2008 MERCEDES-BENZ ML63AMG Hazard

Contents
Safety and Security........................... 71
Occupant safety................................... 72
Air bags .......................................... 74
Occupant Classification System ..... 79
Seat belts ....................................... 84
Active head restraint ...................... 88
Rear head restraints ....................... 89
Children in the vehicle .................... 89
Blocking of rear door
window operation ........................... 96
Panic alarm .......................................... 97
Activating ....................................... 97
Deactivating ................................... 97
Driving safety systems ......................... 98
ABS ................................................ 98
BAS .............................................. 100
ESP
®............................................. 100
EBP............................................... 104
4-ETS ............................................ 104
Anti-theft systems.............................. 106
Immobilizer................................... 106
Anti-theft alarm system ................ 106
Controls in detail ............................. 109
Locking and unlocking ....................... 110
SmartKey ..................................... 110
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ...... 113
Checking the batteries in the
SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* .............................. 118
Loss of the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ...... 118
Opening the doors
from the inside ............................. 118
Tailgate/Power tailgate*.............. 119
Automatic central locking ............ 125
Locking and unlocking
from the inside ............................. 126
Seats ................................................. 127
Front seat active head restraints . 127
Rear seat head restraints ............. 127
Lumbar support............................ 129
Multicontour seat* ....................... 129
Seat heating* ............................... 130
Seat ventilation* .......................... 131Memory function* ............................. 133
Storing positions into memory ..... 134
Recalling positions from memory. 134
Lighting ............................................. 135
Exterior lamp switch .................... 135
Combination switch ..................... 139
Corner-illuminating
front fog lamps*........................... 140
Hazard warning flasher ................ 141
Interior lighting ............................ 142
Door entry lamps ......................... 144
Cargo compartment lamp ............ 144
Instrument cluster ............................. 145
Adjusting instrument
cluster illumination ...................... 145
Resetting trip odometer ............... 146
Tachometer.................................. 146
Outside temperature indicator ..... 146

16 Introduction
Symbols
Trademarks:

ESP® is a registered trademark of
DaimlerChrysler.

HomeLink® is a registered trademark
of Prince, a Johnson Controls
Company.
The following symbols are found in this
Operator’s Manual:
* Optional equipment is identified
with an asterisk. Since standard
equipment varies between models,
the descriptions and illustrations in
this manual may differ slightly from
the actual equipment of your vehi-
cle.
This symbol points to instructions for
you to follow.
A number of these symbols appearing
in succession indicates a multiple-step
procedure.
 page This symbol tells you where to
look for further information on a
topic.
This continuation symbol marks
a warning which is continued on
the next page.
This continuation symbol marks
a procedure which is continued
on the next page.
-> This symbol is used to indicate
cross-references to term defini-
tions.
DisplayWords appearing in the multi-
function display are printed in
the type shown here.
Warning!G
Warning notices draw your attention to haz-
ards that may endanger your health or life,
or the health or life of others.
!Highlights hazards that may result in
damage to your vehicle.
iHelpful hints or further information you may
find useful.

17 Introduction
Operating safety
Operating safety
Proper use of the vehicle
Proper use of the vehicle requires that you
are familiar with the following information
and rules:

the safety precautions in this manual

the “Technical data” section in this
manual

traffic rules and regulations

motor vehicle laws and safety stan-
dards
Warning!G
Work improperly carried out on electronic
components and associated software could
cause them to cease functioning. Because
the vehicle’s electronic components are in-
terconnected, any modifications made may
produce an undesired effect on other sys-
tems. Electronic malfunctions could
seriously impair the operating safety of your
vehicle.
See an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center for repairs or modifications to
electronic components.
Other improper work or modifications on the
vehicle could also have a negative impact on
the operating safety of the vehicle.
Some safety systems only function while the
engine is running. You should therefore nev-
er turn off the engine while driving.
Warning!G
Heavy blows against the vehicle underbody
or tires/wheels, for example when running
over an obstacle, road debris or a pothole,
may cause serious damage and impair the
operating safety of your vehicle. If you feel a
sudden significant vibration or ride distur-
bance, or you suspect that damage to your
vehicle has occurred, you should turn on
your hazard warning flashers, carefully slow
down, and drive with caution to an area
which is a safe distance from the road.
Inspect the vehicle underbody and
tires/wheels for possible damage. If the ve-
hicle appears unsafe, have it towed to the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center or other qualified maintenance
or repair facility for further inspection or re-
pairs.
Warning!G
Various warning labels are attached to your
vehicle. These warning labels are intended
to make you and others aware of various
risks. You should not remove any of these
warning labels unless explicitly instructed to
do so by information on the label itself. Re-
moval of any of these labels may cause you
and others to be unaware of certain risks
which may result in an accident and/or per-
sonal injury.

31 At a glance
Center console
Center console
Upper partItemPage
1COMAND system, see sepa-
rate operating instructions
2Climate control204
3-zone automatic climate
control*218
Rear window defroster203
3Seat heating*,
front passenger side130
4Seat ventilation*,
front passenger side131
5Parktronic system*
deactivation switch259
6Vehicle level control
switch*257
7Front passenger front air
bag off indicator lamp83,
411,
412
ItemPage
8Storage compartment1281
9Alarm system indicator
lamp107
aElectronic Stability Program
(ESP®) switch
102
bAdaptive damping system
(ADS)* switch255
cSeat ventilation*,
driver’s side131
dSeat heating*, driver’s side130
eSwitch for Downhill Speed
Regulation (DSR)250
fHazard warning flasher141
gSwitch for Off-road driving
program
ML 63 AMG:
Program mode selector
switch for automatic trans-
mission253
194
1Depending on vehicle configuration.

