
Seat belts
24•
Fasten your seat belt before every trip - even when driving in town. That 
applies also to your front and rear passengers – danger of injury!
•
The seat belt cannot offer its full prot ection if the belt web is not posi-
tioned correctly.
•
Never allow two passengers (even children) to share the same seat belt.
•
Keep both feet in the foot-well in front of your seat as long as the 
vehicle is in motion.
•
Never unbuckle a seat belt while the  vehicle is in motion. Risk of fatal 
injury.
•
The belt webbing must never be twisted while it is being worn.
•
The belt webbing should never lie on hard or fragile objects (such as 
glasses or pens, etc.) because this can cause injuries.
•
Do not allow the seat belt to be da maged or jammed, or to rub on any 
sharp edges.
•
Never wear the seat belt under the arm or in any other incorrect posi-
tion.
•
Loose, bulky clothing (such as an overcoat over a jacket) impairs the 
proper fit and function of the belts, reducing their capacity to protect.
•
The slot in the seat belt buckle must not be blocked with paper or other 
objects, as this can prevent the latch plate from engaging securely.
•
Never use seat belt clips, retaining rings or similar instruments to alter 
the position of the belt webbing.
•
Frayed or torn seat belts or damage  to the connections, belt retractors 
or parts of the buckle could cause severe injuries in the event of an acci-
dent. Therefore, you must check the co ndition of all seat belts at regular 
intervals.
•
Seat belts which have been worn in an accident and stretched must be 
replaced by a qualified workshop. Renewal may be necessary even if there 
is no apparent damage. The belt anchorage should also be checked.
•
Do not attempt to repair a damaged  seat belt yourself. The seat belts 
must not be removed or modified in any way.
•
The belts must be kept clean, ot herwise the retractors may not work 
properly ⇒ page 193.
Seat beltsSeat belt adjustment
The seat belts for the front and rear occupants are locked into 
position by a latch.The seat belt cannot offer its full protection if the belt web is not 
positioned correctly.
WARNING (continued)
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 12  Belt buckle and 
latch plate of seat belt
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Seat belts
26The following features are available to adjust the seat belt in the shoulder 
region:•
belt height ad justment for the front seats.
•
front seat height adjustment*.
WARNING
•
An incorrectly worn seat belt web c an cause severe injuries in the event 
of an accident.
•
The shoulder part of the seat belt mu st lie on the centre of the shoulder, 
never across the neck. The seat belt  must lie flat and snugly on the torso 
⇒ page 25, fig. 13 .
•
The lap part of the seat belt must lie across the pelvis, never across the 
stomach. The seat belt must lie flat and snugly on the pelvis  ⇒page 25, 
fig. 14. Pull the belt tight if necessary to take up any slack.
•
Read and observe the warnings ⇒ page 23.
Pregnant women must also fasten their seat belts properly
The best protection for the unborn child is for the mother to 
wear the seat belt properly at all times during the pregnancy.The seat belt provides maximum protection only when the belt web 
is properly positioned ⇒page 25.
– Adjust the front seat and head restraint correctly  ⇒page 10.
– Holding the latch plate, pull the belt evenly across your chest and  as low as possible over the pelvis  ⇒fig. 15 .
– Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the corresponding seat  and push it down until it is secu rely locked with an audible click 
⇒ .
– Pull the belt to ensure that the latch plate is securely engaged in  the buckle.
Fig. 15  Positioning seat 
belts during pregnancy
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Airbag system
42•
during a frontal collision,
•
during a rear-end collision,
•
if the vehicle rolls,
•
or during a minor frontal collision.
WARNING
If a fault should occur in the airbag system, have the system checked imme-
diately by a qualified workshop. Otherwise there is a danger that during a 
collision, the system may fail to trigger, or not trigger correctly.Function of curtain airbags
Fully inflated airbags reduce the ri sk of head or chest injury in 
a side collision.
During some  side collisions  the curtain airbag is triggered on the impact side 
of the vehicle ⇒ fig. 25.
In certain types of accident the front, side and curtain airbags may be trig-
gered together.
When the system is triggered, the airbag is filled with propellant gas. In the 
process, the curtain bag covers the side windows and door pillars.
