2005 MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS COUPE Air bag

75
Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information when circumstances
require you to place a child in the front
passenger seat:

Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to turn off the front
passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the system senses the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child or less along
with the weight of a standard appropri-
ate child restraint on the front passen-
ger seat.


A child in a rear-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat will be serious-
ly injured or even killed if the front pas-
senger front air bag inflates in a collision
which could occur under some circum-
stances, even with the air bag technolo-
gy installed in your vehicle. The only
means to completely eliminate this risk
is to never place a child in a rear-facing
child restraint in the front seat. We
therefore strongly recommend that you
always place a child in a rear-facing
child restraint in the back seat.


If you must install a rear-facing child re-
straint on the front passenger seat be-
cause circumstances require you to do
so, make sure that the
56 indi-
cator lamp is illuminated, indicating that
the front passenger front air bag is deac-
tivated. Should the 56 indicator
lamp not illuminate or go out while the
restraint is installed, please check in-
stallation. Periodically check the
56 indicator lamp while driving
to make sure the 56indicator
lamp is illuminated. If the 56 in-
dicator lamp goes out or remains out, do
not transport a child on the front pas-
senger seat until the system has been
repaired. A child in a rear-facing child re-
straint on the front passenger seat will
be seriously injured or even killed if the
front passenger front air bag inflates.


If you have to place a child in a
forward-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat, move the seat as
far back as possible, use the proper
child restraint recommended for the
age, size and weight of the child, and
secure child restraint with the vehicle’s
seat belt according to the child seat
manufacturer's instructions. For
children larger than the typical
12-month-old child, the front passenger
front air bag may or may not be activat-
ed (
page 74).
iDeployment of the driver front air bag
does not mean that the front passenger
front air bag also should have de-
ployed.

76 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
The 56 indicator lamp is located in
the center console.
1 Front passenger front air bag off
indicator lamp
The 56 indicator lamp 1 will be
illuminated, except with the SmartKey
removed or in starter switch position 0.
The Occupant Classification System
(
page 73) may have determined:


that the seat was empty or occu-
p i e d b y t h e w e i g h t u p t o o r l e s s t h a n
that of a typical 12-month-old child
seated in a standard child restraint
- both instances where the system
suppresses deployment of the front
passenger front air bag even
though the impact met the criteria
and was of sufficient severity to
deploy the driver front air bag.


that the seat was occupied by a
small individual (such as a young
teenager or a small adult) or a child
weighing more than the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child in a stan-
dard child restraint - instances
where the system may suppress
deployment of the front passenger
front air bag even though the im-
pact met the criteria and was of suf-
ficient severity to deploy the driver
front air bag.
Warning!
G
If the
1indicator lamp and the
56 indicator lamp are lit at the same
time, there is a malfunction in the Occupant
Classification System. The front passenger
front air bag will be deactivated in this case.
In order to ensure proper operation of the air
bag system and OCS:

Have the system checked as soon as
possible by qualified technicians.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.


Sit properly belted in a nearly upright
position with your back against the seat
backrest.


Do not lean on the armrests or lift your-
self from the seat by using the handle
over the door as this may cause the OCS
to be unable to correctly approximate
the occupant weight category.


Only have the seat repaired or replaced
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.


Read and observe all warnings in this
chapter.

107
Controls in detail
Memory function*
 Memory function*
You can store up to three different settings
per SmartKey.
The following settings are saved for each
stored position:

Driver’s seat, backrest and head
restraint position


Steering wheel position


Exterior rear view mirror positions
These key-dependent memory settings
can be deactivated if desired. For informa-
tion on key-dependent memory settings,
see “Setting key-dependency”
(
page 149). The following settings are not
key-dependent. They are stored when
using the buttons on the passenger door:


Front passenger seat, backrest and
head restraint position.
!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 air bags (
page 61) for
proper seat positioning.
In addition, adjust the steering wheel to
ensure adequate control, reach, opera-
tion and comfort. Both the interior and
exterior 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
Standards 213 and 225 and Canadian
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213
and 210.2.
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.

