2013 MERCEDES-BENZ SL-Class belt

Knee bags
Driver's knee bag
0002deploys underneath the
steering column and front-passenger knee
bag 0003underneath the glove box .They
deploy together with the front air bags. They
are designed to operate together with the
front air bags in frontal impacts if certain
thresholds are exceeded. The knee bags
operate at best in conjunction with correctly
positioned and fastened seat belts.
Knee bags provide increased protection for
the driver and front passenger against the risk
of:
R knee injuries
R thigh injuries
R lower leg injuries
Side impact air bags 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
impact air bags inoperative or causing
unintended air bag deployment. Work on the
doors must therefore only be performed by
qualified technicians. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. G
WARNING
Only use seat covers which have been tested
and approved by Mercedes-Ben zfor your
vehicle model. Using other seat covers may
interfere with or prevent the deployment of
the side impact air bags. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
availability. Example: side impact air bag on the driver's side
Side impact air bags
0002deploy next to the
outer side bolsters of the seat backrest.
When deployed, the side impact air bags offer
additional protection for the thorax of the
vehicle occupants on the side of the vehicle
on which the impact occurs. However, they
do not protect the:
R head
R neck
R arms
The side impact 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 aside impact
R depending on whether the seat belt is being
used
R independently of the front air bags
R independently of the ETDs
If the vehicle overturns, the side impac tair
bags are generally not deployed. Side impact
air bags are deployed if the system detects
high vehicle deceleration or acceleration in a
lateral direction and determines that side Occupant safety
57Safety Z

impac
tair bag deploymen tcan offer
additional protection to that provided by the
seat belt.
Side impac tair bags will not deploy in side
impacts which do not exceed the system's
prese tdeployment thresholds for lateral
acceleration/deceleration .You will then be
protected by the fastened seat belt.
The side impact air bag on the front-
passenger side does not deploy under the
following conditions:
R the OCS system detects that the front-
passenger seat is not occupied, and
R the front-passenger seat belt is not
fastened.
The side impact air bag on the front-
passenger side will deploy if the front-
passenger seat belt is fastened, regardless of
whether the front-passenger seat is occupied
or not.
Head bags Example: head bag on the front-passenger side
Head bags 0002deploy in the area of the side
windows at the front.H ead 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 head bags are deployed:
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, e.g. in aside impact
R on the side on which an impac toccurs R
on the driver's side and passenger side, in
the event of a vehicle rollover and if the
system determines that ai rbag deployment
can offer the vehicle occupants additional
protection to that provided by the seat belt
R independently of the use of the seat belt
R independently of the fron tair bags
Head bags will not deploy in side impacts
which do not exceed the system's preset
deploymen tthresholds for lateral
acceleration/deceleration. You will then be
protected by the fastened seat belt.
The head bag on the front-passenger side is
not deployed in the following situations:
R the OCS system detects that the front-
passenger seat is not occupied, and
R the front-passenger seat belt is not
fastened.
The head bag on the front-passenger side will
deploy if the front-passenger seat belt is
fastened, regardless of whether the front-
passenger seat is occupied or not. Roll bar
G
DANGER
If the roll bar is malfunctioning, the 0011
Malfunction Service Required message
appears in the multifunction display.T he roll
bars will then possibly 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
specialist workshop immediately and have
the roll bar checked. G
WARNING
If you place objects or clothing on the roll bar
covers, these could impair roll bar extension.
You and others could be injured by objects
being thrown around when the roll bars are
triggered.
Ensure that the area above the roll bar covers
is kept clear. Stow objects or clothing in a
secure place. 58
Occupant safetySafety

