
49 Seats
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Front seat adjustment 
To operate the front power seat adjustment switches, 
turn the electronic key in starter switch to position 1 
or 2 (with respective front door open, the power seats 
can also be operated with the electronic key removed or 
in starter switch position 0).
Wa r n i n g !
Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving. 
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause the 
driver to lose control of the vehicle.Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat back 
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 fatal injuries. The seat back 
and seat belts provide the best restraint when the 
wearer is in an upright position and belts are 
properly positioned on the body.Never place hands under seat or near any moving 
parts while a seat is being adjusted.
When leaving the vehicle always remove the 
electronic key from the starter switch, and lock 
your vehicle. The power seats can also be operated with the 
driver’s or front passenger door open. Do not leave 
children unattended in the vehicle, or with access 
to an  unl ocked vehic l e. Uns upervi s ed us e of  vehi cl e 
equipment may cause serious personal injury.
OM_203.book  Seite 49  Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001  11:57 11 

54 Seats
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Important!
Prior to operating the vehicle, the driver should check 
and adjust if necessary the seat height, seat position 
fore and aft, and backrest angle to insure adequate 
control, reach and comfort. The head restraint should 
also be adjusted for proper height. See also airbag 
section on page 73 for proper seat positioning.
In addition, also adjust the steering wheel to ensure 
ad eq uate  con tr ol, r each,  operation  and  com fort. B ot h the  
inside and outside rear view mirrors should be adjusted 
for adequate rearward vision.
Fasten seat belts. Infants and small children should be 
seated in a properly secured restraint system that 
complies with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety 
Standard 213 and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety 
Standard 213.
All seat, head restraint, steering wheel, and rear view 
mirror adjustments as well as fastening of seat belts 
should be done before the vehicle is put into motion.
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 can 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.
OM_203.book  Seite 54  Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001  11:57 11 

57 Seats
Te ch n i c a l
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 models may be equipped with driver’s 
multicontour seat. These seats have movable seat 
cushions and inflatable air cushions built into the 
backrest to provide additional 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 starter switch to position 2.
The side bolsters of the backrest can be adjusted with 
rocker switch (4):
•press to the left – 
increase side support,
•press to the right – 
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.
OM_203.book  Seite 57  Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001  11:57 11 

78 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Your vehicle was originally equipped with airbags 
which are designed to activate in certain impacts 
exceeding a preset threshold to reduce the potential 
and severity of injury. It is important to your safety 
a nd  tha t of your pas sen ger t hat you repl ac e d epl oyed 
airbags and repair any malfunctioning airbags to 
ensure the vehicle will continue to provide crash 
protection for occupants.
Wa r n i n g !
To reduce the risk of injury when the front airbags 
inflate, it is very important for the driver and front 
passenger to always be in a properly seated 
position and to wear your seat belt.For maximum protection in the event of a collision 
always be in normal seated position with your back 
against the backrest. Fasten your seat belt and 
ensure that it is properly positioned on your body.Since the airbag inflates with considerable speed 
and force, a proper seating and hands on steering 
wheel position will help to keep you at a safe 
distance from the airbag. Occupants who are 
unbelted, out of position or too close to the airbag 
can be seriously injured by an airbag as it inflates 
with great force in the blink of an eye:
• Sit properly belted in an upright position with 
your back against the backrest.• Adjust the driver seat as far as possible 
rearward, still permitting proper operation of 
vehicle controls. The distance from the center 
of the driver’s breastbone to the center of the 
airbag cover on the steering wheel must be at 
least ten inches (25 cm) or more. You should be 
able to accomplish this by a combination of 
adjustments to the seat and steering wheel. If 
you have any problems, please see your 
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.• Do not lean with your head or chest close to the 
steering wheel or dashboard.• Keep hands on the outside of steering wheel 
rim. Placing hands and arms inside the rim 
can increase the risk and potential severity of 
hand / arm injury when driver front airbag 
inflates.• Adjust the front passenger seat as far as 
possible rearward from the dashboard when 
the seat is occupied.
OM_203.book  Seite 78  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
OM_203.book  Seite 91  Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001  11:57 11 

96 Memory function
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Storing positions into memory:
With the electronic key in starter switch position 1 or 2 
or with the relevant door open and the electronic key 
inserted in the starter switch.
Adjust the seat to the desired position.
Driver’s seat:
You can also adjust the steering wheel and the exterior 
rear view mirrors electrically for the driver’s seat. See 
page 91 for exterior rear view mirror adjustment and 
page 89 for steering wheel adjustment.
Turn button (2) to selected memory position.
Push memory button (1), release and push the position 
button (2) within 3 seconds.Recalling positions from memory:
To recall a seat / steering wheel / exterior rear view 
mirror position, turn button (2) to selected memory 
position and press to recall.
The seat / steering wheel / exterior rear view mirror 
movement stops when the button is released.
Caution!
Do not operate the power seats using the memory 
button if the backrest is in an excessively reclined 
position. Doing so could cause damage to front or rear 
seats.
First move backrest to an upright position.
OM_203.book  Seite 96  Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001  11:57 11 

97 Memory function
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Important!
Prior to operating the vehicle, the driver should check 
and adjust if necessary the seat height, seat position 
fore and aft, and backrest angle to insure adequate 
control, reach and comfort. The head restraint should 
also be adjusted for proper height. See also airbag 
section for proper seat positioning.
In addition, also adjust the steering wheel to ensure 
ad eq uate  con tr ol, r each,  operation  and  com fort. B ot h the  
inside and outside rear view mirrors should be adjusted 
for adequate rearward vision.
Fasten seat belts. Infants and small children should be 
seated in a properly secured restraint system that 
complies with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety 
Standard 213 and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety 
Standard 213.
All seat, head restraint, steering wheel, and rear view 
mirror adjustments as well as fastening of seat belts 
should be done before the vehicle is put into motion.
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 can 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.
OM_203.book  Seite 97  Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001  11:57 11