2012 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS COUPE airbag

If there is an even higherr
ate of vehicle decel-
eration or acceleratio ninalongitudinal direc-
tion, the front airbags are also deployed.
Your vehicle has adaptive, two-stage front air-
bags. The airbag control unit evaluates vehi-
cle deceleration or acceleration in the event
of a collision. In the firs tdeployment stage,
the fron tairbag is filled with enough propel-
lant gas to reduce the risk of injuries. The
front airbag is fully deployed if a second
deploymen tthreshold is reached within a few
milliseconds.
The belt tensioner and airbag triggering
thresholds are variable and are adapted to the
rate of deceleration or acceleration of the
vehicle. This process is pre-emptive in nature.
The triggering process must take place in
good time at the start of the collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion and the direction of the force are essen-
tially 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
Factors which can only be seen and measured
after a collision has occurred do not play a
decisive role in the deployment of an airbag,
nor do they provide an indication of airbag
deployment.
The vehicle may be deformed significantly,
e.g. the bonnet or the wing, without an airbag
being deployed. This is the case if only parts
which are relatively easily deformed are affec-
ted and the rate of deceleration is not high.
Conversely, airbags may be deployed even
though the vehicle suffers only minor defor-
mation. This is the case if, for example, very
rigid vehicle parts such as longitudinal body
members are hit, and sufficient deceleration
occurs as a result. i
The belt tensioners can only be triggered
if the seat belt tongues are correctly
engaged in the seat belt buckles.
i Not all airbags are deployed in an acci-
dent. The different airbag systems work
independently of each other.
How the airbag system works is deter-
mined by the severity of the accident detec-
ted, especially the vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, and the apparent type of acci-
dent:
R head-on collision
R side impact
R rear impact
R Cabriolet: overturn Airbags
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Airbags provide additional protection; they
are not, however, a substitute for seat belts.
Observe the following notes to reduce the risk
of serious or even fatal injury caused by airbag
deployment:
R all vehicle occupants –inparticular, preg-
nant women – must wear their seat belt
correctly at all times and lean back against
the backrest, which should be positioned
as close to the vertical as possible. The
head restraint must support the back of the
head at about eye level.
R always secure childre nless than
1.50mt all or unde r12years of age in suit-
able child restraint systems.
R all vehicle occupants must select a seat
position that is as far away from the airbag
as possible. The driver's seat position must
allow the vehicle to be driven safely. The
driver's chest should be as far away from
the centre of the driver's airbag cover as
possible. 42
Occupant safetySafety

R
move the front-passenger seat as far back
as possible. This is especially important if
you have secured a child in a child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat.
R vehicle occupants –inparticular, children
–m ust no tlean their heads in the area of
the window where:
- Coupé: the sidebag/windowbag
deploys.
- Cabriolet: the sidebag/headbag
deploys.
R rearward-facing child restraint systems
must not be fitted to the front-passenger
seat unless the front-passenger airbag has
been disabled. On the front-passenger
seat, the front-passenger airbag is disabled
if a child restraint system with a trans-
ponder for automatic child seat recognition
is fitted to the front-passenger seat in a
vehicle equipped with automatic child seat
recognition. The 4PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF indicator lamp must be continuously
lit.
If the front-passenger seat of your vehicle
does not have automatic child seat recog-
nition, or your rearward-facing child
restraint system does not have a trans-
ponder for automatic child seat recogni-
tion, children must be secured in a child
restraint system on a suitable seat in the
rear. Secure children in a child restraint
system on a suitable rear seat. 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 pos-
sible.
R make sure there are no heavy or sharp-
edged objects in the pockets of clothing.
R do not lean forwards, e.g. over the cover of
the driver's/front-passenger front airbag,
particularly when the vehicle is in motion.
R do not put your feet on the dashboard.
R only hold the steering wheel on the outside.
This allows the airbag to be fully deployed.
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/rear sidewalls
from the inside.
R make sure that there are no people, ani-
mals or objects between the vehicle occu-
pants and the area where the airbags are
deployed.
R do not place any objects between the seat
backrest and the door.
R do not hang any hard objects, e.g. coat
hangers, on the grab handles or coat hooks.
R do not attach accessories such as cuphold-
ers to the doors/rear sidewalls.
It is not possible to rule out a risk of injury
being caused by an airbag, due to the high
speed at which the airbag must be deployed. G
WARNING
Airbag functionality can only be assured if the
following parts are not covered and no badges
or stickers are attached to them:
R padded steering wheel boss
R kneebag cover below the steering column
R front-passenger airbag cover
R outer side of fron tseat bolsters
R side trim next to the rear seat backrest
R Cabriolet: door trim G
WARNING
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 potential breathing diffi-
culties, 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 vehicle
interior. The powder does not constitute a
health hazard and does not indicate that there
is a fire in the vehicle. Occupant safety
43Safety Z