If the
0016 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is illuminated ,the front-
passenger front air bag and the front-
passenger knee bag are deactivated and are
not deployed.
If the 0016 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is not illuminated, the front-
passenger front air bag and the front-
passenger knee bag are activated and are
deployed:
R in certain front impacts
R independently of the side impact air bag
and head bag
R if the impact has exceeded a
predetermined threshold value for
deployment
If the front-passenger front air bag is
deployed, the rate of inflation will be
influenced by:
R the rate of vehicle deceleration as assessed
by the air bag control unit
R the front passenger's weight category as
determined by the OCS G
WARNING
Children under 12 years must be secured
correctly in a suitable infant or child restraint
system or booster seat suitable for the size
and weight of the child.
The infant or child restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle's seat belt fully in
accordance with the child seat
manufacturer's instructions.
Occupants, in particular children, must sit as
upright as possible, fasten the seat belt
correctly and use a suitable infant restraint
system, child restraint system or booster seat
suitable for the size and weight of the child.
Children can be seriously or even fatally
injured by an air bag deploying.
Observe the following information:
R Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to deactivate the
front-passenger front air bag and the front- passenger knee 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
system on the front-passenger seat will be
seriously injured or even killed if the front-
passenger front air bag inflates in a collision
despite the air bag technology installed in
your vehicle, which could occur under some
circumstances.
R If you must install a rearward-facing child
restraint on the front-passenger seat, make
sure the 0016PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is illuminated, indicating
that the front-passenger front air bag and
front-passenger knee bag are deactivated.
If the 0016 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp does not light up or goes out
when a rearward-facing child restraint
system is installed, please check
installation. Periodically check the 0016
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
while driving to make sure the 0016
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is
illuminated. If the 0016PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp goes out or
remains out do not carry a child on the
front-passenger seat.
R Ac hild in a rearward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat will be
seriously injured or even killed if the front-
passenger air bag is deployed. 60
Occupant safetySafety

R
When securing a child in achild restraint
system on the front-passenger seat, you
must:
- move the front-passenger seat as far
back as possible
- use a child restraint system that is
suitable for the age, size and weight of
the child
- observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions in order to install and secure
the child restraint system correctly.
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 001BSRS warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and the 0016PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp light up
simultaneously, the OCS is malfunctioning.
The front-passenger front air bag and the
front-passenger knee bag will be deactivated
in this case. Have the system checked as soon
as possible by qualified technicians. Consult
an authorized Mercedes-Ben zCenter.
Only have the seat repaired at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
In order to ensure correct operation of the air
bag system and OCS:
R sit with the seat belt fastened correctly and
in a position that is as upright as possible
with your back against the backrest.
R while seated, an occupant should not
position themselves in such away as to
cause their weigh tto be lifted from the seat
cushion as this may result in OCS being
unable to correctly assess the occupant's
weight category.
R read and observe all warnings in this
section. If the key has been removed from the ignition
lock or is in position
0, the00040006
indicator lamp 0002does not light up.
The 00040005 indicator lamp 0003is
inoperative. It lights up briefly when the
ignition is switched on and then goes out
again.
Occupant Classification System (OCS)
categories the occupant on the front-
passenger seat using a weight sensor. The
front-passenger front air bag and the front-
passenger knee bag are deactivated
automatically for certain weight categories.
The 00040006 indicator lamp 0002shows you
the current status. If the 00040006indicator
lamp 0002lights up, the front-passenger air bag
and the front-passenger knee bag are
disabled.
The OCS weight sensor reading is affected if
the occupant's weight is transferred, e.g. by
leaning on the armrest.
Both the driver and the front passenger
should always observe the 00040006
indicator lamp 0002to 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 250).
The system does not deactivate:
R the side impact air bag
R the front-passenger head bag
R the Emergency Tensioning Devices Occupant safety
61Safety Z

To be classified correctly, the frontp
assenger
must sit:
R with the seat belt fastened correctly
R in a positio nthat is as upright as possible
with their back against the seat backrest
R with their feet on the floor
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
and front-passenger knee bag. Deactivation
takes place although the collision fulfills the
criteria for deploying the driver's air bag.
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.
Mercedes-Ben zrecommends that you only
use seat accessories which have been
approved by Mercedes-Benz.
System self-test G
WARNING
If the 0016 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp does not illuminate, the system
is not functioning. Consult an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center before seating a 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
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 00040006 indicator lamp lights up:
R if you turn the SmartKey in the ignition lock
to position 1or 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 00040006 indicator lamp goes out after
approximately 6seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the OCS
detects that the front-passenger seat is
empty, the 00040006indicator lamp will
continue to light up. The 00040006front-
passenger fron tair bag warning lamp then
stays lit continuously.
For more information about the OCS, see
"Problems with the Occupant Classification
System" (Y page 63). 62
Occupant safetySafety

