2008 MERCEDES-BENZ ML320 Engine light

65 Getting started
Parking and locking
Parking and locking
You have now completed your first drive.
You have properly stopped and parked
your vehicle. End your drive as follows.Parking brake
1Parking brake pedal
Warning!G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and the
steering system. In this case, it is important
to keep in mind that a considerably higher
degree of effort is necessary to brake and
steer the vehicle.
Warning!G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury, or dam-
age to the vehicle drivetrain, as a result of
vehicle movement, before turning off the en-
gine and leaving the vehicle always:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.

Firmly depress parking brake pedal.

Shift the automatic transmission to
positionP.

Slowly release brake pedal.

When parked on an incline, turn front
wheel towards the road curb.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch, or press the
start/stop button (vehicles with
KEYLESS-GO*).

Take the SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* and lock vehicle when
leaving.
Warning!G
Engaging the parking brake while the vehicle
is in motion can cause the rear wheels to
lock up. You could lose control of the vehicle
and cause an accident. In addition, the vehi-
cle’s brake lights do not light up when the
parking brake is engaged.

66 Getting started
Parking and locking
Step firmly on parking brake pedal1.
When the engine is running, the
warning lamp; (USA only) or3
(Canada only) in the instrument cluster
comes on.
Switching off headlamps
Turn the exterior lamp switch toM
(
page 59).
For more information, see “Lighting”
(
page 135).
Turning off the engine
Shift the automatic transmission to
positionP (
page 185).
Apply the parking brake (page 65).
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Children could release the
parking brake and/or shift the automatic
transmission out of positionP, either of
which could result in an accident and/or
serious personal injury.
Warning!G
Getting out of your vehicle with the
automatic transmission not fully engaged in
positionP is dangerous. Also, when parked
on an incline, positionP alone may not
prevent your vehicle from moving, possibly
hitting people or objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to positionP (
page 185).
When parked on an incline, also turn front
wheel towards the road curb.
iIf the engine cannot be turned off as
described, see “Emergency engine shut-down”
(
page 506).
Warning!G
Do not turn off the engine before the vehicle
has come to a complete stop. With the en-
gine not running, there is no power assis-
tance for the brake and steering systems. In
this case, it is important to keep in mind that
a considerably higher degree of effort is nec-
essary to brake and steer the vehicle.
iAlways set the parking brake in addition to
shifting the automatic transmission to positionP
(
page 185).
When parked on an incline, also turn front wheel
towards the road curb.

98 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
In this section you will find information on
the following driving safety systems:

ABS (Antilock Brake System)

BAS (Brake Assist System)

ESP® (Electronic Stability Program)

EBP (Electronic Brake Proportioning)

4-ETS (Electronic Traction System)
ABS
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) regulates
the brake pressure so that the wheels do
not lock during braking. This allows you to
maintain the ability to steer your vehicle.
The ABS is functional above a speed of ap-
proximately 5 mph (8 km/h) independent
of road surface conditions.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will
respond even to light brake pressure.
The -indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 26) comes on when you
switch on the ignition. It goes out when the
engine is running.
Warning!G
The following factors increase the risk of
accidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns

Wet and slippery road surfaces

Following another vehicle too closely
The driving safety systems described in this
section cannot reduce these risks or pre-
vent the natural laws of physics from acting
on the vehicle.
Always adapt your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions and
keep a safe distance to other road users and
objects in the street.
iIn winter operation, the maximum effective-
ness of the ABS, the BAS, the ESP®, the EBP, and
the 4-ETS is only achieved with winter tires
(
page 384) or snow chains as required.
Warning!G
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm,
steady brake pedal pressure instead. Pump-
ing the brake pedal defeats the purpose of
the ABS and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.

101 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 405) and
(
page 418).
Warning!G
Never switch off the ESP® when you see the
ESP® warning lampv flashing in the in-
strument cluster. In this case, proceed as
follows:

While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.

While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor.

Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP
® cannot prevent accidents result-
ing from excessive speed.
Warning!G
The ESP® cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase the traction afforded. The ESP
®
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, fol-
lowing another vehicle too closely, or hydro-
planing. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful
driver can prevent accidents. The capabili-
t i e s o f a n E S P
® equipped vehicle must never
be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner which could jeopardize the user’s
safety or the safety of others.
!Operational or performance test must only
be conducted on a two-axle dynamometer. If
such tests are necessary, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. You could
otherwise seriously damage the brake system or
the transfer case which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!Because the ESP® operates automatically,
the engine and ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position0 or1 or
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button in
position0or1) when testing the parking brake
on a brake test dynamometer and such testing
should be no longer than 10 seconds.
Active braking action through the ESP
® may
otherwise seriously damage the brake system
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
iThe ESP® will only function properly if you
use wheels of the recommended tire size
(
page 515).

