2007 MERCEDES-BENZ SLR CLASS child seat

63 Safety and Security
Occupant safety

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

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 air bag be deployed. Always sit as
upright as possible, properly use the
seat belts and an appropriately sized in-
fant, or toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of
the child.
Failure to follow these instructions can
result in severe injuries to you or other
occupants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that
you make the buyer aware of this safety
information. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator’s Manual.
Warning!G
There is a possibility of a head-thorax air bag
related injury if occupants, especially chil-
dren, are not properly seated or restrained
when next to a head-thorax air bag which
needs to deploy 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 deployed.
(2) Always sit as upright as possible, prop-
erly use the seat belts, and for children
12 years old or under, use an appropri-
ately sized infant, or toddler restraint, or
booster seat recommended for the size
and weight of the child.
(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
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center at an
additional cost.
Please contact your local authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or call our Customer
Assistance Center (in the USA) at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372) or
Customer Service (in Canada) at
1-800-387-0100 for details.

67 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Occupant Classification System
The O
ccupant Classification System (OCS)
automatically turns the passenger front air
bag and passenger-side knee air bag on or
off based on the classified occupant
weight category determined by weight
sensor readings from the passenger seat.
Occupants must sit properly belted in a
position that is as upright as possible with
their back against the seat backrest and
feet on the floor to be correctly classified.
If the occupant’s weight is transferred to
another object in the vehicle (e.g. by
leaning on armrests), the OCS may not be
able to properly approximate the
occupant’s weight category. Both driver and the passenger should
always use the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp (
page 70) as an indica-
tion of whether or not the passenger is
properly positioned.
iThe system does not deactivate the
head-thorax air bag and the emergency tension-
ing device.
iIf the seat needs to be serviced in any way,
take the vehicle to an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Only seat accessories approved by
Mercedes-Benz may be used. Warning!G
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp illuminates when an adult or someone
larger than a small individual is in the pas-
senger seat, have the passenger re-position
himself or herself in the seat until the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
goes out.
For information on air bag display
messages, see (
page 319).
In the event of a collision, the air bag control
unit will not allow passenger front air bag or
passenger knee air bag deployment when
the OCS classified the passenger seat occu-
pant as being up to or less than the weight
of a typical 12-month-old child in a standard
child restraint or if the passenger seat is
sensed as being empty.


68 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
When the OCS senses that the passenger
seat occupant is classified as being up to or
less than the weight of a typical
12-month-old child in a standard child
restraint, the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indi-
cator lamp will illuminate when the engine is
started and remain illuminated, indicating
that the passenger front air bag and passen-
ger knee air bag are deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the passenger
seat is classified as being empty, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
will illuminate when the engine is started
and remain illuminated, indicating that the
passenger front air bag and the passenger
knee air bag are deactivated. When the OCS senses that the passenger
seat occupant is classified as being heavier
than the weight of a typical 12-month-old
child seated in a standard child restraint or
as being a small individual (such as a young
teenager or a small adult), the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp will illuminate
for approximately 6 seconds when the
engine is started and then, depending on
occupant weight sensor readings from the
seat, remain illuminated or go out. With the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
illuminated, the passenger front air bag and
the passenger knee air bag are deactivated.
With the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp out, the passenger front air bag and
the passenger knee air bag are activated.
When the OCS senses that the passenger
seat occupant is classified as an adult or
someone larger than a small individual, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
will illuminate for approximately 6 seconds
when the engine is started and then go out,
indicating that the passenger front air bagand the passenger knee air bag are
activated.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is illuminated, the passenger front air
bag and the passenger knee air bag are
deactivated and will not be deployed.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is not illuminated, the passenger front
air bag and the passenger knee air bag are
activated and will be deployed:

in the event of certain frontal impacts

if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold

independently of the head-thorax air
bags
If the passenger front air bag and the pas-
senger knee air bag are deployed, the rate of
inflation will be influenced by:

the rate of relevant vehicle deceleration
as assessed by the air bag control unit

passenger’s weight category as identi-
fied by the Occupant Classification
System (OCS)


69 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Warning!G
Children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an appropri-
ate infant or child restraint recommended
for the size and weight of the child.
The infant or child restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle’s seat belt fully in
accordance with the child seat manufactur-
er’s instructions.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information:

Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to turn off the pas-
senger front air bag and the passenger
knee 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 appropriate
child restraint on the passenger seat.

A child in a rear-facing child restraint on
the passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the passenger
front air bag and/or the passenger knee
air bag inflate in a collision which could
occur under some circumstances, even
with the air bag technology installed in
your vehicle.

If you install a rear-facing child restraint
on the passenger seat, make sure that
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the
passenger front air bag and the passen-
ger knee air bag are deactivated. Should
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp not illuminate or go out while the
restraint is installed, please check in-
stallation. Periodically check the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp while driving to make sure the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is illuminated. If the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp goes out or
remains out, do not transport a child on
the passenger seat until the system has
been repaired. A child in a rear-facing
child restraint on the passenger seat will
be seriously injured or even killed if the
passenger front air bag and/or the
passenger knee air bag inflate.

If you place a child in a forward-facing
child restraint on the passenger seat,
move the seat as far back as possible,
use the proper child restraint recom-
mended 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 passenger front
air bag and the passenger knee air bag
may or may not be activated
(
page 68).

