2008 MERCEDES-BENZ ML550 battery

113 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Global locking
Press button‹.
With the tailgate and all doors closed,
the turn signal lamps flash three times.
The locking knobs in the doors move
down. The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
Restoring to factory setting
Press and hold buttonsŒ and‹
simultaneously for about 5 seconds
until battery check lamp5
(
page 110) flashes twice.
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
Vehicles equipped with KEYLESS-GO come
with two SmartKeys with KEYLESS-GO,
each with remote control and a removable
mechanical key.
The KEYLESS-GO function is integrated
into the SmartKey. On these vehicles, the
validity of the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
is checked when you grasp an outside door
handle.
If the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is valid,
your vehicle unlocks

the doors

the tailgate

the fuel filler flap
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
1‹ Lock button
2Š Unlock button* for tailgate
3Locking tab for mechanical key
4ΠUnlock button
5Battery check lamp
6Â Panic button (
page 97)

114 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* with you and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an
accident and/or serious personal injury.
!To prevent possible malfunction, avoid
exposing the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO to high
levels of electromagnetic radiation.
iUSA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interfer-
ence, and
(2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
iCanada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry
Canada. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
iYou can also open and close

the door windows

the tilt/sliding sunroof
using the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO, see
“Summer opening feature” (
page 237) and
see “Convenience closing feature”
(
page 238).
!If you cannot lock or unlock the vehicle with
the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO, the batteries in
the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO are discharged,
the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is malfunction-
ing or the vehicle battery is drained.

Check the batteries in the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO (
page 118) and replace
them if necessary (
page 461).

Use the mechanical key to unlock the
driver’s door (
page 455).

Lock the vehicle as described in the “Practi-
cal hints” section (
page 456).

Have the vehicle battery and the vehicle
battery connections checked (
page 489).
If the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is malfunc-
tioning, contact Roadside Assistance or an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.

117 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Global locking
Press the lock button on an outside
door handle (
page 69).
With the tailgate and all doors closed,
the turn signal lamps flash three times.
The locking knobs in the doors move
down. The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
Selective setting
If you frequently travel alone, you may wish
to reprogram the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO so when you grasp the
driver’s door handle only the driver’s door
and the fuel filler flap unlocks.
Press and hold buttonsŒ and‹
simultaneously for about 5 seconds
until battery check lamp5
(
page 113) flashes twice.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO will
then function as follows:Unlocking driver’s door and fuel filler
flap
Grasp the driver’s outside door handle.
All turn signal lamps flash once. The
locking knob in the driver’s door moves
up. The anti-theft alarm system is dis-
armed.
Global unlocking
Grasp any outside door handle other
than the driver’s outside door handle.
All turn signal lamps flash once. The
locking knobs in the doors move up.
The anti-theft alarm system is dis-
armed.Global locking
Press the lock button on an outside
door handle (
page 69).
All turn signal lamps flash three times.
The locking knobs in the doors move
down. The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
Restoring to factory setting
Press and hold buttonsŒ and‹
simultaneously for about 5 seconds
until battery check lamp5
(
page 113) flashes twice.

118 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Checking the batteries in the SmartKey
or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
Press button‹orŒ.
The battery check lamp (
page 110)
or (
page 113) comes on briefly to in-
dicate that the SmartKey or SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO batteries are in
order.Loss of the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*
If you lose your SmartKey, SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO or mechanical key, you
should do the following:
Have the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO deactivated by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
Report the loss of the SmartKey,
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO or the me-
chanical key immediately to your car
insurance company.
Have the mechanical lock replaced if
necessary.
Any authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center will be glad to supply you with a re-
placement.
Opening the doors from the inside
You can open a locked door from the in-
side. Open door only when conditions are
safe to do so.
1Locking knob
2Inside door handle
iIf the battery check lamp does not come on
briefly during check, the SmartKey or SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO batteries are discharged.
Replace the batteries (
page 461).
You can obtain the required batteries at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
iIf the batteries are checked within signal
range of the vehicle, pressing the
button‹orŒ will lock or unlock the
vehicle accordingly.

135 Controls in detail
Lighting
Lighting
For information on how to switch on the
headlamps and use the turn signals, see
“Switching on headlamps” (
page 59)
and “Turn signals” (
page 60).
Exterior lamp switch
iIf you drive in countries where vehicles drive
on the other side of the road than the country in
which the vehicle is registered, you must have
the headlamps modified for symmetrical low
beams. Relevant information can be obtained at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
iVehicles equipped with active Bi-Xenon*
headlamps:
The active Bi-Xenon* headlamps monitor the
vehicles steering angle and vehicle speed, then
automatically shift their beams to either side to
better follow the curvature of the road ahead,
increasing usable illumination over conventional
headlamps.1‚Standing lamps, left (turn left two
stops)
2ˆStanding lamps, right (turn left
one stop)
3MOff
Daytime running lamp mode
(
page 137)
4UAutomatic headlamp mode
Daytime running lamp mode
(
page 137)
5CParking lamps (also side marker
lamps, tail lamps, license plate
lamps, instrument panel lamps)
6BLow beam headlamps or high
beam headlamps
7‡Front fog lamps
8†Rear fog lamp
iThe exterior lamps switch off automatically
when you remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch or open the driver’s door with the ignition
switched off.
When the parking lamps or the rear fog lamp are
switched on and you remove the SmartKey from
the starter switch or open the driver’s door, an
acoustic signal sounds.
In addition the message
Switch Off Lights
appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the parking lamps or the rear fog lamp
manually.
!Failure to switch off the parking lamps when
leaving the vehicle may result in a discharged
battery.

