The seat belt should:
R fit snugly across your body.
R be routed across the middle of your
shoulder.
R be routed across your hips in the pelvic
area.
X Before starting off, adjust the rear-view mir-
ror and the exterior mirrors (Y page 105)
so that you have a good view of road and
traffic conditions.
X Vehicles with a memory function: save
the seat and exterior mirror settings
(Y page 107). Seats
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If children adjust the seats, they could
become trapped, especially if they are unat-
tended. There is a risk of injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle while
driving if you:
R adjust the driver's seat, steering wheel or
mirrors
R fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirrors and fasten your seat
belt before starting the engine. G
WARNING
If you adjust the seat height carelessly, you or other vehicle occupants could be trapped andthereby injured. Children in particular could
accidentally press the electrical seat adjust-
ment buttons and become trapped. There is a
risk of injury. While moving the seats, make sure that your
hands or other body parts do not get under the
lever assembly of the seat adjustment sys-
tem. G
WARNING
When adjusting a seat, you or another vehicle occupant could become trapped by the guiderail of the seat, for instance. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure that no one has any part of their
body within the sweep of the seat when
adjusting it. G
WARNING
The seat belt does not offer the intended level of protection if you have not moved the back-
rest to an almost vertical position. When brak-
ing or in the event of an accident, you could
slide underneath the seat belt and sustain
abdomen or neck injuries, for example. This
poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Adjust the seat properly before beginning
your journey. Always ensure that the backrest
is in an almost vertical position and that the
shoulder section of your seatbelt is routed
across the centre of your shoulder. G
WARNING
The head restraints cannot provide the inten-
ded protection unless they are fitted and
adjusted correctly. There is an increased risk of injury to the head and neck in the event of
an accident or sudden braking, for example.
Always drive with the head restraints fitted.
Ensure that the centre of the head restraints
support the back of each vehicle occupant's
head at eye level before driving off. Seats
99Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z
!
To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information:
R do not spill any liquids on the seats. If
liquid is spilled on the seats, dry them as soon as possible.
R if the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat
heating should also not be used to dry
the seats.
R clean the seat covers as recommended;
see the "Interior care" section.
R do not transport heavy loads on the
seats. Do not place sharp objects on the seat cushions, e.g. knives, nails or tools.
The seats should only be occupied by
passengers, if possible.
R when the seat heating is in operation, do
not cover the seats with insulating mate- rials, e.g. blankets, coats, bags, seat cov-
ers, child seats or booster seats.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell under or behind the seats when
moving the seats back. There is a risk that
the seats and/or the objects could be dam-
aged.
i Further related subjects:
R Luggage compartment enlargement
(folding down the rear seats)
(Y page 279) Adjusting the seats manually Seat fore-and-aft adjustment
X
Lift handle :and slide the seat forwards
or rearwards.
X Release lever :again.
Make sure that you hear the seat engage in
position.
Backrest angle X
Relieve the pressure on the backrest.
X Turn handwheel ?forwards or backwards.
Seat height X
Pull handle =upwards or push it down
repeatedly until the seat has reached the
desired height.
Seat cushion angle Adjust the angle so that your thighs are lightly
supported.
X Turn handwheel ;forwards or backwards. Adjusting the seats electrically
:
Head restraint height 8
; Seat cushion angle
= Seat height
? Seat fore-and-aft adjustment
A Backrest angle
i You can store the seat settings using the
memory function (Y page 107).
8 Not available on vehicles with sports seats. 100
SeatsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors
Adjusting the head restraints
G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle while
driving if you:
R adjust the driver's seat, steering wheel or
mirrors
R fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirrors and fasten your seat
belt before starting the engine. G
WARNING
The head restraints cannot provide the inten-
ded protection unless they are fitted and
adjusted correctly. There is an increased risk of injury to the head and neck in the event of
an accident or sudden braking, for example.
Always drive with the head restraints fitted.
Ensure that the centre of the head restraints
support the back of each vehicle occupant's
head at eye level before driving off.
General notes For vehicles with sports seats you cannot
adjust the front head restraints or the outer
rear head restraints.
Adjusting the head restraints manually Adjusting the head restraint height X
To raise: pull the head restraint up to the
desired position.
X To lower: press release catch :in the
direction of the arrow and push the head
restraint down to the desired position.
Adjusting the head restraint fore-and-aft
position This function allows you to adjust the dis-
tance between the head restraint and the
back of the head.
X To move forwards: pull the head restraint
forwards in the direction of the arrow until
it engages.
There are a number of detents.
X To move backwards: press and hold
release button :and push the head
restraint backwards.
X When the head restraint is in the desired
position, release the button and make sure
that the head restraint is engaged in posi-
tion.
