2008 MERCEDES-BENZ R350 fold seats

134 Controls in detail
Seats
Fore and aft adjustment
(outboard second-row seats)
The handles for adjusting the seats are
located on the front of each seat base.
1Adjustment handle
Pull up handle 1 in direction of arrow
and hold it there.
Move seat to the desired position.
Release handle 1.
The seat must audibly engage.Seat backrest tilt
(outboard second-row seats)
The handles for adjusting the seats are
located on the rear of each seat base.
1Adjustment handle
While seated, pull handle 1 in direc-
tion of arrow to resistance point and
hold it there.
After adjusting rear seats, make sure

the seats are properly locked

the seat backrests are in an upright po-
sition and are properly locked
An outboard second-row seat is properly
locked only when lock status indicator 1 is
in hinged position and red marking 2 is
barely visible (
page 131).
If a seat and seat backrest are not properly
locked, the seat could move forward and the
seat backrest could fold. You could slide un-
der the seat belt during braking, vehicle ma-
neuvers, or in an accident. If you slide under
it, the belt would apply force at the abdomen
or neck. That could cause serious or even
fatal injuries.


136 Controls in detail
Seats
Outboard second-row seat head restraint
1Head restraint
2Release button
Raising:
Manually adjust the height of head
restraint 1 by pulling it upward to the
desired position.
Lowering:
To lower head restraint 1, press
release button2 and push down on
head restraint 1.Head restraints
iThe head restraint of the second-row middle
seat* and the third-row seat head restraints are
adjusted in the same manner.
iThe tilt of the second-row head restraints is
adjusted in the same manner as the front-seat
head restraints, see “Head restraint fore and aft
adjustment” (
page 46).
The tilt of the head restraint of the second-row
middle seat* and the third-row seat head
restraints cannot be adjusted.
Warning!G
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat
head restraints installed when the rear seats
are occupied. Head restraints are intended
to help reduce injuries during an accident.
With the second-row middle seat* or a
third-row seat occupied, make sure to move
the respective head restraint up from the
lowest non-use position and have the occu-
pant adjust the head restraint properly.
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust the head restraint in such a way that
it is as close to the head as possible and 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.
iWhen removing or installing the head
restraint of an outboard second-row seat, adjust
the seat to the rear as far as possible
(
page 134) and fold the seat backrest
(
page 129) forward.

137 Controls in detail
Seats
Removing head restraints
Seat position for removal of head restraints
from outboard second-row seats
1Head restraint
2Release button
To remove head restraint 1, pull head
restraint 1 to its uppermost position.
Press release button2 and pull out
head restraint 1.Installing head restraints
Insert head restraint 1 into openings
on the seat backrest.
Push head restraint 1 down until it
audibly engages.
Push release button2 and adjust
head restraint 1 to the desired
position (
page 135).Armrests
6-seat vehicles
The second-row seat armrests can be
folded up, when loading for example, and
adjusted.
Folding up:
Move the armrest into a vertical
position until it engages.
Adjusting:
With the armrest folded up, disengage
the armrest by pushing it towards the
rear slightly.
Fold the armrest down to the lowest
and then to the desired position until it
engages.
To readjust the armrest to a higher
position, move armrest up to the
desired position until it engages.
iThe head restraint of the second-row middle
seat* and the third-row seat head restraints are
removed in the same manner.
iOn the outboard second-row seats, the
guide bar with the detent must be on the left.
iThe head restraint of the second-row middle
seat* and the third-row seat head restraints are
installed in the same manner.
iTo readjust the armrest to a lower position,
you must first fold up the armrest again and re-
peat the steps above.

138 Controls in detail
Seats
7-seat vehicles*
You can use the seat backrest of the
second-row middle seat as an armrest for
the outboard seats.
Before folding the seat, completely
lower the head restraint of the
second-row middle seat (
page 135).
1Seat backrest release strap
2Seat backrest
3Seat cushion
Pull seat backrest release strap 1 in
direction of arrow.
Completely fold seat backrest 2 for-
ward so that it rests on seat cushion 3
(armrest position).
Armrest position
WarningG
The folded second-row middle seat is in-
tended to serve as an armrest only. Do not
fold the second-row middle seat and allow
occupants to use the folded second-row
middle seat as a footrest while driving. All
vehicle occupants must keep both feet on
the floor in front of their seat. Otherwise, oc-
cupants could slide under the seat belt in a
collision. If occupants slide under it, the belt
would apply force at the abdomen or neck.
That could cause serious or even fatal inju-
ries.
Do not fold the second-row middle seat
and allow occupants to use the folded
second-row middle seat as a table while
driving. Objects placed on the folded
second-row middle seat may move freely
during braking, vehicle maneuvers, or an ac-
cident and be thrown around in the vehicle
interior. Objects thrown around in the vehi-
cle interior may cause an accident and/or
serious personal injury.

