2011 MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS SUV engine

R
M85 (petrol with 85 %methanol)
R M10 0(100% methanol)
R Petrol wit hmetallic additives
R Diesel
Do not mix fuel ssuch as this with petrol
and do not use any additives. Doing so may
cause engine damage. This does not
include additives for the removal and pre-
vention of residue build-up. Petrol must
only be mixed with additives recommended
by Mercedes-Benz. More information about
recommended additives can be obtained
from any Mercedes-Ben zService Centre.
! Use afilter when adding fuel from afuel
can. The fuel lines and/or the diesel injec-
tion system could otherwis ebeblocked by
particles from the fuel can.
i E10 fuel contains up to 10% bioethanol.
Your vehicle is E10 compatible. You can
refuel your vehicle using E10 premium-
grade petrol.
i If the recommended fuel is not available,
but only as atemporary measure, you may
also use regula runleaded petrol,
91 RON/82.5 MON. Thi smay reduce
engine performance and increase fuel con-
sumption. Avoid driving at full throttle.
In some countries, the fuel grade available
may not be adequate and could cause
deposits to build up. In consultation with a
Mercedes-Ben zService Cent re,this petrol
ma ybem ixed with the additive recommen-
ded by Mercedes-Ben z(part no.
A0009 89254510). Yo umust observe the
notes and mixin gratios specified on the
container.
For further information on "Fuel", see
(Y page 374). !
Only refuel using unleaded, sulphur-free
premium-grade petrol with at least
95 RON/85 MON, which conform stoEuro- pean standar
dEN2 28or an equivalent
specifi cation.
You can otherwise impair engine output or
damage the emission contro lsystem.
i In some countries, the available petrol
may not be sufficiently low in sulphur. This
fuel can temporarily produce unpleasant
odours, especially on short journeys. As
soo nassulphur-free fuel (sulphur content
<10p pm) is used for refuelling, the odours
are reduced. Diesel (EN 590)
Fuel grade !
When refuelling, only use diesel fuel that
confor ms to th eEuropean standard EN 590
or is of equivalent quality. You can other-
wise impair engine output or damage the
engine.
! Vehicles with diesel particle filters: in
countries outsid ethe EU ,only use low sul-
phu rEuro diesel with asulphu rcontent of
under 50 ppm. Otherwise, the emission
con trol system coul dbedamaged.
! Vehicles without adiesel particle fil-
ter: in countries where only diesel fuels
with ahigher sulphur conten tare avail able,
the vehicle's oil change intervals are
shorter. More information about intervals
for changing the oil can be obtained from
any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
! Only use fuel that complies with the EN
590 European standard. Fuel that does not
compl ywithEN5 90can lea dtoincreased
wear, engin edamag eand damage to the
exhaust system.
Do not use the following:
R marine diesel
R heating oil
R bio-diesel
R vegetable oil
R petrol Refuelling
153Drivingand park ing Z
ML 350 4MATIC

R
paraffin
R kerosene
Do not mix these fuels with diesel fuels and
do not use any special additives. Other-
wise, this can lead to damage to the engine.
This excludes flow improver ;see "Low out-
side temperatures".
! Use afilter when adding fuel from afuel
can. Otherwise, the fuel lines and/or the
diesel injection system could be blocked by
particles from the fuel can.
For further information on "Fuel", see
(Y page 374).
Low outsid etemperatures Diesel fuel with improved cold flow qualities
is available during the winter months. In
Europe, various climate-dependent low-tem-
peratur eclasses are defined in EN 590 .Refu-
elling with diesel fuel which complies with the
climatic specification sofstandard EN 590
can hel ptoprevent operatin gproblems. At
exceptionall ylow tempera tures, it is possible
that the flow properties of the fuel ma ybe
inadequate. This also applies to fuel that has
not been adapted to suit the climatic condi-
tions, e.g. diesel fuel from warmer regions.
i Further information about country-spe-
cific fuel properties can be obtained from
oil companies, e.g. at filling stations.
Flow improver Flow improvers can be added to improv
ethe
cold resistan ceof diesel fuel. The effective-
ness of aflow improver is not guaranteed with
every diesel fuel.
Correc tdosage and thorough mixing ar edeci-
sive factor sinensuring improvement in low-
temperature resistance. Avoid excessive dos-
age .Exce ssiv edosage ma yactuall ydecrease
low-temperature resistanc eunder certain cir-
cumstances. Follo wthe manufacturer's dos-
ing inst ructions. Mix the additive with the diese
ling ood time,
befor ethe flo wproperties of th ediesel
become inadequate. Malfunction scan other-
wise only be rectified by heating the entire
fuel system, e.g. by parking the vehicle in a
heated garage.
Observe the information provided by the man-
ufacturer when using aflow improver. Only
use flow improvers that have been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz. You can obtain
further information from any Mercedes-Benz
Servic eCentre. Refuelling
Fuel filler flap The fuel filler fla
pisunlocke dorlockedauto-
matically when you open or close the vehicle
with the key or using KEYLESS-GO.
The position of the fuel filler cap is displayed
in the instrument cluster 8.The arrow
nex ttot he filling pum pindicate sthe side of
the vehicle. :
To open the fuel filler flap
; To inser tthe fuel filler cap
= Fue ltype
? Tyre pressure table
Opening X
Switch off the engine.
X Remove the key from the ignitio nlock. 154
RefuellingDriving and parking

