2008 MERCEDES-BENZ GLK SUV light

Occupant safety.................................. 34
Driving safety systems .......................51
Anti-theft systems .............................. 54
33
Safety
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Occupant safety
Notes on occupant safety
Seat belts, together with belt tensioners, belt
force limiters and airbags, are complemen-
tary, coordinated restraint systems. They
reduce the risk of injury in specific, pre-
defined types of accident situations and,
thereby, increase occupant safety. However,
seat belts and airbags generally do not pro-
tect against objects penetrating the vehicle
from the outside.
To ensure that the restraint systems can
deliver their full potential protection, you
should ensure that:
R the seat and head restraint are adjusted
properly (Y page 62).
R the seat belt has been fastened properly
(Y page 70).
R the airbags can inflate properly if they are
deployed (Y page 37).
R the steering wheel is adjusted properly
(Y page 66).
R the restraint systems have not been modi-
fied.
i An airbag increases the protection of
vehicle occupants wearing a seat belt.
However, airbags are only an additional
restraint system which complements, but
does not replace, the seat belt. All vehicle
occupants must wear their seat belt cor-
rectly at all times, even if the vehicle is
equipped with airbags. This is because – on
the one hand – airbags are not deployed in
all types of accident, as in some situations
airbag deployment would not increase the
protection afforded to vehicle occupants,
provided they are wearing their seat belt
correctly. On the other hand, airbag deploy-
ment only provides increased protection if
the seat belt is worn correctly because: R
the seat belt helps to keep the vehicle
occupant in the best position in relation
to the airbag.
R for example, in a head-on collision, the
seat belt can more adequately prevent
the occupant from being propelled
towards the point of the impact, and is
thus better suited to prevent injury.
Therefore, in accident situations where an
airbag is deployed, it only provides protec-
tion in addition to the seat belt if the seat
belt is being worn correctly. G
Risk of accident and injury
Always have maintenance work carried out at
a qualified specialist workshop which has the
necessary specialist knowledge and tools to
carry out the work required.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this pur-
pose.
In particular, work relevant to safety or on
safety-related systems must be carried out at
a qualified specialist workshop. If this work is
not carried out correctly, the operating safety
of your vehicle may be affected. There is a risk
of an accident and injury. G
Risk of injury
The restraint system may not work as inten-
ded if the following components have been
modified or work on these components has
not been performed correctly:
R restraint system, consisting of the seat
belts and anchorages, belt tensioners, belt
force limiters, airbags
R wiring
R networked electronic systems
Airbags or belt tensioners could then fail, e.g.
in the event of an accident in which the decel-
eration force would normally be high enough
to trigger the systems, or they could be trig-
gered unintentionally. Never carry out any
modifications on the restraint systems. 34 Occupant safetySafety
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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 6 SRS warning lamp
R belt tensioners
R belt force limiters
R airbags
The 6 6SRS warning lamp The SRS functions are checked regularly
when you turn on the ignition and when the
engine is running. Therefore, malfunctions
can be detected in good time.
The
6 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 6warn-
ing 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 immediately
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.
i
The front belt tensioners can only be trig-
gered if the belt tongue is correctly
engaged in the seat belt buckle.
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
airbag deployment must take place during
the impact and must be adapted to provide Occupant safety
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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. For example, this is the
case if very rigid vehicle parts such as longi-
tudinal 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.
!
Do not engage the seat belt tongue on the
front-passenger's seat if the seat is not occupied. The belt tensioners could other-
wise be triggered in an accident.
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 a pro-
portion of the deceleration forces exerted on
the occupant over a greater area.
The belt tensioners cannot be triggered when
the ignition is switched on unless:
R the restraint systems are operational, see
6 warning lamp
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each lap-shoulder belt in the front of the
vehicle
Depending on the type and severity of an
accident, the belt tensioners may be trig-
gered:
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
R in the event of a side impact if the vehicle
is subjected to high lateral acceleration/
deceleration
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 6 warning lamp lights up. G
Risk of injury
If the seat belt tensioners have been trig-
gered, they provide no additional protection
in the event of another accident. Therefore, 36 Occupant safetySafety
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have belt tensioners which have been trig-
gered replaced at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Comply with safety regulations when dispos-
ing of belt tensioners. Any Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre can provide details of these
regulations.
