2005 MERCEDES-BENZ G55AMG Owner's Manual

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.

66 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Safety guidelines for the seat belt,
emergency tensioning device and
airbag Your vehicle was originally equipped
with airbags that are designed to acti-
vate in certain impacts exceeding a
preset threshold to reduce the poten-
tial and severity of injury. It is important
to your safety and that of your passen-
ger that you replace deployed airbags
and repair any malfunctioning airbags
to make sure the vehicle will continue
to provide supplemental crash protec-
tion for occupants.Warning!
G


Damaged seat belts or belts that were
highly stressed in an accident must be
replaced and their anchoring points
must also be checked. Use only belts in-
stalled or supplied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.


No modifications of any kind may be
made to any components or wiring of
the SRS. This includes changing or re-
moving any component or part of the
SRS, the installation of additional trim
material, badges, etc. over the steering
wheel hub, passenger front airbag cov-
er, or door trim panels, and installation
of additional electrical /electronic
equipment on or near SRS components
and wiring. Keep area between airbags
and occupants free from objects (e.g.
packages, purses, umbrellas, etc.).


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 pass belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.


Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness 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 ade-
quate protection.


Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.


Airbag system components will be hot
after an airbag has inflated. Do not
touch.

67 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
When you sell your vehicle we strongly
urge you to give notice to the subsequent
owner that it is equipped with an SRS by
alerting them to the applicable section in
the Operator’s Manual.Front airbags
1Driver airbag
2Passenger front airbag
Driver and front passenger airbags are
deployed:


in the event of certain frontal impacts


if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold


In addition, improper repair work on the
SRS creates a risk of rendering the SRS
inoperative or causing unintended air-
bag deployment. Work on the SRS must
therefore only be performed by qualified
technicians. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.


For your protection and the protection
of others, when scrapping the airbag
unit or emergency tensioning device,
our safety instructions must be fol-
lowed. These instructions are available
from an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.


Given the considerable deployment
speed and the textile structure of the
airbags, there is the possibility of abra-
sions or other injuries resulting from
airbag deployment.
Warning!
G
In the event that the 1indicator lamp
comes on while driving, the SRS may not be
operational. For your safety, we strongly
recommend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck 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 unexpect-
edly and unnecessarily which could also re-
sult in injury.

68 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyThe airbags will not deploy in impacts
which do not exceed the system’s deploy-
ment thresholds. You will then be protect-
ed by the fastened seat belts.
The passenger front airbag will only be
deployed if:

the passenger seat is occupied


the 7 indicator lamp in the center
console is not lit (
page 74)


the impact exceeds a preset deploy-
ment thresholdWindow curtain airbags
The window curtain airbags1 deploy in
the area of the side windows between the
A and C pillars (see arrows).
1Window curtain airbag
The window curtain airbags are deployed:


on the impacted side of the vehicle


in impacts exceeding a preset deploy-
ment threshold


independently of the front airbags
The window curtain airbags are not de-
ployed in impacts which do not exceed the
system’s deployment threshold.
Seat belts
When the engine is started, the seat-belt
telltale< illuminates to remind you and
your passengers to fasten your seat belts.
If the driver’s seat belt is not fastened be-
fore the engine is started, the seat belt
telltale< 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, the District of Columbia, the
U.S. territories and all Canadian provinces.
Even where this is not the case, all vehicle
occupants should have their seat belts fas-
tened whenever the vehicle is in motion.
For more information, see “Fastening the
seat belt” (
page 43).
!Do not place objects heavier than
20 lbs (9 kg) on the front passenger
seat. This could cause the passenger
front airbag to deploy in a crash which
exceeds the system’s deployment
threshold.

