70 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyAir bagsWarning!
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 window curtain air bags)
or rollovers (window curtain air bags). How-
ever, no system available 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 front passenger to always be in a
properly seated position and to wear their
respective 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 make sure that it is prop-
erly positioned 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.
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
10 in (25 cm) or more. You should be
able to accomplish this by a combina-
tion of adjustments to the seat and
steering wheel. If you have any prob-
lems, please contact your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Do not lean your head or chest close to
the steering wheel or dashboard.
Keep hands on the outside of steering
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 front passenger seat as far as
possible rearward from the dashboard
when the seat is occupied.
508 IndexHead restraints 129
Comfort head restraint, Adjusting 44
Folding back 130
Front seat, Adjusting 43
Rear seat, Removing and
installing 130
Headlamp cleaning system* 198
Headlamp shut-off delay see Delayed
shut-off, Exterior lamps
Headlamps
Active Bi-Xenon headlamps* 137
Automatic headlamp mode 138
Bi-Xenon* 137
Cleaning lenses 372
Cleaning system* 198
Halogen 446
High beam see High beam flasher
High beam see High beam headlamps
Low beam see Low beam headlamps
Manual headlamp mode 138
Replacing bulbs 446
Switch 56
Headliner and shelf below rear window,
Cleaning and care of 376
Heated seats* 132Heated steering wheel
(Canada only) 289
Height adjustment
Vehicle level control 266
High beam flasher 57, 142
High beam headlamps 57, 137, 444
Indicator lamp 27, 142
Replacing bulbs 444
Switching on 142
High mounted brake lamp 445
High-performance brake system
(E 63 AMG only) 312
Hood 325
Message in display 430
Horn 25
HVAC see Climate control system
Hydroplaning 314
I
Identification labels 476
Identification Number, Vehicle (VIN) 477
Ignition 38
Immobilizer 106
Indicator lamps see Lamps, indicator and
warning
Infant and child restraint systems see Chil-
dren in the vehicleInflation pressure see Tires, Inflation pres-
sure
Inside door handle 119
Instrument cluster 26, 148
Illumination brightness 148
Lamps 380
Multifunction display 151
Instrument lighting see Instrument cluster,
Illumination brightness
Instrument panel see Instrument cluster
Instruments and controls see Cockpit
Interior lighting
Delayed shut-off 176
Interior rear view mirror 47
Auto-dimming mirrors 198
Interior storage spaces see Storage com-
partments
J
Jack 432
Jump starting 464
K
Key, Mechanical 436
Loss of 119
Valet locking 126
