2005 MERCEDES-BENZ G500 belt

45 Getting started
Driving
Front seat belts and rear outer seat
belts
1Latch plate
2Buckle
3Release button

With a smooth motion, pull the belt
from the belt outlet.

Place the shoulder portion of the belt
across the top of your shoulder and the
lap portion across your hips.

Push latch plate1 into buckle2 until
it clicks.

If necessary, tighten the lap portion to
a snug fit by pulling shoulder portion
up.Rear center seat belt
Overview1Attachment for latch plates
2Buckle for fixed latch plate
3Release button for fixed latch plate
4Fixed latch plate
5Buckle for free-sliding latch plate
6Release button for free-sliding latch
plate
7Free-sliding latch plate

46 Getting startedDrivingFastening the rear center seat belt
Pull both latch plates1 and2 out of
the attachment (
page 45).
The seat belt has two latch plates:
Plate1 is fixed at the end of the belt.
Latch plate2 is free-sliding across the
belt.

With a smooth motion, pull the belt
from the belt outlet.

Push fixed latch plate1 into
buckle3 until it clicks.

Guide the seat belt at free-sliding latch
plate2 across your body.
Place the shoulder portion of the belt
across the top of your shoulder and the
lap portion across your hips.

Push free-sliding latch plate2 into
buckle4 until it clicks.

If necessary, tighten the lap portion to
a snug fit by pulling shoulder portion
up.

47 Getting started
Driving
Opening the rear center seat belt
Press release button6 on buckle5
for the free-sliding latch plate
(page 45).

Press release button3 on buckle2
for the fixed latch plate (
page 45).
Storing the rear center seat belt

Allow rear center seat belt to retract to
its end stop.

Guide both latch plates4 and7
once upon another into attachment1
(page 45).Proper use of seat belts


Do not twist the belt when fastening.


Adjust seat belt so that the shoulder
portion is located as close as possible
to the middle of the shoulder (it should
not touch the neck). Never pass the
shoulder portion of the belt under your
arm.


Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips (over hip joint) and not
across the abdomen.


Place the seat backrest on adjustable
seat backrests in a nearly upright
position.


Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time.


Do not fasten a seat belt around a
person and another object at the same
time.


When using a seat belt to secure infant
or toddler restraints or children in
booster seats, always follow the child
seat manufacturer’s instructions.


Check your seat belt during travel to
make sure it is properly positioned.


Make sure the seat belt is always fitted
snugly. Take special care of this when
wearing loose clothing.
Warning!
G
To help prevent the possibility of injury,
always store the rear center seat belt latch
plates in the attachment when the rear
center seat belt is not in use.
Warning!
G
Do not pass belts over sharp edges. They
could tear.
Do not allow the belt to get caught in the
door or in the seat adjustment mechanism.
This could damage the belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to
seat belts. This could impair the effective-
ness of the belts.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash, they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly
stressed in an accident must be replaced.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.

48 Getting startedDrivingSeat belt height adjustment
Adjust the height so that the upper part of
the belt runs over the middle of the shoul-
der.
1Button for belt outlet height
adjustmentAdjusting belt outlet higher

Slide belt outlet upward.
The belt outlet engages in five various
positions.
Adjusting belt outlet lower

Pull and hold release button1.

Slide belt outlet in desired position.

Let go of release button1.
Please comply with the instructions for
“Proper use of seat belts” (
page 47).
Starting the engineWarning!
G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide, and inhaling it can cause uncon-
sciousness and lead to death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as garage) which are not properly ven-
tilated. If you think that exhaust gas fumes
are entering the vehicle while driving, have
the cause determined and corrected imme-
diately. If you must drive under these condi-
tions, drive only with at least one window
fully open.

59 Getting started
Parking and locking

Press the seat belt release button3
(page 45).
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 SmartKey
(page 34).
With the hood, tailgate and all doors
closed, all turn signal lamps flash three
times. The locking knobs on the doors
move down.
The anti-theft alarm system is armed.For more information, see “Locking and
unlocking” (
page 92).
iThe SmartKey can only be pulled out
when:

it has been turned to position0 in
the starter switch


the gear selector lever for the auto-
matic transmission is in positionP
iWith the SmartKey removed and the
driver’s door open, a warning sounds if
the vehicle’s 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, make sure there is no
possibility of someone getting caught in a
door during closing.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it
with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsuper-
vised use of vehicle equipment may cause
an accident and/or serious personal injury.

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

Seat belts


Emergency tensioning device


Airbags


Child seats


Child seat recognition


Lower anchors and tethers for children
(LATCH)
As independent systems, their protective
effects work in conjunction with each oth-
er.The 1indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 25) comes on:


for about four seconds when you turn
the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position1.


for about four seconds when you start
the engine by turning the SmartKey.
The 1indicator lamp goes out shortly
after you start the engine. This shows that
the restraint systems are operational.
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 72).
iThe 1indicator lamp remains lit if
the SmartKey is turned to position2
and left there. The indicator lamp will
go out when you start the engine.

64 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyWarning!
G
The service life of the passenger front airbag
extends to the date indicated on the label lo-
cated on the driver side B pillar. To provide
continued reliability after that date, they
should be inspected by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center at that
time and replaced when necessary.
Warning!
G
To reduce the risk of injury when the front
airbags inflate, it is very important for the
driver and front passenger to always be in a
properly 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 make sure it is properly
positioned on your body (
page 68).
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.
Occupants who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the airbag can be seriously
injured by an airbag as it inflates with great
force in the blink of an eye:


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


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 an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.


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.


Adjust the front passenger seat as far as
possible rearward from the dashboard
when the seat is occupied.

65 Safety and Security
Occupant safety


Always sit nearly upright, properly use
the seat belts and appropriate size in-
fant 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.
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injuries to you or other occu-
pants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that
you make the buyer aware of this safety in-
formation. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator’s Manual.
1BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
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 74).
iAirbags are designed to activate only in
certain frontal (front airbags) impacts
and in side (head protection window
curtain airbags) impacts which exceed
preset thresholds.
Only during these types of impacts, if of
sufficient severity to meet the deploy-
ment thresholds, will they provide their
supplemental protection.
The driver and passenger should al-
ways wear their seat belts. Otherwise it
is not possible for the airbags to pro-
vide their supplemental protection.
In cases of other frontal impacts, an-
gled impacts, roll-overs, other side im-
pacts, rear collisions, or other
accidents, the airbags will not be acti-
vated. The driver and passengers will
then be protected by the fastened seat
belts.
We caution you not to rely on the pres-
ence of the airbags in order to avoid
wearing your seat belt.