PRE-SAFE
®
(anticipatory occupant
protection system) G
WARNING
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
as you adjust the seat. 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.
! 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.
PRE-SAFE ®
takes preemptive measures to
protect occupants in certain hazardous
situations.
PRE-SAFE ®
intervenes:
R if BAS intervenes, e.g. in emergency
braking situations.
R when BAS PLUS intervenes powerfully on
vehicles with DISTRONIC PLUS.
R when the radar sensor system detects an
imminent danger of collision in certain
situations on vehicles with DISTRONIC
PLUS.
R in critical driving situations, e.g. when
physical limits are exceeded and the
vehicle understeers or oversteers severely.
PRE-SAFE ®
takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation
detected:
R the seat belts are pre-tensioned.
R the front-passenger seat is adjusted if it is
in an unfavorable position.
R vehicles with a multicontour seat or active
multicontour seat: the air pressure in the side bolsters of the seat cushion and
backrest is increased.
R if the vehicle skids, the side windows are
closed almost completely.
If the hazardous situation passes without
resulting in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens
the belt pre-tensioning. All settings made by
PRE-SAFE ®
can then be reversed.
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.
More information about seat belt adjustment,
a convenience function integrated into PRE-
SAFE (Y page 68). NECK-PRO head restraints
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Do not secure any objects (e.g. coat hangers)
on the NECK-PRO head restraints. Otherwise,
the NECK-PRO head restraints may not
function properly, or in the event of a rear-end
collision may not be able offer the level of
protection they are designed to provide. G
WARNING
Seat or head restraint covers can cause a
malfunction when the NECK-PRO head
restraints are activated or when the side
impact air bags are deployed, or they can
prevent this completely. The NECK-PRO head
restraints or side impact air bags can
therefore not provide the intended protection.
Do not use any seat or head restraint covers. 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 64
Occupant safetySafety

at eye level. This will reduce the potential for
injury to the head and nec kinthe event of an
accident or similar situation. G
WARNING
For safety reasons, have the NECK-PRO head
restraints checked at a qualified specialist
workshop after a rear-end collision.
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
collision of a certain severity. This provides
better head support.
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 65). Otherwise, the
additional protection will not be available in
the event of another rear-end collision. You
can recognize when NECK-PRO head
restraints have been triggered by the fact that
they have moved forwards and can no longer
be adjusted.
Resetting triggered NECK-PRO head
restraints 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. X
Tilt the top of the NECK-PRO head restraint
cushion forwards in the direction of
arrow 0002.
X Push the NECK-PRO head restraint cushion
down in the direction of arrow 0003as far as
it will go.
X Firmly push the NECK-PRO head restraint
cushion back in the direction of arrow 0027
until the cushion engages.
X Repeatt his procedure for the second
NECK-PRO head restraint.
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. Seat belts
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Always fasten your seat belt before driving off.
Always make sure your passenger is properly
restrained. You and your passenger should
always wear seat belts.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and
position your seat belt considerably increases
your risk of injuries and their likely severity in
an accident.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries
could be considerably more severe if you have
not fastened your seat belt correctly. If you do
not fasten your seat belt, you are much more
likely to collide with parts of the vehicle
interior or be ejected from it. This may result
in serious or fatal injury.
In the same crash, the possibility of serious or
fatal injury is considerably reduced if you wear
your seat belt properly. The air bags can only
offer the intended protection if the occupants
are wearing their seat belts properly. Occupant safety
65Safety Z

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 beltinacollision. If you slide under
it, the sea tbelt 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:
R all 50 states
R U.S. territories
R the DistrictofC olumbia
R all Canadia nprovinces Even where this is not required by law, all
vehicle occupants should correctly fasten
their seat belts before starting the journey.
i
See "Children in the vehicle"
(Y page 70) for further information on
infants and children traveling in the vehicle
as well as on child restraint systems.
Proper use of the seat belts G
WARNING
USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY
R Seat belts can only work when used
properly.N ever 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 Each occupant should wear their seat belt
at all times, because seat belts help reduce
the likelihood of and potential severity of
injuries in accidents, including rollovers.
The integrated restraint system includes
SRS (driver front air bag, knee bags, front-
passenger fron tair bag, side impact air
bags, head air bags), Emergency
Tensioning Devices (ETDs) and seat belt
force limiters. The system is designed to
enhance the protection offered to properly
belted occupants in certain frontal (front air
bags, knee bags and ETDs) and side (side
impact air bags, head air bags and ETDs)
impacts which exceed prese tdeployment
thresholds.
R Never wear the shoulder belt under your
arm, across your neck or off your shoulder.
In a frontal crash, your body would move
too far forward. That would increase the
chance of head and neck injuries. The seat
belt would also apply too much force to the
ribs or abdomen, which could severely
injure internal organs such as your liver or
spleen.
Adjust the seat belt so that the shoulder
section is located as close as possible to
the middle of the shoulder (it should not
touch the neck). 66
Occupant safetySafety