belt MERCEDES-BENZ C350S 2008 W204 Owner's Guide

51 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Children in the vehicle
If an infant or child is traveling with you in
the vehicle:
Secure the child using an infant or child
restraint appropriate to the age and
size of the child.
Make sure the infant or child is
properly secured at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.Infant and child restraint systems
We recommend all infants and children be
properly restrained at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
All lap-shoulder belts except the driver’s
seat belt have special seat belt retractors
for secure fastening of child restraints.
To fasten a child restraint, follow child
restraint instructions for mounting. Then
pull the shoulder belt out completely and
let it retract. During seat belt retraction, a
ratcheting sound can be heard to indicate
that the special seat belt retractor is acti-
vated. The seat belt is now locked. Push
down on child restraint to take up any
slack.
To deactivate, release seat belt buckle and
let seat belt retract completely. To deacti-
vate the special seat belt retractor for the
front passenger seat, the front passenger
seat must be in the most backward posi-
tion. The seat belt can again be used in the
usual manner.
Warning!G
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, even if they are secured in a child re-
straint system. The children could

injure themselves on parts of the vehicle

be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or
cold
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.
If children open a door, they could

injure other persons

get out of the car and injure themselves
or be injured by following traffic
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child’s risk of injury in the event
of

strong braking maneuvers

sudden changes of direction

an accident

52 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The use of infant or child restraints is re-
quired by law in all 50 states, the District
of Columbia, the U.S. territories and all Ca-
nadian provinces.
Infants and small children should be seat-
ed in an appropriate infant or child re-
straint system properly secured in
accordance with the manufacturer’s in-
structions for the child restraint, that com-
plies with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards 213 and 225 and Canadi-
an Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213
and 210.2.A statement by the child restraint manu-
facturer of compliance with these stan-
dards can be found on the instruction label
on the restraint and in the instruction man-
ual provided with the restraint.
When using any infant or child restraint
system, make sure to carefully read and
follow all manufacturer’s instructions for
installation and use.
Please read and observe warning labels af-
fixed to the inside of the vehicle and to
infant or child restraints.
Warning!G
Never release the seat belt buckle while the
vehicle is in motion, since the special seat
belt retractor will be deactivated.
iInformation on child seats with mounting fit-
tings for tether anchorages (
page 54).
For information on LATCH-type child seat
mounts (
page 55).
Warning!G
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing 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.
The infant or child restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle’s seat belt, the seat
belt and top tether strap, or lower anchors
and top tether strap, fully in accordance
with the child seat manufacturer’s
instructions.

53 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Occupants, especially children, should al-
ways sit as upright as possible, properly use
the seat belts and use an appropriately sized
infant restraint, toddler restraint, or booster
seat recommended for the size and weight
of the child.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following im-
portant information when circumstances
require you to place a child in the front
passenger seat:

Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to turn off the front
passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the OCS 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.

A child in a rear-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat will be serious-
ly 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 yo ur ve hi cle . Th e
only means to completely eliminate this
risk is to never place a child in a rear-fac-
ing child restraint in the front seat. We
therefore strongly recommend that you
always place a child in a rear-facing
child restraint in the back seat.

If you must install a rear-facing child
restraint on the front passenger seat be-
cause circumstances require you to do
so, make sure the 5/ indicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the
front passenger front air bag is deacti-
vated. Should the 5/indicator
lamp not illuminate or go out while the
restraint is installed, please check in-
stallation.
Periodically check the 5/ indica-
tor lamp while driving to make sure the
5/ indicator lamp is illuminated.
If the 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 serious-
ly injured or even killed if the front pas-
senger front air bag inflates.

If you have to place a child in a for-
ward-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 ac-
cording to the child seat manufacturer’s
instructions. For children larger than the
typical 12-month-old child, the front
passenger front air bag may or may not
be activated.

54 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Installation of infant and child restraint
systems
This vehicle is equipped with tether an-
chorages for a top tether strap at each of
the rear seating positions.
Top tether straps enable an additional con-
nection to be made between child restraint
systems secured with LATCH-type anchors
and rear seats. This can further reduce the
risk of injury.
Warning!G
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. Posi-
tion shoulder belt across chest and shoul-
der, not face or neck. A booster seat may be
necessary to achieve proper seat belt posi-
tioning for children over 41 lbs 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.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system. Unsupervised chil-
dren in a child restraint system may use
vehicle equipment and may cause an acci-
dent and/or serious personal injury.
Warning!G
Always lock backrest in its upright position
when rear seat bench is occupied by pas-
sengers, before installing top tether straps,
or the extended cargo compartment is not in
use. Check for secure locking by pushing
and pulling on the backrest. If the seat back-
rest is not properly locked, the seat back-
rest could fold. The child seat would no
longer be properly supported or positioned
to provide its intended benefit. That could
cause serious or even fatal injuries.

