The brake fluid level is correct when it is
between lower mark (MIN) ; and upper
mark (MAX) : of the brake fluid reservoir.
Tires and wheels
Safety notes
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for information on tested and recommended
rims and tires for summer and winter
operation. They can also offer advice
concerning tire service and purchase.
GWarning!
Replace rims or tires with the same
designation, manufacturer and type as shown
on the original part. For further information
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If incorrectly sized rims and tires are
mounted, the wheel brakes or suspension
components can be damaged. Also, the
operating clearance of the wheels and the
tires may no longer be correct.
GWarning!
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the tire
tread is worn to minimum tread depth, or if
the tires have sustained damage, replace
them.
When replacing rims, only use genuine
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts specified for the
particular rim type. Failure to do so can result
in the bolts loosening and possibly an
accident.
Retreaded tires are not tested or
recommended by Mercedes-Benz, since
previous damage cannot always be
recognized on retreads. The operating safety
of the vehicle cannot be assured when such
tires are used.
GWarning!
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or you suspect that possible
damage to your vehicle has occurred, you
should turn on the hazard warning flashers,
carefully slow down, and drive with caution to
an area which is a safe distance from the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle underbody
for possible damage. If the vehicle or tires
appear unsafe, have the vehicle towed to the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or
tire dealer for repairs.
GWarning!
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
could lose control of the vehicle. Continued
driving with a flat tire or driving at high speed
with a flat tire will cause excessive heat build-
up and possibly a fire.
Important guidelines
ROnly use sets of tires and rims of the same
type and make.
RTires must be of the correct size for the rim.
RBreak in new tires for approximately
60 miles (100 km) at moderate speeds.
RRegularly check the tires and rims for
damage. Dented or bent rims can cause tire
inflation pressure loss and damage to the
tire beads.
RIf the vehicle is heavily loaded, check tire
inflation pressure and correct as required.
RDo not allow your tires to wear down too
far. Adhesion properties on wet roads are
218Tires and wheelsOperation
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Brakes
Downhill grades
! When driving down long and steep
grades, relieve the load on the brakes by
shifting into a lower gear to use the
engine’s braking power. This helps prevent
overheating of the brakes and reduces
wear.
When using the engine’s braking power, a
drive wheel may not spin for an extended
period of time, e.g. on slippery road
surfaces. This may cause serious damage
to the drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Continuous or hard braking
GWarning!
Resting your foot on the brake pedal will
cause excessive and premature wear of the
brake pads.
It can also result in the brakes overheating,
thereby significantly reducing their
effectiveness. It may not be possible to stop
the vehicle in sufficient time to avoid an
accident.
After hard braking, it is advisable to drive on
for some time, rather than immediately park,
so that the air stream will cool down the
brakes faster.
Wet roads
GWarning!
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without applying the brakes or through water
deep enough to wet brake components, the
first braking action may be somewhat
reduced and increased pedal pressure may be
necessary to obtain expected brake effect.
Maintain a safe distance from vehicles in
front.
To help prevent brake disk corrosion after
driving on wet or salt-covered roads, it is
advisable to brake the vehicle with
considerable force prior to parking. The heat
generated serves to dry the brakes.
Salt-covered roadsGWarning!
A layer of salt on the brake discs and the brake
linings may cause a delay in the braking
effect, resulting in a significantly increased
braking distance, which could lead to an
accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R occasionally brake carefully when you are
driving on salt-covered roads, so that any
layer of salt that may have built up on the
brake discs and the brake linings is
removed without putting other road users
at risk
R maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead and drive with particular care
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new trip, so that salt residues are removed
from the brake disc
Brake service
! The brake fluid level in the reservoir may
be too low if the brake warning lamp in the
instrument cluster comes on and an
acoustic warning sounds although the
parking brake is released. Observe
additional messages in the multifunction
display that may appear.
Brake pad wear or a leak in the system may
be the reason for low brake fluid in the
reservoir.
Have the brake system inspected
immediately. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
All checks and service work on the brake
system should be carried out by qualified
technicians only. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Driving instructions245Operation164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 245Z
Only install brake pads and use brake fluid
recommended by Mercedes-Benz.GWarning!
