Page 66 of 474

65 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 
deceleration threshold for air bag deploy-
ment is exceeded. Therefore, never modify 
the restraint systems. Do not tamper with 
electronic 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. Con-
tact 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. 
     
        
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68 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Safety guidelines for the seat belt, 
emergency tensioning device and 
air bagiAir bags are designed to activate only in 
certain frontal impacts (front air bags, knee 
bags) and in side impacts (head-thorax air bags) 
which exceed preset thresholds. Only during 
these events will they provide their supplemental 
protection.
The driver and passenger should always wear 
their seat belts. Otherwise it is not possible for 
the air bags to provide their supplemental 
protection.
In case of other types of impacts and impacts 
below 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 
passenger that you replace deployed air bags 
and repair any malfunctioning air bags to make 
sure that the vehicle will continue to provide 
supplemental 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.
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, purs-
es, umbrellas, etc.).
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.
Air bag system components will be hot 
after an air bag has inflated. Do not 
touch. 
     
        
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287 Operation
Driving instructions
Standing waterPassenger compartment
Driving abroad
Abroad, there is an extensive 
Mercedes-Benz service network at your 
disposal. If you plan to drive into areas 
which are not listed in the index of your 
Mercedes-Benz Center directory, you 
should request pertinent information from 
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.Control and operation of radio 
transmitter
COMAND*, radio, and telephone*
!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 
water 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 
ingested by the engine through the air intake, 
causing severe internal engine damage. Any 
such damage is not covered by the 
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!G
Always fasten items being carried as 
securely as possible.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown 
around inside the vehicle, and cause injury 
to vehicle occupants unless the items are 
securely fastened in the vehicle.
The trunk is the preferred place to carry 
objects.
Warning!G
Please do not forget that your primary re-
sponsibility is to drive the vehicle safely. 
Only operate the COMAND*, radio or tele-
phone
1 if road, traffic and weather condi-
tions permit.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph 
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is 
covering a distance of 44 feet 
(approximately 14 m) every second.
1Observe all legal requirements.