Adjusting the head restraints electri-
cally X
To adjust the head restraint height: slide
the switch for head restraint adjustment
(Y page 100) up or down in the direction of
the arrow. Seats
101Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z
Rear seat head restraints
Adjusting the rear seat head restraint
height
X
To raise: pull the head restraint up to the
desired height.
X To lower: press release catch :and push
the head restraint down until it is in the
desired position.
Removing and fitting the rear seat head
restraints G
WARNING
The head restraints cannot provide the inten-
ded protection unless they are fitted and
adjusted correctly. There is an increased risk of injury to the head and neck in the event of
an accident or sudden braking, for example.
Always drive with the head restraints fitted.
Ensure that the centre of the head restraints
support the back of each vehicle occupant's
head at eye level before driving off.
The rear head restraints on the outer seats
can be removed and refitted. For vehicles
with sports seats the rear head restraints
cannot be removed and refitted.
Electric head restraints cannot be removed.
For more information about removing electric head restraints, please contact a qualified
specialist workshop. X
Fold the seat backrest slightly forwards in
order to remove the head restraint
(Y page 280).
X To remove: pull the head restraint up to
the stop.
X Press release catch :and pull the head
restraint out of the guides.
X To refit: insert the head restraint so that
the notches on the bar are on the left when viewed in the direction of travel.
X Push the head restraint down until you hear
it engage in position. Adjusting the 4-way lumbar support
You can adjust the contour of the front seat
backrests individually to provide optimum
support for your back. :
To raise the backrest contour
; To soften the backrest contour
= To lower the backrest contour
? To harden the backrest contour 102
SeatsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors
Problems with the seat heating
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The seat heating has
switched off prema-
turely or cannot be
switched on. The on-board voltage is too low because too many electrical con-
sumers are switched on.
X Switch off electrical consumers that you do not need, such as
the rear window heating or interior lighting.
Once the battery is sufficiently charged, the seat heating will
switch back on automatically. Steering wheel
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle while
driving if you:
R adjust the driver's seat, steering wheel or
mirrors
R fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirrors and fasten your seat
belt before starting the engine. G
WARNING
Children could become trapped by the steer-
ing wheel if they adjust it. There is a risk of
injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. Adjusting the steering wheel
G
WARNING
The steering wheel may move unexpectedly if you adjust it while driving. This could cause
you to lose control of the vehicle. There is a
risk of an accident.
Make sure that the steering wheel is locked
before driving off. Never unlock the steering
wheel when the vehicle is in motion. :
Release lever
; To adjust the steering wheel height
= To adjust the steering wheel position
(fore-and-aft adjustment)
X Push release lever :down completely.
The steering column is unlocked.
X Adjust the steering wheel to the desired
position.
X Push release lever :up completely.
The steering column is locked.
X Check if the steering column is locked.
When doing so, try to push the steering
wheel up or down or try to move it in the
fore-and-aft direction. 104
Steering wheelSeats, steering wheel and mirrors
Parking tips:
R on narrow roads, drive as closely as possi-
ble past the parking space.
R parking spaces that are littered or over-
grown might be identified or measured
incorrectly.
R parking spaces that are partially occupied
by trailer drawbars might not be identified
as such or be measured incorrectly.
R snowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately.
R pay attention to the PARKTRONIC
(Y page 190) warning messages during the
parking procedure.
R you can intervene in the steering procedure
to correct it at any time. Active Parking
Assist will then be cancelled.
R when transporting a load which protrudes
from your vehicle, you should not use
Active Parking Assist.
R never use Active Parking Assist when snow
chains are fitted.
R make sure that the tyre pressures are
always correct. This has a direct influence
on the parking characteristics of the vehi-
cle.
Use Active Parking Assist for parking spaces
that are:
R parallel or at right angles to the direction of
travel
R on straight roads, not bends
R on the same level as the road, e.g. not on
the pavement
Detecting parking spaces Objects located above the height range of
Active Parking Assist will not be detected
when the parking space is measured. These
are not taken into account when the parking
procedure is calculated, e.g. overhanging
loads, tail sections or loading ramps of goods
vehicles. G
WARNING
If objects are located above the detection
range, Active Parking Assist may start to steer into the parking space too soon. As a result,
you could cause a collision. There is a risk of
an accident.
If objects are located above the detection
range, stop the vehicle and switch Active
Parking Assist off.
For further information on the detection
range (Y page 189).
