completely eliminate this risk is to never
place a child in a rear-facing child restraint
in the front seat. We therefore strongly
recommend that you always place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint in a backseat.
RIf you must install a BabySmart™
compatible rear-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat because
circumstances require you to do so, make
sure the 4/ indicator lamp is
illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Should the 4/ indicator lamp not
illuminate or go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation.
Periodically check the 4/ indicator
lamp while driving to make sure the
4/ indicator lamp is illuminated. If
the 4/ indicator lamp goes out or
remains out, do not transport a child on the
front passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.
A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front passenger
front air bag inflates.
RIf you have to place a child in a forward-
facing child restraint on the front passenger
seat, move the seat as far back as possible,
use the proper child restraint
recommended for the age, size and weight
of the child, and secure child restraint with
the vehicle’s seat belt according to the child
seat manufacturer’s instructions.
GWarning!
When using a BabySmart™ compatible child
seat on the front passenger seat, the front
passenger front air bag will not deploy only if
the 4/ indicator lamp remains
illuminated.
Please be sure to check the 4/
indicator lamp every time you use a
BabySmart™ compatible child seat on the
front passenger seat. Should the 4/
indicator lamp go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation. If the
4/ indicator lamp remains out, do not
use the BabySmart™ restraint to transport a
child on the front passenger seat until the
system has been repaired.
Special BabySmart™ compatible child seats,
designed for use with the Mercedes-Benz
system, are required for use with the
BabySmart™ air bag deactivation system.
Please contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for information on availability. With
the special child seat installed properly, the
front passenger front air bag will not deploy.
4/ indicator lamp : will be
illuminated, except with the SmartKey
removed from the starter switch or with the
starter switch in position 0.
The system does not deactivate the window
curtain air bag and the Emergency Tensioning
Device (ETD).
Self-test BabySmart™ without special
child seat installed
After turning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position 1 or 2 the 4/
indicator lamp illuminates. If an adult
occupant is properly sitting on the front
passenger seat and the front passenger seat
is detected as being occupied, the
4/ indicator lamp will illuminate and
go out after approximately 6 seconds. If the
front passenger seat is not occupied and the
front passenger seat is detected as being
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Emergency Tensioning Device (ETD),
seat belt force limiter
The seat belts for the front seats and rear
outer seats are equipped with ETDs and seat
belt force limiters.
The ETDs are designed to activate in the
following cases:
R in frontal or rear-end impacts exceeding
the system’s preset deployment threshold
R if the restraint systems are operational and
functioning correctly, see “SRS indicator
lamp” ( Y page 32)
The ETDs for the front seats will only activate
if the front seat belts are fastened (latch plate
properly inserted into buckle).
The ETDs for the rear outer seats will activate
with or without the respective seat belts
fastened.
In an impact, the ETDs remove slack from the
seat belts in such a way that the seat belts fit
more snugly against the body. Seat belt force
limiters, when activated, are employed to
help reduce the peak force exerted by the
seat belts on occupants during a crash.
i The ETDs do not correct an incorrect seat
position or incorrectly worn seat belts.
The ETDs do not pull occupants back
toward the seat backrest.
GWarning!
Pyrotechnic ETDs that were activated must be
replaced.
For your safety, when disposing of the
pyrotechnic ETDs always follow our safety
instructions. These are available at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Correct driver seat adjustmentGWarning!
In order to avoid possible loss of vehicle
control the following must be done before the
vehicle is put into motion:
R seat adjustment
R head restraint adjustment
R steering wheel adjustment
R rear view mirror adjustment
R fastening of seat belts
Steering wheel
GObserve Safety notes, see page 70.XPosition the steering wheel properly
( Y page 71).
Make sure:
R You can reach the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent at the elbows.
R You can move your legs freely.
R All displays (including malfunction and
indicator lamps) on the instrument cluster
are clearly visible.
Seat belt
GObserve Safety notes, see page 39.XFasten and position your seat belt correctly
( Y page 41).
Make sure:
R The seat belt is always fitted snugly.
R Adjust the seat belt so that the shoulder
section is located as close as possible to
the middle of the shoulder.
R Place the lap portion of the seat belt as low
as possible on your hips.
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Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information when circumstances
require you to place a child in the front
passenger seat:
R Children 12 years old and under must never
ride in the front seat, except in a Mercedes-
Benz authorized BabySmart™ compatible
child seat, which operates with the
BabySmart™ system installed in the vehicle
to deactivate the front passenger front air
bag when it is installed properly. Otherwise
they will be struck by the air bag when it
inflates in a crash. If this happens, serious
or fatal injury will result.
R A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front passenger
front air bag inflates in a collision which
could occur under some circumstances,
even with the air bag technology installed
in your vehicle. The only means to
completely eliminate this risk is to never
place a child in a rear-facing child restraint
in the front seat. We therefore strongly
recommend that you always place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint in a backseat.
