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Exiting in an emergency (Coupe only)
If the vehicle is lying on its roof after an
accident, the hinge fasteners of the gullwing
doors are released pyrotechnically. You will
hear a bang if this is the case. After the
fasteners have been released, the doors are
forced outwards. Simultaneously, the door
locks are unlocked. The 0075SRS warning
lamp lights up.
i The hinge fasteners are only released
when the control unit recognizes that
certain conditions have been fulfilled, e.g.
when the vehicle is in a stabilized position
on its roof.
The doors can then be moved from the
inside/outside by pulling the door handle. Seat belts
Important safety notes The use of infant or child restraints 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"
(Y page 51) for further information on
infants and children traveling in the vehicle
as well as on child restraint systems. 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.
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
Damaged seat belts or seat belts that have
been subjected to stress in an accident must
be replaced and their anchoring points must
also be checked.
Only use seat belts which have been approved
by Mercedes-Benz.
Do not make any modifications to the seat
belts. This can lead to unintended activation
of the ETDs or to their failure to activate when
necessary.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection. Occupant safety
47Safety
Z
Page 50 of 286

Have all work carried out only by qualified
technicians. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Correct use of the seat belts G
WARNING
USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY
R Seat belts can only work when used
properly. 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 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 front air 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 preset deployment
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).
R Position the lap belt as low as possible on
your hips and not across the abdomen. If
the lap belt is positioned across your abdomen, it could cause serious injuries in
a crash.
R Never wear seat belts over rigid or
breakable objects in or on your clothing,
such as eyeglasses, pens, keys etc., as
these might cause injuries.
R Make sure the seat belt is always fitted
snugly. Take special care of this when
wearing loose clothing.
R Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time. Do not fasten a seat belt
around a person and another person or
other objects at the same time.
R Seat belts should not be worn twisted. In a
crash, you would not have the full width of
the seat belt to distribute impact forces.
The twisted seat belt against your body
could cause injuries.
R Pregnant women should also always use a
lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion
should be positioned as low as possible on
the hips to avoid any possible pressure on
the abdomen.
R Place the seat backrest in a position that is
as upright as possible.
R Check your seat belt during travel to make
sure it is properly positioned.
R Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
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. 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. 48
Occupant safetySafety
Page 51 of 286

Fastening seat belts
G
WARNING
Children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an
appropriately sized infant restraint, 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. Example: Coupe
X
Adjust the seat and move the backrest to
an almost vertical position(Y page 83).
X Pull the seat belt smoothly from 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 hips. X
Engage belt tongue 0044in buckle 0087.
X If necessary, pull upwards on the shoulder
section of the seat belt to tighten the belt
across your body.
The seat belt on the front-passenger side is
equipped with a special seat belt retractor to
secure child restraint systems properly on the
front-passenger seat. For further information
on special seat belt retractors, see
(Y page 53).
For more information about releasing the seat
belt with release button 0085, see "Releasing
seat belts" ( Ypage 49).
Releasing seat belts X
Press release button 0085(Ypage 49) and
guide belt tongue 0044(Ypage 49) back
towards belt sash guide 0043(Ypage 49).
! 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's and front-
passenger seat belts have already been
fastened, the
0076seat belt warning lamp
lights up for six seconds each time the engine
is started. It then goes out once the driver and
the front passenger have fastened their seat
belts.
If the driver's seat belt is not fastened when
the engine is started, an additional warning
tone will sound. The warning tone switches
off after approximately six seconds or once
the driver's seat belt is fastened. Occupant safety
49Safety Z
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If after six seconds the driver or front
passenger have not fastened their seat belts
and the doors are closed:
R the 0076 seat belt warning lamp remains lit
as long as either the driver's or front-
passenger's seat belt is not fastened
R and if a vehicle speed of 15 mph
(25 km/h) is exceeded, the 0076seat belt
warning lamp lights up and 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 or front-passenger seat belt is
unfastened 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 0076seat belt
warning lamp stops flashing but remains lit.
After the vehicle comes to a standstill, the
warning tone is reactivated and the 0076seat
belt warning lamp flashes again if the vehicle
speed again exceeds 15 mph (25 km/h).
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 0076seat
belt warning lamp, see "Warning and
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster,
seat belt" (Y page 187).
Emergency Tensioning Devices and belt
force limiters The seat belts are equipped with Emergency
Tensioning Devices and seat belt force
limiter.
!
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.
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 limiter are synchronized
with the front air bags, which take on a part
of the deceleration force. Thus, the force
exerted on the occupant is distributed over a
greater area.
When the ignition is switched on, the ETDs
cannot be triggered unless:
R the restraint systems are operational; see
"SRS warning lamp". (Y page 36)
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the three-point seat belts.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied and
the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
the front-passenger side.
The ETDs are triggered depending on the type
and severity of an accident:
R in the event of a head-on or rear-end
collision, if 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, if the vehicle
is subjected to high lateral acceleration/
deceleration
R Coupe: in certain situations if the vehicle
rolls over, and the system determines that
it can provide additional protection
R Roadster: if the vehicle rolls over
If the Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs)
are triggered, you will hear a bang, and a small
amount of smoke may also be released. Only
in rare cases will the bang affect your hearing. 50
Occupant safetySafety
Page 53 of 286

