Symbols
Registered trademarks:
R BabySmart™ is a registered trademark of
the Siemens Automotive Corp.
R Bluetooth ®
is a registered trademark of the
Bluetooth SIG Inc.
R DTS is a registered trademark of DTS, Inc.
R Dolby and MLP are registered trademarks
of Dolby Laboratories.
R ESP ®
and PRE-SAFE ®
are registered
trademarks of Daimler AG.
R HomeLink ®
is a registered trademark of
Prince, a Johnson Controls Company.
R iPod ®
and iTunes ®
are registered
trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the
USA and in other countries.
R Logic 7 ®
is a registered trademark of
Harman International Industries,
Incorporated.
R Microsoft ®
is a registered trademark of the
Microsoft Corporation in the USA and in
other countries.
R SIRIUS and associated brands are
registered trademarks of SIRIUS XM Radio
Inc.
R HD Radio and associated brands are
registered trademarks of the iBiquity
Digital Corporation.
R Windows Media ®
is a registered trademark
of the Microsoft Corporation in the USA and
in other countries.
R Gracenote ®
is a registered trademark of
Gracenote, Inc.
R ZagatSurvey ®
and associated brands are
registered trademarks of Zagat.
In this Operator's Manual, you will find the
following symbols:GWARNING
Warning notes draw your attention to hazards
that endanger your health or life, or the health
or life of others.
! These warning notes draw your attention
to hazards that could cause damage to your
vehicle.
i This symbol indicates useful instructions
or further information that could be helpful
to you.XThis symbol designates an
instruction you must follow.XSeveral consecutive symbols
indicate an instruction with several
steps.Y PageThis symbol tells you where you
can find further information on a
topic.YYThis symbol indicates a warning or
an instruction that is continued on
the next page.DisplayThis font indicates a display
message in the multifunction
display/COMAND display.
Parts of the software in the vehicle are
subject to copyright according to ©
2005
The FreeType Project
http://www.freetype.org. All rights
reserved.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at
1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go
to: http://www.safercar.gov ; or write to:
Administrator, NHTSA Headquarters,
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, West Building,
Washington, DC 20590.
You can also obtain additional information
about vehicle safety from:
http://www.safercar.gov .
Limited Warranty
! Follow the instructions in this manual
about the proper operation of your vehicle
as well as about possible vehicle damage.
Damage to your vehicle that arises from
culpable contraventions against these
instructions are not covered either by
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty or by the
New or Used-Vehicle Warranty of
Daimler AG.
Data stored in the vehicle
Information about electronic data
acquisition in the vehicle
( Including notice pursuant to California Code
§ 9951)
Your vehicle records electronic data. If your
vehicle is equipped with mbrace 1
, data is
transmitted in the event of an accident.
This information helps, for example, to test
vehicle systems after an accident and to
continually improve vehicle safety.
Daimler AG can access this data and submit
it:
R for safety research or vehicle diagnosis
purposes
R with the consent of the vehicle owner
R on the instruction of prosecuting
authorities
R for use in arbitration of disputes that
involve Daimler AG, its affiliates or its sales
and service organizations
R as otherwise required or permitted by law.
Please observe the mbrace 1
purchase
agreement for further details on the recording
and transfer of data by this system.1 The system is called TELE AID in Canada.30Introduction
individual is in the front-passenger seat, have
the front passenger reposition himself or
herself in the seat until the 42
indicator lamp goes out.
In the event of a collision, the air bag control
unit will not allow front-passenger front air
bag deployment when the OCS has classified
the front-passenger seat occupant as
weighing as much as or less than a typical 12-
month-old child in a standard child restraint
or if the front-passenger seat is classified as
being empty.
When the OCS senses that the front-
passenger seat occupant is classified as
being up to or less than the weight of a typical
12-month-old child in a standard child
restraint, the 42 indicator lamp
will illuminate when the engine is started and
remain illuminated, indicating that the front-
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the front-
passenger seat is classified as being empty,
the 42 indicator lamp will
illuminate when the engine is started and
remain illuminated, indicating that the front-
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the front-
passenger seat occupant is classified as
being heavier than the weight of a typical 12-
month-old child seated in a standard child
restraint or as being a small individual (such
as a young teenager or a small adult), the
42 indicator lamp will illuminate
for approximately 6 seconds when the engine
is started and then, depending on occupant
weight sensor readings from the front-
passenger seat, remain illuminated or go out.
