2006 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 Srs

25 At a glance
Instrument cluster
Item
Page
1
LLeft turn signal
indicator lamp
2
To dim instrument cluster
illumination
148
3
Reset button for:Adjusting instrument cluster
illumination
148
4
Multifunction display with:Trip odometer
150
Main odometer
150
5
To brighten instrument clus-
ter illumination
148
6
KRight turn signal
indicator lamp
7
Tachometer with: 388
Item
Page
1Supplemental
Restraint System
(SRS) indicator lamp
390
?Engine malfunction
indicator lamp,
USA only
385
±Engine malfunction
indicator lamp,
Canada only
385
AHigh beam headlamp
indicator
54
8
Fuel gauge with:Fuel tank reserve warning
lamp
388
9
Multifunction display
with:Outside temperature display
150
Gear position indicator
185
Item
Page
a
Clock
b
Speedometer with:-Antilock Brake Sys-
tem (ABS) indicator
lamp
382
;Brake warning lamp,
USA only
383
3Brake warning lamp,
Canada only
383
vESP
® warning lamp
387
lDistance warning
lamp
Warning lamp without
function. It illuminates when
the ignition is on. It should
go out when the engine is
running.HCombination low tire
pressure/TPMS mal-
function telltale*
391

66 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyIn this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.

Seat belts (
page 73)


Child restraints (
page 87)


Lower anchors and tethers for children
(LATCH) (
page 88)
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) with


Air bags (
page 67)


Air bag control unit (with crash
sensors)


Emergency tensioning device (ETD) for
seat belts (
page 76)Air bag system components with


Front passenger front air bag off
indicator lamp (
page 85)


Front passenger seat with Occupant
Classification System (OCS)
(page 81)
As independent systems, their protective
functions work in conjunction with each
other.The SRS system conducts a self-test when
the ignition is switched on and in regular
intervals while the engine is running. This
facilitates early detection of malfunctions.
The
1
indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (page 25) comes on when the
ignition is switched on and goes out no lat-
er than a few seconds after the engine has
been started.
The SRS components are in operational
readiness if the
1
indicator lamp is not
lit when the engine is running.
A malfunction in the system has been
detected if the
1
indicator lamp:


fails to go out not later than approxi-
mately four seconds after the engine
was started


does not come on at all


comes on after the engine was started
or while driving
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and
restraint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 78).

67 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Air bags
Warning!
G
In the event that the 1indicator lamp
comes on during driving or does not come
on at all, the SRS self-check has detected a
malfunction. 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 deploy when needed in an
accident, which could result in serious or fa-
tal injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly
and unnecessarily which could also result in
injury.
In addition, improper work on the SRS
creates a risk of rendering the SRS inopera-
tive or causing unintended air bag deploy-
ment. Work on the SRS must therefore only
be performed by qualified technicians. Con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
If it is necessary to modify an air bag system
to accommodate a person with disabilities,
contact your local authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center or call
our Customer Assistance Center at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372)
for details.
Warning!
G
Air bags are designed to reduce the poten-
tial of injury and fatality in certain frontal im-
pacts (front air bags), side impacts (side
impact air bags and head protection window
curtain air bags) or rollovers (head protec-
tion window curtain air bags). However, no
system available today can totally eliminate
injuries and fatalities.
The deployment of the air bags temporarily
releases a small amount of dust from the air
bags. This dust, however, is neither injurious
to your health, nor does it indicate a fire in
the vehicle. The dust might cause some tem-
porary breathing difficulty for people with
asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid
this, you may wish to get out of the vehicle
as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any
breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the
vehicle after the air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or door.

70 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Safety guidelines for the seat belt,
emergency tensioning device and
air bag We caution you not to rely on the
presence of the air bags in order to
avoid wearing your seat belt.
It is important to your safety and that of
your passengers that you replace de-
ployed air bags and repair any malfunc-
tioning air bags to make sure the
vehicle will continue to provide supple-
mental crash protection 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. Only use belts in-
stalled or supplied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.


Air bags and pyrotechnic emergency
tensioning devices (ETDs) are designed
to function on a one-time-only basis. An
air bag or ETD that is deployed must be
replaced. PRE-SAFE* has electrically op-
erated reversible pre-tensioners in addi-
tion to the pyrotechnic ETDs.


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.


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, front passenger front air bag
cover, outboard sides of the seat back-
rests, door trim panels, or door frame
trims, and installation of additional
electrical/electronic equipment on or
near SRS components and wiring. Keep
area between air bags and occupants
free from objects (e.g. packages, purs-
es, umbrellas, etc.).


Do not hang items such as coat hangers
from the coat hooks or handles over the
door. These items may turn into projec-
tiles and cause head and other injuries
when curtain air bag is deployed.


Air bag system components will be hot
after an air bag has inflated. Do not
touch.

71 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 air bags
1Driver air bag
2Passenger air bag
Driver and front passenger front air bags
are deployed:


in the event of certain frontal impacts


if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold


independently of the side impact air
bags


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.


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 air bag
unit or emergency tensioning device,
our safety instructions must be fol-
lowed. These instructions are available
from your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.


Given the considerable deployment
speed, required inflation volume, and
the textile structure of the air bags,
there is the possibility of abrasions or
other more significant injuries resulting
from air bag deployment.
Warning!
G
Only use seat covers which have been
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz for
your vehicle model. Using other seat covers
may interfere with or prevent the
deployment of the front side impact air bags
or the rear side impact air bags*. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center for availability.

74 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyWarning!
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 seat 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. Make
sure everyone riding in the vehicle is cor-
rectly restrained with a separate seat belt.
Never use a seat belt for more than one per-
son at a time.
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.
Only use seat belts which have been
approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Do not make any modifications to the seat
belts. This can lead to unintended activation
of the ETDs 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 air bag, pas-
senger front air bag, side impact air
bags, head protection window curtain
air bags for side windows), ETD (seat
belt emergency tensioning device), and
front seat knee bolsters. The system is
designed to enhance the protection of-
fered to properly belted occupants in
certain frontal (front air bags and ETD)
and side (side impact, window curtain
air bags and ETD) impacts which exceed
preset deployment thresholds and in

390 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
1
The red SRS indicator lamp comes
on while driving.
There is a malfunction in the restraint systems.
The air bags or emergency tensioning device
(ETDs) could deploy unexpectedly or fail to de-
ploy unexpectedly in an accident.

Drive with added caution to the
nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
Warning!
G
In the event a malfunction of the SRS is indi-
cated as outlined above, 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 result in
an accident/or injury to you or to others.

426 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause
Possible solution
L
Malfunction
Drive to workshop
One or more main functions of the
Tele Aid* system are malfunctioning.

Have the Tele Aid* system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Battery
Drive to workshop
The emergency power battery for the
Tele Aid* system is malfunctioning. If the
vehicle battery is also dead, Tele Aid* will
not be operational.

Have the Tele Aid* system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
1
Restraint sys.
malfunction
Drive to workshop
The system is malfunctioning.

Drive with added caution to the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Warning!
G
In the event a malfunction of the SRS is indi-
cated as outlined above, the SRS may not be
operational.
For your safety, we strongly recommend
that you visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck 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 also result in injury.