
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
Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology
designed to deactivate the front
passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the system senses the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child or less along
with the weight of a standard appropriate
child restraint on the front passenger seat.
R For children larger than the typical
12-month-old child, the front passenger
front air bag may or may not be activated.
Always make sure the 4 5 indicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
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 5 indicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Should the 4 5 indicator lamp not
illuminate or go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation.
Periodically check the 4 5 indicator
lamp while driving to make sure the 4
5 indicator lamp is illuminated. If the
4 5 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.
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. G
WARNING
Infants and small children should never share
a
seat belt with another occupant. In the event
of 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 that are too large for a child restraint
must travel in seats using normal seat belts.
Position the shoulder belt across the 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. Children in the vehicle
61
Safety Z

Special seat belt retractor
G
WARNING
If you release the seat belt when driving, the
special seat belt retractor is deactivated.
The released seat belt cannot be engaged
again while driving, because the inertia reel
pulls in the seat belt a small distance. The
child restraint system is no longer properly
secured.
There is an increased risk of serious
injury or even fatal injury.
Always keep the seat belt of the activated
special seat belt retractor engaged when
driving.
With the exception of the driver's seat belt
and the seat belts on the folding bench seat
in the cargo compartment, all seat belts in the
vehicle are equipped with a special seat belt
retractor. When activated, the special seat
belt retractor ensures that the seat belt will
not slacken once the child restraint system
has been secured.
Installing a child restraint system:
X Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Pull the seat belt smoothly from the seat
belt retractor.
X Engage the seat belt tongue in the belt
buckle.
Activating the special seat belt retractor:
X Pull the seat belt out fully and let the seat
belt retractor retract it again.
While
the seat belt is retracting, you should
hear a ratcheting sound. The special seat
belt retractor is activated.
X Push down on the child restraint system to
take up any slack. Removing a child restraint system/
deactivating the special seat belt retractor:
X
Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Press the seat belt release button and
guide the belt tongue to the belt outlet.
The special seat belt retractor is
deactivated.
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat anchors
in the rear G
WARNING
Children that are too large for a child restraint
must travel in seats using normal seat belts.
Position shoulder belt across the 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 the child restraint system in
accordance with the manufacturer's
instructions.
Attach the child restraint system to both
securing rings.
An
incorrectly installed child restraint system
could come loose during an accident and
seriously or even fatally injure the child.
Child restraint systems or child seat securing
rings that are malfunctioning or damaged as
the result of a collision must be replaced.
! When installing the child restraint system,
make sure that the seat belt for the middle
seat does not get trapped. The seat belt
could otherwise be damaged. Children in the vehicle
63
Safety Z

When installing the ISOFIX child restraint
system, fold protective caps ; of securing
rings : inwards.
X Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat
securing system. Comply with the
manufacturer's instructions when
installing.
ISOFIX is a standardized securing system for
specially designed child restraint systems on
the rear seats. Securing rings for two ISOFIX
child restraint systems are installed on the
left and right of the rear seats.
Secure child restraint systems without a
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat securing
system using the seat belts in the vehicle.
When installing child restraint systems, you
must observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions.
Top Tether Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Always lock the rear seat backrests in their
upright position when the rear seats are
occupied by passengers. Lock the rear seat
backrests in their upright position before
installing the Top Tether straps or when the
cargo compartment is not in use. Make sure
that
rear seat backrests are secured properly
by pushing and pulling on the seat backrests.
If the seat backrest is not locked properly, the
seat backrest could fold forward. The child
restraint system is no longer supported
properly or held in position and can no longer fulfill its function. This could cause serious or
even fatal injuries.
Top
Tether provides an additional connection
between a child restraint system, secured
with a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat mount,
and the rear seat. This helps reduce the risk
of injury even further.
Sedan Top Tether provides an additional connection
between a child restraint system, secured
with
a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat mount,
and the rear seat. This helps reduce the risk
of injury even further.
The Top Tether anchorage points are located
in the rear compartment behind the head
restraints.
X Move head restraint : upwards.
X Fold up cover ; of Top Tether anchorage
A.
X Route Top Tether belt = under head
restraint :
between the two head restraint
bars. 64
Children in the vehicle
Safety

