1, 2, 3 ...
115V AC Socket ................................. 198
3-zone automatic climate control see Climate control system
4-ETS
see ETS/4-ETS
4MATIC
see All-wheel drive (4MATIC)
A
ABS (Antilock Brake System) ............. 62
Indicator lamp ................................ 298
Messages in the multifunction
display ................................... 273, 284
Accessory weight .............................. 239
Accidents ........................................... 107
Air bags ........................................... 37
Distance warning function .............151
Emergency calls (Tele Aid) .............200
NECK-PRO active front head
restraints ........................................ 53
Active Bi-Xenon headlamps
Messages in the multifunction
display ........................................... 293
see Headlamps
Adaptive Damping System
see ADS
AdBlue ®
...................................... 331, 361
Capacity, AdBlue ®
tank ................. 358
Refilling ......................................... 332
Additives
Engine oil ....................................... 359
Gasoline ......................................... 361
Address change ................................... 22
ADS (Adaptive Damping System) ..... 156
Advanced Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (Advanced
TPMS) ................................................. 223
Messages in the multifunction
display ................................... 281, 296
Air bags ................................................ 37
Emergency call upon deployment ..200
Front, driver and passenger .............40
Front passenger front air bag off
indicator lamp (Canada
only) ........................................ 46, 305
Front passenger front air bag off
indicator lamp (USA only) ........42, 305
Messages in the multifunction
display ........................................... 275
OCS (Occupant Classification
System) ........................................... 42
Safety guidelines ............................. 39
Side impact ...................................... 40
Window curtain ................................ 41
Air conditioning refrigerant and
lubricant ............................................. 359
Air distribution .......................... 171, 180
Air filter .............................................. 292
AIRMATIC/Compass menu ............... 127
Air pressure see Tire inflation pressure
Air pressure (tires) ............................ 240
Air pump (electric) ............................ 328
Air recirculation mode .............. 172, 182
Air suspension program
Comfortable driving style ...............156
Introduction ................................... 155
Messages in the multifunction
display ........................................... 285
Sporty driving style ........................156
Suspension tuning .........................156
Vehicle level control ......................156
Air volume ................................. 171, 181
Alarm system see Anti-theft systems
Alignment bolt (vehicle tool
kit) .............................................. 268, 327
All-wheel drive (4MATIC) .................. 159
Alternator
Messages in the multifunction
display ................................... 280, 290
Alternator (Technical data)
see Vehicle specification
AMG menu ......................................... 123
Anticorrosion/antifreeze .................. 363
Antilock Brake System see ABS
Anti-theft systems ............................... 66
Anti-theft alarm system ...................66
Immobilizer ...................................... 66
Aquaplaning
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Messages in the multifunction
display ................................... 281, 296
MOExtended .................................. 352
Ply composition and material
used ............................................... 241
Problems under-/overinflation ......221
Retreads ........................................ 218
Rims and tires (technical data) ......352
Rotation ......................................... 234
Service life ..................................... 232
Sizes .............................................. 352
Snow chains .................................. 243
Speed rating .......................... 237, 241
Storing ........................................... 233
Temperature .......................... 220, 234
Terminology ................................... 239
TIREFIT (tire repair kit) ...................320
Tire Identification Number .............241
Tire pressure loss warning system . 222
TPMS low tire pressure/
malfunction telltale ........................304
Traction ................................. 233, 241
Tread ............................................. 242
Tread depth ........................... 232, 242
Treadwear ...................................... 233
Treadwear indicators .............232, 242
Vehicle maximum load on ..............242
Wear pattern .................................. 234
Winter tires ............................ 242, 352
Tire speed rating ....................... 237, 241
Tongue Weight Rating see TWR
Top tether
see Children in the vehicle
Total load limit ................................... 241
Towing
Towing eye bolt .............................. 339
Trailer .................................... 113, 254
Vehicle ........................................... 338
Towing eye bolt ................................. 339
Traction ...................................... 233, 241
Trailer towing ............................ 113, 254
Coupling a trailer ........................... 255
Decoupling ..................................... 257
Electrical connections .................... 254
Towing ........................................... 256
Trailer hitch ................................... 254
Weights and ratings .......................254Transfer case ..................................... 117
Transmission see Automatic transmission
Transmission fluid level .................... 216
Transmission gear selector lever see Gear selector lever
Transmission positions .................... 112
Traveling abroad ............................... 257
Tread (tires) ....................................... 242
Tread depth (tires) .................... 232, 242
Treadwear .......................................... 233
Treadwear indicators (tires) .... 232, 242
Trip computer menu ......................... 138
Trip odometer, resetting ................... 118
Turning off the engine ...................... 108
Turn signals ......................................... 95
Cleaning lenses ............................. 263
Indicator lamps ................................ 28
Messages in the multifunction
display ........................................... 296
TWR (Tongue Weight Rating) ........... 242
U
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards .................................. 233, 242
Units
Selecting digital speedometer
display mode ................................. 131
Selecting speedometer/
odometer display mode .................131
Unleaded gasoline, premium ........... 360
Unlocking the vehicle
KEYLESS-GO .................................... 71
Manually ........................................ 306
SmartKey ......................................... 70
Upholstery, cleaning ......................... 265
Useful features .................................. 194
V
Vehicle
Battery ........................................... 334
Care ............................................... 260
Control system .............................. 119
Identification Number (VIN) ...........346
Locking/unlocking ........................... 70
Lowering (wheel change) ...............329
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determined by our authorized technician and
tow service provider.