Airbags Airbag deployment slows down and restricts
the movement of the vehicle occupant.
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 6 warning lamp lights up.
The AIRBAG identification indicates the loca-
tion of the airbags. G
Risk of injury
Airbags provide additional protection; they
are not, however, a substitute for seat belts.
Observe the following notes to reduce the risk
of serious or even fatal injury if an airbag is
deployed:
R all vehicle occupants ― in particular preg-
nant women ― must wear their seat belt
correctly at all times and lean back against
the backrest, which should be positioned
as close to the vertical as possible. The
head restraint must support the back of the
head at about eye level.
R always secure children less than 1.50 m tall
or under 12 years of age in suitable child
restraint systems.
R all vehicle occupants must select a seat
position that is as far away from the airbag
as possible. The driver's seat position must
allow the vehicle to be driven safely. The
driver's chest should be as far away from
the middle of the driver's front airbag cover
as possible. R
move the front-passenger's seat as far
back as possible, especially if a child is
secured in a child restraint system on the
seat.
R vehicle occupants – in particular, children
– must not lean their head into the area of
the window in which the sidebag/window-
bag is deployed.
R rearward-facing child restraint systems
must not be fitted to the front-passenger's
seat unless the front-passenger front air-
bag has been disabled. The front-passenger
front airbag of a vehicle fitted with auto-
matic child seat recognition* is only disa-
bled when a child restraint system with
automatic child seat recognition is fitted to
the front-passenger's seat. The
4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning
lamp must be continuously lit.
If the front-passenger's seat of your vehicle
does not have automatic child seat recog-
nition*, or your rearward-facing child
restraint system does not have automatic
child seat recognition, children must be
secured in a child restraint system on a
suitable seat in the rear. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint system to the
front-passenger's seat, you must move the
front-passenger's seat as far back as pos-
sible.
R make sure there are no heavy or sharp-
edged objects in pockets of clothing.
R do not lean forwards, e.g. over the cover of
the driver's/front-passenger front airbag,
particularly when the vehicle is in motion.
R do not put your feet on the dashboard.
R only hold the steering wheel by the rim. This
allows the airbag to inflate fully. You could
be injured if the airbag is deployed and you
are holding the inside of the steering wheel.
R do not lean on the doors from inside the
vehicle. Occupant safety
37Safety
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R
make sure that there are no people, ani-
mals or objects between the vehicle occu-
pants and the area of deployment of the
airbag.
R do not place any objects between the seat
backrest and the door.
R do not hang any hard objects, for example,
coat hangers, on the grab handles or coat
hooks.
R do not attach accessories, e.g. cup holders,
to the doors.
It is not possible to rule out a risk of injuries
caused by an airbag due to the high speed at
which the airbag is required to deploy. G
Risk of injury
The airbag's functionality can only be guaran-
teed if the following parts are not covered and
no badges or stickers are attached to them:
R padded steering wheel boss
R knee airbag cover below the steering col-
umn
R front-passenger front airbag cover
R outer side of front seats
R side panel next to the rear seat backrest G
Risk of injury
When an airbag deploys, a small amount of
powder is released. The powder may cause
short-term breathing difficulties to persons
suffering from asthma or other pulmonary
conditions.
In order to prevent potential breathing diffi-
culties, you should leave the vehicle as soon
as it is safe to do so. You can also open the
window to allow fresh air to enter the interior.
The powder generally does not constitute a
health hazard and does not indicate that there
is a fire in the vehicle. G
Risk of injury
The airbag parts are hot after the airbag has
been deployed. Do not touch them; other-
wise, you may burn yourself.
Have the airbags checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Otherwise, occupants are
not protected by the airbags in the event of
another accident.