G
WARNING
The airbag parts are hot after the airbag has
been deployed. Do not touch them as you
could burn yourself.
Have the airbags replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Otherwise, occupants are
not protected by the airbags in the event of
another accident.
Airbag deployment slows downa nd restricts
the movement of the vehicle occupant.
If the airbags 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 6SRS warning lamp
lights up.
The airbag installation locations are identified
by the AIRBAG symbol.
Front airbags !
Do not place heavy objects on the front-
passenger seat. The system may then
detect that the seat is occupied and if there
is an accident, the restraint systems on the
front-passenger side could be deployed.
Have restraint systems that have been trig-
gered replaced. Driver's airbag
:deploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger front air-
bag ;deploys in front of and above the glove
compartment. The front airbags increase protection for the
driver's and front-passenger's head and
chest.
They are deployed:
R
at the start of an accident with a high rate
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 depending on whether the seat belt is being
used
R independently of other airbags in the vehi-
cle
If the vehicle overturns, the front airbags are
generally not deployed. The front airbags are
deployed if the system detects high vehicle
deceleration in a longitudinal direction.
Vehicles with automatic child seat recog-
nition in the front-passenger seat: front-
passenger airbag is only activated if the sys-
tem determines that the front-passenger seat
is occupied. The 4PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF indicator lamp on the centre console
does not light up (Y page 56).
If a child restraint system is fitted to the front-
passenger seat and the 4PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp does not light up
on the centre console:
R a child restraint system without transpond-
ers for automatic child seat recognition is
fitted or
R a child restraint system with transponders
is not properly fitted. 44
Occupant safetySafety

Driver's kneebag
Driver's kneebag
:deploys under the steer-
ing column .Itis deployed together with the
front airbags. The driver's kneebag is
designed to operate together with the front
airbags in frontal impacts if certain thresholds
are exceeded. The driver's kneebag operates
best in conjunction with correctly positioned
and fastened seat belts.
The driver's kneebag increases protection of
the driver against:
R knee injuries
R thigh injuries
R lower leg injuries
i The driver's kneebag is only available in
certain countries.
Sidebags G
WARNING
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.
The seat covers must have a special tear seam
for sidebags/pelvisbags. Otherwise, the side-
bag/pelvisbag cannot deploy correctly and
would fail to provide the intended protection
in the event of an accident. Appropriate seat
covers can be obtained, for example, from a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Sidebags (example: Coupé)
Front sidebags
:and rear sidebags ;
deploy next to the outer seat cushions.
When deployed, the sidebags offer additional
protection for the thorax of the vehicle occu-
pants on the side of the vehicle on which the
impact occurs. However, they do not protect
the:
R head
R neck
R arms
The sidebags are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion, e.g. in a side impact
R independently of the use of the seat belt
R independently of the front airbags
R independently of the belt tensioners
Cabriolet: if the vehicle overturns, the side-
bags are generally not deployed. Sidebags
are deployed if the system detects high vehi-
cle deceleration or acceleration in a lateral
direction and determines that sidebag
deployment can offer additional protection to
that provided by the seat belt. Occupant safety
45Safety Z

