ML430 heater

We bought a 2000 ML430 last summer, and are generally thrilled with it so far. Isn't nearly as comfortable or smooth as our old 300E, but then it is a truck. And it sure gets around in the ice and snow of Alaska a whole lot better. However, we are not too happy with the heater - with it set so the top half of your body is comfortable your feet are freezing. In fact, we haven't found that any heat at all is blowing on the floor, and I can see not vents or ducts that point down. Is anybody else having the same problem?

Dave in Anchorage

Reply to
Dave Oberg
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Your 300E had a nice automatic climate control system. The ML430 has manual adjustment for airflow and temperature.

You'll need to adjust the dashboard vent control levers (on the vents themselves) to mid or low air output. Then turn the right heater vent control knob to the six o'clock (pointing down) position for floor and vent air, or three o'clock (pointing right) to get defrost, floor and vent air. It sounds like your control knob may be at the nine o'clock (pointing left) position, which is vent only (normally for A/C through the dash, with no air for floor or defrost).

There are floor vents just under the front dashboard, on the upper center console of the front seats, and two more floor vents under the front seats for the rear seat passengers at their feet. The floor vents are all controlled by the right heater control knob pointing down to the six o'clock position.

My ML430 gets very warm no matter how cold it gets outside. But it does take adjustment from Defrost to Floor as needed by using the right-most knobs of the three center control knobs on the center dash control area. The usual drill is to get in, turn the control knob to 12 o'clock (straight up) for immediate defrost, then down to four o'clock position for a majority of floor air with some upper defrosting still enabled. I usually keep the dash vents adjusted to about 25% open during the winter, since there is no way to shut them off from the control knob on the console.

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Newsgroup Reader

Reply to
Dave Oberg

You're welcome! Don't you love a happy ending that doesn't involve a trip to the dealer?

Keep warm!

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Newsgroup Reader

Dave Oberg wrote in news:1074224152.233384@prawn:

Also, remember that the temp dial should really be labelled w/ temp numbers. Roughly the 11 o'clock position is 68F'ish. There is a temp sensor in that hole near the MCS...

Don't fiddle w/ the temp dial. You don't have to...

ken

Reply to
Ken Yee

One other note about the ML's A/C controls is that if you turn the temp dial all the way counter-clockwise, (i.e. to its coldest setting), the last click will put it into recirculation mode. This is fine if you have the A/C compressor running and want "max cold", but if you just want "unconditioned" outside air at it's coldest setting, you will need to back off one notch. If you use the recirculation setting w/o the compressor in a humid climate, you will likely fog your windows.

Reply to
Rodney T. Grill

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