2008 MERCEDES-BENZ ML SUV door lock

Trailer towing*
242Check locking mech.
message is shown
in the multi-function display until the ball
coupling is engaged.
X Remove the protective cap from the ball
coupling. Coupling up and uncoupling a trailer
Coupling up a trailer Steel-spring vehicles
X
Make sure the selector lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Position the trailer level behind the vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electrical connection
between the vehicle and the trailer.
Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package* G
Risk of injury
Never lock, unlock, open or close a vehicle
door or tailgate when coupling up or decou-
pling a trailer. The vehicle level could
change and you could endanger yourself or
others. Never press the ADS button* or operate the
level control* while you are coupling up or
decoupling a trailer.
X Make sure the DIRECT SELECT selector
lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Set the vehicle to highway level
(Y page 159).
X Set the adaptive damping system (ADS)
setting to AUTOorCOMF (Ypage 157).
X Switch off the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Position the trailer level behind the vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electrical connection
between the vehicle and the trailer.
i If you have coupled a trailer, the vehicle
will remain at highway level.
The vehicle automatically lowers to high-
way level if you drive faster than 8 km/h
with a trailer. The vehicle is not lowered to
the high-speed level even if you are travel-
ling at higher speeds. This also applies when using accessories
that are plugged into the socket of the
trailer coupling (e.g. a bicycle rack).
Decoupling a trailer G
Risk of injury
Do not connect a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. Otherwise, your hand could
become trapped between the bumper and
drawbar.
! Do not uncouple a trailer with overrun
brake between the bumper and drawbar,
otherwise your vehicle could be damaged
by the spring action of the overrun brake.
Steel-spring vehicles
X Make sure the selector lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package*
X Make sure the DIRECT SELECT selector
lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Start the engine. Operation
* optional
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Trailer towing*
243
X
Close the doors and tailgate.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away. G
Risk of injury
The vehicle is lowered as soon as you dis-
connect the trailer cable. Make sure that
nobody is in the vicinity of the wheel arch
or the underbody. You could otherwise trap
yourself or others.
As soon as you decouple the trailer, the
unladen vehicle rises slightly. Make sure
that you or others are not injured in the
process.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
X Switch off the engine. Notes on towing a trailer
G
Risk of accident
When reversing the vehicle towards the
trailer, make sure there is nobody between
the trailer and the vehicle.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If
you do not couple the trailer to the towing
vehicle correctly, the trailer could become
detached.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R The permitted trailer drawbar nose-
weight
R The permitted trailer load
R The permitted rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R The maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
You will find the applicable permissible val-
ues which must not be exceeded in the
vehicle documents.
You will find the values approved by the
manufacturer on the vehicle identification
plates and those for the towing vehicle in
the "Technical data" section. You will find installation dimensions and loads
in the "Technical data" section
(Y page 365).
The maximum permissible trailer drawbar
noseweight on the ball coupling is 140 kg.
However, the actual noseweight must not
exceed the value given on the trailer coupling
and trailer identification plates. The lowest
weight applies.
! Use a noseweight as close as possible to
the maximum permissible noseweight. Do
not use a noseweight of less than 50 kg,
otherwise the trailer may come loose.
Bear in mind that the payload and the rear
axle load are reduced by the actual nose-
weight.
i On vehicles without level control, the
height of the ball coupling will alter accord-
ing to the load placed on the vehicle. In this
case, you should use a trailer with a height-
adjustable drawbar.
Driving tips i
Observe the notes on ESP ®
trailer stabi-
lisation (Y page 59).
In Germany, the maximum permitted speed
for vehicle/trailer combinations is 80 km/h. Operation
* optional
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Care
248 H
Environmental note
Dispose of empty packaging, cleaning
cloths and polishing wads in an environ-
mentally responsible manner.
! Do not affix:
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces, otherwise you could
damage the paintwork. Vehicle care
! Do not park the vehicle for a long period
of time directly after cleaning, especially if
the wheels have just been cleaned with a
wheel cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
rapid corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. After cleaning, park
the vehicle when it is at normal operating
temperature.
Automatic car wash You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start. !
