2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E320 4MATIC WAGON seats

56 Seats
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Notes:
When in operation, the seat ventilation consumes a
large amount of electrical power. It is not advisable to
use the seat ventilation longer than necessary.
The seat ventilation 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,
one or more indicator lamps in the switch will blink.
The seat ventilation will switch on again automatically
as soon as sufficient voltage is available.
If the blinking indicator lamps pose a distraction, the
seat ventilation can be switched off.

57 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 devices 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 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. Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard 213 and Canadian Motor
Ve h i c l e S a f e t y S t a n d a r d 213 .
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
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 and top tether strap, 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.

61 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index 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). For this purpose, you can
adjust the height of the belt outlet. Three positions are
available for the front seats, five positions are available
for the split rear bench seats.
Caution!
For safety reasons, avoid adjusting the seat or seat back
into positions which could affect the correct seat belt
positioning.
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.Rear-facing bench seat
If the rear-facing bench seat is not being used, slip the
seat belt webbings into the retainers (5).

64 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
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 and top tether strap, 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.

65 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
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.
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.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 ar accident instead of protecting the child.Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
installation of special child seats.When using a BabySmart
TM compatible child seat
on the front passenger seat, the front passenger
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.

66 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Supplemental restraint system (SRS)
Airbags are intended as a supplement to seat belts.
Airbags alone cannot protect as well as airbags plus
seat belts in impacts for which the airbags were
designed to operate, and do not afford any protection
whatsoever in crashes for which the airbags are not
designed to deploy.
The SRS uses two crash severity levels (thresholds) to
activate either the Emergency Tensioning Device (ETD)
or front airbag or both. Activation depends on the
direction and severity of the impact exceeding the
preset thresholds and whether the seat belt is fastened.Seat belt fastened
•first threshold exceeded:
ETD activates
•second threshold exceeded:
airbag also activates
Seat belt not fastened
Front seats:
•first threshold exceeded:
airbag activates, but not ETD
Rear outer seats:
•first threshold exceeded:
ETD activates
Driver, front passenger and rear outer seat systems
operate independently of each other.

67 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Emergency tensioning device (ETD)
The seat belts for the front and outer rear seats are
equipped with emergency tensioning devices. These
tensioning devices are located in each belt’s inertia reel
and become operationally ready with the electronic key
in steering lock position 1 or 2.
The ETDs for the driver and front seat passenger are
designed to activate only when the seat belts are
fastened and during certain 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.
The rear seat belt ETDs will deploy in the same
circumstances whether or not the seat belts are
fastened.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 devices 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 device safety
guidelines, see page 75.
Note:
The front ETD activates only if the front seat is occupied
and the seat belt is fastened.
Objects heavier than 20 lbs (9 kg) on the front
passenger seat can appear to the SRS to indicate the
presence of an occupant in that seat which causes the
passenger front airbag to deploy and the ETD to activate
in a crash exceeding the appropriate threshold.

77 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Infant and child restraint systems
We recommend all infants and children be properly re-
strained at all times while the vehicle is in motion. All
lap-shoulder belts except the driver’s seat belt have
special seat belt retractors for secure fastening of child
restraints.
To activate, pull shoulder belt out completely and let it
retract. During the seat belt retraction a ratcheting
sound can be heard to indicate that the special seat belt
retractor is activated. The belt is now locked.
To deactivate, release seat belt buckle and let seat belt
retract completely. The seat belt can again be used in
the usual manner.Note:
For child seats with mounting fittings for tether
anchorages refer to page 79 (installation of infant and
child restraint systems).
Wa r n i n g !
Never release the seat belt buckle while vehicle is
in motion, since the special seat belt retractor will
be deactivated.