
45 Seats
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Power seats, front
To operate the front power seat adjustment switches, 
turn electronic key in steering lock to position 1 or 2 
(with the driver’s or passenger’s door open, the power 
seats can also be operated with the electronic key 
removed or in steering lock 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 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.Never place hands under seat or near any moving 
parts while a seat is being adjusted.
Wa r n i n g !
When leaving the vehicle always remove the 
electronic key from the steering lock, and lock your 
vehicle.The power seats can also be operated with the 
driver’s or 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.
J_A208.book Seite 45 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 

47 Seats
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Notes:
Your vehicle is equipped with power head restraints, do 
not try to raise or lower them manually.
Only minor personal adjustments, as described below, 
should then be required.
For steering wheel adjustment, see page 77;
inside rear view mirror, see page 78;
exterior rear view mirrors, see page 79.Caution!
Do not remove head restraints except when mounting 
seat covers. For removal see page 51. Whenever 
restraints have been removed be sure to reinstall them 
before driving.
J_A208.book Seite 47 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 

52 Seats
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Roll bar and head restraints, rear
The rear head restraints are integrated in the roll bar.
The roll bar will be automatically raised in an accident 
or in a potentially dangerous driving situation. A ratchet 
noise can be heard when the roll bar is automatically 
raised.
The roll bar can be lowered again after an automatic 
deployment by pressing the upper half of the roll bar 
switch (for at least 8 seconds) until the roll bar drive 
mechanism audibly engages. Then press the lower half 
of the switch to lower the roll bar.
If the roll bar was raised using the switch, it will be 
automatically lowered when activating the soft top 
switch.
Wa r n i n g !  
Raising or lowering of the roll bar could injure rear 
seated occupants. Before operating the roll bar switch make sure that 
the roll bar’s path is clear and no persons due to 
inattention are injured by the moving roll bar. For your own safety we recommend to drive with 
the roll bar raised, if 
• the outside temperature is below +5
°F (-15
°C). 
• the rear seats are occupied by passengers. 
Before working on the vehicle, e.g. when changing 
wheels, the roll bar should be raised with the 
switch, and the electronic key should be removed 
from the steering lock, to prevent possible injury. In case of potential danger release the switch to 
immediately interrupt the operating procedure. 
J_A208.book Seite 52 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 

54 Seats
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Backrest
1Release lever
Folding forward: 
Lift release lever (1) and fold backrest forward. The seat 
will automatically slide forward and the head restraint 
will move down.
Folding back: 
Lift release lever (1) and fold backrest back. The seat 
and head restraint return to their previous positions.
To interrupt the procedure, activate the power seat 
switch.Notes:
The automatic seat slide is provided with a safety 
feature. The automatic process is interrupted, if the 
backrest of the sliding seat is pushed against an 
occupant or object. The seat will slide forward, stop, and 
make 3 attempts sliding backward.
To halt the automatic process, activate the power seat 
switch. Investigate and correct the cause of interruption. 
Now use memory button or power seat switch to bring 
seat into desired position.
The backrest release lever (1) also serves as a rest for 
the front seat belt, bringing it within easy reach.
Wa r n i n g !
When leaving the vehicle always remove the 
electronic key from the steering lock, and lock your 
vehicle.The power seats can also be operated with the 
driver’s or 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.Never place hands under seat or near any moving 
parts during a seat adjustment procedure.
J_A208.book Seite 54 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 

64 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.
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. The 
bottom of the child seat must make full contact 
with the passenger seat cushion. An incorrectly 
mounted child seat could cause injuries to the 
child in case of an accident instead of protecting 
the child.Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for 
installation of special child seats.The passenger side 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.
J_A208.book Seite 64 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 

66 Restraint systems
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Emergency tensioning retractor (ETR)
The seat belts for the front 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 
seat belts fit more snugly against the body restricting its 
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 impact 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 73.
J_A208.book Seite 66 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 

76 Restraint systems
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
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 
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.Infants and small children should never share a 
seat belt with another occupant. During an 
accident, they could be crushed between the 
occupant and seat belt.
Children too big for child restraint systems must 
ride in back seats using regular seat belts. Position 
shoulder belt across chest and shoulder, not face or 
neck. A booster seat may be necessary to achieve 
proper belt positioning for children from 41 lbs. to 
the point where a lap/shoulder belt fits properly 
without one.When the child restraint is not in use, remove it 
from the vehicle or secure it with the seat belt to 
prevent the child restraint from becoming a 
projectile in the event of an accident.Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle; 
even if the children are secured in a child restraint 
system. Unsupervised children in a child restraint 
system may use vehicle equipment and may cause 
serious personal injury.
J_A208.book Seite 76 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 

172 Wind screen
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Removal 
Push left and right side buttons and remove wind 
screen upward. 
Note:
Do not insert foreign objects in openings for the 
wind screen.
P65.00-2009-26
Wa r n i n g !  
To prevent personal injury, remove wind screen if 
rear seats are to be occupied by passengers. 
J_A208.book Seite 172 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09