2008 MERCEDES-BENZ ML320 headlamp

340 Operation
At the gas station
Brake fluid
Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality).
For more information, see “Coolant level”
(
page 345) and see “Fuels, coolants, lu-
bricants” (
page 522).Windshield/rear window washer
system and headlamp cleaning
system*
For more information on refilling the wash-
er reservoir, see “Windshield/rear window
washer system and headlamp cleaning
system*” (
page 346).
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For infor-
mation on replacing light bulbs, see “Re-
placing bulbs” (
page 463).
For more information, see “Exterior lamp
switch” (
page 135).
Tire inflation pressure
For more information, see “Checking tire
inflation pressure” (
page 359).
!If you find that the brake fluid in the brake
fluid reservoir has fallen to the minimum mark or
below, have the brake system checked for brake
pad thickness and leaks immediately. Notify an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center
immediately. Do not add brake fluid as this will
not solve the problem. For more information, see
“Brake fluid” (
page 525).

343 Operation
Engine compartment
Closing
Let the hood drop from a height of
approximately 1 ft (30 cm).
The hood will lock audibly.
Check to make sure the hood is fully
closed.
If you can raise the hood at a point
above the headlamps, then it is not
properly closed. Open it again and let it
drop with somewhat greater force.
Engine oil
The amount of oil your engine needs will
depend on a number of factors, including
driving style. Increased oil consumption
can occur when

the vehicle is new

the vehicle is driven frequently at
higher engine speeds
Engine oil consumption checks should only
be made after the vehicle break-in period.Checking engine oil level
When checking the oil level

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground

the vehicle must have been stationary
for at least 5 minutes with the engine
turned off
Example illustration ML 350 (ML 320 CDI,
ML 550, ML 63 AMG similar)
1Oil dipstick
2Upper mark
3Lower mark
Warning!G
When closing the hood, use extreme caution
not to catch hands or fingers. Be careful that
you do not close the hood on anyone.
Make sure that the hood is securely en-
gaged before driving off. Do not continue
driving if the hood can no longer engage af-
ter an accident, for example. The hood could
otherwise come loose while the vehicle is in
motion and injure you and/or others.
!Do not use any special lubricant additives,
as these may damage the drive assemblies.
Using special additives not approved by
Mercedes-Benz may cause damage not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
More information on this subject is available at
any Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.


346 Operation
Engine compartment
The coolant expansion tank is located on
the driver’s side of the engine compart-
ment.
1Cap
2Coolant expansion tank
3Indicator wall
4Coolant level
Using a rag, turn cap1 slowly approx-
imately one half turn counterclockwise
to release any excess pressure.
Continue turning cap1 counterclock-
wise and remove it.
Coolant level4 is correct if the level:

for cold coolant: reaches the top of
indicator wall3 visible through the
filling opening

for warm coolant: is approximately
0.6 in (1.5 cm) higher
Add coolant as required.
Replace and tighten cap1.
For more information on coolant, see
“Coolants” (
page 528).Windshield/rear window washer
system and headlamp cleaning
system*
The windshield washer reservoir is located
in the engine compartment.
1Cap for windshield washer reservoir
Fluid for the windshield/rear window
washer system and the headlamp cleaning
system* is supplied from the windshield
washer reservoir. It has a capacity of 8.1
US qt (7.7 l).

347 Operation
Engine compartment
During all seasons, add MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “MB SummerFit” to
water. Premix the windshield washer fluid
in a suitable container.
Use the tab to pull cap1 upwards.
Refill the reservoir with MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “MB SummerFit”
and water (or commercially available
premixed windshield washer sol-
vent/antifreeze, depending on ambient
temperatures).
For more information, see “Windshield
washer system and headlamp cleaning
system*” (
page 530).
Warning!G
Washer solvent/antifreeze is highly flamma-
ble. Do not spill washer solvent/antifreeze
on hot engine parts, because it may ignite
and burn. You could be seriously burned.!Always use washer solvent/antifreeze
where temperatures may fall below freezing
point. Failure to do so could result in damage to
the washer system/reservoir.
!Only use washer fluid which is suitable for
plastic lenses. Improper washer fluid can
damage the plastic lenses of the headlamps.

384 Operation
Winter driving
Before the onset of winter, have your
vehicle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. This
service includes:

Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.

