2008 MERCEDES-BENZ ML320 trailer

Contents
Driving systems ................................. 244
Cruise control............................... 244
Downhill Speed Regulation
(DSR) ............................................ 249
Off-road driving program .............. 253
Air suspension program* ............. 254
Adaptive Damping System
(ADS)* .......................................... 255
Vehicle level control* ................... 255
Parktronic system* ...................... 259
Rear view camera* ....................... 264
Loading .............................................. 266
Carriers* ...................................... 266
Loading instructions ..................... 266
Cargo tie-down rings .................... 268
Hooks ........................................... 269
Expanding cargo compartment .... 269
Cargo compartment cover blind ... 271
Cargo net* ................................... 272
Cargo management system*........ 275Useful features .................................. 279
Storage compartments ................ 279
Parcel nets ................................... 283
Cup holders.................................. 284
Ashtrays ....................................... 285
Cigarette lighter ........................... 286
Power outlets ............................... 287
Floormats ..................................... 289
Heated steering wheel* ............... 290
Telephone* .................................. 291
Tele Aid ........................................ 294
Garage door opener ..................... 302
Compass ...................................... 307
Infrared reflecting windshield* ..... 308
Operation......................................... 309
The first 1000 miles (1500 km) ......... 310
Driving instructions ........................... 311
Drive sensibly – save fuel............. 311
Drinking and driving ..................... 311
Pedals .......................................... 311
Power assistance ......................... 312
Brakes.......................................... 312
Driving off .................................... 315
Parking......................................... 315
Tires ............................................. 315
Hydroplaning................................ 316
Tire traction ................................. 316
Tire speed rating .......................... 317
Winter driving instructions ........... 318
Standing water............................. 319
Off-road driving ............................ 319
Trailer towing ............................... 328
Passenger compartment .............. 334
Driving abroad ............................. 334
Control and operation of radio
transmitters ................................. 334
Catalytic converter
(gasoline engine).......................... 335

103 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Switching on the ESP®
Press ESP® switch1.
The ESP
® warning lampv in the
instrument cluster goes out.
You are now again in normal driving
mode.For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 399).
Off-road – ESP
®
With the off-road driving program switched
on (
page 253), the ESP® designed for
off-road use is automatically activated. At
speeds below 27 mph (45 km/h), the
ESP
® assists in over-/understeering, thus
improving vehicle traction.
ESP
® Trailer Stabilization
If the trailer you are towing should begin to
sway, the rig can only be stabilized by
immediately applying the brakes hard.
Steering during this maneuver will not help
to stabilize the rig.
ESP
® will assist you in such situations.
ESP® recognizes when the trailer starts
swaying and will apply the brakes to re-
duce the vehicle speed to a non-critical
speed that allows the vehicle-trailer combi-
nation to stabilize.The ESP
® Trailer Stabilization is functional
at vehicle speeds above approximately
40 mph (65 km/h) when the ESP
® is
switched on.
Warning!G
When the ESP® warning lampv is
illuminated continuously, the ESP® is
switched off or is not operational due to a
malfunction.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP
®.
!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an ex-
tended period of time with the ESP® switched
off. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
WarningG
The system will not be able to assist when
the trailer jackknifes

on wet or icy roads

on roads with slippery surface

in sand or gravel
Trailers with a high center of gravity may tip
over before the system recognizes swaying
of the trailer.
iIf the ESP® has switched off due to a mal-
function, ESP® cannot stabilize the rig.

191 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Rocking the vehicle
Rocking the vehicle by shifting between
drive positionD and reverse gearR can
help free a vehicle stuck in mud or snow.
The engine control system of this vehicle
electronically limits shifting between
drive positionD and reverse gearR to
very low speeds, i.e. approximately
5 mph (9 km/h). To shift between drive
positionD and reverse gearR, move the
gear selector lever past the resistance
point up or down.
Working on the vehicleHill start assist system
On uphill grades with a gradient angle of
more than 5°, the hill start assist system
maintains the pressure in the brake sys-
tem for approximately 1 second after you
have released the brake pedal. Therefore,
you can start off smoothly without the
vehicle moving immediately after releasing
the brake pedal.The hill start assist system is inactive

when starting off on a level road or
downhill grades

with the transmission in neutral
positionN

with the parking brake set

if the ESP® has switched off due to a
malfunction
Towing a trailer
If you tow a trailer, note the following
points:

Manually shift to a lower gear range
(
page 192) if the transmission hunts
between gears on inclines.
A lower gear range and reduction of
speed reduces the chance to overload
or overheat the engine.
For more information on trailer towing, see
the “Operation” section (
page 328).
Warning!G
When working on the vehicle, set the
parking brake and shift to park positionP.
Otherwise the vehicle could roll away.
Warning!G
The hill start assist system is not designed
to function as a parking brake and does not
prevent the vehicle from moving when
parked on an incline.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to park positionP.

257 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Setting the vehicle level
The switch is located on the upper part of
the center console.
1Vehicle level switch
2Indicator lampBasic settings (all models, except
ML 63 AMG)
The following vehicle chassis ride heights
can be selected using the vehicle level
switch in the center console:The following is the approximate change in
ride height for each of the level settings:
LevelDriving situation
RaisedFor off-road driving or driv-
ing in rough terrain. The in-
dicator lamp is on.
HighwayFor driving on paved roads
in fair or better condition.
The indicator lamp is off.
iThe third available level is the high-speed
level that is set automatically.
LevelRide height
Raised+ 3.1 in (80 mm)
Highway+/- 0 in (0 mm)
High-speed- 0.6 in (-15 mm)
iVehicles with ADS*:
Depending on the ADS setting (
page 255), the
vehicle will be lowered to the high-speed level
when traveling at higher speeds. At speeds be-
low 40 mph (64 km/h) at the latest, it will be re-
turned to the highway level.
iThe high-speed level is not available if tow-
ing a trailer. For more information on towing a
trailer, see “Trailer towing” (
page 328).

259 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Highway level
Start the engine (page 40).
If indicator lamp2 (
page 257) is on.
Press switch1 (page 257).
Indicator lamp2 flashes. The vehicle
adjusts to the highway level.
The following message appears in the
multifunction display while the level is
being set:When the highway level is reached, indica-
tor lamp2 (
page 257) goes out. and
the following message appears in the
multifunction display for 5 seconds:
Parktronic system*
!Keep in mind that in rough or uneven roads,
adjusting the vehicle to a lower level may cause
the vehicle underbody to come in contact with
the road and result in damage to the vehicle un-
derbody. Always make sure the vehicle has suffi-
cient ground clearance before adjusting it to a
lower level.
iThe message can be cleared by pressing
theèÿk or buttonj on the
multifunction steering wheel.
iThe vehicle is lowered automatically to the
highway level if:

the vehicle speed is above 55 mph
(88 km/h)

the speed stays between 40 mph (64 km/h)
and 55 mph (88 km/h) for approximately
20 seconds
Warning!G
Parktronic is a supplemental system. It is
not intended to, nor does it replace, the
need for extreme care. The responsibility
during parking and other critical maneuvers
always remains with the driver.
Special attention must be paid to objects
with smooth surfaces or low silhouettes
(e.g. trailer couplings, painted posts, or road
curbs). Such objects may not be detected by
the system and can damage the vehicle.


261 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Range of the sensors
To function properly, the sensors must be
free of dirt, ice, snow and slush. Clean the
sensors regularly, being careful not to
scratch or damaging the sensors, see
“Cleaning the Parktronic* system sensors”
(
page 394).Front sensors
Rear sensors
Minimum distance
If the system detects an obstacle in this
range, all the distance warning segments
illuminate and you hear a warning signal. If
the obstacle is closer than the minimum
distance, the actual distance may no
longer be indicated by the system.
!During parking maneuvers, pay special
attention to objects located above or below the
height of the sensors (e.g. planters or trailer
hitches). The Parktronic system will not detect
such objects at close range and damage to your
vehicle or the object may result.
Ultrasonic signals from outside sources (e.g.
working jackhammers, car wash or the air brakes
of trucks) may impair the operation of the
Parktronic system.
Centerapprox. 40 in (100 cm)
Cornersapprox. 24 in (60 cm)
Centerapprox. 48 in (120 cm)
Cornersapprox. 32 in (80 cm)
Centerapprox. 8in (20cm)
Cornersapprox. 6in (15cm)

263 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Switching the Parktronic system*
on/off
You can switch off the Parktronic system
manually.
The Parktronic switch is located in the
upper part of the center console.
1Parktronic switch
2Indicator lampSwitching off
Press Parktronic switch1.
Indicator lamp2 comes on.
Switching on
Press Parktronic switch1 once more.
Indicator lamp2 goes out.Parktronic system* malfunction
If only the red distance segments illumi-
nate and an acoustic warning sounds,
there is a malfunction in the Parktronic
system. The Parktronic system will auto-
matically switch off after 20 seconds and
the indicator lamp in the Parktronic switch
comes on.
Have the Parktronic system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center as soon as possible.
If only the red distance segments illumi-
nate and no acoustic warning sounds, the
Parktronic system sensors are dirty (e.g.
slush, snow or ice) or there is an interfer-
ence from other radio or ultrasonic signals
(e.g. working jackhammers, car wash or
the air brakes of trucks). The Parktronic
system will automatically switch off after
20 seconds and the indicator lamp in the
Parktronic switch comes on.iThe Parktronic system switches on
automatically when you switch on the ignition
(
page 40).
Vehicles with original equipment Mercedes-Benz
Trailer Hitch Kit:
The rear Parktronic sensor will automatically
disengage when towing a trailer.

328 Operation
Driving instructions

Remove excessive dirt from tires,
wheels, wheel housings, and under-
body.
For instance, after driving in mud, clean
the radiator, chassis, engine, brakes,
and wheels from extreme dirt using a
strong jet of water.

Check tires for possible damage.

Inspect vehicle underbody, oil pan,
brake hoses, etc., as well as vehicle un-
derbody for possible damage.

Check for brush or branches caught in
the underbody.

After continued operation in mud,
sand, water or other dirty conditions
clean the brake discs, wheels, brake
pads and check and clean axle joints.

Conduct a brake test.
Trailer towing Trailer hitch*

Only install a trailer hitch receiver ap-
proved for your vehicle.
For information on availability and in-
stallation, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.

The bumpers on your vehicle are not
designed for use with clamp-type hitch-
es.
Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them.

To reduce the possibility of damage, re-
move the hitch ball adaptor from the
receiver when not in use.
!Brush or branches could increase the possi-
bility of a fire, as well as cut fuel and/or brake
lines, puncture rubber bellows of the axles or
drive shafts.
Warning!G
Failure to use proper equipment and driving
technique can result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol when towing a trailer.
Improper towing or failure to follow the in-
structions in this manual can result in vehi-
cle damage and/or serious personal injury.
Follow the guidelines below carefully to as-
sure safe trailer operation.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center should you require an explana-
tion of information contained in this manual.