2008 MERCEDES-BENZ B-CLASS HATCHBACK light switch

Overhead control panel
33Overhead control panel
Function Page
1
£
To switch the rear
interior lighting on/off 80
2
¥
To switch the auto-
matic interior lighting con-
trol on/off 81
3
a
To open/close the
panorama louvred sliding
sunroof* 141
4
X
To switch the right-
hand reading lamp on/off 80
5
Rear-view mirror 70
6
X
To switch the left-
hand reading lamp on/off 80
7
ð
To switch the front
interior lighting on/off 80
The arrangement of the controls may vary,
depending on the equipment in the vehicle. At a glance
* optional
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Occupant safety
37carry out any modifications on the restraint
systems.
Never tamper with electronic components
and their software.
SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
The SRS reduces the risk of occupants com-
ing into contact with the vehicle's interior in
the event of an accident. It can also reduce
the forces to which occupants are subjected
during an accident.
The SRS consists of:
R The 1 warning lamp
R belt tensioners
R belt force limiters
R airbags
The 1 1 warning lamp The SRS functions are checked regularly
when you turn on the ignition and when the
engine is running. Malfunctions can therefore
be detected in good time.
The
1 warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out no later than a few seconds
after the engine is started. G
Risk of injury
If SRS is malfunctioning, individual systems
may be activated unintentionally or not be
deployed in the event of an accident with
heavy braking.
A malfunction has occurred if the +
warning lamp:
R does not light up when you switch on the
ignition
R does not go out after the engine has been
running for a few seconds
R lights up again once the engine is running
In this case, have SRS checked immedi-
ately at a qualified specialist workshop.
Triggering of belt tensioners, belt force
limiters and airbags In the event of a collision, the sensor in the
airbag control unit evaluates important phys-
ical data such as duration, direction and force
of the vehicle deceleration or acceleration.
Based on the evaluation of this data and
depending on the vehicle's rate of longitudi-
nal deceleration in a collision, in the first
stage the airbag control unit pre-emptively
triggers the belt tensioners. The front airbags are only deployed if there is
an even higher rate of vehicle deceleration in
a longitudinal direction.
Your vehicle has adaptive, dual stage front
airbags. When the first activation threshold is
reached, the front airbag is filled with enough
propellant gas to reduce the risk of injuries.
The front airbag is only fully inflated if a sec-
ond threshold is reached within a few milli-
seconds, due to the control unit having detec-
ted further deceleration.
Criteria for triggering belt tensioners and
airbags
In the first stage of a collision, the airbag con-
trol unit evaluates the duration and direction
of vehicle acceleration or deceleration in
order to determine whether it is necessary to
trigger the belt tensioner and/or airbag.
The belt tensioner and airbag triggering
thresholds are variable and are adapted to the
rate of deceleration of the vehicle. This proc-
ess is pre-emptive in nature as the airbag
must be deployed during – and not at the end
of – the collision.
i Airbags are not deployed in all types of
accidents. They are controlled by complex
sensor technology and evaluation logic.
This process is pre-emptive in nature as Safety
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Occupant safety
38airbag deployment must take place during
the impact and must be adapted to provide
calculated, additional protection for the
vehicle occupants. Not all airbags are
deployed in an accident.
The different airbag systems work inde-
pendently of each other. However, the
deployment of each individual system will
depend on the type of accident determined
by the control system in the first stages of
the collision (head-on collision, side impact
and overturn) and the extent of the acci-
dent (in particular, the vehicle's rate of
deceleration or acceleration).
The rate of vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion and the direction of the force are basi-
cally determined by:
R the distribution of forces during the colli-
sion
R the collision angle
R the deformation characteristics of the vehi-
cle
R the characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided, e.g. the other vehi-
cle
Factors which can only be seen and measured
after a collision has occurred do not play a decisive role in the deployment of an airbag,
nor do they provide an indication of it.
The vehicle may be deformed significantly,
e. g. on the bonnet or the wing, without an
airbag being deployed. This is the case if only
parts which are relatively easily deformed are
affected and the necessary deceleration does
not occur. Conversely, airbags may be
deployed even though the vehicle suffers only
minor deformations. This is the case if, for
example, very rigid vehicle parts such as lon-
gitudinal body members are affected and suf-
ficient deceleration occurs as a result.
