2000 MERCEDES-BENZ S430 Head rest

80 Seats
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Rear seat head restraints
The switch is located on the center console.
Turn the electronic key in starter switch to position 1
or 2.
Folding head restraints back:
Press the symbol-side on the rocker switch to release
the head restraints. The head restraints will fold
backward for increased visibility.Placing head restraints upright:
Pull the head restraint forward until it locks into
position.
Angle of head restraints:
The head restraint angle can be adjusted manually.
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.

81 Seats
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Power head restraints, rear
The switch is located on the center console.
Turn electronic key in starter switch to position 1 or 2.
Activate switch:
1Fold head restraint backwards.
2Place head restraint upright.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:
The two outer head restraints fold up or back together.
The center head restraint also folds back if there are
three head restraints in the rear.
The center head restraint in vehicles with three rear
seat positions does not position itself automatically. It
must be pulled up by hand until it locks into place.
The head restraints on the two outer seats will position
themselves automatically when the seats are occupied
(seat belt buckled).

82 Seats
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Power seats, rear
The switches are located on each rear door.
Activate switch:
1Place head restraint upright
2Fold head restraint backwardsThe appropriate outer head restraint can be folded up or
back.
The head restraint angle can be adjusted manually.
The seats can be adjusted using the slide switches
located in either of the rear doors.
Turn the electronic key in starter switch to position 1
or 2 (with respective door open, that power seat can also
be operated with the electronic key removed or in
starter switch position 0).
21
P54.00-2003-26

83 Seats
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Seat bench
1Fore and aft adjustment
The seat cushion moves fore / aft, together with the
inclination of the backrest.
2Head restraint
Press the switch up or down.
The head restraints can be placed individually in
either upright or fold-down positions. Individual seats
1Fore and aft adjustment
The seat cushion moves fore / aft together with the
inclination of the backrest.
2Cushion tilt
Press the switch up or down.
3Head restraint
Press the switch up or down.
2
1
1
P54.00-2005-26
3
22
1
1
P54.00-2006-26

84 Restraint systems
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Seat belts and integrated restraint system
Your vehicle is equipped with seat belts for all seats,
emergency tensioning retractors for all outboard seat
belts, dual front airbags, side impact airbags for driver,
front and outer 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.

89 Restraint systems
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
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 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.
• 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.

94 Restraint systems
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Airbags
Front airbags1Driver airbag
2Front passenger airbag
The most effective occupant restraint system yet
developed for use in production vehicles is the seat belt.
In some cases, however, the protective effect of a seat
belt can be further enhanced by an airbag.
In conjunction with wearing the seat belts, the driver
and front passenger airbags can provide increased
protection for the driver and front passenger in certain
frontal impacts exceeding preset thresholds.
Side impact and head protection window curtain airbags
can provide increased protection to belted occupants on
the impacted side of the vehicle in side impacts
exceeding its preset threshold.
The operational readiness of the airbag system is
verified by the indicator lamp “SRS” in the instrument
cluster when turning the electronic key in starter switch
to position 1 or 2. If no fault is detected, the lamp will go
out after approximately 4 seconds; after the lamp goes
out, the system continues to monitor the components
and circuitry of the airbag system and will indicate a
malfunction by coming on again. If the lamp does not
33
P91.60-2289-27

96 Restraint systems
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Side impact airbags, window curtain airbags
3Side impact airbags
4Window curtain airbagsSide impact airbags
The side impact airbags are designed to activate only in
certain side impacts exceeding a preset threshold. Only
the side impact airbags on the impacted side of the
vehicle deploy.
The side impact airbag for the front passenger deploys
only if the front passenger seat is occupied.
Side impact airbags operate best in conjunction with a
properly positioned and fastened seat belt.
Note:
Heavy objects on front passenger seat can cause the
front passenger-side impact airbag to deploy in a crash.
Window curtain airbag
The head protection window curtain airbags afford
greater protection against injuries to the head and
upper body. They fill up in the area between the A and C
pillars (see arrows) between the side windows and an
occupant’s head.
The window curtain airbags are designed to activate
only in certain side impacts exceeding a preset
threshold. Only the head protection window curtain
airbag on the impacted side of the vehicle deploys.
3
3P91.60-0699-26
4