Page 403 of 539

402 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
Front passenger
airbag
activated
see Oper.’s Man.
Monitor the 59indicator lamp on the center console (
page 27) and the
multifunction display in the instrument cluster (
page 24) for the following:
With the seat unoccupied and the ignition turned on,
the 59indicator lamp on the center console should illuminate and
remain illuminated, indicating that the OCS (
page 81) has deactivated the
air bag.
the message
Front passenger airbag activated see Oper.’s Man.
or the
message
Front passenger airbag deactivated see Oper.’s Man.
should
not appear in the multifunction display at any time the seat is unoccupied.
Wait at last 60 seconds for the system to complete the necessary check cy-
cles and to make sure neither message appears in the multifunction display.
If above conditions are met, you can occupy the front passenger seat again.
Depending on the front passenger classification sensed by the OCS (
page 81),
the 59indicator lamp will remain illuminated or go out.
If above conditions are not met, the system is not working properly. Have the
system checked as soon as possible by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Warning!
G
If the 59indicator lamp remains
out even after performing the above correc-
tive steps, do not have any children 12 years
old and under and other small individuals
use the front passenger seat until the
system has been repaired.
Page 405 of 539

404 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
Front passenger
airbag
deactivated
see Oper.’s Man.
Monitor the 59indicator lamp on the center console (
page 27) and the
multifunction display in the instrument cluster (
page 24) for the following:
With the seat unoccupied and the ignition turned on,
the 59indicator lamp on the center console should illuminate and
remain illuminated, indicating that the OCS (
page 81) has deactivated the
air bag.
the message
Front passenger airbag activated see Oper.’s Man.
or the
message
Front passenger airbag deactivated see Oper.’s Man.
should
not appear in the multifunction display at any time the seat is unoccupied.
Wait at last 60 seconds for the system to complete the necessary check cy-
cles and to make sure neither message appears in the multifunction display.
If above conditions are met, you can occupy the front passenger seat again.
Depending on the front passenger classification sensed by the OCS (
page 81),
the59indicator lamp will remain illuminated or go out.
If above conditions are not met, the system is not working properly. Have the
system checked as soon as possible by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Warning!
G
If the 59indicator lamp remains
illuminated with an adult occupant on the
front passenger seat even after performing
the above corrective steps, do not have any
passenger use the front passenger seat until
the system has been repaired.
Page 457 of 539

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.
Page 486 of 539
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
Page 495 of 539
494 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Cooling system
ML 350
approx. 10.2 US qt (9.5 l)
MB Anticorrosion/Antifreeze
ML 500
approx. 10.7 US qt (10.0 l)
MB Anticorrosion/Antifreeze
Fuel Tank
including a reserve of
ML 350, ML 500
25.0 US gal (95.0 l)
approx. 3.5 US gal (13.0 l)
Premium unleaded gasoline:
Minimum Posted Octane 91
(Avg. of 96 RON/86 MON)
Air conditioning system
R-134a refrigerant and special PAG lubricant oil
(never R-12)
Windshield washer and
headlamp cleaning*
system
8.1 US qt (7.7 l)
MB Windshield Washer Concentrate
1
1Use MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “S” and water for temperatures above freezing or MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “S” and commercially available
premixed windshield washer solvent/antifreeze for temperatures below freezing. Follow suggested mixing ratios (page 500).
Page 496 of 539

495 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines and durability for
our service intervals. Therefore, only use
approved engine oils and oil filters re-
quired for vehicles with Maintenance
System (U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada
vehicles). For a listing of approved engine
oils and oil filters, refer to the Factory
Approved Service Products pamphlet, or
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of specifica-
tion other than those expressly required
for the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada vehicles), or
changing of oil and oil filter at change inter-
vals longer than those called for by the
Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles) or
FSS (Canada vehicles) will result in engine
damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Please follow Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada vehicles)
recommendations for scheduled oil chang-
es. Failure to do so could result in engine
damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Engine oil additives
Do not blend oil additives with engine oil.
They may damage the engine.
Damage or malfunctions resulting from
blending oil additives are not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Air conditioning refrigerant
R-134a (HFC) refrigerant and special PAG
lubricating oil are used in the air condition-
ing system.
Never use R-12 (CFC) or mineral-based lu-
bricating oil. Otherwise damage to the
system will occur.
Brake fluid
During vehicle operation, the boiling point
of the brake fluid is continuously reduced
through the absorption of moisture from
the atmosphere.
Only brake fluid approved by
Mercedes-Benz is recommended. Your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center will provide you with additional in-
formation.Warning!
G
Under extremely strenuous operating condi-
tions, this moisture content can lead to the
formation of bubbles in the system, thus re-
ducing the system’s efficiency.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be replaced
every two years, preferably in the spring.
Page 502 of 539

501 Technical terms
ABS
(A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)
Prevents the wheels from locking up
during braking so that the vehicle can
continue to be steered.
Accessory weight
(
page 365)
ADS*
(Adaptive D
amping S
ystem*)
Automatically adapts the optimum sus-
pension damping to prevailing driving
conditions.
Air suspension*
Automatically selects the optimum sus-
pension tuning and ride height for your
vehicle. Air suspension consists of two
components:
Adaptive Damping System
Vehicle level control
Air pressure
(
page 365)Alignment bolt
Metal pin with thread. The centering
pin is an aid used when changing a tire
to align the wheel with the wheel hub.
Aspect ratio
(
page 365)
Bar
(page 365)
BAS
(Brake A
ssist S
ystem)
System for potentially reducing braking
distances in emergency braking situa-
tions. The system is activated when it
senses an emergency based on how
fast the brake is applied.
Bead
(
page 365)
Bi-Xenon headlamps*
Headlamps which use an electric arc as
the light source and produce a more
intense light than filament headlamps.
Bi-Xenon headlamps produce low
beam and high beam.CAC
(C
ustomer A
ssistance C
enter)
Mercedes-Benz customer service
center, which can help you with any
questions about your vehicle and
provide assistance in the event of a
breakdown.
CAN system
(C
ontroller A
rea N
etwork)
Data bus network serving to control
vehicle functions such as door locking
or windshield wiping.
Cockpit
All instruments, switches, buttons and
indicator/warning lamps in the
passenger compartment needed for
vehicle operation and monitoring.
Cold tire inflation pressure
(
page 365)
Page 508 of 539

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