With the 42 indicator lamp
illuminated, the front-passenger front air bag
is deactivated. With the 42
indicator lamp out, the front-passenger front
air bag is activated.
When the OCS senses that the front-
passenger seat occupant is classified as an
adult or someone larger than a small
individual, the 42 indicator lampwill illuminate for approximately 6 seconds
when the engine is started and then go out,
indicating that the front-passenger front air
bag is activated.
If the 42 indicator lamp is
illuminated, the front-passenger front air bag
is deactivated and will not be deployed.
If the 42 indicator lamp is not
illuminated, the front-passenger front air bag
is activated and will be deployed:
R in the event of certain frontal impacts
R if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold
R independently of the side impact air bags
If the front-passenger front air bag is
deployed, the rate of inflation will be
influenced by:
R the rate of vehicle deceleration as assessed
by the air bag control unit
R the front passenger's weight category as
identified by OCS
For further information, see "Air bag display
messages" ( Y page 357).GWARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained on the rear
seats than on the front-passenger seat. 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
child restraint system or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
The infant or child restraint system 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 appropriate sized infant
Occupant safety47SafetyZ
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 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 eliminate
this risk completely is never to place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint in the front-
passenger seat. We therefore strongly
recommend that you always place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint on the rear
seat.
R If you install a rear-facing child restraint on
the front-passenger seat, 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 seriouslyinjured or even killed if the front-passenger
front air bag inflates.
R If you 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
- secure child restraint with the vehicle's
seat belt according to the child seat
manufacturer's instructions
R For children larger than a typical 12-month-
old child, the front-passenger front air bag
can be activated or deactivated.
If the driver's air bag deploys, this does not
mean that the front-passenger front air bag
also has to deploy.
The OCS may have detected that the seat:
R was empty or occupied by a person with a
weight of up to or less than that of a typical
12-month-old child seated in a standard
child restraint
R was occupied by a small individual, such as
a young teenager or a small adult
R was occupied by a child in a child restraint
system, whose weight is greater than that
of a typical 12-month-old child.
These are examples of when the OCS
deactivates the front-passenger front air bag.
Deactivation takes place although the
collision fulfills the criteria for deploying the
driver's air bag.48Occupant safetySafety
RPosition 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.
Fastening seat beltsGWARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained on the rear
seats than on the front-passenger seat. Thus,
we strongly recommend that children be
placed in the rear seat whenever possible.
Regardless of seating position, children 12
years old and under must be seated and
properly secured in an appropriately sized
child restraint system or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. For additional information, see the
"Children in the vehicle" section.
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 safety53SafetyZ
XAdjust the seat and move the backrest to
an almost vertical position ( Y page 92).XPull the seat belt smoothly through belt
sash guide :.XWithout twisting it, guide the shoulder
section of the seat belt across the middle
of your shoulder and the lap section across
your hips.XEngage belt tongue ; in buckle =.XIf necessary, pull upwards on the shoulder
section of the seat belt to tighten the belt
across your body.
All seat belts except the driver's seat belt are
equipped with a special seat belt retractor to
securely fasten child restraint systems in the
vehicle. For further information on special
seat belt retractors, see ( Y page 57).
For more information about releasing the seat
belt with release button ?, see "Releasing
seat belts" ( Y page 54).
Releasing seat belts
XPress release button ?(Y page 53) and
guide belt tongue ; back towards belt
sash guide :.
!
Make sure that the seat belt is fully rolled
up. Otherwise, the seat belt or belt tongue
will be trapped in the door or in the seat
mechanism. This could damage the door,
the door trim panel and the seat belt.
Damaged seat belts can no longer fulfill
their protective function and must be
replaced. Consult an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.
Belt warning for the driver and front
passenger
Regardless of whether the driver and front
passenger have fastened their seat belts
already, the 7 seat belt warning lamp
lights up for 6 seconds after every engine
start. It then goes out if the driver and the
front passenger have fastened their seat
belts.
If the driver's seat belt is not fastened after
the engine is started, an additional warning
tone will sound. The warning tone goes out
after approximately six seconds or once the
driver's seat belt is fastened.
If the driver or front passenger have not
fastened their seat belt after 6 seconds and
the doors are closed, the 7 seat belt
warning lamp lights up.
