2012 MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class belt

performed by qualified technicians.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
R For your protection and the protection of
others, when scrapping the air bag unit or
ETD, our safety instructions must be
followed. These instructions are available
from any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
R Given the
considerable deployment speed,
required inflation volume, and the material
of the air bags, there is the possibility of
abrasions or other, potentially more serious
injuries resulting from air bag deployment.
If you sell your vehicle, Mercedes-Benz
strongly recommends that you inform the
subsequent owner that the vehicle is
equipped with SRS. Also, refer them to the
applicable section in the Operator's Manual. Air bags
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Air
bags are designed to reduce the potential
of injury and fatality in certain
R frontal impacts (front air bags)
R side impacts (window curtain air bags)
However, no system available today can
completely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
Deployment of the air bags temporarily
releases a small amount of dust from the air
bags. This dust, however, is neither harmful
to your

health, nor does it indicate a fire in the
vehicle. The dust might cause some
temporary breathing difficulty for people with
asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid
this, you may wish to get out of the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any
breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the
vehicle after the air bag inflates, then get fresh
air by opening a window or door. G
WARNING
To
reduce the risk of injury when the front air
bags inflate,

it is very important for the driver
and front passenger to always be in a properly
seated position and to wear their respective
seat belt.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision always be in normal seated position
with your back against the seat backrest.
Fasten your seat belt and make sure it is
properly positioned on your body.
Since the air bag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating position
and correct positioning of the hands on the
steering wheel will help to keep you at a safe
distance from the air bag. Occupants who are
not wearing their seat belt, are not seated
properly or are too close to the air bag can be
seriously injured or killed by an air bag as it
inflates with great force instantaneously:
R Sit with the seat belt properly fastened in a
position that is as upright as possible with
your back against the seat backrest.
R Move the driver's seat as far back as
possible, still permitting proper operation
of vehicle controls. The distance from the
center of the driver's chest to the center of
the air bag cover on the steering wheel
must be at least 10 inches (25 cm) or more.
You should be able to accomplish this by
adjusting the seat and steering wheel. If
you have any difficulties, please contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
R Do not lean your head or chest close to the
steering wheel or dashboard.
R Keep hands on the outside of the steering
wheel rim. Placing hands and arms inside
the rim can increase the risk and potential
severity of hand/arm injury when the driver
front air bag inflates.
R Adjust the front passenger seat as far as
possible rearward from the dashboard
when the seat is occupied.
R Occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their heads34
Occupant safety
Safety

in the area of the door where the window
curtain air bag inflates. This could result in
serious
injuries
or death should the window
curtain air bag be deployed. 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.
R 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™ air bag deactivation 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.
Failure to follow these instructions can result
in severe injuries to you or other occupants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that you
make the buyer aware of this safety
information. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator's Manual. G
WARNING
Accident
research shows that the safest place
for children

in an automobile is in a rear seat.
Should you choose to place a child 12 years
old or under in the front passenger seat of
your vehicle, you must properly use a
BabySmart TM
child restraint which will turn off
the front passenger front air bag.
To help avoid the possibility of injury, please
follow these guidelines:
(1) Always sit as upright as possible, wear the

seat belt properly, and for
children 12 years old and under,
use an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or
booster seat recommended for the
size and weight of the child.
(2) Always wear seat belts properly. The air bags are only deployed if the air bag
control
unit

detects the need for deployment.
Only in the event of such a situation 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 the event of other types of impacts and
impacts below air bag deployment
thresholds, the air bags will not deploy. The
driver and passengers 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.
Air bags provide additional protection; they
are not, however, a substitute for seat belts.
All vehicle occupants must fasten their seat
belts regardless of whether your vehicle is
equipped with air bags or not.
It is important for your safety and that of your
passenger to have deployed air bags replaced
and to have any malfunctioning air bags
repaired. This will help to make sure the air
bags continue to perform their protective
function for the vehicle occupants in the
event of a crash.
Front air bags G
WARNING
Observe "Important safety notes"
(
Y page 34).
The front

air bags increase protection for the
driver's and the front-passenger's head, neck
and chest. Occupant safety
35
Safety Z

Driver's air bag
: deploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger front air
bag ; deploys
in front of and above the glove
box.
They are deployed:
R in the event of certain frontal impacts
R if the system determines that air bag
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 air bags in the
vehicle
If the vehicle overturns, the front air bags are
generally not deployed unless the system
detects high vehicle deceleration in a
longitudinal direction.
Your vehicle has an adaptive, two-stage
driver's air bag. In the event of a collision, the
air bag control unit evaluates the vehicle
deceleration. When the first deployment
threshold is reached, the front air bag is filled
with enough propellant gas to reduce the risk
of injuries. The front air bag is fully deployed
if a second deployment threshold is exceeded
within a few milliseconds.
The front air bags will not deploy in impacts
with vehicle deceleration or acceleration
rates which do not exceed the system’s
preset deployment thresholds for vehicle
deceleration or acceleration. You will then be
protected by the fastened seat belt. The front-passenger front air bag will only
deploy if:
R
the front-passenger seat is occupied.
R the 45 indicator

