2004 MERCEDES-BENZ C320 BACK SEAT HEAD REST

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 40).
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 front passenger door open.
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Unsupervised 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
TM1

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.
1BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.

34 Getting startedAdjustingHead restraint height
1Release button
Raising:
Manually adjust the height of the head
restraint by pulling it upward.
Lowering:

To lower head the restraint, push
release button1 and push down on
the head restraint.Head restraint tilt
Manually adjust the angle of the head
restraint.

Push or pull on the lower edge of the
head restraint cushion.
For more information, see “Seats”
(
page 92).
Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint so that the head
restraint 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 accident 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 front door.
1Head restraint height
2Seat height
3Seat cushion tilt
4Seat fore and aft adjustment
5Seat backrest tilt
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1 or2 (
page 31).
or

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

Press switch forward or backward in
direction of arrow4.
Adjust seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely. The posi-
tion should be as far rearward as possible,
consistent with ability to properly operate
controls.Seat cushion tilt

Press switch up or down in direction of
arrow3 until your upper legs are
lightly supported.
Seat backrest tilt

Press switch forward or backward in
direction of arrow5 until your arms
are slightly angled when holding the
steering wheel.
Seat height

Press switch up or down in direction of
arrow2.
Head restraint height

Press switch up or down in direction of
arrow1.
iWhen moving the seat, be sure that
there are no items in the footwell or
behind the seat. Otherwise you could
damage the seat.
The memory function* (
page 99) lets
you store the setting for the seat posi-
tion together with the settings for the
steering wheel and exterior rear view
mirrors.

36 Getting startedAdjusting
Head restraint tilt
Manually adjust the angle of the head
restraint.
Push or pull on the lower edge of the
head restraint cushion.
For more information, see “Seats”
(
page 92).
Steering wheel
Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint so that the head
restraint 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 accident or similar situation.
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat
head restraints. Head restraints are
intended to help reduce injuries during an
accident.
Warning!
G
Do not adjust the steering wheel while
driving. Adjusting the steering wheel while
driving, 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
driver’s 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.

55 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Airbags
Warning!
G
In the event that the SRS malfunction indica-
tor lamp comes on during driving or does
not come on at all, the SRS may not be op-
erational. For your safety, we strongly rec-
ommend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have
the system checked; otherwise the SRS may
not be activated when needed in an acci-
dent, which could result in serious or fatal
injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly and
unnecessarily which could also result in
injury.
Improper work on the restraint systems,
including incorrect installation and removal,
can lead to possible injury through an unin-
tended activation of the SRS.
In addition, through improper work there is
a risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended airbag deployment.
Work on the SRS must therefore only be
performed by qualified technicians. Contact
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Airbags are designed to reduce the potential
of injury and fatality in certain frontal
impacts (front airbags), or side impacts (side
impact airbags and head protection window
curtain airbags). However, no system avail-
able today can totally eliminate injuries and
fatalities.
The activation of the SRS temporarily releas-
es 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 tempo-
rary breathing difficulty for people with asth-
ma 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.
Warning!
G
To reduce the risk of injury when the front
airbags inflate, it is very important for the
driver and front passenger to always be in a
properly seated position and to wear your
seat belts.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision always be in normal seated position
with your back against the backrest. Fasten
your seat belt and ensure that it is properly
positioned on your body.
Since the airbag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating and hands
on steering wheel position will help to keep
you at a safe distance from the airbag. Oc-
cupants who are unbelted, out of position or
too close to the airbag can be seriously in-
jured by an airbag as it inflates with great
force in the blink of an eye:

Sit properly belted in an upright position
with your back against the seat back-
rest.


68 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyInstallation of infant and child restraint
systems
This vehicle is equipped with tether an-
chorages for a top tether strap at each of
the rear seating positions.
1Cover of top anchorage ring
Make sure the rear backrest is locked
in its upright position (
page 213).

Remove cover1 from anchorage
ring3.

Guide tether strap between head
restraint and top of seat back.
Head restraint must be installed (if
removable) and positioned such that
the top tether strap can pass freely
between the head restraint and top of
seat back.
Make sure the tether strap is not
twisted.2Hook
3Anchorage ring

Securely fasten hook2, which is part
of the tether strap, to anchorage
ring3.

Reinstall cover1 after removing the
tether strap.
Warning!
G
Always lock backrest in its upright position
when rear seat bench is occupied by pas-
sengers, or the extended cargo area is not in
use. Check for secure locking by pushing
and pulling on the backrest.
iFor safety, make sure the hook has
attached to the ring beyond the safety
catch, as illustrated.

93 Controls in detail
Seats
Removing and installing front seat head restraints
For information on head restraint
adjustment, see “Seats” (
page 32).
Front seat head restraints, manual seat
1Release buttonRemoving front seat head restraints

Pull head restraint to its highest
position.

Push release button1 and pull out
head restraint.
Installing front seat head restraints

Insert head restraint and push it down
until it engages.

Push release button1 and adjust
head restraint to desired position.
Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint so that the head
restraint 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 accident 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.
Do not interchange head restraints from
front and rear seat.
iTilt the backrest to the rear for easier
removal and installation of the head
restraints.

94 Controls in detailSeatsFront seat head restraints, power seat*
Removing front seat head restraints
Press switch1 upwards and hold until
head restraint is fully extended.

Pull out head restraint.
Installing front seat head restraints

Press switch1 upwards and hold for
about five seconds.

Push head restraint down until it
engages.

Adjust head restraint to desired
position (
page 35).
Rear seat head restraints
Head restraint height (rear outer seats)
1Release button
Raising:
Manually adjust the height of the head
restraint by pulling it upward.
If the head restraint is fully retracted,
push release button1 and pull the
head restraint out.Lowering:

To lower the head restraint, push
release button1 and push down on
the head restraint.Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint so that the head
restraint 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 accident or similar situation.
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat
head restraints. Head restraints are
intended to help reduce injuries during an
accident.!The center rear seat head restraint
cannot be adjusted.