2007 MERCEDES-BENZ ML320CDI child restraint

88 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyChildren 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 system senses the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child or less along
with the weight of a standard appropri-
ate child restraint on the front passen-
ger seat.


A child in a rear-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat will be serious-
ly 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 vehicle. The
only means to completely eliminate this
risk is to never place a child in a rear-fac-
ing 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
59indicator lamp is illumi-
nated, indicating that the front passen-
ger front air bag is deactivated. Should
the 59indicator lamp not
illuminate or go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation.
Periodically check the
59indicator lamp while
driving to make sure the
59indicator lamp is illumi-
nated. If the 59indicator
lamp goes out or remains out, do not
transport a child on the front passenger
seat until the system has been repaired.
A child in a rear-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat will be serious-
ly injured or even killed if the front pas-
senger 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
activated (
page 87).


89 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The 59indicator lamp is
located in the center console.
159indicator lamp
The 59indicator lamp1 will
be illuminated, except with the SmartKey
removed from the starter switch or with
the starter switch in position0
(page 39).
i
Deployment of the driver front air bag does
not mean that the front passenger front air bag
also should have deployed.
The Occupant Classification System (
page 85)
may have determined:


that the seat was empty or occupied by the
weight up to or less than that of a typical
12-month-old child seated in a standard
child restraint – both instances where the
system suppresses deployment of the front
passenger front air bag even though the im-
pact met the criteria and was of sufficient
severity to deploy the driver front air bag.


that the seat was occupied by a small individ-
ual (such as a young teenager or a small
adult) or a child weighing more than the
weight of a typical 12-month-old child in a
standard child restraint – instances where
the system may suppress deployment of the
front passenger front air bag even though
the impact met the criteria and was of suffi-
cient severity to deploy the driver front air
bag.
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
approximate the occupant weight
category.


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


91 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Child seat anchors – LATCH type
This vehicle is equipped with two LATCH
(Lower A
nchors and T
ethers for CH
ildren)
type anchors (at each of the outer rear
seats) for the installation of a LATCH child
seat with matching mounting fittings.The LATCH anchors are blended with
covers.
1Anchorage ring covers

Remove anchorage ring cover1 from
the seat on which a child seat is to be
installed.
Warning!
G
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 over
41 lbs until they reach a height where a
lap/shoulder belt fits properly without a
booster.
Install child seat according to manufactu-
rer’s instructions.
T h e c h i l d s e a t m u s t b e f i r m l y a t t a c h e d t o t h e
right and left side anchors2 (
page 92).
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 mounting fittings must be re-
placed.
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system.

92 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety2Anchors
Install a LATCH type child seat accord-
ing to the manufacturer’s instructions.Installation of infant and child restraint
system
This vehicle is equipped with tether
anchorages for a top tether strap at each
of the rear seating positions.
1Anchorage ring
2Hook

Move the respective head restraint to
its uppermost position (
page 129).

Guide top tether strap between head
restraint and top of seat backrest.
1Anchorage ring
2Hook
!
Make sure the seat belt for the center seat
can operate freely with a child seat installed.
i
Non-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.
i
For safety, make sure hook2 has attached
to anchorage ring1 beyond the safety catch, as
illustrated.

93 Safety and Security
Occupant safety

Securely fasten hook2, which is part
of the tether strap, to anchorage
ring1.
Make sure

the top tether strap is not twisted


the head restraint is installed and
positioned such that the top tether
strap can pass freely between the
head restraint and top of seat back-
rest


top tether strap is positioned be-
tween the seat backrest and the
cargo compartment cover blind (if
installed)


the top tether strap is positioned
between the seat backrest and the
partition net* (if installed)

Lower the head restraint if necessary
(page 129).
Make sure the top tether strap can
pass freely between the head restraint
and top of seat backrest.