Problems wit
hthe fuel and fuel tank Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
Fue
lisl eakin gfrom the
vehicle. G
Ris
kofe xplosion or fire
The fuel line or the fuel tan kisf aulty.
X Turn the key to position 0(Ypage 139 )inthe ignition lock
immediately and remove it.
X Do not restar tthe engin eunder any circumstances.
X Consult aqualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start. The fuel tank of
avehicle with adiesel engine has been run com-
pletely dry.
X Refuel the vehicle with at least fiv elitres of diesel.
X Turn the ignition on for at least 10 seconds (Y page 139).
X Star tthe engin econtinuously for up to 10 second suntil it runs
smoothly.
If the engine doe snot start:
X Tur nthe ignition on again for approximatel y10seconds
(Y page 139).
X Start the engine again continuously for up to 10 seconds until
it run ssmoothly.
If th eengine doe snot star tafter three attempts:
X Consult aqualified specialist workshop. The fuel filler flap can-
not be opened. The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
or
The key battery is discharged.
X Unlock the vehicle (Y page 72).
or
X Unlock the vehicle using the emergency key element
(Y page 74). The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jam-
med.
X Consult aqualified specialist workshop. 156
RefuellingDrivin
gand parking

AdBlue
®
Important notes on use To function properly, BlueTE
Cexhaust gas
aftertreatmen tmust be ope rated with the
reducin gagen tAdBlue ®
.
When the supply of AdBlue ®
is almost used
up, the Refill AdBlue See Owner's Man‐
ual message is shown in the multifunction
display.
When the AdBlue ®
supply drops to amini-
mum ,the Refill AdBlue No star tinXXXX km message is show
ninthe multifunc-
tion display.
If the Refill AdBlue No star tinXXXX km message is show
ninthe multifunction dis-
play ,you can still drive the vehicle over the
distance shown. If the AdBlue ®
is not topped
up, you will subsequen tlybeu nable to start
the engi ne.R efill the AdBlue ®
tank or have
the AdBlue ®
tank refilled at aqualified spe-
cialist workshop. If the Refill AdBlueEng. star
tnot possible message
appears in th emultifunction display and the
engine does not start ,you must top up with
at least 3. 8lAdBlue ®
(approximately 2
AdBlue ®
refill bottles).
i If you drive the vehicl efaster than
15 km/h, the Refill AdBlue Se eOwn‐ er's Manual message goes ou
tafter
approximately one minute.
Further info rmation about BlueTEC exhaust
gas aftertreatment and about AdBlue ®
can
be obtained from any Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre. Topping up AdBlue
® G
WARNING
AdBlue ®
must not come int ocontac twith
skin ,eyes or clothing.
R If AdBlue ®
comes into contact with your
eyes or skin, rinse affected areas with clean
water immediately.
R If AdBlue ®
is swallowed ,immediatel yrinse
your mouth out with alot of clea nwater and
drink plenty of water.
R Change clothing that is soile dwith
AdBlue ®
immediately.
R If allergic reactions occur, consult adoctor
immediately.
Keep AdBlue ®
out of the reach of children. G
WAR
NING
If you ope nthe AdBlue ®
tan kcap, small
amount sofammonia vapou rmay be released.
This depends in particular upon the age of the
AdBlue ®
.
Ammonia vapours have apungent odour and
are particularly irritating to:
R skin
R mucous membranes
R eyes
You may experienc eaburnin gsensation in
your eyes, nose and throat, as well as cough-
ing and waterin gofthe eyes.
Do not inhale any ammonia vapour sthat may
be released. Fil lthe AdBlue ®
tan konly in well-
ventilate dareas.
! Only us eAdBlue ®
in accordanc ewith
ISO 22241. Do not mix any additives with
AdBlue ®
,a nd do not dilute AdBlue ®
with
water. Thi smay destroy the BlueTEC
exhaust gas aftertreatment system.
! In order to fill the AdBlue ®
tank ,the vehi-
cle must be parked on alevel surface. The
AdBlue ®
tank can only be filled as intended
with the vehicle parked on alevel surface.
Fluc tuations in capacit ywill thus be avoi- Refuelling
157Drivingand park ing Z

