2008 MERCEDES-BENZ ML SUV brakes

Off-road driving
235Off-road driving
Points to remember
G
Risk of accident
Drive slowly in rough terrain with which you
are unfamiliar. This will allow you to detect
unexpected obstacles more easily and to
therefore reduce the risk of an accident.
Do not make U-turns on mountain roads.
The vehicle could otherwise tip over. If a
slope is too steep for the vehicle, drive back
in reverse gear.
Do not drive at an angle up steep inclines.
The vehicle could otherwise tip over. If you
drive up a steep incline at an angle and the
vehicle threatens to overturn, steer into the
line of fall immediately.
Never allow the vehicle to roll backwards.
The braking effect of the engine cannot be
utilised in neutral. If you only use the
service brake, you could lose control of the
vehicle. G
Risk of accident
Grains of sand, particles of dirt and other
abrasive materials can enter the brake sys-
tem. This can lead to excessive wear and
unpredictable braking efficiency. After the brakes have been exposed to dirty
conditions, have them checked and
cleaned at a qualified specialist workshop,
e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
There is otherwise a risk that braking power
may be insufficient in the event of an emer-
gency, or that braking efficiency may be
unpredictable.
Read this section before driving your vehicle
off-road. Practise by travelling over more gen-
tle off-road terrain first.
The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving:
R off-road drive program (Y page 140)
R LOW RANGE* off-road gear (Y page 141)
R off-road ABS (Y page 57)
R off-road 4-ETS (Y page 61)
R off-road ESP ®
(Y page 60)
R differential locks (Y page 143)
R AIRMATIC package (vehicle level)
(Y page 156)
R DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Y page 139) Off-road driving
G
Risk of accident
Damage to the vehicle creates the risk of
an accident for yourself and other road
users. If in doubt, have your vehicle
checked at a qualified specialist workshop
which has the necessary specialist knowl-
edge and tools to carry out the work
required. Mercedes-Benz recommends
that you use a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre for this purpose. H
Environmental note
Protection of the environment is of primary
importance. Treat nature with respect.
Observe all prohibiting signs.
General information R
Stop your vehicle and, if necessary, select
the off-road drive program* (Y page 140)
or the LOW RANGE* off-road gear
(Y page 141) before driving off-road.
R Select a vehicle level* suitable for the off-
road terrain. Make sure there is always
sufficient ground clearance to prevent
damage to the vehicle. Operation
* optional
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Off-road driving
236
R
Check that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(Y page 193).
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Acti-
vate DSR.
R Drive slowly and evenly, if necessary at a
walking pace.
R Ensure that the wheels are in contact with
the ground at all times.
R Drive with extreme care on unknown off-
road routes where visibility is poor. For
safety reasons, get out of the vehicle first
and survey the off-road route.
R Check the depth of water before fording
rivers and streams.
R Look out for obstacles such as rocks, holes,
tree stumps and furrows.
R Always keep the side windows and the slid-
ing /tilting sunroof* closed during the jour-
ney.
R Do not stray from marked routes or paths.
i Information about retrofitting special all-
terrain tyres is available from any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Checklist before driving off-road X
Engine oil level: check the engine oil and
top it up if necessary.
X Vehicle toolkit: check that the jack is
working and make sure you have the wheel-
brace, a robust tow cable and a folding
spade in the vehicle.
X Wheels and tyres: check the tyre tread
depth and tyre pressure.
X Check for damage and remove foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the
wheels/tyres.
X Replace any missing valve caps.
X Replace dented or damaged wheels.
Checklist after driving off-road Driving over rough terrain places greater
demands on your vehicle than driving on nor-
mal roads. After driving off-road, check the
vehicle. This allows you to detect damage
promptly and reduce the risk of an accident
to yourself and other road users.
X
Deactivate the LOW RANGE* off-road gear
(Y page 141).
X Deactivate DSR (Y page 139).
X Set the differential lock setting to AUTO on
the selector wheel (Y page 143). X
Lower the vehicle level* again to a level
suitable to the road conditions, e.g. to the
highway/high-speed level.*
X Clean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage.
X Clean the front and rear licence plates.
X Clean the wheels/tyres with a water jet and
remove any foreign objects.
X Clean the wheels, wheel arches and the
vehicle underside with a water jet; check
for foreign objects and damage.