Belt tensioners, belt force limiters The front seat belts and the outer seat belts
in the rear are equipped with belt tensioners.
If the seat belt is also equipped with a belt
force limiter, the force exerted by the seat
belt on the seat occupant is reduced.
Belt tensioners tighten the seat belts in an
accident, pulling them close against the body.
i Belt tensioners do not correct incorrect
seat positions or incorrectly fastened seat
belts.
Belt tensioners do not pull occupants back
towards the backrest. The front belt force limiters are synchronised
with the front airbags, which distribute the
forces exerted by the belt force limiters on
the occupant over a greater area.
When the ignition is switched on, the belt ten-
sioner is triggered:
R
only if the restraint systems are operational
(the 1 warning lamp lights up after the
ignition is switched on and goes out once
the engine is running) (Y page 37)
R in the event of a head-on or rear-end colli-
sion if the vehicle decelerates or acceler-
ates rapidly in a longitudinal direction dur-
ing the initial stages of impact
If the airbags are deployed, you will hear a
bang and a small amount of powder may also
be released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that escapes
does not generally constitute a health hazard.
The 1 warning lamp lights up. G
Risk of injury
If the seat belt tensioners have been trig-
gered, they provide no additional protec-
tion in the event of another accident. There-
fore, have belt tensioners which have been
triggered replaced at a qualified specialist
workshop. Safety
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Occupant safety
45
Automatic child seat recognition on the
front-passenger seat*
If your vehicle does not have automatic child
seat recognition on the front-passenger seat,
this is indicated by a special sticker. The
sticker is affixed to the side of the dashboard
on the front-passenger side. It is visible when
you open the front-passenger door. 1
5 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning
lamp
The front-passenger seat sensor system for
child restraint systems detects whether a
special Mercedes-Benz child seat with auto-
matic child seat recognition has been fitted.
In such cases, 5PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF indicator lamp 1lights up. The front-
passenger airbag is deactivated. G
Risk of injury
If the 4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warn-
ing lamp does not light up when the child
restraint system is fitted, the front-
passenger front airbag has not been disa-
bled. If the front-passenger front airbag is
deployed, the child could be seriously or
even fatally injured.
Proceed as follows:
R do not use a rearward-facing child
restraint system on the front-passenger
seat.
R fit a rearward-facing child restraint sys-
tem on a suitable rear seat.
or
R only use a forward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat and
move the front-passenger seat to its rear-
most position.
R have the automatic child seat recognition
checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
To ensure that the automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat func-
tions correctly, never place objects (such
as a cushion) under the child restraint sys-
tem. The entire base of the child restraint system must always rest on the seat cush-
ion. An incorrectly fitted child restraint sys-
tem cannot perform its intended protective
function in the event of an accident, and
could lead to injuries.
i The windowbag*, the head/thorax airbag
and the belt tensioner for the front-
passenger seat are still active even if the
front-passenger seat front airbag has been
disabled by the automatic child seat rec-
ognition. G
Risk of injury
Do not place items of electronic equipment
on the front-passenger seat, e.g.:
R laptops, when switched on
R mobile phones
R cards with transponders, e.g. ski passes
or access cards
Signals from electronic equipment can
cause interference in the automatic child
seat recognition sensor system. This could
lead to a system malfunction. This may
cause the 4PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
warning lamp to light up without there
being a child seat with automatic child seat
recognition fitted. This means that the Safety
* optional
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Occupant safety
54
Child-proof locks for the rear compart-
ment doors
The child-proof locks on the rear doors enable
you to secure each door individually. A locked
door cannot be opened from the inside. The
door can be opened from the outside if the
vehicle is unlocked. G
Risk of accident and injury
Activate the child-proof locks for the rear
doors and the override switch for the rear
windows if children are travelling in the
vehicle. Otherwise, the children could open
doors or windows while the vehicle is in
motion and injure themselves or others. 1
To deactivate
2 To activate X
To activate: press latch2downwards.
X Make sure that the child-proof locks are
working properly.
X To deactivate: press latch1upwards.
Child-proof locks for the electric side win-
dows in the rear* G
Risk of accident and injury
Activate the child-proof locks for the rear
doors and the override switch for the rear
windows if children are travelling in the
vehicle. Otherwise, the children could open
doors or windows while the vehicle is in
motion and injure themselves or others. 1
Switch X
To activate/deactivat e:press switch 1.