Headbags
Example
:headbag on the front-passenger side
Headbags are available in the Cabriolet.
Headbags enhance the level of protection for
the head, but not chest or arms, of the vehicle
occupants on the side of the vehicle on which
the impact occurs.
Headbags :deploy in the area of the side
windows at the front. They are deployed:
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion, e.g. in a side impact
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R on the driver's and the front passenger's
side if the vehicle overturns and the system
determines that windowbag deployment
can offer additional protection to that pro-
vided by the seat belt
R independently of the use of the seat belt
R regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied
R independently of the fron tairbags
Pelvisbags G
WARNING
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-Ben zvehicles.
The seat covers must have a special tear seam
for sidebags/pelvisbags. Otherwise, the side-
bag/pelvisbag cannot deploy correctly and
would fail to provide the intended protection in the event of an accident. Appropriate seat
covers can be obtained, for example, from a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Pelvisbag deployment enhances the level of
protection of the vehicle occupants on the
side of the vehicle on which the impact
occurs.
Pelvisbags :deploy nextt o and below the
outer seat cushions. They are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion, e.g. in a side impact
R independently of the use of the seat belt
R independently of the front airbags
R independently of the belt tensioners
Cabriolet: if the vehicle overturns, the pelvis-
bags are generally not deployed. Exception :if
the syste mdetects high vehicle deceleration
or acceleration in a lateral direction and
determines that deployment can offer addi-
tional protection to that provided by the seat
belt.
i Pelvisbags are only available in certain
countries. 46
Occupant safetySafety

Windowbags
Windowbags are available in the Coupé
Windowbags :enhance the level of protec-
tion for the head, but not chest or arms, of the
vehicle occupants on the side of the vehicle
on which the impact occurs.
The windowbags are integrated into the side
of the roof frame and deploy in the area
extending from the front door (A-pillar) to the
rear sidewall (C-pillar).
Windowbags are deployed:
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion, e.g. in a side impact
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R independently of the use of the sea tbelt
R regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied
R independently of the fron tairbags Roll bar (Cabriolet)
G
DANGER
If the roll bar is malfunctioning, the AMal‐function Consult workshop message
appears in the multifunction display. The roll
bars will the npossibly not be extended in the
event of an accident .This could result in
severe or even fatal injuries to you and other
occupants. In this case, visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop immediately and have the
roll bar checked. G
WARNING
Ensure that the area around the roll bars/rear
head restraints is kept clear. Otherwise,
someone could be injured by the roll bars
when they are triggered.
The roll bars are under the rear head
restraints. They are extended if systems
detect that the vehicle is in danger of over-
turning.
When the roll bars are extended, the rear
head restraints also extend automatically.
Once the roll bars are extended, you can no
longer lower the rear head restraints. The soft
top can no longer be closed. In this case, visit
the nearest qualified specialist workshop. NECK-PRO head restraints
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Only use head restraint covers which have
been tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz
for your vehicle model.
The use of non-approved head restraint cov-
ers may prevent NECK-PRO head restraints
from triggering properly. Consequently, the
NECK-PRO head restraints cannot provide the
intended level of protection.
Consult a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre
regarding availability.
The NECK-PRO head restraints reduce the
likelihood of head and chest injuries. The
NECK-PRO head restraints on the driver's and
front-passenger seats are moved forwards
and upwards in the event of a rear-end colli-
sion of a certain severity. This provides better
head support.
If the NECK-PRO head restraints have been
triggered in an accident, you must reset the
NECK-PRO head restraints on the driver’s and
front-passenger seat (Y page 48). Other-
wise, the additional protection will not be
available in the event of another rear-end col- Occupant safety
47Safety Z

