2001 MERCEDES-BENZ E320 Steering

54 Seats
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Multicontour seat (optional)
We recommend to adjust the multicontour seat in the
following order:
1Seat cushion depth
2Backrest bottom
3Backrest center
4Side bolster adjustmentSome m od els may be eq uipped with m ulticontour sea ts.
These seats have movable seat cushions, and inflatable
air cushions bu il t into th e backrest to provide ad ditional
lumbar and side support.
The seat cushion movement and amount of backrest
cushion height and curvature can be continuously
varied with regulators (1, 2 and 3) after turning the
electronic key in steering lock to position 2.
The side bolsters of the backrest can be adjusted with
rocker switch (4):
•press to the right – increase side support,
•press to the left – decrease side support.
If the engine is turned off, the last cushion setting is
retained in memory, and automatically adjusts the
cushion to this setting when the engine is restarted.
1
234
P91.25-2025-26

55 Seats
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Seat heater
The seat heaters can be switched on with the electronic
key in steering lock positions 1 or 2.Notes:
When in operation, the seat heater consumes a large
amount of electrical power. It is not advisable to use the
seat heater longer than necessary.
The seat heaters may automatically switch off if too
many power consumers are switched on at the same
time, or if the battery charge is low. When this occurs,
the indicator lamp in the switch will blink (both
indicator lamps blink during rapid seat heating mode).
The seat heaters will switch on again automatically as
soon as sufficient voltage is available.
If the blinking of the indicator lamps is distracting to
you, the seat heaters can be switched off.

58 Seats
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Seat ventilation
The front seat ventilation switches are located in the
center console.
Turn the electronic key in steering lock to position 1
or 2.Level 3 ventilation setting (maximum):
Press button (1).
Three blue indicator lamps beside the button light up.
The level of ventilation is decreased one step
approximately every 10 minutes.
Level 2 ventilation setting (middle):
Press button (1) again.
Two blue indicator lamps beside the button light up.
Level 1 ventilation setting (minimum):
Press button (1) again.
One blue indicator lamp beside the button lights up.
Turning off seat ventilation:
If one blue indicator lamp is on, press button (1) once.
If two blue indicator lamps are on, press button (1)
twice.
If three blue indicator lamps are on, press button (1)
three times.

61 Restraint systems
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Note:
For cleaning and care of the seat belts, see page 304.
Seat belt nonusage warning system
With the electronic key in steering lock position 2, a
warning sounds for a short time if the driver’s seat belt
is not fastened.
Wa r n i n g !
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.
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 t he sam e crash, th e possi bi li ty of i nju ry or deat h
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.

67 Restraint systems
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation system
Special BabySmart
TM compatible child seats, designed
for use with the Mercedes-Benz system and available at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center are required for
use with the BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation system.
With the special child seat properly installed, the
passenger front airbag will not deploy. The 7
indicator lamp located on the center console will be
illuminated, except with electronic key removed or in
steering lock position 0. The system does not deactivate
the door mounted side impact airbag and the window
airbag.
BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens Automotive Corp.
Self-test BabySmart
TM
without special child seat installed
After turning electronic key in steering lock to
position 1 or 2, the 7 indicator lamp located on the
center console comes on for approximately 6 seconds
and then extinguishes.
If the indicator lamp should not come on or is
continuously lit, the system is not functioning. You must
see an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center before seating
any child on the front passenger seat.BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens Automotive Corp.
Wa r n i n g !
The BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation system will
ONLY work with a special child seat designed to
operate with it. It will not work with child seats
which are not BabySmart
TM compatible.
Never place anything between seat cushion and
child seat (e.g. pillow), since it reduces the
effectiveness of the deactivation system.Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
installation of special child seats.
The passenger front airbag will not deploy only if
the 7 indicator lamp remains illuminated.Please be sure to check the indicator every time
you use the special system child seat.
Should the light go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation. If the light
remains out, do not use the BabySmart
TM restraint
to transport children on the front passenger seat
until the system has been repaired.

69 Restraint systems
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Emergency tensioning retractor (ETR)
The seat belts for the front and outer rear seats are
equipped with emergency tensioning retractors. These
tensioning retractors are located in each belt’s inertia
reel and become operationally ready with the electronic
key in steering lock position 1 or 2.
The emergency tensioning retractors are designed to
activate only when the seat belts are fastened during
frontal impacts exceeding the first threshold of the SRS
and in rear impacts exceeding a preset severity level.
They remove slack from the belts in such a way that the
s e a t b e lt s f i t m or e s nu g ly a g a i n st t h e b od y r e st r ic ti n g i t s
forward movement as much as possible.In cases of other frontal impacts, angled impacts, roll-
overs, certain side impacts, or other accidents without
sufficient frontal or rear forces, the emergency
tensioning retractors will not be activated. The driver
and passengers will then be protected by the fastened
seat belts and inertia reel in the usual manner.
For seat belt and emergency tensioning retractor safety
guidelines, see page 76.

70 Restraint systems
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Airbags
1Driver airbag
2Front passenger airbagThe 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.
Door mounted side impact and head protection window
curtain airbags can provide increased protection to
belted outboard 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 steering lock
to position 1 or 2. If no faul t is detected , t he l amp will g o
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
come on at all or if it fails to extinguish after
approximately 4 seconds or if it comes on thereafter, a
malfunction in the system has been detected.
2
1
P91.60-2248-27

71 Restraint systems
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index The following system components are monitored or
undergo a selfcheck: crash-sensor(s), airbag ignition
circuits, front seat belt buckles, emergency tensioning
retractors, seat sensor.
Initially, when the electronic key is turned from steering
lock position 0 to position 1 or 2, malfunctions in the
crash-sensors are detected and indicated (the “SRS”
indicator lamp stays on longer than 4 seconds or does
not come on).
Have the system checked at your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately.
In the operational mode, after the indicator lamp has
gone out following the initial check, interruptions or
short circuits in the airbag ignition circuit and in the
driver and front passenger seat belt buckle harnesses,
and low voltage in the entire system are detected and
indicated.Note:
See page 236 for information on the Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS) indicator lamp.
Wa r n i n g !
In the event a malfu nction of th e “SRS” is indic ated
as outlined above, the “SRS” may not be
operational. For your safety, we strongly
recommend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have the
system checked; otherwise the “SRS” may not be
activated when needed in an accident, which could
result in serious or fatal injury, or it might deploy
unexpectedly and unnecessarily which could also
result in injury.