2008 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class Vehicle

46 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyFront air bags
1Driver air bag
2Front passenger front air bag
Driver and front passenger front air bags
are deployed:

in the event of certain frontal impacts


if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold


independently of the side impact air
bagsThe air bags will not deploy in impacts
which do not exceed the system’s deploy-
ment thresholds. You will then be protec-
ted by the fastened seat belts.The passenger front air bag will only be
deployed if:


the system, based on OCS weight sen-
sor readings, senses that the front
passenger seat is occupied


the 59indicator lamp in
the center console is not lit
(page 51)


the impact exceeds a preset deploy-
ment threshold
Side impact air bags
1Front side impact air bag
2Rear side impact air bag
i
The 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 relevant vehicle decelera-
tion as assessed 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 47).
The lighter the front passenger-side occupant,
the higher the vehicle deceleration rate required
for the second stage inflation of the air bag.

47 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The side impact air bags are deployed:

in side impacts exceeding a preset de-
ployment threshold


on the impacted side of the vehicle


independently of the front air bags
The front passenger side impact air bag1
will not deploy if the OCS senses that the
front passenger seat is empty and the front
passenger seat belt is not fastened (latch
plate is not inserted into the buckle). With
an empty front passenger seat and the
seat belt fastened (latch plate properly in-
serted into buckle) the front passenger
side impact air bag will deploy regardless
of the empty seat.
The side impact air bags are not deployed
in impacts which do not exceed the sys-
tem’s deployment threshold.Window curtain air bags
1Window curtain air bag
The side window curtain air bags are de-
ployed:


in side impacts exceeding a preset de-
ployment threshold


on the impacted side of the vehicle


independently of the front air bags


in certain vehicle rollovers
The side window curtain air bags are not
deployed in side impacts which do not ex-
ceed the system’s deployment threshold.The window curtain air bags fill up the area
indicated by the arrows.
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.i
The system does not deactivate the front
passenger side impact air bag, the window cur-
tain air bag and the emergency tensioning de-
vice.

48 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyFurthermore, the occupant weight may ap-
pear to increase or decrease due to the fol-
lowing: objects hanging on the seat,
lodged underneath the seat, stuffed be-
tween the seat and middle console or the
seat and door, other passengers pushing
on the seat or objects applying pressure to
the back of the seat.
Both driver and the front passenger should
always use the 59indicator
lamp as an indication of whether or not the
front passenger is properly positioned.i
If 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 59indicator lamp illumi-
nates 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
59indicator lamp goes out, or
check whether objects are caught under or
around the seat.
More information about air bag display mes-
sages (
page 649).
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 re-
straint 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 59indicator
lamp will illuminate when the engine is start-
ed and remain illuminated, indicating that
the front passenger front air bag is deacti-
vated.
When the OCS senses that the front passen-
ger seat is classified as being empty, the
59indicator lamp will illumi-
nate 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 59indicator lamp will illu-
minate for approximately 6 seconds when
the engine is started and then, depending on
occupant weight sensor readings from

49 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
the seat, remain illuminated or go out. With
the 59indicator lamp illumi-
nated, the front passenger front air bag is
deactivated. With the 59 indi-
cator lamp out, the front passenger front air
bag is activated.
When the OCS senses that the front passen-
g e r s e a t o c c u p a n t i s c l a s s i f i e d a s a n a d u l t o r
someone larger than a small individual, the
59indicator lamp will illumi-
nate for approximately 6 seconds when the
engine is started and then go out, indicating
that the front passenger front air bag is
activated.
If the 59indicator lamp is illu-
minated, the front passenger front air bag is
deactivated and will not be deployed.
If the 59indicator lamp is not
illuminated, the front passenger front air
bag is activated and will be deployed:

in the event of certain frontal impacts


if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold


independently of the side impact air
bags
If the front passenger air bag is deployed,
the rate of inflation will be influenced by:


the rate of relevant vehicle deceleration
as assessed by the air bag control unit


front passenger’s weight category as
identified by the Occupant Classification
System (OCS).
Warning!
G
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing position. Thus, we strongly recommend
that children be placed in the rear seats
whenever possible. Regardless of seating
position, children 12 years old and under
must be seated and properly secured in an
appropriate 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, the seat
belt and top tether strap, or lower anchors
and top tether strap, fully in accordance
with the child seat manufacturer’s
instructions.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following im-
portant information when circumstances re-
quire you to place a child in the front
passenger seat:

Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to turn off the front
passenger front 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 appropri-
ate child restraint on the front passen-
ger seat.


50 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety

A child in a rear-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat will be serious-
ly injured or even killed if the front
passenger front air bag inflates in a
collision which could occur under some
circumstances, even with the air bag
technology installed in your vehicle.
The only means to completely eliminate
this risk is to never place a child in a
rear-facing child restraint in the front
seat. We therefore strongly recommend
that you always place a child in a rear-
facing child restraint in the back seat.


