2008 MERCEDES-BENZ ML SUV steering wheel adjustment

Steering wheel
83Steering wheel
Points to remember
Depending on the vehicle equipment, you can
adjust the steering wheel either manually or
electrically*. G
Risk of accident
Only adjust the steering wheel when the
vehicle is stationary and do not pull away
until the steering wheel adjustment mech-
anism is locked in position. You might oth-
erwise drive without the steering wheel
adjustment mechanism being locked in
position. As a result you could be distracted
from road and traffic conditions by an unex-
pected movement of the steering wheel
and thereby cause an accident.
The steerability of the vehicle is however
not affected.
When you adjust the steering wheel, make
sure that:
R the steering wheel can be reached with
your arms slightly bent
R you can move your legs freely
R you can see all the displays in the instru-
ment cluster clearly Adjusting the steering wheel man-
ually
1
Release handle
2 Steering column height
3 Steering column fore-and-aft adjustment
X Pull handle 1out completely.
The steering column is unlocked.
X Set the desired steering wheel position.
X Push handle 1in completely until it
engages fully.
The steering wheel is locked in position. Adjusting the steering wheel electri-
cally*
1
Steering column fore-and-aft adjustment
2 Steering column height
X Press the lever in direction of arrow 1or
2 until the steering wheel has moved into
the desired position.
You can find more information in:
R Easy-entry/exit feature (Y page 84)
R Storing settings (Y page 87) Controls
* optional
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Steering wheel
84 Steering wheel heating*
1
To switch on the steering-wheel heating
2 To switch off the steering-wheel heating
3 Indicator lamp
X To switch on or off: make sure that the
key is in position 2in the ignition lock.
X Turn the lever in direction of arrow 1or
2.
Indicator lamp 3comes on or goes out.
i The steering-wheel heating does not
switch off automatically. Easy-entry/exit feature*
The easy-entry/exit feature makes getting in
and out of your vehicle easier.
The steering wheel swings upwards when
you:
R remove the key from the ignition lock
R open the driver's door when the key is in
the ignition lock or in position 1.
The steering wheel is moved automatically to
the position previously set when the key is
inserted into the ignition lock with the driver's
door closed. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody can become trap-
ped when you activate the easy-entry/exit
feature.
If there is a risk of becoming trapped, stop
the adjustment procedure. To halt the pro-
cedure:
R press the steering-column adjustment
switch
R press one of the memory function posi-
tion buttons
The steering column stops moving immedi-
ately. Never leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle. They could open the driver's door
and thereby unintentionally activate the
easy-entry feature and become trapped.
The most recent position of the steering
wheel is stored when you switch off the igni-
tion or when you store a memory position
(Y page 87).
You can activate and deactivate the easy-
entry/exit feature via the on-board computer
(Y page 133). Controls
* optional
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Seat belts
91
lamp lights up for six seconds after the engine
has been started. The
lamp then goes out if both the driver and the
front passenger have fastened their seat belt.
i Further information about the belt warning lamp (Y page 288).Belt height adjustment
You can adjust the seat belt height on the
driver's seat and front-passenger seat.
Adjust the belt to a height that allows it to be
routed across the middle of your shoulder. 1
Release catch X
To raise: slide the belt sash guide upwards.
The belt sash guide engages in various posi-
tions.
X To lower: press and hold release button
1.
X Slide the belt sash guide downwards.
X Let go of release button 1and make sure
that the belt sash guide has engaged. Correct driver's seat position
1
Steering wheel
2 Seat belt
3 Seat G
Risk of accident
Only adjust the driver's seat when the vehi-
cle is stationary. You will otherwise be dis-
tracted from the road and traffic conditions
and you could lose control of the vehicle as Controls
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Lights
92 a result of the seat moving. This could
cause an accident. G
Risk of accident
Only adjust the steering wheel when the
vehicle is stationary and do not pull away
until the steering wheel adjustment mech-
anism is locked in position. You might oth-
erwise drive without the steering wheel
adjustment mechanism being locked in
position. As a result you could be distracted
from road and traffic conditions by an unex-
pected movement of the steering wheel
and thereby cause an accident.
The steerability of the vehicle is however
not affected.
X Check whether seat 3and the head
restraint are adjusted properly
(Y page 76).
Make sure that:
R you are as far away from the driver's front
airbag as possible
R you are sitting in a normal upright posi-
tion
R you can fasten the seat belt properly
R you have moved the backrest to an
almost vertical position R
you have set the seat angle so that your
thighs are gently supported
R you can depress the pedals properly
R you have adjusted the head restraint so
that the back of your head is supported
at eye level by the central area of the
head restraint
X Check whether steering wheel 1is adjus-
ted properly (Y page 83).
Make sure that:
R you can hold the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent
R you can move your legs freely
R you can see all the displays in the instru-
ment cluster clearly
X Check whether you have fastened seat belt
2 properly (Y page 89).
It should:
R fit snugly across your body
R be routed across the middle of your
shoulder
R routed in your pelvic area across the hip
joints Lights
Light switch
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you drive with the lights switched
on even during the daytime. In some coun-
tries, daytime operation of headlamps varies
due to legal and voluntary requirements. In
these countries, the dipped-beam headlamps
are automatically switched on when the
engine is started.
i If you drive in countries in which traffic
drives on the opposite side of the road to
the country where the vehicle is registered,
oncoming traffic may be dazzled by the
asymmetrical dipped-beam headlamps.
Have the headlamps changed to symmet-
rical dipped beam when driving in these
countries. You can obtain information
about this from any Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre. Controls
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Driving sys
tems 159
consumption increases and handling per-
formance is affected.
