2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK ROADSTER Owners Manual

Occupant safet
y38 Occupant safet
y
Seat belts, together with belt tensioners, belt
force limiters and airbags, are coordinate d
restraint systems. They reduce the risk of
injury in defined accident situations and
thereby increase occupant safety. However,
seat belts and airbags generally do not pro-
tect against objects penetrating the vehicl e
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 59)
R the seat belt has been fastened properl y
( Y page 69)
R the airbags can inflate properly if they ar e
deployed (Y page 41)
R the steering wheel is adjusted properl y
( Y page 63)
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, bu tdoes 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 situation
s
airbag deployment would not increase th e
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 vehicl e
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 propelle d
towards the force 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 injury
The restraint system may not work as inten-
ded if the following components have bee n
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 wirin g
R networked electronic system s
Airbags or belt tensioners could then fail ,
e.g. in the event of an accident in which the
deceleration force would normally be high
enough to trigger the systems, or they
could be triggered unintentionally. Never
carry out any modifications on the restraint
systems. Never tamper with electronic
components and their software. G
Risk of accident and injury
Always have maintenance work carried ou t
at a qualified specialist workshop whic h
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
purpose. Safety
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Occupant safet
y 39In 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 oper-
ating safety of your vehicle may be affec -
ted. There is a risk of an accident and injury .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 exposed
during an accident.
The SRS consists of:
R 1 warning lamp
R belt tensioner s
R belt force limiters
R Airbag s
11 warning lam p The SRS functions are checked regularly
when you turn on the ignition and when the
engine is running. Malfunctions can therefore
be detected in good time. The
1 warning lamp in the instrumen t
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
triggered in the event of an accident with
heavy braking.
A malfunction has occurred if the 1
warning 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 immedi-
ately 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 anddepending on the vehicle's rate of longitudi-
nal deceleration in a collision, in the firs
t
stage the airbag control unit pre-emptively
triggers the belt tensioners.
i The belt tensioners can only be triggered
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 .
Vehicles fitted with adaptive, dual-stage front
airbags: when the first deployment threshold
is reached, the front airbag is filled with
enough gas to reduce the risk of injuries. The
front airbag is only fully inflated if a second
threshold is reached within a few millisec-
onds due to the control unit having detected
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- Safety
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Occupant safet
y40
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 comple x
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
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, each
individual system depends on the type of
accident determined by the control system
in the first stages of the collision (head-on
collision, side impact, rear-end collision
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 the collision has taken place 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 happens 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. This is the case if, for
example, very rigid vehicle parts such as lon-
gitudinal body members are affected and suf-
ficient deceleration occurs as a result.
Belt tensioners, belt force limiter s The seat belts are fitted with belt tensioners.
!
Do not engage the seat belt tongue in the
buckle on the front-passenger seat if the
seat is not occupied. Otherwise the belt
tensioner could be activated in an emer-
gency. 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 sea t
belts.
Belt tensioners do not pull occupants back
towards the backrest.
The belt force limiters are synchronised with
the front airbags, which spread the forces
exerted by the belt force limiters on the occu-
pant over a greater area.
When the ignition is switched on, the belt ten -
sioner is triggered:
R only if the restraint systems are operational
(the 1 warning lamp lights up after th e
ignition is switched on and goes out onc e
the engine is running)( Ypage 39)
R for each three-point seat belt in the front of
the vehicle when the belt tongue is
engaged in the buckle
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
during the initial stages of the collision Safety
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Occupant safet
y 41
R
In certain situations if the vehicle over-
turns, if the system determines that it can
provide additional protection
R on the front-passenger side only if the
front-passenger seat is occupied and the
belt tongue is engaged in the buckle
When the belt tensioners are triggered, you
will hear a bang, which will not cause any
harm to your hearing, and a small amount of
powder may also be released. The 1warn-
ing lamp lights up. G
Risk of injury
If the seat belt tensioners have been trig -
gered, they provide no additional protec -
tion in the event of another accident.