For additional information refer to the
Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Program brochure (in the USA) or the
Roadside Assistance section of the Service
and Warranty Information Booklet (in
Canada) in your vehicle literature portfolio.
Change of address or ownership
If you change your address, be sure to send
in the “Change of Address Notice” found in
the Service and Warranty Information
Booklet, or simply call the Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance Center (in the USA) at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372), or
Customer Service (in Canada) at
1-800-387-0100. This will assist us in
contacting you in a timely manner should the
need arise.
If you sell your Mercedes, please leave all
literature with the vehicle to make it available
to the next operator.
If you bought this vehicle used, be sure to
send in the “Notice of Purchase of Used
Truck” found in the Service and Warranty
Information Booklet, or call the Mercedes-
Benz Customer Assistance Center (in the
USA) at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1-800-367-6372), or Customer Service (in
Canada) at 1-800-387-0100.
Operating your vehicle outside the
USA or Canada
If you plan to operate your vehicle in foreign
countries, please be aware that:
R Service facilities or replacement parts may
not be readily available.
R Unleaded gasoline for vehicles with
catalytic converters may not be available;
the use of leaded fuels will damage the
catalysts.
R Gasoline may have a considerably lower
octane rating, and improper fuel can cause
engine damage.
Sport Utility Vehicle
GWarning!
This Sport Utility Vehicle is designed for both
on-road and off-road use. It can go places and
perform tasks for which conventional 2-wheel
drive passenger cars are not intended. This
vehicle will handle and maneuver differently
from conventional passenger cars in driving
conditions which may occur on streets,
highways and off-road use.
This vehicle has a higher ground clearance
and a higher center of gravity than many
passenger cars. As with other vehicles of this
type, if you make sharp turns at excessive
speeds or abrupt maneuvers, the vehicle may
roll over or may go out of control and crash.
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher
rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
Failure to operate this vehicle safely may
result in an accident, rollover of the vehicle,
and severe or fatal injury.
Before you start to drive this vehicle, read the
Operator’s Manual. Take time to become
familiar with the driving characteristics of this
vehicle. Be sure you are familiar with all
vehicle controls. Learn how your vehicle
handles on different road surfaces. Do not
attempt sharp turns at excessive speeds or
abrupt maneuvers or other unsafe driving
actions that can cause loss of vehicle control.
When driving off-road or working the vehicle
hard, do not overload it. And, always wear
your seat belts at all times. In a rollover crash,
an unbelted person is significantly more likely
to die than a person wearing a seat belt.
22Introduction164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 22
bags repaired. This will help to make sure the
air bags will continue to provide supplemental
crash protection for occupants.
Safety guidelines for the seat belt,
Emergency Tensioning Device (ETD)
and air bag GWarning!
R Damaged seat belts or seat belts that have
been subjected to stress in an accident
must be replaced. Their anchoring points
must also be checked. Only use seat belts
installed or supplied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
R Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency
Tensioning Devices (ETDs) contain
perchlorate material, which may require
special handling and regard for the
environment. Check with your local
government’s disposal guidelines.
California residents, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/
Perchlorate/index.cfm .
R Air bags and ETDs are designed to function
on a one-time-only basis. An air bag or ETD
that has deployed must be replaced. PRE-
SAFE ®
has electrically operated reversible
pre-tensioners in addition to the
pyrotechnic ETDs.
R Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.
R Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness of the seat belts.
R 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.
R No modifications of any kind may be made
to any components or wiring of the SRS.
R Do no change or remove any component or
part of the SRS.
R Do not install additional trim material, seat
covers, badges, etc. over the steering
wheel hub, front passenger front air bag
cover, outboard sides of the seat
backrests, door trim panels, or door frame
trims.