105 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 400) and
(
page 413).
Off-road - 4-ETS
With the off-road driving program switched
on (
page 253), the 4-ETS designed for
off-road use is automatically activated.
!Operational or performance test must only
be conducted on a two-axle dynamometer. If
such tests are necessary, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. You could
otherwise seriously damage the brake system or
the transfer case which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!Because the ESP® operates automatically,
the engine and ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position0 or1 or
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button in
position0or1) when testing the parking brake
on a brake test dynamometer and such testing
should be no longer than 10 seconds.
Active braking action through the ESP
® may
otherwise seriously damage the brake system
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
iIf the yellow ESP® warning lampv
comes on while driving, the 4-ETS is being
switched off temporarily to prevent overheating
of the drive wheel brakes. In addition, the
message
ESP Unavailable See Operator’s
Manual
appears in the multifunction display.

106 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents unauthorized
persons from starting your vehicle.
Activating
With the SmartKey
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
With KEYLESS-GO*
Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button (
page 41) on the starter
switch once.
The engine is turned off.
Open the driver’s door.
Deactivating
With the SmartKey
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position2 (
page 39).With KEYLESS-GO*
Switch on the ignition (page 40).
Anti-theft alarm system
Once the alarm system has been armed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered when
someone opens

a door

the tailgate

the hood
The alarm will stay on, even if the activat-
ing element (a door, for example) is imme-
diately closed.The alarm system will also be triggered
when

the vehicle is opened with the mechan-
ical key, see “Unlocking the vehicle”
(
page 455)

a door is opened from the inside, see
“Opening the doors from the inside”
(
page 118)
iStarting the engine will also deactivate the
immobilizer.
In case the engine cannot be started (yet the
vehicle’s battery is charged), the system is not
operational. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center or call
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA), or
1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
iIf the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, a call to the Response Center is
initiated automatically by the Tele Aid system
(
page 294) provided that the Tele Aid service
was subscribed to and properly activated, and
that necessary cellular service and GPS cover-
age are available.

137 Controls in detail
Lighting
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionU.
With the SmartKey in starter switch
position1 or the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button pressed once, only
the parking lamps and the side marker
lamps will switch on and off depending
on the brightness of the ambient light.
When the engine is running, the low
beam headlamps, the tail and parking
lamps, the license plate lamps, and the
side marker lamps will switch on and
off depending on the brightness of the
ambient light.Daytime running lamp mode
In Canada the daytime running lamp mode
is mandatory and therefore in a constant
mode.
In the USA the daytime running lamp mode
is deactivated by default. Activate the day-
time running lamp mode using the control
system, see “Setting daytime running lamp
mode (USA only)” (
page 170).
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionM orU.
When the engine is running, the low
beam headlamps are switched on.
In low ambient light conditions, the
following lamps will switch on
additionally:

Tail and parking lamps

License plate lamps

Side marker lampsCanada only
When the engine is running, and you shift
from a driving position to positionN orP
with the vehicle at a standstill, the low
beam headlamps will switch off with a
three-minute delay.
When the engine is running, and you

turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionC, the low beam head-
lamps, the tail and parking lamps, the
side marker lamps and the license
plate lamps switch on

turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB, the manual headlamp
mode has priority over the daytime
running lamp mode
iCanada only:
High beam headlamps are only available with the
exterior lamp switch in positionB.
iWith the daytime running lamp mode
activated and the engine running, you cannot
switch off the low beam headlamps manually.
iWith the exterior lamp switch in
positionM orU, you cannot switch on the
high beam headlamps.
The high beam flasher is available at all times.
For nighttime driving turn the exterior lamp
switch to positionB to permit activation of
the high beam headlamps.

138 Controls in detail
Lighting
USA only
When the engine is running, and you turn
the exterior lamp switch to positionC
orB, the manual headlamp mode has
priority over the daytime running lamp
mode.
The corresponding exterior lamps switch
on (
page 135).Locator lighting and night security
illumination
The locator lighting and the night security
illumination are described in the “Control
system” section, see “Setting locator light-
ing” (
page 171) and “Setting night secu-
rity illumination” (
page 171).Fog lamps
iWith the exterior lamp switch in
positionM, you cannot switch on the high
beam headlamps.
The high beam flasher is available at all times.
For nighttime driving turn the exterior lamp
switch to positionB orU to permit
activation of the high beam headlamps.
Warning!G
In low ambient lighting or foggy conditions,
only switch from positionU toB with
the vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching fromU toB will briefly
switch off the headlamps. Doing so while
driving in low ambient lighting conditions
may result in an accident.
iFog lamps will operate with the parking
lamps and/or the low beam headlamps on. Fog
lamps should only be used in conjunction with
low beam headlamps. Consult your State or
Province Motor Vehicle Regulations regarding
permissible lamp operation.
iFog lamps cannot be switched on with the
exterior lamp switch in positionU.
To switch on the fog lamps, turn the exterior
lamp switch to positionB first.