2007 MERCEDES-BENZ C230 child restraint

76 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
death should the air bag be triggered. Al-
ways sit nearly upright, properly use the
seat belts and use an appropriately sized in-
fant or toddler restraint or booster seat rec-
ommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information when circumstances
require you to place a child in the front pas-
senger seat:

Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to turn off the front
passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the OCS senses the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child or less along
with the weight of a standard
appropriate child restraint on the front
passenger seat.

A child in a rear-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat will be
seriously injured or even killed if the
front passenger front air bag inflates in
a collision which could occur under
some circumstances, even with the
air bag technology installed in your vehi-
cle. The only means to completely elim-
inate this risk is to never place a child in
a rear-facing child restraint in the front
seat. We therefore strongly recommend
that you always place a child in a
rear-facing child restraint in the back
seat.

If you must install a rear-facing child
restraint on the front passenger seat
because circumstances require you to
do so, make sure that the
56indicator lamp is illuminated,
indicating that the front passenger front
air bag is deactivated. Should the
56indicator lamp not illuminate
or go out while the restraint is installed,
please check installation. Periodically
check the 56indicator lamp
while driving to make sure the
56indicator lamp is illuminated.
If the 56indicator lamp goes out
or remains out,
do not transport a child on the front pas-
senger seat until the system has been
repaired. A child in a rear-facing child re-
straint on the front passenger seat will
be seriously injured or even killed if the
front passenger front air bag inflates.

If you have to place a child in a
forward-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat, move the seat as
far back as possible, use the proper
child restraint recommended for the
age, size and weight of the child, and
secure child restraint with the vehicle’s
seat belt according to the child seat
manufacturer’s instructions. For
children larger than the typical
12-month-old child, the front passenger
front air bag may or may not be activat-
ed (
page 65).


77 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Installation of infant and child restraint
systems
This vehicle is equipped with tether
anchorages for a top tether strap at each
of the rear seating positions.
1Cover of top anchorage ring
Make sure the rear backrest is locked
in its upright position (
page 235).
Warning!G
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.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle
and/or the child is not properly secured in
the child restraint.
Children too big for a toddler restraint must
ride in seats using regular seat belts. Posi-
tion shoulder belt across chest and shoul-
der, 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.
When the child restraint is not in use,
remove 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 accident.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system. Unsupervised
children in a child restraint system may use
vehicle equipment and may cause an acci-
dent and/or serious personal injury.


78 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Remove cover1 from anchorage
ring3.
Guide tether strap between head
restraint and top of seat back.
Head restraint must be installed and
positioned such that the top tether
strap can pass freely between the head
restraint and 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
attached, the child restraint itself can be
secured. Secure the child restraint and
tighten the top tether strap according to
the child restraint manufacturer’s instruc-
tions.
Reinstall cover1 after removing the
tether strap.
Warning!G
Always lock backrest in its upright position
when rear seat bench is occupied by pas-
sengers, or the extended cargo area is not in
use. Check for secure locking by pushing
and pulling on the backrest.
iFor safety, make sure the hook2 has
attached to the anchorage ring3 beyond the
safety catch, as illustrated.

79 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Child seat anchors – LATCH-type
This vehicle is equipped with two LATCH-
(L
ower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren)
type anchors (at each of the outer rear
seats) for the installation of a LATCH-type
child seat with the matching mounting
fittings.LATCH-type anchors
The LATCH-type anchors are located be-
tween the seat cushion and the backrest.
1Anchors
Install child seat according to the
manufacturer’s instructions.
Warning!G
Children too big for a toddler restraint must
ride in 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 over
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 to the
right and left side anchors1.
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 anchor fittings must be replaced.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system.
iWith a child seat installed in the left rear
seat, the seat belt for the center seat occupied
by a passenger must operate freely. Guide seat
belt between its seat cushion mount and back-
rest mount along outside of right side child seat
anchor.
iNon-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.