R If you must install a rear-facing child
restraint on the front passenger seat
because circumstances require you to do
so, make sure the 4/ indicator lamp
is illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Should the 4/ indicator lamp not
illuminate or go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation.
Periodically check the 4/ indicator
lamp while driving to make sure the
4/ indicator lamp is illuminated. If
the 4/ indicator lamp goes out or
remains out, do not transport a child on the
front passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.
A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat will be seriouslyinjured or even killed if the front passenger
front air bag inflates.
R If you have to place a child in a forward-
facing child restraint on the front passenger
seat, move the seat as far back as possible,
use the proper child restraint
recommended for the age, size and weight
of the child, and secure child restraint with
the vehicle’s seat belt according to the child
seat manufacturer’s instructions.GWarning!
Infants and small children should never share
a seat belt with another occupant. During an
accident, they could be crushed between the
occupant and seat belt.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
Children too big for a toddler restraint must
ride in 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 seat belt
positioning for children over 41 lb (18 kg) until
they reach a height where a lap/shoulder belt
fits properly without a booster.
When the child restraint is not in use, remove
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
accident.
Installation of infant and child restraint
systems
GObserve Safety notes, see page 46.GWarning!
Always lock the seat backrests in their upright
position when the rear seats are occupied by
passengers. Lock the seat backrests in their
upright position before installing top tether
straps or when the extended cargo
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compartment is not in use. Make sure that
seat backrests are secured properly by
pushing and pulling on the seat backrests. If
a seat backrest is not locked properly, the
seat backrest could fold. The child seat would
no longer be supported properly or positioned
to provide its intended benefit. That could
cause serious or even fatal injuries.
This vehicle is equipped with tether
anchorages for a top tether strap at each of
the rear seating positions. The anchorage
rings are located on the floor behind each rear
seat.
Top tether straps enable an additional
connection to be made between child
restraint systems secured with LATCH-type
(ISOFIX) anchors and rear seats. This can
further reduce the risk of injury.
XRemove the cargo compartment cover
blind, if installed (Y page 132).
XGuide the top tether strap between head
restraint and top of the seat backrest.
The head restraint must be installed and
positioned such that the top tether strap
can pass freely between the head restraint
and top of the seat backrest.
XMake sure the top tether strap is not
twisted.
XFold up anchorage ring :.XSecurely fasten hook ;, which is part of
top tether strap, to anchorage ring :.
XFor safety, make sure hook ; is attached
to anchorage ring : beyond the safety
catch, as illustrated.
Once hook ; is attached, the child restraint
itself can be secured.
XInstall the child restraint system and
tighten the top tether strap according to
the child restraint manufacturer’s
instructions.
GWarning!
Only use the described top tether anchorage
rings for the respective child seat. Other
lashing eyelets could tear in case of an
accident. Make sure the top tether straps are
not crossed or twisted and the hook is
attached and closed properly.
Child seat anchors – LATCH-type
GObserve Safety notes, see page 46.GWarning!
Children too big for a toddler restraint must
ride in 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 seat belt positioning for children over
41 lb (18 kg) until they reach a height where
a lap/shoulder belt fits properly without a
booster.
Install child seat according to manufacturer’s
instructions.
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Starter switch positions
SmartKey
GObserve Safety notes, see page 46.
Starter switch
gFor removing SmartKey (gear selector
lever must be in park position P)
1Power supply for some electrical
consumers, e.g. wipers
2Ignition (power supply for all electrical
consumers) and driving position
3Starting position
When you switch on the ignition, all lamps in
the instrument cluster come on. The low-
beam headlamp indicator lamp, high-beam
headlamp indicator lamp, and turn signal
indicator lamps will only come on if activated.
If a lamp in the instrument cluster fails to
come on when the ignition is switched on,
have it checked and replaced if necessary. If
a lamp in the instrument cluster remains on
after starting the engine or comes on while
driving, refer to “Lamps in instrument cluster”
(Y page 219).
If the SmartKey is left in starter switch
position 0 for an extended period of time, it
can no longer be turned in the starter switch.
In this case, the steering is locked. To unlock,
remove SmartKey from the starter switch and
reinsert.
The steering is locked when the SmartKey is
removed from the starter switch.
XAlways remove the SmartKey from the
starter switch when the engine is not in
operation.
This will help to prevent accelerated vehicle
battery discharge or a completely
discharged vehicle battery.
If the SmartKey cannot be turned in the
starter switch, the vehicle battery may not be
sufficiently charged.
XCheck the vehicle battery and charge it if
necessary (Y page 244).
or
XGet a jump start (Y page 244).
Seats
Safety notes
GWarning!
