2013 MERCEDES-BENZ E-Class WAGON light

tamper with electronic components or their
software.
In this section, you will learn the most
important facts about the restraint system
components of the vehicle.
The restraint system consists of:
R seat belts
R child restraint systems
R LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat anchors
Additional protection is provided by:
R SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
R NECK-PRO head restraints
R PRE-SAFE ®
R air bag system components with:
-PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
- front-passenger seat with Occupant
Classification System (OCS)
The different air bag systems work
independently of each other. The protective
functions of the system work in conjunction
with each other. Not all air bags are deployed
in an accident.
i See "Children in the vehicle" for
information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle restraint
systems for infants and children
(Y page 60). SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
Introduction SRS consists of:
R
6 SRS warning lamp
R Air bags
R Air bag control unit with crash sensors
R Emergency Tensioning Devices
R Belt force limiters
SRS reduces the risk of occupants coming
into contact with the vehicle's interior in the
event of an accident. It can also reduce the effect of the forces to which occupants are
subjected during an accident.
SRS warning lamp
G
WARNING
The SRS self-check has detected a
malfunction if the 6 SRS indicator lamp:
R does not light up at all
R does not go out after approximately four
seconds after the engine is started
R lights

up after the engine is started or while
the vehicle is in motion
For your safety, Mercedes-Benz strongly
recommends that you have the system
checked as soon as possible at a qualified
specialist workshop. SRS may otherwise fail
to activate when it is needed in the event of
an accident, which could lead to serious or
fatal injuries. SRS might also be activated
unexpectedly and unnecessarily, which could
also result in injury.
In addition, work carried out improperly on
SRS may render SRS inoperative or cause
unintended air bag deployment. Work on the
SRS system should only be carried out by
qualified specialist personnel. Consult a
qualified specialist workshop.
If it is necessary to modify an air bag system
to accommodate a person with disabilities,
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for details. USA only: for further information,
contact our Customer Assistance Center at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372).
SRS functions are checked regularly when
you switch on the ignition and when the
engine is running. Therefore, malfunctions
can be detected in good time.
The 6 SRS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out no later than a few seconds
after the engine is started.
The SRS components are in operational
readiness when the SRS 6 indicator lamp
goes out while the engine is running. Occupant safety
41
Safety Z

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.
A side impact air bag related injury may occur
if occupants, especially children, are not
properly seated or restrained when next to a
side impact air bag which needs to deploy
rapidly in a side impact in order to do its job.
To help avoid the possibility of injury, please
follow these guidelines:
(1) Always sit as upright as possible and use the seat belts properly.
Make sure that children 12 years
old

and under use an appropriately
sized child restraint, infant
restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and
weight of the child.
(2) Always wear seat belts properly.
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.
The air bags are deployed if the air bag control
unit detects the need for deployment. Only in
the event of such a situation will the air bags
provide their supplemental protection.
If the driver and front passenger do not wear
their seat belts, 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
passengers 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 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.
The front air bags increase protection for the
driver's and front-passenger's head and
chest.
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. If the system detects 44
Occupant safety
Safety

high vehicle deceleration in a longitudinal
direction, the front air bags are deployed.
If a child restraint system is installed to the
front-passenger seat and the
4
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
does not light up on the center console:
R a child restraint system without
transponders for air bag deactivation
system is installed or
R a child restraint system with transponders
is not properly installed.
Your
vehicle has adaptive, two-stage front air
bags. In the event of a collision, the air bag
control unit evaluates the vehicle
deceleration. In the first deployment stage,
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 deployment of the front-passenger front
air bag is also influenced by the weight
category of the front passenger, which is
determined by the Occupant Classification
System (OCS) ( Y page 48).
The lighter the passenger side occupant, the
higher the vehicle deceleration rate required
(predicted at the start of the impact) for
second-stage inflation of the front-passenger
front air bag. In the second stage, the front
air bags are inflated with the maximum
amount of propellant gas available.
The front air bags are not deployed in
situations where a low impact severity is
predicted. You will then be protected by the
fastened seat belt.
Front-passenger front air bag will only deploy
if:
R the system, based on the OCS weight
sensor readings, has detected that the
front-passenger seat is occupied.
R the 45 indicator lamp on the center
console is not lit (Y page 48).
R the air bag control unit predicts a high
impact severity. Driver's knee bag
Driver's knee bag : deploys under the
steering

column. It is deployed together with
the front air bags. The driver's knee bag is
designed to operate together with the front
air bags in frontal impacts if certain
thresholds are exceeded. The driver's knee
bag operates best in conjunction with
correctly positioned and fastened seat belts.
The driver's knee bag increases protection of
the driver against:
R knee injuries
R thigh injuries
R lower leg injuries
Side impact air bags G
WARNING
Only use seat covers which have been tested
and approved by Mercedes-Benz for your
vehicle

model. Using seat covers or other seat
coverings can cause a malfunction of the side
impact air bags and/or the pelvis air bags.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for availability. G
WARNING
The pressure sensors for side impact air bag
control are located in the doors. Do not
modify any components of the doors or door
trim panels including, for example, the
addition of door speakers.
Improper repair work on the doors or the
modification

or addition of components to the
doors create a risk of rendering the side Occupant safety
45
Safety
Z

