2008 MERCEDES-BENZ ML SUV radiator

Engine compartment
219
If only summer diesel fuel or less cold-resist-
ant winter diesel fuel (e.g. in Mediterranean
regions) is available, you should add an
amount of flow improver to the fuel corre-
sponding to the outside temperature.
Mix the additive with the diesel in good time,
before the flow properties of the diesel
become insufficient. Otherwise, malfunctions
can only be rectified by heating the entire fuel
system, e.g. by parking the vehicle in a heated
garage. G
Risk of fire
Do not use petrol to refuel vehicles with a
diesel engine. Never mix diesel with petrol.
This would damage the fuel system and
engine and could result in a vehicle fire.
Flow improver
The effectiveness of a flow improver is not
guaranteed with every fuel. Observe the infor-
mation provided by the manufacturer when
using a flow improver. Only use flow improv-
ers that have been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Information about flow
improvers that have been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz can be obtained
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Engine compartment
Bonnet
G
Risk of accident
Do not pull the release lever while the vehi-
cle is in motion. If you do so, the bonnet
may open up and block your view.
Opening G
Risk of injury
There is a risk of injury if the bonnet is open,
even if the engine is not running.
Some engine components can become
very hot.
To avoid the risk of burns, only touch those
components described in the Owner’s Man-
ual and observe the relevant safety notes. G
Risk of injury
The radiator fan between the radiator and
the engine can start automatically, even if
the key has been removed from the ignition
lock. For this reason you must not reach
into the turning area of the fan. You can
otherwise be injured. Vehicles with a petrol engine:
The electronic ignition system uses high
voltage. For this reason, you must never
touch components of the ignition system
(ignition coil, ignition cable, spark plug con-
nector or test socket) when:
R the engine is running
R the engine is being started
R the ignition is switched on and the engine
is being cranked by hand
Vehicles with a diesel engine:
The electronic injection control uses high
voltage. Therefore, never touch fuel injec-
tion system components when:
R the engine is running
R the engine is being started
R the ignition is switched on
X Make sure that the windscreen wipers are
switched off. G
Risk of injury
The windscreen wipers and wiper linkage
could be set in motion.
When the bonnet is open, you or others
could be injured by the wiper rods. Operation
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Engine compartment
220 Make sure that the windscreen wipers are
switched off and that the key has been
pulled out of the ignition lock before open-
ing the bonnet.
The bonnet release lever is located in the
driver's footwell. 1
Bonnet release lever
X Pull bonnet release lever 1.
The bonnet is released.
! Make sure that the windscreen wipers
are not folded out away from the wind-
screen. You can otherwise damage the
windscreen wipers or the bonnet. The handle for opening the bonnet is located
above the radiator grille.
2
Bonnet catch handle
X Reach into the gap, pull bonnet catch han-
dle 2up and lift the bonnet.
Closing G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody can become trap-
ped as you close the bonnet.
X Lower the bonnet and let it fall from a
height of approximately 20 cm.
X Check that the bonnet has engaged prop-
erly. i
If the bonnet can be raised slightly, it is
not properly engaged. Open it again and
close it with a little more force. Engine oil
Depending on driving style, the vehicle con-
sumes a maximum of 0.8 l oil per 1,000 km.
The oil consumption may be higher than this
when the vehicle is new or if you frequently
drive at high engine speeds. You can only
estimate the oil consumption after you have
driven a considerable distance.
You will find further information about engine
oil in the "Technical data" section
(Y page 369).
Checking the engine oil level To do so:
R
the vehicle should be parked on level
ground.
R the engine should be switched off for at
least five minutes if the engine was at nor-
mal operating temperature.
R the engine should be switched off for at
least 30 minutes if the engine was not at Operation
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Care
251
ageing process and may react differently
(e.g. increased formation of wrinkles) to
certain environmental influences (such as
high humidity, intense heat).
Note that regular care is essential to ensure
that the quality (both appearance and com-
fort) of the covers is retained over time.
Cleaning real wood* and trim strips X
Moisten a clean lint-free cloth with water.
X Clean the wooden trim.
X If particularly dirty, use a mild detergent.
! Do not use cleaning agents containing
solvents because these can damage the
wooden trim.
