2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK55AMG Owner's Manual

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

Seat belts


Emergency tensioning device (ETD)


Air bags


Child seats


Child seat recognition
As independent systems, their protective
effects work in conjunction with each
other.The1indicator lamp in the speedome-
ter dial (
page 24) comes on


for about 4 seconds when you turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch to
position1. It then goes out briefly,
comes on again and remains lit until
you start the engine.


for about 4 seconds when you start the
engine by turning the SmartKey.The1indicator lamp goes out shortly
after you start the engine. This shows that
the restraint systems are operational.
A malfunction in the system has been de-
tected if the1indicator lamp


fails to extinguish after approximately
4 seconds with the SmartKey in the
starter switch position1


does not come on at all


comes on after the engine was started


comes on while driving
For safety reasons, we strongly recom-
mend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to
have the system checked.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 366).
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 75).
iThe1indicator lamp remains lit if
the SmartKey is turned to position2
and left there. The indicator lamp will
go out when you start the engine.

65 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 Center immediately to have
the system checked; otherwise the SRS may
not be activated when needed in an acci-
dent, which could result in serious or fatal
injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly and
unnecessarily which could also result in
injury.
In addition, improper work on the SRS cre-
ates a risk of rendering the SRS inoperative
or causing unintended air bag deployment.
Work on the SRS must therefore only be per-
formed by qualified technicians. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Air bags are designed to reduce the poten-
tial of injury in certain frontal impacts (front
air bags, kneebags), or side impacts
(head-thorax air bags) which may cause sig-
nificant injuries. However, no system avail-
able today can totally eliminate injuries and
fatalities.
The activation of the air bags temporarily re-
leases a small amount of dust from the
air bags. This dust, however, is neither inju-
rious to your health, nor does it indicate a
fire in the vehicle. The dust might cause
some temporary breathing difficulty for peo-
ple 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.
Warning!
G
To reduce the risk of injury when the front
air bags inflate, it is very important for the
driver and passenger to always be in a prop-
erly seated position and to wear their seat
belts.
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 ensure it is properly posi-
tioned on your body.
Since the air bag 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 air bag.
Occupants who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the air bag can be seriously
injured or killed by an air bag 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 seat
backrest.


66 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety

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 air bag 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 the
steering wheel. If you have any prob-
lems, please see an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.


Do not lean with your head or chest
close to the steering wheel or dash-
board.


Keep hands on the outside of the steer-
ing wheel rim. Placing hands and arms
inside the rim can increase the risk and
potential severity of hand/arm injury
when driver front air bag inflates.


Adjust the passenger seat as far as pos-
sible rearward from the dashboard when
the seat is occupied.


Occupants, especially children, should
never lean their heads in the area of the
door where the head-thorax air bag in-
flates. This could result in serious inju-
ries or death should the air bag be
triggered. Always sit nearly upright,
properly use the seat belts and appropri-
ately sized infant or child restraint sys-
tem.


Children 12 years old and under must
never ride in this vehicle, except in a
Mercedes-Benz authorized
BabySmart
TM compatible child seat,
which operates with the BabySmart
TM
system installed in the vehicle to deacti-
vate 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 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.


67 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
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 passenger seat
of your vehicle, you must properly use a
BabySmart
TM child restraint which will turn
off the passenger front air bag.
BabySmartTM will not, however, turn off any
head-thorax air bag.
It should be noted, however, that there is a
possibility of a head-thorax air bag related
injury if occupants, especially children, are
not properly seated or restrained when next
to a head-thorax air bag which needs to de-
ploy rapidly in a side impact in order to do its
job.
To help avoid the possibility of injury, please
follow these guidelines:
(1) Occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their
heads in the area of the door where the
head-thorax air bag inflates. This could
result in serious injuries or death should
the head-thorax air bag be activated.
(2) Always sit nearly upright, properly use
the seat belts and use an appropriately
sized infant or child restraint system for
all children 12 years old or under.
(3) Always wear seat belts properly.
If you believe that, even with the use of
these guidelines, it would be safer for your
passenger seat occupants to have the pas-
senger head-thorax air bag deactivated,
then deactivation can be accomplished
upon your written request to do so at an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center at an addi-
tional cost.
Please contact your local authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or call our Customer
Assistance Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1-800-367-6372) for details.