ignition lock or removed from the vehicle,
such as seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment, or the memory function
If
children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system's
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned on these
parts.
Child-proof locks for the rear doors G
WARNING
Children could open a rear door from inside
the vehicle. This could result in serious
injuries or an accident. Therefore, when
children
ride in the rear always secure the rear
doors with the child-proof locks. Child-proof lock for the rear door (example: Sedan)
You secure each door individually with the
child-proof locks on the rear doors. A door
secured with a child-proof lock cannot be
opened from inside the vehicle. When the
vehicle is unlocked, the door can be opened
from the outside.
X
To activate: press the child-proof lock
lever up in the direction of arrow :.
X Make sure that the child-proof locks are
working properly.
X To deactivate: press the child-proof lock
lever down in the direction of arrow ;. Override feature for the rear side
windows G
WARNING
When children ride on the vehicle's rear seats,
activate the override switch. Otherwise, the
children could be injured, e.g. by trapping
themselves in the rear side window. X
To activate/deactivate: press
button ;.
If indicator lamp : is lit, operation of the
rear side windows is disabled. Operation is
only possible using the switches in the
driver's door. If indicator lamp : is off,
operation is possible using the switches in
the rear compartment. Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In
this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock Braking System)
(Y page 67)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) ( Y page 67)
R BAS PLUS ( Brake Assist System PLUS)
(Y page 68)
R ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program)
(Y page 69)
R EBD ( electronic brake force distribution)
(Y page 72)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE(Y page 72)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 72) 66
Driving safety systems
Safety

X
Take the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (Y page 80).
X Insert mechanical key ; into the opening
in paneling :.
X Turn mechanical key ; 90° clockwise.
X Push mechanical key ; in the direction of
the arrow and open the tailgate. Side windows
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
When opening or closing the door windows,
make sure that there is no danger of anyone
being harmed by the opening/closing
procedure.
The door windows are equipped with
automatic
operation and the anti-entrapment
feature. If in automatic mode a door window
encounters an obstruction that blocks its
path, the anti-entrapment feature will stop the
door window and open it slightly.
The door windows operate differently when
the switch is pulled. See the "Problems with
door windows" section for details.
The closing of the door windows can be
immediately halted by releasing the switch or,
if the switch was pulled past the resistance
point and released, by either pressing or
pulling the respective switch.
If a door window encounters an obstruction
that blocks its path in a circumstance where
you are closing the windows by pressing and
holding the & button on the SmartKey or
by pressing and holding the lock button
(vehicles with KEYLESS-GO) on an outside
door handle, the anti-entrapment feature will
not operate.
Activate the override switch when children
are riding in the back seats of the vehicle. The
children may otherwise injure themselves,
e.g. by becoming trapped in the door window
opening. G
WARNING
Do not keep any part of your body up against
the
window pane when opening a window. The
downward motion of the pane may pull that
part of your body down between the window
pane and the door frame and trap it there. If
there is a risk of entrapment, release the
switch and pull it to close the window. Opening and closing the side
windows
The
switches for all side windows are located
on the driver's door. There is also a switch on
each door for the corresponding side window.
The switches on the driver's door take
precedence. :
Front left
; Front right
= Rear right
? Rear left
X Turn the SmartKey to position 1
or 2 in the
ignition lock.
X To open: press the corresponding switch.
X To close: pull the corresponding switch.
i If you press the switch beyond the point
of resistance, an automatic opening/
closing process is started in the
corresponding direction. You can stop
automatic operation by operating the
switch again.
i You can continue to operate the side
windows
after you switch off the engine or Side windows
93
Opening/closing Z