In order to avoid possible loss of vehicle
control the following must be done before the
vehicle is put into motion:
Rseat adjustment
Rhead restraint adjustment
Rsteering wheel adjustment
Rrear view mirror adjustment
Rfastening of seat belts
GWarning!
Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide under
the seat belt in a collision. If you slide under
it, the seat belt would apply force at the
abdomen or neck. That could cause serious
or fatal injuries. The seat backrest and seat
belts provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in a position that is as upright as
possible and seat belts are properly
positioned on the body.
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GWarning!
Your seat must be adjusted so that you can
correctly fasten your seat belt.
Observe the following points:
RAdjust the seat backrest until your arms are
slightly angled when holding the steering
wheel.
RAdjust the seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely. The
position should be as far back as possible
with the driver still able to operate the
controls properly.
RAdjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible. The center of
the head restraint must support the back of
the head at eye level.
RNever place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being
adjusted.
Failure to do so could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
GWarning!
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front seating
position. Thus, we strongly recommend that
children be placed in the rear seats whenever
possible. Regardless of seating position,
children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an
appropriately sized infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat recommended for
the size and weight of the child. For additional
information, see “Children in the vehicle”.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
GWarning!
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 potential 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 intended to
help reduce injuries during an accident.
Seat adjustment
! When moving the seats, make sure
Rthere are no items in the footwell or
behind the seat
Rthe cup holder next to the armrest is
removed
Rthe cup holder in the front passenger
footwell is folded closed
Otherwise, you could damage the seats.
Power seats
iThe memory function (Y page 73) lets
you store the settings for the seat position
together with the settings for the steering
wheel and the exterior rear view mirrors.
XSwitch on the ignition.
or
XOpen the respective door.66SeatsControls in detail
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GWarning!
Always lock the seat backrest in its upright
position when the rear seat bench is
occupied, or the extended cargo volume is not
in use.
Check for secure locking by pushing and
pulling on the seat backrest.
In an accident, during hard braking or sudden
maneuvers, loose items will be thrown around
inside the vehicle. This 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, exercise care when
transporting cargo.
GWarning!
Never drive a vehicle with the tailgate open.
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in
unconsciousness and death.
GWarning!
Failure to assure that the seat bench and seat
backrests are locked into place could result
in an increased chance of injury in an
accident.
Never place hands under seat or near any
moving parts while a seat is being adjusted.
For safety reasons, the rear seat bench must
only be adjusted when the vehicle is
stationary.
Never drive a vehicle with the tailgate open.
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in
unconsciousness and death.
! Before folding the rear seat backrest and
the rear seat bench forward, make sure
that all containers in the rear cup holder are
removed.
XFolding rear seat backrest: Pull release
lever : in direction of arrow and fold the
rear seat backrest forward until it locks into
place.
XFolding rear seat bench: Remove the
middle rear seat head restraint
(Y page 68).
XIf necessary, pull the driver’s and/or front
passenger seat forward.
XFold the rear seat backrests forward.XPull release lever ; in direction of arrow.XFold the rear seat bench forward.XAdjust front seats to desired position.XReturning rear seat bench to original
position: Fold the rear seat bench together
with the rear seat backrest rearward until
it locks into place.
XInstall the middle rear seat head restraint
(Y page 68).
XReturning rear seat backrest to original
position: Relieve the tension on the rear
seat backrest and pull release lever :.
XRaise the rear seat backrest until it locks
into place.
! Make sure that the seat belt is not
pinched when folding rear seat backrest.
XCheck for secure locking by pushing and
pulling on the rear seat backrest.
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seat belts at temperatures above 176‡
(80†) or in direct sunlight.GWarning!
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.
Upholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that have the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause the
upholstery to become permanently
discolored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration will
be prevented.
Leather upholstery
Please note that leather upholstery is a
natural product and is therefore subject to a
natural aging process. Leather upholstery
may also react to certain ambient influences
such as high humidity or high temperature by
showing wrinkles for example.
XWipe leather upholstery with a damp cloth
and dry thoroughly or clean with Mercedes-
Benz approved Leather Care.
! To avoid damage to leather upholstery:
R Wipe with light pressure only.
R Do not clean with abrasive cleaning
agents such as scouring milk or powder.
R Do not soak the leather upholstery.
As leather is a natural product, it could
otherwise harden or become porous.
R Exercise particular care when cleaning
perforated leather as its underside
should not become wet.
Wood trims
XOnly use water and a damp cloth to clean
wood trims in your vehicle.! Do not use solvents like tar remover or
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as
these may be abrasive.
Chrome-plated exhaust tip
Regular cleaning and care of chrome-plated
exhaust tips will help to maintain their shine
and the classy appearance.
XUse Mercedes-Benz approved Chrome
Polishing Paste each time the vehicle has
been washed, especially during the winter.
! Do not use alkaline cleaners such as
wheel cleaners as they could cause
corrosion.
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