2008 MERCEDES-BENZ ML SUV ignition

Driving safety sys
tems 59ESP
®
cannot reduce the risk of an accident
if you drive too fast. ESP ®
cannot override
the laws of physics.
! Only operate the vehicle briefly (for a max-
imum of ten seconds) on a brake dyna-
mometer. Turn the key in the ignition lock
to position 0or 1. You could otherwise
damage the drive train or the brake system.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a twin-axle dyna-
mometer. If you wish to operate the vehicle
on such a dynamometer, please consult a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre in advance.
You could otherwise damage the drive train
or the brake system.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation If your trailer begins to lurch, you can only
stabilise the vehicle/trailer combination by
depressing the brake firmly.
In this situation, ESP
®
assists you and detects
if the trailer begins to lurch. ESP ®
slows the
vehicle down by braking and limiting the engine output so the vehicle/trailer combi-
nation can stabilise.
Trailer stabilisation is active from about
65 km/h. G
Risk of accident
If road and weather conditions are bad,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to pre-
vent the trailer from swerving and thereby
reduce the risk of accident. Trailers with a
high centre of gravity can tip over before
ESP ®
can detect this.
Trailer stabilising does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated or disabled because of a mal-
function.
Activating/deactivating ESP ® ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is running.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel G
Risk of accident
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels can spin. Spinning of the
wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
i If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more
wheels start to spin, the vwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehi-
cle. Safety
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Driving safety sys
tems 61G
Risk of accident
If the v warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes, proceed as follows:
R Only depress the accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
R Accelerate less when driving.
R Adapt your driving style to suit prevailing
road and weather conditions.
The vehicle could otherwise go into a skid.
If you drive too fast, 4-ETS cannot reduce
the risk of an accident. 4-ETS cannot over-
ride the laws of physics.
! Only operate the vehicle briefly (for a max-
imum of ten seconds) on a brake dyna-
mometer. Turn the key in the ignition lock
to position 0or 1. You could otherwise
damage the drive train or the brake system.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a twin-axle dyna-
mometer. If you wish to operate the vehicle
on such a dynamometer, please consult a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre in advance.
You could otherwise damage the drive train
or the brake system. i
If heavy demands are made on the brakes,
4-ETS switches off automatically for a brief
period so that the brakes do not heat up
further. If, for this reason, 4-ETS does not
engage, the vwarning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up. The message
ABS, ESP unavailable see Owner's
Manual also appears in the multi-function
display.
! The engine may be switched on when the
vehicle is towed with its axle raised or when
the parking brake is checked on the brake
dynamometer. Application of the brakes
via 4-ETS may otherwise destroy the brake
system.
Off-road 4-ETS A 4-ETS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically if the off-
road drive program is activated
(Y page 140) or the LOW RANGE* off-road
gear is selected (Y page 141). Distance warning system (only for
vehicles with Distronic*)
This function will issue a warning at speeds of
around 30 km/h or more if:
R for a period of several seconds, the dis-
tance to the vehicle in front is too short for
the speed at which you are travelling. The
distance warning lamp lin the instru-
ment cluster will then light up.
R you are approaching the vehicle in front too
rapidly. An intermittent warning tone will
then sound and the distance warning lamp
l will light up in the instrument cluster.
In order to maintain the appropriate distance
to the vehicle in front and thus prevent a
crash, you must apply the brakes yourself. G
Risk of accident
Pay particular attention to the traffic con-
ditions if the distance warning lamp l
in the instrument cluster lights up or an
intermittent warning tone sounds.
If necessary, brake or swerve to avoid an
obstacle. Safety
* optional
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Anti-theft syste
ms62
X
To activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate the distance warning system in the
on-board computer (Y page 134).
After activation, the :symbol is dis-
played in the lower multi-function display.
For more information on the distance warning
system, see the Distronic* section
(Y page 148). Anti-theft systems
Immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
Activating the immobiliser X
With the key: remove the key from the
ignition lock.
X With KEYLESS GO*: press the KEYLESS
GO button on the dashboard.
The engine switches off.
Deactivating the immobiliser X
With the key: turn the key to position 2in
the ignition lock.
X With KEYLESS GO*: press the KEYLESS
GO button on the dashboard twice without
depressing the brake.
i The immobiliser is always deactivated
when you start the engine. ATA* (anti-theft alarm system)
A visual and audible alarm is triggered when
the alarm system is primed and you open:
R a door
R a door using the emergency key element
R the tailgate
R the bonnet
The alarm is not switched off even if you close
an open door again. 1
Indicator lamp Safety
* optional
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Anti-theft syste
ms 63
X
To prime: lock the vehicle using the key.
On vehicles with KEYLESS GO*, the locking
button on the door handle can also be used.
Indicator lamp 1flashes. The alarm sys-
tem is primed after approximately 10 sec-
onds.
X To deactivate: unlock the vehicle using the
key. On vehicles with KEYLESS GO *, you
can also unlock the vehicle by grasping the
door handle.
Switching off the alarm X
With the key: insert the key into the igni-
tion lock.
The alarm is switched off.
or
X Press the Œor‹ button on the key.
The alarm is switched off.
X With KEYLESS GO*: grasp the door han-
dle. The key must be outside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
or
X Press the KEYLESS GO * button on the
dashboard. The key must be inside the
vehicle.
The alarm is switched off. Tow-away protection*
An audible and visual alarm is triggered if the
vehicle's angle of inclination is altered while
tow-away protection is primed. This occurs if
the vehicle is jacked up on one side, for exam-
ple.
Priming tow-away protection X
Make sure that all the doors and the tail-
gate are closed.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or, on vehicles
with KEYLESS GO*, also using the locking
button on the door handle.
Tow-away protection is primed after
approx. 30 seconds.
Deactivating tow-away protection Deactivate tow-away protection manually to
prevent a false alarm if your vehicle:
R
it is being transported
R it is being loaded, e.g. onto a ferry or car
transporter
R is being parked on a movable surface, e.g.
split-level garages
It is possible to switch off tow-away protec-
tion on the on-board computer for the next time the vehicle is locked (Y
page 134). Tow-
away protection remains deactivated until
you unlock and lock the vehicle again.
If you select Tow-away protection in the
"Display with ignition switched off" function
contained in the Vehiclesubmenu,
(Y page 131) the following message appears
in the multi-function display after switching
off the ignition: X
Press -.
The Tow-away protection off message
appears in the multi-function display.
i If you press +, tow-away protection
will remain primed.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or, on vehicles
with KEYLESS GO*, with the locking button
on the door handle.
Tow-away protection remains deactivated
until: Safety
* optional
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Anti-theft syste
ms64R
the vehicle is unlocked again
R a door is opened and closed again
R the vehicle is locked again Interior motion sensor*
If the interior motion sensor is primed, a vis-
ual and audible alarm is deployed if move-
ment is detected in the vehicle interior while
the vehicle is locked. This occurs, for exam-
ple, if someone breaks the side windows of
your vehicle or reaches into the vehicle's inte-
rior.
Priming the interior motion sensor X
Make sure that: R
the side windows are closed
R the sliding/tilting sunroof* is closed
R there are no objects, e.g. mascots, hang-
ing on the rear-view mirror or on the
grasp handles on the roof trim.
This will prevent false alarms.
X Make sure that all the doors and the tail-
gate are closed.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or, on vehicles
with KEYLESS GO*, with the locking button
on the door handle.
The interior motion sensor is primed after
approximately 40 seconds.
Deactivating the interior motion sensor To prevent a false alarm, deactivate the inte-
rior motion sensor if you lock your vehicle and
R
people or animals remain in the vehicle
R a window remains open
R the sliding/tilting sunroof* remains open
It is possible to deactivate the interior motion
sensor using the on-board computer for the
next time the vehicle is locked
(Y page 134). The interior motion sensor
remains deactivated until you unlock and lock
the vehicle again. If you select
Interior motion sensor in
the "Display with ignition switched off" func-
tion contained in the Vehiclesubmenu,
(Y page 131) the following message appears
in the multi-function display after switching
off the ignition: X
Press -.
The Interior motion sensor off mes-
sage appears in the multi-function display.
i If you press +, the interior motion sen-
sor will remain activated.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or, on vehicles
with KEYLESS GO*, with the locking button
on the door handle.
The interior motion sensor remains deacti-
vated until:
R
the vehicle is unlocked again
R a door is opened and closed again
R the vehicle is locked again Safety
* optional
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Opening and closing
67
X
To change the setting: press thek
and j buttons simultaneously for
approximately six seconds until the battery
check lamp flashes twice.
The key now functions as follows:
X To unlock the driver's door: press the
k button once.
X To unlock centrally: press thekbut-
ton twice.
X To lock centrally: press thejbutton.
Restoring the factory settings X
Press the kandj buttons simulta-
neously for approximately six seconds until
the battery check lamp flashes twice. KEYLESS GO*
The optional equipment supplied with your
vehicle includes two KEYLESS GO keys. You
can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using the
KEYLESS GO key. To do this, you need only
carry the KEYLESS GO key on your person.
When you touch the surface of the sensors on
the vehicle's door handles, KEYLESS GO
establishes a radio connection between the
vehicle and the key. The distance between
the KEYLESS GO key and the vehicle's door
handle from which you wish to lock or unlock
the vehicle, must not be greater than 1 m.
When you pull the door handle, the following
unlock centrally if the factory settings have
not been changed:
R the doors
R the tailgate
R the fuel filler flap
If you pull on the handle of the tailgate, only
the tailgate of your vehicle is unlocked.
When starting the engine and whilst driving,
KEYLESS GO also checks whether a valid
KEYLESS GO key is in the vehicle by periodi-
cally establishing radio contact. G
Risk of accident
If children are left unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could open a door from the inside,
even if it has been locked. Or they could
start the vehicle if a valid KEYLESS GO key
is in the vehicle and they press the KEY-
LESS GO button on the ignition lock. They
could endanger themselves and others.
Never leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle. Switch off the engine and take the
KEYLESS GO key with you, even if you are
only leaving the vehicle for a short time. 1
j To lock the vehicle
2 i To unlock, open* or close* the tail-
gate
3 k To unlock the vehicle
4 Battery check lamp Controls
* optional
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Opening and closing
73
i
Do not leave the key in the luggage com-
partment. You could otherwise lock your-
self out. 1
Closing button
2 KEYLESS GO button
X To close: press closing button 1.
X To close and lock centrally: press KEY-
LESS GO button* 2.
i If you leave a KEYLESS GO key* in the
luggage compartment, the tailgate will not
lock.
If a KEYLESS GO key has not been recog-
nised, the closing procedure that has
already started is cancelled. Opening and closing from inside the
vehicle You can open/close the tailgate from the
driver's seat when the vehicle is stationary.
G
Risk of injury
Monitor the tailgate closing procedure to
make sure that nobody can become trap-
ped. Press the remote operating switch
again to stop the closing procedure. 1
Remote operating button X
To open: pull remote operating button 1
until the boot lid opens.
X To close: turn the key to position 1or 2in
the ignition lock.
X Press remote operating button 1until the
tailgate closes.
Limiting the opening angle of the tail-
gate You can limit the opening angle of the tailgate
in the top half of its opening range. This could
be useful, for example, when there is insuffi-
cient space above the tailgate.
Activating
X
To open the tailgate: pull the handle or
press the ibutton on the key.
X To stop the opening procedure: when the
desired position is reached, pull the handle
again or press the ibutton on the key.
Alternatively, you can also press the closing
button in the tailgate.
X Press and hold the closing button in the
tailgate until you hear a tone.
The opening angle limiter is activated. The
tailgate will now stop in the stored position
when opening. Controls
* optional
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Opening and closing
74
Deactivating
X
Press and hold the closing button in the
tailgate until you hear two short tones. Automatic locking feature
The vehicle will lock automatically once you
have pulled away.
You can switch off the automatic locking
function via the on-board computer
(Y page 132).
i The vehicle is locked automatically when
the ignition is switched on and the wheels
begin to turn. There is therefore a risk of
being locked out when the vehicle is being
pushed or tested on a dynamometer. Locking/unlocking the vehicle from
the inside
You can centrally lock or unlock the vehicle
from the inside. This feature may be useful if,
for example, you wish to unlock the
passenger door from the inside or lock the
vehicle before you pull away. G
Risk of accident
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle. They could open a door from the
inside – even if it is locked – and thereby
endanger themselves and others.
i You cannot unlock the vehicle centrally
from the inside if the vehicle has been
locked with the key or the KEYLESS GO
key*.
i It is only possible to lock the vehicle cen-
trally if the front-passenger door is closed. 1
Unlocking button
2 Locking button
X To unlock: press button 1.
X To lock: press button 2. Controls
* optional
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