PRE-SAFE
®
(anticipatory occupant
protection system) G
WARNING
The PRE-SAFE ®
system reduces the impact of
an accident on vehicle occupants, as long as
their seat belts have been fastened correctly.
Although your vehicle is equipped with a PRE-
SAFE ®
system, the possibility of injury in the
event of an accident cannot be ruled out. You
should therefore always drive carefully and
adapt your driving style to the prevailing road,
weather and traffic conditions.
PRE-SAFE ®
takes preemptive measures to
protect occupants in certain hazardous
situations.
PRE-SAFE ®
intervenes:
R if BAS PLUS intervenes powerfully on
vehicles with DISTRONIC PLUS
R if, on vehicles with DISTRONIC PLUS, the
radar sensor system detects an imminent
danger of collision in certain situations
R in critical driving situations, e.g. when
physical limits are exceeded and the
vehicle understeers or oversteers severely
If the seat belts are not released:
X When the vehicle is stationary, move the
backrest or seat back slightly.
The seat belt pre-tensioning is
reduced and
the locking mechanism is released. G
WARNING
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
as you adjust the seat.
! Make sure that there are
no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats when resetting
the seats. There is a risk that the seats
and/or the objects could be damaged.
More information about seat belt adjustment,
a convenience function integrated into PRE-
SAFE ®
, can be found in the "Seat belt
adjustment" section ( Y page 56). NECK-PRO head restraints/NECK-
PRO luxury head restraints
NECK-PRO head restraints/NECK-PRO luxury
head restraints increase protection of the
driver's and front-passenger's head and
neck. In the event of a rear collision of a
certain severity, the NECK-PRO head
restraints/NECK-PRO luxury head restraints
on the
driver's and the front-passenger seats
are moved forwards and upwards. This
provides better head support. G
WARNING
Do not attach any objects (e.g. a coat hanger)
to the NECK-PRO head restraints/NECK-PRO
luxury head restraints. Otherwise, the NECK-
PRO head restraints/NECK-PRO luxury head
restraints may not function properly and in
the
event of a rear-end collision may not offer
the protection they are designed to provide. G
WARNING
Seat or head restraint covers can cause a
malfunction when the NECK-PRO head
restraints/NECK PRO luxury head restraints
are activated or when the
side impact air bags
or pelvis air bags are deployed, or they can
prevent this completely. The NECK-PRO head
restraints/NECK PRO luxury head restraints
or side impact air bags/pelvis air bags can
therefore not provide the intended protection.
Do not use any seat or head restraint covers.
If the NECK-PRO head restraints/NECK-PRO
luxury head restraints have been triggered in
an accident, reset the NECK-PRO head
restraints/NECK-PRO luxury head restraints
on the driver's and front-passenger seats
(Y page 53). Otherwise, the additional
protection will not be available in the event of
another rear-end collision. NECK-PRO head
restraints/NECK-PRO luxury head restraints
that have been triggered are moved forwards
and can no longer be adjusted. 52
Occupant safety
Safety
Never attempt to make modifications to seat
belts. This could impair the effectiveness of
the seat belts.
Fastening seat belts 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. X
Adjust the seat and move the backrest to
an almost vertical position ( Y page 96).
X Pull the seat belt smoothly through belt
sash guide 0043.
X Without twisting it, guide the shoulder
section of the seat belt across the middle of your shoulder and the lap section across
your pelvis.
X Engage belt tongue 0044 in buckle 0087.
X If necessary, adjust the seat belt to the
appropriate height (Y page 56).
X If 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 61).
For more information about releasing the seat
belt with release button 0085, see "Releasing
seat belts" ( Y page 57).
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.
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 229).
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 ®
(anticipatory occupant
protection system)" section ( Y page 52).
Belt height adjustment You can adjust the seat belt height on the
driver's seat and the front-passenger seat.56
Occupant safety
Safety
Adjust the height so that the upper part of the
seat belt is routed across the center of your
shoulder.
X
To raise: slide the belt sash guide upwards.
The belt sash guide engages in various
positions.
X To lower: press and hold belt sash guide
release 0043.
X Slide the belt sash guide downwards.
X Release belt sash guide release 0043 and
make sure that the belt sash guide has
engaged.
