduct a brake
test.


Check for brush or branches caught in
the underbody.
They could increase the possibility of a
fire, as well as cut fuel and/or brake
lines, puncture rubber bellows of the
axles or drive shafts.


After continued operation in mud,
sand, water or other dirty conditions
clean the brake discs, wheels, brake
pads and check and clean axle joints.
Warning!
G
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or you suspect that possi-
ble damage to your vehicle has occurred,
you should turn on the hazard warning flash-
ers, carefully slow down, and drive with cau-
tion to an area which is a safe distance from
the roadway.
Inspect the tires and under the vehicle for
possible damage. If the vehicle or tires ap-
pear unsafe, have it towed to the nearest
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center or tire
dealer for repairs.

324 OperationAt the gas station
Replace the fuel cap by turning it
clockwise until it audibly engages.

Close the fuel filler flap.
Check regularly and before a long trip
Open the hood (
page 326).
Example ML 5001Brake fluid
2Coolant level
3Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*
Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil, see
“Engine oil” (
page 327).Brake fluid
Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality).
For more information, see “Coolant level”
(
page 332) and see “Fuels, coolants, lu-
bricants, etc.” (
page 493).
iOnly use premium unleaded gasoline
with a minimum Posted Octane Rating
of 91 (average of 96 RON/86 MON).
Information on gasoline quality can
normally be found on the fuel pump.
For more information on gasoline, see
the Factory Approved Service Products
pamphlet.iLeaving the engine running and the fuel
cap open can cause the yellow engine
malfunction indicator lamp
?(USA only), ±(Canada only)
to illuminate.
For more information, see “Practical
hints” (
page 385).
!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 381).


327 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.
iDo not use any special lubricant addi-
tives, as these may damage the drive
assemblies. Using special additives not
approved by Mercedes-Benz may
cause damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
More information on this subject is
available at any Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.

328 OperationEngine compartmentChecking engine oil level with the
control system (ML 500 only)
When checking the oil level

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground


with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been
stationary for at least five minutes with
the engine turned off


with the engine not at operating tem-
perature yet, the vehicle must have
been stationary for at least 30 minutes
with the engine turned off
To check the engine oil level via the
multifunction display, do the following:

Switch on the ignition (
page 34).
The standard display (
page 156)
should appear in the multifunction
display.

Press buttonk orj on the
steering wheel until the following
message is seen in the multifunction
display:
One of the following messages will
subsequently appear in the
multifunction display:

Engine oil level ok


Add 1.0 qt. to reach max. oil
level(Canada:
1.0 liter
)


Add 1.5 qts. to reach max. oil
level(Canada:
1.5 liters
)


Add 2.0 qts. to reach max. oil
level(Canada:
2.0 liters
)

If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil see (
page 495).
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 493) and
(
page 495).iIf you want to interrupt the checking
procedure, press thek orj
button on the multifunction steering
wheel.

329 Operation
Engine compartment
Other display messages
If the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button is not in position2, the
following message will appear:Turn on ignition
to see engine oil level
Switch on the ignition (
page 34).
If you see the message:
Observe waiting time
If the engine is at operating
temperature, wait five minutes before
repeating check procedure.

If the engine is not at operating temper-
ature, wait 30 minutes before repeat-
ing check procedure.If you see the message:
Engine oil level
Not when engine on
Turn off the engine.

If the engine is at operating tempera-
ture, wait five minutes before checking
oil.

If the engine is not at operating temper-
ature yet, you must wait 30 minutes
before checking oil.
If there is excess engine oil with the engine
at operating temperature, the following
message will appear:
Engine oil level
Reduce oil level
Have excess oil siphoned or drained
off. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.For more information on messages in the
multifunction display concerning engine
oil, see “Practical hints” (
page 381).
!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.

330 OperationEngine compartmentChecking engine oil level with the oil
dipstick (ML 350 only)
When checking the oil level

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground


with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been
stationary for at least five minutes with
the engine turned off


with the engine not at operating tem-
perature yet, the vehicle must have
been stationary for at least 30 minutes
with the engine turned offTo check the engine oil level with the oil
dipstick, do the following:

Open the hood (
page 326).
1Oil dipstick
2Upper mark
3Lower mark

Pull out oil dipstick1.

Wipe oil dipstick1 clean.

Fully insert oil dipstick1 into the
dipstick guide tube.

Pull out oil dipstick1 again after
approximately three seconds to obtain
accurate reading.The oil level is correct when it is between
the lower3 (min.) and upper2 (max.)
mark of the oil dipstick.

If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil, see (
page 331).
For more information on engine, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 493) and
(
page 495).iThe filling quantity between the upper
and lower marks on the oil dipstick is
approximately 2.1 US qt. (2.0 l).

331 Operation
Engine compartment
Adding engine oil
Example ML 3501Filler cap
Example ML 5001Filler cap
!Only use approved engine oils and oil
filters required for vehicles with
Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles) or
FSS PLUS (Canada vehicles). For a list-
ing of approved engine oils and oil fil-
ters, refer to the Factory Approved
Service Products pamphlet in your ve-
hicle literature portfolio, or contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
In addition, check the oil filler cap for
important information pertaining to the
engine oil needing to meet a specific
Mercedes-Benz specification (e.g.
MB 229.5). If such information is print-
ed on the oil filler cap, only use an en-
gine oil from the list of approved engine
oils in the Factory Approved Service
Products pamphlet that meets the
specification indicated on the oil filler
cap.
Using engine oils and oil filters of spec-
ification other than those expressly re-
quired for the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Canada
vehicles), or changing of oil and oil filter
at change intervals longer than those
called for by the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Canada
vehicles) will result in engine damage
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.

332 OperationEngine compartment
Unscrew filler cap1 from filler neck.

Add engine oil as required. Be careful
not to overfill with oil.
Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground or water.

Screw filler cap1 back on filler neck.
For more information on engine oil, see
“Technical data” (
page 481).
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.