2007 MERCEDES-BENZ C280 seat adjustment

45 Getting started
Driving
Belt outlet height adjustment
1Release button
Press release button1 and move the
seat belt height adjuster upward or
downward.
Proper use of seat belts

Do not twist the seat belt when fasten-
ing.

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.

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
upright position.

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

Do not fasten a seat belt around a
person 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 that it is properly posi-
tioned.

Make sure that 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
Center.

60 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Warning!G
To reduce the risk of injury when the front
air bags inflate, it is very important for the
driver and front passenger to always be in a
properly seated position and to wear their
respective 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 make sure that it is prop-
erly positioned on your body.
Since the air bag 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 air bag.
Occupants who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the air bag can be seriously
injured or killed by an air bag as it inflates
with great force in the blink of an eye:

Sit properly belted in a nearly upright
position with your back against the seat
backrest.

Adjust the driver’s seat as far as possi-
ble rearward, still permitting proper op-
eration of vehicle controls. The distance
from the center of the driver’s breast-
bone to the center of the air bag cover
on the steering wheel must be at least
10 in (25 cm) or more. You should be
able to accomplish this by a combina-
tion of adjustments to the seat and
steering wheel. If you have any prob-
lems, please see an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

Do not lean your head or chest close to
the steering wheel or dashboard.

Keep hands on the outside of steering
wheel rim. Placing hands and arms in-
side the rim can increase the risk and
potential severity of hand/arm injury
when driver front air bag inflates.

Adjust the front passenger seat as far as
possible rearward from the dashboard
when the seat is occupied.

Occupants, especially children, should
always sit nearly upright, properly use
the seat belts and use an appropriately
sized infant or toddler restraint or boost-
er seat recommended for the size and
weight of the child.
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injuries to you or other
occupants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that
you make the buyer aware of this safety in-
formation. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator’s Manual.

101 Controls in detail
Seats
Seats
For information on seat adjustment, see
“Adjusting” (
page 34).
Front seat active head restraintsYou cannot remove the active head re-
straints on the driver’s and front passen-
ger’s seat.
For removal of the active head restraints
we recommend that you contact an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
For information on head restraint
adjustment, see “Seats” (
page 34).
For information on active head restraints,
see “Active head restraint” (
page 73).
Rear seat head restraints
Warning!G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible and the center
of the head restraint supports the back of
the head at eye level. This will reduce the po-
tential for injury to the head and neck in the
event of an accident or similar situation.
iAdjust the head restraint in such a way that
it is as close to the head as possible.
Warning!G
For safety reasons, always drive with the
rear head restraints in the upright position
when the rear seats are occupied.
Keep the area around head restraints clear
of articles (e.g. clothing) to not obstruct the
folding operation of the head restraints.

105 Controls in detail
Seats
Lumbar support
The curvature of the front seats can be ad-
justed to help enhance lower back support
and seating comfort.
1Adjustment lever
Move adjustment lever1 in direction
of arrows until you have reached a
comfortable seating position.
Multicontour seats* (Canada only)
This driver’s multicontour seat has a mov-
able seat cushion and inflatable air cush-
ions built into the backrest to provide
additional lumbar and side support.
The seat cushion movement, backrest
cushion height and curvature can be
continuously varied with switches on the
side of the seat after switching on ignition.
1Seat cushion depth
2Backrest bottom
3Backrest center
4Backrest side bolster adjustmentSwitch on the ignition (page 32).
Seat cushion depth
Adjust the seat cushion depth to the
length of your upper leg using
switch1.
Backrest contour
Adjust the contour of the backrest to
the desired position using switches2
and3.
Backrest side bolsters
Adjust the backrest side bolsters so
that they provide good lateral support
using switch4.
iIf, after a period of time, the seat no longer
provides the desired contour, then repeat the ad-
justment procedure.

432 Index
S
Safety
Driving safety systems 82
Occupant 58
Reporting defects 18
Safety belts see Seat belts
Satellite radio* 197
Seat belt force limiter 72
Seat belts 69
Children in the vehicle 74
Cleaning 319
Fastening 43
Height adjustment 45
Proper use of 45, 70
Safety guidelines 62
Telltale 25
Seat heating* 106
Seating capacity 285Seats, 34, 101
Heating* 106
Lumbar support* 105
Manual 35, 101
Memory function*
(Power seats*) 107
Multicontour seat*
(Canada only) 105
Power* 37, 101
Rear bench seat* 233
Securing cargo 236
Selector lever see Gear selector lever
Selector lever see gear selector lever
Self-test
OCS 68
Tele Aid* 248
Service and Warranty Booklet
Loss of 397
Service and warranty information 10
Service intervals see
Maintenance service indicator 310
Service life (tires) 282
Service see Maintenance Service system
see FSS (Canada vehicles)
Service, Parts 396Settings
Control system menus
and submenus 124, 125
Date 138
Factory, SmartKey 93
Individual, SmartKey 94
Individual, Vehicle 131
Lighting (control system) 139
Memory function* 107
Menus and submenus 123
Resetting all (control system) 131
Selective, SmartKey 94
Time 136, 137
Shelf below rear window, cleaning 319
Shift lever position indicator 121
Shift program mode,
Automatic transmission* 121
Shifting
Automatic transmission* 47
Into reverse
(manual transmission) 150
Manual transmission 46, 150
Shifting, Automatic transmission* 151
Side impact air bags (front and rear*) 64

433 Index
Side marker lamps
Cleaning lenses 316
Messages in display 350
Replacing bulbs 373
Side windows see Power windows
Sidewall 306
Ski sack* (Canada only) 230, 232, 233
SmartKey see Key, SmartKey
Snow chains 309
Sound system* 191
Spare fuses 391
Spare wheel 406
Bolts 360
Mounting 377
Speed settings
Cruise control 229
Speedometer 25, 134
Split rear bench seat* 233
SRS 70
Indicator lamp 25, 330
Message in display 342
Standing lamps
Replacing bulbs 368
Standing water, Driving through 268Starter switch 23, 32
Positions 32
Starting difficulties, Engine 47
Steering column 39, 40
Easy entry/exit feature* 40
Steering gear oil
Message in display 354
Steering wheel 38
Buttons 26
Cleaning 319
Electrical adjustment* 40
Lock 47
Manual adjustment 39
Stolen vehicle
Recovery services 253
Storage compartments
Armrest, Front 238
Cup holder 239
Glove box 237
Parcel net in
front passenger footwell 239
Telephone* 238
Storing (memory function*)
Positions into memory 108Storing tires 283
Submenus see Control system submenus
Substitute lamps
Bulbs 367
Summer opening feature 223
Sun visors 161
Sunshade* 162
Switching
Fuel (Flexible fuel vehicle) 415
Symbols used
in this operator’s manual 15