
C
Calling up a fault see Display messages
Capacities
see Technical data
Car
see Vehicle
Care
Automatic car wash .......................254
Carpets .......................................... 258
Display ........................................... 257
Exterior lighting ............................. 256
Gea rors electo rlever .................... 258
High-pressure cleaner .................... 254
Interior ........................................... 257
Matt paintwork .............................. 255
Notes ............................................. 253
Paint .............................................. 255
Plastic trim .................................... 257
Roof lining ...................................... 258
Seat bel t........................................ 258
Seat cover ..................................... 258
Sensors ......................................... 257
Steering wheel ............................... 258
Tai lpipes ....................................... 257
Trim pieces .................................... 258
Washing by hand ........................... 254
Wheels ........................................... 255
Windows ........................................ 256
Wiper blades .................................. 256
Wooden trim .................................. 258
Car key
see Key
Car wash (care) ................................. 254
CD player/CD changer(on-board
computer) .......................................... 186
Cell phone see Mobile phone
Central locking
Automatic locking (on-board com-
puter) ............................................. 193
Locking/unlocking (key ).................. 66
Centre console
Lowe rsection .................................. 33
Uppe rsection .................................. 32Changing bulbs
Dipped-bea mheadlamps ............... 108
Important safety notes ..................106
Main-beam headlamps ................... 108
Overview of bul btypes .................. 107
Parking lamps (front) .....................108
Removing/replacing the cover
(front wheel arch) .......................... 107
Reversing lamps ............................ 109
Standing lamps .............................. 108
Turn signals (front) ......................... 108
Children
In the vehicle ................................... 47
Restraint systems ............................ 47
Child seat
Automatic recognition .....................49
On the front-passenger sea t............ 48
Problem (malfunction) .....................51
Recommendations ...........................52
Suitable positions ............................ 51
Cigarette lighter ................................ 240
Cleaning Mirro rturn signal ........................... 256
Climate control
Air conditioning ............................. 115
Controlling automatically ...............118
Convenience opening/closing
(air-recirculatio nmode) ................. 121
Cooling with aird ehumidification..117
Demisting the windows .................. 120
Demisting the windscreen .............120
Important safety notes ..................114
Indicator lamp ................................ 118
Notes on using the air-condition-
ing system ..................................... 115
Notes on using THERMOTRONIC
automatic climate control ..............116
Overview of systems ......................114
Problems with cooling with air
dehumidification ............................ 118
Problem with the rear window
heating .......................................... 121
Setting the aird istribution.............119
Setting the airflow .........................119
Setting the airv ents...................... 122
Setting the temperature ................118
Switching air-recirculation mode
on/off ............................................ 1216
Index 

Refuelling
Fuelgauge ....................................... 28
Important safety notes ..................142
Refuelling proces s......................... 143
see Fuel
Releasing the parking loc kman-
ually (automatic transmission) ........142
Remote control Garage door opene r....................... 243
Programming (garage door
opener) .......................................... 243
Reserve (fuel tank)
see Fuel
Reserve fuel
Display message ............................ 212
Warning lamp ................................. 231
Residual heat (climate control) ........122
Restraint system see SRS (Supplemental Restraint
System)
Rev counter ........................................ 179
Reverse gear Engaging (automatic transmis-
sion) ............................................... 137
Engaging (manual transmission) ....136
Reversible floor (boot) ......................238
Reversing lamp Changing bulbs .............................. 109
Reversing lamps
Display message ............................ 210
Roof
Display message ............................ 221
Important safety notes ....................78
Opening/closing (with key) .............. 80
Opening/closing (with roof
switch) ............................................. 79
Problem (malfunction) .....................82
Relocking ......................................... 80
Roof carrier ........................................ 238
Roof lining and carpets (cleaning
instructions) ...................................... 258
Roof switch .......................................... 79
Route (navigation) see Route guidance (navigation)
Route guidance (navigation) ............184 S
Safety Childre ninthe vehicle ..................... 47
Child restraint systems ....................47
Safety systems
see Driving safety systems
Seat belt
Adjusting the driver's and front-
passenger sea tbelt ......................... 46
Belt force limiter .............................. 46
Belt tensione r.................................. 46
Cleaning ......................................... 258
Fastening ......................................... 45
Important safety guidelines .............44
Releasing ......................................... 46
Switching belt adjustment on/off
(on-board computer) ......................194
Warning lamp ................................. 224
Warning lamp (function) ................... 46
Seats
Adjusting (electrically). ....................90
Adjusting (manually )........................ 89
Adjusting the 4-way lumba rsup-
por t.................................................. 90
Adjusting the head restraint ............90
Cleaning the cover .........................258
Correct driver's seat position ........... 88
Important safety notes ....................89
Seat heating problem ......................91
Storing settings (memory func-
tion) ................................................. 96
Switching AIRSCARF on/off ............91
Switching sea theating on/off .........90
Sensors (cleaning instructions) .......257
Service see ASSYST PLUS service interval
display
Service Centre
see Qualified specialist workshop
Service menu (on-board computer) .190
Service products Brake fluid ..................................... 308
Coolant (engine) ............................ 308
Engine oil ....................................... 307
Fuel ................................................ 303
Important safety notes ..................303
Washer fluid .................................. .309 Index
15 

