2008 MERCEDES-BENZ ML550 ESP

210 Controls in detail
Climate control
Adjusting air volume
Five blower speeds are available.
Press button
to decrease or
buttonQ to increase air volume
(
page 206) to the desired level.
The indicator lamp on buttonU
(
page 206) goes out. The automatic
operation of air volume switches off.
The selected blower speed is shown in
the air volume displayb
(
page 206).
Adjusting air volume for the center and
side air vents
Opening the center air vents
Turn thumbwheels5 and8
(
page 204) to the right.
The corresponding center air vents on
the left and right are open.Closing the center air vents
Turn thumbwheels5 and8
(
page 204) to the left.
The corresponding center air vents on
the left and right are closed.
Opening the side air vents
Turn thumbwheels3 andb
(
page 204) to the right.
The corresponding side air vents on the
left and right are open.
Closing the side air vents
Turn thumbwheels3 andb
(
page 204) to the left.
The corresponding side air vents on the
left and right are closed.
Front defroster
You can use this setting to defrost the
windshield, for example if it is iced up. You
can also use it to defog the windshield and
door windows.
Activating
Press button| (page 206).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
iKeep this setting selected only until the
windshield or the door windows are clear again.

214 Controls in detail
Climate control
Convenience closing
Press button: for approximately
2 seconds.
The windows and/or tilt/sliding sun-
roof will close. You can release
button: once the closing proce-
dure has begun. The windows and
tilt/sliding sunroof continue closing
until they are fully closed. The indicator
lamp on the button comes on. The air
recirculation mode is activated.Convenience opening
Press button: for approximately
2 seconds.
The windows and/or tilt/sliding sun-
roof will return to their previous posi-
tions. You can release button:
once the opening procedure has be-
gun. The windows and tilt/sliding sun-
roof continue opening until they have
reached their previous positions. The
indicator lamp on the button goes out.
The air recirculation mode is deactivat-
ed.
Air conditioning
The air conditioning is operational while
the engine is running and cools the interior
air to the temperature set by the operator.
In addition, the air conditioning dehumidi-
fies the interior air at outside temperatures
above 41°F (5° C) and helps prevent
window fogging.The closing of the windows and the
tilt/sliding sunroof can be reversed by again
pressing and holding the :button.
iA window or the tilt/sliding sunroof will only
return to its previous position if it has not been
moved to another position using the respective
window switch or tilt/sliding sunroof switch
after it was closed with button:.
iCondensation may drip out from underneath
the vehicle. This is normal and not an indication
of a malfunction.
Warning!G
If you turn off the cooling function, the
interior air is not dried. The windows can fog
up more quickly. Window fogging may
impair visibility and endanger you and
others.


223 Controls in detail
3-zone automatic climate control*
Reactivating
Press buttonU(page 220).
Operating the automatic climate
control system in automatic mode
You can switch the automatic climate con-
trol system on and off separately for each
zone as needed.Activating
Press buttonU (page 220) while
the engine is running.
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on. Air volume and air distribu-
tion are controlled separately for each
zone.
Use temperature controls1 and9
(
page 220) to separately adjust the
air temperature on each side of the
passenger compartment.
The temperature of the interior is ad-
justed automatically.
Deactivating
Press one button of the air distribution
(
page 220) or press button

orQ (
page 220).
The indicator lamp on buttonU
goes out.Depending on which button you press –
the air distribution button or the air vol-
ume button
orQ – automatic
control of either the air distribution or
air volume is switched off.
Setting the temperature
Use temperature control1 and9
(
page 220) to separately adjust the air
temperature on each side of the passenger
compartment. You should raise or lower
the temperature setting in small incre-
ments, preferably starting at 72°F (22°C).
The automatic climate control will adjust to
the set temperature as fast as possible.
Increasing
Turn temperature control1
and/or9 slightly clockwise.
The automatic climate control system
will correspondingly adjust the interior
air temperature.
iYou can also press button´
(
page 220) on the automatic climate control
panel.
If you press button| (
page 220) to
reactivate the automatic climate control system,
the defrosting mode is activated.
iWhen operating the automatic climate
control system in automatic mode, you will only
rarely need to adjust the temperature, air volume
and air distribution.
In automatic mode, cooling with dehumidify is
switched on. This function can be switched off if
necessary.

