2005 MERCEDES-BENZ ML500 height

36 Getting startedAdjusting
Manual seat adjustment
1Seat fore and aft adjustment
2Backrest tilt
3Seat heightSeat fore and aft adjustment

Lift handle1.

Slide seat to the desired position.

Allow handle1 to reengage.

Check for proper seat engagement
before driving.
Adjust seat to a comfortable seating posi-
tion 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.
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, make sure
there are no items in the footwell or
behind the seats. Otherwise you could
damage the seats.


37 Getting started
Adjusting
Seat backrest tilt
Switch on ignition (
page 33).

Turn handwheel2 forward or back-
ward until your hands are slightly ang-
led when holding the steering wheel.
Seat height

Switch on ignition (
page 33).

Lift handle3.

Use your body weight to push the seat
downwards.

Lift your weight off the seat to obtain a
higher seat position.

Release lever3.Head restraint height
1Release button
Raising:

Manually adjust the height of the head
restraint by pulling it upward.
Lowering:

To lower the head restraint, push
release button1 and press down on
the head restraint.
Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint so that the center of
the head restraint supports the back of the
head at eye level. This will reduce the poten-
tial 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.iAdjust the head restraint in such a way
that it is as close to the head as possi-
ble.

38 Getting startedAdjustingHead restraint tilt
Manually adjust the angle of the head
restraint.
Push or pull on the upper edge of the
head restraint cushion.
For more information, see “Seats”
(
page 95).Power seat* adjustment
The seat adjustment switch is located on
the entry side of each front seat base.
1Backrest tilt
2 Seat fore and aft adjustment
3Seat cushion tilt
4Seat height

Switch on ignition (
page 33).
or

Open the respective door.Seat fore and aft adjustment

Press the switch forward or backward
in the direction of arrow1.
Adjust seat to a comfortable seating posi-
tion that still allows you to reach the
accelerator / brake pedal safely. The posi-
tion should be as far to the rear as possi-
ble, consistent with ability to properly
operate controls.iWhen moving the seat, make sure
there are no items in the footwell or be-
hind the seat. Otherwise you could
damage the seat.
The memory function* (
page 105)
lets you store the setting for the seat
positions together with the setting for
the exterior rear view mirrors.

39 Getting started
Adjusting
Seat cushion tilt
Press the switch up or down in the di-
rection of arrow3 until your upper
legs are lightly supported.
Seat backrest tilt

Press the switch forward or backward
in the direction of arrow1 until your
arms are slightly angled when holding
the steering wheel.
Seat height

Press the switch up or down in the di-
rection of arrow4.Head restraint height
1Release button
Raising:

Manually adjust the height of the head
restraint by pulling it upward.
Lowering:

To lower the head restraint, push
release button1 and press down on
the head restraint.
Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint so that the center of
the head restraint supports the back of the
head at eye level. This will reduce the poten-
tial 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.iAdjust the head restraint in such a way
that it is as close to the head as possi-
ble.

45 Getting started
Driving

With a smooth motion, pull the belt
from seat belt outlet4.

Place the shoulder portion of the belt
across the top of your shoulder and the
lap portion across your hips.

Push latch plate1 into buckle2 until
it clicks.

If necessary, tighten the lap portion to
a snug fit by pulling shoulder portion
up.

If necessary, adjust the seat belt to the
correct height (
page 46).
Proper use of seat belts


Do not twist the belt when fastening.


Adjust seat belt so that the shoulder
portion is located as close as possible
to the middle of the shoulder (it should
not touch the neck). Never pass the
shoulder portion of the belt under your
arm. For this purpose, you can adjust
the height of the belt outlet
(page 46).


Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips (over hip joint) and not
across the abdomen.


Place the seat backrest in a nearly up-
right position.


Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time.


Do not fasten a seat belt around a per-
son and another object at the same
time. When using a seat belt to secure
infant or toddler restraints or children
in booster seats, always follow the
child seat manufacturer’s instructions.


Check your seat belt during travel to
make sure it is properly positioned.


Make sure the seat belt is always fitted
snugly. Take special care of this when
wearing loose clothing.
Warning!
G
Do not pass belts over sharp edges. They
could tear.
Do not allow the belt to get caught in the
door or in the seat adjustment mechanism.
This could damage the belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to
seat belts. This could impair the effective-
ness of the belts.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash, they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly
stressed in an accident must be replaced.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.

46 Getting startedDrivingSeat belt height adjustment
Seat belt height can be adjusted for the fol-
lowing seats:

Driver’s seat


Passenger seat


Outer rear seats
Adjust seat belt so that the shoulder por-
tion is located as close as possible to the
middle of the shoulder (it should not touch
the neck or pass under the arm).1Release buttonAdjusting seat belt higher

Slide belt outlet upward.
The belt outlet engages in various posi-
tions.
Adjusting seat belt lower

Press and hold release button1.

Slide belt outlet in desired position.

Let go of release button1.

70 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
BabySmart
TM
airbag deactivation
system
Special BabySmart
TM1
compatible child
seats, designed for use with the
Mercedes-Benz system and available at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center, are required for use with the
BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation system.
With the special seat properly installed,
the passenger front airbag will not deploy.
The 7indicator lamp located in the in-
strument cluster will be illuminated, ex-
cept with the key removed or in steering
lock position0 (
page 33).Self-test BabySmart
TM
without special
child seat installed
After turning the key in the steering lock to
position1 or2, the 7indicator lamp lo-
cated in the instrument cluster comes on
for approximately six seconds, extin-
guishes, then flashes once.
If the indicator lamp should not come on or
is continuously lit, the system is not func-
tioning. You must see an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center before
seating any child on the front passenger
seat.
For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 249).
Warning!
G
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, re-
move 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 ac-
cident.
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system. Unsupervised chil-
dren in a child restraint system may use ve-
hicle equipment and may cause an accident
and / or serious personal injury.
1BabySmart
TMis a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
iThe system does not deactivate the
door mounted side impact airbag, the
window curtain airbags and the emer-
gency tensioning device.

74 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Blocking of rear door window operation
1Override switch
Slide override switch1 to the right.
A dot becomes visible. The rear win-
dows can no longer be operated using
the switch in the rear doors.For more information on power windows,
see “Power windows” (
page 146).
Warning!
G
Install child seat according to manufactu-
rer’s instructions.
T h e c h i l d s e a t m u s t b e f i r m l y a t t a c h e d i n t h e
right and left side anchors.
An incorrectly mounted child seat may come
loose during an accident.
Damaged or impact damaged child seats or
child seat mounting fittings must be re-
placed.
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system.
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.
Warning!
G
Activate the override switch when children
are riding in the back seats of the vehicle.
The children may otherwise injure them-
selves, e.g. by becoming trapped in the win-
dow opening.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the steering lock, and lock the ve-
hicle. Do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip-
ment may cause an accident and / or seri-
ous personal injury.