Occupant safet
y 47In particular, work relevant to safety or on
safety-related systems must be carried out
at a qualified specialist workshop. If this
work is not carried out correctly, the oper-
ating safety of your vehicle may be affec -
ted. There is a risk of an accident and injury .SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
The SRS reduces the risk of occupants com-
ing into contact with the vehicle's interior in
the event of an accident.
The SRS consists of:
R The SRS warning lamp =
R Belt tensioners
R Belt force limiters
R Airbag s
The SRS warning lamp ==The SRS functions are checked regularly
when you turn on the ignition and when the
engine is running. Malfunctions can therefore
be detected in good time.
The = warning lamp in the instrumen t
cluster lights up when you switch on the igni -tion and goes out a few seconds after the
engine is started
. G
Risk of injury
If SRS is malfunctioning, individual systems
may be activated unintentionally or not be
triggered in the event of an accident with
heavy braking.
A malfunction has occurred if the =
warning lamp:
R does not light up when you switch on the
ignition
R does not go out after the engine has been
running for a few seconds
R lights up again once the engine is running
In this case, have SRS checked immedi-
ately at a qualified specialist workshop.
Triggering of belt tensioners, belt force
limiters and airbags In the event of a collision, the sensor in the
airbag control unit evaluates important phys-
ical data such as duration, direction and force
of the vehicle deceleration or acceleration.
Based on the evaluation of this data and
depending on the vehicle's rate of longitudi-
nal deceleration in a collision, in the firs
tstage the airbag control unit pre-emptively
triggers the belt tensioners.
The front airbags are only deployed if there is
an even higher rate of vehicle deceleration in
a longitudinal direction.
If your vehicle is fitted with adaptive dual-
stage front airbags, the front airbag is filled
with enough gas to reduce the risk of injuries
at the first deployment threshold. The front
airbag is only fully inflated if a second thresh-
old is reached within a few milliseconds due
to the control unit having detected further
deceleration.
i
The front belt tensioners can only be trig-
gered if the belt tongue is correctly
engaged in the seat belt buckle.
Criteria for triggering belt tensioners and
airbags
In the first stages of a collision, the sensor in
the airbag control unit evaluates physical
data such as duration, direction and rate of
vehicle deceleration or acceleration in order
to determine whether it is necessary to trig-
ger the belt tensioners and/or airbags.
The belt tensioner and airbag triggerin g
thresholds are variable and are adapted to the
rate of deceleration of the vehicle. This proc-
ess is pre-emptive in nature as the airba g Safety
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Occupant safet
y48
must be deployed during – and not at the end
of – the collision
.
i Airbags are not deployed in all types of
accident. They are controlled by comple x
sensor technology and evaluation logic.
This process is pre-emptive in nature as
airbag deployment must take place during
the impact and must be adapted to provide
calculated, additional protection for the
vehicle occupants. Not all airbags are
deployed in an accident.
The different airbag systems work inde-
pendently of each other. However, the
deployment of each individual system will
depend on the type of accident determined
by the control system in the first stages of
the collision (head-on collision, side impact
and overturn) and the extent of the acci-
dent (in particular, the vehicle's rate of
deceleration or acceleration).
The rate of vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion and the direction of the force are basi-
cally determined by:
R the distribution of forces during the colli -
sion
R the collision angle R
the deformation characteristics of the vehi-
cle
R the characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided, e.g. the other vehi-
cle
Factors which can only be seen and measured
after the collision has taken place do not play
a decisive role in the deployment of an airbag,
nor do they provide an indication of it.
The vehicle may be considerably deformed
without an airbag being deployed if, for exam-
ple, only relatively easily deformable parts
such as the bonnet or wings have been hit and
the required rate of deceleration has not been
reached. It is also possible that airbags ma y
be deployed even though the vehicle is only
slightly deformed if, for example, very rigid
vehicle parts such as the longitudinal mem-
bers are hit in an accident and the rate of
deceleration is sufficient .
Belt tensioners, belt force limiters The front seat belts and the outer seat belts
in the rear are equipped with belt tensioners.
! Do not engage the seat belt tongue in the
buckle on the front-passenger seat if the
seat is not occupied. Otherwise the belt tensioner could be activated in an emer-
gency.
If the seat belt is also equipped with a belt
force limiter, the force exerted by the sea t
belt on the seat occupant is reduced.
Belt tensioners tighten the seat belts in an
accident, pulling them close against the body.
i Belt tensioners do not correct incorrect
seat positions or incorrectly fastened sea t
belts.
Belt tensioners do not pull occupants back
towards the backrest.
The front belt force limiters are synchronised
with the front airbags, which spread the
forces exerted by the belt force limiters on
the occupant over a greater area.