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible.
Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Read the information on qualified
specialist workshops: ( Y page 25).Correcting the driver's seat position
X
Observe the safety guidelines on seat
adjustment ( Y page 103).
X Make sure that seat = is adjusted
properly.
Electrical seat adjustment ( Y page 104)
When adjusting the seat, make sure that:
R you
are as far away from the driver's air bag
as possible.
R you are sitting in a normal upright position.
R you can fasten the seat belt properly. R
you
have moved the backrest to an almost
vertical position.
R you have set the seat cushion angle so that
your thighs are gently supported.
R you can depress the pedals properly.
X Check whether the head restraint is
adjusted properly.
When doing so, make sure that you have
adjusted
the head restraint so that the back
of your head is supported at eye level by
the center of the head restraint.
X Observe the safety guidelines on steering
wheel adjustment ( Y page 111).
X Make sure that steering wheel : is
adjusted properly.
Adjusting the steering wheel electrically
(Y page 112)
When adjusting the steering wheel, make
sure that:
R you can hold the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent.
R you can move your legs freely.
R you can see all the displays in the
instrument cluster clearly.
X Observe the safety guidelines for seat belts
(Y page 55).
X Check whether you have fastened seat
belt ; properly
(Y page 57).
The seat belt should:
R fit snugly across your body
R be routed across the middle of your
shoulder
R be
routed in your pelvic area across the hip
joints
X Before starting off, adjust the rear-view
mirror and the exterior mirrors in such a
way
that you have a good view of road and
traffic conditions (Y page 114).
X Vehicles with a memory function: save
the
seat, steering wheel and exterior mirror
settings with the memory function
(Y page 116). 102
Correcting the driver's seat position
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

Seats
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The seats can still be adjusted when there is
no key in the ignition lock. For this reason,
children should never be left unsupervised in
the vehicle. They could otherwise become
trapped when adjusting the seat. G
WARNING
Make sure that the back of your head is
supported at eye level by the central area of
the head restraint. If your head is not
supported
correctly by the head restraint, you
could suffer a severe neck injury in the event
of an accident. Never drive if the head
restraints are not engaged and set correctly. G
WARNING
In order to avoid possible loss of vehicle
control, all seat, head restraint, steering
wheel and rear view mirror adjustments, as
well as fastening of seat belts, must be done
before setting the vehicle in motion. G
WARNING
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
travel 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. This 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. G
WARNING
Your seat belt must be adjusted so that you
can correctly fasten your seat belt. Observe the following points:
R
adjust
the seat backrest until your arms are
slightly angled when holding the steering
wheel.
R adjust 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.
R 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.
R never 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. G
WARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained on the rear
seats
than on the front-passenger seat. Thus,
we strongly recommend that children be
placed in the rear seat whenever possible.
Regardless of seating position, children 12
years old and under must be seated and
properly secured in an appropriately sized
child restraint system or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. For additional information, see the
"Children in the vehicle" section.
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.
! To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information:
R keep liquids from spilling 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 Seats
103
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z

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
materials, e.g. blankets, coats, bags,
seat covers, child seats or booster seats.
! To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information:
R keep liquids from spilling 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 "Interior care".
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
materials, e.g. blankets, coats, bags,
seat covers, child seats or booster seats.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats when resetting
the seats. There is a risk that the seats
and/or the objects could be damaged.
i The head restraints in the front seats are
installed with the NECK-PRO system
(Y page 53). For this reason, it is not
possible to remove the head restraints
from the front seats. Vehicles without the through-loading
feature: the head restraints cannot be
removed
from the rear compartment seats.
For more information, contact a qualified
specialist workshop.
i Further related subjects:
R Through-loading feature in the rear
bench seat (Sedan) ( Y page 293)
R EASY-PACK through-loading feature in
the rear bench seat (Wagon)
(Y page 294) Adjusting the seats
:
Head restraint height
; Seat cushion angle
= Seat height
? Seat fore-and-aft adjustment
A Backrest angle
i If PRE-SAFE ®
is triggered, the front-
passenger seat will be moved to a better
position if it was previously in an
unfavourable position.
i You can store the seat settings using the
memory function ( Y page 116).
i Vehicles with the through-loading
feature: if you fold down a rear seat
backrest, the respective front seat is
moved forwards slightly in order to avoid
contact. 104
Seats
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors