2008 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 Rain sensor

61 Getting started
Driving
Switching on windshield wipers
Turn the combination switch to the
desired position depending on the
intensity of the rain.
MWindshield wipers off
USlow intermittent wiping
Rain sensor operation with low
sensitivity.
VFast intermittent wiping
Rain sensor operation with high
sensitivity.
uSlow continuous wiping
tFast continuous wipingIntermittent wiping
Only switch on intermittent wiping under
wet weather conditions or in the presence
of precipitation.
When you select intermittent wiping, the
rain sensor is activated. The rain sensor
automatically sets a suitable wiping
interval depending on the wetness of the
sensor surface.
Turn the combination switch to
positionU orV.After the initial wipe, pauses between
wipes are automatically controlled by the
rain sensor.
Single wipe
Press the combination switch briefly in
direction of arrow1 to the resistance
point.
The windshield wipers wipe one time
without washer fluid.
If windshield wipers fail to function at all in the
combination switch positionU orV,

set the combination switch to the next
higher wiper speed

have the windshield wipers checked at the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center
!Do not leave windshield wipers on an inter-
mittent setting when the vehicle is taken to an
automatic car wash or during windshield clean-
ing. Wipers will operate in the presence of water
sprayed on the windshield, and windshield
wipers may be damaged as a result.
!If you have set intermittent wiping, dirt on
the surface of the rain sensor or optical effects
may cause the windshield wipers to wipe in an
undesired fashion. This could then damage the
windshield wiper blades or scratch the windows.
You should therefore switch off the windshield
wipers when weather conditions are dry.
iIntermittent wiping is interrupted when the
vehicle is at a standstill and a front door is
opened. This protects persons getting into or out
of the vehicle from being sprayed.
Intermittent wiping will be continued when all
doors are closed and

the automatic transmission is set to
positionD orR
or

the wiper setting is changed using the
combination switch

72 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
In this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are

Seat belts (page 84)

Child restraints (page 94)

Lower Anchors and Tethers for
CH
ildren (LATCH) (page 93)
Additional protection potential provide

Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
with

Air bags (page 74)

Air bag control unit (with crash
sensors)

Emergency Tensioning Device
(ETD) for seat belts (
page 87)

Seat belt force limiter (page 87)

Active head restraints (page 88)Air bag system components with

Front passenger front air bag off
indicator lamp (
page 83)

Front passenger seat with Occupant
C
lassification System (OCS)
(
page 79)
Although independent systems, their
protective functions work in conjunction
with each other.The SRS system conducts a self-test when
the ignition is switched on and in regular
intervals while the engine is running. This
facilitates early detection of malfunctions.
The
1indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 28) comes on when the
ignition is switched on and goes out no
later than a few seconds after the engine
was started.
The SRS components are in operational
readiness if the
1indicator lamp is not
lit when the engine is running.
A malfunction in the system has been
detected if the
1indicator lamp:

fails to go out not later than approxi-
mately 4 seconds after the engine was
started

does not come on at all

comes on after the engine was started
or while driving
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and restraint
systems for infants and children, see “Children
in the vehicle” (
page 89).

80 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Warning!G
If the 59indicator lamp illumi-
nates when an adult or someone larger than
a small individual is in the front passenger
seat, have the front passenger re-position
himself or herself in the seat until the
59indicator lamp goes out, or
check whether objects are caught under or
around the seat.
More information about air bag display mes-
sages (
page 421).
In the event of a collision, the air bag control
unit will not allow front passenger front air
bag deployment when the OCS classified
the front passenger seat occupant as being
up to or less than the weight of a typical
12-month-old child in a standard child re-
straint or if the front passenger seat is
sensed as being empty.
When the OCS senses that the front passen-
ger seat occupant is classified as being up
to or less than the weight of a typical
12-month-old child in a standard child
restraint, the 59indicator
lamp will illuminate when the engine is start-
ed and remain illuminated, indicating that
the front passenger front air bag is deacti-
vated.
When the OCS senses that the front passen-
ger seat is classified as being empty, the
59indicator lamp will illumi-
nate when the engine is started and remain
illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.When the OCS senses that the front passen-
ger seat occupant is classified as being
heavier than the weight of a typical
12-month-old child seated in a standard
child restraint or as being a small individual
(such as a young teenager or a small adult),
the 59indicator lamp will illu-
minate for approximately 6 seconds when
the engine is started and then, depending on
occupant weight sensor readings from the
seat, remain illuminated or go out. With the
59indicator lamp illuminated,
the front passenger front air bag is deacti-
vated. With the 59indicator
lamp out, the front passenger front air bag is
activated.
When the OCS senses that the front passen-
ger seat occupant is classified as an adult or
someone larger than a small individual, the
59indicator lamp will illumi-
nate for approximately 6 seconds when the
engine is started and then go out, indicating
that the front passenger front air bag is
activated.

264 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Switch off the ignition (page 40).
Clean the Parktronic system sensors
(
page 394).
Switch on the ignition (page 40).
or
Check the Parktronic system operation
at another location to rule out interfer-
ence from outside radio or ultrasonic
signals.
Rear view camera*
Warning!G
The rear view camera is only an aid and may
display obstacles from a distorted perspec-
tive or inaccurately, or may not display ob-
stacles at all. The rear view camera does not
relieve you of the responsibility to be cau-
tious, take care and pay careful attention.
The rear view camera may not show objects
which are:

very close to the rear bumper

under the rear bumper

above the tailgate handle
You are responsible for safety at all times
and must continue to pay attention to the
immediate surroundings when parking and
maneuvering. This includes the area behind,
in front of and beside the vehicle. Otherwise
you could endanger yourself or others.
Warning!G
Make sure that no persons or animals are in
or near the area in which you are
parking/maneuvering. Otherwise, they
could be injured.
Warning!G
The rear view camera either will not function
or will not function to its full capability if:

the tailgate is open

it is raining very hard, snowing or foggy

it is night or you are parking/maneuver-
ing your vehicle in an area where it is
very dark

the camera is exposed to a very bright
white light

the immediate surroundings are illumi-
nated with fluorescent light (the display
may flicker)

392 Operation
Vehicle care
Automatic car wash
You can have your car washed in an auto-
matic car wash from the start. Automatic
car washes without brushes are prefera-
ble.
To protect the filter system, switch the
climate control system (
page 206) or
the automatic climate control system*
(
page 220) to air recirculation mode.
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it
before running it through the automatic
car wash.When taking the vehicle through an auto-
matic conveyor type car wash, observe the
following instructions.Vehicles with SmartKey:
With the vehicle at a standstill and the
ignition switched on shift the automatic
transmission to neutral positionN.
If engaged, release the parking brake
(
page 57).
Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.
With the ignition switched on shift the
automatic transmission to park
positionP.
Release the brake pedal.
Remove the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button from the starter switch
(
page 41).
Insert the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* into the starter switch.
Switch on the ignition.
Depress the brake pedal.
!Do not clean your vehicle in an automatic
touchless car wash which use caustic spray.
Otherwise the caustic spray will damage the
paint or ornamental moldings.
!Make sure that the windshield wiper switch
is set to0 (
page 61). Otherwise, e.g. the rain
sensor could activate and cause the wipers to
move unintentionally. This may lead to vehicle
damage.
Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in exterior
rear view mirrors prior to running the vehicle
through an automatic car wash to prevent
damage to the mirrors.
Warning!G
When leaving the SmartKey or SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* in the starter switch, do
not leave children unattended in the vehicle.
It is possible for children to switch on the
ignition which could result in unsupervised
use of vehicle equipment.
A child’s unsupervised access to a vehicle
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.

539 Index
G
Garage door opener 302
Gasoline see Fuel
GAWR 380
Gear range
Automatic transmission 192
Limiting 192
Shifting into optimal 194
Gear selector lever 25, 54, 183
Cleaning 397
Gearshift pattern 183
Messages in the multifunction
display 420
Position 186
Shifting procedure 186
Transmission position 187
Global locking/unlocking see Key,
SmartKey
Glove box 279
Good visibility 199
Gross Axle Weight Rating see GAWR
Gross Trailer Weight see GTW
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating see GVWR
Gross Vehicle Weight see GVWGTW 380
GVW 380
GVWR 380
H
Halogen headlamp see Headlamps
Hands-free microphone 33
Hard plastic trim items, cleaning 396
Hazard warning flasher 141
Head restraints 44, 127
Active head restraint 88, 127
Front seats, Adjusting 44
Rear seats 89
Rear seats, Adjusting 128
Rear seats, Removing and
installing 128
Headlamp aim
Adjusting 473
Headlamp cleaning system* 199, 346
Headlamp shut-off delay see Delayed
shut-off, Exterior lampsHeadlamps
Automatic headlamp mode 136
Bi-Xenon* 438, 467
Cleaning lenses 393
Cleaning system* 199, 346
Halogen 466
High beam see High beam flasher
High beam see High beam headlamps
Light sensor, Messages in the
multifunction display 438
Low beam see Low beam headlamps
Manual headlamp mode 136
Messages in the multifunction
display 438, 439, 440, 441, 442,
443
Replacing bulbs 463, 464
Switch 59, 135
Heated seats see Seat heating*
Heated steering wheel* 290
Height adjustment
Vehicle level control (Vehicles with
Air suspension program*) 257

546 Index
Power windows 235
Cleaning 395
Convenience closing feature 238
Door windows 236
Opening/closing 235
Rear door windows, Blocking
operation 96
Summer opening feature 237
Synchronizing, Door windows 237
Practical hints 448
Premium unleaded gasoline 526
Problems
While driving 63
With starting see Starting difficulties
With the vehicle 18
Product information 9
Production options weight 381
Program mode selector switch
(ML 63 AMG only) 194
PSI 381
Push-starting see Tow-startingR
Radio
AUDIO menu, Control system 160
Selecting station 160
Selecting station (satellite*) 160
Radio transmitters 334
Range (distance to empty) 180
Range of the sensors
Parktronic* 261
Reading lamp, front 142
Reading lamp, rear interior 143
Rear automatic climate control 231, 233
Rear center console ashtray see Ashtrays
(Depending on vehicle configuration)
Rear climate control* 216
Rear door windows
Blocking operation 96
Rear fog lamp see Fog lamps
Rear lamps see Tail lamps
Rear seat head restraints see
Head restraints
Rear towing eye 502Rear towing eye, Vehicles with Sport
Package* 502
Rear view camera* 264
Rear view mirrors see Mirrors
Rear window defroster 203
Rear window wiper/washer 62
Rear windows see Power windows
Rear wiper blade 476
Recommended tire inflation
pressure 381
Recovery services, Stolen vehicle
(Tele Aid) 301
Refrigerant, Air conditioning 525
Refueling 337
Regular checks 339
Reminder, Seat belt see Seat belts, Telltale
Remote control
SmartKey 110
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* 113
Remote door unlock, Tele Aid 301
Removing rear seat cushions (Vehicles
with cargo management system*) 277