54 Getting started
Driving
Starting the engine Automatic transmission
Gearshift pattern for automatic
transmission
PPark position
RReverse gear
NNeutral
DDrive position
For more information on how to operate
the gear selector lever, see “Automatic
transmission” (
page 183).
Warning!G
Do not pass belts over sharp edges. They
could tear.
Do not allow the belt to get caught in the
door or in the seat adjustment mechanism.
This could damage the belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to
seat belts. This could impair the effective-
ness of the belts.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash, they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly
stressed in an accident must be replaced.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.Warning!G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide (CO), and inhaling it can cause un-
consciousness and possible death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as a garage) which are not properly
ventilated. If you think that exhaust gas
fumes are entering the vehicle while driving,
have the cause determined and corrected
immediately. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with at least one win-
dow fully open.

99 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Braking
At the instant one of the wheels is about to
lock up, a slight pulsation can be felt in the
brake pedal, indicating that the ABS is in
the regulating mode.
Keep firm and steady pressure on the
brake pedal while experiencing the pul-
sation.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and ability to steer
the vehicle.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an
indication of hazardous road conditions
and functions as a reminder to take extra
care while driving.Emergency brake maneuver
Keep continuous full pressure on the
brake pedal.
Off-road – ABS
With the off-road driving program switched
on (
page 253), the ABS designed for
off-road use is automatically activated.
When applying the brakes at speeds below
approximately 18 mph (30 km/h), the
front wheels are locked cyclically to short-
en the braking distance (dig-in effect). This
affects steering the vehicle.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 399).
Warning!G
When the ABS is malfunctioning, the BAS,
the ESP®, and the 4-ETS are also switched
off. The basic driving and braking functions
are still available.
When the ABS is malfunctioning, the wheels
may lock during hard braking, reducing
steering capability and extending the brak-
ing distance.
Warning!G
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking or steering efficiency be-
yond that afforded by the condition of the
vehicle brakes and tires or the traction
afforded. The ABS cannot prevent acci-
dents, including those resulting from
excessive speed in turns, following another
vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning. Only a
safe, attentive, and skillful driver can pre-
vent accidents. The capabilities of an ABS
equipped vehicle must never be exploited in
a reckless or dangerous manner which
could jeopardize the user’s safety or the
safety of others.

107 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Arming the alarm system
The alarm system indicator lamp is located
to the lower left of the hazard warning
flasher.
1Alarm system indicator lamp
Lock the vehicle with the SmartKey or
with KEYLESS-GO* (
page 68).
The turn signal lamps flash three times
to indicate that the vehicle is locked.
The alarm system is armed within ap-
proximately 10 seconds. Alarm system
indicator lamp1 flashes.Disarming the alarm system
Unlock the vehicle with the SmartKey
or with KEYLESS-GO* (
page 38).
The turn signal lamps flash once to
indicate that the alarm system is
disarmed. Indicator lamp1 goes out.Canceling the alarm
To cancel the alarm:
With the SmartKey
Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
or
Press theŒ or ‹button on the
SmartKey.
With KEYLESS-GO*
Grasp an outside door handle.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must
be within 3 ft (1 m) of the vehicle.
or
Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button (
page 41).
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must
be inside the vehicle.
iIf the turn signal lamps do not flash three
times, one of the following elements may not be
properly closed:

a door

the tailgate
Close the respective element and lock the
vehicle again.
iThe alarm system will rearm automatically
again after approximately 40 seconds if neither a
door nor the tailgate is opened.

141 Controls in detail
Lighting
Switching off corner-illuminating front
fog lamps
The combination switch for the turn signal
resets automatically after major steering
wheel movements. This will switch off the
corner-illuminating front fog lamps if they
were activated by switching on the left or
right turn signal.
If the turn signal should stay on after
making the turn, the turn signal and the
corner-illuminating front fog lamps can be
switched off by returning the combination
switch to its original position.Driving in reverse
Switching on corner-illuminating front
fog lamps
Shift the automatic transmission to
reverse gearR (
page 185).
The front fog lamp opposite to your
steering direction comes on.
Switching off corner-illuminating front
fog lamps
Shift the automatic transmission to a
gear other than reverse gearR
(
page 185).
The respective corner-illuminating
front fog lamp goes out.
Hazard warning flasher
The hazard warning flasher can be
switched on at all times, even with the
SmartKey removed from the starter switch
or with the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
removed from the vehicle.
The hazard warning flasher switches on
automatically when an air bag deploys.
The hazard warning flasher switch is
located on the center console.
1Hazard warning flasher switchiThe corner-illuminating front fog lamps will
come on automatically depending on the steer-
ing angle and vehicle speed, even if you did not
switch on either turn signal. If the
corner-illuminating front fog lamps came on
automatically, they will also go out automatically
depending on the steering angle and vehicle
speed.
iThere may be a brief delay before the
corner-illuminating front fog lamps switch off.