SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
Introduction SRS consists of:
R
The 001E 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
If SRS is malfunctioning, child restraint
system components may be triggered
unintentionally or might not be triggered at all
in the event of an accident with a high rate of
vehicle deceleration. There is an increased
risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Have SRS checked and repaired immediately
at a qualified specialist workshop.
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 001E 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 001ESRS warning lamp
goes out while the engine is running. There is a malfunction if:
R
the 001E SRS warning lamp does not light
up when the ignition is switched on
R the engine is running and the 001ESRS
warning lamp does not go out after a few
seconds
R the engine is running and the 001ESRS
warning lamp lights up again
Safety guidelines for seat belts,
Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs)
and air bags G
WARNING
R Damaged seat belts or seat belts that have
been subjected to stress in an accident
must be replaced. Their anchoring points
must also be checked. Only use seat belts
installed or supplied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
R Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency
Tensioning Devices (ETDs) contain
perchlorate material, which may require
special handling and regard for the
environment. Check your national disposal
guidelines. California residents, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/
Perchlorate/index.cfm .
R Air bags and ETDs are designed to function
on a one-time-only basis. An air bag or ETD
that has deployed must be replaced.
R Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.
R Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness of the seat belts.
R 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.
R No modifications of any kind may be made
to any components or wiring of the SRS.
R Do not change or remove any component
or part of the SRS.
R Do not install additional trim material, seat
covers, badges, etc. over the steering
wheel hub, front-passenger front air bag Occupant safety
39Safety
Z
Ac
hild 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.
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. If the SmartKey is removed from the ignition
lock or is in position
0, the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp does not light up. G
WARNING
If the red 001ESRS warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and the 0019001B
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-Ben zCenter.
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.
System self-test The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
lights up if you:
R
turn the SmartKey to position 1or 2in the
ignition lock
R press the KEYLESS-GO Start/Stop button
once or twice on vehicles with KEYLESS-
GO.
When an adult is sitting correctly on the front-
passenger seat and is categorized by the OCS
system as an adult, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp lights up and goes off
again after approximately six seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the OCS
system classifies the front-passenger seat as Occupant safety
47Safety Z
being empty, the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp will continue to light up and
not go out. G
WARNING
If the 0019001Bindicator 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.
For more information about the OCS, see
"Problems with the Occupant Classification
System" (Y page 49). G
WARNING
Objects betwee nthe seat surface and the
child restraint system could affect the
function of the OCS. This could result in the
front-passenger front air bag not functioning
as intended during an accident. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Do not place any objectsb etween the seat
surface and the child restraint system. Make
sure that the bottom and back of the child
restraint system make full contact with the
front-passenger seat cushion and backrest.
Always comply with the child restraint system
manufacturer's installation instructions. 48
Occupant safetySafety
Problems with the Occupant Classification System
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
The PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator
lights up and remains
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
Make sure that the front passenger is sitting in a correct, upright
position.
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 213). G
WARNING
If the 0019001B 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. Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
The PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator
lamp does not light up
and/or stays 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 Make sure that the backrest and base of the child restraint
system are resting securely on the front-passenger seat. If
necessary, adjust the position of the front-passenger seat.
X When installing the child restraint system, make sure that the
seat belt is tight. Do not pull the seat belt tight with the front-
passenger seat adjustment .This could result in the seat belt
being pulled too tightly.
X Check the installation of the child restraint system.
X Make sure that no objectsa re applying additional weight onto
the seat.
X If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp remains off, have
the OCS system checked as soon as possible at a qualified
specialist workshop. Do not transport a child on the front-
passenger seat until the OCS has been repaired.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display (Y page 213). Occupant safety
49Safety Z
G
WARNING
If the 0019001B 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 achild on the front-passenger seat until the system has been repaired. 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
PRE-SAFE ®
takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation
detected:
R the front seat belts are pre-tensioned.
R on vehicles with memory function for the
front-passenger seat: the front-passenger
seat is adjusted if it is in an unfavorable
position.
R if the vehicle skids, the 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 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. 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 54). NECK-PRO head restraints
The NECK-PRO head restraints increase
protection to the driver's and front
passenger's head and neck.T o this end, 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. 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 50
Occupant safetySafety
replaced. Visi
taqualified 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 001Fseat belt warning lamp
lights up for six seconds each time the engine
is started. It then goes out if the driver and
the fron tpassenger have already fastened
their seat belts.
