2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E320 4MATIC WAGON remove seats

42 Seats
Te ch n i c a l
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 front 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 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 steering lock, 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 unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle
equipment may cause an accident and/or serious
personal injury.

44 Seats
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Synchronizing head restraints
If the power supply was interrupted (battery
disconnected or empty), the head restraints are no
longer adjusted automatically.
To resynchronize the adjustment feature, turn
electronic key in steering lock to position 2, move the
seat completely forward and the head restraint fully
down, and hold respective buttons for approximately
two seconds.Caution!
Do not remove head restraints except when mounting
seat covers. For removal refer to Head Restraints, Front,
see page 48. Whenever restraints have been removed be
sure to reinstall them before driving.

50 Seats
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Rear seat head restraint, storageFor improved rear vision, the head restraint for the rear
bench center seat can be removed if the seat is not
occupied.
To do so, remove head restraint (1) and store in
bracket (2) under seat cushion.
1
2
P91.16-2069-26

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.

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.

79 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
a
Installation of infant and child restraint systems
This vehicle is provided with three tether anchorages
for a top tether strap at each of the rear seating
positions (3).
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.
until they reach a height where a lap / shoulder belt
fits properly without a booster.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
an accident and/or serious personal injury.
P91.40-2207-26
333

201 Steering lock
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Important!
If the electronic key is left in the steering lock position 0
for an extended period of time, it can no longer be
turned in the lock. In this case, remove electronic key
from steering lock and reinsert.
Caution!
To prevent accelerated battery discharge and a possible
dead battery, always remove the electronic key from the
steering lock. Do not leave the electronic key in steering
lock position 0.Notes:
A warning sounds when the driver’s door is opened
while the electronic key is in steering lock position 1
or 0.
The steering lock can only be unlocked with the vehicle
battery properly charged and connected. See battery on
page 289 or jump starting on page 291.
With the engine at idle speed, the charging rate of the
alternator (output) is limited.
It is therefore recommended that you turn off
unnecessary electrical consumers while driving in
stop-and-go traffic. This precaution helps to avoid
draining of the battery.
Unnecessary strain on the battery and charging system
may be minimized by turning off the following power
consumers, for example:
Heated seats, rear window defroster. In addition, the
automatic climate air volume control should be set to
the lowest position.

344 Index
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car careIndex
RRadio
Audio Systems ............................................................. 97
Radio transmitters ......................................................... 186
Rain sensor ..................................................................... 123
Reading lamps rear compartment ............................... 160
Rear view mirrors ............................................................ 82
Antiglare night position ............................................. 82
Exterior ......................................................................... 83
Inside ............................................................................ 82
Parking position .......................................................... 85
Storing mirror positions in memory ........................ 84
Rear window defroster .................................................. 130
Rear window wiper/washer ......................................... 124
Rear-facing bench seat .................................................. 175
Remote control ................................................................. 27
Battery replacement ................................................. 304
REMOVE KEY - malfunction and warning
messages .................................................................... 259
Replacement keys
Obtaining ..................................................................... 25
Replacing bulbs .............................................................. 297
Replacing wiper blade insert .......................................308
Reporting Safety Defects ................................................ 15
Residual engine heat utilization (REST) .................... 132Roadside assistance ......................................................... 10
Roadside assistance call
See Tele Aid ............................................................... 188
Roof rack .......................................................................... 311
SSafety guidelines for the seat belt, emergency
tensioning device and airbag .................................... 75
Seat belts ...........................................................................57
Fastening ......................................................................59
Rear-facing bench seat ............................................... 61
Seat belt nonusage warning system .........................58
Unfastening .................................................................. 62
Warning lamp ........................................................... 248
Seat belts and integrated restraint system ..................57
Seat heater ........................................................................ 52
Vehicles with seat ventilation ................................... 54
Vehicles without seat ventilation ............................. 53
Seat ventilation ................................................................55
Seats ...................................................................................42
Memory function .........................................................45
Multicontour seat ........................................................ 51
Power seats front .........................................................42