2007 MERCEDES-BENZ SLR warning

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.

64 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Safety guidelines for the seat belt,
emergency tensioning device and air
bagiAir bags are designed to activate only in cer-
tain frontal impacts (front air bags, knee air
bags) and side impacts (head-thorax air bags)
which exceed preset thresholds. Only during
these types of impacts will they provide their
supplemental protection.
The driver and passenger should always wear
their seat belts. Otherwise it is not possible for
the air bags to provide their supplemental
protection.
In cases of other types of impacts and impacts
below air bag deployment thresholds, air bags
will not deploy. The driver and passenger will
then be protected to the extent possible by a
properly fastened seat belt. A properly fastened
seat belt is also needed to provide the best pos-
sible protection in a rollover.
We caution you not to rely on the presence of the
air bags in order to avoid wearing your seat belt.
It is important to your safety and that of your pas-
senger that you replace deployed air bags and
repair any malfunctioning air bags to ensure that
the vehicle will continue to provide supplemental
crash protection for occupants.
Warning!G

Damaged seat belts or seat belts that
were highly stressed in an accident
must be replaced and their anchoring
points must also be checked. Only use
seat belts installed or supplied by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

Air bags and Emergency Tensioning
Devices (ETDs) are designed to function
on a one-time-only basis. An air bag or
ETD that was activated must be
replaced.

Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.

Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness of the seat
belts.

Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this
may severely weaken them. In a crash,
they may not be able to provide
adequate protection.

No modifications of any kind may be
made to any components or wiring of
the SRS. This includes changing or
removing any component or part of the
SRS, the installation of additional trim
material, badges, etc. over the steering
wheel hub, passenger front air bag cov-
er, outboard sides of the front seat
backrests, door trim panels, or door trim
panels, and installation of additional
electrical/electronic equipment on or
near SRS components and wiring. Keep
area between air bags and occupants
free from objects (e.g. packages,
purses, umbrellas, etc.).

Air bag system components will be hot
after an air bag has inflated. Do not
touch.

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.

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.


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).

72 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Warning!G
Always fasten your seat belt before driving
off. Always make sure your passenger is
properly restrained.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and po-
sition your seat belt greatly increases your
risk of injuries and their likely severity in an
accident. You and your passenger should
always wear seat belts.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries
can be considerably more severe without
your seat belt properly buckled. Without
your seat belt buckled, you are much more
likely to hit the interior of the vehicle or be
ejected from it. You can be seriously injured
or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury or
death is lessened if you are wearing your
seat belt. The air bags can only provide the
protection they were designed to afford if
the occupants are using their seat belts
(
page 71).
Warning!G
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position
as this can be dangerous. You could slide
under the seat belt in a collision. If you slide
under it, the belt would apply force at the
abdomen or neck. That could cause serious
or even fatal injuries. The seat backrest and
seat belt provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in a nearly upright position and the
belt is properly positioned on the body.
Warning!G
Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are seat belts available. Be sure
everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly
restrained with a separate seat belt. Never
use a seat belt for more than one person at
a time.
Warning!G
Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly
stressed in an accident must be replaced
and their anchoring points must also be
checked.
Only use seat belts which have been
approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Do not make any modifications to the seat
belts. This can lead to unintended activation
of the ETDs or to their failure to activate
when necessary.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash, they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Have all work carried out only by qualified
technicians. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

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.