Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected
by corrosion and damage caused by inade-
quate care cannot always be completely
repaired. In such cases, visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
X Remove dirt immediately, where possible,
while avoiding rubbing too hard.
X Soak insect remains with insect remover
and rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
X Soak bird droppings with water and rinse
off the treated areas afterwards.
X Remove coolant, brake fluid, tree resin,
oils, fuels and greases by rubbing gently
with a cloth soaked in petroleum ether or
lighter fluid.
X Use tar remover to remove tar stains.
X Use silicone remover to remove wax.
If water no longer forms "beads" on the paint
surface, use the paint care products recom-
mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
This is the case approximately every three to
five months, depending on the climate con-
ditions and the care product used.
If dirt has penetrated the paint surface or if
the paint has become dull, the paint cleaner
recommended and approved by Mercedes-
Benz should be used.
Do not use these care products in the sun or
on the hood while the hood is hot.
X Use a suitable touch-up stick, e.g. MB
Touch-Up Stick, to repair slight damage to
the paintwork quickly and provisionally.
Matte finish care !
Never polish the vehicle or the light alloy
wheels. Polishing causes the finish to
shine. !
The following may cause the paint to
become shiny and thus reduce the matte
effect:
R Vigorous rubbing with unsuitable mate-
rials.
R Frequent use of car washes.
R Washing the vehicle in direct sunlight.
! Never use paint cleaner, buffing or pol-
ishing products, or gloss preserver, e.g.
wax. These products are only suitable for
high-gloss surfaces. Their use on vehicles
with matte finish leads to considerable sur- face damage (shiny, spotted areas).
Always have paintwork repairs carried out
at a qualified specialist workshop.
! Do not use wash programs with a hot wax
treatment under any circumstances.
Observe these notes if your vehicle has a
clear matte finish. This will help you to avoid
damage to the paintwork due to incorrect
treatment.
These notes also apply to light alloy wheels
with a clear matte finish.
i The vehicle should preferably be washed
by hand using a soft sponge, car shampoo
and plenty of water.
i Use only insect remover and car shampoo
from the range of recommended and
approved Mercedes-Benz care products. Cleaning the vehicle parts
Cleaning the wheels !
Do not use acidic wheel cleaning products
to remove brake dust. This could damage
wheel bolts and brake components.
! Do not park the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly after having cleaned the wheels with wheel cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you 374
CareMaintenance and care
VIN
X
Open the front right-hand door.
X Open cover 0043in the direction of the arrow
and remove it.
You will see the VIN.
The VIN can also be found in the following
locations:
R on the lower edge of the windshield
(Y page 447)
R on the vehicle identification plate
(Y page 446) Engine number
0043
Emission control information plate,
including the certification of both federal
and Californian emissions standards
0044 Engine number (stamped into the crank-
case)
0087 VIN (on the lower edge of the windshield) Service products and filling capaci-
ties
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Service products may be poisonous and haz-
ardous to health. There is a risk of injury.
Comply with instructions on the use, storage
and disposal of service products on the labels of the respective original containers. Always
store service products sealed in their original containers. Always keep service products out
of the reach of children. H
Environmental note
Dispose of service products in an environ-
mentally responsible manner.
Service products include the following:
R Fuels
R Exhaust gas aftertreatment additives, e.g.
DEF
R Lubricants (e.g. engine oil, transmission oil)
R Coolant
R Brake fluid
R Windshield washer fluid
R Climate control system refrigerant
Comply with all valid regulations with respect to handling, storing, and disposing of service
fluids.
Components and service products must be
matched. You should therefore only use prod- ucts that have been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Information on tested and approved products
can be obtained at an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center or on the Internet at
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com.
You can recognize service products approved by Mercedes-Benz by the following inscrip-
tion on the containers:
R MB-Freigabe (e.g. MB-Freigabe 229.51)
R MB Approval (e.g. MB Approval 229.51) Service products and filling capacities
447Technical data Z
Model Capacity
ML 350 Blue-
TEC 4MATIC
8.5 US qt (8.0
l) AM
G vehicles Without external oil
cooler: 9.0 US qt (8.5l) Ad
ditives !
Do not use any additives in the engine oil.
This could damage the engine.
Engine oil viscosity Viscosity describes the flow characteristics
of a fluid. If an engine oil has a high viscosity, this means that it is thick; a low viscosity
means that it is thin.
Select an engine oil with an SAE classification (viscosity) suitable for the prevailing outside
temperatures. The table shows you which
SAE classifications are to be used. The low-
temperature characteristics of engine oils
can deteriorate significantly, e.g. as a result
of aging, soot and fuel deposits. It is therefore
strongly recommended that you carry out reg- ular oil changes using an approved engine oil
with the appropriate SAE classification. Brake fluid
G
WARNING
The brake fluid constantly absorbs moisture
from the air. This lowers the boiling point of
the brake fluid. If the boiling point of the brake fluid is too low, vapor pockets may form in the
brake system when the brakes are applied
hard. This would impair braking efficiency.
There is a risk of an accident.
You should have the brake fluid renewed at
the specified intervals.
Comply with the important safety notes for
service products when handling brake fluid
(Y page 447).
The brake fluid change intervals can be found
in the Maintenance Booklet.
Only use brake fluid approved by Mercedes-
Benz according to MB Approval 331.0.
Information about approved brake fluid can
be obtained at any qualified specialist work-
shop or on the Internet at
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com.
i Have the brake fluid regularly replaced at
a qualified specialist workshop and the
replacement confirmed in the Maintenance Booklet. Coolant
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If antifreeze comes into contact with hot com- ponents in the engine compartment, it may
ignite. There is a risk of fire and injury.
Let the engine cool down before you add anti-
freeze. Make sure that antifreeze is not spilled
next to the filler neck. Thoroughly clean the
antifreeze from components before starting
the engine.
! Only add coolant that has been premixed
with the desired antifreeze protection. You
could otherwise damage the engine.
Further information on coolants can be
found in the Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service Products, MB BeVo 310.1, e.g.
on the Internet at
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com. Or con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop. Service products and filling capacities
453Technical data Z