Using the rear center seat belt If the left-hand rear seat backrest is folded
down and back up
again,
the rear center seat
belt may lock. The seat belt can then not be
pulled out.
X To release the rear center seat belt: pull
the seat belt out approximately 1 in
(25 mm) at the belt outlet on the backrest
and then release it again.
The seat belt is retracted and released.
Releasing seat belts X
Press release button 0085(Y page 56) and
guide belt tongue 0044 back towards belt
sash guide 0043.
! 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. Visit a qualified specialist
workshop.
Belt warning for the driver and front
passenger Regardless of whether the driver's and front-
passenger seat belts have already been
fastened, the 0076 seat belt warning lamp
lights up for six
seconds
each time the engine
is started. It then goes out if the driver and
the front passenger have already fastened
their seat belts.
If the driver's seat belt is not fastened when
the engine is started, an additional warning
tone will sound. This warning tone stops after
a maximum of six seconds or once the
driver's seat belt is fastened.
If after six seconds the driver or front
passenger have not fastened their seat belts
and the doors are closed, the 0076 seat belt
warning lamp lights up:
R until the driver's or front passenger's seat
belt is fastened
R if a vehicle speed of 15 mph (25 km/h) is
exceeded, a warning tone also sounds with
increasing intensity for a maximum of
60 seconds or until the driver or front-
passenger seat belt has been fastened.
If the driver/front passenger unfasten their
seat belt while the vehicle is in motion, the
0076 seat belt warning lamp lights up and a
warning tone sounds again.
The warning tone ceases even if the driver or
front-passenger seat belt has still not been
fastened after 60 seconds. The 0076 seat belt
warning lamp stops flashing but remains
illuminated.
After the vehicle comes to a standstill, the
warning tone is reactivated and the 0076 seat
belt warning lamp flashes again if the vehicle
speed again exceeds 15 mph (25 km/h). Occupant safety
57Safety Z
The 0076 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 0076 seat
belt warning lamp, see "Warning and
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster,
seat belts" ( Y page 257).
Emergency Tensioning Devices, seat
belt force limiters The seat belts for the front seats and rear
outer seats 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.
When triggered, the seat belt force limiters
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.
They take on a part of the deceleration force,
resulting in the force exerted on the occupant
being 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 41).
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 rear
compartment are triggered independently of
the lock status of the seat belts. The Emergency Tensioning Devices are
triggered
depending
on the
type
and severity
of an accident, if:
R in certain situations where the vehicle rolls
over and the system determines that it can
provide additional protection
R 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 in the event of a side impact, the vehicle
decelerates or accelerates rapidly in a
lateral direction on the side opposite the
impact
If the ETDs 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 0075 SRS warning lamp
lights up. G
WARNING
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. Children in the vehicle
Child restraint systems
Important safety notes We recommend that all infants and children
be properly secured in an infant or child58
Children in the vehicle
Safety
0073 0074 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
Infants and small children should never share
a seat belt with another
occupant. In the event
of an accident, they could be crushed
between the occupant and seat belt.
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.
Children that are too large for a child restraint
must travel in seats using normal seat belts.
Position the shoulder belt across the chest
and shoulder, not the face or neck. A booster
seat may be necessary to achieve proper seat
belt positioning for children over 41 lbs
(18 kg) until they reach a height where a lap/
shoulder belt fits properly without a booster
seat.
When the child restraint is not in use, remove
it from the vehicle or secure it with the seat
belt to prevent the child restraint from
becoming a projectile in the event of an
accident.
If an infant or child is traveling in the vehicle:
X Secure the infant or child with an
appropriate infant or child restraint recommended for the child's age and
weight.
X Make sure that the infant or child is
properly secured at all times while the
vehicle is in motion. G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. Always take
the SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could
result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. The children
could:
R injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
R be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or cold
R injure themselves or cause an accident with
vehicle equipment that can be operated
even if the SmartKey is removed from the
ignition lock or removed from the vehicle,
such as seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment, or the memory function
If children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system's
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned on these
parts. G
WARNING
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment or trunk unless
they
are firmly secured in place.
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child's risk of injury in the event
of
R strong braking maneuvers
R sudden changes of direction
R an accident60
Children in the vehicle
Safety
X
Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system. Comply with the
manufacturer's instructions when
installing the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system.
