2004 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 page 54

55 Getting started
Parking and locking

Press the seat belt release button
(page 42).
Allow the retractor to completely re-
wind the seat belt by guiding the latch
plate.

After exiting the vehicle, press the lock
button‹ on the remote control
(page 32).
The turn signal lamps flash three times
and the locking knobs on the doors
move down.
More information on parking and locking
can be found in the “Controls in detail”
section (page 88).
iWith the key removed and the driver’s
door open, a warning sounds if the ve-
hicles exterior lamps are not switched
off.Warning!
G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
openings when closing the doors. Be espe-
cially careful when small children are
around.
Before closing doors, ensure that there is no
possibility of someone getting caught in a
door during closing.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the starter switch, and lock your
vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip-
ment may cause an accident and / or seri-
ous personal injury.

58 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Occupant safetyIn this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are

Seat belts


Emergency tensioning device


Airbags


Child seat


Child seat recognition


Lower anchors and tethers for children
(LATCH)
As independent systems, their protective
effects work in conjunction with each
other.The 1 indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 26) comes on for about
four seconds when you turn the key in the
steering lock to position2. It goes out
when you start the engine. This shows that
the restraint systems are operational.
If the lamp does not come on at all or if it
fails to extinguish after approximately four
seconds or if it comes on thereafter, a mal-
function in the system has been detected.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (
page 255).
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and
restraint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 67).
Warning!
G
In the event that the 1malfunction indi-
cator lamp comes on during driving or does
not come at all, the SRS may not be opera-
tional.
For your safety, we strongly recommend
that you visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck 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 unnec-
essarily which could also result in injury.
Improper work on the restraint systems, in-
cluding incorrect installation and removal,
can lead to possible injury through an unin-
tended activation of the SRS.
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 per-
formed by qualified technicians. Contact
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.

59 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
AirbagsWarning!
G
Airbags are designed to reduce the potential
of injury and fatality in certain frontal (front
airbags) impacts, or side (side impact and
head protection window curtain airbags) im-
pacts which may cause significant injuries.
However, no system available today can to-
tally eliminate injuries and fatalities.
The activation of the SRS temporarily releas-
es a small amount of dust from the airbags.
This dust, however, is neither injurious to
your health, nor does it indicate a fire in the
vehicle. The dust might cause some tempo-
rary breathing difficulty for people with asth-
ma or other breathing trouble. To avoid this,
you may wish to get out of the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any
breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the
vehicle after the airbag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or door.
Warning!
G
To reduce the risk of injury when the front
airbags inflate, it is very important for the
driver and passenger to always be in a prop-
erly seated position and to wear your seat
belt.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision always be in normal seated position
with your back against the backrest. Fasten
your seat belt and ensure that it is properly
positioned on your body (
page 42).
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. Oc-
cupants who are unbelted, out of position or
too close to the airbag can be seriously in-
jured 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 seat back-
rest.


Adjust the driver seat as far as possible
rearward, still permitting proper opera-
tion of vehicle controls. The distance
from the center of the driver’s breast-
bone 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 combina-
tion of adjustments to the seat and
steering wheel. If you have any prob-
lems, please see your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.


Airbags and emergency tensioning de-
vices (ETDs) are designed to function on
a one-time only basis. An airbag or ETD
that was activated must be replaced.


Do not lean with your head or chest
close to the steering wheel or dash-
board.


Keep hands on the outside of steering
wheel rim. Placing hands and arms in-
side the rim can increase the risk and
potential severity of hand / arm injury
when driver front airbag inflates.


60 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety

Adjust the passenger seat as far as pos-
sible 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 impact airbag in-
flates. This could result in serious inju-
ries or death should the airbag be
triggered. Always sit upright, properly
use the seat belts 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
TM1
compatible child seat,
which operates with the BabySmart
TM
system installed in the vehicle to deacti-
vate 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 fa-
tal injury will result.
1BabySmart
TMis a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injuries to you or other occu-
pants.
If you sell your vehicle you are responsible
to make the buyer aware of these points. Be
sure to give the buyer this Operator’s
Manual.
Warning
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 front airbag
(
page 70). BabySmart
TM will not, howev-
er, turn off any 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 prop-
erly seated or restrained when next to a side
airbag which needs to deploy rapidly in a
side impact in order to do its job.