If other than recommended brake pads are
installed, or other than recommended brake
fluid is used, the braking properties of the
vehicle can be degraded to an extent that safe
braking is substantially impaired. This could
result in an accident.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC:
Only conduct operational or performance
tests on a two-axle dynamometer. If such
tests are necessary, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. You could
otherwise seriously damage the brake
system or the transfer case which is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
! Vehicles without 4MATIC:
Because the ESP ®
operates automatically,
the engine and ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position 0 or
1 or KEYLESS-GO start/stop button in
position 0 or 1) when the parking brake is
being tested on a brake test dynamometer
or the vehicle is being towed with one axle
raised.
Active braking action through the ESP ®
may otherwise seriously damage the brake
system which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC:
Because the ESP ®
operates automatically,
the engine and ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position 0 or
1 or KEYLESS-GO start/stop button in
position 0 or 1) when the parking brake is
being tested on a brake test dynamometer.
Such testing should be no longer than 10
seconds.
Active braking action through the ESP ®
may otherwise seriously damage the brake
system which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
If your brake system is only subjected to
moderate loads, you should occasionally test
the effectiveness of the brakes by applying
above-normal braking pressure at higher
speeds. This will also enhance the grip of the
brake pads.GWarning!
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when carrying out these braking
maneuvers.
Refer to the description of the Brake Assist
System (BAS) ( Y page 63).
High-performance brake system
The high-performance brake system is only
available on ML 63 AMG.
GWarning!
New vehicle brake pads and disks, and
replacement brake pads and disks may take
several hundred miles of driving until they
provide optimum braking efficiency. Until that
time, you may need to use increased brake
pedal pressure while braking. Please be aware
of this and adjust your driving and braking
accordingly during this break-in period.
Excessive high-demand braking will cause
correspondingly high brake wear. Please be
attentive to the brake warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and brake condition
messages in the multifunction display.
Especially for high-performance driving, it is
important to maintain and have the brake
system checked regularly.
The high-performance brake system is
designed to operate under the extremely high
operating demands required to
accommodate the performance capabilities
of the vehicle.
246Driving instructionsOperation
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Do not confuse the maintenance service
indicator with the engine oil level indicator
4 .
Resetting the maintenance service
indicator
In the event that the maintenance service on
your vehicle is not carried out at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center, you can have the
maintenance service indicator reset.
The automotive maintenance facility carrying
out the maintenance service will find the
information for resetting the maintenance
service indicator in the maintenance-relevant
literature for your vehicle.
Such literature is available at any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or directly from
Mercedes-Benz.
! If the maintenance service indicator was
reset inadvertently, have an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center correct it.
Only reset the maintenance service
indicator if the proper maintenance service
has been performed. Not following the
proper maintenance service as described
in the Maintenance Booklet will result in
engine damage and/or other vehicle
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Vehicle care
Cleaning and care of the vehicle
Notes
Regular and proper care will help to maintain
the value of your vehicle.
GWarning!
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the
particular container. Always open your
vehicle’s doors or windows when cleaning the
inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not
designed for cleaning your vehicle.
Always lock away cleaning products and keep
them out of reach of children.
! When cleaning the vehicle, do not use
scouring agents. Never apply strong force
and only use a soft, wet cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the
surface to be cleaned.
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected to varying external
influences which, if gone unchecked, can
attack the paintwork as well as the vehicle
underbody and cause lasting damage.
Such damage is caused not only by extreme
and varying climatic conditions, but also by:
R Air pollution
R Road salt
R Tar
R Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should
immediately remove:
R Grease and oil
R Fuel
R Coolant
R Brake fluid
R Bird droppings
R Insects
R Tree resins etc.
Frequent washing reduces and/or eliminates
the aggressiveness and potency of the above
adverse influences.260Vehicle careOperation
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Display messagesPossible causes/consequences and M Solutions$
(USA only)
J
(Canada
only)EBV, ABS,
ESP
Inoperativ
e See
Operator’s
ManualThe brake system is still functioning normally but due to a
malfunction, the ABS, the BAS, the EBP, the ESP ®
, and the
PRE-SAFE ®
system are unavailable.XContinue driving with added caution. Wheels may lock
during hard braking, reducing steering capability.XAdjust driving to be consistent with reduced braking
responsiveness.XHave the system checked at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.$
(USA only)
!
(Canada
only)Release
Parking
BrakeYou are driving with the parking brake engaged. In addition
an acoustic warning sounds.XRelease the parking brake.$
(USA only)
J
(Canada
only)Check
Brake
Fluid
LevelThere is insufficient brake fluid in the reservoir.
Risk of accident!XStop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon as it is safe
to do so.XEngage the parking brakeXDo not drive any further.XContact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call
Roadside Assistance.
Do not add brake fluid! This will not solve the problem.
GWarning!