The smoke that is released generally does not
constitute a health hazard. The 0075SRS
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. Children in the vehicle
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. G
WARNING
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment 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 accident
If an infant or child is traveling in the vehicle:
X Secure the child with a child or infant seat
restraint system appropriate to the age and
weight of the child.
X Make sure that the infant or child is
properly secured at all times while the
vehicle is in motion. Child restraint systems
Important safety notes We recommend that all infants and children
be properly restrained using the child
restraint systems at all times while the vehicle
is in motion.
The use of infant or child restraints is required
by law in all 50 states, the District of
Columbia, the U.S. territories and all
Canadian provinces.
Infants and children must always be seated in
an appropriate infant or child restraint system
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. They must be properly secured in
accordance with the manufacturer's
installation instructions for the infant or child
seat restraint system. All infant or child
restraint systems must comply with the U.S.
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213
and 225 and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards 213 and 210.2.
Confirmation that the child restraint system
corresponds to the standards can be found
on an instruction label on the child restraint Children in the vehicle
51Safety Z
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system. This confirmation can also be found
in the installation instructions that are
included with the child restraint system.
When using any infant restraint, child
restraint or booster seat, make sure to
carefully read and follow all manufacturer's
instructions for installation and use.
Please read the warning labels affixed to the
interior of the vehicle or to the infant restraint
or child restraints. 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 system must be
correctly secured using the vehicle's seat belt
in complete 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 killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Please observe the
following important information:
R your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to deactivate the
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 passenger seat.
R a child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
passenger seat will be seriously injured or
even killed if the passenger front air bag
inflates in a collision which could occur
under some circumstances, even with the
air bag technology installed in your vehicle.
R if you install a rearward-facing child
restraint system on the front-passenger
seat, make sure the 00730074indicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the
front-passenger front air bag is disabled. If the
00730074 indicator lamp does not light
up or goes out when the child restraint
system is installed, check the anchorages
of the restraint system. Check the
00730074 indicator lamp regularly while
driving to ensure that the 00730074
indicator lamp is illuminated. If the
00730074 indicator lamp goes out or
remains out, you may only carry a child on
the front-passenger seat once the system
has been repaired.
a child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
passenger seat will be seriously injured or
even killed if the passenger front air bag
inflates.
R when securing a child in a child 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 passenger front air bag
may or may not be activated. G
WARNING
Infants and small children should never share
a seat belt with another occupant. During 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 too big for a toddler restraint must
ride in seats using regular seat belts. Position
the shoulder belt across the chest and
shoulder, not face or neck. A booster seat
may be necessary to achieve proper seat belt
positioning for children over 41 lb (18 kg) until 52
Children in the vehicleSafety
Page 55 of 286

they reach a height where a lap/shoulder belt
fits properly without a booster.
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.
Special seat belt retractor The seat belt on the front-passenger seat is
equipped with a special seat belt retractor.
When enabled, the special seat belt retractor
ensures that the seat belt does not slacken
once the child seat is secured.
Installing a child restraint system:
X Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Pull the seat belt smoothly from the seat
belt retractor.
X Engage the seat belt tongue in the belt
buckle.
Activating the special seat belt retractor:
X Pull the seat belt out fully and let the seat
belt retractor retract it again.
While the seat belt is retracting, you should
hear a ratcheting sound. The special seat
belt retractor is activated.
X Push down on the child restraint system to
take up any slack.
Removing a child restraint system/
deactivating the special seat belt retractor:
X Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Press the seat belt release button and
guide the belt tongue to the belt outlet.
The special seat belt retractor is
deactivated. G
WARNING
Never release the seat belt buckle while the
vehicle is in motion, since the special seat belt
retractor will be deactivated. Installing child restraint systems Observe the "Important safety notes" section
(Y
page 51).
The Top Tether anchorage is installed behind
the front-passenger seat. X
Slide the front-passenger seat forward.
X Remove cover 0043from the Top Tether
anchorage in the direction of the arrow. X
Position Top Tether belt 0085. Comply with
the manufacturer's installation
instructions when doing so.
X Hook Top Tether hook 0087into Top Tether
anchorage 0044.
Ensure that:
R Top Tether hook 0087is hooked into Top
Tether anchorage 0044as shown.
R Top Tether belt 0085is not twisted.
When Top Tether hook 0087is connected, the
child restraint system can be secured. Children in the vehicle
53Safety Z
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X
Install the child restraint system.
X Tension Top Tether belt 0085. Comply with
the manufacturer's installation
instructions when doing so.
The child restraint system with Top Tether
belt 0085has been removed:
X Slide cover 0043onto Top Tether
anchorage 0044. Panic alarm
X
To activate: press0033button 0043for
approximately one second.
An alarm sounds and the exterior lighting
flashes.
X To deactivate: press0033button 0043
again.
or
X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
or
X Press the Start/Stop button.
The SmartKey must be in the vehicle.
i USA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC regulations. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
2. this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device. Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
The Product label with FCC ID and IC
certification number can be found in the
battery case of the key.
i Canada only:
This device complies with RSS-Gen of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
2. this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
The Product label with FCC ID and IC
certification number can be found in the
battery case of the key. 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 BrakingSystem)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
R EBD ( electronic brakeforcedistribution)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The following factors increase the risk of
accidents:
R Excessive speed, especially in turns
R Wet and slippery road surfaces
R Following another vehicle too closely 54
Driving safety systemsSafety