MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS 2000 Owners Manual

98 Restraint systems
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Your vehicle was originally equipped with airbags
which are designed to activate in certain impacts
exceeding a preset threshold to reduce the potential
and severity of injury. It is important to your safety
and that of your passenger that you replace deployed
airbags and repair any malfunctioning airbags to
ensure the vehicle will continue to provide crash
protection for occupants.
Wa r n i n g !
To reduce the risk of injury when the front airbags
inflate, it is very important for the driver and front
passenger to always be in a properly seated
position and to wear their seat belts.For maximum protection in the event of a collision
always be in normal seated position w ith your back
against the backrest. Fasten your seat belt and
ensure that it is properly positioned on your body.Since the airbag inflates with considerable speed
and force, a proper seating and hands on steering
wheel position will help to keep you at a safe
distance from the airbag. Occupants who are
unbelted, out of position or too close to the airbag
can be seriously injured by an airbag as it inflates
with great force in the blink of an eye:
• Sit properly belted in an upright position with
your back against the backrest.• Adjust the driver’s seat as far as possible
rearward, still permitting proper operation of
vehicle controls. The distance from the center
of the driver’s breastbone to the center of the
airbag cover on the steering wheel must be at
least ten inches (25 cm) or more. You should be
able to accomplish this by a combination of
adjustments to the seat and steering wheel. If
you have any problems, please see your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.• Do not lean with your head or chest close to the
steering wheel or dashboard.• Keep hands on the outside of steering wheel
rim. Placing hands and arms inside the rim
can increase the risk and potential severity of
hand / arm injury when driver front airbag
inflates.

99 Restraint systems
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• Adjust the front passenger seat as far as
possible rearward from the dashboard when
the seat is occupied.• Occupants, especially children, should never
lean their heads in the area of the door where
the side airbag inflates. This could result in
serious injuries or death should the airbag be
triggered. Always sit upright, properly use the
seatbelts and appropriate size infant or child
restraint system• Children 12 years old and under must never
ride in the front seat, except in a
Mercedes-Benz authorized BabySmart
TM
compatible child seat, which operates with the
BabySmart
TM system installed in the vehicle to
deactivate the passenger-side front airbag
when it is properly installed. Otherwise they
will be struck by the airbag when it inflates in
a crash. If this happens, serious or fatal injury
can result.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in
severe injuries to you or other occupants.
Wa r n i n g !
Accident research shows that the safest place for
children in an automobile is in the rear seat.
Should you choose to place a child 12 years old or
under in the front passenger seat of your vehicle,
you must properly use a BabySmart
TM child
restraint which will turn off the passenger side
front airbag. BabySmart
TM will not, however, turn
off the vehicle’s side impact airbag.
It should be noted that with respect to both front
and rear side impact airbags there is a possibility
for a side airbag related injury if occupants,
especially children, are not properly seated or
restrained when next to a side airbag which needs
to deploy rapidly in a side impact in order to do its
job.To help avoid the possibility of injury, please follow
these guidelines: (1) occupants, especially
children, should never place their bodies or lean
their heads in the area of the door where the side
airbag inflates. This could result in serious
injuries or death should the side airbag be
activated; (2) always sit upright, properly use the
seat belts and use an appropriately sized infant or
child restraint system for all children 12 years old
or under; and (3) always wear seat belts properly.

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Safety guidelines for the seat belt, emergency
tensioning retractor and airbag
If you believe that, even with the use of these
guidelines, it would be safer for your rear seat
occupants to have both rear door mounted side
airbags deactivated, then deactivation can be
accomplished upon your written election to do so at
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center at an
additional cost. Please contact your local
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call our Client
Assistance Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1-800-367-6372) for details.Wa r n i n g !
• Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly
stressed in an accident must be replaced and
their anchoring points must also be checked.
Use only belts installed or supplied by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.• Airbags and “ETR’s” are designed to function
on a one-time-only basis. An airbag or
emergency tensioning retractor (ETR) that was
activated must be replaced.• Do not pass belts over sharp edges.
• Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness of the belts.• No modifications of any kind may be made to
any components or wiring of the “SRS”. This
includes changing or removing any component
or part of the “SRS”, the installation of
additional trim material, badges etc. over the
steering wheel hub, front passenger airbag
cover, door trim panels, or door frame trims,
and installation of additional electrical /
electronic equipment on or near “SRS”
components and wiring. Keep area between
airbags and occupants free from objects (e.g.
packages, purses, umbrellas, etc.).• Do not use handles above doors for placing
such items as coat hangers etc..• An airbag system component within the
steering wheel gets hot after the airbag has
inflated. Do not touch.• Improper work on the system, including
incorrect installation and removal, can lead to
possible injury through an unintended
activation of the “SRS”.

101 Restraint systems
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cluster displayPractical hints Car care IndexWhen you sell your vehicle we strongly urge you to give
notice to the subsequent owner that it is equipped with
an “SRS” by alerting them to the applicable section in
the Operator’s Manual.
• In addition, through improper work there is a
risk of rendering the “SRS” inoperative or
causing unintended airbag deployment. Work
on the “SRS” must therefore only be performed
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.• For your protection and the protection of
others, when scrapping the airbag unit or
emergency tensioning retractor, our safety
instructions must be followed. These
instructions are available at your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
• Given the considerable deployment speed and
the textile structure of the airbags, there is the
possibility of abrasions or other injuries
resulting from airbag deployment.

