2006 MERCEDES-BENZ R350 center console

76 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
The air bags will not deploy in impacts
which do not exceed the system’s deploy-
ment thresholds. You will then be protec-
ted by the fastened seat belts.
The passenger front air bag will only be
deployed if:

the system, based on OCS weight sen-
sor readings, senses that the front
passenger seat is occupied


the 59indicator lamp in
the center console is not lit
(page 89)


the impact exceeds a preset deploy-
ment thresholdSide impact air bags, window curtain
air bags
1Front side impact air bag
2Window curtain air bag
3Rear side impact air bag*
The side impact air bags and window
curtain air bags are deployed:


on the impacted side of the vehicle


in impacts exceeding a preset deploy-
ment threshold


independently of the front air bags
iThe front air bags in this vehicle have
been designed to inflate in two stages.
This allows the air bag to have different
rates of inflation that are based on the
rate of relevant vehicle deceleration as
assessed by the air bag control unit.
On the front passenger-side, the front
air bag deployment is additionally influ-
enced by the passenger’s weight cate-
gory as identified by the Occupant
Classification System (OCS)
(page 85).
The lighter the front passenger side oc-
cupant, the higher the vehicle deceler-
ation rate required for the second
stage inflation of the air bag.

85 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Occupant Classification System
The Occupant Classification System (OCS)
automatically turns the front passenger
front air bag on or off based on the classi-
fied occupant weight category determined
by weight sensor readings from the front
passenger seat.
Occupants must sit properly belted in a
nearly upright position with their back
against the seat backrest and feet on the
floor to be correctly classified. If the occu-
pant’s weight is transferred to another
object in the vehicle (e.g. by leaning on
armrests), the OCS may not be able to
properly approximate the occupant’s
weight category.Furthermore, the occupant weight may ap-
pear to increase or decrease due to
objects hanging on the seat, other passen-
gers pushing on the seat, objects lodged
underneath the seat or stuffed between
seat and middle console or between seat
and door or due to objects applying pres-
sure on the back of the seat. Always make
sure the seat has clearance in all direc-
tions at all times.
Both, driver and the front passenger
should always use the 59 in-
dicator lamp as an indication of whether or
not the front passenger is properly posi-
tioned.
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.
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
vehicle equipment and may cause an acci-
dent and / or serious personal injury.
iThe system does not deactivate the
front passenger side impact air bag,
the window curtain air bag, and the
emergency tensioning device.
iIf your seat, including your trim cover
and cushion needs to be serviced in
any way, take the vehicle to an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
Only seat accessories approved by
Mercedes-Benz may be used.

89 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The 59indicator lamp is lo-
cated in the center console.
159 indicator lamp
The 59indicator lamp1 will
be illuminated, except with the SmartKey
removed from the starter switch or with
the starter switch in position0
(page 38).
Warning!
G
If the 1indicator lamp and the
59indicator 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. Have the system checked as
soon as possible by qualified technicians.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
In order to ensure proper operation of the
air bag system and OCS:

Do not place more than 4.4 lbs (2 kg)
into the parcel net on the back of the
front passenger seat. Otherwise, the
OCS may not be able to properly approx-
imate the occupant weight category.


Do not place objects under and/or
around the front passenger seat.


Do not hang anything from or attach any
items to the seats.


Do not stuff objects such as books be-
tween the middle console and the front
passenger seat.


Do not move the front passenger seat
backwards against stiff objects.


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 Light
Truck Center.


Read and observe all warnings in this
chapter.

90 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetySelf-test Occupant Classification Sys-
tem
After turning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position1or2or pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start / stop button once or
twice, the59indicator lamp
(page 89) located in the center console
illuminates. If an adult occupant is properly
sitting on the front passenger seat and the
system senses the occupant as being an
adult, the59indicator lamp
will illuminate and go out after approxi-
mately 6 seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the system
senses the front passenger seat as being
empty, the59indicator lamp
will illuminate and not go out.For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 414).Installation of infant and child restraint
system
This vehicle is equipped with tether an-
chorages for a top tether strap at each of
the rear seat backrests.

