2011 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS-CLASS Owners Manual

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. G
Warning!
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.
Fastening the seat belts G
Warning!
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. Occupant safety
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X
With a smooth motion, pull the seat belt out
of seat belt outlet :.
X Place the shoulder portion of the seat belt
across the top of your shoulder and the lap
portion across your hips.
X Push latch plate ; into buckle = until it
clicks.
X If necessary, adjust the seat belt to the
correct height (Y page 48).
X If 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 systems”
(Y page 53).
To release the seat belt with seat belt release
button ?, see ( Y page 48).
Seat belt outlet height adjustment X
Raising: Slide the seat belt outlet height
adjuster upward.
The seat belt outlet height adjuster
engages in different positions.
X Lowering: Press and hold release
button :.
X Slide the seat belt outlet height adjuster
downward.
X Release release button : and make sure
the seat belt outlet height adjuster engages
into place. Releasing the seat belts X
Press seat belt release button ?
(Y page 47).
Allow the retractor to completely rewind
the seat belt by guiding latch plate ;
(Y page 47).
! Make sure the seat belt retracts
completely. Otherwise the seat belt and/or
latch plate could get caught or pinched in
the door or in the seat mechanism. This can
damage the seat belt and impair its
effectiveness, and/or cause damage to the
door and/or door trim panel. Such damage
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Damaged seat belts must be replaced.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Enhanced seat belt reminder system When the engine is started, the seat belt
telltale
7 will always illuminate for
6 seconds to remind you and your passengers
to fasten your seat belts.
If the driver’s seat belt is not fastened when
the engine is started, an additional warning
chime will sound. The warning chime goes out
after approximately 6 seconds or once 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,
R the seat belt telltale 7 remains
illuminated for as long as either the driver’s
or front passenger’s seat belt is not
fastened.
R and if the vehicle speed once exceeds
15 mph (25 km/h), the seat belt telltale
7 starts flashing and a warning chime
sounds with increasing intensity for a
maximum of 60 seconds or until the
driver’s and front passenger’s seat belt are
fastened. 48
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If you and/or your passenger release the
seat belt during driving, the seat belt
telltale
7 starts flashing and the
warning
chime sounds as described before.
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 7 stops flashing but
continues to be illuminated.
After a vehicle standstill, the warning chime
is reactivated and the seat belt telltale
7 is flashing again if the vehicle speed
once exceeds 15 mph (25 km/h).
The seat belt telltale 7 will only go out if
both the driver’s and the front passenger’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”
(Y page 253).
Emergency Tensioning Device (ETD),
seat belt force limiter The seat belts for the front seats and rear
outer

seats are equipped with ETDs and seat
belt force limiters.
The ETDs are designed to activate in the
following cases:
R in frontal or rear-end impacts exceeding
the system’s preset deployment threshold
R in side impacts exceeding the system’s
preset deployment threshold on the far
side of the impact
R in certain vehicle rollovers
R if the restraint systems are operational and
functioning correctly, see “SRS indicator
lamp” (Y page 36)
The ETDs for the front seats will only activate
if the front seat belts are fastened (latch plate
properly inserted into buckle).
The ETDs for the rear outer seats will activate
with or without the respective seat belts
fastened. In an impact, the ETDs remove slack from the
seat

belts in such a way that the seat belts fit
more snugly against the body. Seat belt force
limiters, when activated, are employed to
help reduce the peak force exerted by the
seat belts on occupants during a crash.
i The ETDs do not correct an incorrect seat
position or incorrectly worn seat belts.
The ETDs do not pull occupants back
toward the seat backrest. G
Warning!
Pyrotechnic ETDs that were activated must be
replaced.
For your safety, when disposing of the
pyrotechnic ETDs always follow our safety
instructions. These are available at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Automatic comfort-fit feature seat belt An automatic comfort-fit feature for the front
seats

reduces the retracting force of the seat
belts when they are in normal use. Preventive occupant safety (PRE-
SAFE
®
) G
Warning!
The PRE-SAFE ®

