34 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
In this section you will learn the most
important facts about the restraint
systems of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are
Seat belts
Child restraints
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
CH
ildren (LATCH)
Additional protection potential provide
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
with
Air bags
Air bag control unit (with crash
sensors)
Emergency Tensioning Device
(ETD) for seat belts
Seat belt force limiter
Active head restraintsAir bag system components with
Front passenger front air bag off
indicator lamp
Front passenger seat with Occupant
C
lassification System (OCS)
Although independent systems, their pro-
tective functions work in conjunction with
each other.The SRS system conducts a self-test when
the ignition is switched on and in regular
intervals while the engine is running. This
facilitates early detection of malfunctions.
The =indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (page 26) comes on when the
ignition is switched on and goes out no lat-
er than a few seconds after the engine has
been started.
The SRS components are in operational
readiness when the =indicator lamp is
not lit when the engine is running.
A malfunction in the system has been
detected if the =indicator lamp:
fails to go out after approximately
4 seconds after the engine was started
does not come on at all
comes on after the engine was started
or while driving
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 51).
41 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Window curtain air bags
1Window curtain air bag
When deployed, the window curtain air
bags1 are designed to provide increased
protection for the head (but not the chest
or arms) of the occupants on the side of
the vehicle on which the impact occurs.
The window curtain air bags fill up the area
indicated by the arrows.The window curtain air bags are deployed:
on the impacted side of the vehicle
in impacts exceeding a preset deploy-
ment threshold
independently of the front air bags
regardless of whether the front-pas-
senger seat is occupied
in certain vehicle rollovers
The side window curtain air bags are not
deployed in impacts which do not exceed
the system’s deployment threshold.
Occupant Classification System
The Occupant Classification System (OCS)
automatically turns the front passenger
front air bag on or off based on the classi-
fied occupant weight category determined
by weight sensor readings from the front
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 lean-
ing on armrests), the OCS may not be able
to properly approximate the occupant’s
weight category.
iThe system does not deactivate the front
passenger side impact air bag, the window cur-
tain air bag and the emergency tensioning de-
vice.
42 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Both driver and the front passenger should
always use the 5/indicator lamp
as an indication of whether or not the front
passenger is properly positioned.
iIf your seat, including your trim cover and
cushion 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 5/indicator lamp illuminates
when an adult or someone larger than a
small individual is in the front passenger
seat, have the front passenger re-position
himself or herself in the seat until the
5/indicator lamp goes out, or check
whether objects are caught under or around
the seat.
In the event of a collision, the air bag control
unit will not allow front passenger front air
bag deployment when the OCS classified
the front passenger seat occupant as being
up to or less than the weight of a typical
12-month-old child in a standard child
restraint or if the front passenger seat is
sensed as being empty.
When the OCS senses that the front passen-
ger 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 5/indicator lamp will
illuminate when the engine is started and
remain illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the front passen-
ger seat is classified as being empty, the
5/indicator lamp will illuminate
when the engine is started and remain
illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the front passen-
ger 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 5/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
5/indicator lamp illuminated, the
front passenger front air bag is deactivated.
With the 5/indicator lamp out, the
front passenger front air bag is activated.
100 Controls in detail
Mirrors
Auto-dimming rear view mirrors*
The reflection brightness of the exterior
rear view mirror on the driver’s side and
the interior rear view mirror will respond
automatically to glare when
the ignition is switched on
and
incoming light from headlamps falls on
the sensor in the interior rear view
mirror
The interior rear view mirror will not react if
reverse gearR is engaged
the interior lighting is turned on
Warning!G
The auto-dimming function does not react if
incoming light is not aimed directly at the
sensors in the interior rear view mirror.
The interior rear view mirror and the exterior
rear view mirror on the driver’s side do not
react, for example, if the rear window
sunshade* is in raised position.
Light hitting the mirror(s) at certain angles
(incident light) could blind you. As a result,
you may not be able to observe traffic con-
ditions and could cause an accident.
Warning!G
Exercise care when using the passen-
ger-side exterior rear view mirror. The mirror
surface is convex (outwardly curved surface
for a wider field of view). Objects in mirror
are closer than they appear. Check your
interior rear view mirror or glance over your
shoulder before changing lanes.
118 Controls in detail
Windshield wipers
Switching on/off windshield wipers
Turn the combination switch to the
desired position depending on the
intensity of the rain.
MWindshield wipers off
USlow intermittent wiping
(rain sensor* operation with low
sensitivity)
VFast intermittent wiping
(rain sensor* operation with
high sensitivity)
uSlow continuous wiping
tFast continuous wiping
Single wipe
Press the combination switch briefly in
the direction of arrow2 (
page 117)
to the resistance point.
The windshield wipers wipe one time
without washer fluid.