X Check whether twigs or other parts of
plants have become trapped. These
increase the risk of fire and can damage
fuel pipes, brake hoses or the rubber bel-
lows of the axle joints and propeller shafts.
X After the trip, examine without fail the
entire undercarriage, wheels, tyres, brakes,
bodywork structure, steering, chassis and
exhaust system for damage.
X After driving for extended periods across
sand, mud, gravel, water or in similarly dirty
conditions, have the brake discs, wheels,
brake pads /linings and axle joints checked
and cleaned.
X If you detect strong vibrations after off-road
travel, check for foreign objects in the
wheels and drive train and remove them if Operation
* optional
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Off-road driving
238aid you when you pull away again
(Y
page 105).
Maximum gradient-climbing capability On good road surfaces and with the LOW
RANGE* off-road gear selected, the full gra-
dient-climbing capability is available.
i If the load on the front axle is reduced
when pulling away on a steep uphill slope,
the front wheels have a tendency to spin.
4-ETS recognises this and brakes the
wheels accordingly. The rear wheel torque
is increased and it is easier to pull away.
Brow of hill When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly
reduce pressure on the accelerator immedi-
ately before reaching the brow of the hill.
Make use of the vehicle’s own impetus to
travel over the brow.
This style of driving prevents:
R the vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill
R loss of traction
R the vehicle from travelling too quickly down
the other side Driving downhill R
Drive slowly.
R Do not drive at an angle down steep
inclines. Steer into the line of fall and drive
with the front wheels aligned straight. The
vehicle could otherwise slip sideways, tip
and overturn.
R Before tackling steep downhill gradients,
select shift range 1.
R Activate DSR. If this is not sufficient, brake
gently. When doing so, make sure that the
vehicle is facing in the direction of the line
of fall.
R Check that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
i Off-road ABS is activated when the off-
road drive program or LOW RANGE* off-
road gear is selected.
At speeds below 30 km/h, the front wheels
lock cyclically during braking. The digging-
in effect achieved in the process reduces
the stopping distance when driving off-
road. The steerability of the vehicle is con-
siderably reduced when the wheels lock. Driving over obstacles
Observe the following rules when driving over
tree stumps, large stones and other obsta-
cles:
R Select the off-road drive program
(Y page 140) or the LOW RANGE* off-road
gear (Y page 141).
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Select shift range 1.
R Drive very slowly.
R As far as possible, try to drive straight over
the centre of obstacles, front wheel first,
then rear wheel.
! Obstacles could damage the floor of the
vehicle or components of the chassis. Ask
passengers for guidance when driving over
large obstacles. Any damage to the vehicle
always increases the risk of an accident. Operation
* optional
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Driving ab
road 240
R
Ensure that a bow wave does not form as
you drive.
R Clean any mud from the tyre tread after
crossing a ford.
R Apply the brakes to dry them after crossing
a ford. Driving on sand
Observe the following rules when driving on
sand:
R Select a higher vehicle level*.
R Select a shift range appropriate to the ter-
rain.
R Drive quickly to overcome the rolling resist-
ance. The vehicle could otherwise dig itself
into the sand.
R Drive in the tracks of other vehicles, if pos-
sible. Make sure that the ruts are not too
deep, that the sand is firm enough and that
your vehicle has sufficient ground clear-
ance. Ruts
Observe the following rules when driving
along ruts in off-road terrain or on roads with
loose gravel:
! Check that the ruts are not too deep and
that your vehicle has sufficient clearance.
Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged
or bottom out and get stuck.
R Select the off-road drive program
(Y page 140) or the LOW RANGE *off-road
gear (Y page 141).
R Select a higher vehicle level*.
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Select shift range 1.
R Drive slowly.
R Where ruts are too deep, drive with the
wheels on one side on the middle section
of turf if possible. Driving abroad
Points to remember
An extensive Mercedes-Benz Service network
is also available in other countries. The
Service Hotline's current telephone numbers
for use when you are abroad are to be found
in the "Service24h" chapter of the Service
Booklet.
Only low-octane fuel is available in certain
countries.
You can find further information about fuel
grades on (Y page 216). Symmetrical dipped beam
If your journey takes you to countries where
vehicles are driven on the opposite side of the
road to the country in which the vehicle is
registered, your headlamps must be switched
to symmetrical dipped beam. Oncoming traf-
fic will be dazzled less.