56 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
1Indicator
2Cover
3Anchors
Remove covers1 from anchors3 by
pulling it in direction of arrow.
Store covers1, for example in the
storage compartment of the rear cen-
ter armrest.
Split rear bench seat*
Install child seat according to the
manufacturer’s instructions.
A rigid connection is established be-
tween the child seat and the body of
the vehicle.
Warning!G
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 lbs until they reach a height where a
lap/shoulder belt fits properly without a
booster.
Install child seat according to manufactur-
er’s instructions.
The child seat must be firmly attached to the
right and left side anchors.
An incorrectly mounted child seat may come
loose during an accident which could result
in serious injury or death to the child.
Damaged or impact damaged child seats or
child seat anchor fittings must be replaced.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system.
iNon-LATCH type child seats may also be
used and can be installed using the vehicle’s
seat belt system. Install child seat according to
the manufacturer’s instructions.
!Make sure the seat belt for the center seat
can operate freely with a child seat installed.

69 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Starter switch positions
Seats
Steering wheel
Mirrors
Memory function* (Canada only)
Fastening the seat belts
Lighting
Windshield wipers
Power windows
Driving and parking
Manual transmission
Automatic transmission*Instrument cluster
Control system
Audio system
Driving systems
Air vents
Dual-zone automatic climate con-
trol
3-zone automatic climate control*
(Canada only)
Trunk
Power tilt/sliding sunroof
Panorama roof with power
tilt/sliding panel*
Loading and storing
Useful features

85 Controls in detail
Seats
Seats
Seat adjustment
Warning!G
All seat, head restraint adjustments, as well
as fastening of seat belts, must be done be-
fore the vehicle is put into motion.
Warning!G
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
back in an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide un-
der 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 se-
rious 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 posi-
tioned on the body.
Your seat must be adjusted so that you can
correctly fasten your seat belt.
Observe the following points:

Adjust the seat backrest until your arms
are slightly angled when holding the
steering wheel.

Adjust the seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely. The po-
sition should be as far back as possible
with the driver still able to properly oper-
ate controls.

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.

Never place hands under the seat or
near any moving parts while a seat is be-
ing adjusted.
Failure to do so could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle.
Even with the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only) removed from
the starter switch or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only) removed from
the vehicle, the power seats can be
operated.
Therefore, do not leave children unattended
in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. A child’s unsupervised access to a
vehicle could result in an accident and/or
serious personal injury.

102 Controls in detail
Memory function* (Canada only)
Prior to operating the vehicle, the driver
should check and adjust the seat height,
seat position fore and aft, and seat back-
rest angle if necessary, to ensure adequate
control, reach, and comfort. The head re-
straint should also be adjusted for proper
height. See also the section on air bags
(
page 36) for proper seat positioning.
In addition, adjust the steering wheel to
ensure adequate control, reach, operation
and comfort. Both the inside and outside
rear view mirrors should be adjusted for
adequate rear vision.Fasten seat belts. Infants and small chil-
dren should be seated in a properly se-
cured restraint system that complies with
U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan-
dards 213 and 225 and Canadian Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards 213 and 210.2.
With the memory function you can store up
to 3 different settings.Each stored position on the driver’s side
includes the following settings:

Seat position

Steering wheel position

Exterior rear view mirrors position
On passenger side, the seat position is
stored on each memory position.
Warning!G
Do not activate the memory function while
driving. Activating the memory function
while driving could cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle.

105 Controls in detail
Fastening the seat belts
Fastening the seat belts
For additional information on children in
the vehicle, see “Children in the vehicle”
(
page 51).
Warning!G
Always fasten your seat belt before driving
off. Always make sure all of your passengers
are properly restrained.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and
position your seat belt greatly increases
your risk of injuries and their likely severity
in an accident. You and your passengers
should always wear seat belts.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries
can be considerably more severe without
your seat belt properly buckled. Without
your seat belt buckled, you are much more
likely to hit the interior of the vehicle or be
ejected from it. You can be seriously injured
or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury or
death is lessened if you are wearing your
seat belt. The air bags can only provide the
protection they were designed to afford if
the occupants are using their seat belts
(
page 36).
Warning!G
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing 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.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
Warning!G
Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are seat belts available. Be sure
everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly re-
strained with a separate seat belt. Never use
a seat belt for more than one person at a
time.
Warning!G
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 se-
rious or even fatal injuries. The seat back-
rest and seat belt provide the best restraint
when the wearer is in a nearly upright posi-
tion and the seat belt is properly positioned
on the body.

106 Controls in detail
Fastening the seat belts
1Seat belt outlet
2Latch plate
3Release button
4Buckle
Pull the seat belt smoothly from the
seat belt outlet1.
Place the shoulder portion of the seat
belt across the top of your shoulder
and the lap portion across your hips.
Push latch plate2 into buckle4 until
it clicks.
If necessary, adjust the seat belt to the
correct height (
page 107).
If necessary, tighten the lap portion to
a snug fit by pulling shoulder portion
up.
To release the seat belt, press release
button3 and guide latch plate2
back to seat belt outlet1.
Proper use of seat belts

Do not twist the seat belt when fasten-
ing.

Adjust seat belt so that the shoulder
portion is located as close as possible
to the middle of the shoulder (it should
not touch the neck). Never pass the
shoulder portion of the seat belt under
your arm.

Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips (over hip joint) and not
across the abdomen.

Place the seat backrest in a nearly up-
right position.

Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time.

Do not fasten a seat belt around a per-
son and another object at the same
time. When using a seat belt to secure
infant restraints or toddler restraints or
children in booster seats, always follow
the child seat manufacturer’s instruc-
tions.
Warning!G
Read and observe the additional warning no-
tices printed in the “Safety and Security”
section.