Intermittent wiping
Only switch on intermittent wiping under
wet weather conditions or in the presence
of precipitation.
iWhen the windshield wipers are switched on
and you brake the vehicle to a stop, the wipers
operate more slowly.
!Vehicles with rain sensor*:
Do not leave windshield wipers in intermittent
setting when the vehicle is taken to an automatic
car wash or during windshield cleaning. Wipers
will operate in the presence of water sprayed on
the windshield, and the windshield wipers may
be damaged as a result.
!Vehicles with rain sensor*:
If you have set intermittent wiping, dirt on the
surface of the rain sensor or optical effects may
cause the windshield wipers to wipe in an undes-
ired fashion. This could then damage the wind-
shield wiper blades or scratch the windows. You
should therefore switch off the windshield wip-
ers when weather conditions are dry.
119 Controls in detail
Windshield wipers
Turn the combination switch to posi-
tion U or V.
Intermittent wiping starts with selected
wiping interval.
Vehicles with rain sensor*:
After the initial wipe, pauses between
wipes are automatically controlled by
the rain sensor.
Intermittent wiping interval is depen-
dent on wetness of windshield.Wiping with windshield washer fluid
Press the combination switch in the di-
rection of arrow2 (
page 117) past
the resistance point.
The windshield wiper operates with
washer fluid.
For information on filling up the washer
reservoir, see “Windshield washer system
and headlamp cleaning system*”
(
page 330).
iIntermittent wiping is interrupted when the
vehicle is at a standstill and a front door is
opened. This protects persons getting into or out
of the vehicle from being sprayed.
Intermittent wiping will be continued when
all doors are closed
and
the clutch pedal is depressed (vehicles with
manual transmission
or
the gear selector lever is positionD orR (ve-
hicles with automatic transmission*)
or
the wiper setting is changed using the com-
bination switch
iTo prevent smears on the windshield or
noisy/chattering wiper blades, wipe with wind-
shield washer fluid every now and then even
when it is raining.
iVehicles with headlamp cleaning system*:
The headlamp cleaning system* will clean the
headlamps automatically after the first and every
tenth time windshield washer fluid is used while
the engine is running (
page 112).
121 Controls in detail
Power windows
Switch on the ignition (page 82).
Opening: Press the desired switch1
to 4 (
page 120) to the resistance
point.
The corresponding window will move
down until you release the switch.
Closing: Pull the desired switch1 to
4 (
page 120) to the resistance
point.
The corresponding window will move
up until you release the switch.
If the window encounters an obstruction
that blocks its path in a circumstance where
you are closing the window by pressing and
holding the switch, by pressing and holding
button ‹ on the SmartKey or SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO*, by pressing and holding
the sensor surface (vehicles with
KEYLESS-GO*) on an outside door handle,
or by pressing and holding button, on
the climate control panel (Canada only), the
automatic reversal function will not operate.
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. A child’s unsupervised ac-
cess to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.iYou can also open or close the windows us-
ing the SmartKey, see “Summer opening fea-
ture” (
page 123) and “Convenience closing
feature” (
page 124).
iOperating the windows from the rear is not
possible if you activate the override switch
(
page 57).
iWith the SmartKey in starter switch
position0 or removed from the starter switch,
the power windows can be operated:
until you open the driver’s or front passenger
door
for approximately 5 minutes if no door was
openedWarning!G
If you press and hold the switch up when
closing the window, and upward movement
of the window is blocked by some obstruc-
tion including but not limited to arms, hands,
fingers, etc., the automatic reversal will not
operate.
123 Controls in detail
Power windows
Summer opening feature
If the weather is warm, you can ventilate
the vehicle before driving off by simulta-
neously:
opening the side windows
opening the tilt/sliding sunroof or pan-
orama roof with power tilt/sliding pan-
el* and roller sunblinds
Aim transmitter eye of the SmartKey
towards the sensor in the driver’s out-
side door handle. The SmartKey must
be in close proximity to the driver’s
door handle.
Press button Œ to unlock the
vehicle.
Vehicles with tilt/sliding sunroof
Press and hold button Œ until the
side windows and tilt/sliding sunroof
have reached the desired position.
Release button Œ to interrupt pro-
cedure.Vehicles with panorama roof*
If roller sunblinds are retracted:
Press and hold button Œ. The side
windows and roller sunblinds begin to
open/extend after approximately
1 second.
With the side windows and roller blinds
fully opened/extended, press and hold
button
Œ again. The tilt/sliding pan-
el tilts and opens.
If roller sunblinds are extended:
Press and hold button Œ. The side
windows move down and the tilt/slid-
ing panel tilts and opens after approxi-
mately 1 second.
Release button Œ to interrupt proce-
dure.
iThe “Summer opening” function can only be
activated via the remote control of the SmartKey
or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*.