2010 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 air bag

way than as described in this section, as
that could result in serious injuries in case
of an accident.
R Each occupant should wear their seat belt
at all times, because seat belts help reduce
the likelihood of and potential severity of
injuries in accidents, including rollovers.
The integrated restraint system includes
SRS (driver front air bag, front passenger
front air bag, side impact air bags, window
curtain air bags for door windows),
Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs),
seat belt force limiters, and front seat knee
bolsters.
The system is designed to enhance the
protection offered to properly belted
occupants in certain frontal (front air bags
and ETDs) and side (side impact air bags,
window curtain air bags, and ETDs) impacts
which exceed preset deployment
thresholds and in certain rollovers (window
curtain air bags and ETDs).
R Never wear the shoulder belt under your
arm, against your neck or off your shoulder.
In a frontal crash, your body would move
too far forward. That would increase the
chance of head and neck injuries. The seat
belt would also apply too much force to the
ribs or abdomen, which could severely
injure internal organs such as your liver or
spleen.
Adjust the seat belt so that the shoulder
section is located as close as possible to
the middle of the shoulder. It should not
touch the neck. Never pass the shoulder
portion of the seat belt under your arm. For
this purpose, you can adjust the height of
the seat belt outlet.
R Position the lap belt as low as possible on
your hips and not across the abdomen. If
the lap belt is positioned across your
abdomen, it could cause serious injuries in
a crash.
R Never wear seat belts over rigid or
breakable objects in or on your clothing,such as eyeglasses, pens, keys etc., as
these might cause injuries.
R Make sure the seat belt is always fitted
snugly. Take special care of this when
wearing loose clothing.
R Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time. Do not fasten a seat belt
around a person and another person or
other objects at the same time.
R Seat belts should not be worn twisted. In a
crash, you would not have the full width of
the seat belt to distribute impact forces.
The twisted seat belt against your body
could cause injuries.
R Pregnant women should also always use a
lap/shoulder belt. The lap belt portion
should be positioned as low as possible on
the hips to avoid any possible pressure on
the abdomen.
R Place the seat backrest in a position that is
as upright as possible.
R Check your seat belt during travel to make
sure it is properly positioned.
R 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.
R When using a seat belt to secure infant
restraints, toddler restraints, or children in
booster seats, always follow the child seat
manufacturer’s instructions.GWarning!
Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges. They
could tear.
Do not allow the seat belt to get caught in the
door or in the seat adjustment mechanism.
This could damage the seat belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to seat
belts. This could impair the effectiveness of
the seat belts.
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Fastening the seat beltsGWarning!
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front seating
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
appropriately sized infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat recommended for
the size and weight of the child. For additional
information, see “Children in the vehicle”.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
GWarning!
Vehicles with BabySmart™ air bag
deactivation system, Canada only: Children
12 years old and under must never ride in the
front seat, except in a Mercedes-Benz
authorized BabySmart™ compatible child
seat, which operates with the BabySmart™
system installed in the vehicle to deactivate
the front passenger front air bag when it is
installed properly. Otherwise they will be
struck by the air bag when it inflates in a
crash. If this happens, serious or fatal injury
will result.
XWith a smooth motion, pull the seat belt out
of seat belt outlet :.
XPlace the shoulder portion of the seat belt
across the top of your shoulder and the lap
portion across your hips.
XPush latch plate ; into buckle = until it
clicks.
Seat belt adjustment function: The seat
belts on both front seats adjust to the
upper body automatically as necessary
(Y page 51).
XIf necessary, adjust the seat belt to the
correct height (Y page 51).
XIf necessary, tighten the lap portion to a
snug fit by pulling shoulder portion up.
All lap/shoulder belts except the driver’s seat
belt have special seat belt retractors to
secure child restraints properly. For more
information on special seat belt retractors,
see “Infant and child restraint system”
(Y page 56).
To release the seat belt with seat belt release
button ?, see (Y page 51).
