Page 21 of 585

20 IntroductionVehicle data recordingInformation regarding electronicrecording devices
(Including notice pursuant to California Code § 9951)
Please note that your vehicle is equipped with devices that can record vehicle systems data and, if equipped with the Tele Aid* system,
may transmit some data in certain accidents.
This information helps, for example, to diagnose vehicle systems after a collision and to continuously improve vehicle safety.
DaimlerChrysler may access the information and share it with others
for safety research or vehicle diagnosis purposes
with the consent of the vehicle owner or lessee
in response to an official request by law enforcement or other government agency
for use in dispute resolution involving DaimlerChrysler, its affiliates or sales/service organization and/or
as otherwise required or permitted by law.
Please check the Tele Aid* subscription service agreement for details regarding the information that may be recorded or transmitted
via that system.
Page 60 of 585

59 Getting started
Driving
For more information, see “Driving instruc-
tions” (
page 325).
For information on off-road driving, see
“Off-road driving” (
page 333).
Switching on headlamps
Low beam headlamps
The exterior lamp switch is located on the
dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.Exterior lamp switch1Off
2Low beam headlamps on
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB.
The low beam headlamps come on.High beam
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.
Combination switch1High beam
2High beam flasher
Push the combination switch in
direction of arrow1.
The high beam headlamp indicator
lampA in the instrument cluster
comes on (
page 26).
For more information on headlamps, see
“Lighting” (
page 136).
!
Shift the automatic transmission to
positionPorR only when the vehicle is stopped
in order to avoid damaging the transmission.
!
Do not run cold engine at high engine
speeds. Running a cold engine at high engine
speeds may shorten the service life of the
engine.
ML 63 AMG:
At engine temperatures below 68°F (20°C), the
engine’s maximum speed is restricted in order to
protect it from damage. Avoid driving your vehi-
cle at full speed when the engine is cold to pre-
vent premature engine wear and/or diminished
comfort.
!
Simultaneously depressing the accelerator
pedal and applying the brake reduces engine
performance and causes premature brake and
drivetrain wear.
Page 87 of 585

86 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyFurthermore, the occupant weight may ap-
pear to increase or decrease due to
objects hanging on the seat, other passen-
gers pushing on the seat, objects lodged
underneath the seat or stuffed between
seat and middle console or between seat
and door or due to objects applying pres-
sure on the back of the seat. Always make
sure that the seat has clearance in all
directions at all times.
Both, driver and the front passenger
should always use the
59indicator lamp as an indi-
cation of whether or not the front passen-
ger is properly positioned.i
If your seat, including your trim cover and
cushion needs to be serviced in any way, take
the vehicle to your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.
Only seat accessories approved by
Mercedes-Benz may be used.
Warning!
G
If the 59indicator lamp illumi-
nates when an adult or someone larger than
a small individual is in the front passenger
seat, have the front passenger re-position
himself or herself in the seat until the
59indicator lamp goes out, or
check whether objects are caught under or
around the seat.
More information about air bag display mes-
sages (
page 440).
In the event of a collision, the air bag control
unit will not allow front passenger front air
bag deployment when the OCS classified
the front passenger seat occupant as being
up to or less than the weight of a typical
12-month-old child in a standard child re-
straint or if the front passenger seat is
sensed as being empty.
When the OCS senses that the front passen-
ger seat occupant is classified as being up
to or less than the weight of a typical
12-month-old child in a standard child
restraint, the 59indicator
lamp will illuminate when the engine is start-
ed and remain illuminated, indicating that
the front passenger front air bag is deacti-
vated.
When the OCS senses that the front passen-
ger seat is classified as being empty, the
59indicator lamp will illumi-
nate when the engine is started and remain
illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Page 105 of 585