224 Controls in detail
3-zone automatic climate control*
Decreasing
Turn the temperature control1
and/or9 slightly counterclockwise.
The automatic climate control system
will correspondingly adjust the interior
air temperature.
Adjusting air distribution
Use the air distribution controls3,h,
orj for the driver’s side, or7,b, orc
(
page 220) for the passenger side to
separately adjust the air distribution on
each side of the passenger compartment.
The following symbols are found on the
buttons:
Press the desired air distribution but-
ton (
page 220).
The indicator lamp on the desired but-
ton goes out.Adjusting the air distribution for the
center and side air vents
Opening the center air vents
Turn thumbwheels5 and8
(
page 218) to the right.
The corresponding center air vents on
the left and right are open.
Closing the center air vents
Turn thumbwheels5 and8
(
page 218) to the left.
The corresponding center air vents on
the left and right are closed.
SymbolFunction
Driver’s
sidePassen-
ger side
6ZDirects air to the
windshield and side
air vents
7aDirects air through
the center, side and
rear passenger
compartment air
vents
8YDirects air to the
footwells and side
air vents

225 Controls in detail
3-zone automatic climate control*
Opening the side air vents
Turn thumbwheels3 andb
(
page 218) to the right.
The corresponding side air vents on the
left and right are open.
Closing the side air vents
Turn thumbwheels3 andb
(
page 218) to the left.
The corresponding side air vents on the
left and right are closed.
Adjusting air volume
Five blower speeds are available.
Press button
to decrease or
buttonQ to increase air volume
(
page 220) to the desired level.
The indicator lamp on buttonU
goes out.
The automatic mode is switched off.
The selected blower speed appears in
the displaye (
page 220).
Front defroster
You can use this setting to defrost the
windshield, such as when it is iced up. You
can also use it to defog the windshield and
door windows.
Activating
Press button| (page 220).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
The automatic climate control switches to
the following functions automatically:

most efficient blower speed and
heating power, depending on outside
temperature

air flows onto the windshield and the
front door windows (side air vents must
be open)

the air conditioning compressor
switches on at outside temperatures
above approximately 41°F (5°C) for
air-drying
Adjustments
You can adjust the air volume and the tem-
perature when the front defroster is
switched on. The air flow will remain on the
windshield and front door windows.
Press button
to decrease or
buttonQ to increase air volume
(
page 220) to the desired level.
The air volume decreases/increases to
the next lower/higher blower speed
and heating switches to the tempera-
ture that was set before the front de-
froster was switched on.
The indicator lamp on button|
goes out. The indicator lamp on
button9 comes on.
or
iKeep this setting selected only until the
windshield or the side windows are clear again.


228 Controls in detail
3-zone automatic climate control*
Air recirculation mode with conve-
nience closing and opening feature
Convenience closing
Press button: for approximately
2 seconds.
The windows and/or tilt/sliding sun-
roof will close. You can release
button: once the closing proce-
dure has begun. The windows and
tilt/sliding sunroof continue closing
until they are fully closed. The indicator
lamp on the button comes on. The air
recirculation mode is activated.Convenience opening
Press button: for approximately
2 seconds.
The windows and/or tilt/sliding sun-
roof will return to their previous posi-
tions. You can release button:
once the opening procedure has be-
gun. The windows and tilt/sliding sun-
roof continue opening until they have
reached their previous positions. The
indicator lamp on the button goes out.
The air recirculation mode is deactivat-
ed.
Warning!G
Never operate the side windows and
tilt/sliding sunroof if there is the possibility
of anyone being harmed by the opening or
closing procedure.
When using the air recirculation mode with
convenience closing feature, should the up-
ward movement of a window be blocked by
some obstruction including but not limited
to arms, hands, fingers, etc., the automatic
reversal feature will not operate.
In case the procedure causes potential
danger:
Vehicles with or without tilt/sliding sunroof:
The closing of the windows can be immedi-
ately halted by pressing or pulling the re-
spective window switch. The closing of the
tilt/sliding sunroof can be immediately halt-
ed by moving the switch for the tilt/sliding
sunroof in any direction.
The closing of the side windows and the
tilt/sliding sunroof can be reversed by again
pressing and holding the :button.
iA window or the tilt/sliding sunroof will only
return to its previous position if it has not been
moved to another position using the respective
window switch or tilt/sliding sunroof switch af-
ter it was closed with button:.

