2008 MERCEDES-BENZ R350 Owner's Manual

288 Controls in detail
Loading
Roof rack*
1Trim coverFlip roof trim covers 1 open.
Attach the roof rack to the attachment
points under roof trim covers 1.
Follow roof rack manufacturer’s
installation instructions.
For further information, inquire at your
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Warning!G
Only use the roof rack when the basic
carrier bars have been completely mounted.
The left and right roof rails are only
stabilized by means of the basic carriers
being mounted.
Follow the manufacturer’s installation
instructions. Otherwise, an improperly
attached roof rack system or its load could
become detached from the vehicle.
Do not exceed the maximum roof load of
220 lb (100 kg).
Take into consideration that when the roof
rack is loaded, the handling characteristics
are different from those when operating the
vehicles without the roof rack loaded.
!Load the roof rack in such a way that the
vehicle cannot be damaged while driving.
Make sure

you can completely raise the tilt/sliding
sunroof* (or tilt/sliding panel*) at the rear

you can open the tilt/sliding sunroof* (or
tilt/sliding panel*) completely

you can open the tailgate completely

289 Controls in detail
Loading
Loading instructions
Load distribution
The gross vehicle weight which is the
weight of the vehicle including fuel, tools,
spare wheel, installed accessories, pas-
sengers, and luggage/cargo must never
exceed the load limit and the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) for your vehicle as
specified on the placard located on the
driver’s door B-pillar (
page 524). In addi-
tion, the load must be distributed in such a
way so that the weight on each axle never
exceeds the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) for the front and rear axle. The
GVWR and GAWR for your vehicle are indi-
cated on the certification label which can
be found on the driver’s door B-pillar
(
page 524).
For more information, see “Tire and Load-
ing Information” (
page 367).
The handling characteristics of a fully
loaded vehicle depend greatly on the load
distribution. 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.
Warning!G
Always fasten items being carried as
securely 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
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.
To help avoid personal injury during a
collision or sudden maneuver, always use
tie-down rings and, if so equipped, always
use the cargo net* when transporting cargo.
Never drive vehicle with the tailgate open.
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in uncon-
sciousness and death.

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Loading
Please pay attention to and comply with
the following instructions when loading the
vehicle and transporting cargo:

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 backrests.
Cargo tie-down rings
Your vehicle is equipped with eight cargo
tie-down rings.
Carefully secure cargo by applying even
load on all rings with rope of sufficient
strength to hold down the cargo.Cargo compartment
Four cargo tie-down rings are located in
the cargo compartment.
1Cargo tie-down ring
iThe cargo compartment is the preferred
place to carry objects. The expanded cargo com-
partment (
page 292) should only be used for
items which do not fit in the cargo compartment
alone.
iWhile the cargo net* (page 301) will
help protect you from smaller objects, it cannot
prevent the movement of large, heavier objects
into the passenger compartment in an accident,
during hard braking, or sudden maneuvers. Such
items must be properly secured using the cargo
tie-down rings in the cargo compartment floor.

291 Controls in detail
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Second seat-row
Two cargo tie-down rings are located in the
footwell behind the driver’s and passenger
seat.
1Cargo tie-down ringThird seat-row
Two cargo tie-down rings are located in the
footwell behind the second-row seats.
1Cargo tie-down ringHooks
Two hooks are located on the rear com-
partment trim panels, one on each side.
1Hook
Use the hooks to secure light weight items
only. The maximum permissible weight per
hook is 9 lbs (4 kg).

292 Controls in detail
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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).

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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
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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.


295 Controls in detail
Loading
Move the seat to be folded to its rear-
most position (
page 134).
Remove the rear center console*, if so
equipped (
page 315).
Remove the head restraint from the
respective second-row seat
(
page 136).1Seat backrest
2Seat cushion
3Release lever
Place the head restraint on the seat
cushion.
Relieve the load on seat backrest 1
and pull release lever 3 past the
resistance point in direction of arrow
as far as it will go.
Seat and seat backrest are unlocked.
Fold seat backrest 1 forward until it
fully rests on seat cushion 2 in a
horizontal position.
1Seat backrest
2Seat cushion
Push down on folded seat backrest 1
until seat cushion 2 engages in seat
base.
iThe rear center console* can remain
installed, if installed in the most forward position
(
page 317). However, the cargo compartment
floor will then not be an even plane.
The storage compartment and the cupholders in
the rear center console* are only illuminated,
when the rear center console* is installed in the
most rearward position (position 0)
(
page 317).