68 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Safety guidelines for the seat belt,
emergency tensioning device and
air bag
iAir bags are designed to activate only
in certain frontal impacts (front
air bags, kneebags), or side impacts
(head-thorax air bags) 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 air bags 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 air bags will not be acti-
vated. The driver and the passenger will
then be protected by the fastened seat
belts.
We caution you not to rely on the pres-
ence of the air bags in order to avoid
wearing your seat belt.
Your vehicle was originally equipped
with air bags 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-
gers that you replace deployed air bags
and repair any malfunctioning air bags
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. Only use belts in-
stalled or supplied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.


Air bags and emergency tensioning de-
vices (ETDs) are designed to function on
a one-time-only basis. An air bag or ETD
that was activated must be replaced.


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 air bag cover, out-
board sides of the seat backrests, door
trim panels, or door frame trims,

69 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.
and installation of additional electri-
cal/electronic equipment on or near
SRS components and wiring. Keep area
between air bags and occupants free
from objects (e.g. packages, purses,
umbrellas, etc.).


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, or on the seat. Always keep both
feet on the floor in front of the seat.


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


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 autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz 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
Center.


Given the considerable deployment
speed and the textile structure of the
air bags, there is the possibility of abra-
sions or other injuries resulting from
air bag deployment.
Warning!
G
Only use seat covers which have been test-
ed and approved by Mercedes-Benz for your
vehicle model. Using other seat covers may
interfere with or prevent the deployment of
the head-thorax airbags. Contact your au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center for availabil-
ity.

70 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyFront air bags
1Driver’s air bag
2Passenger air bag
3Kneebag (passenger side)
4Kneebag (driver’s side)Driver and passenger air bags are de-
ployed


in the event of certain frontal impacts


if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold


independently of the head-thorax
air bags
The air bags 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 air bag will only be de-
ployed if


the passenger seat is occupied


the 75indicator lamp in the
center console is not lit (
page 77)


the impact exceeds a preset deploy-
ment thresholdKneebags
The driver-side kneebag is located on the
driver’s side lower instrument panel. The
passenger-side kneebag is located on the
passenger side below the glove box. They
are designed to operate together with the
air bags in certain frontal impacts exceed-
ing a preset threshold. The kneebags oper-
ate best in conjunction with properly
positioned and fastened seat belts.
!Do not place objects heavier than
20 lbs (9 kg) on the passenger seat.
This could cause the front air bag or
head-thorax air bag on the passenger
side to deploy in a crash which exceeds
the system’s deployment threshold.

71 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Head-thorax air bags
1Head-thorax air bag
The head-thorax 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
The passenger-side head-thorax air bag
will only deploy if the system senses that
the passenger seat is occupied.
The head-thorax air bags are not deployed
in impacts which do not exceed the sys-
tem’s deployment threshold.
Seat belts
When the engine is started, the seat belt
telltale< illuminates for a maximum of
6 seconds and a warning chime sounds to
remind you and your passenger to fasten
your seat belt.
If after these 6 seconds, the driver’s or the
passenger’s seat belt (with the passenger
seat occupied) are not fastened with all
doors closed,

and the vehicle speed does not exceed
15 mph (25 km/h), the seat belt
telltale< remains illuminated for as
long as either the driver’s or passen-
ger’s seat belt is not fastened.


and the vehicle speed exceeds 15 mph
(25 km/h), the seat belt telltale<
starts flashing and a warning chime
sounds with increasing intensity until
both the driver’s and passenger’s seat
belt are fastened, or for a maximum of
60 seconds from the time the vehicle
speed exceeded 15 mph (25 km/h) if
either the driver’s or passenger’s seat
belt remains unfastened.
If the driver’s or passenger’s seat belt
remains unfastened after 60 seconds,
the seat belt telltale< stops flash-
ing and the warning chime stops
sounding. The seat belt telltale<
then continues to be illuminated for as
long as either the driver’s or passen-
ger’s seat belt are not fastened.
The seat belt telltale< will only go out
if both the driver’s and passenger’s seat
belt (with the passenger seat occupied)
are fastened, or the vehicle is standing still
and a door is opened.