2007 MERCEDES-BENZ ML320CDI ESP

50 Getting startedAdjustingThe buttons are located on the driver’s
door.
1Driver’s side exterior rear view mirror
button
2Adjustment button
3Passenger-side exterior rear view mir-
ror button
Switch on the ignition (
page 40).

Press button1 for the driver’s side ex-
terior rear view mirror or button3 for
the passenger-side exterior rear view
mirror.
The indicator lamp on the respective
button comes on for
approximately 15 seconds.

Push adjustment button2 up, down,
left, or right according to the desired
setting.
For more information, see “Rear view mir-
rors” (
page 200).
i
If you do not make adjustments to the
selected exterior rear view mirror within
15 seconds, the indicator lamp goes out. You will
then have to select the desired exterior rear view
mirror again before any adjustments can be
made. Adjustments can only be made with the
indicator lamp for the respective exterior rear
view mirror button illuminated.
!
If an exterior rear view mirror was forcibly
pushed forward (hit from the rear) or forcibly
pushed rearward (hit from the front), reposition
it by applying firm pressure until it snaps into
place. The mirror housing is then properly posi-
tioned and you can adjust the mirror in the usual
manner.
!
Vehicle with power folding exterior rear view
mirrors*:
If an exterior rear view mirror housing is forcibly
pushed forward (hit from the rear) or forcibly
pushed rearward (hit from the front), press fold
button1 (
page 202) to fold mirrors in, then
press fold button1 (
page 202) again to fold
mirrors out. Do not force mirrors by hand as this
may damage the adjustment mechanism.
The mirror housing is then properly positioned
and you can adjust the mirror in the usual man-
ner.
i
The memory function* (
page 134) lets
you store the settings for the exterior rear view
mirrors together with the setting for the steering
wheel column and the seat positions.
At low ambient temperatures, the exterior rear
view mirrors will be heated automatically.

60 Getting startedDrivingTurn signals
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.Combination switch1Turn signals, right
2Turn signals, left
Press the combination switch in
direction of arrow1 or2.
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lampL orK in the instrument
cluster flashes (
page 26).The combination switch resets automati-
cally after major steering wheel move-
ment.
Windshield wipers
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.Combination switch1Single wipe
Wiping with windshield washer fluid
2Switching on windshield wipers

Switch on the ignition (
page 40).
i
If the combination switch is pressed to point
of resistance and released, the corresponding
turn signal will flash three times.
!
Do not operate the windshield wipers when
the windshield is dry. Dust that accumulates on
a windshield might scratch the glass and/or
damage the wiper blades when wiping occurs on
a dry windshield. If it is necessary to operate the
windshield wipers in dry weather conditions,
always operate the windshield wipers with wind-
shield washer fluid (
page 62).
!
If anything blocks the windshield wipers
(leaves, snow, etc.), switch them off immediate-
ly.


For safety reasons, stop the vehicle in a safe
location and

remove SmartKey from starter switch
or


turn off the engine by pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button and
open the driver’s door (with the driver’s
door open, starter switch is in
position0, same as with SmartKey
removed from starter switch)
before attempting to remove any blockage.

68 Getting startedParking and lockingLocking

Exit the vehicle and close all doors and
the tailgate.
Locking with the SmartKey

Press lock button‹ on the
SmartKey (
page 38).
With the tailgate and all doors closed,
the turn signal lamps flash three times.
The locking knobs on the doors move
down. The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
For more information, see “Locking and
unlocking” (
page 108).Locking with KEYLESS-GO*
1Lock button on the outside door handle

Press lock button1 on an outside
door handle.
With the tailgate and all doors closed,
the turn signal lamps flash three times.
The locking knobs on the doors move
down. The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
For more information, see “Locking and
unlocking” (
page 108).
Warning!
G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
openings when closing the doors. Be espe-
cially careful when small children are
around.
Before closing doors, make sure there is no
possibility of someone getting caught in a
door during closing.Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* with you, and
lock your vehicle. Do not leave children un-
attended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehi-
cle equipment may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
i
If you hear a warning signal you have
forgotten to switch off the headlamps before
opening the driver’s door.
In addition the message
Switch off lights

appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the headlamps.

72 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyWarning!
G
To reduce the risk of injury when the front
air bags inflate, it is very important for the
driver and front passenger to always be in a
properly seated position and to wear their
respective seat belt.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision always be in normal seated position
with your back against the seat backrest.
Fasten your seat belt and make sure it is
properly positioned on your body
(page 51).
Since the air bag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating and hands
on steering wheel position will help to keep
you at a safe distance from the air bag.
Occupants who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the air bag can be seriously
injured or killed by an air bag as it inflates
with great force in the blink of an eye:


Sit properly belted in a nearly upright
position with your back against the seat
backrest.


Adjust the driver’s seat as far as possi-
ble rearward, still permitting proper op-
eration of vehicle controls. The distance
from the center of the driver’s breast-
bone to the center of the air bag cover
on the steering wheel must be at least
10 inches (25 cm) or more. You should
be able to accomplish this by a combina-
tion of adjustments to the seat and
steering wheel. If you have any prob-
lems, please see an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.


Do not lean your head or chest close to
the steering wheel or dashboard.


Keep hands on the outside of steering
wheel rim. Placing hands and arms in-
side the rim can increase the risk and
potential severity of hand/arm injury
when driver’s front air bag inflates.


Adjust the front passenger seat as far as
possible rearward from the dashboard
when the seat is occupied.


Always sit nearly upright, properly use
the seat belts and use an appropriately
sized infant or toddler restraint or boost-
er seat recommended for the size and
weight of the child.
Failure to follow these instructions can
result in severe injuries to you or other
occupants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that
you make the buyer aware of this safety
information. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator’s Manual.
Warning!
G
Accident research shows that the safest
place for children in an automobile is in the
rear seat.