102 Restraint systems
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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 activate, pull shoulder belt out completely and let it
retract. During the seat belt retraction a ratcheting
sound can be heard to indicate that the special seat belt
retractor is activated. The belt is now locked.
To deactivate, release seat belt buckle and let seat belt
retract completely. The seat belt can again be used in
the usual manner
Note:
For child seats with mounting fittings for tether
anchorages refer to page 104 (installation of infant and
child restra int systems).Important!
The use of infant or child restraints is required by law in
all 50 states and all Canadian provinces.
Infants and small children should be seated in an
appropriate infant or child restraint system properly
secured by a lap-shoulder belt, and that complies with
U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 and
Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
A statement by the child restraint manufacturer of
compliance with this standard can be found on the
instruction label on the restraint and in the instruction
manual provided with the restraint.
When using any infant or child restraint system, be sure
to carefully read and follow all manufacturer’s
instructions for installation and use.
Please read and observe warning labels affixed to inside
of vehicle and to infant or child restraints.
Wa r n i n g !
Never release the seat belt buckle while vehicle is
in motion, since the special seat belt retractor will
be deactivated.

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Wa r n i n g !
Children 12 years old and under must never ride in
the front seat, except in a Mercedes-Benz
authorized BabySmart
TM compatible child seat,
which operates with the BabySmart
TM system
installed in the vehicle to deactivate the passenger
front airbag when it is properly installed.
Otherwise they will be struck by the airbag when it
inflates in a crash. If this happens, serious or fatal
injury can result.
According to accident statistics, children are safer
when properly restrained in the rear seating
positions than in the front seating positions.
Infants and small children must ride in back seats
and be seated in an appropriate infant or child
restraint system, which is properly secured with
the vehicle’s seat belt, fully in accordance with the
child seat manufacturer’s instructions.
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.Children too big for child restraint systems must
ride in back 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 belt positioning for children from 41 lbs. to
the point where a lap / shoulder belt fits properly
without one.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.

104 Restraint systems
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Installation of infant and child restraint systems
This vehicle is provided with tether anchorages for a top
tether strap at each of the rear seating positions.
Prior to installing a tether strap, remove cover (1) from
anchorage ring (2) and store in a convenient place (e.g.
glove box).To secure a tether strap to the anchorage, securely
fasten the hook (3), which is part of the tether strap, to
the anchorage ring (2). For safety, please make sure that
the hook has attached to the ring beyond the safety
catch, as illustrated.
After removing the tether strap, reinstall the cover (1).
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105 Steering wheel adjustment
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Steering wheel adjustment
To adjust the steering wheel position, turn the electronic
key in starter switch to position 1 or 2. With the driver’s
door open, the steering wheel can also be operated with
the electronic key removed or in starter switch
position 0. However any adjustment will be cancelled
and the steering wheel will return to it’s position stored
in memory if the driver’s door is closed or the electronic
key is inserted in the starter switch.The stalk is located on the steering column.
1Steering column, lengthen or shorten column
Move the stalk to the front or rear.
2Steering column, height
Move the stalk up or down.
Note:
The steering wheel adjustment can be stored together
with the seat and mirror adjustment.
See page 111 for notes on the memory function.
Wa r n i n g !
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driving.
Adjusting the steering wheel while driving could
cause the driver to lose the control of the vehicle.When leaving the vehicle always remove the
electronic key from the starter switch, and take the
KEYLESS-GO-card (if so equipped) with you. The steering wheel adjustment feature can also be
operated with the driver’s door open. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with access
to an unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle
equipment may cause serious personal injury.
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106 Rear view mirrors
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Rear view mirrors
Inside rear view mirror
Manually adjust the mirror.
Storing interior rear view mirror positions
The seat, exterior rear view mirror and steering wheel
positions are stored together with the interior rear view
mirror position. See page 111 for notes on the memory
function.
Rear view mirror, automatic antiglare
Antiglare mode:
With the electronic key in starter switch position 2, the
mirror reflection brightness responds to changes in
light sensitivity.
With the gear selection lever in position “R”, or with the
interior light switched on, the mirror brightness does
not respond to changes in light sensitivity.Note:
The automatic antiglare function does not react, if
incoming light is not aimed directly at sensors in the
mirror.
Wa r n i n g !
In the case of an accident liquid electrolyte may
escape the mirror housing when the mirror glass
breaks.Electrolyte has an irritating effect. Do not allow the
liquid come into contact with eyes, skin, clothing,
or respiratory system. In cases it does, immediately
flush affected area with water, and seek medical
help if necessary.

107 Rear view mirrors
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
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cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Exterior rear view mirrors
The buttons are located on the driver’s door.Exterior mirror adjustment
Turn the electronic key in starter switch to position 2.
Push button to select mirror to be adjusted:
Driver’s side – Push button (1).
passenger-side – Push button (2).
Push the adjustment button (3) up, down, left or right
according to the setting desired.
Note:
The exterior rear view mirrors have electrically heated
glass. The heater switches on automatically, depending
on outside temperature.
Storing mirror positions in memory
The exterior rear view mirror positions are stored in
memory with the seat / head restraint / steering column /
interior rear view mirror position and can be recalled
when necessary. See page 111 for notes on the memory
function.
Wa r n i n g !
Exercise care when using the passenger-side
exterior mirror. The mirror surface is convex
(outwardly curved surface for a wider field of
view). Objects in mirror are closer than they
appear. Check your inside rear view mirror or
glance over your shoulder before changing lanes.
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