2012 MERCEDES-BENZ R-Class page 1

workshop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.XRemove resetting tool : from the vehicle
document wallet.XSlide resetting tool : into guide ;
between the NECK-PRO luxury head
restraint and the rear cover of the head
restraint.XPush resetting tool : downwards until you
hear the head restraint deployment
mechanism engage.XPull out resetting tool :.XFirmly press the NECK-PRO luxury head
restraint cushion back = until it engages.XRepeat this procedure for the second
NECK-PRO luxury head restraint.XPut resetting tool : back into the vehicle
document wallet.
Seat belts
Important safety notes
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 For further information on infants and
children traveling in the vehicle and on
infant and child restraint systems, see
"Children in the vehicle" ( Y page 56).
GWARNING
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
as intended if the occupants are properly
wearing their seat belts.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
Damaged seat belts or seat belts that have
been subjected to stress in an accident must
Occupant safety51SafetyZ

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 belts
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 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.
XAdjust the seat and move the backrest to
an almost vertical position ( Y page 96).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 =.
Seat-belt adjustment: if necessary, the
driver's and front-passenger seat belts
automatically adjust to the upper body
( Y page 54).XIf necessary, adjust the seat belt to the
appropriate height ( Y page 54).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 58).
Occupant safety53SafetyZ

For more information about releasing the seat
belt with release button ?, see "Releasing
seat belts" ( Y page 54).
Seat belt adjustment
The seat-belt adjustment function adjusts the
driver's and front-passenger seat belt to the
upper body of the occupants.
The belt strap is tightened slightly when:
R you engage the belt tongue in the belt
buckle and you then turn the SmartKey to
position 2 in the ignition lock.
R the SmartKey is in position 2 in the ignition
lock and you then engage the belt tongue
in the buckle.
The seat-belt adjustment will apply a
retraction force if any slack is detected
between the occupant and the seat belt. Do
not hold on to the seat belt tightly while it is
adjusting. You can switch the seat-belt
adjustment on and off in the on-board
computer ( Y page 209).
The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE ®
convenience function. More
information about PRE-SAFE ®
can be found
in the "PRE-SAFE ®
(preventative occupant
protection)" section ( Y page 49).
Belt height adjustment
You can adjust the seat belt height on the
driver's seat and the front-passenger seat.
Adjust the height so that the upper part of the
seat belt is routed across the center of your
shoulder.
XTo raise: slide the belt sash guide upwards.
The belt sash guide engages in various
positions.XTo lower: press and hold belt sash guide
release :.XSlide the belt sash guide downwards.XRelease belt sash guide release : and
make sure that the belt sash guide has
engaged.
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.
54Occupant safetySafety

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 238).Emergency Tensioning Devices, seat
belt force limiters
The seat belts for the following seats are
equipped with ETDs and seat belt force
limiters:
R driver's and front-passenger seat
R the outer seats in the second row
R the seats in the third row
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 38)
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 outside seats in the second
row and on the seats in the third row 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
Occupant safety55SafetyZ

seat belt lies properly across their bodies
without the need for a booster seat.
Install the child restraint system according to
the manufacturer's instructions.
The child restraint system must be installed
firmly on both brackets.
An incorrectly installed child restraint system
can come loose in the event of an accident,
causing the child to be severely or fatally
injured.
Child restraint systems/child restraint
retaining brackets that are damaged or have
suffered damage due to an impact must be
replaced.
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) is a standardized
securing system for specially designed child
restraint systems on the rear seats.
Securing rings for two LATCH-type (ISOFIX)
child restraint systems are installed on the
left and right:
R on the seat cushions of the outer seats in
the second row
R on the backrests of the seats in the third
row of seats
Secure non LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint systems using the vehicle's seat belt
system. Always install child restraint systems
according to the manufacturer's instructions.XMove the rear seat backrests in the second
row to an upright position ( Y page 101).
The securing rings on the outer seats in the
second row of seats are covered by an
upholstered lining.
:Securing rings for outer seats in the
second row;Installation instructions for the securing
ringXSlide the upholstered lining to the side.XInstall the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system. Comply with the
manufacturer's instructions when doing
so.
The securing rings on the seats in the third
row are covered by protective caps.
XRemove protective caps = in the third row
of seats.Children in the vehicle59SafetyZ