73 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Safety guidelines for the seat belt,
emergency tensioning device and
air bag
It should be noted that with respect to both,
front side impact air bags or the rear side
impact air bags*, there is a possibility for a
side impact air bag related injury if occu-
pants, especially children, are not properly
seated or restrained when next to a side
impact air bag which needs to deploy rapidly
in a side impact in order to do its job.
To help avoid the possibility of injury, please
follow these guidelines:
(1) Always sit nearly upright, properly use
the seat belts and for children 12 years
old and under, use an appropriately
sized infant or toddler restraint or
booster seat recommended for the size
and weight of the child.
(2) Always wear seat belts properly.
Please contact your local authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center or call
our Customer Assistance Center at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372)
for details.
i
Air bags are designed to deploy only in
certain frontal impacts (front air bags), and in
side impacts (side impact and head protection
window curtain air bags) which exceed preset
thresholds, and in certain rollovers (head protec-
tion window curtain air bags). Only during these
events will they provide their supplemental pro-
tection.
The driver and passengers should always wear
their seat belts. Otherwise it is not possible for
air bags to provide their supplemental protec-
tion.
In case of other types of impacts and impacts be-
low air bag deployment thresholds, air bags will
not deploy. The driver and passenger will then be
protected to the extent possible by a properly
fastened seat belt. A properly fastened seat belt
is also needed to provide the best possible pro-
tection in a rollover.
We caution you not to rely on the presence of the
air bags in order to avoid wearing your seat belt.
It is important to your safety and that of your pas-
sengers that you replace deployed air bags and
repair any malfunctioning air bags to make sure
the vehicle will continue to provide supplemental
crash protection for occupants.
Warning!
G


Damaged seat belts or belts that were
highly stressed in an accident must be
replaced and their anchoring points
must also be checked. Only use belts in-
stalled or supplied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.


Air bags and pyrotechnic emergency
tensioning devices (ETDs) are designed
to function on a one-time-only basis. An
air bag or ETD that is deployed must be
replaced.


Do not pass belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.


Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness of the belts.


80 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyEmergency Tensioning Device (ETD),
seat belt force limiter
Depending on vehicle production date, the
seat belts for the front and rear or rear
outer seats are equipped with emergency
tensioning devices and belt force limiters.
The ETD is designed to activate in the
following cases:

in frontal or rear-end impacts
exceeding the system deployment
threshold


in certain vehicle rollovers


if the restraint systems are operational
and functioning correctly, see
1indicator lamp (
page 423)In an impact, emergency tensioning
devices remove slack from the belts in
such a way that the seat belts fit more
snugly against the body. Belt force limiters,
when activated, are employed to help
reduce the peak force exerted by the seat
belts on occupants during a crash.
Active head restraint
The active head restraints are intended to
offer the driver and front passenger
increased protection from whiplash type
injuries. In the event of a rear-end collision,
the active head restraints on the driver’s
and front passenger’s seats are designed
to move forward in the direction of travel,
providing the head with increased support
earlier on in the collision sequence. The
active head restraints move forward
whether the seat is occupied or not.
i
The ETDs for the front seats will only acti-
vate if the respective front seat belt is fastened
(latch plate properly inserted into buckle).
The ETDs for the rear or rear outer seats (de-
pending on vehicle production date) will activate
with or without the respective seat belt fastened.
Warning!
G
A pyrotechnic emergency tensioning device
(ETD) that was activated must be replaced.
When disposing of the pyrotechnic emer-
gency tensioning device, our safety instruc-
tions must be followed. These are available
at your authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Warning!
G
Only use seat or head restraint covers which
have been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model.
Using other seat or head restraint covers
may interfere with or prevent the activation
of the active head restraint. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center for availability.

81 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
You cannot remove the active head
restraint on the driver’s and front
passenger’s seats.
For removal of the active head restraints
we recommend that you contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
For information on head restraint adjust-
ment, see “Seats” (
page 43).
For information on resetting the activated
active head restraints, see “Resetting acti-
vated head restraints” (page 479).
Rear head restraints
Do not attach any objects (e.g. hangers) to
the head restraints posts. Otherwise, the
active head restraints may not be able to
function properly or offer the intended
degree of protection in the event of an
accident.Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint so that it is as close to
the head as possible and the center of the
head restraint supports the back of the head
at eye level. This will reduce the potential for
injury to the head and neck in the event of
an accident or similar situation.
Warning!
G
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat
head restraints installed when the rear seats
are occupied. Head restraints are intended
to help reduce injuries during an accident.
With a rear seat occupied, make sure to
move the respective head restraint up from
the lowest non-use position and have the
occupant adjust the head restraint properly.
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust the head restraint in such a way that
it is as close to the head as possible and the
head restraint supports the back of the head
at eye level. This will reduce the potential for
injury to the head and neck in the event of
an accident or similar situation.

92 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety2Anchors
Install a LATCH type child seat accord-
ing to the manufacturer’s instructions.Installation of infant and child restraint
system
This vehicle is equipped with tether
anchorages for a top tether strap at each
of the rear seating positions.
1Anchorage ring
2Hook

Move the respective head restraint to
its uppermost position (
page 129).

Guide top tether strap between head
restraint and top of seat backrest.
1Anchorage ring
2Hook
!
Make sure the seat belt for the center seat
can operate freely with a child seat installed.
i
Non-LATCH type child seats may also be
used and can be installed using the vehicle’s
seat belt system. Install child seat according to
the manufacturer’s instructions.
i
For safety, make sure hook2 has attached
to anchorage ring1 beyond the safety catch, as
illustrated.