Vehicles with an exterior spare wheel
bracket* must not be washed in an auto-
matic car wash.
! Do not use a touch-free automatic car
wash that uses chemical agents to wash
the vehicle.
Preferably use one without brushes.
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it before
cleaning it in an automatic car wash.
! Make sure that the automatic car wash is
suitable for the size of the vehicle. Fold in
the exterior mirrors before the vehicle is
washed. There is otherwise a risk of dam-
age to the exterior mirrors.
! Make sure that the automatic transmis-
sion is not in position Pwhen washing your
vehicle in an automatic car wash.
R Vehicles with a key:
Do not remove the key from the ignition
lock. Do not open the driver's or front-
passenger door when the engine is
switched off, as this automatically shifts
the automatic transmission to park posi-
tion Pand locks the wheels, unless you have shifted the automatic transmission
to
N.
R Vehicles with KEYLESS GO*:
Do not open the driver's or front-
passenger door when the engine is
switched off, as this shifts the automatic
transmission to park position Pand locks
the wheels.
! Make sure the side windows are com-
pletely closed, the ventilation/heater
blower is fully turned off and the wind-
screen wiper switch is set to 0. The rain
sensor may otherwise be activated, for
instance, leading to inadvertent wiper
sweeps being triggered. This could cause
damage to the vehicle.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax from the windscreen and the wiper
blades. This will prevent smears and reduce
wiping noises caused by residue on the wind-
screen.
High-pressure cleaners G
Risk of accident
Do not use high-pressure cleaners with cir-
cular-jet nozzles (dirt grinders) to clean Operation
* optional
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Care
249your vehicle or - especially - the tyres. You
could otherwise damage the tyres and
cause an accident.
! Observe the instructions issued by the
equipment manufacturer concerning the
distance to be maintained between the
nozzle of the high-pressure cleaner and the
vehicle (at least 30 cm).
Move the high-pressure cleaner nozzle
around when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R tyres
R door joint
R electrical components
R battery
R connectors
R lights
R seals
Damaged seals or electrical components
can lead to failures or leaks. Cleaning the wiper blades and the out-
side of the windscreen G
Risk of injury
Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock before cleaning the windscreen or the
wiper blades. There is otherwise a risk of
the windscreen wipers being set in motion
and causing injury.
X Turn the key to position 1(Y page 75)in the
ignition lock.
X Set the windscreen wipers to position u
(Y page 98) on the combination switch.
X Turn the key to position 0(Y page 75)or
remove it when the wiper arms are vertical.
! Only fold the wiper arms away from the
windscreen when they are in a vertical posi-
tion, otherwise you will damage the bonnet.
X Fold the wiper arms away from the wind-
screen until you feel them engage.
X Clean the windscreen and the wiper blades.
X Fold the windscreen wipers back again
before the ignition is switched on. !
Do not clean the wiper blades too often
as this will result in the rubber becoming
porous, leading to wiper noise.
Cleaning the windows !
Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-
vents to clean the inside of the windows.
Clean the insides of the windows with a
damp cloth or commercially-available glass
cleaner. Avoid touching the inside of the
rear windscreen and the side windows with
hard objects, e.g. ice scrapers or rings. You
could otherwise cause damage to the win-
dows, rear window heating or aerial on the
rear window.
i Anti-glare film retrofitted to the insides of
the windows could interfere with radio or
mobile phone reception, especially if it is
conductive or metal-coated film. Informa-
tion about anti-glare film can be obtained
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Cleaning the headlamps X
Clean the plastic lenses of the headlamps
with a damp sponge. Operation
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Display
messages 264 Display messages Possible cause/consequence Possible solution
Vehicle not in position P You have opened the driver's door and the
automatic transmission is in position
R,
N or D. X
Move the selector lever to P.
X Engage the parking brake. Compass unavailable
The compass* is malfunctioning. X
Have the compass* checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Compass - - -
The compass* is not calibrated. X
Calibrate the compass* (Y page 213).Compass - - -
The compass* is malfunctioning because
of exterior interference. As soon as the source of the interference has
been removed:
X
Turn the key to position 0in the ignition lock
and remove it.
