2003 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK430 CABRIOLET belt

49 Seats
Te ch n i c a l
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 unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle
equipment may cause an accident and/or serious
personal injury.Never place hands under seat or near any moving
parts during a seat adjustment procedure.

52 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
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.Seat belts and integrated restraint system
Your vehicle is equipped with seat belts for all seats,
emergency tensioning devices for the front seat belts,
dual front airbags, door mounted side impact airbags
and knee bolsters for driver and front passenger. Their
protective functions are designed to complement one
another.

53 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Seat belts
Important!
Laws i n mo st states and all Canadi an provi nc es require
seat belt use.
All U.S. states, the District of Columbia, the U.S.
territories and all Canadian provinces require the use of
child restraints that comply with U.S. Fedral Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards 213 and 225 and Canadian
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213 and 210.2.
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 or lower anchors, 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.

54 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
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. See also seat belt warning lamp on
page 228.
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 the same crash, the possibility for injury or
death 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.

55 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Fastening of seat belts
1Latch plate
2Buckle
3Release buttonPush latch plate (1) into buckle (2) until it clicks. Do not
twist the belt. A twisted seat belt may cause injury.
To help avoid severe or fatal injuries, the lap belt must
be positioned as low as possible on your hips and not
across the abdomen.
1
2
3
Wa r n i n g !
Always fasten your seat belt before driving off.
Always make sure your passengers are properly
restrained – even those sitting in the rear.

56 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Tighten the lap portion to a snug fit by pulling shoulder
portion up.
The shoulder portion of the seat belt must be pulled
snug and checked for snugness immediately after
engaging it.
Adjust seat belt so that shoulder portion is located as
close as possible to the middle of your shoulder (it
should not touch the neck).Unfastening of seat belts
Push the release button (3) in the belt buckle (2). Allow
the device to completely rewind the seat belt by guiding
the latch plate (1).
Operation
The inertia reel stops the belt from unwinding during
sudden vehicle stops or when quickly pulling on the
belt. The locking function of the reel may be checked by
quickly pulling out the belt.
P91.40-2102-26
1
2
3

57 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Caution!
For safety reasons, avoid adjusting the seat or backrest
into positions which could affect the correct seat belt
position.
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.• E ach oc c upan t s houl d wear t hei r s ea t bel t a t al l
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, door
mounted side impact airbags), ETD (seat belt
emergency tensioning devices), and front seat
knee bolsters. The system is designed to
enhance the protection offered to properly
belted occupants in certain frontal (front
airbags) and side (side impact airbags) impacts
which exceed preset deployment thresholds.
• Never wear belts over rigid or breakable
objects in or on your clothing, such as
eyeglasses, pens, keys etc., as these might
cause injuries.• 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.• 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.

58 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
• Pregnant women should also use a lap-
shoulder belt. The lap belt portion should be
positioned as low as possible on the hips to
avoid any possible pressure on the abdomen.• Never place your feet on the instrument panel
or on the seat. Always keep both feet on the
floor in front of the seat.Wa r n i n g !
USE CHILD RESTRAINTS PROPERLY.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 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 or lower anchors, 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.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.