70 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is located in lower part of the center
console.
1Passenger front air bag off indicator
lamp
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp1 will be illuminated, except with
the SmartKey removed or in starter switch
position0.iDeployment of the driver front air bag does
not mean that the passenger front air bag also
should have deployed.
The Occupant Classification System (
page 67)
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
passenger front air bag even though the
impact 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
passenger front air bag even though the
impact met the criteria and was of sufficient
severity to deploy the driver front air bag
Warning!G
If the 1indicator lamp and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
are lit at the same time, there is a malfunc-
tion in the Occupant Classification System.
The passenger front air bag and the passen-
ger knee air bag will be deactivated in this
case.
In order to ensure proper operation of the
air bag system and OCS:

Have the system checked as soon as
possible by qualified technicians.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.

Sit properly belted in a nearly upright
position with your back against the seat
backrest.

Do not lean on the armrests or lift your-
self from the seat by using the handle
over the door as this may cause the OCS
to be unable to correctly approximate
the occupant weight category.

71 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Self-test Occupant Classification
System
After turning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position1 or2, the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp located in the
center console illuminates. If an adult oc-
cupant is properly sitting on the passenger
seat and the system senses the occupant
as being an adult, the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp will illuminate and
go out after approximately 6 seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the system
senses the passenger seat as being empty,
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp will illuminate and not go out. For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 312).
Seat belts
The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in all
50 states, the District of Columbia, the
U.S. territories and all Canadian provinces.
Even where this is not the case, all vehicle
occupants should have their seat belts fas-
tened when ever the vehicle is in motion.
For information on fastening seat belts,
see “Fastening the seat belts” (
page 45).

Only have the seat repaired or replaced
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.

Read and observe all warnings in this
chapter.
Warning!G
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp should not illuminate, the system is
not functioning. You must contact an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center before seating
any child on the passenger seat.
Warning!G
Never place anything between seat
cushion and child seat (e.g. pillow), since it
reduces the effectiveness of the Occupant
Classification System. The bottom of the
child seat must make full contact with the
passenger seat cushion. An incorrectly
mounted child seat could cause injuries to
the child in case of an accident, instead of
increasing protection for the child.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
installation of child seats.
iFor information on infants and children trav-
eling with you in the vehicle and restraint sys-
tems for infants and children, see “Children in
the vehicle” (
page 75).

73 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Warning!G
USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY

Seat belts can only work when used
properly. Never wear seat belts in any
other way than as described in this
section, as that could result in serious
injuries in case of an accident.

Each occupant should wear their seat
belt at all times, because seat belts help
reduce the likelihood of and potential
severity of injuries in accidents, includ-
ing rollovers. The integrated restraint
system includes SRS (driver air bag,
passenger air bag, knee air bags,
head-thorax air bags) and ETD (seat belt
emergency tensioning device). The sys-
tem is designed to enhance the protec-
tion offered to properly belted
occupants in certain frontal (front air
bags, knee air bags and ETD) and side
(head-thorax air bags and ETD) impacts
which exceed preset deployment
thresholds.

Never wear the shoulder belt under your
arm, against your neck or off your shoul-
der. In a frontal crash, your body would
move too far forward. That would in-
crease the chance of head and neck in-
juries. The belt would also apply too
much force to the ribs or abdomen,
which could severely injure internal
organs such as your liver or spleen.

Never wear belts over rigid or breakable
objects in or on your clothing, such as
eyeglasses, pens, keys, etc., as these
might cause injuries.

Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips and not across the abdo-
men. If the belt is positioned across your
abdomen, it could cause serious person-
al injuries in a crash.

Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time. Do not fasten a seat
belt around a person and another per-
son or other objects.

Belts should not be worn twisted. In a
crash, you wouldn’t have the full width
of the belt to manage impact forces. The
twisted belt against your body could
cause injuries.

Pregnant women should also always use
a lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion
should be positioned as low as possible
on the hips to avoid any possible
pressure on the abdomen.

Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.

When using a seat belt to secure infant
or toddler restraints or children in
booster seats, always follow the child
seat manufacturer’s instructions.

75 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
When activated, emergency tensioning
devices remove slack from the belts in
such a way that the seat belts fit more
snugly against the body. Belt force limiters
reduce the force exerted by the seat belts
on occupants during a crash.Children in the vehicle
If an infant or child is traveling with you in
the vehicle:
Secure the child using an infant or child
restraint appropriate to the age and
size of the child.
Make sure the infant or child is proper-
ly secured at all times while the vehicle
is in motion.
Infant and child restraint seats and
information on choosing an appropriate
restraint system can be obtained from any
Mercedes-Benz Center.Warning!G
An emergency tensioning device (ETD) that
was activated must be replaced.
When disposing of the emergency tension-
ing device, our safety instructions must be
followed. These are available at your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system. The children could

injure themselves on parts of the vehicle

be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or
cold
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system’s
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned on these
parts.
If children open a door, they could

injure other persons

get out of the car and injure themselves
or be injured by following traffic
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment unless they are
firmly secured in place.
For more information, please refer to the
“Useful features” section (
page 206)
through (
page 207).
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child’s risk of injury in the event
of

strong braking maneuvers

sudden changes of direction

an accident