Switch 1engages or pops up. If the rear
switch is engaged, you can only operate the
rear side windows using the switches on
the driver's door. Safety
* optional
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Driving safety sys
tems56 G
Risk of accident
If BAS has malfunctioned, the braking sys-
tem remains available with full brake boost-
ing effect. However, braking force is not
automatically increased in emergency
braking situations and the stopping dis-
tance may increase. Adaptive brake lamps
i Adaptive brake lamps are only available in
certain countries.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 50 km/h or if braking is assisted by BAS,
the brake lamps flash rapidly. In this way,
traffic travelling behind you is warned in an
even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warn-
ing lamps are activated automatically. If the
brakes are applied again, the brake lamps
light up continuously. The hazard warning
lamps switch off automatically if you travel
faster than 10 km/h. You can also switch off
the hazard warning lamps using the hazard
warning switch button ( Ypage 79). ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between tyres and
the road surface.
ESP ®
detects when a wheel spins or the vehi-
cle starts to skid. ESP ®
stabilises the vehicle
by targeted braking of individual wheels and
by limiting engine power. It assists you when
pulling away on wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
also stabilises the vehicle during braking.
When ESP ®
intervenes, the vwarning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster. G
Risk of accident
If the v warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes, proceed as follows:
R only depress the accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
R adapt your driving style to suit the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
The vehicle could otherwise go into a skid.
ESP ®
cannot reduce the risk of an accident
if you drive too fast. ESP ®
cannot override
the laws of physics.
! The ignition must be switched off (key in
position 0or 1in the ignition lock), if: R
the parking brake is being tested using a
dynamometer
R the vehicle is being towed with the front
axle raised
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
could
otherwise destroy the brake system on the
front axle.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly. Steering assistant STEER CONTROL
The steering assistant STEER CONTROL helps
you by transmitting a noticeable steering
force to the steering wheel in the direction
required for vehicle stabilisation. This steer-
ing assistance is provided in particular if:
R both right wheels or both left wheels are on
a wet or slippery road surface when you
brake
R the vehicle starts to skid
You have control over the steering at all
times. G
Risk of accident
If there is an ESP ®
malfunction, you will not
receive any steering assistance from the Safety
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Anti-theft syste
ms 57steering assistant STEER CONTROL. The
steering continues to function with power
assistance. Anti-theft systems
Immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
X To activate: remove the key from the igni-
tion lock.
X To deactivate: turn the key to position 2
in the ignition lock. ATA* (anti-theft alarm system)
A visual and audible alarm is triggered when
the alarm system is primed and you open:
R a door
R a door using the emergency key element
R the tailgate
R the bonnet
The alarm is not switched off even if you close
a door again. 1
Indicator lamp
X To prime: lock the vehicle using the key.
Indicator lamp 1flashes. The alarm sys-
tem is primed after approximately 15 sec-
onds.
X To deactivate: unlock the vehicle using the
key.
Deactivating the alarm X
Insert the key into the ignition lock.
The alarm is deactivated.
or
X Press the korj button on the key.
The alarm is deactivated. Safety
* optional
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Opening and closing
61Opening the doors from the inside
You can open a door from the inside at any
time, even if it has been locked. X
Pull door handle 2.
If the door is locked, locking knob 1pops
up. The door is unlocked and can be
opened. Automatic locking feature
The vehicle will lock automatically once you
have pulled away.
You can switch off the automatic locking
function via the on-board computer
(Y page 110).
i The vehicle is locked automatically when
the ignition is switched on and the wheels
begin to turn. There is therefore a risk of
being locked out when the vehicle is being
pushed or tested on a dynamometer. Locking/unlocking the vehicle from
the inside
You can centrally lock or unlock the vehicle
from the inside. This feature may be useful if,
for example, you wish to unlock the
passenger door from the inside or lock the
vehicle before you pull away. G
Risk of accident
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle. They could open a door from the
inside – even if it is locked – and thereby
endanger themselves and others. X
To lock: press button 1.
X To unlock: press button 2. Tailgate
G
Risk of poisoning
Exhaust fumes could enter the vehicle inte-
rior if the engine is running and the tailgate
is open. This could poison you. Therefore,
you should make sure that the tailgate is
always closed when the engine is running.
! The tailgate swings up and to the rear
when opened. Therefore, make sure that
there is sufficient clearance above and
behind the tailgate. Controls
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