1
Button
2 Indicator lamp
X Start the engine.
X Press button 1.
Indicator lamp 2flashes. The vehicle rises
to the raised level. While the adjustment is taking place, a mes-
sage appears in the multi-function display,
e.g. : If you press the
æorç button on the
multi-function steering wheel, the message
will disappear.
Once the vehicle has reached the raised level,
indicator lamp 2remains lit. You will see a
message in the multi-function display, for
example: If you have not previously selected the off-
road menu (Y
page 126) in the on-board
computer, the message disappears after
about five seconds. If you try to select the raised level at a speed
above 70 km/h, the Level selection not
permitted message appears
Highway/high-speed level
! Make sure there is enough ground clear-
ance when the vehicle is being lowered. It
could otherwise hit the ground, damaging
the underbody. 1
Button
2 Indicator lamp
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp 2is lit:
X Press button 1.
Indicator lamp 2flashes. The vehicle is
adjusting to highwa y/high-speed level. Controls
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Driving sys
tems 160
While the adjustment is taking place, a mes-
sage appears in the multi-function display,
e.g. : If you press the
æorç button on the
multi-function steering wheel, the message
will disappear.
Once highway level has been reached, indi-
cator lamp 2goes out. You will see a mes-
sage in the multi-function display, for exam-
ple: If you have not previously selected the off-
road menu (Y page 126) in the on-board
computer, the message disappears after
about five seconds. The vehicle automatically selects highway
level if you are driving at a speed above
90 km/h or if you drive at between
70 km/h and 90 km/h for around 20 sec-
onds. At high speeds, the vehicle is lowered
to high-speed level in accordance with the
ADS basic setting (Y page 157).
Vehicles with the Off-Road Pro engi-
neering package* Basic settings
The extent to which the vehicle is raised or
lowered depends on the basic setting selec-
ted.
Select:
R
Off-road level 3 for freeing the vehicle in
impassable terrain at low speeds only
R Off-road level 2 for driving on normal off-
road terrain
R Off-road level 1 for driving on easily nego-
tiable off-road terrain
R Highway/high-speed level for normal roads The individual vehicle levels are:
R
Off-road level 3: 90 mm above highway
level
R Off-road level 2: 60 mm above highway
level
R Off-road level 1: 30 mm above highway
level
R Highway level: +/- 0 mm
R High-speed level: 15 mm below highway
level
Off-road levels G
Risk of accident
Off-road level 3 is not permitted for use on
public roads. Off-road level 3 gives your
vehicle a very high centre of gravity. This
increases the risk of the vehicle tipping
over.
R Only select off-road level 3 for driving off-
road in particularly rough terrain.
R Adjust your driving style to the altered
handling characteristics.
R Do not drive faster than 20 km/h. Controls
* optional
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Driving sys
tems 161R
Avoid sudden major steering move-
ments.
R Take account of the altered handling
characteristics.
If you are driving too fast in off-road level 3,
the Bring speed below 20 km/h message
appears in the multi-function display. You
additionally hear a warning tone. The vehicle
is lowered.
i You cannot clear these messages.
Only select an off-road level when this is
appropriate for the road conditions. Other-
wise, fuel consumption increases and han-
dling performance may be affected.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock. 1
To raise the level
2 To lower the level
3 Indicator lamps
X Start the engine.
X Turn selector wheel 1clockwise.
The vehicle is raised.
or
X Turn selector wheel 2anti-clockwise.
The vehicle is lowered. Indicator lamps
3for the desired off-road
level flash:
R Off-road level 1: the lower indicator lamp
flashes
R Off-road level 2: the lower and centre indi-
cator lamps flash
R Off-road level 3: all three indicator lamps
flash
The vehicle is being adjusted to the off-road
level selected. As soon as an off-road level is
reached, the corresponding indicator lamp
stops flashing and lights up constantly.
While the adjustment is taking place, a mes-
sage appears in the multi-function display,
e.g. : The vehicle rises from highway level to off-
road level 1.
If you press the
æorç button on the
multi-function steering wheel, the messages
will disappear. Controls
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Driving sys
tems 164
While the adjustment is taking place, a mes-
sage appears in the multi-function display,
e.g. : If you press the
æorç button on the
multi-function steering wheel, the messages
will disappear.
Once highway level has been reached, all indi-
cator lamps 3go out. You will see a message
in the multi-function display, for example: If you have not previously selected the off-
road menu (Y page 126) in the on-board
computer, the message disappears after
about five seconds.
The vehicle automatically selects highway
level if you are driving at a speed above 115 km/h or if you drive at between
100 km/h and 115 km/h for around 20 sec-
onds. At high speeds, the vehicle is lowered
to high-speed level in accordance with the
ADS basic setting (Y
page 157). Parktronic*
G
Risk of accident
Parktronic is only an aid and may not detect
all obstacles. It is not a substitute for atten-
tive driving.
You are always responsible for safety and
must continue to pay attention to your
immediate surroundings when parking and
manoeuvring. You could otherwise endan-
ger yourself and others. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that no persons or animals are
in the manoeuvring range. Otherwise, they
could be injured.
Parktronic is an electronic parking aid. It indi-
cates visually and audibly the distance
between your vehicle and an object. Parktronic is activated automatically when
you:
R
switch on the ignition
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission to D,Ror
N
Parktronic is deactivated at speeds above
18 km/h. It is reactivated at lower speeds.
Parktronic monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the front bumper
and four sensors in the rear bumper. 1
Example: sensors in the front bumper,
left-hand side Controls
* optional
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