Comply with safety regulation
swhen dispos-
ing of belt tensioners. Any Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre can provide details of these
regulations.
! If the front-passenger seat is not occu-
pied, do not engage the seat belt tongue in
the buckle on the front-passenger seat.
Otherwise, the belt tensioner could be trig-
gered in the event of an accident.
The seat belts are fitted with belt tensioners.
The belt tensioners tighten the seat belts in
an accident, pulling them close against the
body.
Belt tensioners do not correct incorrect seat
positions or incorrectly fastened seat belts.
Belt tensioners do not pull vehicle occupants
back towards the backrest.
If the seat belt is also fitted with a belt force
limiter and this is triggered, the force exerted
by the seat belt on the vehicle occupant is
reduced.
The belt force limiters for the front seats are
synchronised with the front airbags, which
take on a part of the deceleration force. This
results in the force exerted on the occupant
being distributed over a greater area.
The belt tensioners can only be activated
when:
R the ignition is switched on.
R the restraint systems are operational; see
"SRS warning lamp" (Y page 41).
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the three-point seat belts in front.
R
The belt tensioners on the seats in the rear
compartmenta re triggered independently of
the lock status of the seat belts.
The beltt ensioners are triggered depending
on the type and severity of an accident:
R if, in the event of a head-on or rear-end col-
lision the vehicle decelerates or acceler- ates rapidly in a longitudinal direction dur-
ing the initial stages of the impact
R if, in the event of a side impact, on the side
opposite the impact the vehicle deceler-
ates or accelerates rapidly in a lateral direc-
tion
R Cabriolet: in certain situations if the vehicle
overturns and the system determines that
it can provide additional protection.
If the airbags 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 6SRS warning lamp
lights up.
Automatic comfort-fit feature The fron
tseat belts have an automatic com-
fort-fit feature. The automatic comfort-fit fea-
ture reduces the retraction force of the seat
belts. This results in increased seat belt com-
fort. Children in the vehicle
Child restraint systems
Important safety notes G
WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious or even fatal
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 suit-
able vehicle seat. This is necessary
because the seat belts are not designed for
children.
R Do not drive with a child secured in a rear-
ward-facing child restraint system on the
front-passenger seat. Exception: if the vehi-
cle is equipped with automatic child seat
recognition on the front-passenger seat Children in the vehicle
53Safety
Z

Child seat lock
G
WARNING
If you release the seat belt during the journey,
the child seat loc kwill be deactivated.
After being released, the seat belt cannot be
fastened again during the journey as the iner-
tia reel will draw in a fraction .The child
restraint system is no longer correctly
secured. There is an increased risk of injury
or even death.
Always keep the seat belt of the activated
child seat lock fastened during the journey.
The seat belts on the rear seats are equipped
with a child-seat lock. When enabled, the
child seat lock function ensures that the seat
belt does not slacken once the child restraint
system is secured.
Installing a child restraint system:
X Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Pull the seat belt smoothly from the inertia
reel.
X Engage the seat belt tongue in the belt
buckle.
Activating the child seat lock:
X Pull the seat belt out fully and let the inertia
reel retract it again.
While the seat belt is retracting, you should
hear a ratcheting sound. The child seat lock
function is enabled.
X Push down on the child restraint system to
take up any slack.
Removing a child restraint system/deactivat-
ing the child seat lock:
X Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Press the seat belt release button and
guide the belt tongue to the belt outlet.
The child seat lock function is deactivated. Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat G
WARNING
If the front-passenger airbag is not disabled:
R a child secured in a child restraint system
on the front-passenger seat could be seri-
ously and even fatally injured by the front-
passenger airbag deploying. This is espe-
cially a risk if the child is in the immediate
vicinity of the front-passenger airbag when
it deploys.
R never secure a child on the front-passenger
seat in a rearward-facing child restraint sys-
tem. Only secure a rearward-facing child
restraint system on a suitable rear seat.
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 airbag is not disabled:
R on vehicles without automatic child seat
recognition on the front-passenger seat
R in vehicles with automatic child seat rec-
ognition in the front-passenger seat, if no
special child restraint system with trans-
ponders for automatic child seat recogni-
tion in the front-passenger seat has been
fitted
R on vehicles with automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat, if the
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
4 is not lit.
To make you aware of this danger, a corre-
sponding warning sticker has been affixed on
the dashboard and on both sides of the sun
visor on the front-passenger side.
Information about recommended child
restraint systems is available at any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Children in the vehicle
55Safety Z