X
Release AdBlue ®
refill bottle :.
X Turn AdBlue ®
refill bottle :anti-clockwise
and remove it.
X Screw the protective cap onto AdBlue ®
refill bottle :again.
Closing th eAdBlue ®
filler cap and fuel
filler flap X
Fit AdBlue ®
filler cap ;on the filler neck
and tur nitclockwise.
X To close th efuel filler flap ,press it in the
di rectio nofarrow:.
X Drive faster than 15 km/h.
The Refill AdBlue See Owner' sMan‐ ual messag
egoeso ut after approximately
on em inute.
i If the Refill AdBlue See Owner's Manual messag
eremain sinthe mu ltifunc-
tion display, you mus ttop up with more
AdBlue ®
. Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only remove the key from the ignition lock
when the vehicle is stationary, as you can not
steer the vehicle when the key is removed.
Never leav echildren unsupervised in the vehi-
cle. They might release the electric parking
brake. This coul dlead to aserious or fatal
accident. G
WAR
NING
Under no circumstances should the exhaust
system come into contact with flammable
materials such as dry grass or petrol ,for
example. Do not par kthe vehicle on dry grass-
lan dorh arvested grain fields. The hot exhaust
system could otherwise ignite the flammable
material and set the vehicle on fire.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the electric parking brake must be applied.
R the transmission must be in position Pand
the key must be removed from the ignition
lock.
R on steep uphill or downhill gradients, turn
the fron twheels towards the kerb. Switching of
fthe engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Neve rswitch off the engine while the vehicle
is in motion.
There is no brake boost for the service brake
if the engine is not running. If the ignition is
switched off, there is also no power assis-
tance for the steering.
You will require considerably more effort to
steer and brake and you could therefore lose
control of the vehicle and cause an accident.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
Using the key X
Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
i If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position Ror D,t he automatic
transmission shift stoNautomatically. 160
ParkingDriving and parking

If yo
uthen open one of the front doors or
remove the key from the ignition ,the auto-
matic transmission shift stoP.
If yo ushift the automatic transmission to
N before switching off the engine, the auto-
matic transmission remains in Neven when
ad oor is opened.
Using KEYLESS-GO X
Press the Start/Stop button (Y page 139).
The engin estops and all the indicator
lamp sint he instrumen tcluster go out.
i If you use the Start/Stop button to switch
off the engine, the automatic transmission
shifts to Nautomatically. If you then open
one of the front doors, the automatic trans-
missio nshift stoP .
i The engin ecan be turned off while the
vehicle is in motion by pressing and holding
the Start/Stop button for three seconds.
This function operates independently of the
ECO start/stop automatic engine switch-
off function. Electric parking brake
General notes i
The electric parking brake carries out a
function check at regular intervals when
the engine is switched off. Noises that
occur are normal. Engaging/releasing manually
X
To engage: push handle :.
The red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
i The electric parking brake can also be
applied when the key is removed.
X To release: pull handle:.
The red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
i The electric parking brake can only be
released when the key in the ignition lock
is in position 1or the ignition is switched
on using the Start/Stop button.
To ensure that you don't roll backwards when
pulling away on an uphill slope, engage the
electric parking brake (Y page 141).
Engaging automatically Your vehicle's electric parking brake is auto-
matically applied if DISTRONIC PLUS or the
HOLD function bring the vehicle to
astand-
still ,ora re engaged to kee pthe vehicle sta-
tionary. In addition, at least one of the follow-
ing condition smust be fulfilled:
R the engine is switched off.
R the driver' sdoor is open and the seat belt
is not fastened.
R the vehicle is stationar yfor alengthy
period.
The red !indicator lam pint he instrument
cluster lights up.
i The electric parkin gbrake is not automat-
icall yengaged if the engine is switched off
by the ECO start/stop function.
Releasing automatically The electric parking brake of your vehicl
eis
release dautomatically when all of the follow-
ing conditions are fulfilled:
R the engine is running.
R the transmission is in position Dor R. Parking
161Drivingand park ing Z

