2008 MERCEDES-BENZ ML SUV towing

Towing and tow-starting
340
X
Electrical consumers can be switched on
again. Do not switch the lights on, however,
as this will overload the battery.
X First, remove the jump lead from earth
point 2and negative terminal 4, then
from positive terminal 1and positive ter-
minal 3, each time disconnecting from the
battery on your own vehicle first.
i The message Battery protection:
some convenience functions cur-
rently not available may appear in the
multi-function display. It disappears as
soon as the battery is sufficiently charged.
X Have the battery checked at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre. Towing and tow-starting
Points to remember
G
Risk of accident
If you tow the vehicle, you must use a rigid
towing bar if:
R the engine is not running
R there is a brake system malfunction
R the voltage supply or the vehicle's elec-
trical system is damaged
The electric power steering and the brake
force booster do not work when the engine
is not running. Greater braking force will
then be required and the brake pedal travel
will be longer. If necessary, depress the
brake pedal with maximum force.
Do not tow the vehicle if the key cannot be
turned in the ignition lock. If this is the case,
the steering is locked and the vehicle can-
not be steered.
If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum per-
missible gross vehicle weight of your vehi-
cle.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed. When towing, observe the legal requirements
in all countries concerned.
!
When towing, pull away slowly and with-
out jerking. If the tractive power is too high,
the vehicles could be damaged.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
as this will damage the vehicle. If in doubt
recover the vehicle with a crane.
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum
of 50 km. A towing speed of 50 km/h must
not be exceeded.
With towing distances over 50 km, the
entire vehicle needs to be lifted up and
transported.
! On vehicles with KEYLESS GO*: use the
key instead of the KEYLESS GO * button.
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock and set the automatic transmission to
N. Then turn the key back to 0and leave it
in the ignition lock.
! Only secure the tow cable or towing bar
to the towing eyes. You may otherwise
damage the vehicle. Practical advice
* optional
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Towing and tow-starting
341
R
Tow-starting the vehicle is not permitted.
R Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised.
R If the engine does not start, try jump-start-
ing it (Y page 339).
R If it is not possible to jump-start the vehicle,
have it towed to the nearest qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
R If the vehicle has suffered transmission
damage, have it carried away on a trans-
porter or trailer.
R If you are towing the vehicle, move the
automatic transmission selector lever to
N and turn the key to position 2
(Y page 75) in the ignition lock.
R Before towing the vehicle, make sure that
the battery is connected and charged. Oth-
erwise:
-you cannot switch on the ignition
- you cannot move the selector lever to N
- you have no support when braking
i Before towing the vehicle, deactivate tow-
away protection* (Y page 63) and the auto-
matic door locking feature (Y page 132).You could otherwise be locked out when
pushing or towing the vehicle. Fitting the towing eye
Opening the front cover The mountings for the removable towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are located
at the front and rear under the covers on the
right-hand side of the vehicle when viewed in
the direction of travel.
1
Cover
X Press cover 1back in the direction of the
arrow.
X Take cover 1off the opening. Opening the rear cover
1
Cover
X Press cover 1back in the direction of the
arrow.
X Take cover 1off the opening. Practical advice
* optional
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Towing and tow-starting
342
Vehicles with the off-road styling pack-
age* 1
Cover
X Use a suitable object such as a screwdriver
to prise off and remove cover 1at the
recess.
Securing the towing eye X
Take the towing eye and the wheel wrench
from the vehicle tool kit ( Ypage 255).
X Screw in the towing eye clockwise to the
stop.
X Insert the wheel wrench handle into the
towing eye and tighten it. Towing the vehicle
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum
of 50 km. A towing speed of 50 km/h must
not be exceeded.
With towing distances over 50 km, the
entire vehicle needs to be lifted up and
transported.
! You should not have the vehicle towed
with the front or rear axle raised.
X Turn the key to position 2(Y page 75) in
the ignition lock.
i On vehicles with KEYLESS GO*: use the
key instead of the KEYLESS GO * button.
X Move the DIRECT SELECT lever to the N
position. Removing the towing eye
X Take the wheel wrench from the vehicle
tool kit ( Ypage 255).
X Insert the wheel wrench handle into the
towing eye and turn it anti-clockwise.
X Unscrew the towing eye.
X Replace the cover and press it until it
engages.
X Return the towing eye and the wheel
wrench to the vehicle tool kit. Transporting the vehicle
The towing eyes or trailer coupling *can be
used to pull the vehicle onto a trailer or trans-
porter if you wish to transport it.
! Only lash the vehicle down by the wheels
or wheel rims, not by parts of the vehicle
such as axle or steering components. The
vehicle could otherwise be damaged. Practical advice
* optional
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Fuses
343Recovering a vehicle that has become
stuck
Take great care when recovering a vehicle
whose drive wheels have become embedded
in loose earth or mud, particularly if the vehi-
cle is laden.
When recovering the vehicle do not use jerky
movements and do not pull it at an angle. The
chassis could otherwise be damaged.
Never attempt to recover a vehicle with a
trailer attached.
Pull out the vehicle backwards, if possible
using the tracks it made when it became
stuck. Towing in the event of the following
malfunctions
In the event of damage to the transfer
case Have the propeller shafts between the axles
and the transfer case removed.
Have the vehicle towed with the front axle
raised. In the event of damage to the front axle Have the propeller shaft between the rear
axle and the transfer case removed.
