Mercedes-Benz 2003 M-Class Operator's Manual page 187

!
Observe the following during off-road
driving:
Adjust vehicle speed to condition of
terrain. The more uneven, rutty and
steeper the terrain, the lower the
speed should be
Watch out for obstacles, such as
rocks, holes, tree stumps and ruts.
Be especially careful when driving
in unknown territory. It may be nec-
essary to get out of the vehicle and
scout the path you intend to take.
Continuous and speedy driving in
sandy soil overcomes the vehicle
rolling resistance, and helps to pre-
vent the vehicle from sinking into
the ground.
Do not initiate jumps with the vehi-
cle. It interrupts the forward mo-
mentum of the vehicle.
Always drive onto slopes with the
the engine running and the vehicle
in gear.
Checklist before off-road driving
Tires
Check the tread depth and maintain
specified tire pressure (see tire pres-
sure label inside the fuel filler flap).
Check tires for possible damage and
remove foreign objects.
Replace missing valve caps.
Rims
Dented or bent rims can cause tire
pressure loss and damage the tire
beads. For this reason, check and, if
necessary, change rims before driving
off-road.
Driving instructions
Vehicle tool kit
Check if the vehicle jack is functional.
In all cases take the vehicle tool kit, a
strong tow rope, a shovel and a small
plank (to put under the vehicle jack on
sandy soil) with you.
Driving in steep terrain
Slope angle
1 25° (ML 320, ML 350, ML 500)
21° (ML 55 AMG)
2 26°(ML 320, ML 350, ML 500)
23° (ML 55 AMG)
Operation
187