116 Controls in detailLightingHazard warning flasher
The hazard warning flasher can be
switched on all times, even with the
SmartKey removed from the starter
switch.
The hazard warning flasher switches on
automatically when an air bag deploys.
The hazard warning flasher switch is locat-
ed on the upper part of the center console.1 Hazard warning flasher switch Switching on the hazard warning
flasher

Press hazard warning flasher
switch
1.
All turn signal lamps are flashing. Switching off the hazard warning
flasher

Press hazard warning flasher
switch
1again.
iWith the hazard warning flasher acti-
vated and the combination switch set
for either left or right turn, only the re-
spective turn signals will operate when
the ignition is switched on (
page 33).
iIf the hazard warning flasher has been
activated automatically, press hazard
warning flasher switch 1 once to
switch it off.

263
Controls in detail
Useful features
Emergency calls
An emergency call is initiated automatical-
ly following an accident in which the emer-
gency tensioning devices (ETDs) or air
bags deploy.
An emergency call can also be initiated
manually by opening the cover next to the
interior rear view mirror labeled SOS, then
briefly pressing the button located under
the cover. See (
page 264) for instruc-
tions on initiating an emergency call man-
ually.
Once the emergency call is in progress, the
indicator lamp in the SOS button will begin
to flash. The message
Connecting call

appears in the multifunction display and
the audio system is muted. When the con-
nection is established, the message
Call connected
appears in the multifunc-
tion display. All information relevant to the
emergency, such as the location of the
vehicle (determined by the GPS satellite
location system), vehicle model, identifica-
tion number and color are generated. A voice connection between the Response
Center and the occupants of the vehicle
will be established automatically soon
after the emergency call has been initiat-
ed. The Response Center will attempt to
determine more precisely the nature of the
emergency 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
Center
Warning!
G
If the indicator lamps in the SOS button, in
the Roadside Assistance button and/or in
the Information button remain illuminated
constantly in red and/or the message Tele Aid malfunction. Drive to
workshop
is displayed in the multifunction
display after the system self-check, a mal-
function in the system has been detected.
If a malfunction is indicated as outlined
above, the system may not operate as
expected. Have the system checked at the
nearest Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
iLocation 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
Response Center.

344 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
The yellow fuel tank reserve
warning lamp in the fuel gauge
comes on while driving.
The fuel level has gone below the reserve
mark.

Refuel at the next gas station
(page 288).
<
The red seat belt telltale illumi-
nates for a brief period after
starting the engine.
The telltale reminds you and your passengers
to fasten seat belts.

Fasten your seat belt.
The telltale goes out.
The red seat belt telltale
illuminates and a warning chime
sounds for approximately six
seconds after starting the
engine.
The driver’s seat belt is not fastened before
the engine is started.

Fasten the driver’s seat belt.
The telltale goes out.
1
The red SRS indicator lamp
comes on while driving.
There is a malfunction in the restraint
systems. The air bags or emergency
tensioning devices (ETDs) could deploy
unexpectedly or fail to deploy in an accident.

Drive with added caution to the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Warning!
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 unnec-
essarily which could result in an accident
and/or injury to you or to others.

345
Practical hints
What to do if …
Lamp in center consoleProblem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
56
The front passenger front air bag
off indicator lamp illuminates and
remains illuminated with the
weight of a typical adult or some-
one larger than a small individual
on the front passenger seat.
The system is malfunctioning.

Have the system checked as soon as possible
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

Also note any messages in the multifunction
display and follow corrective steps
(page 347).
Warning!
G
If the
56 indicator lamp illuminates
and remains illuminated with the weight of a
typical adult or someone larger than a small
individual on the front passenger seat, do
not have any passenger use the front
passenger seat until the system has been
repaired.

346 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
56
The front passenger front air
bag off indicator lamp does
not illuminate and/or does
not remain illuminated with
the weight of a typical
12-month-old child in a stan-
dard child restraint or less on
the front passenger seat.
The system is malfunctioning.

Make sure there is nothing between seat cushion
and child seat and check installation of the child
seat.

Make sure that no objects applying supplemental
weight onto the seat are present.

If the front passenger front air bag off indicator lamp
remains out, have the system checked as soon as
possible by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Do not transport a child on the front passenger seat
until the system has been repaired.

Also note any messages in the multifunction display
and follow corrective steps (
page 349).
Warning!
G
If the 56 indicator lamp does not
illuminate or remains out with the weight of
a typical 12-month-old child in a standard
child restraint or less on the front passenger
seat, do not transport a child on the front
passenger seat until the system has been
repaired.