When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
my new to me 2015 ML400 has arrived, some dumb questions
Well, the beast arrived from Nebraska late yesterday and I do love it, I must say. Now I have a period of adjustment when I switch from my "too low" SL to my new "too high" ML! Other than that I am loving all the features they have in common, espicially Bi-Xenon adaptive headlights, but also heated/ventilated leather seats and lane assist. I have tried looking up the answers to my dumb questions but I'm gonna ask them anyway.
1. Heated/cooled cupholders: tried to turn on the cooling on my first drive, about 50 miles in the dark. Blue light lit but went right out; did I just not hold the button down long enough?
2. Where the heck is the dynamic select drive mode switch? In the SL it's next to the shift lever, where I switched it to "comfort" years ago, as I've done in all my MBs. Yesterday was the first time in years I've felt 1st gear!
3. Why are there not more aftermarket grille choices? I always wondered why seemingly every model of the W164 had the exact same grille, and the W166 ML's seem to share that fate. I've seen the GT/Panamerican style grille and the diamond-style single fin, but I want an AMG-style grille like on the GLE63S:
Good question. There should be S/C (or S/E) button somewhere, but it is not (rotary) "dynamic select" functionality which was introduced in W166 lineup with '16 GLE. The car should default to C and should start in the 2nd gear. I know that the MLs equipped with On/Off road package (also available on some GLEs) have this rotary dial where different modes are selectable (but this is different from GLEs' standard Dynamic Select).
I assume there is no S/C button in your '15ML400 and instead of starting in C (2nd gear) your car starts in S (1st gear)? I would assume if there is no button car would always be in C (not S).
In my '15 ML63 there is S/C button located in the area of center console, but in GLEs there is NO button but a true Dynamic Select rotary dial switch (kind of similar to MLs with On/Off Road package) where one can select Comfort, Sport, Individual, S+ (only AMG models) and even Snow/Slippery modes.
Good question. There should be S/C (or S/E) button somewhere….
I assume there is no S/C button in your '15ML400 and instead of starting in C (2nd gear) your car starts in S (1st gear)? I would assume if there is no button car would always be in C (not S).
In my '15 ML63 there is S/C button located in the area of center console, but in GLEs there is NO button but a true Dynamic Select rotary dial switch (kind of similar to MLs with On/Off Road package) where one can select Comfort, Sport, Individual, S+ (only AMG models) and even Snow/Slippery modes.
From what I’ve gleaned from the manual, the brochure and the internet, the feature comes with the off road package, the air suspension and the AMG vehicles but mine starts in 1st gear and I don’t see any way to change that.
From what I’ve gleaned from the manual, the brochure and the internet, the feature comes with the off road package, the air suspension and the AMG vehicles but mine starts in 1st gear and I don’t see any way to change that.
Interesting to hear from ML350 owners (both AWD and RWD) without airmatic and off road packages in which gear their car starts - 1st or 2nd.
On a personal level, I always prefer to start in the 1st gear hence am usually in S (or S+). I guess the main benefit of the 2nd gear start is for snow and similarly low traction conditions.
Can confirm I ordered my 2013 ML550 with Off-Road and Airmatic, Off Road added the popup rotary drive select to the center console (among other things such as skid plates, extra in-dash menus and features, and extra optional airmatic height settings) , and airmatic added another popup rotary to center console for variable ride height. Dont believe you have any selectable drive without on-off road. As I recall that was a very rare and expensive option at the time.
The "Auto" or comfy mode, I think still starts in 1st gear, but shifts quicker...lighter steering, softer airmatic settings, less responsive throttle. Snow mode changes to second gear start, and even more sluggish throttle response. Sport lowers suspension, tightens it up, steering stiffens, 1st gear starts for sure, holds gears longer b4 shifts, and throttle responsiveness increases. Wish I could have a fully customizable setting. Would like tight steering, responsive throttle, adaptive gear shifts (not generic hold gears longer, hold gears only if hard acceleration), and normal suspension (softer) setting.
Adaptive knob has quite a few settings, Auto, Sport, Snow, Tow (I have tow package), mild hill climb, steep hill climb, and downhill.
Thanks Leetom. Yes it was already established above that non-ML63 equipped with on/off road package and AMG63 all have selectable S/C(63) or S/A(off road) modes.
I am not sure that airmatic only without on/off road package in ML350/550/400 adds S/C "engine" button. See the image of '14 ML550 with airmatic below, there is S/C suspension button but not one for the engine (ML63 has two buttons S/C for the engine and C/S/S+ for the suspension).
Based on this and Leetom's Auto (comfort) setting description above, I would assume that all W166 non-AMG MLs without on/off road package start in 1st gear.
There are several grille options. Look on ebay, you can put the diamond grille or the AMG grille. Direct replacement. Search on this site and you will find pics. I put a diamond grille on my 2015 ML350, Good luck. I jealous . I have a 2015 ML 350 and would like to upgrade to the 400.Does yours have the stitch dash.
There are several grille options. Look on ebay, you can put the diamond grille or the AMG grille. Direct replacement. Search on this site and you will find pics. I put a diamond grille on my 2015 ML350, Good luck. I jealous . I have a 2015 ML 350 and would like to upgrade to the 400.Does yours have the stitch dash.
I've looked on eBay; only diamond and GT, no AMG. I'd be happy to have you correct me with a product link.
Yes, I have the top-stitched dash. I was very frustrated searching ML350's as they were mostly poorly equipped. Once I targeted ML400's I found some well-equipped vehicles. One I decided to pass on in the Philadelphia area had Diamond White Metallic paint, pano roof and running boards in addition to the options I got, but it had no service records. I'm happy with what I got: heated/ventilated leather seats, heated steering wheel, AMG trim, Harmon Kardon stereo and, most important, adaptive Bi-xenons and lane assist.
Last edited by eddieo45; Oct 21, 2023 at 09:28 AM.
Bumping my "dumb questions" thread to hopefully get some guidance on the operation of the heated/cooled cupholders and add an additional dumb question regarding the phone connection cable in the console. Mine is missing, and I wonder if it's even worth buying one. Does it do anything other than accessing the music files in the phone (as well as charging of course)? On the 2022 GLC it puts Apple Play on the MFD screen, but I can't imagine that on a 2015.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