233 Controls in detail
3-zone automatic climate control*
Adjusting air distribution
Use the air distribution controls5 or6
to adjust the air distribution for the rear
passenger compartment.
The symbols on the controls represent the
following functions:
Adjusting manually
Press the desired air distribution con-
trol.
The indicator lamp on buttonU
goes out.Adjusting automatically
Press buttonU while the engine is
running.
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on. The air distribution is adjust-
ed automatically.
Setting the temperature
Use temperature control3 (
page 231)
to separately adjust the air temperature of
the rear passenger compartment.
You should raise or lower the temperature
setting in small increments, preferably
starting at 72°F (22°C). The automatic cli-
mate control will adjust to the set temper-
ature as fast as possible.Increasing the temperature
Turn temperature control3
(
page 231) slightly clockwise.
The rear automatic climate control will
correspondingly adjust the interior air
temperature for the rear passenger
compartment.
Decreasing the temperature
Turn temperature control3
(
page 231) slightly counterclock-
wise.
The rear automatic climate control will
correspondingly adjust the interior air
temperature for the rear passenger
compartment.
SymbolFunction
ZDirects air to the center air
vents
YDirects air to the footwells and
the side air vents
iThe rear automatic climate control will not
cool the air when the air conditioning is switched
off (
page 229).

235 Controls in detail
Power windows
Power windows
The door windows are opened and closed
electrically. The switches for all door win-
dows are located on the driver’s door con-
trol panel. The switches for the respective
door windows are located on the front
passenger door and the rear doors.
Switch on the ignition (page 39).
Warning!G
When closing the windows, make sure that
there is no danger of anyone being harmed
by the closing procedure.
Activate the override switch (
page 96)
when children are riding in the back seats of
the vehicle. The children could otherwise in-
jure themselves, e.g. by becoming trapped
in the window opening.
The closing of a door window can be imme-
diately halted by releasing the switch or, if
switch was pulled past the resistance point
and released, by either pressing or pulling
the respective switch.
If a door window encounters an obstruction
that blocks its path in a circumstance where
you pulled the switch past the resistance
point and released it to close the door win-
dow, the automatic reversal function will
stop the window and open it slightly.
If a door window encounters an obstruction
that blocks its path in a circumstance where
you are closing a door window by pulling and
holding the switch, or by pressing and hold-
ing button‹on the SmartKey, by press-
ing and holding the lock button (vehicles
with KEYLESS-GO*) on a door handle, the
automatic reversal function will not operate.
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. A child’s unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an
accident and/or serious personal injury.iYou can also open or close the windows
using the SmartKey, see “Summer opening fea-
ture” (
page 237) and see “Convenience clos-
ing feature” (
page 238).
Depending on the current position, the power
windows may also open or close when the air
recirculation button: on the control panel of
the climate control (
page 206) or automatic
climate control* (
page 220) is pressed and
held.
iAfter switching off the ignition (page 39)
or removing the SmartKey from the starter
switch, the windows can be operated

until you open the driver’s or front passenger
door

for at least 5 minutes if nor door was opened