Cleaning the exhaust tail pipes Impurities combined with the effects of road
grit and corrosive environmental factors may
cause flash rust to form on the surface.
Regular care of the exhaust tail pipes will
ensure that their original shine is restored.
! Do not clean exhaust tail pipes with alka-
line-based cleaning agents such as wheel
cleaner.
Use the chrome-cleaning agent recommen-
ded by Mercedes-Benz for cleaning. Infor- mation about chrome-cleaning agents can
be obtained from any Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
Cleaning Distronic* 1
Distronic* cover
X Turn the key to position 0(Y page 75) in
the ignition lock.
X Clean cover 1in the radiator grille with
water, car shampoo and a soft cloth.
! Do not use dry, coarse or hard cloths and
do not scrub. Doing so will scratch or dam-
age the surfaces. Cleaning Parktronic* The sensors are located in the front and rear
bumpers.
1
Parktronic* sensors in the left-hand side
of the front bumper
X Clean sensors 1in the bumper with water,
car shampoo and a soft cloth.
! Do not use dry, coarse or hard cloths and
do not scrub. You will otherwise scratch or
damage the sensors. If you intend to use a
high-pressure cleaner or a steam cleaner to
clean the sensors, 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. Operation
* optional
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Display
messages 262 Display messages Possible cause/consequence Possible solution
DISTRONIC currently unavail-
able See Owner's
Manual
Distronic
* is deactivated and is tempora-
rily not operational if:
R the Distronic* cover in the radiator
grille is dirty.
R its function is impaired due to heavy rain
or snow
R the radar sensor system is temporarily
not operational, e.g. due to electromag-
netic radiation emitted by nearby TV or
radio stations or other sources of radi-
ation
R the radar sensor system has not detec-
ted any vehicles or stationary objects,
e.g. traffic signs, for a long time.
R the system is outside the operating
temperature range Distronic* becomes available again and the dis-
play message disappears when:
R
the dirt (e.g. slush) falls off while you are driving
R the system detects that the sensors are fully
available again
R the system is within the operating temperature
range
If the display message does not disappear:
X Clean the Distronic* cover in the radiator grille
(Y page 251).
X Restart the engine. ESP unavailable See
Owner's Manual
G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
and therefore also PRE-SAFE ®
are
temporarily unavailable. It is possible that
self diagnosis is not yet complete. BAS
has also been deactivated. X
Carefully drive a short distance at a speed
above 20 km/h.
If the display message disappears, ESP ®
is
available again. Practical advice
* optional
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Display
messages 274 Display messages Possible cause/consequence Possible solution
m Engage N briefly You have reduced the vehicle speed, but
the automatic transmission is not in the
N
position. X
Briefly shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N. m Shifting process
cancelled Reacti-
vate The gear change process was not carried
out. X
Repeat the gear change process. D Coolant Stop car,
turn engine off The coolant is too hot. X
Stop the vehicle. Pay attention to the traffic
conditions as you do so.
X Switch off the engine.
X Make sure that the airflow to the radiator is not
blocked, e.g. by snow, slush or ice.
X Wait until the message disappears before
restarting the engine. There is otherwise a risk
of engine damage.
X Observe the coolant temperature gauge
(Y page 120).
X If the temperature increases again, visit a quali-
fied specialist workshop immediately. Practical advi
ce
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Troubleshooting
298 Problem Possible cause/consequence Suggested solutions
Vehicles with a petrol engine:
The engine is not running
smoothly and is misfiring. There is a malfunction in the
engine electronics or a mechani-
cal component of the engine con-
trol unit. X
Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic converter
and damage it. A coolant temperature of over
120 °C is displayed. You also
hear a warning signal. The coolant level is too low. The
coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled suffi-
ciently. X
Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant to
cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 223). Observe the warning notes
as you do so and top up the coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the
radiator fan may be faulty. The
coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled suffi-
ciently. X
If the coolant temperature is less than 120 °C, you can continue
driving to the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving on
mountain roads and stop/start driving. The engine does not switch off. The ignition lock is faulty. X
Open the fuse box in the engine compartment ( Ypage 344).
X Remove fuse 120 using the fuse extractor.
The engine stops.
If you wish to start the engine again:
X Replace the fuse. Practical advice
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