Page 69 of 489

69 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Warning!G
Modifications to or work improperly con-
ducted on restraint systems (such as seat 
belts and anchors, emergency tensioning 
devices, seat belt force limiters or air bags) 
or their wiring, as well as tampering with in-
terconnected electronic systems, can lead 
to the restraint systems no longer function-
ing as intended. 
Air bags or emergency tensioning devices, 
for example, could deploy inadvertently or 
fail to deploy in accidents although the de-
celeration threshold for air bag deployment 
is exceeded. Therefore, never modify the re-
straint systems. Do not tamper with elec-
tronic components or their software.
Warning!G
In the event that the 1 indicator lamp 
comes on during driving or does not come 
on at all, the SRS self-check has detected a 
malfunction. For your safety, we strongly 
recommend that you contact an authorized 
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have 
the system checked; otherwise the SRS may 
not deploy when needed in an accident, 
which could result in serious or fatal injury, 
or it might deploy unexpectedly and unnec-
essarily which could also result in injury.
In addition, improper repair work on the SRS 
creates a risk of rendering the SRS inopera-
tive or causing unintended air bag deploy-
ment. Work on the SRS must therefore only 
be performed by qualified technicians. 
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz 
Center.
If it is necessary to modify an air bag system 
to accommodate a person with disabilities, 
contact your local authorized 
Mercedes-Benz Center or call our Customer 
Assistance Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes 
(1-800-367-6372) for details. 
     
        
        Page 72 of 489

72 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Safety guidelines for the seat belt, 
emergency tensioning device and 
air bag
In case of other types of impacts and impacts be-
low air bag deployment thresholds, air bags will 
not deploy. The driver and passenger will then be 
protected to the extent possible by a properly 
fastened seat belt. A properly fastened seat belt 
is also needed to provide the best possible 
protection in a rollover. 
We caution you not to rely on the presence of the 
air bags in order to avoid wearing your seat belt.
It is important to your safety and that of your pas-
senger that you replace deployed air bags and 
repair any malfunctioning air bags to make sure 
that the vehicle will continue to provide supple-
mental crash protection for occupants.
Warning!G
Damaged seat belts or seat belts that 
were highly stressed in an accident 
must be replaced and their anchoring 
points must also be checked. Only use 
seat belts installed or supplied by an 
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Air bags and Emergency Tensioning 
Devices (ETDs) contain Perchlorate 
material, which may require special han-
dling and regard for the environment. 
Check with your local government’s 
disposal guidelines. California residents, 
see http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/Hazard-
ousWaste/Perchlorate/index.cfm.
Air bags and Emergency Tensioning 
Devices (ETDs) are designed to function 
on a one-time-only basis. An air bag or 
ETD that has deployed must be re-
placed.
Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges. 
They could tear.
Do not make any modification that could 
change the effectiveness of the seat 
belts.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this 
may severely weaken them. In a crash, 
they may not be able to provide ade-
quate protection.
No modifications of any kind may be 
made to any components or wiring of 
the SRS. This includes changing or 
removing any component or part of the 
SRS, the installation of additional trim 
material, badges, etc. over the steering 
wheel hub, passenger front air bag 
cover, door frame trims, or door trim 
panels, and installation of additional 
electrical/electronic equipment on or 
near SRS components and wiring. Keep 
area between air bags and occupants 
free from objects (e.g. packages, 
purses, umbrellas, etc.).
Air bag system components will be hot 
after an air bag has inflated. Do not 
touch.
Never place your feet on the instrument 
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always 
keep both feet on the floor in front of the 
seat. 
     
        
        Page 276 of 489

275 Operation
Driving instructions
Road salts and chemicals can adversely 
affect braking efficiency. Increased pedal 
force may become necessary to produce 
the normal brake effect.
Depressing the brake pedal periodically 
when traveling at length on salt-strewn 
roads can bring road-salt-impaired braking 
efficiency back to normal.
If the vehicle is parked after being driven 
on salt-treated roads, the braking 
efficiency should be tested as soon as 
possible after driving is resumed.
For more information, see “Winter driving” 
(
page 327).
Standing water
Warning!G
Make sure not to endanger any other road 
users when carrying out these braking ma-
neuvers.
Warning!G
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make 
sure that snow is kept clear of the exhaust 
pipe and from around the vehicle with the 
engine running. Otherwise, deadly carbon 
monoxide (CO) gases may enter vehicle in-
terior resulting in unconsciousness and 
death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation, 
open a window slightly on the side of the ve-
hicle not facing the wind.
Warning!G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an Ice-Warning Device 
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose. 
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice.
!Do not drive through flooded areas or water 
of unknown depth. Before driving through water, 
determine its depth. Never accelerate before 
driving into water. The bow wave could force wa-
ter into the engine and auxiliary equipment, thus 
damaging them.
If you must drive through standing water, drive 
slowly to prevent water from entering the pas-
senger compartment or the engine compart-
ment. Water in these areas could cause damage 
to electrical components or wiring of the engine 
or transmission, or could result in water being in-
gested by the engine through the air intake, 
causing severe internal engine damage. Any 
such damage is not covered by the 
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.