Remove anchorage ring cover 1 from
seat backrest of the seat on which a
child seat is to be installed.
1Anchorage ring cover
Warning!
G
If the 59 indicator lamp should
not illuminate, the system is not functioning.
You must see an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center before seating any child
on the front passenger seat.Warning!
G
Never place anything between seat cushion
and child seat (e.g. pillow), since it reduces
the effectiveness of the Occupant Classifi-
cation System. 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 increasing protec-
tion for the child.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
installation of child seats.

101 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Switching off the ESP
®
To improve the vehicle’s traction, turn off
the ESP
® in driving situations where it
would be advantageous to have the drive
wheels spin and thus cut into surfaces for
better grip such as:


starting out on slippery surfaces and in
deep snow in conjunction with snow
chains


in sand or gravelWhen you switch off the ESP
®


the ESP
® does not stabilize the vehicle


the engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin and
thus cut into surfaces for better grip


the 4-ETS will still brake a spinning
wheel


the ESP
® continues to operate when
you are brakingThe ESP
® switch is located on the upper
part of the center console.
1ESP® switch

Press ESP
® switch1 until the
ESP
®warning lampv in the instru-
ment cluster comes on.
The ESP® is deactivated.
Warning!
G
The ESP
® should not be switched off during
normal driving other than in the circum-
stances described below. Disabling of the
system will reduce vehicle stability in stan-
dard driving maneuvers.
!Turn the ESP
® on immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not
apply anymore.
iWhen the ESP
® is switched off and one
or more drive wheels are spinning, the
ESP
® warning lamp v in the instru-
ment cluster flashes. However, the
ESP® will then not stabilize the vehicle.

141 Controls in detailSeats
Installing head restraints
Insert head restraint 1 into openings
on the seat backrest.

Push head restraint 1 down until it au-
dibly engages.

Push release button2 and adjust
head restraint 1 to the desired posi-
tion (
page 139).Armrests
The second-row seat armrests can be fold-
ed up, when loading for example, and ad-
justed.
Folding up

Move the armrest into a vertical posi-
tion until it engages.
Adjusting

With the armrest folded up, disengage
the armrest by pushing it towards the
rear slightly.

Fold the armrest down to the lowest
and then to the desired position until it
engages.

To readjust the armrest to a higher
position, move armrest up to the
desired position until it engages.
Seat heating*
Front-seat heating
The switches for front-seat heating are lo-
cated in the center console. The red indica-
tor lamps in the switch come on to show
which heating level you have selected.
iOn the second-row seats, the guide bar
with the detent must be on the left.
iIf you wish to readjust the armrest to a
lower position, you must first fold up
the armrest again and repeat the steps
above.

143 Controls in detailSeats
Switching off
Press switch1 repeatedly until all
indicator lamps2 go out.Second-row seat heating
The switches for the second-row seats are
located in the rear center console.
1Seat heating switch
2Indicator lamps

Operate the seat heating for the
second-row seats as described in
“Front-seat heating” (
page 141).
iIf one or more of the indicator
lamps2 on seat heating switch 1 are
flashing, there is insufficient voltage
due to too many electrical consumers
being switched on. The seat heating
switches off automatically.
The seat heating will switch back on
again automatically as soon as
sufficient voltage is available.

153 Controls in detail
Lighting
Switching off corner-illuminating front
fog lamps
The combination switch for the turn signal
resets automatically after major steering
wheel movements. This will switch off the
corner-illuminating front fog lamps if they
were activated by switching on the left or
right turn signal.
If the turn signal should stay on after mak-
ing the turn, the turn signal and
corner-illuminating front fog lamps can be
switched off by returning the combination
switch to its original position.Driving rearward
Switching on corner-illuminating front
fog lamps

Shift the automatic transmission to
reverse gearR (
page 198).
The inverse front fog lamp comes on
automatically depending on the
steering direction and steering angle.
Switching off corner-illuminating front
fog lamps

Shift the automatic transmission to a
gear other than reverse gearR
(page 197).
The respective front fog lamp goes out.
Hazard warning flasher
The hazard warning flasher can be
switched on at 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
located on the upper part of the center
console.
1Hazard warning flasher switch