lamp in the center
console is not lit (Y page 37).
R the impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold.
The front-passenger air bag is automatically
activated and deactivated. Both driver and
passenger should always check whether the
front-passenger air bag is activated or
deactivated.
The deployment of the driver's air bag does
not mean that the front-passenger air bag will
also deploy. If the system recognizes that the
front-passenger seat is empty, the front-
passenger air bag does not deploy even if the
impact fulfills the criteria and the driver's air
bag has deployed.
If the front-passenger seat is recognized as
occupied, the 45 indicator lamp lights
up for approximately six seconds if
R you turn the SmartKey to position 1 or 2 in
the ignition lock.
R the engine is running and then you switch
it off.
This indicates the operational readiness of
the front-passenger air bag.
Note that objects placed on the front-
passenger seat may cause the system to
recognize the seat as occupied. This can
result in the deployment of the front-
passenger air bag if the impact fulfills the
specified criteria. If the 45 indicator
lamp is lit up, the front-passenger air bag is
deactivated and will not deploy should the
situation arise. If indicator lamp 45 is
not lit up, the front-passenger air bag is
activated and will deploy should the situation
arise. G
WARNING
Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology which disables the front- 36
Occupant safety
Safety

passenger air bag if the system recognizes
that the front-passenger seat is empty .
If the front-passenger seat is occupied by an
adult or young person and the
4/
indicator lamp
is lit up, the front-passenger air
bag is disabled. If the front-passenger seat is
recognized as empty, the air bag control unit
will not deploy the front-passenger air bag in
the event of a collision.
Ask your passenger to sit correctly on the
front-passenger seat in an upright position
until the 4/ indicator lamp goes out.
If the 4/ indicator lamp does not go
out, please consult an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.
Window curtain air bags G
WARNING
Observe "Important safety notes"
(
Y page 34).
The window

curtain air bags 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.
The window curtain air bags are integrated
into the side of the roof frame and deploy in
the area extending from the front door (A-
pillar) to the rear door (C-pillar). Window curtain air bags
:
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
acceleration, e.g. in a side impact R
regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied
R independently of seat belt use
R if the vehicle overturns and the system
determines that window curtain air bag
deployment can

offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
R independently of the front air bags
Window curtain air bags : will not deploy in
impacts with deceleration rates which do not
exceed the system's preset deployment
thresholds for vehicle deceleration or
acceleration. You will then be protected by
the fastened seat belt. BabySmart™ air bag deactivation
system
How the air bag deactivation system
works Your vehicle is equipped with a BabySmart™
system.
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 Occupant safety
37
Safety
Z

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
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 BabySmart™
compatible rear-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat because
circumstances require you to do so, make
sure the 4 / indicator lamp is
illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Should the 4 / indicator lamp not
illuminate or go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation.
Periodically check the 4 / indicator
lamp while driving to make sure the
4 / indicator lamp is illuminated. If
the 4 / 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. G
WARNING
When using a BabySmart™ compatible child
seat on the front passenger seat, the front
passenger front

air bag will not deploy only if
the 4 / indicator lamp remains
illuminated.
Please be sure to check the 4 /
indicator lamp every time you use a
BabySmart™ compatible child seat on the
front passenger seat. Should the 4 /
indicator lamp go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation. If the
4 / indicator lamp remains out, do not
use the BabySmart™ restraint to transport a
child on the front passenger seat until the
system has been repaired. G
WARNING
The BabySmart™ air bag disabling system
ONLY works with specially adapted child
restraint systems.

It does not work with child
restraint systems that are not compatible with
BabySmart™.
Never place anything between the seat
cushion and the child restraint system (e.g. a
cushion), as this reduces the effectiveness of
the BabySmart™ air bag deactivation system.
The underside of the child restraint system
must lie against the seat cushion of the front-
passenger seat. In the event of an accident,
an incorrectly installed child restraint system
could injure the child instead of offering
protection. 38
Occupant safety
Safety

If the NECK-PRO head restraints have been
triggered
in
an accident, reset the NECK-PRO
head restraints on the driver’s and front-
passenger seat ( Y page 41). Otherwise, the
additional protection will not be available in
the event of another rear-end collision. You
can recognize if NECK-PRO head restraints
have been triggered by the fact that they have
moved forwards and can no longer be
adjusted. 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.
Resetting triggered NECK-PRO head
restraints G
WARNING
For safety reasons, have the NECK-PRO head
restraints checked at a qualified specialist
workshop after a rear-end collision. G
WARNING
When pushing back the NECK-PRO head
restraint cushion, make sure your fingers do
not become caught between the head
restraint cushion and the cover. Failure to
observe this could result in injuries.
i Resetting the NECK-PRO head restraints
requires a lot of strength. If you have
difficulty resetting the NECK-PRO head
restraints, have this work carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. X
Tilt the top of the NECK-PRO head restraint
cushion forwards in the direction of
arrow :.
X Push the NECK-PRO head restraint cushion
down in

the direction of arrow ; as far as
it will go.
X Firmly push the NECK-PRO head restraint
cushion back in the direction of arrow =
until the cushion engages.
X Repeat this procedure for the second
NECK-PRO head restraint. Seat belts
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Always fasten your seat belt before driving off.
Always make sure all of your passengers are
properly restrained.

