2007 MERCEDES-BENZ ML500 Control cluster

70 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyIn this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are

Seat belts (
page 77)


Child restraints (
page 92)


Lower A
nchors and T
ethers for
CH
ildren (LATCH) (
page 91)
Additional protection potential provide


Supplemental R
estraint S
ystem (SRS)
with


Air bags (
page 71)


Air bag control unit (with crash
sensors)


Emergency T
ensioning D
evice
(ETD) for seat belts (
page 80)


Active head restraints (
page 80)Air bag system components with


Front passenger front air bag off
indicator lamp (
page 89)


Front passenger seat with O
ccupant
C
lassification S
ystem (OCS)
(
page 85)
Although independent systems, their pro-
tective functions work in conjunction with
each other.
The SRS system conducts a self-test when
the ignition is switched on and in regular
intervals while the engine is running. This
facilitates early detection of malfunctions.
The 1
indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (page 26) comes on when the
ignition is switched on and goes out no
later than a few seconds after the engine
was started.The SRS components are in operational
readiness if the
1
indicator lamp is not
lit when the engine is running.
A malfunction in the system has been
detected if the
1
indicator lamp:


fails to go out not later than approxi-
mately 4 seconds after the engine was
started


does not come on at all


comes on after the engine was started
or while driving
i
For information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and restraint
systems for infants and children, see “Children
in the vehicle” (
page 82).
Warning!
G
Modifications to or work improperly con-
ducted on restraint systems (such as seat
belts and anchors, emergency tensioning
devices, seat belt force limiters or air bags)
or their wiring, as well as tampering with in-
terconnected electronic systems, can lead
to the restraint systems no longer function-
ing as intended.

100 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsWhen you switch off the ESP
®


the ESP
® does not stabilize the vehicle


the engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin and
thus cut into surfaces for better grip


the 4-ETS will still apply the brake to a
spinning wheel


the ESP
® continues to operate when
you are braking


you cannot activate the cruise control
or the Distronic* system


the cruise control or the Distronic*
system switch off if currently activatedThe ESP
® switch is located on the upper
part of the center console.
1ESP® switch

With the engine running, press ESP
®
switch1.
The ESP
®warning lampv in the
instrument cluster comes on.
The ESP® is deactivated.Switching on the ESP
®

Press ESP
® switch1.
The ESP
® warning lampv in the
instrument cluster goes out.
You are now again in normal driving
mode.
!
Switch on the ESP
® immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not apply
anymore.
i
When the ESP
® is switched off and one or
more drive wheels are spinning, the ESP
®
warning lampv in the instrument cluster
flashes. However, the ESP
® will then not
stabilize the vehicle.
Warning!
G
When the ESP
® warning lampv is
illuminated continuously, the ESP
® is
switched off or is not operational due to a
malfunction.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP
®.
!
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an ex-
tended period of time with the ESP
® switched
off. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

107 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Seats
Memory function*
Lighting
Instrument cluster
Control system
Automatic transmission
Transfer case
Good visibility
Climate control
3-zone automatic climate control*
Power windows
Power tilt/sliding sunroof*
Driving systems
Loading
Useful features

140 Controls in detailLightingCombination switch
1High beam
2High beam flasher
High beam
Canada only: Turn the exterior lamp
switch to positionB (
page 136).
or

USA only: Turn the exterior lamp switch
to positionB orU
(page 136).

Push the combination switch in
direction of arrow1 to switch on the
high beam.
The high beam headlamp indicator
lampA in the instrument cluster
comes on (
page 26).

Pull the combination switch in direction
of arrow2 to its original position to
switch off the high beam.
The high beam headlamp indicator
lampA in the instrument cluster
goes out.
High beam flasher

Pull the combination switch briefly in
direction of arrow2.
Corner-illuminating front fog lamps*
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps im-
prove illumination of the area in the direc-
tion into which you are turning.
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps will
operate with the engine running and with

the exterior lamp switch in
positionB (
page 136)
or


the exterior lamp switch in
positionU (
page 136)
or


the daytime running lamp mode
activated (
page 138)
i
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps will
only come on in low ambient lighting conditions.
If you are driving faster than 25 mph (40 km/h)
or have the front fog lamps switched on, the
corner-illuminating function is not available.