R until the driver or the front passenger have
fastened their seat belts
R if a vehicle speed of 15 mph(25 km/h) is
exceeded once, a warning tone with
increasing intensity sounds additionally for
a maximum of 60 seconds or until the driver
or front passenger have fastened their seat
belts.
If the driver or front passenger undo their seat
belts during the journey, the 7 seat belt
warning lamp lights up and the warning tone
sounds again.
The warning tone ceases even if the driver or
front passenger have still not fastened their
seat belt after 60 seconds. The 7 seat belt
warning lamp stops flashing but continues to
be lit.
Once the vehicle is stationary, the warning
tone is reactivated and the 7 seat belt
warning lamp starts to flash again if the
vehicle speed exceeds 15 mph(25 km/h)
once.
The 7 seat belt warning lamp only goes
out if:
R both the driver and the front passenger
have fastened their seat belts.
or
R the vehicle is stationary and a door is open.
i For more information on the 7 seat
belt warning lamp, see "Warning and
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster,
seat belt" ( Y page 378).54Occupant safetySafety
Emergency Tensioning Device and seat
belt force limiters
The seat belts are equipped with ETDs and
seat belt force limiters.
The ETDs tighten the seat belts in an accident,
pulling them close against the body.
The ETDs do not correct incorrect seat
positions or incorrectly fastened seat belts.
The ETDs do not pull vehicle occupants back
towards the backrest.
Seat belt force limiters, when triggered, help
to reduce the peak force exerted by the seat
belt on the vehicle occupant.
The seat belt force limiters for the front seats
are synchronized with the front air bags.
These take on a part of the deceleration force.
Thus, the force exerted on the occupant is
distributed over a greater area.
The ETDs can only be activated when:
R the ignition is switched on.
R the restraint systems are operational; see
"SRS warning lamp" ( Y page 40).
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the lap-shoulder belts in the front.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied and
the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
the front-passenger side.
The ETDs on the seats in the rear
compartment are triggered independently of
the lock status of the seat belts.
The ETDs are triggered depending on the type
and severity of an accident:
R if, in the event of a head-on or rear-end
collision, the vehicle decelerates or
accelerates rapidly in a longitudinal
direction during the initial stages of the
impact
R if, in the event of a side impact, on the side
opposite the impact the vehicle
decelerates or accelerates rapidly in a
lateral direction
R if, in certain situations where the vehicle
overturns, the system determines that it
can provide additional protection
If the air bags are deployed, you will hear a
bang, and a small amount of powder may also
be released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that is
released generally does not constitute a
health hazard. The 6 SRS warning lamp
lights up.GWARNING
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.
! If the front-passenger seat is not
occupied, do not engage the seat belt
tongue in the buckle on the front-
passenger seat. Otherwise, the Emergency
Tensioning Device could be triggered in the
event of an accident.
Automatic comfort-install feature
The front seat belts have an automatic
comfort-install feature. The automatic
comfort-install feature reduces the retraction
force of the seat belts. This results in
increased seat belt comfort.
Children in the vehicle
Child restraint systems
Important safety notes
We recommend that all infants and children
be properly secured in an infant or child
restraint system at all times while the vehicle
is in motion.
The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in all 50
states, the District of Columbia, the U.S.
territories and all Canadian provinces.
Infants and children must always be seated in
an appropriate infant or child restraint system
recommended for the size and weight of the
Children in the vehicle55SafetyZ
child. The infant or child restraint system
must be properly secured in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions. All infant or
child restraint systems must meet U.S.
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213
and 225 and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards 213 and 210.2.
An information label on the child restraint
system indicates whether it meets these
standards. This information is also provided
in the installation instructions supplied with
the child restraint system.
Always read and follow the manufacturer's
instructions when using an infant or child
restraint system or booster seat.
Observe all warning signs in the vehicle
interior and on the infant or child restraint.GWARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained on the rear
seats than on the front-passenger seat. 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
child restraint system or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
The infant or child restraint system 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 appropriate 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 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 eliminate
this risk completely is never to place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint in the front-
passenger seat. We therefore strongly
recommend that you always place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint on the rear
seat.
R If you install a rear-facing child restraint on
the front-passenger seat, 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.56Children in the vehicleSafety