104 Safety and SecurityAnti-theft systemsArming the alarm system
The alarm system is armed after you have
locked the vehicle with the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*.
The alarm system indicator lamp is located
to the lower left of the hazard warning
flasher.
1Alarm system indicator lamp
Make sure all doors and the tailgate are
closed.
Lock the vehicle (
page 68).
The turn signal lamps flash three times
to indicate that the vehicle is locked.
The alarm system is armed within ap-
proximately 10 seconds. Alarm system
indicator lamp1 flashes.Disarming the alarm system
Unlock the vehicle (
page 38).
The turn signal lamps flash once to
indicate that the alarm system is
disarmed. Indicator lamp1 goes out.
i
If the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, a call to the Response Center is
initiated automatically by the Tele Aid* system
(
page 308) provided that the Tele Aid* service
was subscribed to and properly activated, and
that necessary cellular service and GPS cover-
age are available.
i
If the turn signal lamps do not flash three
times, one of the following elements may not be
properly closed:
a door
the tailgate
Close the respective element and lock the
vehicle again.
i
The alarm system will rearm automatically
again after approximately 40 seconds if neither a
door nor the tailgate is opened.
Page 148 of 585

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.
Page 152 of 585

151 Controls in detail
Control system
Menus, submenus and functions
Menu1
Menu2
Menu3
Menu4
Menu5
Menu6
Standard display
AMG
1
1AMG vehicles only.
Off-road mode
1
Audio
Navi*
Airmatic*/Compass
(page 154)
(page 156)
(page 159)
(page 159)
(page 161)
(page 162)
Commands/submenusTrip- and main odometer
Engine oil temper-
ature
Off-road driving
program on/off
Selecting radio
station
Route guidance in-
structions, current
direction traveled
Compass
Checking tire inflation
pressure
Vehicle supply
voltage
Selecting satellite
radio station*
(USA only)
Vehicle level*
Checking coolant tem-
perature
RACETIMER
Operating CD
player
Calling up digital speed-
ometer or outside tem-
perature
Overall analysis
Calling up maintenance
service indicator
Lap analysis
Checking engine oil level
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.
Page 155 of 585

154 Controls in detailControl systemStandard display menu
In the standard display, the main odometer
and the trip odometer appear in the multi-
function display.
1Trip odometer
2Main odometer
If you see another display, press
buttonè orÿ repeatedly until
the standard display appears.
Press buttonk orj to select
the functions in the standard display
menu.The following functions are available:Checking coolant temperature
Function
Page
Checking tire inflation pressure
375
Checking coolant temperature
154
Calling up digital speedometer
or outside temperature
155
Calling up maintenance service
indicator
403
Checking engine oil level
(ML 500)
358
Warning!
G
Driving when your engine is overheated
can cause some fluids which may have
leaked into the engine compartment to
catch fire. You could be seriously
burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns which can occur
just by opening the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam
coming from it.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from
other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of
the vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle
until the engine has cooled down.
Page 162 of 585

161 Controls in detail
Control system
Operating the CD player
Selecting CD track
Turn on the COMAND system and
select CD. Refer to separate COMAND
system operating instructions.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until the settings for the CD currently
being played appear in the multifunc-
tion display.1Current CD (for CD changer*)
2Current track
Press buttonk orj repeatedly
until the desired track is selected.
Selecting MP3-CD track
Turn on the COMAND system and se-
lect MP3. Refer to separate COMAND
system operating instructions.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until the settings for the MP3-CD
currently being played appear in the
multifunction display.1MP3 mode
2Current track
Press buttonk orj repeatedly
until the desired track is selected.
Navi* menu
The
Navi
menu contains the functions
needed to operate your navigation system.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until the message
Navi
appears in the
multifunction display.
i
Additional optional satellite radio equipment
and a subscription to satellite radio service pro-
vider are required for satellite radio operation.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center for details and availability for your
vehicle.
For more information, refer to separate
COMAND system operating instructions.
i
Vehicles with CD changer*: To select a CD
from the magazine, press a number on the
COMAND system key pad located in the center
console.