Addition of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning system. Add MB Concentrate
“MB SummerFit” to a premixed wind-
shield washer solvent/antifreeze
which is formulated for temperatures
below freezing point (
page 530).

Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to make
sure that the engine can be started
even at low ambient temperatures.

Tire change. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends M+S rated radial-ply tires with a
minimum tread depth of approximately
1/6in (4 mm) on all four wheels for the
winter season.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated
tires provide special winter performance.
Make sure the tires you use show the
mountain/snowflake.marking on the
tire sidewall. These tires meet specific
snow traction performance requirements
of the Rubber Manufacturers Association
(RMA) and The Rubber Association of Can-
ada (RAC) and have been designed specif-
ically for use in snow conditions. Use of
winter tires is the only way to achieve the
maximum effectiveness of the ABS, ESP
®,
4-ETS, and EBP in winter operation.
For safe handling, make sure all mounted
winter tires are of the same make and have
the same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires installed on your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your
vehicle, you must place a notice to this
effect where it will be seen by the driver.
Such notices are available from your tire
dealer or from any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Warning!G
Winter tires with a tread depth of less than 1/6in (4 mm) must be replaced. They are no
longer suitable for winter operation.

393 Operation
Vehicle care
Shift the automatic transmission to
neutral positionN.
Release the brake pedal.
If engaged, release the parking brake
(
page 57).
Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* in the
starter switch.Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of ornamen-
tal moldings, use a damp cloth.Headlamps, brake lamps, tail lamps,
side markers, turn signal lenses
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Sham-
poo, with plenty of water.
iAfter running the vehicle through an auto-
matic car wash, wipe any wax off of the wind-
shield (
page 395). This will prevent smears
and reduce wiping noise which can be caused by
residual wax on the windshield.
When leaving the car wash, make sure that the
mirrors are folded out. Otherwise they may
vibrate.
!Do not use chrome cleaner on ornamental
moldings. Although ornamental moldings may
have chrome appearance, they could be made of
anodized aluminum that will be damaged when
cleaned with chrome cleaner. Instead, use a
damp cloth to clean those ornamental moldings.
For very dirty ornamental moldings of which you
are sure are chrome-plated, use a chrome clean-
er. If in doubt whether an ornamental molding is
chrome-plated, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
!Only use window cleaning solutions that are
suitable for plastic lamp lenses. Window clean-
ing solutions which are not suitable may damage
the plastic lamp lenses of the headlamps. There-
fore, do not use abrasives, solvents or cleaners
that contain solvents.
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the lenses.
Do not attempt to wipe dirty lenses with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the lens
surface.

414 Practical hints
What to do if …
On the pages that follow, you will find a
compilation of the most important warning
and malfunction messages that may
appear in the multifunction display.
For your convenience the messages are
divided into two sections:

Text messages (page 415)

Symbol messages (page 427)
Warning!G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction
display is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see infor-
mation about your driving conditions, such
as speed or outside temperature, warn-
ing/indicator lamps, malfunction/warning
messages or the failure of any systems.
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, please do so
with added caution. Visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center as soon
as possible.
iSwitching on the ignition causes all
instrument cluster lamps (except high beam
headlamp indicator lamp, and turn signal
indicator lamps unless activated) as well as the
multifunction display to come on. Make sure the
lamps and multifunction display are in working
order before starting your journey.

438 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbolDisplay messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
. 3rd Brake LampThe high mounted brake lamp is
malfunctioning. This message
will only appear if a critical num-
ber of LEDs have stopped work-
ing.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center as soon as possible.
Active Headlamps
InoperativeThe active Bi-Xenon* headlamp
system is malfunctioning.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center as soon as possible.
AUTO Light
InoperativeThe light sensor is malfunction-
ing. The headlamps switch on
automatically.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center as soon as possible.
To switch off the headlamps
(U. S. vehicles only):
In the control system, set lamp operation
to manual mode (
page 136).
Switch off the headlamps using the
exterior lamp switch (
page 135).
Brake Lamp
LeftThe left brake lamp is malfunc-
tioning. A substitute bulb is
being used.Replace the bulb as soon as possible
(
page 471).
Brake Lamp
RightThe right brake lamp is malfunc-
tioning. A substitute bulb is
being used.Replace the bulb as soon as possible
(
page 471).