Top Tether G
WARNING
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 before
installing the Top Tether straps or when the
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 forward. The child
restraint system is no longer supported
properly or held in position and can no longer
fulfill its function. This could cause serious or
even fatal injuries.
Top Tether provides an additional connection
between a child restraint system, secured
with a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat mount,
and the rear seat. This helps reduce the risk
of injury even further.
The Top Tether anchorages are located on the
rear side of the rear seat backrests. X
Move head restraint 0043 upwards.
X Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system with Top Tether. Comply
with the manufacturer's installation
instructions when doing so.
X Route Top Tether belt 0083 under head
restraint 0043 between the two head
restraint
bars.
X Guide Top Tether belt 0083 downwards
between cargo compartment cover
0044 and
rear seat backrest.
X Hook
Top Tether hook 0085 of Top Tether
belt
0083
into Top Tether anchorage 0087.
Make sure that:
R Top Tether hook 0085 is hooked into Top
Tether anchorage 0087 as shown.
R Top Tether belt 0083 is not twisted.
R Top Tether belt 0083 is routed between the
rear seat backrest and cargo
compartment cover 0044 if cargo
compartment cover 0044 is installed.
R Top Tether belt 0083 is routed between the
rear seat backrest and the cargo net if
the cargo net is installed.
X Tension Top Tether belt 0083. Comply with
the manufacturer's installation
instructions when doing so.
X Move head restraint 0043 back down again
slightly if necessary (
Y page 99). Make
sure that you do not interfere with the
correct routing of Top Tether belt 0083.62
Children in the vehicle
Safety
Child-proof locks
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. Always take
the SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could
result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. The children
could:
R injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
R be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or cold
R injure themselves or cause an accident with
vehicle equipment that can be operated
even if the SmartKey is removed from the
ignition lock or removed from the vehicle,
such as seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment, or the memory function
If children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system's
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned on these
parts.
Child-proof locks for the rear doors G
WARNING
Children could open a rear door from inside
the vehicle. This could result in serious
injuries or an accident. Therefore, when
children ride in the rear
always secure the rear
doors with the child-proof locks.
You secure each door individually with the
child-proof locks on the rear doors. A door
secured with a child-proof lock cannot be
opened from inside the vehicle. When the vehicle is unlocked, the door can be opened
from the outside.
X
To activate: press the child-proof lock
lever up in the direction of arrow 0043.
X Make sure that the child-proof locks are
working properly.
X To deactivate: press the child-proof lock
lever down in the direction of arrow 0044.
Override feature for the rear side
windows G
WARNING
When children ride on the vehicle's rear seats,
activate the override switch. Otherwise, the
children could be injured, e.g. by trapping
themselves in the rear side window. X
To activate/deactivate: press button 0044.
If indicator lamp 0043 is lit, operation of the
rear
side windows is disabled. Operation is
only possible using the switches in the
driver's door. If indicator lamp 0043 is off, Children in the vehicle
63
Safety Z
operation is possible using the switches in
the rear compartment.
Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will
find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock Braking System)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System)
R BAS PLUS ( Brake Assist System Plus)
R ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program)
R EBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or
become distracted, the driving safety
systems can neither reduce the risk of
accident nor override the laws of physics.
Driving safety systems are merely aids
designed to assist driving. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed and for braking in
good time. Always adapt your
driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions and maintain a safe distance from
the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
i The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there
is adequate contact between the tires and
the road surface. Please pay special
attention to the notes on tires,
recommended minimum tire tread depths,
etc. (Y page 328).
In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tires (M+S tires) and if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the
driving safety systems described in this
section work as effectively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section ( Y page 64). G
WARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking
characteristics may be severely impaired.
Additionally, further driving safety systems
are deactivated. There is an
increased danger
of skidding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked
immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
When ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information
on the ABS warning lamp ( Y page 259) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 232).
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the
vehicle when braking.
ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph
(8 km/h) upwards, regardless of road-surface
conditions. ABS works on slippery surfaces,
even if you only brake gently.
The yellow 0025 ABS warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up when the ignition
is switched on. It goes out when the engine is
running.
Braking X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal vigorously until the braking
situation is over.
X To make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel
a pulsing in the brake pedal.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an
indication of hazardous road conditions, and 64
Driving safety systemsSafety