Active Parking Assist does not support you
parking in spaces at right angles to the direc-
tion of travel if:
R two parking spaces are located directly
next to one another
R the parking space is directly next to a low
obstacle such as a low kerb stone
R you forward park
Active Parking Assist does not support you
parking in spaces that are parallel or at right
angles to the direction of travel if:
R the parking space is on a kerb stone
R the parking space appears to be blocked,
for example by foliage or grass paving
blocks
R the range of movement is too small
R the parking space is bordered by an obsta-
cle which is not clearly defined such as a
tree or a trailer :
Detected parking space on the left
; Parking symbol
= Detected parking space on the right
Active Parking Assist is activated automati-
cally when driving forwards. The system is
operational at speeds of up to approximately Driving systems
193Driving and parking Z
:
Vehicle centre point on the yellow guide
line at a distance of approximately 1.0 m
from the rear of the vehicle
; Trailer drawbar
= Ball coupling
X Set the height of trailer drawbar ;so that
it is slightly higher than ball coupling =.
X Position the vehicle centrally in front of
trailer drawbar ;. :
Ball coupling
; Red guide line at a distance of approx-
imately 0.25 m from the ball coupling
= Trailer drawbar locating aid
? Trailer drawbar
A Symbol for the "Coupling up a trailer"
function
X Select symbol Awith the Audio/COMAND
controller; see the separate operating
instructions for the audio system/
COMAND Online.
The "Coupling up a trailer" function is selec- ted. The distance specifications now only apply to objects that are at the same level
as the ball coupling.
X Reverse carefully, making sure that trailer
drawbar locating aid =points approx-
imately in the direction of trailer draw-
bar ?.
X Reverse carefully until trailer drawbar ?
touches red guide line ;.
X Couple up the trailer (Y page 207). ATTENTION ASSIST
General notes ATTENTION ASSIST helps you during long,
monotonous journeys such as on motorways and trunk roads. It is active in the 80 km/h to
180 km/h range.
If ATTENTION ASSIST detects typical indica-
tors of fatigue or increasing lapses in con-
centration on the part of the driver, it sug-
gests taking a break.
Important safety notes ATTENTION ASSIST is only an aid. It may not
always detect fatigue or lapses in concentra-
tion until too late, or may not detect them at
all. The system is not a substitute for a well-
rested and attentive driver.
ATTENTION ASSIST assesses your level of
fatigue or lapses in concentration by taking
the following criteria into account:
R your personal driving style, e.g. steering
characteristics
R journey-related parameters, e.g. time of
day, length of journey
The functionality of ATTENTION ASSIST is
restricted, and warnings may be delayed or
not occur at all:
R if the road condition is poor, e.g. if the sur-
face is uneven or if there are potholes
R if there is a strong side wind Driving systems
201Driving and parking Z
To avoid hazardous situations:
R make sure to check the noseweight before
each journey.
R use a drawbar noseweight as close as pos-
sible to the maximum noseweight.
R do not exceed the maximum permissible
noseweight.
R do not use a noseweight lower than the
minimum permissible trailer drawbar nose- weight.
When reversing the vehicle towards the
trailer, make sure there is nobody between
the trailer and the vehicle.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If
you do not couple the trailer to the towing
vehicle correctly, the trailer could become
detached.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R the permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
R the permissible trailer load
R the permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R the maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
The applicable permissible values, which
must not be exceeded, can be found:
R in your vehicle documents
R on the identification plates of the trailer tow
hitch and the trailer
R on the vehicle identification plate
If the values differ, the lowest value applies.
You will find the values approved by the man-
ufacturer on the vehicle identification plates
and those for the towing vehicle under "Tech- nical data" (Y page 364).
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison to when driving without a trailer. The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradi-
ent-climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance
R is affected more by strong crosswinds
R demands more sensitive steering
R has a larger turning circle
This can impair the vehicle's handling char-
acteristics. Adapt your driving style accord-
ingly. Maintain a safe distance. Drive care-
fully.
When towing a trailer, always adjust your
speed to the current road and weather con-
ditions. Do not exceed the maximum permis- sible speed for your vehicle/trailer combina-
tion.
General notes X
When towing a trailer, set the tyre pressure
on the rear axle of the towing vehicle for a
maximum load; see the tyre pressure table in the fuel filler flap (Y page 330).
Please note that when towing a trailer, PARK-
TRONIC (Y page 188) and Blind Spot Assist
(Y page 203) availability is limited or not avail-
able at all.
i The height of the ball coupling changes
with the load of the vehicle. If necessary,
use a trailer with a height-adjustable draw- bar.
You will find fitting dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (Y page 363).
Driving tips i
Observe the notes on ESP ®
trailer stabi-
lisation (Y page 71).
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginning the journey, check
the trailer's documents to see what the max- imum permitted speed is. Observe the legally 208
Towing a trailerDriving and parking