2002 MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS COUPE airbag

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Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation
DrivingInstrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care Index
• Pregnant women should also use a lap-
shoulder belt. The lap belt portion should be
positioned as low as possible on the hips to
avoid any possible pressure on the abdomen.• Never place your feet on the instrument panel or on the seat. Always keep both feet on the
floor in front of the seat.Wa r n i n g !
USE CHILD RESTRAINTS PROPERLY.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 will 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 the 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.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.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.

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Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation
DrivingInstrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care Index
BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation system
Special BabySmart
TM compatible child seats, designed
for use with the Mercedes-Benz system and available at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center are required for
use with the BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation system.
With the special child seat properly installed, the
passenger front airbag will not deploy.
The ü indicator lamp located in the center console
will be illuminated, except with electronic key removed
or in starter switch position 0. The system does not
deactivate the door mounted side impact airbag.
Self-test BabySmart
TM without special child seat
installed
After turning electronic key in starter switch to
position 1 or 2, the ü indicator lamp located in the
center console comes on for approximately 6 seconds
and then extinguishes.
If the indicator lamp should not come on or is
continuously lit, the system is not functioning. You must
see an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center before seating
any child on the front passenger seat. See page 289 for
notes on the ü indicator lamp.
BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens Automotive Corp.
Wa r n i n g !
The BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation system will
ONLY work with a special child seat designed to
operate with it. It will not work with child seats
which are not BabySmart
TM compatible.
Never place anything between seat cushion and
child seat (e.g. pillow), since it reduces the
effectiveness of the deactivation system. The
bottom of the child seat must make full contact
with the passenger seat cushion. An incorrectly
mounted child seat could cause injuries to the
child in case of an accident instead of protecting
the child.Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
installation of special child seats.The passenger front airbag will not deploy only if
the ü indicator lamp remains illuminated.Please be sure to check the indicator every time
you use the special system child seat. Should the
light go out while the restraint is installed, please
check installation. If the light remains out, do not
use the BabySmart
TM restraint to transport children
on the front passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.

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Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation
DrivingInstrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care Index
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
Airbags are intended as a supplement to seat belts.
Airbags alone cannot protect as well as airbags plus
seat belts in impacts for which the airbags were
designed to operate, and do not afford any protection
whatsoever in crashes for which the airbags are not
designed to deploy.
The SRS uses two crash severity levels (thresholds) to
activate either the emergency tensioning retractor (ETR)
or front airbag or both. Activation depends on the
direction and severity of the impact exceeding the
preset thresholds and whether the seat belt is fastened. Seat belt fastened
• first threshold exceeded: ETR activates
• second threshold exceeded: airbag also activates
Seat belt not fastened
Front seats: • first threshold exceeded: airbag activates, not ETR
Rear seats: • first threshold exceeded: ETR activates
Driver and front passenger and rear seat systems
operate independently of each other.

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Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation
DrivingInstrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care Index
Emergency tensioning retractor (ETR)
The seat belts for the front and rear seats are equipped
with emergency tensioning retractors. These tensioning
retractors are located in each belt’s inertia reel and
become operationally ready with the electronic key in
starter switch position 1 or 2.
The emergency tensioning retractors are designed to
activate only when the seat belts are fastened during
frontal impacts exceeding the first threshold of the SRS
They remove slack from the belts in such a way that the
seat belts fit more snugly against the body restricting its
forward movement as much as possible.
In cases of other frontal impacts, angled impacts, roll-
overs, certain side impacts, or other accidents without
sufficient frontal or rear impact forces, the emergency
tensioning retractors will not be activated. The driver
and passengers will then be protected by the fastened
seat belts and inertia reel in the usual manner.
Note:
The front passenger ETR activates only if the front
passenger seat is occupied.
Heavy objects on the front passenger seat can appear to
the “SRS” to indicate the presence of an occupant in
that seat which causes the passenger front airbag to
deploy and the ETR to activate in a crash exceeding the
appropriate threshold.

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Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation
DrivingInstrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care Index
Airbags
Front airbags
1 Driver airbag
2 Front passenger airbag The most effective occupant restraint system yet
developed for use in production vehicles is the seat belt.
In some cases, however, the protective effect of a seat
belt can be further enhanced by an airbag.
In conjunction with wearing the seat belts, the driver
and front passenger airbags can provide increased
protection for the driver and front passenger in certain
frontal impacts exceeding preset thresholds.
Side impact and head protection window curtain airbags
can provide increased protection to belted occupants on
the impacted side of the vehicle in side impacts
exceeding its preset threshold.

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Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation
DrivingInstrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care Index
The operational readiness of the airbag system is
verified by the indicator lamp “SRS” in the instrument
cluster when turning the electronic key in starter switch
to position 1. When turning the electronic key in starter
switch to position 2 the indicator lamp “SRS” in the
instrument cluster comes on. If no fault is detected, the
lamp will go out when the engine is running. After the
lamp goes out, the system continues to monitor the
components and circuitry of the airbag system and will
indicate a malfunction by coming on again. If the lamp
does not come on at all or if it fails to extinguish or if it
comes on thereafter, a malfunction in the system has
been detected.
The following system components are monitored or
undergo a self-check: crash-sensor(s), airbag ignition
circuits, front seat belt buckles, emergency tensioning
retractors, seat sensor.
Have the system checked at your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately.
In the operational mode, after the indicator lamp has
gone out following the initial check, interruptions or
short circuits in the airbag ignition circuit and in the
driver and front passenger seat belt buckle harnesses,
and low voltage in the entire
system are detected and
indicated. Note:
See page 285 for information on the supplemental
restraint system (SRS) indicator lamp.
Wa r n i n g !
In the event a malfunction of the “SRS” is indicated
as outlined above, the “SRS” may not be
operational. For your safety, we strongly
recommend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have the
system checked; otherwise the “SRS” may not be
activated when needed in an accident, which could
result in serious or fatal injury, or it might deploy
unexpectedly and unnecessarily which could also
result in injury.

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Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation
DrivingInstrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care Index
The driver and passenger front airbags are designed to
activate only in certain frontal impacts exceeding a
preset threshold. The front passenger airbag deploys
only if the front passenger seat is occupied and the
ü indicator lamp in the center console is not
illuminated. Note:
Heavy objects on the front passenger seat can appear to
the “SRS” to indicate the presence of an occupant in
that seat which causes the passenger front airbag to
deploy in a crash exceeding the appropriate threshold.

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Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data
Instruments
and controls Operation
DrivingInstrument
cluster display Practical hints Car care Index
Side impact airbags, window curtain airbags
3 Side impact airbags
4 Window curtain airbags Side impact airbags
The side impact airbags are designed to activate only in
certain side impacts exceeding a preset threshold. Only
the side impact airbags on the impacted side of the
vehicle deploy.
The side impact airbag for the front passenger deploys
only if the front passenger seat is occupied.
The side impact airbag for the right rear passenger
deploys only if a preset threshold is exceeded. The side
impact airbag for the left rear passenger deploys
together with the side impact airbag for the driver.
Side impact airbags operate best in conjunction with a
properly positioned and fastened seat belt.
Note:
Heavy objects on front passenger seat can cause the
front passenger side impact airbag to deploy in a crash.