If you must install a rear-facing child
restraint on the front passenger seat
because circumstances require you to
do so, make sure that the
59 indicator lamp is illumi-
nated, indicating that the front passen-
ger front air bag is deactivated. Should
the 59 indicator lamp not
illuminate or go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation. Peri-
odically check the 59 indi-
cator lamp while driving to make sure
the 59 indicator lamp is il-
luminated.
If the 59indicator lamp
goes out or remains out, do not trans-
port a child on the front passenger seat
until the system has been repaired. A
child in a rear-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat will be serious-
ly injured or even killed if the front pas-
senger front air bag inflates.


If you have to place a child in a
forward-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat, move the seat as
far back as possible, use the proper
child restraint recommended for the
age, size and weight of the child, and se-
cure 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 front passenger
front air bag may or may not be
activated (
page 49).
i
Deployment of the driver front air bag does
not mean that the front passenger front air bag
also should have deployed.
The Occupant Classification System (
page 47)
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 front
passenger front air bag even though the im-
pact 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
front passenger front air bag even though
the impact met the criteria and was of suffi-
cient severity to deploy the driver front air
bag.


52 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetySelf-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 (
page 372), the 59
indicator lamp1 located in the center
console illuminates. If an adult occupant is
properly sitting on the front passenger
seat and the system senses the occupant
as being an adult, the 59 indi-
cator lamp will illuminate 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 59indicator lamp
will illuminate and not go out.For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 640).
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.
Warning!
G
If the 59 indicator lamp should
not illuminate, the system is not functioning.
You must contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center before seating any
child on the front passenger seat.Warning!
G
Never place anything between seat cushion
(e.g. pillow), since it reduces the effective-
ness 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.

53 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
For more information, see “Fastening the
seat belts” (
page 395).
i
For 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 58).
Warning!
G
Always fasten your seat belt before driving
off. Always make sure all of your passengers
are 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 passengers 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 ve-
hicle or be ejected from it. You can be seri-
ously injured or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury or
death is lessened if you are properly wearing
your seat belt. Air bags can only protect as
they are designed if the occupants are prop-
erly wearing their seat belts.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 seat belt would apply force at
the abdomen or neck. That could cause se-
rious or even fatal injuries. The seat back-
rest and seat belt provide the best restraint
when the wearer is in a nearly upright posi-
tion and the seat belt is properly positioned
on the body.
Warning!
G
Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are seat belts available. Make
sure everyone riding in the vehicle is cor-
rectly restrained with a separate seat belt.
Never use a seat belt for more than one per-
son at a time.Warning!
G
Damaged seat belts or seat belts that were
highly stressed in an accident must be re-
placed 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 failure.


55 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Enhanced seat belt reminder system
When the engine is started, the seat belt
telltale< will always illuminate for
6 seconds to remind you and your passen-
gers to fasten your seat belts.
If the driver’s seat belt is not fastened
when the engine is started, an additional
warning chime will also sound for a maxi-
mum of 6 seconds or until the driver’ s
seat belt is fastened.
If after these 6 seconds the driver’s or the
front passenger’s seat belt (with the front
passenger seat occupied) is not fastened
with front doors closed,

the seat belt telltale< remains illu-
minated for as long as either the driv-
er’s or front passenger’s seat belt is not
fastened.


and if the vehicle speed once exceeds
15 mph (25 km/h), the seat belt
telltale< starts flashing and a
warning chime sounds with increasing
intensity for a maximum of 60 seconds
or until the driver’s and the front pas-
senger’s seat belt are fastened.
If the driver’s or the front passenger’s
seat belt remains unfastened after
60 seconds, the warning chime stops
sounding, the seat belt telltale<
stops flashing but continues to be illu-
minated.
The seat belt telltale< will only go out
if both the driver’s and the front passen-
ger’s seat belt (with the front passenger
seat occupied) are fastened, or the vehicle
is standing still and a front door is opened.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 635).Emergency tensioning device (ETD),
seat belt force limiter
The seat belts for the front and rear outer
seats are equipped with emergency ten-
sioning devices and seat belt force limit-
ers.
The ETD is designed to activate in the
following cases:


in frontal or rear-end impacts exceed-
ing the system deployment threshold


in side impacts exceeding the system’s
deployment threshold on the far side of
the impact


in certain vehicle rollovers


if the restraint systems are operational
and functioning correctly,
see=indicator lamp (
page 637)


When using a seat belt to secure infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster
seat, always follow the child seat manu-
facturer’s instructions.
i
The ETDs for the front seats will only acti-
vate if the front seat belt is fastened (latch plate
properly inserted into buckle).
The ETDs for the rear outer seats will activate
with or without the respective seat belt fastened.