Contents
Oxidation catalyst
(diesel engine).............................. 349
Emission control .......................... 350
Coolant temperature .................... 350
At the gas station .............................. 352
Refueling ...................................... 352
Check regularly and
before a long trip.......................... 354
Engine compartment ......................... 356
Hood ............................................ 356
Engine oil ..................................... 358
Transmission fluid level ................ 362
Coolant level ................................ 362
Windshield/rear window
washer system and
headlamp cleaning system* ........ 363
Tires and wheels ................................ 365
Important guidelines .................... 365
Tire care and maintenance........... 366
Direction of rotation ..................... 368
Loading the vehicle ...................... 368
Recommended tire
inflation pressure ......................... 374
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 375
Tire labeling.................................. 385
Load identification ....................... 389DOT, Tire Identification Number
(TIN) .............................................. 389
Maximum tire load ........................ 391
Maximum tire inflation pressure ... 391
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) .............. 392
Tire ply material ............................ 394
Tire and loading terminology......... 394
Rotating tires ................................ 397
Winter driving ..................................... 399
Winter tires ................................... 399
Block heater (Canada only) ........... 400
Snow chains.................................. 400
Maintenance....................................... 401
Maintenance service indicator
message ....................................... 401
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator display ............... 403
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator ........................... 403
Vehicle care........................................ 404
Cleaning and care of the vehicle ... 404
Practical hints.................................. 413
What to do if … ................................... 414
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 414
Lamp in center console ................ 426
Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display .................... 428
Where will I find ...? ............................ 469
First aid kit.................................... 469
Vehicle tool kit.............................. 469
Minispare wheel
(except ML 63 AMG) ..................... 473
Collapsible tire
(ML 63 AMG only) ......................... 474
Unlocking/locking in an emergency .. 475
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 475
Locking the vehicle ....................... 476
Unlocking and opening
the tailgate ................................... 476
Fuel filler flap ................................ 477
Opening/closing in an emergency ..... 478
Power tilt/sliding sunroof* ........... 478
Resetting activated head restraints.... 479
Replacing SmartKey batteries ............ 480
335 Operation
Driving instructions
Off-road driving rules
Engage the off-road driving program
(page 268) before driving under
off-road conditions.
Vehicles with air suspension package*:
Make sure you select a vehicle level
(page 270) appropriate to the topo-
graphical conditions. Always make
sure the vehicle has enough ground
clearance.
Fasten items being carried as securely
as possible (
page 281).
Always navigate gradients with the en-
gine on and with the transmission en-
gaged in a gear. Switch on the DSR
(page 265) to help maintain a preset
speed.
!
Observe the following during off-road
driving:
Keep doors, tailgate, windows, and
tilt/sliding sunroof* closed whenever driving
off-road.
Adjust vehicle speed to condition of terrain.
The more uneven, rutty and steeper the ter-
rain, the lower the speed should be. Drive
through water slowly at an even speed,
avoiding a bow wave.
Be especially careful when driving in un-
known territory. It may be necessary to get
out of the vehicle and scout the path you in-
tend to take.
Watch out for obstacles, such as rocks,
holes, tree stumps and ruts.
Before driving through water, determine its
depth.
Do not stop vehicle while immersed in water,
and do not shut off the engine.
In sandy soil, drive at a steady speed as al-
lowed by conditions. This helps overcome
the vehicle rolling resistance and reduces
the likelihood of the vehicle sinking into the
ground.
Do not initiate jumps with the vehicle. It
interrupts the forward momentum of the
vehicle.
Always drive onto slopes with the engine
running and the vehicle in gear.
Do not shift automatic transmission to
positionN.Warning!
G
Do not reduce the tire inflation pressure
before driving through sand. However, if you
do so, remember to correct the tire inflation
pressure (
page 375) before continuing
your trip. Driving with reduced tire inflation
pressure increases the risk of losing control
of the vehicle and rolling over.