Therefore, have belt tensioners which have
been triggered replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop .
Comply with safety regulations when dis-
posing of belt tensioners. Any Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre can provide details of
these regulations.
Airbag s Airbag deployment slows down and restricts
the movement of the vehicle occupant. When the airbags are deployed, you will hear
a bang, which will not cause any harm to your
hearing, and a small amount of powder ma y
also be released. The 1warning lamp
lights up.
The SRS/AIRBAG symbol indicates the loca-
tion of the airbags . G
Risk of injury
Airbags provide additional protection; they
are not, however, a substitute for the sea t
belts.
Observe the following notes to reduce the
risk of serious or even fatal injury if an air-
bag is deployed:
R Vehicle occupants — in particular preg-
nant woman — must wear their seat belt
correctly at all times and lean back
against their backrest, which should be
positioned as close to the vertical as pos-
sible. The head restraint must support
the back of the seat occupant's head at
about eye level.
R Always secure children less tha n
1.50 mtall or under 12 years of age in
suitable child restraint systems.
R All vehicle occupants must select a sea t
position that is as far away from the air- bag as possible. The driver's seat posi-
tion must allow the vehicle to be driven
safely. The driver's chest should be as far
away from the middle of the driver's fron
t
airbag cover as possible.
R Move the front-passenger seat as far
back as possible, in particular, if a child
is secured in a child restraint system on
the seat.
R Vehicle occupants – in particular, chil-
dren – must not lean their head on the
area of the window from which a head/
thorax airbag is deployed.
R Rearward-facing child restraint systems
must not be fitted to the front-passenger
seat unless the front-passenger front air-
bag has been disabled. The front-
passenger front airbag is deactivated if a
child restraint system with automatic
child seat recognition is fitted to the
front-passenger seat. The
5 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning
lamp must be lit constantly.
If you secure a forward-facing child
restraint system to the front-passenger
seat, you must move the front-passenger
seat as far back as possible. Safety
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Occupant safet
y42 R
Make sure there are no heavy or sharp-
edged objects in pockets of clothing.
R Do not lean forwards, e.g. over the cove r
of the driver's 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.
R Make sure that there are no people, ani-
mals or objects between the vehicle
occupants 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 exam-
ple coat hangers, on the grab handles or
coat hooks .
R Do not attach accessories, e.g. cup hold -
ers, to the doors.
It is not possible to rule out the risk of inju-
ries 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 guar-
anteed if the following parts are not cov-
ered and no badges or stickers are
attached to them:
R Padded steering wheel boss
R Front-passenger front airbag cover
R Outer side of seats 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 possible breathing dif-
ficulties 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 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 ha s
been deployed. Do not touch them, other -
wise you may burn yourself.
Occupants are not protected by the airbags
in the event of another accident. Have th e
airbags checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Front airbag s
The front airbags are designed to increase
protection for the driver's and front-
passenger head and chest .
The driver's front airbag and front-passenger
front airbag are deployed:
R at the start of an accident with a high rat e
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 Safety
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Occupant safet
y 431
Driver's front airbag
2 Front-passenger front airba g
Driver's front airbag 1deploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger front airbag
2 deploys in front of and above the glove
compartment.
Front-passenger front airbag 2is only
deployed if the front-passenger seat is occu-
pied or if the 5PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
warning lamp in the centre console is not lit
( Y page 46). This means that a child
restraint system with automatic child seat
recognition* has not been fitted to the front-
passenger seat or has been fitted incorrectly.
! Do not place heavy objects on the front-
passenger seat. The system might errone-
ously interpret this as a person occupying the seat and the restraint systems on the
front-passenger seat may then be triggered
in the event of an accident and would have
to be replaced.
Head/thorax airbags 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. Th e
seat covers must be equipped with a spe-
cial tear seam for head/thorax airbags.
Otherwise, a head/thorax airbag may not
deploy correctly and could fail to provid e
the intended protection in the event of an
accident. Appropriate seat covers can be
obtained from a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre .
Head/thorax airbags are intended to offe r
additional protection for the head and thorax
when deployed. However, they do not protect
the arms. 1
Head/thorax airba g
Head/thorax airbags 1inflate next to the
outer seat cushions.
Head/thorax airbags 1are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rat e
of lateral vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion, e.g. in a side impact
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 the front airbags
R independently of the belt tensioner s
R on the front-passenger side only if the
front-passenger seat occupancy recogni- Safety
* optional
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Occupant safet
y44tion system detects that the front-
passenger seat is occupied Children in the vehicle
If a child is riding in your vehicle, secure the
child using a child restraint system appropri-
ate to the size and age of the child and
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Pref-
erably, you should fit the restraint system on
a suitable rear seat. Make sure that the child
is strapped in throughout the trip.
You can obtain information about the correct
child restraint system from any Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre.
i It is advisable to use Mercedes-Benz care
products to clean child restraint systems.
You can obtain information about this from
any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. G
Risk of injury
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system. The children could injure
themselves on parts of the vehicle. The y
could also be seriously or even fatall y
injured by prolonged exposure to extreme
heat or cold. Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The metallic parts of the
child restraint system could heat up and the
child could be burned by them.
If the children open the door other persons
could be injured. They could get out and
injure themselves or be injured by a passin g
vehicle. G
Risk of injury
An unsecured or incorrectly positioned load
increases the risk of injury to the child in
the event of:
R an acciden t
R a braking manoeuvre
R a sudden change of direction
Do not carry heavy or hard objects inside
the vehicle unless they are secured. You
will find further information in the index
under "Features".
Child restraint systems Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
use the child restraint systems listed on
(
Y page 48). G
Risk of injury
To reduce the risk of serious or even fata l
injury to the child in the event of a sudden
change in direction, braking or an accident :
R Children less than 1.50 m tall and under
twelve years of age must always be
secured in special child restraint systems
on a suitable vehicle seat. This is neces -
sary because the seat belts are not
designed for children of this size.
R If you fit a child restraint system to the
front-passenger seat, you must move the
front-passenger seat as far back as pos-
sible.
R Children must never travel sitting on th e
lap of another occupant. Due to the
forces occurring in the event of a sudden
change of direction, heavy braking or an
accident, it would not be possible to
restrain the child. The child would be
thrown against parts of the vehicle inte-
rior and be seriously or even fatally
injured. G
Risk of injury
If the child restraint system is not fitte d
correctly to a suitable vehicle seat, it can- Safety
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Occupant safet
y 45not perform its protective function. The
child cannot be restrained in the event of
a
sudden change of direction, heavy braking
or an accident. This may lead to serious or
even fatal injuries. For this reason, when
fitting a child restraint system observe the
manufacturer's installation instructions
and correct use of the child restraint sys-
tem.
The entire base of the child restraint system
must always be resting on the seat cushion.
Never place objects, e.g. a cushion, under
the child restraint system.
Only use child restraint systems with their
original covers. Only replace damaged cov-
ers with genuine Mercedes-Benz covers.
For safety reasons, you should only use
child restraint systems which have been
approved for use in Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cles. Child seat on the front-passenger seat Warning on the front-passenger sun visor
Warning symbol for a rearward-facing child
restraint system G
Risk of injury
If the front-passenger front airbag is not
disabled :
R a child secured in a child restraint system
on the front-passenger seat can be seri-
ously and even fatally injured by the
front-passenger airbag deploying. This is
especially likely if the child is in the imme-
diate vicinity of the front-passenger front
airbag when it is deployed.
R a child must never be secured on the
front-passenger seat in a rearward-facin g
child restraint system .
R always move the front-passenger seat to
the rearmost position if you secure a
child in a forward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat.
The front-passenger front airbag is not dis-
abled if:
R no child restraint system with automati c
child seat recognition is fitte d
R if the 5 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
warning lamp on the centre console is
not lit
To draw attention to this danger, there is an
appropriate warning sticker on the dash- Safety
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