R Do not install additional electrical/
electronic equipment on or near SRS
components and wiring.
R Keep area between air bags and occupants
free of objects (e.g. packages, purses,
umbrellas, etc.).
R Do not hang items such as coat hangers
from the coat hooks or handles over the
door. These items may be thrown around in
the vehicle and cause head and other
injuries when the window curtain air bag is
deployed.
R Air bag system components will be hot after
an air bag has inflated. Do not touch them.
R Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.
R Improper repair work on the SRS creates a
risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended air bag deployment.
Work on the SRS must therefore only be
performed by qualified technicians.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
R For your protection and the protection of
others, when scrapping the air bag unit or
ETD, our safety instructions must be
followed. These instructions are available
from any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
R Given the considerable deployment speed,
required inflation volume, and the material
of the air bags, there is the possibility of
abrasions or other, potentially more serious
injuries resulting from air bag deployment.
If you sell your vehicle, we strongly
recommend that you inform the subsequent
owner that the vehicle is equipped with SRS.
Also refer them to the applicable section in
the Operator’s Manual.Occupant safety39Safety and security164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 39Z
GWarning!
If the ABS malfunctions, other driving safety
systems such as the BAS or the ESP ®
are also
switched off. Observe indicator and warning
lamps that may come on as well as messages
in the multifunction display that may appear.
If the ABS malfunctions, the wheels may lock
during hard braking, reducing steering
capability and extending the braking distance.
Off-road ABS (vehicles with 4MATIC)
Vehicles with 4MATIC have a special ABS off-
road feature. With the off-road driving
program switched on ( Y page 155), the ABS
designed for off-road driving is activated
automatically.
When applying the brakes at speeds below
18 mph (30 km/h), the front wheels are
locked cyclically to shorten the braking
distance (dig-in effect). This will restrict
steering the vehicle.
BAS
GObserve Safety notes, see page 62.
The Brake Assist System (BAS) operates in
emergency situations. If you apply the brakes
very quickly, the BAS provides full brake
boost automatically, thereby potentially
reducing the braking distance.
XApply continuous full braking pressure until
the emergency braking situation is over.
The ABS will prevent the wheels from
locking.
When you release the brake pedal, the brakes
function again as normal. The BAS is then
deactivated.
GWarning!
If the BAS malfunctions, the brake system still
functions, but without the additional brake
boost available that the BAS would normally
provide in an emergency braking maneuver.
Therefore, the braking distance may increase.
EBPGObserve Safety notes, see page 62.
The Electronic Brake Proportioning (EBP)
enhances braking effectiveness by allowing
the rear brakes to supply a greater proportion
of the braking effort in straight-line braking
without a loss of vehicle stability.
GWarning!
If the EBP malfunctions, the brake system will
still function with full brake boost. However,
the rear wheels could lock up during
emergency braking situations, for example.
You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident.
Adapt your driving style to the changed
driving characteristics.
ESP ®
GObserve Safety notes, see page 62.
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP
®
) is
operational as soon as the engine is running.
It monitors the vehicle’s traction (force of
adhesive friction between the tires and the
road surface) and handling.
The ESP ®
recognizes that the vehicle deviates
from the direction of travel as intended by the
driver. By applying brakes to individual
wheels and by limiting the engine output, the
ESP ®
works to stabilize the vehicle. The
ESP ®
is especially useful while driving off and
on wet or slippery road surfaces. The ESP ®
also stabilizes the vehicle during braking and
steering maneuvers.
The ESP ®
warning lamp d in the
instrument cluster comes on when you switch
on the ignition. It goes out when the engine
is running.
The ESP ®
warning lamp d in the
instrument cluster flashes when the ESP ®
is
engaged.
Driving safety systems63Safety and security164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 63Z
USA only
You can only switch on the high-beam
headlamps in low ambient lighting conditions.
The high-beam flasher is available at all times.
XFor nighttime driving turn the exterior lamp
switch to position L or à to permit
activation of the high-beam headlamps.
When the engine is running, and you turn the
exterior lamp switch to position T or
L, the manual headlamp mode has
priority over the daytime running lamp mode.
The corresponding exterior lamps come on
(Y page 93).
Fog lamps
Fog lamps cannot be switched on with the
exterior lamp switch in position Ã.
GWarning!
In low ambient lighting or foggy conditions,
only switch from position à to L with
the vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching from à to L will briefly
switch off the headlamps. Doing so while
driving in low ambient lighting conditions may
result in an accident.