How the airbag system works is deter-
mined by the severity of the collision detec-
ted, especially the vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, and the apparent type of acci-
dent:
R
head-on collision
R side impact
R rea rimpact
R overturn
The rate of vehicle deceleratio noraccelera-
tion and the direction of the force are essen-
tially determined by:
R the distribution of forces during the colli-
sion
R the collisio nangle
R the deformation characteristics of the vehi-
cle
R the characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided
Factors which can only be see nand measured
after a collision has occurred do not play a
decisive role in the deployment of an airbag,
nor do they provide an indicatio nofairbag
deployment.
The vehicle may be deformed significantly,
e.g. the bonnet or the wing, without an airbag
being deployed. This is the case if only parts
which are relatively easily deformed are affec-
ted and the rate of deceleration is not high.
Conversely, airbags may be deployed even
though the vehicle suffers only minor defor-
mation. This is the case if, for example, very
rigid vehicle parts such as longitudinal body
members are hit, and sufficien tdeceleration
occurs as a result. Airbags
Important safety notes Airbag deployment slows down and restricts
the movement of the vehicle occupant.
If the airbags are deployed, you will hear a
bang and a small amount of powder may also
be released. Only in rare cases will the bang affect your hearing. The powder that is
released generally does not constitute a
health hazard. The
6SRS warning lamp
lights up.
The airbag installation locations are identified
by the AIRBAG symbol. G
WARNING
Airbags provide additional protection; they
are not, however, a substitute for seat belts.
Observe the following notes to reduce the risk
of serious or even fatal injury caused by airbag
deployment:
R all vehicle occupants –inparticular, preg-
nant women – must wear their seat belt
correctly at all times and lean back against
the backrest, which should be positioned
as close to the vertical as possible. The
head restraint must support the back of the
head at about eye level.
R always secure childre nless than
1.50mt all or unde r12years of age in suit-
able child restraint systems.
R all vehicle occupants must select a seat
position that is as far away from the airbag
as possible. The driver's seat position must
allow the vehicle to be driven safely. The
driver's chest should be as far away from
the centre of the driver's airbag cover as
possible.
R move the front-passenger seat as far back
as possible. This is especially important if
you have secured a child in a child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat.
R vehicle occupants –inparticular, children
–m ust no tlean their heads into the area of
the window in which the sidebag/headbag
is deployed.
R rearward-facing child restraint systems
must not be fitted to the front-passenger
seat unless the front-passenger fron tair-
bag has been disabled. The front-passenger
front airbag is disabled if a child restraint
system with transponders for automatic
child seat recognition is fitted to the front-
passenger seat. The 4PASSENGER 40
Occupant safetySafety 

AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp must be con-
tinuously lit.
If you secure a forward-facing child
restraint system to the front-passenger
seat, you must move the front-passenger
sea tas far back as possible.
R make sure there are no heavy or sharp-
edged objects in the pockets of clothing.
R do not lean forwards, e.g. over the cover of
the driver's/front-passenger front airbag,
particularly when the vehicle is in motion.
R do not put your feet on the dashboard.
R only hold the steering wheel on the outside.
This allows the airbag to be fully deployed.
You could be injured if the airbag is
deployed and you are holding the inside of
the steering wheel.
R do not lean on the doors from inside the
vehicle.
R make sure that there are no people, ani-
mals or objects between the vehicle occu-
pants and the area where the airbags are
deployed.
R do not place any objects between the seat
backrest and the door.
R do not hang any hard objects, for example,
coat hangers, on the grab handles or coat
hooks.
R do not attach accessories, e.g. cup holders,
to the doors.
It is not possible to rule out a risk of injury
being caused by an airbag, due to the high
speed at which the airbag must be deployed. G
WARNING
Airbag functionality can only be assured if the
following parts are not covered and no badges
or stickers are attached to them:
R padded steering wheel boss
R front-passenger airbag cover
R door trim
R outer side of seat bolsters G
WARNING
When an airbag deploys, a small amount of
powder is released.T he powder may cause
short-term breathing difficulties to persons
suffering from asthma or other pulmonary
conditions.
In order to prevent potential breathing diffi-
culties, you should leave the vehicle as soon
as it is safe to do so. You can also open the
window to allow fresh air to enter the vehicle
interior. The powder does not constitute a
health hazard and does not indicate that there
is a fire in the vehicle. G
WARNING
The airbag parts are hot after the airbag has
been deployed. Do not touch them as you
could burn yourself.
Have the airbags replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Otherwise, occupants are
not protected by the airbags in the event of
another accident.
Front airbags The front airbags increase protection for the
driver's and front-passenger's head and
chest.
Driver's airbag
:deploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger front air-
bag ;deploys in front of and above the glove
compartment. Occupant safety
41Safety Z 

