
48 Easy-entry/exit feature
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Easy-entry / exit feature
(only vehicles with memory function)
With the easy-entry/exit feature activated, the steering
wheel tilts upwards and the driver’s seat moves
rearwards.
This allows easier entry into and exit from the vehicle
when the driver’s door is opened. However, the engine
must be turned off.
The easy-entry /exit feature can be switched on or off in
the individual setting menu “CONVENIENCE” –
“EASY-ENTRY FEATURE ACTIVATE”, see page 134.
When the electronic key is inserted in the starter switch
and the driver’s door is closed, the steering wheel and
the driver’s seat return to the last position set for it.
Wa r n i n g !
You must ensure that no one can become trapped
or injured by the moving steering wheel and the
driver’s seat with the easy-entry / exit feature
activated and you open the driver’s door or remove
the electronic key from the starter switch. Do not
leave children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of
vehicle equipment may cause serious personal
injury.
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50 Seats
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Power seat
The switches are located in each front door.
We recommend to adjust the power seat in the following
order:
1Seat, up / down
Press the switch (up / down direction) until
comfortable seating position with still sufficient
headroom is reached.2Seat adjustment, fore / aft
Press the switch (fore / aft direction) until a
comfortable seating position is reached that still
allows you to reach the accelerator / brake pedal
safely. The position should be as far rearward as
possible, consistent with ability to properly operate
controls.
3Seat cushion tilt
Press the switch in the direction of the arrow until
your legs are lightly supported.
4Backrest tilt
Press the switch in the direction of the arrow until
your arms are slightly angled when holding the
steering wheel.
5Head restraint
The height of the head restraint is adjusted
automatically with the seat so that the back of the
head is supported approximately at ear level. Adjust
the head restraint using the switch to support the
back of your head approximately at ear level.
For exterior rear view mirrors, see page 91;
inside rear view mirror, see page 90;
steering wheel adjustment, see page 89.
OM_203.book Seite 50 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 11:57 11

63 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a 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, door mounted side impact
airbags, 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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77 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Important!
Airbags are designed to activate only in certain
frontal (front airbags) impacts, or side (side impact
and head protection window curtain airbags)
impacts which exceed preset thresholds.
Only during these types of impacts, if of sufficient
severity to meet the deployment thresholds, will
they provide their supplemental protection.
The driver and passenger should always wear their
s eat bel ts , ot herw i se it i s n ot poss i bl e for t he a i rb ags
to provide their supplemental protection.
In cases of other frontal impacts, angled impacts,
roll-overs, other side impacts, rear collisions, or
other accidents, the airbags will not be activated.
The driver and passengers will then be protected by
the fastened seat belts.
We caution you not to rely on the presence of the
airbags in order to avoid wearing your seat belt.
Wa r n i n g !
Airbags are designed to reduce the potential of
injury in certain frontal (front airbags) impacts, or
side (side impact and head protection window
curtain airbags) impacts which may cause
significant injuries, however, no system available
today can totally eliminate injuries and fatalities.The activation of the “SRS” temporarily releases a
small amount of dust from the airbags. This dust,
however, is neither injurious to your health, nor
does it indicate a fire in the vehicle. The dust might
cause some temporary breathing difficulty for
people with asthma or other breathing trouble. To
avoid this, you may wish to get out of the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any breathing
difficulty but cannot get out of the vehicle after the
airbag inflates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or door.The service life of the airbags extends to the date
indicated on the label located on the driver side
door latch post. To provide continued reliability
after that date, they should be inspected by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center at that time and
replaced when necessary.
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79 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
• Occupants, especially children, should never
lean their heads in the area of the door where
the side airbag inflates. This could result in
serious injuries or death should the airbag be
triggered.• Children 12 years old and under must never
ride in the front seat, except in a
Mercedes-Benz authorized Baby Smart
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
can result.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in
severe injuries to you or other occupants.
Wa r n i n g !
Accident research shows that the safest place for
children in an automobile is in the rear seat.
Should you choose to place a child 12 years old or
under in the front passenger seat of your vehicle,
you must properly use a BabySmart
TM child
restraint which will turn off the passenger side
front airbag. BabySmart
TM will not, however, turn
off the vehicle’s side impact airbag.
It should be noted that with respect to both front
and rear side impact airbags there is a possibility
for a side airbag related injury if occupants,
especially children, are not properly seated or
restrained when next to a side airbag which needs
to deploy rapidly in a side impact in order to do its
job.
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80 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
To help avoid the possibility of injury, please follow
these guidelines: (1) occupants, especially
children, should never place their bodies or lean
their heads in the area of the door where the side
airbag inflates. This could result in serious
injuries or death should the side airbag be
activated; (2) always sit upright, properly use the
seat belts and use an appropriately sized infant or
child restraint system for all children 12 years old
or under; and (3) always wear seat belts properly.
If you believe that, even with the use of these
guidelines, it would be safer for your rear seat
occupants to have both rear door mounted side
airbags deactivated, then deactivation can be
a ccompl is hed u pon your w ritten election to d o s o a t
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center at an
additional cost. Please contact your local
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call our
Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-FOR-
MERCedes (1-800-367-6372) for details.
OM_203.book Seite 80 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 11:57 11

89 Steering wheel adjustment
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Steering wheel adjustment (electrical)
(optional on model C 240)
To adjust the steering wheel position, turn the electronic
key in starter switch to position 1 or 2. With the driver’s
door open, the steering wheel can also be operated with
the electronic key removed or in starter switch
position 0.The switch is located on the driver’s door.
1Steering column, lengthen or shorten column
Move the switch to the front or rear.
2Steering column, height
Move the switch up or down.
Note:
The steering wheel adjustment can be stored together
with the seat and exterior mirror adjustment.
See page 95 for notes on the memory function.
Wa r n i n g !
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driving.
Adjusting the steering wheel while driving could
cause the driver to lose the control of the vehicle.When leaving the vehicle always remove the
electroni c key f rom t he sta rter s wi tch a nd lock your
vehicle.The steering wheel adjustment feature can also be
operated with the driver’s door open. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with access
to a n un locked vehi cle. Un supervi sed use of vehicl e
equipment may cause serious personal injury.
OM_203.book Seite 89 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 11:57 11

91 Rear view mirrors
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Exterior rear view mirrors
The buttons are located above the exterior lamp switch.
The memory button (4) is located on the driver’s door.Exterior rear view mirror adjustment
Turn the electronic key in starter switch to position 1
or 2.
Push button to select mirror to be adjusted:
Driver’s side – Push button (1).
Passenger side – Push button (2).
Push the adjustment button (3) up, down, left or right
according to the setting desired.
Notes:
The exterior rear view mirrors have electrically heated
glass. The heater switches on automatically, depending
on outside temperature.
If an exterior mirror housing is forcibly pivoted from its
normal position, it must be repositioned by applying
firm pressure until it snaps into place.
Storing exterior rear view mirror positions
(only vehicles with memory function)
The exterior rear view mirror positions are stored in
memory with the seat / steering wheel adjustment and
can be recalled when necessary. See page 95 for notes
on the memory function.
Wa r n i n g !
Exercise care when using the passenger side
exterior mirror. The mirror surface is convex
(outwardly curved surface for a wider field of
view). Objects in mirror are closer than they
appear. Check your inside rear view mirror or
glance over your shoulder before changing lanes.
0
PAuto
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