292 Controls in detail
Loading
Expanding cargo compartment
You can separately fold each seat of the
rear passenger compartment to expand
the cargo compartment.
You can expand the cargo compartment

in part, i.e. folding third-row seats
(
page 292)

fully, i.e. folding second-row and
third-row seats (
page 293)Expanding cargo compartment in part
Folding third-row seats
Completely lower the head restraints of
the third-row seats.
1Seat belt holder
2Release handle
3Seat backrest
Warning!G
When expanding the cargo compartment,
always fully fold the corresponding seats
and, if so equipped, always use the cargo
net* (
page 301) when transporting cargo.
Unless you are transporting cargo, the seat
backrests must remain properly locked in
the upright position.
In an accident, during hard braking or
sudden maneuvers, loose items will be
thrown around inside the vehicle, and can
cause injury to vehicle occupants unless the
items are securely fastened in the vehicle.
Always use the cargo tie down rings
(
page 290).
Warning!G
Never drive vehicle with the tailgate open.
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in uncon-
sciousness and death.
!When the outboard second-row seats are
folded forward, the front seats may not be
moved to the rearmost position. Otherwise you
could damage the front and outboard sec-
ond-row seats.
!Close the cup holders in front of the
second-row seats before folding the second-row
seats. Otherwise you could damage the cup
holders and the second-row seats.
iThe third-row head restraints are adjusted in
the same manner as the head restraints of the
second-row seats (
page 135).

293 Controls in detail
Loading
Place seat belt in seat belt holder 1.
Pull release handle 2 on seat
backrest3 in direction of arrow.
Seat backrest 3 is released.
3Seat backrest
4Seat cushion
5Strap
Move seat backrest 3 slightly for-
ward.
Seat cushion 4 is released and folds
forward automatically.
Fold seat backrest 3 to a horizontal
position.Expanding cargo compartment fully
iStrap 5 serves to pull up the seat backrest
when bringing the third-row seats back to their
original position (
page 297).
WarningG
Folded second-row seats are intended to
serve as cargo compartment expansion in
conjunction with folded third-row seats
only. Do not fold the second-row seats and
allow third-row seat occupants to use folded
second-row seats as a footrest while driving.
Third-row seat occupants must, like all vehi-
cle occupants, keep both feet on the floor in
front of their seat. Otherwise, occupants
could slide under the seat belt in a collision.
If occupants slide under it, the belt would
apply force at the abdomen or neck. That
could cause serious or even fatal injuries.


294 Controls in detail
Loading
Folding second-row middle seat*
Fold the second-row middle seat to
armrest position (
page 138).
Armrest position
1Seat release strap
2Seat
Pull release strap 1 in direction of ar-
row.
The seat is released and flips up and
forward.
Push down on seat 2 until it engages.
Folded position
Folding outboard second-row seats
Do not fold the second-row seats and allow
third-row seat occupants to use folded
second-row seats as a table while driving.
Objects placed on folded second-row seats
may move freely during braking, vehicle ma-
neuvers, or an accident and be thrown
around in the vehicle interior. Objects
thrown around in the vehicle interior may
cause an accident and/or serious personal
injury.
!When folding both seat rows, it is important
that you fold the seats in the following order:

second-row middle seat*

outboard second-row seats

third-row seats
Otherwise, you could damage the seats.
!Close the cup holder in front of the
second-row seats before folding the second-row
middle seat. Otherwise you could damage the
cup holders and the second-row middle seat.
!When the outboard second-row seats are
folded forward, the front seats may not be
moved to the rearmost position. Otherwise
you could damage the front and the outboard
second-row seats.
!Close the cup holders in front of the out-
board second-row seats before folding the
outboard second-row seats. Otherwise you
could damage the cup holders and the outboard
second-row seats.


296 Controls in detail
Loading
Folding third-row seats
Completely lower the head restraints of
the third-row seats.
1Seat belt holder
2Release handle
3Seat backrest
Place seat belt in seat belt holder 1.
Pull release handle 2 on seat
backrest3 in direction of arrow.
Seat backrest 3 is released.
Slowly move seat backrest 3 forward.
Seat cushion 7 is released and folds
forward automatically.
3Seat backrest (third-row seat)
4Recess (on second-row seat backrest)
5Guide pin (on third-row seat cushion)
6Seat backrest (second-row seat)
7Seat cushion (third-row seat)
8StrapFold seat cushion 7 to a horizontal
position.
Guide pin 5 must engage in recess 4
of seat backrest 6.
Fold seat backrest 3 to a horizontal
position.
iThe third-row head restraints are adjusted in
the same manner as the head restraints of the
second-row seats (
page 135).
iStrap 8 serves to pull up the seat backrest
when bringing the third-row seats back to their
original position (
page 297).
iThe outboard second-row seats must be in
their rearmost position (
page 134).