X Have the headlamps switched over at a
qualified specialist workshop, e. g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. G
Risk of accident
Have your headlamps switched back to
asymmetrical dipped beam if you visit a Operation
* optional
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Trailer towing*
244
!
A maximum speed of 80 km/h should not
be exceeded, even in countries where
higher speeds are permitted for vehicle/
trailer combinations.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
to when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradi-
ent-climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance
R is affected more by strong crosswinds
R demands more sensitive steering
R consumes more fuel
On long and steep downhill gradients you
must select the shift range 1,2or 3in good
time.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, Distronic* or Speedtronic.
This uses the braking effect of the engine and
you will not have to brake to such an extent
to maintain the same speed. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly. If you need additional braking, depress the brake pedal repeatedly rather
than continuously. G
Risk of accident
Never depress the brake pedal continu-
ously while the vehicle is in motion, e.g.
never cause the brakes to rub by applying
constant slight pedal pressure. This causes
the brake system to overheat, increases
the braking distance and can lead to the
brakes failing completely.
Driving tips
R Maintain a greater distance from the vehi-
cle in front than when driving without a
trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake
gently at first to allow the trailer to run on.
Then increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing
capabilities from a standstill refer to sea
level. When driving in mountainous areas,
note that the power output of the engine,
and consequently the vehicle's gradient-
climbing capability, decrease with increas-
ing altitude.
If the trailer swings from side to side: X
Do not accelerate.
X Do not counter-steer.
X Brake if necessary. G
Risk of accident
On no account should you attempt to draw
the vehicle/trailer combination out by
increasing speed. Folding in the ball coupling
i Fold in the ball coupling when you are not
using the trailer tow hitch. 1
Telescopic lever
2 Indicator lamp
X Place the protective cap on the ball cou-
pling. Operation
* optional
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Display
messages 263Display messages Possible cause/consequence Possible solution
ESP unavailable See
Owner's Manual G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
and therefore also BAS and PRE-
SAFE ®
are unavailable due to undervolt-
age.
The brake system continues to function
normally, but without the functions listed
above. X
Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immedi-
ately. ESP unavailable See
Owner's Manual If, when driving, this message appears and
the
v warning lamp flashes, this
means that 4ETS has been deactivated.
This prevents the brakes on the drive
wheels overheating. As soon as the brakes have cooled down again,
4ETS will be reactivated automatically.
The display message disappears and the v
warning lamp goes out. ESP inoperative See
Owner's Manual G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
and therefore also Brake Assist and
PRE-SAFE ®
are unavailable due to a mal-
function. The vwarning lamp also
lights up in the instrument cluster.
The brake system continues to function
normally, but without the functions listed
above. X
Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immedi-
ately. Select position
P only when vehicle
is at a standstill You have attempted to move the auto-
matic transmission to
Peven though the
vehicle is still moving. X
Stop the vehicle immediately, paying attention
to the traffic conditions as you do so.
X Move the selector lever to P. Practical advi
ce
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Service products and capacities
372 Brake fluid
Over a period of time, the brake fluid absorbs
moisture from the air; this lowers its boiling
point. G
Risk of accident
If the boiling point of the brake fluid is too
low, vapour pockets may form in the brake
system when the brakes are applied hard
(e.g. when driving downhill). This would
impair braking efficiency.
Have the brake fluid renewed every two
years with a brake fluid that has been
approved by Mercedes-Benz and have this
confirmed in the Service Booklet. i
There is usually a notice in the engine
compartment to remind you when the next
brake fluid change is due. Windscreen washer system
The washer fluid reservoir holds approxi-
mately 7.2 litres.
The headlamp cleaning system* and the
windscreen washer system are both supplied
from the washer fluid reservoir.
X At temperatures above freezing point:
Top up the washer fluid reservoir with a
mixture of water and windscreen washer
concentrate (Y page 223).
X At temperatures below freezing point:
Top up the washer fluid reservoir with a
mixture of water, antifreeze and wind-
screen washer concentrate (Y page 223).
Adapt the mixing ratio to the outside tem-
peratures. G
Risk of fire
Windscreen washer concentrate is highly
flammable. Fire, naked flames and smoking
are prohibited when windscreen washer
concentrate is being handled. Technical data
* optional
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