145 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
Instrument cluster
For a full view illustration of the instrument
cluster, see “Instrument cluster”
(page 26).
1To dim instrument cluster illumination
2Reset button
3To brighten instrument cluster
illumination
The instrument cluster is activated when
you


open a door


switch on the ignition (
page 40)


press reset button2


switch on the exterior lamps
(page 136)You can change the instrument cluster
settings in the instrument cluster submenu
of the control system (
page 167).Adjusting instrument cluster illumina-
tion
Use button1 or3 to adjust the illumina-
tion brightness for the instrument cluster.
To brighten illumination
Press and hold button3 until the
desired level of illumination is reached.
To dim illumination

Press and hold button1 until the
desired level of illumination is reached.
Warning!
G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction
display is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see infor-
mation about your driving conditions, such
as speed or outside temperature, warn-
ing/indicator lamps, malfunction/warning
messages or the failure of any systems.
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, do so with
added caution. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center as soon
as possible.
i
The instrument cluster illumination is
dimmed or brightened automatically to suit am-
bient light conditions.
The instrument cluster illumination will also be
adjusted automatically when you switch on the
vehicle’s exterior lamps.

146 Controls in detailInstrument clusterResetting trip odometer
Make sure you are viewing the trip odome-
ter display (
page 147).

If it is not displayed, press buttonè
orÿ on the multifunction steering
wheel (
page 148) repeatedly until
the trip odometer appears in the multi-
function display.

Press and hold reset button2 in the
instrument cluster (
page 145) until
the trip odometer is reset.
Tachometer
The red marking on the tachometer
(page 26) denotes excessive engine
speed.To help protect the engine, the fuel supply
is interrupted if the engine is operated
within the red marking.
Outside temperature indicator
The outside temperature is displayed in
the multifunction display (
page 147).The temperature sensor is located in the
front bumper area. Due to its location, the
sensor can be affected by road or engine
heat during idling or slow driving. This
means that the accuracy of the displayed
temperature can only be verified by com-
parison to a thermometer placed next to
the sensor, not by comparison to external
displays (e.g. bank signs etc.).
When moving the vehicle into colder ambi-
ent temperatures (e.g. when leaving your
garage), you will notice a delay before the
lower temperature is displayed.
A delay also occurs when ambient temper-
atures rise. This prevents inaccurate tem-
perature indications caused by heat
radiated from the engine during idling or
slow driving.
!
Avoid driving at excessive engine speeds, as
it may result in serious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Warning!
G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.

147 Controls in detail
Control system
Control system
The control system is activated as soon as
the SmartKey in the starter switch is
turned to position1 (
page 40) or as
soon as the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton* is in position1 (page 42). The con-
trol system enables you to


call up information about your vehicle


change vehicle settings
For example, you can use the control sys-
tem to find out when your vehicle is next
due for maintenance service, to set the
language for messages in the instrument
cluster display, and much more.
The control system relays information to
the multifunction display.
Multifunction display
1Trip odometer
2Main odometer
3Transmission position indicator
4Current transmission program mode
1
5Status indicator (outside temperature
or digital speedometer)
For more information on menus displayed
in the multifunction display, see “Menus”
(page 150).
i
The displays for the audio systems (radio,
CD player) will appear in English, regardless of
the language selected.
Warning!
G
A driver’s attention to the road and traffic
conditions must always be his/her primary
focus when driving.
For your safety and the safety of others, se-
lecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions per-
mit it to be done safely.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.
1AMG vehicles only.

153 Controls in detail
Control system
Menus, submenus and functions
Menu7
Menu8
Menu9
Menua
Menub
Menuc
DISTRONIC*
Vehicle status
message memory
1
1The vehicle status message memory menu is only displayed if there is a message stored.
Settings
Vehicle configuration
Trip computer
Telephone*
(page 162)
(page 163)
(page 164)
(page 178)
(page 180)
(page 182)
Commands/submenusCalling up settings
Calling up vehicle mal-
function, warning and
system status messages
stored in memory
Resetting to factory
settings
Distance warning
function* on/off
Fuel consumption
statistics from start
Loading
phone book
Instrument cluster
submenu
DSR (Downhill Speed
Regulation) pro-
grammed default speed
Fuel consumption
statistics since the
last reset
Searching for
name in
phone book
Time/Date sub-
menu
Distance to empty
Lighting submenuVehicle submenuComfort submenu*
i
The headings used in the menus table are
designed to facilitate navigation within thesystem and are not necessarily identical to those
shown in the control system displays. The firstfunction displayed in each menu will show you
which part of the system you are in.