They are deployed:
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of vehicle acceleration or deceleration in a
longitudinal direction
R if the system determines that airbag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
R if the seat belt is fastened
R independently of other airbags in the vehi-
cle
If the vehicle overturns, the front airbags are
generally not deployed. The fronta irbags are
deployed if the system detects high vehicle
deceleration in a longitudinal direction.
Front-passenger airbag ;is only activated if
the system detects that the front-passenger
seat is occupied. The _PASSENGER AIR-
BAG ON indicator lamp lights up for
60 seconds when the ignition is switched on.
The a PASSENGER AIRBA GOFF indicator
lamp on the centre console is not lit
(Y page 49). This means that a child
restraint system withou tautomatic child seat
recognition has been fitted to the front-
passenger seat, or a child restraint system
with automatic child seat recognition has
been fitted incorrectly.
! Do not place heavy objects on the front-
passenger seat .The system may then
detect that the seat is occupied and if there
is an accident, the restraint systems on the
front-passenger side could be deployed.
Have restraint systems that have been trig-
gered replaced.
Sidebags G
WARNING
If you wish to use seat covers, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that, for safety reasons, you
only use seat covers that have been approved
for Mercedes-Ben zvehicles.
The seat covers must have a special tear seam
for sidebags. Otherwise, the sidebags cannot
deploy correctly and would fail to provide the intended protection in the event of an acci-
dent. Appropriate seat covers can be
obtained, for example, from a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
When deployed, the sidebags offer additional
protection for the thorax of the vehicle occu-
pants on the side of the vehicle on which the
impact occurs .However, they do not protect
the:
R head
R neck
R arms Sidebags
:deploy next to the outer seat
cushions.
The sidebags are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion, e.g. in a side impact
R independently of the use of the seat belt
R independently of the front airbags
R independently of the belt tensioners
If the vehicle overturns, the sidebags are gen-
erally not deployed. Exception :ifthe system
detects high vehicle deceleration or acceler-
ation in a lateral direction and determines
that deployment can offer additional protec-
tion to that provided by the seat belt. 42
Occupant safetySafety 

The shoulder belt section must be routed
across the centre of your shoulder – on no
account across your neck or under your
arm –and pulled tight against your upper
body .The lap belt must always pass across
your lap as low down as possible, i.e. over
your hip joints –not across your abdomen.
If necessary, push down the belt strap
slightly and then retighten it in the roll-up
direction.
R seat belts must not be twisted within the
belt loop on the seat.
R do not route the belt strap across sharp
edges or fragile objects. This is especially
the case if these are located on or in your
clothing, e.g. spectacles, pens, keys, etc.
The seat belt strap could be damaged and
tear in an accident, and you or other vehicle
occupants could be injured.
R only one person should use each seat belt
at any one time. Children must never travel
sitting on the lap of other occupants. It
would not be possible to restrain the child
in the event of a sudden change in direc-
tion, braking or an accident .This could
result in severe or even fatal injuries to the
child and other occupants.
R persons less than 1.50 m tall cannot wear
the seat belts correctly. For this reason,
secure persons less than 1.50 mtall in spe-
cially designed, suitable restraint systems.
R children less than 1.50 m tall and under
twelve years of age canno twear the seat
belts correctly. Therefore, they should
always be secured in a suitable child
restraint system on the front-passenger
seat. You can find more information under
"Children in the vehicle" in the "Safety" sec-
tion of the Owner's Manual. Follow the
manufacturer's installation instructions
when fitting a child restraint system.
R Do not secure any objects with a seat belt
if the seat belt is also being used by one of
the vehicle's occupants. G
WARNING
The seat belt does not offer the intended level
of protection unless the backrest is almost
vertical. Under certain circumstances, this
could cause severe or even fatal injuries in the
event of an accident.
Before starting a journey, make sure that the
seat is properly adjusted and that the back-
rest is almost vertical. G
WARNING
Ad irty or damaged seat belt or one that has
been modified or subjected to a load in an
accident no longer offers the intended level of
protection. Under certain circumstances, this
could cause severe or even fatal injuries in the
event of an accident.
For this reason, chec kregularly that the seat
belts are not damaged or dirty.
Always have damaged seat belts or seat belts
that have been subjected to a load in an acci-
dent replaced at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use seat belts which have
been approved by Mercedes-Benz for your
vehicle.
Fastening seat belts Occupant safety
45Safety Z 