If the driver's seat belt is no tfastened 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 no tfastened their seat belts
and the doors are closed, the 001Fseat belt
warning lamp lights up:
R until the driver's or fron tpassenger'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
001F seat belt warning lamp lights up and a
warning tone sounds again.
The warning tone ceases eve nifthe driver or
front-passenger seat belt has still not been
fastened after 60 seconds. The 001Fseat belt
warning lamp stops flashing but remains
illuminated.
After the vehicle comes to a standstill, the
warning tone is reactivated and the 001Fseat
belt warning lamp flashes again if the vehicle
speed again exceeds 15 mph (25 km/h).
The 001F 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 001Fseat
belt warning lamp, see "Warning and
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster,
seat belts" (Y page 232).
Emergency Tensioning Devices, seat
belt force limiters G
WARNING
Pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning Devices
that have been deployed are no longer
operational and are unable to perform their
intended protective function. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Therefore, have pyrotechnic Emergency
Tensioning Devices which have been
triggered immediately replaced at a qualified
specialist workshop.
! 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.
i Vehicles with PRE-SAFE ®
: Emergency
Tensioning Devices that are triggered by an
electric motor can be deployed as often as
desired and do not need to be replaced.
The seat belts 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.
The ETDs can only be activated when:
R the ignition is switched on
R the restraint systems are operational; see
"SRS warning lamp "( Ypage 39) Occupant safety
55Safety Z
R
the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the lap-shoulde rbelts 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 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 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 and does not indicate that there
is a fire in the vehicle. The dust might cause
some temporary breathing difficulty for
people with asthma or other breathing
trouble. To avoid this, you may wish to get out
of the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
You can also open the window to allow fresh
air to enter the vehicle interior. The 001ESRS
warning lamp lights up.
If the seat belt is also equipped with a seat
belt force limiter and this is triggered, the
force exerted by the seat belt on the vehicle
occupan tis reduced.
The seat belt force limiters for the front seats
are synchronized with the front air bags,
which take on a part of the deceleration force.
This results in the force exerted on the
occupant being distributed over a greater
area. Children in the vehicle
Child restraint systems
Important safety notes Mercedes-Benz recommends that you always
properly secure all infants and children with
a child or infant seat restraint system for the
trip.
The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in:
R all 50 states
R the U.S. territories
R the District of Columbia
R 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. The infant or child restraint system
must be properly secured in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions.
All infant or child restraint systems must meet
the following standards:
R U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards 213 and 225
R 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
system. This confirmation can also be found
in the installation instructions that are
included with the child restraint system.
Always read and follow the manufacturer's
instructions when using an infant or child
restraint system or booster seat.
Observe all warning signs in the vehicle
interior and on the infant or child restraint. G
WARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front seating
position. Thus, we strongly recommend that
children be placed in the rear seats whenever 56
Children in the vehicleSafety
system. Only use child restraint systems with
the original cover designed for them. Only
replace damaged covers with genuine covers.
G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is installed
incorrectly or is not secured, it can come
loose in the event of an accident, heavy
braking or a sudden change in direction. The
child restraint system could be thrown about,
striking vehicle occupants. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Always install child restraint systems
properly, even if they are not being used.
Make sure that you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation
instructions. G
WARNING
Child restraint systems or their securing
systems which have been damaged or
subjected to a load in an accident can no
longer protect as intended. The child cannot
then be restrained in the event of an accident,
heavy braking or sudden changes of direction.
There is an increased risk of injury, possibly
even fatal.
Replace child restraint systems which have
been damaged or subjected to a load in an
accident as soon as possible.H ave the
securing systems on the child restraint
system checked at a qualified specialist
workshop, before you install a child restraint
system again. G
WARNING
Infants and small childre nshould never share
a seat belt with another occupant. In the event
of an accident, they could be crushed
between the occupant and seat belt.
Ac hild'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.Ab
ooster
seat may be necessary to achieve proper seat
belt positioning for children over 41 lbs
(18 kg) until they reach a height where alap/
shoulder belt fits properly without a booster
seat.
When the child restraint is no tinuse, 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. G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake.
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R Start the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children. G
WARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected
to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle. G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. 58
Children in the vehicleSafety