63 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Front airbags
1Driver airbag
2Passenger front airbag
3Side impact airbag
Driver and passenger front airbags are
deployed:

in the event of a frontal impact


if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold


independently of the side impact air-
bagsThe airbags will not deploy in impacts
which do not exceed the system’s deploy-
ment thresholds. You will then be protec-
ted by the fastened seat belts.
The passenger front airbag will only be
deployed if:


the passenger seat is occupied


the 7indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster is not lit (
page 26)


the impact exceeds a preset deploy-
ment threshold
Warning!
G
In the event that the 1malfunction indi-
cator lamp comes on while driving, the SRS
may not be operational. For your safety, we
strongly recommend that you visit an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center im-
mediately to have the system checked;
otherwise the SRS may not be activated
when needed in an accident, which could re-
sult in serious or fatal injury, or it might de-
ploy unexpectedly and unnecessarily which
could also result in injury.
!Do not place objects heavier than
20 lbs (9 kg) on the front passenger
seat. This could cause the front or side
impact airbag on the front passenger
side to deploy in a crash which exceeds
the system's deployment threshold.

64 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetySide impact airbags, window curtain
airbags
1Window curtain airbags
2Side impact airbag, rear
3Side impact airbag, front
The side impact airbags and window
curtain airbags are deployed:

on the impacted side of the vehicle


in impacts exceeding a preset deploy-
ment threshold


independently of the front airbagsThe front passenger side impact airbag will
only deploy if the system senses that the
front passenger seat is occupied.
The side impact airbags and window
curtain airbags are not deployed in im-
pacts which do not exceed the system’s
deployment threshold.
Seat belts
When the engine is started, the seat belt
non-usage warning lamp< illuminates
to remind you and your passengers to
fasten your seat belts. If the driver’s seat
belt is not fastened before the engine is
started, the seat belt non-usage warning
lamp< illuminates and a warning
chime sounds for approximately
six seconds when the engine is started.The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in all
50 states and all Canadian provinces. Even
where this is not the case, all vehicle occu-
pants should have their seat belts fastened
whenever the vehicle is in motion.
Information on fastening seat belts is
found in the “Getting started” section
(
page 42).iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and re-
straint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 67).

67 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Emergency tensioning device, seat belt
force limiter
The seat belts for the front seats are
equipped with emergency tensioning de-
vices and belt force limiters. The outboard
passenger seats belts (except in the third
row seats*) are equipped with emergency
tensioning devices.
The ETD is designed to activate only when
the seat belt is fastened and in the follow-
ing cases:

in frontal or rear-end impacts exceed-
ing a preset severity level


if the restraint systems are operational
and functioning correctly, see
1indicator lamp (
page 58)
In an impact, emergency tensioning devic-
es remove slack from the belts in such a
way that the seat belts fit more snugly
against the body. Belt force limiters reduce
the force exerted by the seat belts on oc-
cupants during a crash.
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 and recommended for
use by Mercedes-Benz.


Ensure that the infant or child is prop-
erly secured by a belt at all times while
the vehicle is in motion.
Infant and child restraint seats and infor-
mation on choosing an appropriate re-
straint system can be obtained from any
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Warning!
G
An emergency tensioning device (ETD) that
was activated must be replaced.
When disposing of the emergency tension-
ing device, our safety instructions must be
followed. These are available at your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.!Do not place objects heavier than
20 lbs (9 kg) on the front passenger
seat. This could cause the front or side
impact airbag on the front passenger
side to deploy in a crash which exceeds
the system’s deployment threshold.

68 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyInfant and child restraint systems
Use only a BabySmart
TM1
compatible child
restraint for the front passenger seat in
this vehicle.
We recommend that all infants and
children be properly restrained at all times
while the vehicle is in motion. All lap-shoul-
der belts except the driver’s seat belt have
special seat belt retractors for secure fas-
tening of child restraints.
To fasten a child restraint, follow child re-
straint instructions for mounting. Then pull
shoulder belt out completely and let it re-
tract. During the seat belt retraction a
ratcheting sound can be heard to indicate
that the special seat belt retractor is acti-
vated. The 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. The seat
belt can again be used in the usual man-
ner.
1BabySmart
TMis a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
iInformation on child seats with mount-
ing fittings for tether anchorages
(page 71).
For information on child seat anchors –
LATCH type (
page 72).
Warning!
G
Never release the seat belt buckle while the
vehicle is in motion, since the special seat
belt retractor will be deactivated.!The use of infant or child restraints is
required by law in all 50 states, the
District of Columbia, the U.S. territo-
ries 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 or, if so equipped, a
child restraint lower anchorage system
that complies with U.S. Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards 213 and 225
and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 213 and 210.2. A statement
by the child restraint manufacturer of
compliance with this standard can be
found on the instruction label on the re-
straint 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.