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.
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
45 indicator lamp is illuminated,
indicating that the front-passenger front air
bag is deactivated. Should the 45
indicator lamp not illuminate or go out while
the restraint is installed, please check
installation. Periodically check the
45 indicator lamp while driving to
make sure that the 45 indicator
lamp is illuminated. If the 45
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 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 the typical 12-
month-old child, the front-passenger front
air bag may or may not be activated. G
WARNING
If the red 6 SRS warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and the 45
indicator lamp light up simultaneously, the
OCS is malfunctioning. The front passenger
front air bag will be deactivated in this case.
Have the system checked by qualified
technicians as soon as possible. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Only

have the seat repaired or replaced at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
In order to ensure proper operation of the air
bag system and OCS:
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 When seated, a passenger should not
position him/herself in such a way as to
cause the passenger's weight to be lifted
from the seat cushion as this may result in
the OCS being unable to correctly
approximate the passenger's weight
category.
R Read and observe all warnings in this
chapter. Occupant safety
49
Safety Z

If the SmartKey has been removed from the
ignition lock or is in position 0, the
45 indicator lamp
: does not light
up.
The Occupant Classification System (OCS)
categorizes the occupant on the front-
passenger seat using a weight sensor. The
front-passenger front air bag is deactivated
automatically for certain weight categories.
45 indicator lamp : shows you the
current status. If
45 indicator lamp : lights up, the
front-passenger air bag is disabled.
The system does not deactivate:
R the side impact air bag
R the pelvis air bag
R the window curtain air bag
R the Emergency Tensioning Devices
To
be classified correctly, the front passenger
must sit:
R with the seat belt fastened correctly
R in a position that is as upright as possible
with their back against the seat backrest
R with their feet on the floor
The OCS weight sensor reading is affected if
the occupant's weight is transferred, e.g. by
leaning on the armrest.
If the front-passenger seat, the seat cover or
the seat cushion are damaged, have the
necessary repair work carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you only use seat accessories that have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Both the driver and the front passenger
should always observe the
45
indicator lamp to determine whether or not
the front passenger is positioned correctly.
Also observe the air bag display messages,
which appear in the instrument cluster
(Y page 253).
If the driver's air bag deploys, this does not
mean that the front-passenger front air bag
will also deploy.
The OCS may have detected that the seat:
R is empty or occupied by the weight of a
typical child up to twelve months old,
seated in a child restraint system
R is

occupied by a small individual, such as a
young teenager or a small adult
R is occupied by a child in a child restraint
system whose weight is greater than that
of a typical twelve 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.
For further information, see "Air bag display
messages" ( Y page 253).
System self-test G
WARNING
If the 4 5 indicator lamp does not
illuminate,
the system is not functioning. You
must contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center before seating any child on the front
passenger seat. G
WARNING
Never place anything between seat cushion
and
child seat (e.g. a pillow), since it reduces
the effectiveness of the OCS. The underside
and rear side child restraint system must be
placed entirely on the seat cushion and the 50
Occupant safety
Safety

backrest of the front-passenger seat
backrest.
If necessary, adjust the tilt of the passenger
seat backrest.
An
incorrectly mounted child seat could cause
injuries to the child in case of an accident,
instead of increasing protection for the child.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions for
installation of child restraint systems.
The 45 indicator lamp lights up:
R if you turn the SmartKey in the ignition lock
to position 1 or 2
R if you press the KEYLESS-GO Start/Stop
button once or twice on vehicles with
KEYLESS-GO
R if an adult is seated properly on the front-
passenger seat and the OCS classifies the
occupant as an adult
The 45 indicator lamp goes out
after approximately six seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the OCS
detects that the front-passenger seat is
empty, the 45 indicator lamp will
continue to light up. The 45 front-
passenger front air bag warning lamp then
stays lit continuously.
For more information about the OCS, see
"Problems with the Occupant Classification
System" ( Y page 52). Occupant safety
51
Safety Z

Problems with the Occupant Classification System
G
WARNING
If the 45 indicator lamp illuminates and remains illuminated when the weight of a typical
adult or someone larger than a small individual has been detected on the passenger seat, do not
allow any occupant to use the passenger seat until the system has been repaired. G
WARNING
If the 45 indicator lamp does not illuminate or remains out with the weight of a typical
12-month-old
child in a standard child restraint or less, or is unoccupied, on the front-passenger
seat, do not transport a child on the front-passenger seat until the system has been repaired. Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsThe 45
indicator

lamp lights up
and stays on.
The person on the
front-passenger seat:
R has the weight of a
typical adult
R has been determined
by the system not to
be a child The OCS is malfunctioning.
X
Have the OCS checked as soon as possible at a qualified
specialist workshop.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display

(Y page 253). Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsThe 45
indicator

lamp does not
light up and/or does
not stay on.
The front-passenger
seat is:
R unoccupied
R occupied with a
weight up to that of a
typical twelve-
month-old child in a
standard child
restraint system The OCS is malfunctioning.
X
Make sure there is nothing between the seat cushion and the
child seat.
X Check the installation of the child restraint system.
X Make sure that no objects are applying additional weight onto
the seat.
X If the 45 indicator lamp remains off, have the OCS
checked
as soon as possible at a qualified specialist workshop.
Do not transport a child on the front-passenger seat as long as
the OCS is not functioning.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display

(Y page 253). 52
Occupant safety
Safety

R
the air pressure in the side bolsters of the
seat
cushion and seat backrest of the front
active multicontour seats is increased.
R if the vehicle skids, the sliding sunroof/
panorama roof with power tilt/sliding
panel and the side windows are closed so
that only a small gap remains.
If the hazardous situation passes without
resulting in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens
the belt pretensioning. The air pressure in the
side bolsters of the active multicontour seat
is reduced again. All settings made by PRE-
SAFE ®
can then be reversed.
If the seat belts are not released:
X Move the backrest or seat back slightly, but
only when the vehicle is stationary.
The belt pretensioning is reduced and the
locking mechanism is released.
More information about seat belt adjustment,
a convenience function integrated into PRE-
SAFE ®
, can be found under "Seat belt
adjustment" (Y page 58). 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 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. Occupant safety
55
Safety Z