In order to provide the desired extra protection in an accident, the airbags 
have to deploy extremely rapidly (within fractions of a second). A fine dust 
may develop when the airbag deploys. This is normal and is no indication 
that there was a fire in the vehicle.
The fully deployed airbags cushion the  movement of the front occupants and 
help to reduce the risk of injury to the upper body.
The special design of the airbag allows the controlled escape of the propel-
lant gas when an occupant puts pressure on the bag. Thus, the head and 
chest are surrounded and protected by the airbag.Safety notes on the operation of the curtain airbag system
If you use airbags correctly, they can considerably reduce the 
risk of injury in many kinds of accident.
WARNING
•
In order for the curtain airbags to provide their maximum protection, 
the prescribed sitting position must al ways be maintained with seat belts 
while travelling.
•
For safety reasons, the head air bag must be disconnected in those 
vehicles fitted with a passenger compartment separation screen. See an 
Authorised Service Centre  to make this adjustment.
Fig. 25  Deployed curtain 
airbags
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Seats and stowage125
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
Seats and stowageThe importance of correct seat adjustmentProper seat adjustment optimi ses the level of protection 
offered by seat belts and airbags.Your vehicle has five  passenger places, two individual front seats and three 
places on the rear seat. Each seat is equipped with a three-point seat belt.
The driver seat and front passenger seat can be adjusted in many ways to suit 
the physical requirements of the vehicle occupants. The correct seat position 
is very important for:•
fast and easy operation of all controls on the instrument panel,
•
relaxed posture that does not cause drowsiness,
•
safe driving ⇒ page 7,
•
and to ensure that the seat belts and airbag system provide maximum 
protection  ⇒page 19.
WARNING
•
If the driver and passengers assume improper sitting positions, they 
may sustain critical injuries.
•
Never transport more people than there are seats available in the 
vehicle.
•
Every occupant in the vehicle must  properly fasten and wear the seat 
belt belonging to his or her seat. Children must be protected with an appro-
priate child restraint system  ⇒page 46, “Child safety”.
•
The front seats and all head restraints must always be adjusted to body 
size and the seat belt must always be  properly adjusted to provide you and 
your passengers with optimum protection.
•
Always keep your feet in the footwell when the vehicle is moving; never 
rest them on the dash panel, out of the window or on the se at. This also 
applies to passengers. An incorrect sitting position exposes you to an 
increased risk of injury in the event of a braking manoeuvre or an accident. 
If the airbag is triggered, you could sustain severe injuries due to an incor-
rect sitting position.
•
It is important for the driver and front passenger to maintain a distance 
of at least 25 cm from the steering wheel or dash panel. If this minimum 
distance is not respected, the airbag will not provide the intended protec-
tion and there is a fatality risk! Always ensure the maximum possible 
distance between the driver and the st eering wheel as well as between the 
passenger and the dash panel.
•
Adjust the driver or front passenger seat only when the vehicle is 
stationary. This also applies to the forwards/backwards adjustment of the 
rear seats. Otherwise your seat coul d move unexpectedly while the vehicle 
is moving. This could increase the risk  of an accident and therefore injury. 
In addition, while adjusting your seat, you will assume an incorrect sitting 
position. Risk of fatal accidents.
•
Special guidelines apply to installing a child seat on the front 
passenger seat. When installing a child seat, observe the warning note in 
the  ⇒page 46, “Child safety”.WARNING (continued)
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Seats and stowage
126Head restraintsCorrect adjustment of head restraints
Properly adjusted head restraints are an important part of 
occupant protection and can redu ce the risk of injuries in 
most accident situations.
– Adjust the head restraint so that its upper edge is at the same 
level as the top of your head, or as close as possible to the same 
level as the top of your head and, as a very minimum at eye 
level. ⇒fig. 92  and ⇒fig. 93Adjusting the head restraints  ⇒page 127
WARNING
•
Travelling with the head restraints removed or improperly adjusted 
increases the risk of severe injuries.
•
Improperly adjusted head restraints could lead to death in the event  of 
a collision or accident.