69 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
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).
Warning!
G
Always fasten your seat belt before driving
off. Always make sure your passengers are
properly restrained, even those sitting in the
rear and pregnant women.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and po-
sition your seat belt greatly increases your
risk of injuries and their likely severity in an
accident. You and your passengers should
always wear seat belts.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries
can be considerably more severe without
your seat belt properly buckled. Without
your seat belt buckled, you are much more
likely to hit the interior of the vehicle or be
ejected from it. You can be seriously injured
or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury or
death is lessened if you are properly wearing
your seat belt. Airbags can only protect as
they are designed if the occupants are prop-
erly wearing their seat belts.
Warning!
G
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position
as this can be dangerous. You could slide
under the seat belt in a collision. If you slide
under it, the belt would apply force at the ab-
domen or neck. That could cause serious or
even fatal injuries. The backrest and seat
belt provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in a nearly upright position and the
belt is properly positioned on the body.Warning!
G
Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are seat belts available. Be sure
everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly re-
strained with a separate seat belt. Never use
a seat belt for more than one person at a
time.

70 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyWarning!
G
Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly
stressed in an accident must be replaced
and their anchoring points must also be
checked.
Only use seat belts which have been ap-
proved by Mercedes-Benz.
Do not make any modifications to the seat
belts. This can lead to unintended activation
or to failure.
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.
Have all work carried out only by qualified
technicians. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Warning!
G
USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY

Seat belts can only work when used
properly. Never wear seat belts in any
other way than as described in this sec-
tion, as that could result in serious inju-
ries in case of an accident.


Each occupant should wear their seat
belt at all times, because seat belts help
reduce the likelihood of and potential
severity of injuries in accidents, includ-
ing rollovers. The integrated restraint
system includes SRS (driver airbag and
passenger front airbag, head protection
window curtain airbags for side win-
dows), ETD (seat belt emergency ten-
sioning device for driver’s seat, front
passenger seat and the outboard pas-
senger seats). The system is designed to
enhance the protection offered to prop-
erly belted occupants in certain frontal
(front airbags and EDT) and side (win-
dow curtain airbags and ETD) impacts
which exceed preset deployment
thresholds.


Never wear the shoulder belt under your
arm, against your neck or off your shoul-
der. In a crash, your body would move
too far forward. That would increase the
chance of head and neck injuries. The
belt would also apply too much force to
the ribs or abdomen, which could se-
verely injure internal organs such as
your liver or spleen.


Never wear belts over rigid or breakable
objects in or on your clothing, such as
eyeglasses, pens, keys, etc., as these
might cause injuries.


Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips and not across the abdo-
m e n . I f t h e b e l t i s p o s i t i o n e d a c r o s s y o u r
abdomen, it could cause serious injuries
in a crash.


Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time. Do not fasten a seat
belt around a person and another per-
son or other objects.

71 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Emergency tensioning device (ETD),
seat belt force limiter
The seat belts for the front and rear outer
seats are equipped with emergency ten-
sioning devices and belt force limiters.
The ETD is designed to activate in the
following 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 62)In an impact, emergency tensioning
devices remove slack from the belts in
such a way that the seat belts fit more
snugly against the body.


Belts should not be worn twisted. In a
crash, you wouldn’t have the full width
of the belt to manage impact forces. The
twisted belt against your body could
cause injuries.


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 pres-
sure on the abdomen.


Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.
iThe EDTs for the front seats will only
activate if the respective front seat belt
is fastened (latch plate properly
inserted into buckle).
The EDTs for the rear outer seats will
activate with or without the respective
seat belt fastened.
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 passenger
front airbag and, with the seat belt
fastened to secure the object, the ETD
on the front passenger side to deploy in
a crash which exceeds the system’s
deployment threshold.

72 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyChildren 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.


Make sure the infant or child is proper-
ly secured 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.Infant 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 and
the rear center seat belt have special seat
belt retractors for secure fastening of child
restraints.
To fasten a child restraint, follow manufac-
turer’s instructions for mounting child re-
straints. Then pull shoulder belt out
completely and let it retract. During the
seat belt retraction a ratcheting sound can
be heard to indicate that the special seat
belt retractor is activated. 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
manner.
1BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
iFor more information on child seats
with mounting fittings for tether an-
chorages, see “Installation of infant
and child restraint system”
(page 76).
For information on LATCH-type child
seat anchors, see (
page 77).
Warning!
G
Never release the seat belt buckle while the
vehicle is in motion, since the special seat
belt retractor will be deactivated.