Personally, I think that "low range" is a silly feature that does more to stroke our ego than anything else. I would like to know if anyone really needed low range, meaning that normal 1st gear was not low enough, for any legal driving situation.
From what I hear these low range malfunctions are caused by the fact that the mechanism is never used!
DelJ
Well probably most people do not use low range, however, quite a number do!
Just look at Wolfgang's ML page!! Not every one gets an ML for tooling around city streets. I have gone Off Roading many, many times. Climbing ski hills in the summer, on legal trails, beaches (again legal ie; in Nauset beach Cape Cod), and also in the spring and fall, when I have to back my boat and trailer up a kick ass steep hill. Living in the country, there is a car kit that I keep in the back during the Winter, Blanket, energy bars, booster cables (not keen at all in using them), shovel, sand and.....a tow strap!
That is all fine and good, but you did not answer my question.
Have you ever lugged your engine on a legal road because normal 1st gear was too high? How about on any road? I find low range to be almost undrivable with my V8 engine. The only common use that I can imagine would be pulling a boat out of the water, and even then I could probably get by with normal gearing.
It is my opinion that low range served only to help sell the vehicle. A macho feature that is used by almost nobody.
DelJ
Quote:
Originally Posted by phoenix44
Just look at Wolfgang's ML page!! Not every one gets an ML for tooling around city streets. I have gone Off Roading many, many times. Climbing ski hills in the summer, on legal trails, beaches (again legal ie; in Nauset beach Cape Cod), and also in the spring and fall, when I have to back my boat and trailer up a kick ass steep hill. Living in the country, there is a car kit that I keep in the back during the Winter, Blanket, energy bars, booster cables (not keen at all in using them), shovel, sand and.....a tow strap!
That is all fine and good, but you did not answer my question.
Have you ever lugged your engine on a legal road because normal 1st gear was too high? How about on any road? I find low range to be almost undrivable with my V8 engine. The only common use that I can imagine would be pulling a boat out of the water, and even then I could probably get by with normal gearing.
It is my opinion that low range served only to help sell the vehicle. A macho feature that is used by almost nobody.
DelJ
Well, if you only EVER drive on a road, than why do you need all wheel drive in an SUV?
You are right, I never have used low range on a road. I have used low range for creeping up and down trails, very rocky terrain, pulling a few cars and SUVs out of ditches, etc.
I really don't think that low range has ANYTHING to do with being macho or selling vehicles!! It's not like there is a big emblem on the back, front and sides of an ML, that advertises "low range".
There are loads of people that have big honk'n SUVs that never see dirt, in those cases, you are correct.
Low range is just one of the designs, that originated in real all-terrain vehicles and got transfered to street AWD.
I found it danger in SUV, since going on low range with higher speed and letting the gas go might block the wheels and get you in trouble. That happened to me couple of times, when I launched the boat on low and the following day in the morning forgot about the setting. Later I pulled my 5000 lb boat from the water on normal gearing with 6-cylinders.
I have pickups and motorhome, that have low gears, but no low range. Those gears are never used in normal driving. My motorhome automatic will not engage low gear, unless I shift it manually.
On the pickup I am using manual low, when I have 5000lb load and have to start uphill.
You are right, I never have used low range on a road. I have used low range for creeping up and down trails, very rocky terrain, pulling a few cars and SUVs out of ditches, etc.
I use my low range anytime I have to opportunity!!! I use it when I am offroad, as it gives me awesome gearing when I am crawling up hills and such. I pretty much try and use it whenever I take it offroad.
Now, I have used it on the pavement too. My friends jeep slid off the road, and into a ditch. I used the Low Range to pull him out. Normal gearing WOULDN'T CUT IT!!! So clicked it into Low Range, and presto, pulled him out by just applying minimal gas.
On my 2002 ML 320 Low Range light comes on for 3 secs (10-12 flashes) then goes out. Tried solution posted here but cannot get a steady on-light so have nothing to turn off. Also transmission is jerky when starting out. Any ideas? Thanks.
On my 2002 ML 320 Low Range light comes on for 3 secs (10-12 flashes) then goes out. Tried solution posted here but cannot get a steady on-light so have nothing to turn off. Also transmission is jerky when starting out. Any ideas? Thanks.
My low range light has been coming on for the past few months and a week ago my ML would not shift out of first gear, I don't know if it has anything to do with the low range but I had to replace the electric gear plate in the transmission and the ML is shifting fine. the low range light is still flashing but it's no big deal.
I guess I will have to wait until this winter to see if it still works, I'm not into 4X4 with my ML but I do use it in the winter to get up hills so it will be nice to have it work when I need it.
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