142 Controls in detail
Lighting
Switching on hazard warning flasher
Press hazard warning flasher
switch1.
All turn signals are flashing.
Switching off hazard warning flasher
Press hazard warning flasher switch1
again.
Interior lighting
The controls for interior lighting are locat-
ed in the overhead control panel.1Front left reading lamp switch
2Rear interior lighting switch
3Automatic control switch
4Front interior lighting switch
5Front right reading lamp switch
6Front right interior lamp
7Front right reading lamp
8Front left reading lamp
9Front left interior lampAutomatic control
Deactivating
Press switch3.
The switch engages in the recessed
position.
The interior lighting and the locator
lighting (
page 171) remain switched
off even when you

unlock the vehicle

open a door

open the tailgate

remove the SmartKey from the
starter switch
iWith the hazard warning flasher activated
and the combination switch set for either left or
right turn, only the respective turn signals will
operate when the ignition is switched on.
iIf the hazard warning flasher has been
activated automatically, press hazard warning
flasher switch1 once to switch it off.
!An interior lamp switched on manually does
not go out automatically.
Leaving an interior lamp switch in the ON
position for extended periods of time with the
engine turned off could result in a discharged
battery.
iThe interior lighting is factory-set to
automatic mode.

200 Controls in detail
Good visibility
Power folding exterior rear view
mirrors*
Folding the exterior rear view mirrors
in and out automatically
When the corresponding function in the
control system is activated (
page 177):

The exterior rear view mirrors automat-
ically fold in as soon as the vehicle is
locked from the outside.

The exterior rear view mirrors automat-
ically fold out as soon as the vehicle is
unlocked and the driver’s or front pas-
senger door are subsequently opened.Synchronizing exterior rear view
mirrors
The power folding rear view mirrors may
have to be synchronized after the vehicle
battery has been disconnected or dis-
charged. If the exterior rear view mirrors
do not fold properly upon locking or un-
locking the vehicle although the corre-
sponding function in the control system is
activated (
page 177), do the following:
Fold each exterior rear view mirror in
completely (
page 201).
Fold each exterior rear view mirror out
completely (
page 201).
When the exterior rear view mirrors fold
properly upon locking the vehicle, the exte-
rior mirrors are synchronized. Otherwise
repeat the above steps.
Warning!G
The auto-dimming function does not react if
incoming light is not aimed directly at sen-
sors in the interior rear view mirror.
The interior rear view mirror and the exterior
rear view mirror on the driver’s side do not
react, for example, when transporting cargo
which covers the rear window.
Light hitting the mirror(s) at certain angles
(incident light) could blind you. As a result,
you may not be able to observe traffic con-
ditions and could cause an accident.
Warning!G
Exercise care when using the passen-
ger-side exterior rear view mirror. The mirror
surface is convex (outwardly curved surface
for a wider field of view). Objects in mirror
are closer than they appear. Check your
interior rear view mirror or glance over your
shoulder before changing lanes.
!Before you drive the vehicle through an
automatic car wash, fold the exterior rear view
mirrors in. Otherwise they may get damaged.

203 Controls in detail
Good visibility
Adjust sun visor1 by pushing or pull-
ing in the direction of arrows.
Swing down additional sun visor2
when you experience additional glare
through the windshield.
Rear window defroster
The rear window defroster uses a large
amount of power. To keep battery drain to
a minimum, switch off the defroster as
soon as the rear window is clear. The de-
froster is automatically deactivated after
approximately 6 to 17 minutes of
operation depending on the outside tem-
perature.
Switch on the ignition (page 40).Activating
Press button1 on the climate con-
trol panel (
page 206) or the automat-
ic climate control* panel (
page 220).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
Deactivating
Press button1 once more.
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out.
!To avoid damage to vanity mirror cover4
(
page 202), make sure it is closed before
pivoting sun visor1 to the side.
Warning!G
Any accumulation of snow and ice should be
removed from the rear window before driv-
ing. Visibility could otherwise be impaired,
endangering you and others.!If the rear window defroster switches off too
soon and the indicator lamp starts flashing, too
many electrical consumers are operating simul-
taneously and there is insufficient voltage in the
battery. The system responds automatically by
switching the rear window defroster off.
As soon as the battery has sufficient voltage, the
rear window defroster switches back on auto-
matically.