'04 C 320 "easy exit function."

[dolebludger]

As some will know, the W 203 C 320's have something called an "easy exit function" wherein then the key is turned off and the door is opened, the steering wheel telescopes in and raises, and the driver's seat moves back. There is no way that I know of to adjust how far the steering wheel moves. That's OK. But is there a way to adjust how far the driver's seat moves back?

I have scoured the owners' manual (which by the way is less than totally clear on many things) and can't determine a way to make this adjustment. Yet, I know it must be there, as our car was once set for this seat to move back (for exit/entry), and it moved back ALL THE WAY! We didn't like that so we deprogramed the seat movement. Then, I programed it back in, and the seat does not move back nearly as far.

My goal involves the fact that my wife is very short, and has a pre-set driving position that sufficates me! Yet, if the exit seating position moves too far back from my normal driving position, it take the seat to long to make it to my wife's driving position. So, I'd like to program the exit drivers seat to move only SLIGHTLY back from my normal driving setting.

Anybody know?

Thanks,
Richard

[ILUVMILS]

The easy-entry/exit feature can be changed to suit different needs, but you'll need to have your dealer do it. Using an SDS, the parameters for the seat can be adjusted to your liking.

[Gilly]

I was also wondering if maybe the seat just lost synchronization?

Gilly

[dolebludger]

Gilly:

I understand so little about the computer functions of these cars, that I really don't understand your question/comment. As set now, the seat goes back when it should ---- when I remove the key. When we first got the car, the seat exit function was on. Then, it went all the way back! Then we turned it off for a while. Then, I turned it back on. This time, the seat does not go back as far --- and to us that's good. In fact, we'd like it to go back even less far, as my short wife has her setting so far forward that it takes forever for the seat to reach her setting!

Thanks,
Richard

[Gilly]

Mike (ILUVMILS) is probably on the right track in saying that the MB shop can adjust this for you/her.
What I am questioning is if the seat at one time worked correctly, (then the system was shut off and then reactivated) and now won't go to the proper setting, maybe the synchronization was lost. What that means is the "memory" in the seat control module has possibly "lost track" of exactly where the seat is located in it's fore/aft travel. It'd be easy to try to resynchronize it and you won't hurt a thing by trying; just open the door (stay out of the seat), run the seat ALL the way forward and hold the switch in the forward position about 3-5 extra seconds, then run the seat ALL the way back and again hold it in this position for 3-5 seconds. That's it. May help, probably won't, probably need to do what Mike suggests. I would think they'd do this for free, BUT I'm a nice guy and and a positive thinker.......
Gilly

[dolebludger]

I feel that I am not making myself clear here ---- which is not an unusual situation when I must discuss computer related functions. Yes, before the easy exit seat feature was shut off, the seat went all the way to the rear of its track. Thereby, it went back so far on this model that it made it HARDER for me to exit and pinched the knees of anyone in the back seat! Also, from there, it did take forever when my wife activated her "short people" seating position. When I re-activated this feature and (for unknown reasons) found that the seat does not go back so far, I ACTUALLY LIKE THAT BETTER. In fact, I would like to find a way to adjust it further to have the seat go back a little less far. So that is what I'm asking to determine if there is a DIY method of doing this, or if I must drive the 45 mile round trip to the dealer who, by the way, would be happy to adjust this for free.

Thanks,
Richard

[Gilly]

Not that I am aware of, I'd drive the 45 or leave it as is and don't try the synchronization process either. I believe the recommendation that a dealer can adjust it is the most accurate.
Gilly