When the ignition is switched on, the belt ten -
sioner is triggered:
R only if the restraint systems are operational
(the = warning lamp lights up after th e
ignition is switched on and goes out onc e
the engine is running)( Ypage 47)
R for each three-point seat belt in the front of
the vehicle when the belt tongue is
engaged in the buckle
R in the event of a head-on or rear-end colli-
sion if the vehicle decelerates or acceler- Safety
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Occupant safet
y 49
ates rapidly in a longitudinal direction
during the initial stages of the collision
When the belt tensioners are triggered, you
will hear a bang, which will not cause any
harm to your hearing, and a small amount of
powder may also be released. The =warn-
ing lamp lights up. G
Risk of injury
If the seat belt tensioners have been trig -
gered, they provide no additional protec -
tion in the event of another accident.
Therefore, have belt tensioners which have
been triggered replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop .
Comply with safety regulations when dis-
posing of belt tensioners. Any Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre can provide details of
these regulations.
Airbag s Airbag deployment slows down and restricts
the movement of the vehicle occupant.
When the airbags are triggered, you will hear
a bang, which will not cause any harm to your
hearing, and a small amount of powder ma y
also be released. The =warning lamp
lights up. The SRS/AIRBAG symbol indicates the loca-
tion of the airbags
. G
Risk of injury
Airbags provide additional protection; they
are not, however, a substitute for the sea t
belts.
Observe the following notes to reduce the
risk of serious or even fatal injury if an air-
bag is deployed:
R Vehicle occupants — in particular preg-
nant woman — must wear their seat belt
correctly at all times and lean back
against their backrest, which should be
positioned as close to the vertical as pos-
sible. The head restraint must support
the back of the seat occupant's head at
about eye level.
R Always secure children less tha n
1.50 mtall or under 12 years of age in
suitable child restraint systems.
R All vehicle occupants must select a sea t
position that is as far away from the air-
bag as possible. The driver's seat posi-
tion must allow the vehicle to be driven
safely. The driver's chest should be as far
away from the middle of the driver's fron t
airbag cover as possible. R
Move the front-passenger seat as far
back as possible, in particular, if a child
is secured in a child restraint system on
the seat.
R Vehicle occupants – in particular, chil-
dren – must not lean their head into the
area of the window in which the sidebag/
windowbag is deployed.
R Rearward-facing child restraint systems
must not be fitted to the front-passenger
seat unless the front-passenger front air-
bag has been disabled. On the front-
passenger seat, the front-passenger
front airbag is only deactivated if a child
restraint system with automatic child
seat recognition is fitted to the front-
passenger seat *.The 5 PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF warning lamp must be li t
constantly .
If either the rearward-facing child
restraint system or the front-passenger
seat* of your vehicle does not have auto-
matic child seat recognition, childre n
must be secured in a child restraint sys-
tem on a suitable seat in the rear. If you
secure a forward-facing child restraint
system to the front-passenger seat, you Safety
* optiona l
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Occupant safet
y561
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning lamp
5
The front-passenger seat sensor system for
child restraint systems automatically detect s
whether a special Mercedes-Benz child seat
with automatic child seat recognition has
been fitted. If this is the case, the 5
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning lamp on
the centre console lights up. The front-
passenger front airbag has been disabled. G
Risk of injury
If the 5PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warn-
ing lamp does not light up when the child
restraint system is fitted, the front-
passenger front airbag has not been disa-
bled. If the front-passenger front airbag is inflated, the child could be seriously or even
fatally injured.
Proceed as follows:
R
Do not use a rearward-facing child
restraint system on the front-passenge r
seat.
R Fit a rearward-facing child restraint sys-
tem on a suitable rear seat.
or
R Only use a forward-facing child seat on
the front-passenger seat and move the
front-passenger seat to its rearmost
position.
R Have the automatic child seat recogni-
tion checked at a qualified specialist
workshop .
To ensure that the automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat func-
tions correctly, never place objects, e.g. a
cushion, under the child restraint system.
The entire base of the child restraint system
must always be resting on the seat cushion.
An incorrectly fitted child restraint system
cannot perform its intended protective function in the event of an accident, and
could even lead to injuries.
i The windowbag, the sidebag and the belt
tensioner on the front-passenger side are
still active even if the front-passenger front
airbag is disabled. G
Risk of injury
Do not place items of electronic equipment
on the front-passenger seat, e.g.:
R laptops, if switched on
R mobile phones
R cards with transponders, e.g. ski passe s
or access passes
as signals from electronic equipment can
cause interference in the automatic child
seat recognition sensor system. This can
cause the system to malfunction. It could
cause the 5PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
warning lamp to light up even when no child
seat with automatic child seat recognition
has been fitted. The front-passenger front
airbag would not be triggered in an acci-
dent. It may also be that th e
5 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning
lamp does not light up briefly when you turn
the key to position 2in the ignition lock .Safety
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Driving safety sys
tems 67vehicle is in motion, injuring themselves
and others . 1
Indicator lamp
2 Button
X To activate :press button 2.
Indicator lamp 1lights up. The rear side
windows can only be operated using the
switches on the driver's door.
X To deactivate :press button 2.
