2004 MERCEDES-BENZ SL600 airbag

72 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
BabySmart
TM1
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 air-
bag deactivation system. With the special
child seat properly installed, the passenger
front airbag will not deploy.The 7indicator lamp located on the
glove box will be illuminated, except with
the SmartKey removed or in starter switch
position0.
Self-test BabySmart
TM
without special
child seat installed
After turning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position1 or2 or pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button once or
twice, the 7 indicator lamp located on
the glove box comes on for approximately
six seconds and then goes out.
If the indicator lamp should not come on or
is continuously lit, the system is not func-
tioning. You must see an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center before seating any
child on the passenger seat.
Warning!
G
Children too big for child restraint systems
should use regular seat belts. Position the
shoulder belt across chest and shoulder, not
face or neck. A booster seat may be neces-
sary to achieve proper belt positioning for
children from 41 lbs until they reach a
height where a lap/shoulder belt fits proper-
ly without a booster.
When the child restraint is not in use, re-
move 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 ac-
cident.
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle; even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system. Unsupervised chil-
dren in a child restraint system may use ve-
hicle equipment and cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
1BabySmart
TM
is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
iThe system does not deactivate the
head-thorax airbag and the emergency
tensioning device.

73 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Warning!
G
The BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation sys-
tem 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 sys-
tem. 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.
Warning!
G
When using a BabySmart
TM compatible
child seat on the front passenger seat, the
passenger front airbag will not deploy only if
the
7
indicator lamp remains illuminat-
ed.
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
BabySmartTM restraint to transport children
on the passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.
Warning!
G
Do not place powered-on laptops, cell
phones and like electronic devices on the
passenger seat. Signals from such devices
may interfere with the BabySmart
TM system.
Such signal interference may cause the
7
indicator lamp not to come on during
self-test or be continuously lit, indicating
that the system is not functioning.

114 Controls in detailMemory function
Memory function
With the memory switch you can store up
to three different settings per SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*.
The following settings are saved for each
stored position:

Driver’s seat and backrest position


Steering wheel position


Interior rear view mirror position


Driver’s side exterior rear view mirror
position


Passenger side exterior rear view mir-
ror position
These key-dependent memory settings
can be deactivated if desired
(
page 149).The memory switch is located on the door.
M Memory button
1, 2, 3 Stored positions

Switch on ignition.
or

Open the respective door.
All the lamps in the instrument cluster
come on when the ignition is switched
on.
!Prior to operating the vehicle, the driv-
er should check and adjust the seat
height, seat position fore and aft, and
seat backrest angle if necessary, to en-
sure adequate control, reach and com-
fort. The head restraint should also be
adjusted for proper height. See also the
section on airbags (
page 59) for
proper seat positioning.
In addition, adjust the steering wheel to
ensure adequate control, reach, opera-
tion and comfort. Both the inside and
outside rear view mirrors should be ad-
justed for adequate rear vision.
Fasten seat belts. Infants and small
children should be seated in a properly
secured restraint system that complies
with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 213 and Canadian Motor Ve-
hicle Safety Standard 213.
Warning!
G
Do not activate the memory function while
driving. Activating the memory function
while driving could cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle.

121 Controls in detail
Lighting
Switching on high beams
Turn the exterior lamp switch toB
or toU (
page 117).

Push the combination switch in
direction1.
The high beam indicator A in the ta-
chometer comes on.
High beam flasher

Pull the combination switch briefly in
direction2.
Hazard warning flasher
The hazard warning flasher can be activat-
ed with the ignition switched on or off. It is
activated automatically when an airbag is
deployed.
The switch is located above and between
the center air vents.
1Hazard warning flasher switchSwitching on the hazard warning
flasher

Press hazard warning flasher
switch1.
All turn signals flash.
Switching off the hazard warning
flasher

Press hazard warning flasher switch1
again.iWith the hazard warning flasher acti-
vated and the combination switch set
for either left or right turn, only the re-
spective left or right turn signals will
operate when the starter switch is in
position 1 or 2.