You and your passengers
should always wear seat belts.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and
position your seat belt greatly increases your
risk of injuries and their likely severity in an
accident.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries can
be considerably more severe without your
seat belt properly buckled. Without your seat
belt buckled, you are much more likely to hit
the interior of the vehicle or be ejected from
it. You can be seriously injured or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury or
death is lessened if you are properly wearing
your seat belt. The air bags can only protect Occupant safety
41
Safety
Z

as intended if the occupants are properly
wearing their seat belts.
G
WARNING
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in
an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide under
the seat belt in a collision. If you slide under
it, the seat belt would apply force at the
abdomen or neck. That could cause serious
or even fatal injuries. The seat backrest and
seat belt provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in a position that is as upright as
possible and the seat belt is properly
positioned on the body. G
WARNING
Never
let more people ride in the vehicle than
there are seat belts available. Make sure
everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly
restrained with a separate seat belt. Never
use a

seat belt for more than one person at a
time. G
WARNING
Always
have damaged seat belts or seat belts
that have been subjected to a load in an
accident replaced and the anchorages
checked.
Only use seat belts that have been approved
by Mercedes-Benz.
Never tamper with seat belts. This can result
in the unintended deployment of the
Emergency Tensioning Devices or the failure
to deploy when necessary.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts, as this may
severely weaken them. In the event of a
collision, they may be unable to provide
adequate protection.
Have all work carried out only by qualified
technicians. Consult a qualified specialist
workshop.
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.
Even where this is not the case, all vehicle
occupants should have their seat belts
fastened when the vehicle is in motion.
i
See “Children in the vehicle” for more
information about traveling with infants
and children and about infant and child
restraint systems ( Y page 47).
Proper use of the seat belts G
WARNING
CORRECT USE OF SEAT BELTS
R Seat belts only work properly if they are
fastened correctly.

Never wear seat belts in
any other way than as described in this
section, as that could result in serious
injuries in the event of an accident.
R All occupants should wear their seat belt at
all times, because seat belts help reduce
the likelihood of and potential severity of
injuries in accidents, even if the vehicle
overturns. The restraint system installed is
equipped with SRS (driver's air bag, front-
passenger air bag, window curtain air
bags), belt tensioners and belt force
limiters.
The system is designed to enhance the
protection offered to occupants who are
wearing their seat belts correctly, in certain
frontal impacts (front air bags and belt
tensioners) and side impacts (window
curtain air bags and belt tensioners) which
exceed preset deployment thresholds.
R Never route the shoulder section of the
seat belt under your arm, across your neck
or anywhere other than across your
shoulder. In the event of a frontal impact,
your body would be moved too far forward.
This would increase the risk of head and
neck injuries. The seat belt would then
apply excessive force to the ribs or
abdomen which could cause severe
internal injuries to organs such as the liver
or spleen.42
Occupant safety
Safety

Adjust the seat belt so that the upper part
of the belt is as close as possible to the
center of the shoulder. It should not touch
the neck. Never route the belt under the
shoulder. The height of the belt outlet can
be altered to ensure correct usage.
R The lap belt should be routed as low as
possible across the hips, not across the
abdomen. If
the lap belt is routed across the
abdomen, it could cause serious injuries in
the event of an impact.
R Never route the seat belt over rigid or
fragile objects in or on your clothing, such
as eyeglasses, pens, keys etc, as this could
cause injuries.
R Always ensure that the seat belt is routed
correctly. This is particularly important if
you are wearing loose clothing.
R Only one person should use each seat belt
at any one time. Never use a seat belt to
restrain more than one person or route the
belt around additional objects.
R Never wear seat belts when they are
twisted. Otherwise, in the event of an
impact, the full width of the seat belt is
unavailable to distribute the force of the
impact. The twisted seat belt routed across
your body could cause injuries.
R Pregnant women should also wear a three-
point seat belt. The lap belt must always
pass across your lap as low down as
possible, i.e. across your hips; not across
your abdomen.
R The seat backrest should be set as close to
vertical as possible.
R Check the seat belt during the journey in
order to make sure that it is correctly
positioned.
R Never rest your feet on the dashboard or
the seat. Always keep both feet on the floor
in front of the seat.
R When using a seat belt to secure an infant
restraint system, child restraint system or
a child on a booster seat, 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 seat belts Important safety notes
G
WARNING
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. G
WARNING
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. Occupant safety
43
Safety Z