R
the seat belt is fastened.
R yo ud epress th eaccelerator pedal.
If the transmiss ioni sinp osition R,the boot
lid must be closed.
If your seat belt is not fastened ,the following
con ditions mus tbefulfilled to automatically
release the electri cparking brake:
R the driver's door is closed.
R yo uh aves hifted out of transmissio nposi-
tion Por you have previousl ydrive nfaster
than 3km/h.
Emergency braking The vehicle can also be braked durin
gan
emergenc yusingthe electric parking brake.
X While driving ,push handle :of the electric
parking brak e(Ypage 161).
i The vehicle is braked as lon gasyou keep
th eh andle of the elect ricp arking brake
pressed. The longer the elect ricp arking
brak ehandle is depressed, the greater the
brakin gforce.
During braking:
R aw arning tone sounds.
R the Releas eparking brake message
ap pe ars.
R the red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster flashes.
When the vehicl ehas been braked to astand-
still ,the electric parkin gbrake is engaged. Parkin
gupthe vehicle
If you le avet he vehicle parked up for longer
than fou rweeks, the batter ymay be damaged
by exhaustive discharge.
X Disconnect the battery ( Ypag e346) or
connect it to atrickl echarger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from aqualified specialist work-
shop, e.g. aMercedes-Ben zService
Centre. If you leave the vehic
leparked up for longer
than six weeks, the vehic lemay sufferd am-
age as aresult of lack of use.
X Visi taq ualifieds pecialist workshop and
seek advice. Driving tips
General driving tips
Coasting with the engine switched off G
WAR
NING
Never switch the engine off whil ethe vehicle
is in motion.
There is no power assista ncef or the service
brake when the engin eisnot run ning.
You will require considerably more effort to
brake and you could therefore los econtrol of
the vehicle and cause an accident. Engine oil
! Vehicles with adiesel particle filter:
If the vehicle is mostly driven for short dis-
tances, it is possible that malfunctions may
occur durin gthe automa ticc leaning of the
diesel particle filter. This can lead to engine
damage. Therefore, if you frequently drive
short distances, make sure to drive on
motorways or countr yroads for 20 minutes
at least ever y500 km. Brakes
Important safe tynotes G
WARNING
Do not change down for additional engine
brakin gonas lippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. 162
Drivin
gtipsDriving and parking

G
WARNING
Make sure tha tother road user sare not
endang ered by your braking.
Downhill gradients On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden or towing
atrailer,
yo um ust select shift range 1,2or 3in good
time.
i This als oapplies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
the speed. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
Never depress the brak epeda lconti nuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. never cause
the brakes to rub by apply ingc onstant slight
pedal pressure. This causes the brake system
to overheat, increases the brakin gdistance
and can lead to the brakes failing completely.
If the brakes have been subjected to aheavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately ,but
drive on for ashort while. This allow sthe air-
flo wtoc ool the brakes mor equickly.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet road surface If driving in heavy rain for
aprolonged period
of time without braking, there may be a
delayed reaction from th ebrake swhen brak-
ing for the first time. This ma yalso occur after
the vehicle has been washed. You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain
agreater distance from the
vehicl einfront.
After driving on awet road or havin gthe vehi-
cle washed, brake firml ywhile paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm
up the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protectin gthem against corro-
sion.
Limited braking perfo rmance on salt-
treated roads G
WARNING
The layer of salt on the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings may cause adelay in the
braking effect ,resultin ginas ignifican tlyl on-
ger brakin gdistance, which could lead to an
accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R occasionally brake carefully, without put-
ting other road users at risk, when you are
drivin gons alted roads. This helps to
remove any salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings.
R maintain agreater distance to th evehicle
ahead and driv ewith 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 discs.
New brake pads/linin gs G
WARNING
New brak epads/linings only reach their opti-
mum braking effect after several hundred kil-
ometres of driving. Before this optimum brak-
ing effect is reached, you shoul dcompensate
for the reduced brakin geffect by applying
greate rpressure when braking .This also
applies after the brake discs or the brake
pads/linings hav ebeen replaced.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brak epads/linings Driving tips
163Drivingand parking Z