332 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/conse-
quenceSuggested solution
56The front passenger front
air bag off indicator lamp
does not illuminate
and/or does not remain
illuminated with the
weight of a typical
12-month-old child in a
standard child restraint or
less on the front passen-
ger seat. The system is malfunctioning.Make sure there is nothing between seat cushion and
child seat and check installation of the child seat.
Make sure that no objects applying supplemental
weight onto the seat are present.
If the front passenger front air bag off indicator lamp
remains out, have the system checked as soon as pos-
sible by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not
transport a child on the front passenger seat until the
system has been repaired.
Also note any messages in the multifunction display
and follow corrective steps (
page 337).
Warning!G
If the 56indicator lamp does not
illuminate or remains out with the weight of
a typical 12-month-old child in a standard
child restraint or less on the front passenger
seat, do not transport a child on the front
passenger seat until the system has been
repaired.

337 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
Front-pass.
airbag
enabled
See
Operator’s
ManualFront passenger front air bag is
activated while driving even though
a child, small individual, or object
below the system’s weight
threshold is on the front passenger
seat, or the front passenger seat is
empty. Objects on the seat or
forces acting on the seat may
make the system sense supple-
mental weight.Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as possible and check the front
passenger seat for the following:
Switch off the ignition (page 32).
Remove child and child restraint from front passenger seat and proper-
ly secure the child in rear seat employing the child restraint if neces-
sary.
Make sure that no objects applying supplemental weight onto the seat
are present. The system may recognize such supplemental weight and
sense that an occupant on the front passenger seat is of a greater
weight than actually present.
Keep the seat unoccupied, close the front passenger door and switch
on the ignition (
page 32).
(Continued on next page)

419 Index
A
ABS 25, 82
Malfunction indicator lamp 322, 323
Messages in display 335
Accelerator position,
automatic transmission 155
Accessory weight 304
Accident
In case of 53
Active head restraints
see Head restraints
Additional turn signals 368
Air bags 59
Children 75
Front passenger front air bag off
indicator lamp 27, 68, 331
Front, Driver 63
Front, Passenger 63
Passenger 63
Safety guidelines 62
Side impact (front and rear*) 64
Window curtain 64Air conditioning refrigerant 412
Air conditioning system
Automatic climate control* 174
Climate control 164
Air conditioning, Cooling
Automatic climate control* 184
Climate control 172
Air distribution
Automatic climate control* 178
Climate control 168
Air pressure see Tire inflation pressure
Air recirculation mode
Automatic climate control* 181
Climate control 170
Air vents, Front
Automatic climate control* 175
Climate control 165Air vents, Rear
Automatic climate control* 186
Climate control 173
Air volume
Automatic climate control* 179
Climate control 168
Alignment bolt (vehicle tool kit) 379
Anticorrosion/antifreeze 417
Antiglare, Rear view mirror 160
Anti-theft systems 89
Anti-theft alarm system* 89
Immobilizer 89
Aquaplaning see Hydroplaning
Armrest 238
Ashtrays 241
Aspect ratio 304
ATF (Automatic transmission fluid) 277
AUDIO menu
Search function 142
AUDIO menu (Control system) 127

421 Index
Brake fluid 412
Checking 273
Message in display 344
Brake lamps
Cleaning lenses 316
Replacing bulbs 373
Brake pads
Message in display 344
Brakes 262
Warning lamp 25, 324
Break-in period 260
Bulbs, replacing see Replacing bulbsC
California retail buyers and lessees,
important notice 11
Cargo area see Trunk
Cargo tie-down rings* 236
Carpets, cleaning 319
Catalytic converter 269
CD changer* 201
CD player* 128, 201
Centigrade see
Temperature display mode 133
Central locking
Automatic 99, 143
From inside 100
Locking/unlocking from inside 100
Switch 100
Certification label 398
Certification label, examples 398
Charcoal filter
Automatic climate control* 183Children in the vehicle 74
Air bags 60
Blocking rear
door window operation 80
Indicator lamp, front
passenger air bag 68, 331
Infant and child restraint systems 74
LATCH-type child seat anchors 79
Occupant Classification System
(OCS) 64
Cigarette lighter 242
Climate control system 164
Control panel,
Automatic climate control 175
Control panel,
Climate control 165
Defrosting, Front 169
Rear window defroster 163
Clock 25, 121
Setting time 136, 137
Cockpit 22
Cold tire inflation pressure 304
Cold weather performance 415
Collapsible wheel chock 358