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72 Seats
Te ch n ica l
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Backrest
Folding forward:
Lift release lever and fold backrest forward. The seat
will automatically slide forward and the head restraint
will move down.
Folding back:
Lift release lever and fold backrest back. The seat and
head restraint return to their previous positions.
To interrupt the procedure, activate the power seat
switch located in the front door.
Wa r n i n g !
The seat belts provide protection only with the
backrest locked in place and, therefore, must be
locked in place with the vehicle in motion. Do not
drive the vehicle when the backrest is not locked in
place. If the warning message “SEAT BACKREST
LEFT – LOCK!” or “SEAT BACKREST RIGHT –
LOCK!” is displayed in the multifunction display,
then the respective backrest is not engaged in its
lock. Carefully slow down, and drive with caution
to an area which is in a safe distance from the
roadway. Always provide sufficient room behind
the backrest and fold the backrest all the way back
until it locks in place.The warning message is no longer displayed as
soon as the backrest is locked in place. If both
backrests are locked in place and the warning
message is still displayed, have the system checked
at your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately.
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81 Seats
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data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Power head restraints, rear
The switches are located on the front and rear center
console.
Turn electronic key in starter switch to position 1 or 2.
Activate switch:
1Place head restraints upright.
2Fold head restraints backward.Important!
For safety reasons, always drive with the rear head
restraints in the upright position when the rear seats
are occupied.
Keep the area around head restraints clear of articles
(e.g. clothing) to not obstruct the folding operation of
the head restraints.
Notes:
Both head restraints fold up or back together.
The head restraints will position themselves
automatically when the seats are occupied (seat belt
buckled).
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Seat belts and integrated restraint system
Your vehicle is equipped with seat belts for all seats,
emergency tensioning retractors, dual front airbags,
side impact airbags for driver, front and rear
passengers, and head protective window curtain
airbags. Their protective functions are designed to
complement one another.
Seat belts
Important!
Laws in most states and all Canadian provinces require
seat belt use.
All states and provinces require use of child restraints
that comply with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 213 and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 213.
All child restraints systems are designed to be secured
in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a
lap-shoulder belt.
For your safety and that of your passengers we strongly
recommend their use.
Wa r n i n g !
Children 12 years old and under must never ride in
the front seat, except in a Mercedes-Benz
authorized BabySmart
TM compatible child seat,
which operates with the BabySmart
TM system
installed in the vehicle to deactivate the passenger
side front airbag when it is properly installed.
Otherwise they will be struck by the airbag when it
inflates in a crash. If this happens, serious or fatal
injury will result.
According to accident statistics, children are safer
when properly restrained in the rear seating
positions than in the front seating positions.
Infants and small children must ride in back seats
and be seated in an appropriate infant or child
restraint system, which is properly secured with
the vehicle’s seat belt, fully in accordance with the
child seat manufacturer’s instructions.A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints are
not properly secured in the vehicle and the child is
not properly secured in the child restraint.
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83 Restraint systems
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data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care IndexSeat belt nonusage warning system
With the electronic key in starter switch position 2, a
warning sounds for a short time if the driver’s seat belt
is not fastened.
Automatic comfort-fit seat belt:
An automatic comfort-fit feature for driver and front
passenger seat belt is activated when the electronic key
in the starter switch is turned to position 1 or 2.
The retraction force of the inertia reel is reduced,
increasing the level of seat belt comfort.
Note:
For cleaning and care of the seat belts see page 382.
Wa r n i n g !
The seat belts provide protection only with the
backrest locked in place. Do not drive the vehicle
when the backrest is not locked in place. If the
warning message “SEAT BACKREST LEFT – LOCK!”
or “SEAT BACKREST RIGHT – LOCK!” is displayed
in the multifunction display, then the respective
backrest is not engaged in its lock. For backrest see
page 72.Never ride in a moving vehicle with the backrest
reclined. Sitting in an excessively reclined position
can be dangerous. You could slide under the seat
belt in a collision. If you slide under it, the belt
would apply force at the abdomen or neck. That
could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The
backrest and seat belt provide the best restraint
when the wearer is in an upright position and the
belt is properly positioned on the body.
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Wa r n i n g !
Failure to wear and properly fasten and position
your seat belt greatly increases your risk of
injuries and their likely severity in an accident.
You and your passengers should always wear seat
belts.If you are ever in an accident, your injuries can be
considerably more severe without your seat belt
properly buckled. Without your seat belt buckled,
you are much more likely to hit the interior of the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously
injured or killed.In the same crash, the possibility of injury or death
is lessened if you are wearing your seat belt.
Wa r n i n g !
Never let more people ride in the vehicle than there
are seat belts available. Be sure everyone riding in
the vehicle is correctly restrained with a separate
seat belt.
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85 Restraint systems
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data Instruments
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cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Fastening seat belts1Latch plate
2Buckle
3Release button
Push the latch plate (1) into the buckle (2) until it clicks.
Do not twist the belt. A twisted seat belt may cause
injury.
To help avoid severe or fatal injuries, the lap belt should
be positioned as low as possible on your hips and not
across the abdomen.
Tighten the lap portion to a snug fit by pulling shoulder
portion up.
P91.40-2001-27P91.40-2063-27
1
2
3
Wa r n i n g !
Always fasten your seat belt before driving off.
Always make sure your passengers are properly
restrained – even those sitting in the rear.
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data Instruments
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Operation of seat belts
The inertia reel stops the belt from unwinding during
sudden stops or when quickly pulling on the belt.
The locking function of the reel may be checked by
quickly pulling out the belt.
Caution!
For safety reasons, avoid adjusting the seat or seat back
into positions which could affect the correct seat belt
positioning.
Unfastening of seat belts
Press release button (3) in the belt buckle (2).
Allow the retractor to completely rewind the seat belt by
guiding the latch plate (1).
Wa r n i n g !
USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY.• Seat belts can only work when used properly.
Never wear seat belts in any other way than as
described in this section, as that could result
in serious injuries in case of an accident.• Each occupant should wear their seat belt at all
times, because seat belts help reduce the
likelihood of and potential severity of injuries
in accidents, including rollovers. The
integrated restraint system includes “SRS”
(driver airbag, front passenger airbag, side
impact airbags, head protection window
curtain airbags for side windows), “ETR” (seat
belt emergency tensioning retractors), and
front seat knee bolsters. The system is
designed to enhance the protection offered to
properly belted occupants in certain frontal
(front airbags) and side (side impact and
window curtain airbags) impacts which exceed
preset deployment thresholds.
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• Never wear the shoulder belt under your arm,
against your neck or off your shoulder. In a
crash, your body would move too far forward.
That would increase the chance of head and
neck injuries. The belt would also apply too
much force to the ribs or abdomen, which
could severely injure internal organs such as
your liver or spleen.• Never wear belts over rigid or breakable
objects in or on your clothing, such as
eyeglasses, pens, keys etc., as these might
cause injuries.• Position the lap belt as low as possible on your
hips and not across the abdomen. If the belt is
positioned across your abdomen, it could cause
serious injuries in a crash.
• Each seat belt should never be used for more
than one person at a time. Do not fasten a seat
belt around a person and another person or
other objects.• Belts should not be worn twisted. In a crash,
you wouldn’t have the full width of the belt to
manage impact forces. The twisted belt against
your body could cause injuries.• Pregnant women should also use a lap-
shoulder belt. The lap belt portion should be
positioned as low as possible on the hips to
avoid any possible pressure on the abdomen.• Never place your feet on the instrument panel
or on the seat. Always keep both feet on the
floor in front of the seat.
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