2006 MERCEDES-BENZ ML500 oil

337 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tread depth
Do not allow your tires to wear down too
far. Adhesion properties on wet roads are
sharply reduced at tread depths under 1/8in (3 mm).
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and
become visible at a tread depth of approx-
imately
1/16
in (1.6 mm), at which point
the tire is considered worn and should be
replaced.
Recommended minimum tire tread depth:


Summer tires
1/8in (3 mm)


Winter tires
1/6in (4 mm)
1TWI (T
read W
ear I
ndicator)
The treadwear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.Storing tires
Cleaning tires
Warning!
G
Although the applicable federal motor safety
laws consider a tire to be worn when the
treadwear indicators (TWI) become visible at
approximately
1/16in (1.6 mm), we recom-
mend that you do not allow your tires
to wear down to that level. As tread depth
approaches
1/8in (3 mm), the adhesion
properties on a wet road are sharply re-
duced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.
!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.!Never use a round nozzle to power
wash tires. The intense jet of water can
result in damage to the tire.
Always replace a damaged tire.

365 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those
standard items which may be replaced) of
automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power
seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that
these items are available as
factory-installed equipment (whether
installed or not).
Air pressure
The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire.
Air pressure is expressed in pounds per
square inch (psi), or kilopascal (kPa) or
bars.
Aspect ratio
Dimensional relationship between tire
section height and section width
expressed in percentage.Bar
Another metric unit for air pressure. There
are 14.5038 pounds per square inch (psi)
to 1 bar; there are 100 kilopascals (kPa)
to 1 bar.
Bead
The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the
rim.
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire inflation pressure when your vehicle
has been sitting for at least three hours or
driven no more than one mile (1.6 km).
Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with stan-
dard equipment including the maximum
capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, and, if so
equipped, air conditioning and additional
optional equipment, but without passen-
gers and cargo.DOT (D
epartment o
f T
ransportation)
A tire branding symbol which denotes the
tire meets requirements of the
U.S. Department of Transportation.
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 indicated on the
certification label located on the driver’s
door B-pillar.
GTW (G
ross T
railer W
eight)
The GTW is the weight of the trailer plus
the weight of all cargo, equipment, luggage
etc. loaded on the trailer.

372 OperationMaintenanceClearing the maintenance service indicator
The maintenance service indicator is auto-
matically cleared after ten seconds when
you switch on the ignition or when reach-
ing the service threshold while driving. You
can also clear it yourself.
Press reset button on the instrument
cluster (
page 24).
Maintenance service term exceeded
If you have exceeded the suggested main-
tenance service term, you will see the fol-
lowing message in the multifunction
display:Service A exceeded by XXXXX miles (km)
Service A exceeded by XXX days
Service A exceeded by X dayIn addition, a signal sounds when the mes-
sage appears.
Any authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center will reset the maintenance service
indicator following a completed mainte-
nance service.
Calling up the service indicator
Switch on the ignition (
page 34).
The standard display of the control sys-
tem appears (
page 156).

Press buttonk orj on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel until the
maintenance service indicator with the
service symbol9 and the service
deadline appears in the multifunction
display.iIf the battery is disconnected, the days
of disconnection will not be included in
the count shown by the maintenance
service indicator. To arrive at the true
maintenance service deadline, you will
need to subtract these days from the
days shown in the maintenance service
indicator.
Do not confuse the maintenance ser-
vice indicator with the engine oil level
indicatorN.

374 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.

380 OperationVehicle careUpholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that has the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause
the upholstery to become permanently dis-
colored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration
will be prevented.
Leather upholstery*
Wipe leather upholstery with a damp cloth
and dry thoroughly or clean with
Mercedes-Benz approved Leather Care.
Exercise particular care when cleaning
perforated leather as its underside should
not become wet.MB Tex upholstery
Pour Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care onto soft lint-free cloth and apply
with light pressure.
Plastic and rubber parts
Do not use oil or wax on these parts.
Wood trims
Dampen cloth using water and use damp
cloth to clean wood trims in your vehicle.
Do not use solvents like tar remover or
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as
these may be abrasive.

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.

415 Practical hints
What to do if …
When the
Add 1 qt. engine oil when
next refueling
(Canada:
1 liter
) mes-
sage appears while the engine is running
and at operating temperature, the engine
oil level has dropped to approximately the
minimum level.
When this occurs, the warning will first
come on intermittently and then stay on if
the oil level drops further.Visually check for oil leaks. If no obvious oil
leaks are noted, drive to the nearest
service station where the engine oil should
be topped to the required level with an ap-
proved oil specified in the Factory
Approved Service Products pamphlet.
Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause
Possible solution
N
Engine oil level
Visit workshop
The engine oil has dropped to a
critical level.

Check the engine oil level (
page 328)
(ML 500 only), or (
page 330) (ML 350
only) and add oil as required
(
page 331).

If you must add engine oil frequently, have
the engine checked for possible leaks.
Oil sensor malfunction
Visit workshop
The measuring system is mal-
functioning.

Have the measuring system checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
!The engine oil level warnings should
not be ignored. Extended driving with
the symbol displayed could result in
serious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

444 Practical hintsReplacing bulbsRear lamps Notes on bulb replacement


Only use 12 volt bulbs of the same type
and with the specified watt rating.


Switch lights off before changing a bulb
to prevent short circuits.


Always use a clean lint-free cloth when
handling bulbs.


Your hands should be dry and free of oil
and grease.


If the newly installed bulb does not
come on, visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Lamp
Type
8
High mounted brake
lamp
LED
9
Brake lamp
P21W
a
Backup lamp
P21W
b
Turn signal lamp
PY 21 W
c
Side marker lamp
P21/4W
d
Tail, parking, standing
lamp, rear fog lamp
(only driver’s side)
P21/4W
e
License plate lamps
C5W
Warning!
G
Bulbs and bulb sockets can be very hot.
Allow the lamp to cool down before chang-
ing a bulb.
Keep bulbs out of reach of children.
Halogen lamps contain pressurized gas.
A bulb can explode if you:

touch or move it when hot


drop the bulb


scratch the bulb
Wear eye and hand protection.
Because of high voltage in Xenon lamps, it is
dangerous to replace the bulb or repair the
lamp and its components. We recommend
that you have such work done by a qualified
technician.