2008 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS63AMG center console

70 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The air bags will not deploy in impacts
which do not exceed the system’s deploy-
ment thresholds. You will then be protect-
ed by the fastened seat belts.The front passenger air bag will only be
deployed if:

the front passenger seat is occupied

the 75indicator lamp in
the center console is not lit
(
page 75)

the impact exceeds a preset deploy-
ment threshold
Knee bag
The knee bag is located on the driver-side
lower instrument panel. It is designed to
operate together with the driver air bag in
certain frontal impacts exceeding a preset
threshold. The knee bag operates best in
conjunction with a properly positioned and
fastened seat belt.Side impact air bags, window curtain
air bags
1Front side impact air bags
2Window curtain air bag
3Rear side impact air bags
iThe front air bags in this vehicle have been
designed to inflate in two stages. This allows the
air bag to have different rates of inflation that are
based on the rate of vehicle deceleration as as-
sessed by the air bag control unit.
On the front passenger side, the front air bag de-
ployment is additionally influenced by the pas-
senger’s weight category as identified by the
Occupant Classification System (OCS)
(
page 71).
The lighter the front passenger side occupant,
the higher the vehicle deceleration rate required
for the second stage inflation of the air bag.

71 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The side impact air bags and window cur-
tain 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
In addition, the window curtain air bags2
are deployed:

in certain vehicle rollovers
The side impact air bags and window cur-
tain air bags are not deployed in impacts
which do not exceed the system’s deploy-
ment 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 po-
sition 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. Furthermore, the occupant weight may ap-
pear to increase or decrease due to
objects hanging on the seat, other passen-
gers pushing on the seat, objects lodged
underneath the seat or stuffed between
seat and middle console or between seat
and door or due to objects applying pres-
sure on the back of the seat. Always make
sure that the seat has clearance in all di-
rections at all times.
Both driver and the front passenger should
always use the 75 indicator
lamp as an indication of whether or not the
front passenger is properly positioned.
iThe system does not deactivate the front
passenger side impact air bag, the window cur-
tain air bag and the Emergency Tensioning De-
vice.
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.

75 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The 75 indicator lamp is lo-
cated in the center console.
1Indicator lamp
The 75 indicator lamp1 will
be illuminated, except with the SmartKey
removed or in starter switch position0
(
page 38).
Warning!G
If the 1indicator lamp and the
75 indicator 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 possi-
ble by qualified technicians. Contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Only have the seat repaired or replaced by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz 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 ruffled storage bag on the back
of the front passenger seat. Otherwise,
the OCS may not be able to properly ap-
proximate the occupant weight
category.

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

Do not hang anything from or attach any
items to the seats.

Do not stuff objects such as books be-
tween the middle console and the front
passenger seat.

Do not move the front passenger seat
backwards against stiff objects.

Sit properly belted in a position that is
as upright as possible with your back
against the seat backrest.

While seated, an occupant should not
position him/herself in such a way as to
cause the occupant’s weight to be lifted
from the seat bottom as this may result
in the OCS being unable to correctly ap-
proximate the occupant’s weight cate-
gory.

Read and observe all warnings in this
chapter.

76 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Self-test Occupant Classification
System
After turning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position1 or2 or pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button once or
twice, the 75 indicator lamp
located in the center console illuminates. If
an adult occupant is properly sitting on the
front passenger seat and the system sens-
es the occupant as being an adult, the
75 indicator lamp will illumi-
nate and go out after approximately
6 seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the system
senses the front passenger seat as being
empty, the 75 indicator lamp
will illuminate and not go out. For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 356).
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 whenever the vehicle is in motion.
For more information, see “Fastening the
seat belts” (
page 48).
Warning!G
If the 75 indicator lamp should
not illuminate, the system is not functioning.
You must see an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center before seating any child on the front
passenger seat.
Warning!G
Never place anything between seat cushion
and child seat (e.g. pillow), since it reduces
the effectiveness of the Occupant Classifi-
cation 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 protec-
tion 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 82).