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The PRE-SAFE®
system takes preventive
measures to better protect the occupants
from the possibility of personal injuries in the
following hazardous situations:
R emergency braking maneuvers with the
Brake Assist System (BAS) ( Y page 63)
activated
R critical dynamic driving situations, e.g.
when the vehicle has been caused to
understeer or oversteer because it has
exceeded its physical limitations or in case
of evasive steering maneuvers at speeds
above approximately 85 mph (140 km/h)
PRE-SAFE ®
takes the following measures
when it is activated:
R The front seat belts are pre-tensioned
automatically.
R Vehicles with front passenger seat memory
function: If the passenger seat is in an
unfavorable position, the seat will be
adjusted to a position that seeks to better
protect the occupant.
R If the vehicle is in a critical dynamic driving
situation, the door windows close, except
for a minimal gap that remains open.
R Vehicles with power tilt/sliding sunroof: If
the vehicle is in a critical dynamic driving
situation, the tilt/sliding sunroof also
closes, except for a minimal gap that
remains open.
If the closing procedure of any of these
elements is blocked, it will stop and open
slightly.
Once the hazardous situation no longer exists
and an accident has been avoided, the seat
belt pre-tensioning is deactivated. All of the
PRE-SAFE ®
settings can be re-adjusted
following the critical driving event.
If the seat belts do not release:XAdjust the seat backrest or seat slightly to
the rear until the seat belt tension is
reduced.
The locking mechanism releases.! When moving the seats, make sure there
are no items in the footwell or behind the
seats. Otherwise, you could damage the
seats and/or the items.
For information on the seat belt adjustment
function as an integrated comfort feature of
PRE-SAFE ®
, see ( Y page 51).
NECK-PRO active front head
restraints
The NECK-PRO active front head restraints
are intended to offer the driver and front
passenger increased protection from
whiplash-type injuries. In the event of a rear-
end collision, the NECK-PRO active front head
restraints on the front seats are designed to
move forward in the direction of travel. They
thus provide the head with increased support
earlier on in the collision sequence. The
NECK-PRO active front head restraints will
move forward whether the seats are occupied
or not.
GWarning!
Do not attach any objects (e.g. hangers) to the
head restraint posts. Otherwise, the NECK-
PRO active front head restraints may not be
able to function properly or offer the intended
degree of protection they were designed for
in the event of a rear-end collision.
GWarning!
Only use seat or head restraint covers which
have been tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz for your vehicle model.
Using other seat or head restraint covers may
interfere with or prevent the activation of the
NECK-PRO active front head restraints and/
or the deployment of the front side impact air
bags.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for availability.
When the NECK-PRO active front head
restraints have been triggered in an accident,
the NECK-PRO active front head restraints
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Make sure:
R The seat belt is always fitted snugly.
R Adjust the seat belt so that the shoulder
section is located as close as possible to
the middle of the shoulder.
R Place the lap portion of the seat belt as low
as possible on your hips.
Seat and head restraintGObserve Safety notes, see page 81.XPosition seat = and head restraint
properly. See ( Y page 82) for seat and
head restraint adjustment.
Observe the following points:
R Always be in a properly seated position.
R The position should be as far rearward from
the front air bag in the steering wheel as
possible, while still permitting proper
operation of vehicle controls.
R Adjust the seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely.
R The seat must be adjusted so that you can
correctly fasten and position your seat belt.
R The seat backrest must be in a position that
is as nearly upright as possible.
R Adjust the seat cushion so that the front
edge of the seat cushion lightly supports
your legs.
R Adjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible and the
center of the head restraint supports the
back of the head at eye level.
R Never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while the seat is being
adjusted.
Children in the vehicle
Safety notes
If an infant or child is traveling with you in the
vehicle:
XSecure the child using an infant or child
restraint appropriate to the age and size of
the child.XMake sure the infant or child is properly
secured at all times while the vehicle is in
motion.GWarning!