Have the vehicle towed with the front axle
raised.
In the event of damage to the rear axle Have the propeller shaft between the front
axle and the transfer case removed.
Have the vehicle towed with the rear axle
raised.
! New bolts must always be used when the
propeller shafts are refitted. The specified
tightening torques must be observed.
i Consult a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
In the event of damage to the electrical
system If the battery is defective, the automatic
transmission will be locked in position
P. To
shift the automatic transmission to neutral,
you must supply power to the vehicle's elec-
trical system in the same way as jump-start-
ing (Y page 339).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer. Fuses
Notes on changing fuses
The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. If a fuse blows, all the compo-
nents on the circuit and their functions will
fail.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognise by
the colour and value. The fuse ratings are lis-
ted in the fuse allocation chart. A Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre will be happy to advise
you. G
Risk of fire
Only use fuses that have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which have
the correct fuse rating for the systems con-
cerned. Do not attempt to repair or bridge
faulty fuses. Otherwise, a circuit overload
could cause a fire. Have the cause traced
and rectified at a qualified specialist work-
shop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
If the newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
! Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which Practical advice
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Vehicle identification plates
350phones/wireless devices in the vehicle.
This also ensures that interference
between these devices and the vehicle's
electronics is kept to a minimum. If instal-
led, the exterior aerial conducts the elec-
tromagnetic fields transmitted by a mobile
phone to the exterior of the vehicle. Frequency range Maximum trans-
mission output
(watts)
Short wave
(< 50 MHz) 100
4 m waveband 20
2 m waveband 50
70 cm waveband 35
25 cm waveband 10
!
If electrical or electronic equipment
which does not comply with the above
installation conditions is operated inside
the vehicle, the vehicle's operating permit
may be invalidated (EU Directive
95/54/EC) - Automotive EMC directive) Vehicle identification plates
Vehicle identification plate with vehi-
cle identification number (VIN) and
paint code number
The vehicle identification plate is located at
the bottom of the door frame on the front-
passenger side. 1
Vehicle identification plate
X Open the driver's door.
You will see vehicle identification plate
1. Vehicle identification plate (example)
1
Vehicle identification plate
2 Vehicle manufacturer
3 EU type approval number
4 Vehicle identification number (VIN)
5 Maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight
6 Maximum permissible towing weight
7 Maximum permissible front axle load
8 Maximum permissible rear axle load
9 Paint code number Technical data
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Vehicle weights
363Vehicle weights
The unladen weight includes the driver (68 kg), luggage (7 kg) and all fluids (fuel tank 90% full). Items of optional equipment increase the
unladen weight and reduce the maximum payload. Specific weight specifications can be found on the vehicle identification plate
(Y page 350). ML 350 ML 500 ML 63 AMG
Unladen weight (in accordance
with EC directive) 2,135 kg 2,185 kg 2,310 kg
Maximum permissible gross
vehicle weight 2,830 kg 2,830 kg 2,880 kg
Maximum permissible front
axle load 1,400 kg 1,400 kg 1,440 kg
Maximum permissible rear axle
load
Towing a trailer 1,600 kg 1,600 kg 1,600 kg
1,700 kg 1,700 kg 1,600 kg
Maximum roof load 100 kg 100 kg 100 kg
Maximum permissible load 695 kg 645 kg 570 kg
ML 280 CDI ML 320 CDI ML 420 CDI
Unladen weight (in accordance
with EC directive) 2,185 kg 2,185 kg 2,315 kg
Maximum permissible gross
vehicle weight 2,830 kg 2,830 kg 2,950 kg Technical data
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Vehicle weights
364 ML 280 CDI ML 320 CDI ML 420 CDI
Maximum permissible front
axle load 1,400 kg 1,400 kg 1,470 kg
Maximum permissible rear
axle load
Towing a trailer 1,600 kg 1,600 kg 1,600 kg
1,700 kg 1,700 kg 1,700 kg
Maximum roof load 100 kg 100 kg 100 kg
Maximum permissible load 645 kg 645 kg 635 kgTechnical data
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Service products and capacities
367
vehicles with a petrol engine. Never mix
diesel with petrol. Even small amounts of
the wrong fuel result in damage to the
injection system. Damage resulting from
adding the wrong fuel is not covered by the
warranty.
More information about refuelling and fuels
can be found in the "Operation" section. Notes on fuel consumption
The vehicle will use more fuel than usual in
the following situations: R
at very low temperatures
R in urban traffic
R on short trips
R when towing a trailer
R in mountainous terrain
The consumption figures have been deter-
mined according to EU Directive
RL 80 /1268 /EEC.
i Only for certain countries: the respective
current consumption and emission values
of your vehicle can be found in the COC
papers (EC-CERTIFICATE OF CONFORM-
ITY). These documents are supplied when
the vehicle is delivered.
! Do not use any special additives, as they
can cause malfunctions and engine dam-
age. Damage resulting from the use of such additives is not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz warranty. H
Environmental note
CO 2(carbon dioxide) is the gas which sci-
entists believe to be principally responsible
for global warming (the greenhouse effect).
Your vehicle's CO 2emissions are directly
related to fuel consumption and therefore
depend on:
R efficient use of the fuel by the engine
R driving style
R other non-technical factors, such as envi-
ronmental influences or road conditions
You can minimise your vehicle's CO 2emis-
sions by driving carefully and having it serv-
iced regularly. Technical data
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