Front airbags
The front airbags are designed to increase
protection for the driver's and front passeng-
er's head and chest. Driver's front airbag
:deploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger front air-
bag ;deploys in front of and above the glove
compartment. They are deployed:
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of vehicle acceleration or deceleration in a
longitudinal direction
R if the system determines that airbag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
R if the seat belt is fastened
R independently of other airbags in the vehi-
cle
R if the vehicle overturns, but only if the sys-
tem detects high vehicle deceleration in a
longitudinal direction
On vehicles with automatic child seat recog-
nition in the front-passenger seat*, front-
passenger front airbag ;is only deployed if
the 4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning
lamp in the centre console is not lit 38 Occupant safetySafety
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(Y
page 43). This means that there is not a
child restraint system with automatic child
seat recognition* fitted to the front-
passenger seat or that a child restraint sys-
tem with automatic child seat recognition*
has been fitted to the front-passenger seat
incorrectly.
Driver's knee airbag
i The driver's knee airbag is only available
in certain countries.
The driver's knee airbag can help reduce the
risk of injury to the knees, thighs and lower
legs. Driver's knee airbag
:is always deployed
along with the driver's front airbag and
inflates underneath the steering column.
Sidebags G
Risk of injury
If you wish to use seat covers, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that, for safety reasons, you
only use seat covers that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The seat covers must have a special tear seam
for sidebags. Otherwise, a head/thorax air-
bag cannot deploy correctly and would fail to
provide the intended protection in the event
of an accident. Appropriate seat covers can
be obtained from a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre. G
Risk of injury
Sensors to control the airbags are located in
the doors. Therefore, do not make any modi- fications to the doors or door trims, e.g. ret-
rofitting loudspeakers. Damage to the doors
can affect operation of the sidebags.
The purpose of sidebag deployment is to
enhance the level of protection for the thorax
(but not the head, neck or arms) of the vehicle
occupants on the side of the vehicle on which
the impact occurs. Front sidebags
:and rear sidebags*;
deploy next to the outer seat cushion. They
are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion, e.g. in a side impact
R independently of the seat belt use
R independently of the front airbags
R independently of the belt tensioners
Windowbags
The purpose of the windowbags is to enhance
the level of protection for the head (but not
chest or arms) of the vehicle occupants on
the side of the vehicle on which the impact
occurs.
The windowbags are integrated into the side
of the roof frame and run from the front door
(A-pillar) to the rear door (C-pillar). Occupant safety
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Windowbags
:are deployed:
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of vehicle acceleration or deceleration in a
lateral direction
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R independently of the front airbags
R regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied
R independently of the seat belt use
R if the vehicle overturns and the system
determines that windowbag deployment
can offer additional protection to that pro-
vided by the seat belt PRE-SAFE
®
* system
PRE-SAFE ®
system takes pre-emptive meas-
ures to protect you in certain hazardous sit-
uations.
PRE-SAFE ®
intervenes in the event of:
R emergency braking situations, e.g. if the
BAS Brake Assist intervenes
R critical situations involving driving dynam-
ics, e.g. if the vehicle oversteers or under-
steers significantly due to physical limits
being exceeded If you are driving faster than approximately
30 km/h, PRE-SAFE
®
may take the following
measures in these situations:
R it tensions the front seat belts.
R on vehicles with memory functions*: it
adjusts the front-passenger seat if this is in
an unfavourable position.
R if the vehicle skids, it closes the panorama
sliding sunroof* and the side windows so
that only a small gap remains.
if the hazardous situation passes without
resulting in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens
the belt pretensioning. You can then reverse
all settings made by PRE-SAFE ®
.
If the seat belts are not released:
X Move the backrest or the seat back slightly
until the belt tension is reduced.
The locking mechanism releases. G
Risk of injury
When adjusting the seat, make sure that
nobody can become trapped.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats when adjusting
the seats. You could otherwise damage the
seats and the objects. NECK-PRO head restraints
NECK-PRO head restraints are designed to
increase protection to the driver's and front-
passenger's head and neck. To this end, the
head restraints on the driver's and front-
passenger seats are moved forwards and
upwards in the event of a rear-end collision of
a certain severity when viewed in the direc-
tion of travel. This provides better head sup-
port. G
Risk of injury
Head restraint covers prevent the NECK-PRO
head restraints from triggering correctly. Con-
sequently, the NECK-PRO head restraints 40 Occupant safetySafety
* optional
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