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch. Always
take the SmartKey with you and lock the
vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. The children
could
R injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
R be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or cold
R injure themselves or cause an accident with
vehicle equipment that can be operated
even if the SmartKey is removed from the
starter switch or removed from the vehicle,
such as seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment, or the memory function
If children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system’s
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned by these
parts.
GWarning!
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger or cargo compartment unless they
are firmly secured in place.
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infant restraint, toddler restraint, or booster
seat 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.
Occupants, especially children, should always
sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information when circumstances
require you to place a child in the front
passenger seat:
R USA only: Your vehicle is equipped with air
bag technology designed to deactivate 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 appropriate
child restraint on the front passenger seat.
R USA only: For children larger than the
typical 12-month-old child, the front
passenger front air bag may or may not be
activated. Always make sure the
42 indicator lamp is
illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
R Canada only: Children 12 years old and
under must never ride in the front seat,
except in a Mercedes-Benz authorized
BabySmart™ compatible child seat, which
operates with the BabySmart™ system
installed in the vehicle to deactivate the
front passenger front air bag when it is
installed properly. Otherwise they will be
struck by the air bag when it inflates in a
crash. If this happens, serious or fatal injury
will result.R A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat will be seriously
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 a backseat.
R If you must install a rear-facing child
restraint on the front passenger seat
because circumstances require you to do
so, make sure the 42
indicator lamp is illuminated, indicating
that the front passenger front air bag is
deactivated. Should the 42
indicator lamp not illuminate or go out while
the restraint is installed, please check
installation. Periodically check the
42 indicator lamp while
driving to make sure the 42
indicator lamp is illuminated. If the
42 indicator lamp goes out or
remains out, do not transport 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 seriously
injured or even killed if the front passenger
front air bag inflates.
R 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 secure child restraint with
the vehicle’s seat belt according to the child
seat manufacturer’s instructions.GWarning!
Infants and small children should never share
a seat belt with another occupant. During an
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release. The corresponding turn signal
lamps will flash three times.
High beam
XTurn the exterior lamp switch to position
L (Y page 93).
XSwitching on: Push the combination
switch in direction of arrow :.
The high-beam headlamp indicator lamp
K in the instrument cluster comes on.
XSwitching off: Pull the combination switch
in direction of arrow = to its original
position.
iAlso note the information on high-beam
headlamps with activated automatic
headlamp mode (Y page 93) or the daytime
running lamp mode (Y page 94).
High-beam flasher
XSwitching on: Pull the combination switch
briefly in direction of arrow =.
Hazard warning flasher
The hazard warning flasher can be switched
on at all times, even with the SmartKey
removed from the starter switch.
The hazard warning flasher comes on
automatically when an air bag deploys.
XSwitching on: Press hazard warning
flasher switch :.
All turn signal lamps are flashing.
iWith the hazard warning flasher activated
and the combination switch set for either
left or right turn, only the respective left or
right turn signals will operate when the
ignition is switched on.
XSwitching off: Press hazard warning
flasher switch : again.
iIf the hazard warning flasher has been
activated automatically, press hazard
warning flasher switch : to switch it off.
Headlamp cleaning system
The headlamps will be cleaned with a high-
pressure water jet automatically when the
engine is running and you have
Rswitched on the headlamps
and
Rthe windshield wipers have wiped the
windshield with washer fluid five times
The counter resets when you switch off the
headlamps.
For information on filling up the washer
reservoir, see “Washer system and headlamp
cleaning system” (Y page 217).
Corner-illuminating front fog lamps
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps
improve illumination of the area in the
direction into which you are turning.
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps will
only operate
Rin low ambient lighting conditions
Rat vehicle speeds below 25 mph
(40 km/h)
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RThe indicator lamp in the SOS button does
not come on during the system self-test.
R The indicator lamp in Roadside Assistance
button º does not come on during the
system self-test.
R The indicator lamp in Information button
E does not come on during the system
self-test.
R The indicator lamp in the SOS button,
Roadside Assistance button º, or
Information button E remains
illuminated constantly in red after the
system self-test.