Indicator lamp 1goes out. You can oper-
ate the rear side windows using the
switches in the rear compartment. Driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock Braking System)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System)
R Adaptive brake lamps
R ESP ®
( Electronic Stability Program)
R EBV (electronic brake-power distribution)
i In wintry road conditions, use winter tyres
(M+S tyres) and snow chains if necessary. . G
Risk of accident
The risk of an accident is significantl y
increased by driving too fast. This is partic-
ularly the case when cornering on wet and
slippery roads and when driving too clos e
to the vehicle in front.
The driving safety systems described in thi s
section cannot reduce this risk or override
the laws of physics.
For this reason, always adapt your driving
style to suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions. Maintain sufficient distance
from other road users and objects on the
road. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle when braking.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h
upwards, regardless of road surface condi-
tions. ABS works on slippery surfaces, even
when you only brake gently. G
Risk of accident
Do not depress the brake pedal severa l
times in quick succession (pumping) .
Depress the brake firmly and evenly. Pump-
ing the brake pedal reduces the braking
effect.
Braking If ABS intervenes when braking, you will fee
l
a pulsing in the brake pedal.
If ABS intervenes:
X Continue to depress the brake pedal wit h
force until the braking situation is over.
For full braking application:
X Depress the brake pedal with maximum
force. Safety
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B
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Anti-theft syste
ms70
i
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or mor e
wheels start to spin, the vwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster flashes. ES P®
then does not stabilise the vehicle. 1
To deactivate/activate ESP ®
X To deactivate :press button 1.
The v warning lamp in the instrumen t
cluster lights up . G
Risk of accident
If the v warning lamp in the instrumen t
cluster is permanently lit when the engine
is running, ESP ®
is deactivated or not avail-
able due to a malfunction. The risk of your
vehicle skidding is then increased in certain
situations. You should therefore always adapt your
driving style to suit the prevailing road and
weather conditions.
X To activate :press button 1.
The v warning lamp in the instrumen t
cluster goes out. EBV (electronic brake-power distribu-
tion)
EBV monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability under braking. G
Risk of accident
If EBV is malfunctioning, the brake system
is still available with full brake boosting
effect. However, the rear wheels can stil l
lock, e.g. under full braking. This could
cause you to lose control of your vehicle
and cause an accident. You should there-
fore adapt your driving style to the differen t
handling characteristics. Anti-theft systems
Immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
Activating the immobiliser X
With the key: remove the key from the
ignition lock.
X With KEYLESS GO*: press the KEYLESS
GO button on the dashboard.
The engine switches off.
Deactivating the immobiliser X
With the key: turn the key to position 2in
the ignition lock .
X With KEYLESS GO*: press the KEYLESS
GO button on the dashboard twice without
depressing the brake.
i The immobiliser is always deactivated
when you start the engine. Safety
* optional
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Anti-theft syste
ms72
Deactivate tow-away protection manually if
your vehicle:
R is being transported
R is being loaded, e.g. onto a ferry or car
transporter
R is being parked on a movable surface, e.g.
split-level garages
This will prevent false alarms. 1
To deactivate tow-away protection
2 Indicator lamp
X Remove the key from the ignition lock.
X Press button 1.
Indicator lamp 2lights up briefly. X
Lock the vehicle with the key or, if the vehi-
cle has KEYLESS GO*, by touching the out-
side door handle .
i Tow-away protection remains deactiva-
ted until you unlock and lock the vehicle
again. Interior motion sensor*
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if your
vehicle is locked and a movement is detected
in the vehicle interior, e.g. if someone breaks
your vehicle's side windows or reaches into
the vehicle interior.
Priming the interior motion sensor X
Make sure that the side windows and the
sliding/tilting sunroof*/panorama slid-
ing/tilting sunroof* are closed.
This will prevent false alarms.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or, if the vehi-
cle has KEYLESS GO*, by touching the out-
side door handle .
The interior motion sensor is primed after
approximately 30 seconds. i
Do not leave anything, e.g. mascots,
hanging on the rear-view mirror or on the
grasp handles on the roof lining. Thes e
could otherwise trigger false alarms.
Deactivating the interior motion senso r Deactivate the interior motion sensor if yo
u
lock your vehicle and:
R people or animals remain in the vehicle
R the windows remain open
R the sliding/tilting sunroof*/panorama
sliding/tilting sunroof* remains open
This will prevent false alarms. 1
To deactivate the interior motion sensor
2 Indicator lamp Safety
* optional
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75
Opening and closing
...........................76
Key positions ...................................... .85
Seats .................................................... 86
Steering wheel .................................... 92
Mirrors ................................................. 93
Memory functions* .............................96
Seat belts ............................................ .98
Lights ................................................. 102
Windscreen wipers ...........................108
Side windows .................................... 110
Driving and parking ..........................113
Transmission ..................................... 117Instrument cluster
............................123
On-board computer (vehicles with
multi-function steering wheel, 4
buttons) ............................................. 125
On-board computer (vehicles with
the luxury multi-function steering
wheel*, 12 buttons) ..........................129
Driving systems ................................ 145
Air vents ............................................ 156
Thermatic .......................................... 158
Thermotronic* ................................... 165
Rear window heating ........................173
Sliding sunroof .................................. 173
Loading and stowing ........................179
Features ............................................. 195 Controls
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