Page 38 of 416

38 Getting startedAdjustingSeat adjustment
The seat adjustment switches are located 
in each front door.
1Head restraint height
2Seat backrest tilt
3Seat fore and aft adjustment
4Seat cushion tilt
5Seat height
Switch on the ignition (
page 35).
or
Open the respective front door.
Seat fore and aft adjustment
Press the switch forward or back in the 
direction of arrow3.
Adjust to a comfortable seating posi-
tion 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.
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 seat, be sure that
there are no items in the footwell or 
behind the seats
the cup holder next to the armrest 
is removed (
page 192)
the cup holder in the front passen-
ger footwell is folded closed 
(page 192)
Otherwise you could damage the seats 
and/or cup holders.
The memory function (
page 107) lets 
you store the setting for the seat posi-
tion together with the setting for the 
steering wheel and the exterior rear 
view mirrors. 
 
     
        
        Page 184 of 416

184 Controls in detailLoading
Folding seat backrest forward
Remove the head restraints 
(page 102).
Pull release lever1 in direction of ar-
row and fold seat backrest forward un-
til it locks in place.
Folding seat bench forward
Fold seat backrest forward.
Pull release lever2 in direction of ar-
row and fold seat bench forward to-
gether with the seat backrest.Returning seat bench and seat back-
rest to sitting position
Fold up seat bench until it locks in 
place.
Pull release lever1 and raise seat 
backrest until it locks in place.
Check to make sure the seat is locked 
by pushing and pulling on the seat 
backrest.
Warning!
G
Failure to assure that seats and seat back-
rest are locked into place could result in an 
increased chance of injury in an accident.
Never place hands under seat or near any 
moving parts while a seat is being adjusted.
For safety reasons, the rear seat bench 
must only be adjusted when the vehicle is 
stationary.
Never ride vehicle with the tailgate open. 
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may 
enter vehicle interior resulting in uncon-
sciousness and death.!Before folding the seat backrest for-
ward and the rear seat bench down, be 
sure that all containers in the rear cup 
holder are removed.
Warning!
G
Failure to assure that seats and seat back-
rests are locked into place could result in an 
increased chance of injury in an accident. 
     
        
        Page 185 of 416
185 Controls in detail
Loading
Partition net* (MB Accessory)
Use of the partition net is a particularly im-
portant safety factor when the vehicle is 
loaded higher than the top of the seat 
backrests with smaller objects.
While the partition net will help protect you 
from smaller objects, it cannot prevent the 
movement of large, heavier objects into 
the passenger area in an accident. Such 
items must be properly secured using the 
cargo tie-down rings in the cargo compart-
ment floor.The partition net can be installed behind 
the seat backrests of the rear seat bench, 
or behind the front seats if the rear seat 
bench is folded down.Installation behind rear seat bench
1Partition net
2Mounting
Fold the rear seat bench forward 
(page 183).
Hook partition net1 in mountings2 
on both sides.
iInstallation can be performed by open-
ing the rear doors.
iThis cannot be done by folding the rear 
seat backrest forward. 
     
        
        Page 186 of 416
186 Controls in detailLoading3Lift tensioner
4Tie down
Lift tensioner3 on tie downs4 must 
point in the direction of the arrow.5Hook
6Ring
Set the length of the tie downs4 and 
lift tensioner3 to the rings6.
Insert tie down hooks5 in rings6.
Pull on loose ends of tie downs until net 
is slightly tensioned.
Fold up seat bench until it locks in 
place.
The partition net will be tightened by 
the rear seat bench cushion.
After driving a short period, check the ten-
sion of the partition net, retighten if neces-
sary.Installation behind front seats
1Partition net
2Mounting
Fold rear seat bench fully forward 
(page 183).
Engage partition net1 in holders2. 
     
        
        Page 188 of 416

188 Controls in detailLoadingThe handling characteristics of a fully load-
ed vehicle depend greatly on the load dis-
tribution. It is therefore recommended to 
load the vehicle according to the illustra-
tions shown, with the heaviest items being 
placed towards the front of the vehicle.
Always place items being carried 
against front or rear seat backrests, 
and fasten them as securely as possi-
ble.
The heaviest portion of the cargo 
should always be kept as low as possi-
ble against front or rear seat backrest 
since it influences the handling charac-
teristics of the vehicle.
For additional safety when transporting 
cargo while the rear seats are unoccu-
pied, fasten the outer seat belts cross-
wise into the opposite side buckles.
Always pad off sharp edges.
Warning!
G
Always fasten items being carried as secure-
ly as possible using cargo tie-down rings and 
fastening materials appropriate for the 
weight and size of the load.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown 
around inside the vehicle, and can cause in-
jury to vehicle occupants unless the items 
are securely fastened in the vehicle.
To help avoid personal injury during a colli-
sion or sudden maneuver, always use parti-
tion net when transporting cargo.
Never ride vehicle with the tailgate open. 
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may 
enter vehicle interior resulting in uncon-
sciousness and death.
iThe rear cargo compartment is the pre-
ferred place to carry objects. The en-
larged cargo compartment (rear seats 
folded) should only be used for items 
which do not fit in the rear cargo com-
partment alone. 
     
        
        Page 193 of 416

193 Controls in detail
Useful features
Cup holder in rear passenger footwellParcel net in front passenger footwell
A small convenience parcel net is located 
in the front passenger footwell. It is for 
small and light items, such as road maps, 
mail, etc.Storage bags
Storage bags are located on the rear side 
of the front seats.
!Before folding the seat backrest for-
ward and the rear seat bench down, be 
sure that all containers in the rear cup 
holder are removed.
Warning!
G
Do not place heavy or fragile objects, or ob-
jects having sharp edges in the parcel net.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, they could be thrown 
around inside the vehicle and cause injury to 
vehicle occupants.!When large objects are stored in the 
parcel net, do not slide the seat fully 
forward, it could damage them.
Warning!
G
Do not place heavy or fragile objects, or ob-
jects having sharp edges in the storage 
bags.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, they could be thrown 
around inside the vehicle and cause injury to 
vehicle occupants. 
     
        
        Page 405 of 416

405 Index
Restraint systems 62, 384
Airbags 62
Child seat recognition 62
Child seats 62
Emergency Tensioning Device 
(ETD) 62
Lower anchors and tethers for children 
(LATCH) 62
Seat belts 62
Restraint systems see Infant and child 
restraint systems
Returning from off-road driving 230
Rim 273
Rims 369
Roadside Assistance see Tele Aid
RON 236
RON (Research Octane Number) 385
Roof rack 182
Rubber parts, cleaning 285S
Safety
Occupant 62
Safety belts see Seat belts
Safety systems
Driving 80
Satellite radio (USA only) 129
Searching
Radio station 129
Seat adjustment
Synchronizing 102
Seat backrest
Folding forward 184
Returning to sitting position 184
Seat belt force limiter 71
Seat belt height adjustment 48
Seat belts 62, 68
Cleaning 284
Fastening 43
Height adjustment 48
Proper use of 47, 70
Safety guidelines 66
Warning lamp 294
Seat bench
Folding forward 184
Returning to sitting position 184Seat cushion length
Adjusting 104
Seating capacity 253
Seats 100
Adjusting 37
Easy entry/exit feature 100
Heater 104
Multicontour seat* 104
Split rear bench seat 183
Selecting
Display 137
Selector lever 25
Lock 49
Position (automatic transmission) 25
Self-test
BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation 
system 75
Tele Aid 199
Service
Parts 364
Service and Warranty Booklet
Loss of 365
Service life (tires) 249
Service System see Maintenance