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Hybrid Drive System, Function - GF08.30-P-0001GRH

Engine 276.821 in model 166 

IMPORTANT Interlock circuit

The interlock circuit is used as contact protection to protect people against inadvertent contact with high-voltage components. The interlock is an anticipatory contact which opens a little before the high-voltage connection when opening a high-voltage connection. In this way timely discharging of the high voltage intermediate circuit is achieved by the control units of the high-voltage components.

In order to do this, a 12 V/88 Hz interlock signal is looped through all assembly parts of the high voltage on-board electrical system that can be removed or opened. To do this there is an electrical bridge in each removable high voltage connection which interrupts the interlock circuit during removal of the high-voltage connection. The interlock circuit is also led switched in a series over the 12 V control units plug connection of the high-voltage components.

The interlock circuit and the high voltage on-board electrical system are not shown in the following block diagram. An overview of the interlock circuit and the high voltage on-board electrical system can be found in the driving operation reference overview and in the document "Hybrid drive system function monitoring".

IMPORTANT We will not go into more detail here about internal signals and function sequences of the internal combustion engine, the A/T, the RBS and the 12 V on-board electrical system.

G14134082Courtesy of MERCEDES-BENZ USA

Block diagram 

Hybrid drive system - general points 

The hybrid drive system includes control of the internal combustion engine, control of the power electronics control unit with the electrical machine and control of the high voltage on-board electrical system with the battery management system control unit, the DC/DC converter control unit and the charger.

The master control unit is the ME-SFI [ME] control unit which includes the major assembly coordinator and thus also all torques in the hybrid drive system with the goal of obtaining the least possible system losses and therefore the least possible fuel consumption.

The energy management which takes on coordination of energy flows and implementation of the energy management, is integrated in the powertrain control unit.

The ME-SFI [ME] control unit forms a CAN network with the components

The following table provides an overview of the vehicle model and major assembly overviews:

Sales designation Model Motor Transmission Engine management Notes
Model series 166           
ML 500 4MTIC 166.063 276.821 724.204 MED 17.7.3 Plug-in hybrid

Hybrid drive system, function 

The components of the hybrid drive system fulfill a number if functions including:

The ME-SFI [ME] control unit is responsible for controlling the internal combustion engine, computation of the specified axle torque through prioritization of the external torque requests and their implementation.

In order to generate the drive torque one either just uses the internal combustion engine (conventional driving operation), only the electrical machine (electrical driving operation) or the electrical machines in combination with the internal combustion engine (hybrid driving operation). The electrical machine generates an engine-generated torque for a boost effect or operates as an alternator in regenerative braking.

The powertrain control unit contains the energy management, which coordinates the energy flows and implements the energy management.

The power electronics control unit monitors and regulates the electrical machine. This converts 3-phase AC voltage generated by the electrical machine into high voltage direct voltage and vice versa.

The DC/DC converter control unit enables energy to be exchanged between the high voltage on-board electrical system and the 12 V on-board electrical system, by transforming the high voltage direct voltage (primary voltage) into 12 V direct voltage (secondary voltage).

The charger converts the AC voltage of an external voltage source (e.g. charging station) into direct voltage for charging the high-voltage battery. The high voltage direct voltage is used to charge the high-voltage battery.

The battery management system control unit monitors high voltage battery (A100) integrated in the high-voltage battery module which serves as an energy store for the high voltage direct voltage. In order to charge the high-voltage battery, the internal combustion engine drives electrical machine which then generates an AC voltage as an alternator. This voltage is then converted by the power electronics control unit into a high voltage direct voltage. In order to retrieve the kinetic energy or to generate the requested braking torque, the electrical machine is actuated as an alternator and converts kinetic energy into electrical energy which is then stored.

The fully integrated transmission control unit takes on monitoring and controlling of the automatic transmission.

The Electronic Stability Program (ESP), amongst other things, contains the functions of the ESP® and the recuperative braking. The regenerative braking is the braking torque which can be divided up over the software. Depending on the driving condition, the Electronic Stability Program control unit divides the total braking torque requested by the driver into a regenerative (to be implemented by the drivetrain) part and an hydraulic (to be implemented via the service brake) braking torque portion and requests the regenerative part from the ME-SFI [ME] control unit. In the case of the portion of the regenerative braking torque, it is always energy recovery of the brake energy.

IMPORTANT CAN network

The ME-SFI [ME] control unit exchanges data with other control units that are integrated in the CAN network via the connected engine CAN and drive train CAN. The ME-SFI [ME] control unit is also connected to the drivetrain LIN and exchanges data via the drivetrain LIN.

IMPORTANT Diagnosis

For diagnostic purposes, the fault codes from the hybrid drive system can be read off and deleted with Xentry Diagnostics, and specific diagnostic functions initiated.

The operating conditions of the hybrid drive system and the active partial functions of the hybrid drive system are described in the following documents:

  Hybrid drive system energy flow-pictures   GF08.30-P-0001-02GRH 
  Hybrid drive system Display of charge level of high-voltage battery   GF08.30-P-0001-10GRH 
  Start hybrid drive system, function   GF08.30-P-1003GRH 
  Deactivation of hybrid drive system, function   GF08.30-P-1004GRH 
  Energy management for hybrid drive system, function   GF08.30-P-1005GRH 
  Driving, function   GF08.30-P-2002GRH 
  Deceleration mode, function   GF08.30-P-2004GRH 
  Hybrid drive system test conditions, function   GF08.30-P-2005GRH 
  Automatic engine stop, function   GF08.30-P-3001GRH 
  Automatic engine start, function   GF08.30-P-3002GRH 
  Torque coordination for a hybrid drive system, function   GF08.30-P-4001GRH 
  Monitoring a hybrid drive system, function   GF08.30-P-5001GRH 
  High-voltage system cooling, function   GF20.00-P-2220GRH
  Recuperative braking, function   GF42.22-P-1010GRH
  Stationary charging function   GF54.10-P-0010GRH
  Overview of system components, hybrid drive system   GF08.30-P-9999GRH