Bel
ttensioners do not pull vehicle occupants
back towards the backrest.
If the seat belt is also fitted with a belt force
limiter and this is triggered, the force exerted
by the seat belt on the vehicle occupan tis
reduced.
The beltf orce limiters are synchronised with
the front airbags. They take on a part of the
deceleration force, resulting in the force exer-
ted on the occupant being distributed over a
greater area.
The belt tensioners can only be activated
when:
R the ignition is switched on.
R the restraint systems are operational; see
"SRS warning lamp" (Y page 39).
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the three-point seat belts.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied and
the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
the front-passenger side.
The belt tensioners are triggered depending
on the type and severity of an accident:
R if, in the event of a head-on or rear-end col-
lision, the vehicle decelerates or acceler-
ates rapidly in a longitudinal direction dur-
ing the initial stages of the impact
R if, in the event of a side impact, the vehicle
is subjected to high lateral acceleration/
deceleration
R if in certain situations where the vehicle
overturns and the system determines that
it can provide additional protection
If the airbags are deployed, you will hear a
bang, and a small amount of powder may also
be released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that is
released generally does not constitute a
health hazard. The 6SRS warning lamp
lights up. G
WARNING
If the seat belt tensioners have been trig-
gered, they provide no additional protection
in the event of another accident. Therefore, have belt tensioners which have been trig-
gered replaced at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Comply with safety regulations when dispos-
ing of belt tensioners. Any Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre can provide details of these
regulations.
! If the front-passenger seat is not occu-
pied, do not engage the seat belt tongue in
the buckle on the front-passenger seat.
Otherwise, the belt tensioner could be trig-
gered in the event of an accident. Children in the vehicle
Child restraint systems
Important safety notes G
WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious or even fatal
injury to the child in the event of a sudden
change in direction, braking or an accident:
R children less than 1.50 m tall and under
twelve years of age must always be secured
in special child restraint systems on the
front-passenger seat. This is necessary
because the seat belts are not designed for
children.
R you must move the front-passenger seat as
far back as possible if you secure a forward-
facing child restraint system without trans-
ponder for automatic child seat recognition
to the front-passenger seat.
R children must never travel sitting on the lap
of another occupant. Due to the forces
which occur in the event of a sudden
change of direction, heavy braking or an
accident, it would not be possible to
restrain the child. The child could be thrown
against parts of the vehicle interior and be
seriously or even fatally injured. Children in the vehicle
47Safety Z 

G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is not properly fit-
ted to the front-passenge rseat, it cannot pro-
vide its protective function. The child cannot
be restrained in the event of an accident,
heavy braking or sudden changes of direction.
The child could be seriously or even fatally
injured. For this reason, when fitting a child
restraint system, observe the manufacturer's
installation instructions and the correct use
of the child restraint system.
The entire base of the child restraint system
must always rest on the seat cushion. There-
fore, never place objects, e.g. a cushion,
under the child restraint system.
Only use child restraint systems with the orig-
inal cover designed for them. Only replace
damaged covers with genuine Mercedes-Benz
covers.
When possible, only use child restraint sys-
tems which have been approved for use in
Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
If a child is travelling in your vehicle, secure
the child using a child restraint system which
is appropriate to the size, age and weight of
the child and recommended for Mercedes-
Benz vehicles. Make sure that the child is
secured in a child restraint system through-
out the trip.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
use the child restraint systems listed at
(Y page 52).
You can obtain further information about the
correct child restraint system from any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
i It is advisable to use Mercedes-Benz care
products to clean child restraint systems.
You can obtain information about this at
any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. G
WARNING
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system. They could injure them-
selves on parts of the vehicle. They could also be seriously or even fatally injured by pro-
longed exposure to extreme heat or cold.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. Parts of the child restraint sys-
tem could heat up and the child could burn
herself/himself on them.
If a child opens a door, the child or other per-
sons could be injured as a result. They could
get out and injure themselves or be injured by
a passing vehicle. G
WARNING
Unsecured or incorrectly positioned loads
increase the risk of injury for children and all
other occupants in the event of:
R an accident
R a braking manoeuvre
R a sudden change of direction
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the vehi-
cle interior unless they are secured. You will
find further information in the index under
"Practical tips".
Child seat on the front-passenger seat Warning notice on the front-passenger sun visor48
Children in the vehicleSafety