system is intended to reduce
the effects of an accident on vehicle
occupants who are wearing their seat belt
properly. Despite your vehicle being equipped
with the PRE-SAFE ®
system, the possibility of
personal injuries occurring as a result of an
accident cannot be eliminated. Therefore,
always drive carefully and adjust your driving
to the prevailing road, weather, and traffic
conditions. Occupant safety
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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 situations, e.g. if the
Brake Assist System (BAS) ( Y page 59) is
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)
The PRE-SAFE ®
system takes the following
measures when it is activated:
R The front seat belts are pre-tensioned
automatically.
R If the front 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 and 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 ®
system settings can be re-
adjusted following the critical driving event.
If the seat belts do not release:
X Adjust 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. 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. G
Warning!
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. G
Warning!
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
must be reset. Otherwise, the NECK-PRO
active front head restraints cannot offer any
additional protection in the event of another
rear-end collision.
For information on resetting the activated
NECK-PRO active front head restraints, see
“Resetting activated head restraints”
(Y page 264). 50
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You cannot remove the NECK-PRO active
front head restraints.
G
Warning!
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
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. This will reduce the potential for
injury to the head and neck in the event of an
accident or similar situation.
For information on head restraint adjustment,
see “Head restraint height” ( Y page 79), or
see “Head restraint fore and aft adjustment”
(Y page 79). Correct driver seat adjustment
G
Warning!
In order to avoid possible loss of vehicle
control the following must be done before the
vehicle is put into motion:
R seat adjustment
R head restraint adjustment
R steering wheel adjustment
R rear view mirror adjustment
R fastening of seat belts Steering wheel
G
Observe Safety notes, see page 82.
X Position steering wheel : properly
(Y page 82).
Make sure:
R You can reach the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent at the elbows.
R You can move your legs freely.
R All displays (including malfunction and
indicator lamps) on the instrument cluster
are clearly visible.
Seat belt G
Observe Safety notes, see page 45.
X Fasten and position your seat belt ;
correctly (Y page 47).
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. Occupant safety
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Seat and head restraint
G
Observe Safety notes, see page 77.
X Position seat = and head restraint
properly. See ( Y page 78) 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:
X
Secure the child using an infant or child
restraint

appropriate to the age and size of
the child.
X Make sure the infant or child is properly
secured at all times while the vehicle is in
motion. G
Warning!
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. G
Warning!
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment unless they are
firmly secured in place.
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child’s risk of injury in the event
of
R strong braking maneuvers
R sudden changes of direction
R an accident 52
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Infant and child restraint systems
G
Observe Safety notes, see page 52.
We recommend all infants and children be
properly restrained at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
All
lap/shoulder belts except the driver’s seat
belt have special seat belt retractors for
secure fastening of child restraints.
To fasten a child restraint, follow the child
restraint manufacturer’s instructions for
mounting.
To activate the special seat belt retractor:
X Pull the shoulder belt out completely and
let it retract.
During seat belt retraction, a ratcheting
sound can be heard to indicate that the
special seat belt retractor is activated.
The seat belt is now locked.
X Push down on child restraint to take up any
slack.
To deactivate the special seat belt retractor:
X Release the seat belt buckle and let the
seat belt retract completely.
The

seat belt can then again be used in the
usual manner. G
Warning!
Never release the seat belt buckle while the
vehicle
is in motion, since the special seat belt
retractor will be deactivated.
i Information on child seats with mounting
fittings for tether anchorages
(Y page 54).
For information on LATCH-type (ISOFIX)
child seat anchors ( Y page 55).
The use of infant or child restraints is required
by law in all 50 states, the District of
Columbia, the U.S. territories and all
Canadian provinces.
Infants and small children should be seated
in an appropriate infant or child restraint
system. They must be properly secured in
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions for the child restraint. All infant
or child restraint systems must comply with
U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 225 and Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards 213 and 210.2.
A statement by the child restraint
manufacturer of compliance with these
standards can be found on the instruction
label on the restraint and in the instruction
manual provided with the restraint.
When using any infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat, make sure to
carefully read and follow all manufacturer’s
instructions for installation and use.
Please read and observe warning labels
affixed to the inside of the vehicle and to
infant or child restraints.
G
Warning!
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 appropriate
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. Occupant safety
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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
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 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 04
indicator lamp is illuminated, indicating
that the front passenger front air bag is
deactivated. Should the 04
indicator lamp not illuminate or go out while
the restraint is installed, please check
installation. Periodically check the
04 indicator lamp while
driving to make sure the 04
indicator lamp is illuminated. If the
04 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. For
children larger than the typical 12-month-
old child, the front passenger front air bag
may or may not be activated. G
Warning!
Infants and small children should never share
a seat belt with another occupant. During an
accident,

they could be crushed between the
occupant and seat belt.
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.
Children too big for a toddler restraint must
ride in seats using regular seat belts. Position
shoulder belt across chest and shoulder, not
face or neck. A booster seat may be
necessary to achieve proper seat belt
positioning for children over 41 lb (18 kg) until
they reach a height where a lap/shoulder belt
fits properly without a booster.
When the child restraint is not in use, remove
it from the vehicle or secure it with the seat
belt to prevent the child restraint from
becoming a projectile in the event of an
accident.
Installation of infant and child restraint
systems G
Observe Safety notes, see page 52.
This vehicle is equipped with tether
anchorages for a top tether strap at each of
the rear seating positions. 54
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