87 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Blocking of rear door window operation
You can disable select functions in the rear
passenger compartment for added safety
(for instance when you have children riding
in the rear passenger compartment).
You can disable the following functions in
the rear passenger compartment:

rear door windows operation

12-V power outlet in the rear center
console1Override switch
2Indicator lamp
Press override switch1.
Indicator lamp2 comes on. The func-
tions in the rear are disabled.
An incorrectly mounted child seat may come
loose during an accident which could result
in serious personal 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
vehicle, even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system.
iOperation of the rear door windows with the
switches located on the door control panel of the
driver’s door is still possible.
Warning!G
Activate the override switch when children
are riding in the back seats of the vehicle.
The children may 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. access to an unlocked ve-
hicle. A child’s unsupervised access to a ve-
hicle could result in an accident and/or
serious personal injury.

96 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
The switch is located on the center
console.
1ESP
® switch
With the engine running, press ESP®
switch1 until the ESP® warning
lampv in the instrument cluster
comes on.
The ESP
® is switched off.Switching on the ESP
®
Press ESP® switch1 until the ESP®
warning lampv in the instrument
cluster goes out.
You are now again in normal driving
mode with the ESP
® switched on.
iWhen the ESP® is switched off and one or
more drive wheels are spinning, the ESP® warn-
ing lamp v in the instrument cluster flashes.
However, the ESP
® will then not stabilize the ve-
hicle.
Warning!G
When the ESP® warning lamp v is
illuminated continuously, the ESP® is
switched off or is not operational due to a
malfunction. Vehicle stability in standard
driving maneuvers reduces.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP
®.
!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an ex-
tended period with the ESP® switched off. This
may cause serious damage to the drivetrain
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.

98 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Arming the alarm system
The indicator lamp located in the central
locking switch in the center console.
1Indicator lamp
Lock the vehicle with the SmartKey or
KEYLESS-GO*.
The turn signal lamps flash three times
to indicate that the alarm system is
armed. The indicator lamp1 begins to
flash after approximately 30 seconds
after arming the alarm system.
Disarming the alarm system
Unlock the vehicle with the SmartKey
or KEYLESS-GO*.
The turn signal lamps flash once to
indicate that the alarm system is
disarmed.Canceling the alarm
With the SmartKey
Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
or
Press button Œ or ‹ on the
SmartKey.
With KEYLESS-GO*
Pull an outside door handle.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* must
be within 3 ft (1 m) of the vehicle.
or
Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button (
page 39).
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* must
be inside the vehicle.
iIf the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, a call to the Response Center is ini-
tiated automatically by the Tele Aid system
(
page 256) provided Tele Aid service was sub-
scribed to and properly activated, and that nec-
essary cellular service and GPS coverage are
available.
iIf the turn signal lamps do not flash three
times, one of the following elements may not be
properly closed:

a door

the trunk
Close the respective element and lock the vehi-
cle again.
iThe alarm system will rearm automatically
after approximately 40 seconds if neither a door
nor the trunk was opened.

132 Controls in detail
Lighting
Driving in reverse
Switching on corner-illuminating front
fog lamps
Place the gear selector lever in
positionR.
The front fog lamp opposite to your
steering direction comes on.
Switching off corner-illuminating front
fog lamps
Place the gear selector lever out of
positionR.
The respective front fog lamp goes out.
Hazard warning flasher
The hazard warning flasher can be
switched on at all times, even with the
SmartKey removed from the starter switch
or with the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
removed from the vehicle.
The hazard warning flasher switches on
automatically when an air bag deploys.
The hazard warning flasher switch is locat-
ed on the center console.
1Hazard warning flasher switchSwitching on hazard warning flasher
Press the hazard warning flasher
switch1.
All turn signals are flashing.
Switching off hazard warning flasher
Press hazard warning flasher switch1
again.
iWith the hazard warning flasher activated
and the combination switch set for either left or
right turn, only the respective left or right turn
signals will operate when the ignition is switched
on.
iIf the hazard warning flasher has been acti-
vated automatically, press hazard warning flash-
er switch1 once to switch off.