guru

I just noticed that on one side of my driver seat there is a big round knob with a pointed extension. The knob rotates but I can't tell what it is for. I have looked in the manual and can't seem to find anything about it.

Anyone have any idea what it does? The front passenger seat does not have it.

hlkc

picture?

Spartan

That is the ejection seat control. Be cautious.......

xabo

It's used to adjust the firmness of the back of the seat. (The part that your back rests on).

guru

too late....it's great how the sunroof opens up on your way out...

guru

I figured it was something like that.... I just wasnt able to notice much difference when i moved it back and forth...will try again..thanks

hilmar2k

Which side of the seat is this knob on? I have a lumbar control knob on the inside of my seat, just about the center console. I think I have the same knob for the passenger seat, too, but my car is in the shop so I can't verify.

guru

I dont have it on the passenger side, unless it is on the outside on that seat...

Also sadly, what a common E class statement "my car is in the shop".....

BudC

It's a lumbar firmness knob but I've never noticed that it will make any difference no matter how much I turned it.

hilmar2k

It's not that it's in the shop, it's that it's been there since Tuesday for service C and an alignment. The alignment is a redo from three weeks ago. They just "can't seem to get it within specs". They "might" have it done tomorrow (Monday). No offens to C class drivers of the world, but I can't drive the C240 they gave me as a loaner for one more day. I hate that car.

hilmar2k

You don't have one for the passenger seat? I swear I do. Can somebody confirm that the '03 had it and the '04 doesn't. Or is it a difference between an E500 and an E320? BudC is right, though, doesn't do much, if anything.

DWP

My car has the knob on both front seats. Since it's an '03 E500, I can't say if that makes the passenger-seat knob an E500 thing or a pre-decontenting thing. I do feel a slight increase in the lower seatback firmness when I rotate the knob clockwise (as seen from the passenger's side); not a big deal but worthwhile on long trips.

johna1

I have the knob on both seats, on an 03 E320 CDI.

Nevada Jack

I have the knob on both seats on my '03 E320.

ATS

They decontented it on the passenger seat for 2005 (and late 2004's) as well as the strap on the rear armrest, the ashtray tray, the shelf in the glove box, etc, etc..

Nevada Jack

Well that is a nice thing about ordering the early model R Class...they can't "decontent" anything since if has not been "contented" if you get my drift. Of course based on the extensive option list for the R Class, it looks like they "decontented" anything that wasn't nailed down and made it an option. One way to keep the intitial base price under $50,000....:-)

calum

It's an odd difference here in the UK: my new E350 has the lumbar adjustment both sides, and also the glovebox shelf. It doesn't have the rear armrest strap, and the mirror puddle lights have been replaced with under-door downlights (4).

prprandall51

The deletion of the armrest strap has to be the most unbelievable deletion in history. Without it, it is impossible to get the armrest out without "raking" up the leather...

I had to check other cars before I could make myself believe that such a basic thing as a strap would be removed.
Philip

Nevada Jack

Bean counters are not engineers or apparently riders in back seats. They also don't have any idea of what that strap was for. Strange things happen when people start making cuts to save money.