Driving with the message Check Brake Fluid Level displayed can result in an accident. Have
your brake system checked immediately.
Do not add brake fluid before checking the brake system. Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir can
result in spilling brake fluid on hot engine parts and the brake fluid catching fire. You can be
seriously burned.
! If you find that the brake fluid in the brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the minimum mark
or below, have the brake system checked for brake pad thickness and leaks.
284Vehicle status messages in the multifunction displayPractical hints
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Display messagesPossible causes/consequences and M Solutions?Coolant
Stop car,
switch
engine
off.The coolant is too hot.XStop the vehicle immediately as soon as it is safe to do so.XTurn off the engine immediately.XEngage the parking brake.XOnly start the engine again after the message disappears.
You could otherwise damage the engine.XObserve the coolant temperature in the multifunction
display.XIf the temperature rises again: Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately.
During severe operation conditions and stop-and-go city
traffic, the coolant temperature may rise close to 248‡
(120†).
GWarning!
Driving when your engine is overheated can cause some fluids which may have leaked into the
engine compartment to catch fire. You could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause serious burns which can occur just by opening the
engine hood. Stay away from the engine if you see or hear steam coming from it.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of the
vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle until the engine has cooled down.
! The engine should not be operated with the coolant temperature above 248‡ (120†).
Doing so may cause serious damage which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Vehicle status messages in the multifunction display289Practical hints164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 289Z
ProblemPossible causes/consequences and M Solutions$ (USA only)
J (Canada only)
!
d
The red brake warning
lamp comes on while
driving. In addition, the
yellow ABS malfunction
indicator lamp, and the
yellow ESP ®
warning
lamp come on and an
acoustic warning
sounds.The Electronic Brake Proportioning (EBP) switched off due to a
malfunction.
The ABS, the BAS, the ESP ®
and PRE-SAFE ®
are also switched off.XHave the system checked at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases the risk of an
accident.
$ (USA only)
J (Canada only)
The red brake warning
lamp comes on while
driving and an acoustic
warning sounds.You are driving with the parking brake engaged.XRelease the parking brake.$ (USA only)
J (Canada only)
The red brake warning
lamp comes on while
the engine is running
and an acoustic
warning sounds.There is insufficient brake fluid in the reservoir.
Risk of accident!XDo not drive any further. Stop the vehicle in a safe location as
soon as it is safe to do so.XEngage the parking brake.XRead and observe messages that may appear in the
multifunction display ( Y page 272).XContact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Do not add brake fluid! This will not solve the problem.
GWarning!
Driving with the brake warning lamp
illuminated can result in an accident. Have
your brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on. Do not add
brake fluid before checking the brake system.
Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir can result
in spilling brake fluid on hot engine parts and
the brake fluid catching fire. You can be
seriously burned.
! If you find that the brake fluid in the brake
fluid reservoir has fallen to the minimum
mark or below, have the brake system
checked for brake pad thickness and leaks.What to do if …299Practical hints164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 299Z
ModelCapacityFuels, coolants,
lubricants, etc.Brake systemAll models0.63 US qt (0.6 l)MB Brake Fluid
(DOT 4+)Cooling systemML 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC
ML 350 4MATIC
ML 350approx.
10.0 US qt (9.5 l)MB 325.0
Anticorrosion/
AntifreezeML 550 4MATICapprox.
12.7 US qt (12.0 l)ML 63 AMGapprox.
12.2 US qt (11.5 l)Fuel tankAll models25.1 US gal (95.0 l)Gasoline engine:
Premium unleaded
gasoline (Minimum
Posted Octane 91
[Avg. of
96 RON/86 MON])
Diesel engine:
ULTRA-LOW
SULFUR HIGHWAY
DIESEL FUEL
(ULSD, 15 ppm
SULFUR MAXIMUM)Fuel tank
reserveAll models,
except ML 63 AMGapprox.
3.4 US gal (13.0 l)ML 63 AMGapprox.
4.0 US gal (15.0 l)AdBlue ®
tankML 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC7.0 US gal (26.6 l)AdBlue ®
complying
with ISO 22241Air
conditioning
systemAll models—R134a refrigerant
and special
PAG lubricant oil
(never R 12)Washer system
and headlamp
cleaning
systemAll models7.6 US qt (7.2 l)MB Windshield
Washer
Concentrate 61
( Y page 364)
Washer fluid mixing
ratio ( Y page 364)61
Mixed with water or commercially available premixed washer solvent/antifreeze.358Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Technical data
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