?Securing rings for the third row of seatsXInstall the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system. Comply with the
manufacturer's instructions when
installing the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system.
Top Tether
Top Tether anchorages
GWARNING
Observe "Important safety notes"
( Y page 56).
Top Tether provides an additional connection
between a child restraint system, secured
with a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat mount,
and the rear seat. It helps reduce the risk of
injury even further.
The Top Tether anchorages are:
R in the 2nd row of seats on the rear of the
backrests of the outer seats and on the
vehicle floor behind the center seat
R in the 3rd row of seats on the rear of the
backrests
Outer seats in the 2nd and 3rd rowXRemove respective covering cap : of the
Top Tether anchorage.XMove the head restraint upwards.XTilt the rear seat backrest forwards
( Y page 253).XRoute Top Tether belt ? under the head
restraint between the two head restraint
bars.XHook Top Tether hook = of Top Tether
belt ? into Top Tether anchorage ;.60Children in the vehicleSafety

Ensure that:
R Top Tether hook = is hooked into Top
Tether anchorage ; as shown
R Top Tether belt ? is not twisted
R Top Tether belt ? is routed between the
seat backrest and the cargo
compartment cover if the cargo
compartment cover is installed.
R Top Tether belt ? is routed between the
seat backrest and the cargo net if the
cargo net is installed.GWARNING
Do not secure the Top Tether hook to the loop
underneath the Top Tether anchorage if you
are securing a child restraint system in the
third row of seats. The child restraint system
is not secured if you do so. An incorrectly
fitted child restraint system cannot perform
its intended protective function in the event
of an accident, and could lead to injuries.
XSwing back the seat backrest until it
engages ( Y page 253).
The outer seats in the second row are only
locked if the lock verification indicator is
folded in and the indicator area is barely
visible ( Y page 253).GWARNING
Make sure that the seats are locked and that
the backrests are locked in a vertical position
after fitting the Top Tether belt.
The outer seats in the second row are only
locked if the lock verification indicator is
folded in and the indicator area is barely
visible.
If the backrests are not locked, they could fold
forwards in the event of an accident, sudden
braking or a sudden change of direction.
Instead of restraining an occupant, they could
cause additional serious or even fatal injury.
XMove the head restraint back down again
slightly if necessary ( Y page 100). Makesure that you do not interfere with the
correct routing of Top Tether belt ?.XInstall the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system with Top TetherComply
with the manufacturer's installation
instructions when doing so. Make sure that
Top Tether belt ? is tight.
Center seat in the 2nd row
GWARNING
Only secure a child restraint system on the
center seat in the second row when the belt
buckles of the outer seats are not obstructed
or overlapped by the child restraint system.
Not all child restraint systems, including some
Mercedes-Benz approved child restraint
systems, can be used in this seat position. For
further information contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Do not use the LATCH-type anchors (ISOFIX)
or seat belt buckles for the outer seats in
conjunction with a child seat in the second-
row center seat. Child seats in the center
seating position must only be secured by the
center seat position seat belt inserted into the
seat belt buckle for the second-row center
seat.
GWARNING
Please be aware that installation of a child
seat in the second-row center seat position
can prevent the folding forward of the outer
second-row seats which can obstruct access
to and exit from the third-row seats. This
could affect the occupants' on the third-row
seats ability to exit the vehicle. In case of an
accident it will be difficult for occupants of the
third-row seats to leave the vehicle. Serious
injuries could be the result.
Install a child seat in one of the outer seating
positions according to the installation
instructions if access to the third-row seats is
required.
XMove the head restraint upwards.Children in the vehicle61SafetyZ

XPull release loop : in the direction of the
arrow.XFold seat backrest ; forward in the
direction of seat cushion = until Top
Tether anchorage ? is accessible.XRoute Top Tether belt B under the head
restraint between the two head restraint
bars.XHook Top Tether hook A of Top Tether belt
B into Top Tether anchorage ?.Ensure that:
R Top Tether hook A is hooked into Top
Tether anchorage ? as shown
R Top Tether belt B is not twisted
R Top Tether belt B is routed between the
seat backrest and the cargo
compartment cover if the cargo
compartment cover is installed.
R Top Tether belt B is routed between the
seat backrest and the cargo net if the
cargo net is installed.XSwing back the seat backrest until it
engages audibly ( Y page 253).GWARNING
Always lock the rear seat backrests in their
upright position when the rear seats are
occupied by passengers. Lock the rear seat
backrests in their upright position after
installing the TopTether straps or when the
extended cargo compartment is not in use.
Make sure that rear seat backrests are
secured properly by pushing and pulling on
the seat backrests. If the seat backrest is not
locked properly, the seat backrest could fold.
The child restraint system is no longer
supported properly or held in position and can
no longer fulfill its function. That could cause
serious or even fatal injuries.
XMove the head restraint back down again
slightly if necessary ( Y page 100). Make
sure that you do not interfere with the
correct routing of Top Tether belt B.XInstall the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system with Top Tether. Comply
with the manufacturer's installation
instructions when doing so. Make sure that
Top Tether belt B sits taut.62Children in the vehicleSafety