•
Incorrectly adjusted head restraints also increase the risk of injury 
during sudden or unexpected driving or braking manoeuvres.
•
The head restraints must always be adjusted according to the occu-
pant's size.
Fig. 92  Viewed from in 
front: Properly adjusted 
head restraints and 
proper belt adjustment
Fig. 93  Viewed from side: 
Properly adjusted head 
restraints and proper belt 
adjustment
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Seats and stowage127
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
Removing or adjusting head restraints
The head restraints can be adju sted by moving them up and 
down.Adjusting height (front seats)
– Press the button on the side  and pull upwards to the desired 
position.
– To lower the head restraint, press the button and push head  restraint downwards.
– Make sure that it engages securely into position.
Adjusting height (rear seats)
– Press the button on the side  and pull upwards to the desired 
position. – To lower the head restraint, press the button and push head 
restraint downwards.
– Make sure that the head restraint engages securely in one of its  positions.  ⇒page 14
Angle adjustment (front seats)
– Press the head restraint forward or back to the required position.
Removing the head restraint
– Push the head restraint up as far as it will go.
– Press the button  ⇒fig. 94  (arrow).
– Pull head restraint out of fitting without releasing the button.
Fitting the head restraint
– Insert the head restraint into the guides on the rear backrest.
– Push head restraint down.
– Adjust the head restraint to suit body size  ⇒page 14 and 
⇒ page 13
WARNING
•
Never drive if the head restraints have been removed. Risk of injury.
•
Never drive if the head restraints are in an unsuitable position, there is 
a risk of serious injury.
•
After refitting the head restraint, you must always adjust it properly for 
height to achieve optimal protection.
•
Please observe the safety warnings  ⇒page 126, “Correct adjustment 
of head restraints”.
Fig. 94  Adjusting and 
removing the head 
restraints
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Seats and stowage
128Electric Front seatsAdjustment of the front seatsThe control elements in  ⇒fig. 95 are mirrored for the front right-
hand seat.
 Adjusting the seat forwards and backwards
– Pull up the grip and move th e seat forwards or backwards.
– Then release the grip   and move the seat further until the  catch engages.
 Adjusting the seat height*
– Pull the lever up or push down (s everal times if necessary) from 
its home position. This adjusts the seat height in stages.  Adjusting the backrest angle
– Take your weight off the backrest and turn the hand wheel.
 Adjusting the lumbar support*
– Take your weight off the backrest and turn the hand wheel to  adjust the lumbar support.
The backrest curvature of the cushioned area is determined by the settings 
made in the lumbar region. This supports the natural curvature of the spine 
very effectively.
WARNING
•
Never adjust the driver or front passenger seat while the vehicle is in 
motion. While adjusting your seat, you will assume an incorrect sitting 
position. Risk of fatal accidents. Adju st the driver or front passenger seat 
only when the vehicle is stationary.
•
To reduce the risk of injury to th e driver and front passenger during 
sudden braking manoeuvres or an acci dent, never drive with the backrest 
tilted far to the rear. The maximum protection of the seat belt can be 
achieved only when the backrests are in  an upright position and the driver 
and front passenger have properly adjusted their seat belts. The further 
the backrests are tilted to the rear,  the greater the risk of injury due to 
improper positioning of the belt web!
•
Exercise caution when adjusting the seat height or forwards/back-
wards position. Injuries can be caused if the backrest is tilted without due 
care and attention.
Fig. 95  Front left seat 
controls
A1
A1
A2
A3A4
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Seats and stowage129
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
Heated seats* 
 
The front seat cushions and backrests can be heated electri-
cally.
– Turn the appropriate thumb wheel  ⇒fig. 96  to switch on the seat 
heating. The seat heating is switched off in the  0 position.The seat heating only works when the ignition is switched on. The left thumb 
wheel controls the left seat and the right thumb wheel the right seat.
Caution
To avoid damaging the heating elements, please do not kneel on the seat or 
apply sharp pressure at a single poin t to the seat cushion and backrest.
Rear seat benchSeat adjustment
Fig. 96  Thumb wheel for 
the front seat heating
Fig. 97  For unlocking the 
rear seatFig. 98  Rear seat back-
rest angle adjustment
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