X Wait until the total distance recorder has dis-
appeared from the multi-function display.
X Calibrate the compass* (Y page 213).No Service Your vehicle is outside the network pro-
vider transmitter/receiver range. X
Wait until the operational readiness symbol
appears in the multi-function display
(Y page 137). Drive to work-
shop without changing
gear The transmission position cannot be
changed due to a malfunction. If transmission position
Dis selected:
X Drive to a qualified specialist workshop without
shifting the transmission from position D.
If transmission position R,Nor Pis selected:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Practical advi
ce
* optional
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Display
messages 269Display messages Possible cause/consequence Possible solution
$ At least one door is open. X
Close the doors. D The cooling fan for the coolant is faulty. X
If the coolant temperature is less than 120 †,
you can continue driving to the nearest quali-
fied specialist workshop.
X In doing so, avoid heavy loads on the engine
(e.g. driving in mountainous terrain) and stop-
and-go driving. \ Trailer hitch
Check lock mech. Vehicles with a fold-out trailer hitch*: The
trailer hitch* is not engaged properly. X
Stop the vehicle. Pay attention to the traffic
conditions as you do so.
X Allow the ball coupling to engage in the end
position (Y page 241). # The battery is not being charged. Possible
causes are:
R
a faulty alternator
R a torn poly-V-belt
R a malfunction in the electronics X
Stop immediately and safely when traffic con-
ditions allow and check the poly-V-belt.
X If it has torn: do not drive on. Contact the
nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X If it is not damaged: have the vehicle checked
immediately at a qualified specialist workshop. # Battery/Alternator
Stop vehicle The battery is faulty. X
Pull over as soon as it is safe to do so.
X Do not continue driving under any circumstan-
ces.
X Consult the nearest qualified specialist work-
shop. Practical advi
ce
* optional
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Troubleshooting
292 Problem Possible cause/consequence Suggested solutions
<
After the engine starts you
will hear a warning tone for
up to 6 seconds 33
. G
Risk of injury
The driver's seat belt is not fas-
tened. X
Fasten your seat belt (Y page 89).
The warning tone ceases. <
The red seat belt warning
lamp lights up after start-
ing the engine, as soon as
the driver's door or the
front-passenger door is
closed. G
Risk of injury
The driver or front passenger has
not fastened their seat belt. X
Fasten your seat belt (Y page 89).
The warning lamp goes out. G
Risk of injury
There are objects on the front-
passenger seat. X
Remove the objects from the front-passenger seat and stow them
safely.
The warning lamp goes out. <
The red seat belt warning
lamp flashes and you hear
an intermittent warning
tone. G
Risk of injury
The driver or front passenger has
not fastened their seat belt. At
the same time, you are driving
faster than 25 km/h or have
briefly driven faster than
25 km/h. X
Fasten your seat belt (Y page 89).
The warning lamp goes out and the intermittent warning tone
ceases. G
Risk of injury
There are objects on the front-
passenger seat. At the same
time, you are driving faster than
25 km/h or have briefly driven
faster than 25 km/h. X
Remove the objects from the front-passenger seat and stow them
safely.
The warning lamp goes out and the intermittent warning tone
ceases. 33
Only for certain vehicles. Practical advice
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Troubleshooting
302 Windows
Problem Possible cause/consequence Suggested solutions
A side window will not close. Something is trapped between
the window and the door frame. X
Remove the objects.
X Close the side window. There are objects in the window
guide rail which are preventing
the window from being raised. X
Remove the objects.
X Close the side window. You cannot see the cause. X
Close the side window with increased force or without the anti-
entrapment feature ( Ypage 100). Mirrors
Problem Possible cause/consequence Suggested solutions
An exterior mirror has been
pushed out of position. Vehicles with exterior mirrors that cannot be folded in/out electri-
cally:
X
Push the mirror into the correct position manually.
Vehicles with electrically folding exterior mirrors*:
X Press the mirror-folding button* ( Ypage 85) repeatedly until you
hear a distinct click.
The mirror housing is engaged again and you can adjust the mirror
as usual (Y page 85). Practical advice
* optional
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