Install the child restraint system and
tighten the top tether strap according
to the child restraint manufacturer’s in-
structions.
Blocking of rear door window operation
With the override switch you can disable
the rear side window switches in the rear
door panels.
Warning!
G
After installing top tether straps, make sure
that the seat backrests are in an upright po-
sition and are properly locked. Check for
secure locking by pushing and pulling on the
seat backrests. If a seat backrest is not
properly locked, the seat backrest could
fold. The child seat would no longer be prop-
erly supported or positioned to provide its
intended benefit.
Warning!
G
Activate the override switch when children
are riding in the back seats of the vehicle.
The children could otherwise injure them-
selves, e.g. by becoming trapped in the win-
dow opening.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehi-
cle equipment may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.

427 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause/conse-
quence
Suggested solution
59
The 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 malfunction-
ing.

Make sure there is nothing between seat cushion and
child seat and check installation of the child seat.

Make sure no objects applying supplemental weight
onto the seat are present.

Make sure no objects which apply forces to the seat are
present (e.g. objects such as books, briefcases etc.
lodged behind or around the seat, head restraints push-
ing against roof etc.). The system may recognize such
forces as supplemental weight.

If the front passenger front air bag off indicator lamp re-
mains out, have the system checked as soon as possible
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck 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 440).
Warning!
G
If the59indicator 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.

440 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display message
Possible
cause/consequence
Possible solution
Front passenger airbag
enabled
See Operator’s Manual
Front passenger front air bag
is activated while driving even
though a child, small
individual, or object below
the system’s weight thresh-
old 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 supplemental weight.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as possible and check the front
passenger seat for the following:
Apply the parking brake (
page 65).

Switch off the ignition (
page 40).

Remove child and child restraint from front passenger seat and properly
secure the child in rear seat employing the child restraint if necessary.

Remove any other items from on and around the front passenger seat
and make sure the storage bag on the back of the front passenger seat
is empty.

Make sure that no objects which apply forces to the seat are present
(e.g. objects such as books, briefcases etc. lodged behind or around the
seat, head restraints pushing against roof etc.). The system may recog-
nize such forces as 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 40).
(Continued on next page)

553 Index
A
ABS 96
Indicator lamp 414
Messages in the multifunction
display 430
Off-road - ABS 97
Accelerator position, automatic
transmission 191
Accessory weight 394
Accident 64
Active head restraint 80, 128, 479
Adaptive Damping System (ADS)* 269
Air bags 71
Children 73, 82
Front passenger front air bag off
indicator lamp 31, 89, 426
Front, Driver 75
Front, Passenger 75
Occupant Classification System
(OCS) 85
Safety guidelines 73
Side impact (front and rear*) 76
Window curtain 76Air conditioning refrigerant 546
Air conditioning system see
Climate control or Automatic climate
control (3-zone)*
Air conditioning, Cooling 216, 230
Air distribution, Front 212, 226
Air distribution, Rear 219, 234
Air pressure see Tire inflation pressure
Air pump, electric (ML 63 AMG) 502
Air recirculation mode 214, 228
Air suspension package* 269
Adaptive Damping System
(ADS)* 269
Messages in the multifunction
display 467
Vehicle level control* 270
Air vents 219
Air vents, Front 212, 226
Air vents, Rear 235
Air volume 212, 227Alarm system see Anti-theft systems
Alignment bolt (vehicle tool kit) 470, 500
Anticorrosion/antifreeze 550
Antiglare, Interior rear view mirror 200
Antiglare, Rear view mirrors* 201
Antilock Brake System see ABS
Anti-theft systems 104
Anti-theft alarm system 103, 104
Immobilizer 103
Aquaplaning see Hydroplaning
Armrest storage compartments
Front 296
Ashtrays* 300
Aspect ratio 394
ATF 362
Attaching a trailer 344
Audio menu 159
CD operation 161
Radio operation 160
Satellite radio* operation
(USA only) 160
Auto-dimming*, Rear view mirrors 201
Automatic central locking,
Control system 176