2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CL500 Owner's Manual

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 Center.Infant and child restraint systems
Use only a BabySmart
TM compatible child
restraint for the front passenger seat in
this vehicle.
We recommend all infants and children be
properly restrained at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
All lap-shoulder belts except the driver’s
seat belt have special seat belt retractors
for secure fastening of child restraints.
To fasten a child restraint, follow child re-
straint instructions for mounting. Then pull
the shoulder belt out completely and let it
retract. During seat belt retraction, a ratch-
eting 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 man-
ner.
iFor more information on child seats
with mounting fittings for tether an-
chorages, see “Installation of infant
and child restraint systems”
(page 76).
For information on LATCH-type child
seat mounts (
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.!The use of infant or child restraints is
required by law in all 50 states, the Dis-
trict of Columbia, the U.S. territories
and all Canadian provinces.
Infants and small children should be
seated in an appropriate infant or child
restraint system properly secured by

73 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
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
Standards 213 and 210.2.
A statement by the child restraint man-
ufacturer of compliance with this stan-
dard can be found on the instruction
label on the restraint and in the instruc-
tion 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.
Warning!
G
Children 12 years old and under must never
ride in the front seat, except in a
Mercedes-Benz authorized BabySmart
TM
compatible child seat, which operates with
BabySmart
TM System installed in the vehicle
to deactivate the passenger front air bag
when it is properly installed. Otherwise they
will be struck by the air bag when it inflates
in a crash. If this happens, serious or fatal in-
jury will result.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing positions. Infants and small children
must ride in back seats and be seated in an
appropriate infant or child restraint system,
which is properly secured with the vehicle’s
seat belt and top tether strap, or secured via
lower anchors and top tether strap, fully in
accordance with the child seat manufactur-
er’s instructions.
Infants and small children should never
share a seat belt with another occupant.
During an accident, they could be crushed
between the occupant and seat belt.
Children too big for child restraint systems
must ride in back seats using regular seat
belts. Position shoulder belt across chest
and shoulder, not face or neck. A booster
seat may be necessary to achieve proper
belt positioning for children from 41 lbs until
they reach a height where a lap/shoulder
belt fits properly without a booster.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
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.


74 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyBabySmart
TM air bag deactivation
system
The 58 indicator lamp is located on
the lower part of the center console.
158 indicator lampSpecial 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 spe-
cial child seat properly installed, the pas-
senger front air bag will not deploy.
The 58 indicator lamp1 located
on the lower part of the front center con-
sole 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
(
page 35) once or twice, the 58
indicator lamp comes on for approximately
6 seconds and then goes out.
If the 58 indicator lamp should not
come on or is continuously lit, the system
is not functioning. You must see an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center before seat-
ing any child on the front passenger seat.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(page 336).
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.
iThe system does not deactivate the
side impact air bag and the emergency
tensioning device.


75 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Warning!
G
The BabySmart
TM air bag 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 pas-
senger front air bag will not deploy only if
the
58
indicator lamp remains illu-
minated.
Make sure to check the
58
indica-
tor lamp every time you use the special sys-
tem child seat. Should the
58

indicator lamp go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation. If the
58
indicator lamp remains out, do
not use the BabySmart
TM restraint to trans-
port children on the front passenger seat un-
til the system has been repaired.
Warning!
G
Do not place powered-on laptops, cell
phones, electronic tags such as those used
in ski passes and like electronic devices on
the front passenger seat. Signals from such
devices may interfere with the BabySmart
TM
system. Such signal interference, for exam-
ple, may cause the
58
indicator
lamp not to come on or be continuously lit
during self-test, indicating that the system is
not functioning.

76 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyInstallation of infant and child restraint
systems
This vehicle is equipped with tether an-
chorages for a top tether strap at each of
the rear seating positions.
1Cover of top anchorage ring
Remove cover1 from anchorage ring.

Store cover1 in a convenient place
(e.g. glove box).

Guide tether strap between head re-
straint and top of seat back.Head restraint must be positioned such
that the top tether strap can pass freely
between the head restraint and the top of
seat back.

Make sure the tether strap is not
twisted.
2Hook
3Anchorage ring

Securely fasten hook2, which is part
of the tether strap, to anchorage
ring3.Once the top tether anchorage hook is at-
tached, the child restraint itself can be se-
cured. Tighten the top tether strap
according to the child restraint
manufacturer’s instructions.

Reinstall cover after removing the teth-
er strap.iFor safety, make sure the hook2 has
attached to the ring3 beyond the
safety catch, as illustrated.

77 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Child seat anchors – LATCH type
This vehicle is equipped with two LATCH
(Lower A
nchors and T
ethers for CH
ildren)
type anchors (at each of the rear seats) for
the installation of a LATCH child seat with
the matching anchor fittings.
If you have not installed a child seat, the
LATCH mounting anchor fittings are cov-
ered with an upholstery blend.
1Upholstery blend

Remove upholstery blend1 and store
it in the rear center armrest.2Indicates the position of the anchors
3Anchors

Install child seat according to the man-
ufacturer’s instructions.
iThe child seat must be firmly attached
in the right and left side anchor fittings.
Non-LATCH type child seats may also
be used and can be installed using the
vehicle’s seat belt system. Install child
seat according to the manufacturer’s
instructions.Warning!
G
Children too big for child restraint systems
must ride in back seats using regular seat
belts. Position shoulder belt across chest
and shoulder, not face or neck. A booster
seat may be necessary to achieve proper
belt positioning for children from 41 lbs until
they reach a height where a lap/shoulder
belt fits properly without a booster.
Install child seat according to manufactur-
er’s instructions.
The child seat must be firmly attached in the
right and left side anchors3.


78 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Blocking of rear side windows opera-tion
The override switch is on the driver’s door.
1Override switch
Activating override switch
Slide override switch 1 to the right.
A dot becomes visible. The functions in
the rear are disabled.Deactivating override switch

Slide override switch 1 to the left.
The functions in the rear are enabled
again.
An incorrectly mounted child seat may come
loose during an accident which could result
in serious injury or death to the child.
Damaged or impact damaged child seats or
child seat mounting fittings must be re-
placed.
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system.
iOperation of the rear side windows
with the switches located in the driver’s
door is still possible.
Warning!
G
Activate the override switch when children
are riding in the back seats of the vehicle.
The children may otherwise injure them-
selves, e.g. by becoming trapped in the side
window opening.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehi-
cle equipment may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.


79 Safety and Security
Panic alarm
Panic alarm
An audible alarm and blinking exterior
lamps will operate for approximately
21/2minutes.
1Â button
Activating
Press and hold button1 for at least
1 second.
Deactivating
Press button1 again.
or

Insert the SmartKey or the SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* in starter switch.
or

Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button (
page 35).
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* must
be inside the vehicle.
iUSA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of
the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
(2) this device must accept any inter-
ference received, including interfer-
ence that may cause undesired
operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority
to operate the equipment.iCanada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause interfer-
ence, and
(2) this device must accept any inter-
ference received, including interfer-
ence that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority
to operate the equipment.