Fog lamps will operate with the parking lamps
and/or the low-beam headlamps on. Fog
lamps should only be used in conjunction with
low-beam headlamps. Consult your State or
Province Motor Vehicle Regulations
regarding permissible lamp operation.
XSwitch on the ignition.XTurn the exterior lamp switch to position
T or L (Y page 93).
XSwitching on front fog lamps: Pull out the
exterior lamp switch to first stop.
The green indicator lamp N in the
exterior lamp switch comes on.
XSwitching on rear fog lamp: Pull out the
exterior lamp switch to second stop.
The rear fog lamp, the front fog lamps, the
green and the yellow indicator lamp R
in the exterior lamp switch come on.
XSwitching off front fog lamps/rear fog
lamp: Push in the exterior lamp switch to
its stop.
Locator lighting and night security
illumination
Locator lighting and night security
illumination are described in the “Control
system” section, see “Switching locator
lighting on or off” (Y page 133) and
“Switching night security illumination
(Headlamps delayed shut-off feature) on or
off” (Y page 134).
Combination switch
Turn signals
XPress the combination switch in direction
of arrow ; or ?.
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lamp ! or # in the instrument
cluster flashes.
The combination switch resets automatically
after major steering wheel movements.
iTo signal minor directional changes such
as changing lanes, press the combination
switch only to point of resistance and
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The current gear range appears in the
multifunction display.:Gear range indicator Effect=With this selection you can use the
braking effect of the engine.
5Allows the use of the engine’s
braking effect when driving
Ron steep downgrades
Rin mountainous regions
Runder extreme operating
conditions
4For maximum use of the engine’s
braking effect on very steep or
lengthy downgrades.
Automatic shift program
The automatic shift program is available on
ML 63 AMG only.
Program mode selector switch
C ComfortFor standard driving
(Y page 114)
S SportFor sporty driving
(Y page 114)
M ManualFor manual gearshifting
(Y page 115)
The current program mode appears in the
multifunction display.
:Program mode indicator
You should only change the program mode
when the automatic transmission is in park
position P.
The last selected automatic program mode
(C or S) is active when the engine is restarted.
XPress the program mode selector switch
repeatedly until the letter of the desired
program mode appears in the multifunction
display.
Selecting program mode C means:
RThe vehicle starts out more gentle, both
forward and reverse, except when driving
off with full throttle.
RTraction and driving stability are improved
on icy roads.
RUpshifts occur earlier even when you give
more gas. The engine then operates at
lower revolutions and the wheels are less
likely to spin.
Selecting program mode S means that
upshifts occur later.
114Automatic transmissionControls in detail
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One-touch gearshifting
With the automatic transmission in drive
position D, you can limit or extend the gear
range using the steering wheel gearshift
control.
ML 63 AMG: You only can limit or extend the
gear range when driving in automatic
program mode C or S. For information on
using the steering wheel gearshift control in
manual program mode M, see “Manual shift
program” (Y page 115).
Steering wheel gearshift control (exampleillustration)
iYou cannot shift with the steering wheel
gearshift control when the automatic
transmission is in park position P, neutral
position N, or reverse gear R.
Limiting gear range
GWarning!
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in
order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehicle
control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not prevent
this type of loss of control.
XBriefly pull left gearshift control :.
The automatic transmission will shift into
the next lower gear as permitted by the
shift program. This action simultaneously
limits the gear range of the automatic
transmission.
iTo avoid overrevving the engine when
downshifting, the automatic transmission
will not shift into a lower gear if the engine’s
maximum speed would be exceeded.
Extending gear range
XBriefly pull right gearshift control ;.
The automatic transmission will shift into
the next higher gear as permitted by the
shift program. This action simultaneously
extends the gear range of the automatic
transmission.
iIf you press on the accelerator pedal
when the engine has reached the
revolution limit of the current gear range,
the automatic transmission will upshift
beyond any gear range limit selected.
Canceling gear range limit
XPull and hold right gearshift control ; until
the gear range indicator disappears from
the multifunction display.
The automatic transmission will shift from
the current gear range directly into drive
position D.
Shifting into optimal gear range
XPull and hold left gearshift control :.
The automatic transmission will select the
gear range suited for optimal acceleration
and deceleration automatically. This will
involve shifting down one or more gears.
Manual shift program
The manual shift program is available on
ML 63 AMG only.
Manual program mode M differs with regard
to spontaneity, response time, and shifting
smoothness from automatic program mode
S.
In manual program mode M, system-
controlled automatic gearshifting is switched
off. You need to change the gears by manually
Automatic transmission115Controls in detail164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 115Z