225 Controls in detail
Useful features
Emergency calls
An emergency call is initiated
automatically

following an accident in which the
emergency tensioning devices (ETDs)
or airbags have deployed


if the anti-theft alarm or the tow-away
alarm stays on for more than
20 seconds, see “Anti-theft alarm sys-
tem” (
page 85) and
“Tow-away alarm” (
page 86)
An emergency call can also be initiated
manually by opening the cover next to the
inside rear view mirror labeled SOS, then
briefly pressing the button located under
the cover.
For more information, see “Initiating an
emergency call manually” (page 226).Once the emergency call is in progress, the
indicator lamp in the SOS button will begin
to flash. The message
Emergency call –
Connecting call
appears in the multifunc-
tion display. When the connection is estab-
lished, the message
Emergency call –
Call connected
appears in the multifunc-
tion display. All information relevant to the
emergency, such as the location of the ve-
hicle (determined by the GPS satellite loca-
tion system), vehicle model, identification
number and color are generated.
A voice connection between the Response
Center and the occupants of the vehicle
will be established automatically soon af-
ter the emergency call has been initiated.
When a voice connection is established,
the audio system mutes and the message
Tele Aid - Emergency call active
ap-
pears in the multifunction display. The Re-
sponse Center will attempt to determine
more precisely the nature of the accident
provided they can speak to an occupant of
the vehicle.The Tele Aid system is available if


it has been activated and is operation-
al. Activation requires a subscription
for monitoring services, connection
and cellular air time


the relevant cellular phone network
and GPS signals are available and pass
the information on to the Response
CenteriLocation of the vehicle on a map is only
possible if the vehicle is able to receive
signals from the GPS satellite network
and pass the information on to the Re-
sponse Center.

289 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
<
The red seat belt telltale comes
on briefly after starting the en-
gine.
The warning lamp reminds you to fasten seat
belts.

Fasten your seat belt.
1
The red SRS indicator lamp
comes on while driving.
There is a malfunction in the restraint sys-
tems. The airbags or emergency tensioning
device (ETD) could deploy unexpectedly or
fail to activate in an accident.

Drive with added caution to the near-
est authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
In the event that 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 immedi-
ately 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 an accident and/or
injury to you or to others.

290 Practical hintsWhat to do if …AIRBAG OFF indicator lampProblem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
7
The AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
comes on.
A BabySmart
TM1
child seat is installed on the
front passenger seat. Therefore the passen-
ger front airbag is switched off.
The system is malfunctioning if the
7indicator lamp comes on with no
BabySmart
TM child seat installed on the front
passenger seat.

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
7
The AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
does not come on with a
BabySmart
TM child seat properly
installed on the front passenger
seat.
The system is malfunctioning.

Make sure there is nothing between
seat cushion and child seat.

Check installation of the child seat.
If the indicator lamp remains out:

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
Do not use the BabySmart
TM restraint to
transport children on the front passenger
seat until the system has been repaired.
1BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens Automotive Corp.

397 Technical terms
ABS
(A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)
Prevents the wheels from locking up
during braking so that the vehicle can
continue to be steered.
ABC
(A
ctive B
ody C
ontrol)
Active, computer-controlled system
that hydraulically adjusts the suspen-
sion at all four wheels in response to
various driving situations.
Alignment bolt
Metal pin with thread. The alignment
bolt, or centering bolt, is an aid used
when changing a tire to align the wheel
with the wheel hub.BabySmart
TM1
airbag deactivation
system
This system detects if a special system
compatible child restraint seat is in-
stalled on the front passenger seat. The
system will automatically deactivate
the passenger front airbag when such a
seat is properly installed (indicator
lamp 7 on the glove box comes on).
See your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for availability.
BabySmart
TM compatible child seats
Special restraint system for children.
The sensor system for the passenger
seat prevents deployment of the pas-
senger front airbag if a BabySmart
TM
compatible child seat is installed.BAS
(B
rake A
ssist S
ystem)
System for potentially reducing braking
distances in emergency braking situa-
tions. The system is activated when it
senses an emergency based on how
fast the brake is applied.
Bi-Xenon headlamps*
Headlamps which use an electric arc as
the light source and produce a more in-
tense light than filament headlamps.
Bi-Xenon headlamps produce low
beam and high beam.
CAC
(C
ustomer A
ssistance C
enter)
Mercedes-Benz customer service cen-
ter, which can help you with any ques-
tions about your vehicle and provide
assistance in the event of a break-
down.
1BabySmart
TM
is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.