awjenni

This is my fourth day of owning my 2012 ML350 Bluetec.

I am quite pleased with it and so far, my only complaints are minor nits. They might not be problems at all, or maybe something I am doing wrong. These are not major problems and I don't mean to sound like a whiner.

1. My old R-Class had exactly the same gear selector lever. On the "R," when you got to your destination and you pushed the button on the end of the stalk to put the vehicle into "Park," you heard a nice crisp "DING." On the new ML, there is no sound at all. I thought at first it wasn't working, but it was working fine, just no ding. I could not find any option in the manual that would allow me to turn the tone off/on. I suspect there isn't such an option. Does anyone know differently?

2. Again, on my old R, it had the dual zone climate control that allowed the driver side and passenger side to set different temperatures (although as a purely practical matter, it doesn't matter much. It is like having a smoking side and a non-smoking side). However, the "R" had a "mono" button. When you are driving alone, you hit the mono button and the driver side control then becomes a sort of "master." The driver control adjusts both sides at the same time. The ML has no mono button that I can find. If you are alone and you change the temperature, you have to do it twice. Is there a mono button somewhere?

3. Lane keeping Assistant. If you are changing lanes under some conditions, it thinks you are drifting off somehow and it hits the brakes rather aggressively... feels like you hit a big pothole or something. It happened a few times when there was not a problem so I shut it off. I'll keep experimenting with it.

4. Distronic. A great system. It is terrific for keeping up with the traffic on a busy highway without fiddling a lot with the cruise control. It works VERY well. However, When you are in traffic on a highway like an interstate, and a car passes you, and them pulls back into your lane, or if a car ahead of you crosses your lane, the ML hits the brakes momentarily. If it is a long trip on a busy interstate, you might get passed a lot of times... and EVERY single time, the ML hits the brakes. It gets annoying and will probably add up to a lot of brake wear over time. Any thoughts?

YYZ-E55

2) For Canada, we have the "ZONE" button which allows the driver to override the passenger setting.
3) Use the IC menus to change the assistant to passive. It will shake the wheel but it won't drag the brake and pull you back in line.
4) It is aggressive under those circumstances, but it needs to maintain a safe following distance in order to stop in time if needed.

awjenni

To YYZ...

I very much appreciate the response and suggestions. Thank you.

2. Unfortunately, the US version, for whatever reason, is different from the Canadian version. Mine does not have a "Zone" button (it has "Max A/C" in that position).

3. Similarly, in the Lane Keeping Assistant category, mine has no "passive" option. The choices are "adaptive" and "standard." I have tried both and it seems to work the same way in either... but I haven't tested it thoroughly. The passive option may be in a different menu.

4. I think you are right... it has to work that way. I'll get used to it.

Thanks again. Al.

YYZ-E55

No problem. For #3, passive = standard.

300DTurbo

Point # 3 is very annoying to me as well! I hope a firmware/software update will give us the option.

I like drifting around on/off ramps to pull the least # of G's and use as much road as possible. The stupid system yanks me back.

awjenni

I have the same problem as 300DTurbo... When there isn't traffic immediately behind me, I like taking the inside of curves. Lane keeping Asst. causes me to lurch awkwardly around the curve.

katiesdad7

The lane assist needs you to use your turn signals when changing lanes otherwise it thinks you are drifting. If you use your signals it doesn't try to pull you back.

twodivers

Sounds like you have the standard system. Here in the US, you had to order the 3-Zone in order to have the Zone button which gives the driver control of all three zones with a single knob.