2004 MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS COUPE Start

32 Getting startedAdjusting
AdjustingSeats
The seats can be adjusted either manually
or electrically, depending on the vehicle’s
equipment.Warning!
G
All seat, head restraint, steering wheel, and
rear view mirror adjustments, as well as fas-
tening of seat belts, must be done before
the vehicle is put into motion.Warning!
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 seat
back reclined. Sitting in an excessively re-
clined 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 fatal injuries.
The seat back and seat belts provide the
best restraint when the wearer is in an up-
right position and belts are properly posi-
tioned on the body. Your seat must be
adjusted so that you can correctly fasten
your seat belt (
page 41).
Never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being ad-
justed.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch 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. Unsu-
pervised use of vehicle equipment may
cause an accident and/or serious personal
injury.
Warning!
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 ve-
hicle to deactivate the passenger front air-
bag when it is properly installed. Otherwise
they will be struck by the airbag when it in-
flates 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 seat-
ing 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, or secured via
lower anchors and top tether strap, fully in
accordance with the child seat manufactur-
er’s instructions.

33
Getting started
Adjusting
Manual seat adjustment
1 Backrest tilt
2 Seat height
3 Seat cushion tilt
4 Seat fore and aft adjustment Seat fore and aft adjustment

Lift handle
4.

Slide seat to the desired position.

Allow handle 4 to reengage.

Check for proper engagement before
driving.
Adjust seat to a comfortable seating posi-
tion that still allows you to reach the accel-
erator/brake pedal safely. The position
should be as far rearward as possible,
consistent with ability to properly operate
controls. Seat cushion tilt

Turn handwheel
3 forward or back-
ward until your upper legs are lightly
supported.
Seat backrest tilt

Turn handwheel 1 forward or back-
ward until your arms are slightly angled
when holding the steering wheel.
Seat height

Pull handle 2 up to rai se se at cus hion.

Push handle 2 down to lower seat
cushion.
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.
iWhen moving the seats, be sure that
there are no items in the footwell or be-
hind the seats. Otherwise you could
damage the seats.

34 Getting startedAdjustingHead restraint height1 Release button
Raising:
Manually adjust the height of the head
restraint by pulling it upward. Lowering:

To lower the head restraint, push re-
lease button
1 and press down on the
head restraint. Head restraint tilt
Manually adjust the angle of the head re-
straint.

Push or pull on the lower edge of the
head restraint cushion.
For more information, see “Seats”
(
page 89)
Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint so that the head re-
straint supports the back of the head at eye
level. This will reduce the potential for injury
to the head and neck in the event of an ac-
cident or similar situation.
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat
head restraints. Head restraints are intend-
ed to help reduce injuries during an acci-
dent.

35
Getting started
Adjusting
Power seat* adjustment
The seat adjustment switches are located
in each door.
1 Head restraint height
2 Seat height
3 Seat cushion tilt
4 Seat fore and aft adjustment
5 Backrest tilt
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position 1 or 2 (
page 31).
or

Open the driver’s or passenger door. Seat fore and aft adjustment

Press the switch forward or backward
in the direction of arrow
4.
Adjust seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach
the accelerator / brake pedal safely.
The position should be as far to the rear
as possible, consistent with ability to
properly operate controls. Seat cushion tilt

Press the switch up or down in the
direction of arrow
3 until your upper
legs are lightly supported.
Seat backrest tilt

Press the switch forward or backward
in the direction of arrow 5 until your
arms are slightly angled when holding
the steering wheel.
Seat height

Press the switch up or down in the
direction of arrow 2.
iWhen moving the seat, be sure that
there are no items in the footwell or be-
hind the seat. Otherwise you could
damage the seat.
The memory function* (
page 95)
lets you store the settings for the seat
position together with the setting for
the steering wheel and the exterior rear
view mirrors.

36 Getting startedAdjustingHead restraint height
Press the switch up or down in the di-
rection of arrow1. Head restraint tilt
Manually adjust the angle of the head re-
straint.

Push or pull on the lower edge of the
head restraint cushion.
For more information, see “Seats”
(
page 89) Folding front seat backrest forward
1 Release lever
Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint so that the head re-
straint supports the back of the head at eye
level. This will reduce the potential for injury
to the head and neck in the event of an ac-
cident or similar situation.
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat
head restraints. Head restraints are intend-
ed to help reduce injuries during an acci-
dent.
iIn addition to the front seat backrests,
the front seat cushions can also be
shifted forward to permit easy access
to the rear whenever the seat is located
i n the r ea r ha lf of its ad jus tme nt ra nge .
Swivel backrest forward by pulling the
release lever until the seat moves in a
combined forward and upward move-
ment.

37
Getting started
Adjusting
Folding backrest forward
Pull release lever
1 forward and fold
the seat backrest forward.
Vehicles with manual seat adjustment:

If necessary, press the head restraint
downward while tilting the backrest
forward. Folding backrest back

Fold and press the backrest rearward
until it engages in driving position.
Vehicles with manual seat adjustment:

If necessary, pull the head restraint out
while tilting the seat back.
For more information, see “Seats”
(
page 89).
Steering wheel
iVehicles with power seat*: The head
restraints will automatically move
down.
iVehicles with power seat*: The head
restraint returns to its previous posi-
tions.
Warning!
G
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driv-
ing. Adjusting the steering wheel while driv-
ing, or driving without the adjustment
locked could cause the driver to lose control
of the vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch and lock
your vehicle.
The electrical steering wheel adjustment
feature* can also be operated with the driv-
er’s door open. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehi-
cle equipment may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.

38 Getting startedAdjustingSteering wheel adjustment, manual1 Handle
To unlock the steering column, pull
handle 1 out until its stop limit.

Move steering wheel to the desired po-
sition.

To lock the steering column, push
handle 1 all the way in until it engag-
es.
The steering wheel is once again
locked into position. Steering wheel adjustment, electrical*
The stalk for steering wheel adjustment is
located on the steering column (lower left).
1 Adjusting steering column, in or out
2 Adjusting steering column, up or down

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position 1 or 2 (
page 31).
or

Open the driver’s door.
Adjusting steering column in or out

Move stalk forward or back in the direc-
tion of arrow 1 until a comfortable
steering wheel position is reached with
your arms slightly bent at the elbow.
Adjusting steering column, up or down

Move stalk up or down in the direction
of arrow 2.
Make sure your legs can move freely
and that all the displays (incl. malfunc-
tion and indicator lamps) on the instru-
ment cluster are clearly visible.
!Do not drive the vehicle until you have
properly locked the steering column.
If the warning message
STEERING
WHEEL ADJ. - LOCK! (page 282) is
displayed while the engine is running,
the steering column is not locked.

39
Getting started
Adjusting
Mirrors
Adjust the interior and exterior rear view
mirrors before driving so that you have a
good view of the road and traffic condi-
tions.
Interior rear view mirror

Manually adjust the interior rear view
mirror.
For more information, see “Rear view mir-
rors” (
page 146).
iThe memory function* (
page 95) lets
you store the setting for the steering
wheel together with the setting for the
seat position and exterior rear view
mirrors.
Warning!
G
In the case of an accident, liquid electrolyte
may escape the mirror housing if the mirror
glass breaks.
Electrolyte has an irritating effect. Do not al-
low the liquid to come into contact with
eyes, skin, clothing, or respiratory system.
In case it does, immediately flush affected
area with water, and seek medical help if
necessary.