2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E320 4MATIC WAGON reset

43 Seats
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index The slide switches are located in each front door.
We recommend to adjust the power seat in the following
order:
1Seat, up / down
Press the switch (up / down direction) until
comfortable seating position with still sufficient
headroom is reached.
2Seat adjustment, fore / aft
Press the switch (fore / aft direction) until a
comfortable seating position is reached that still allows you to reach the accelerator / brake pedal
safely. The position should be as far rearward as
possible, consistent with ability to properly operate
controls.
3Seat cushion tilt
Press the switch in the direction of the arrow until
your legs are lightly supported.
4Backrest tilt
Press the switch in the direction of the arrow until
your arms are slightly angled when holding the
steering wheel.
5Head restraint
The height of the head restraint is adjusted
automatically with the seat so that the back of the
head is supported approximately at ear level. Adjust
the head restraint using the switch if the preset
position does not support the back of your head
approximately at ear level.
Adjust t he head restraint angle by hand.
Note:
Your vehicle is equipped with power head restraints,
do not try to raise or lower them manually.
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5
4
3
2
1
P54.00-2074-26

62 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Unfastening of seat belts
Push the release button (3) in the belt buckle (2).
Allow t he retractor to completely rewind t he 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.
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.• Each occupant should wear their seat belt at all
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, front
and rear door mounted side impact airbags,
head protection window curtain airbags for
side windows), ETD (seat belt Emergency
Tensioning Device ), 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 and window curtain airbags) impacts
which exceed preset deployment thresholds.

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.

68 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Airbags
1Driver airbag
2Front passenger airbagThe most effective occupant restraint system yet
developed for use in production vehicles is the seat belt.
In some cases, however, the protective effect of a seat
belt can be further enhanced by an airbag.
In conjunction with wearing the seat belts, the driver
and front passenger airbags can provide increased
protection for the driver and front passenger in certain
frontal impacts exceeding preset thresholds.
Door mounted side impact and head protection window
curtain airbags can provide increased protection to
belted outboard occupants on the impacted side of the
vehicle in side impacts exceeding its preset threshold.
The operational readiness of the airbag system is
verified by the indicator lamp SRS in the instrument
cluster when turning the electronic key in steering lock
to position 1 or 2. If no fault is detected, the lamp will go
out after approximately 4 seconds; after the lamp goes
out, the system continues to monitor the components
and circuitry of the airbag system and will indicate a
malfunction by coming on again. If the lamp does not
come on at all or if it fails to extinguish after
approximately 4 seconds or if it comes on thereafter, a
malfunction in the system has been detected.
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P91.60-2248-27

70 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Front airbags
The driver and passenger front airbags are designed to
activate only in certain frontal impacts exceeding a
preset threshold.
The front passenger airbag deploys only if the front
passenger seat is occupied and the 7 indicator lamp
on the center console is not illuminated.
Note:
Objects heavier than 20 lbs (9kg) 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 in a crash exceeding the appropriate
threshold.Side impact airbags, window curtain airbags
3Side impact airbag
4Window curtain airbag
P91.60-2170-26

71 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Side impact airbags
The side impact airbags are designed to activate only in
certain side impacts exceeding a preset threshold. Only
the side impact airbags on the impacted side of the
vehicle deploy.
The side impact airbag for the front passenger deploys
only if the front passenger seat is occupied.
Side impact airbags operate best in conjunction with a
properly positioned and fastened seat belt.
Note:
Heavy objects on front passenger seat can cause the
front passenger-side impact airbag to deploy in a crash.Window curtain airbags
The head protection window curtain airbags afford
greater protection against injuries to the head and
upper body. They fill up in the area between the A and
C pillars (see arrows) between the side windows and an
occupant’s head.
The window curtain airbags are designed to activate
only in certain side impacts exceeding a preset
threshold. Only the head protection window curtain
airbag on the impacted side of the vehicle deploys.

72 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Important!
Airbags are designed to activate only in certain
frontal (front airbags) impacts, or side (side impact
and head protection window curtain airbags)
impacts which exceed preset thresholds.
Only during these types of impacts, if of sufficient
severity to meet the deployment thresholds, will
they provide their supplemental protection.
The driver and passenger should always wear their
seat belts, otherwise it is not possible for the airbags
to provide their supplemental protection.
In cases of other frontal impacts, angled impacts,
roll-overs, other side impacts, rear collisions, or
other accidents, the airbags will not be activated.
The driver and passengers will then be protected by
the fastened seat belts.
We caution you not to rely on the presence of the
airbags in order to avoid wearing your seat belt.
Wa r n i n g !
Airbags are designed to reduce the potential of
injury in certain frontal (front airbags) impacts, or
side (side impact and head protection window
curtain airbags) impacts which may cause
significant injuries, however, no system available
today can totally eliminate injuries and fatalities.The activation of the SRS temporarily releases a
small amount of dust from the airbags. This dust,
however, is neither injurious to your health, nor
does it indicate a fire in the vehicle. The dust might
cause some temporary breathing difficulty for
people with asthma or other breathing trouble. To
avoid this, you may wish to get out of the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any breathing
difficulty but cannot get out of the vehicle after the
airbag inflates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or door.