R The message Tele Aid Inoperative or
Tele Aid Not Activated appears in the
multifunction display after the system self-
test
If a malfunction is indicated as outlined above,
the system may not operate as expected. In
case of an emergency, help will have to be
summoned by other means.
Have the system checked at the nearest
Mercedes-Benz Center or contact the
Customer Assistance Center at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372)
(USA only) or 1-888-923-8367 (Canada only)
as soon as possible.
Emergency calls
! In order to activate the Tele Aid system, a
subscriber agreement must be completed.
To ensure your system is activated and
operational, please press Information
button E to perform the acquaintance
call. Failure to complete either of these
steps may result in a system that is not
activated.
If you have any questions regarding
activation, please call the Customer
Assistance Center at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372)
(USA only) or 1-888-923-8367 (Canada
only).
An emergency call is initiated automatically
following an accident in which the Emergency
Tensioning Devices (ETDs) or air bags have
deployed.
i An automatically initiated Tele Aid
emergency call cannot be canceled.
An emergency call can also be initiated
manually ( Y page 201).
Once the emergency call is in progress, the
indicator lamp in the SOS button will begin to
flash. The message Connecting Call
appears in the multifunction display and the
COMAND system is muted. When the
connection is established, the message
Call Connected appears in the
multifunction display.
All information relevant to the emergency,
such as the location of the vehicle
(determined by the GPS satellite location
system), vehicle model, identification number
and color are generated.
A voice connection between the Customer
Assistance Center and the occupants of the
vehicle will be established automatically soon
after the emergency call has been initiated.
The Customer Assistance Center will attempt
to determine the nature of the emergency
more precisely, provided they can speak to
an occupant of the vehicle.
i If no vehicle occupant responds, an
ambulance will be sent to the vehicle
immediately.GWarning!
If the indicator lamp in the SOS button is
flashing continuously and there was no voice
connection to the Customer Assistance
Center established, then the Tele Aid system
could not initiate an emergency call (e.g. the
relevant cellular phone network is not
available).
The message Call Failed appears in the
multifunction display for approximately
10 seconds.
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steering wheel. Cleaners containing solvents
will make the surface porous and vehicle
occupants could suffer serious injuries from
plastic parts coming loose in the event of air
bag deployment.
! Do not use oil, wax or scouring agents.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the
surface.
Hard plastic trim items XUse Mercedes-Benz approved Interior Care
on a soft, lint-free cloth and apply with light
pressure.
COMAND display
! You must switch off the COMAND display
and allow it to cool prior to cleaning.
! Do not use any liquids or cleaning agents.
These can damage or even destroy the
COMAND display screen.
XUse a standard microfiber cloth and apply
with light pressure.
Steering wheel
XWipe with a damp cloth and dry thoroughly
or clean with Mercedes-Benz approved
Leather Care.
Carpets
XUse Mercedes-Benz approved Carpet and
Fabric Care for cleaning the carpets.
Headliner
XUse a soft bristle brush or a dry-shampoo
cleaner in case of excessive dirt.
Seat belts
XOnly use clear, lukewarm water and soap.
! The seat belts must not be treated with
chemical cleaning agents. Do not dry the
seat belts at temperatures above 176‡
(80†) or in direct sunlight.GWarning!
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Upholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that have the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause the
upholstery to become permanently
discolored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration will
be prevented.
GWarning!
Only use seat or head restraint covers which
have been tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz for your vehicle model.
Using other seat or head restraint covers may
interfere with or prevent
R deployment of the front side impact air
bags
R deployment of the rear side impact air bags
R activation of the NECK-PRO active front
head restraints
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for availability.
Leather upholstery
Please note that leather upholstery is a
natural product and is therefore subject to a
natural aging process. Leather upholstery
may also react to certain ambient influences
such as high humidity or high temperature by
showing wrinkles for example.
XWipe leather upholstery with a damp cloth
and dry thoroughly or clean with Mercedes-
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