2014 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA light

REmergency Tensioning Device for the front
seat belts and the outer seat belts in the
rear
RSeat belt force limiter for the front seat
belts and the outer seat belts in the rear
SRS reduces the risk of vehicle occupants
coming into contact with parts of the
vehicle's interior in the event of an accident.
It can also reduce the forces to which vehicle
occupants are subjected during an accident.
SRS warning lamp
GWARNING
If SRS is malfunctioning, child restraint
systemcomponents 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.
TheSRS 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 theSRS indicator lamp
goes out while the engine is running.
There is a malfunction if:
RtheSRS warning lamp does not light
up when the ignition is switched on
Rthe engine is running and theSRS
warning lamp does not go out after a few
seconds
Rthe engine is running and theSRS
warning lamp lights up again
Triggering of Emergency Tensioning
Devices and air bags
During the first stage of a collision, the air bag
control unit evaluates important physical
data relating to vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, such as:
Rduration
Rdirection
Rmagnitude
Based on the evaluation of this data, the air
bag control unit pre-emptively triggers the
Emergency Tensioning Device in the first
stage.
If there is an even higher rate of vehicle
deceleration or acceleration in a longitudinal
direction, the front air bags are also deployed.
Your vehicle has adaptive, two-stage front air
bags. The air bag control unit evaluates
vehicle deceleration or acceleration in the
event of a collision. 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 reached within a few
milliseconds.
The Emergency Tensioning Device and air bag
triggering thresholds are variable and are
adapted to the detected rate of deceleration
or acceleration of the vehicle. This process is
pre-emptive in nature. The triggering process
must take place in good time at the start of
the collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or
acceleration and the direction of the force are
essentially determined by:
Rthe distribution of forces during the
collision
Rthe collision angle
Rthe deformation characteristics of the
vehicle
Rthe characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided
Factors that can only be seen and measured
after a collision has occurred do not play a
Occupant safety39
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As the airbag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating position
and correct positioning of the hands on the
steering wheel will help to keep you at a safe
distance from the air bag. Occupants who are
notwearing their seat belt, are not seated
properly or are too close to the air bag can be
seriously injured or killed by an air bag, as it
inflates with great force instantaneously:
Rsit with the seat belt fastened correctly and
in a position that is as upright as possible
with your back against the backrest.
Rmove the driver's seat as far back as
possible, still permitting proper operation
of vehicle controls. The distance from the
center of the driver's chest to the center of
the air bag cover on the steering wheel
must be at least 10 inches (25 cm). You
should be able to accomplish this by
adjusting the seat and steering wheel. If
you have any difficulties, please contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Rdo not lean your head or chest close to the
steering wheel or dashboard.
Ronly hold the steering wheel on the outside.
Placing hands and arms inside the rim can
increase the risk and potential severity of
hand/arm injury if the driver front air bag
inflates.
Radjust the front-passenger seat as far back
as possible from the dashboard when the
seat is occupied.
Roccupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their heads
in the area of the door where the side
impact air bag inflates.This could result in
serious or fatal injuries should the side
impact air bag be deployed. 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.
Failure to follow these instructions can result
in severe injuries to you or other occupants.
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.
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 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. TheSRS
warning lamp lights up.
The air bag installation locations are
identified by the AIR BAG symbol.
The air bags are deployed if the air bag control
unit detects the need for deployment.Only in
the event of such a situationwill the air bags
provide their supplemental protection.
If the driverand front passengerdo 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 passenger will then be protected
to the extentpossible by a properly fastened
seat belt.Aproperly fastened seat beltis 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
passenger 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
42Occupant safety
Safety

function for the vehicle occupants in the
event of a crash.
iAfter an airbag has been deployed, have
the vehicle towed to the nearestqualified
specialist workshop, evenifyour vehicle is
ready to drive.
Front air bags
Driver's air bagdeploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger front air
bagdeploys 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:
Rat the start of an accident with a high rate
of vehicle acceleration or deceleration in a
longitudinal direction
Rif the system determines that air bag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
Rdepending on whether the seat belt is being
used
Rindependently of other air bags in the
vehicle
If the vehicle rolls over, the front air bags are
generally not deployed.
Your vehicle has adaptive, two-stage front air
bags. The air bag control unit evaluates
vehicle deceleration or acceleration in the
event of a collision. In the first deployment
stage, the front air bag is filled with part of the
total available propellant gas, thereby
reducing the risk of injury. If the air bag
control unit recognizes within a few
milliseconds that the vehicle is being braked
or accelerated faster than originally
predicted, the front air bag is filled with the
maximum amount of propellant gas available.
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) (Ypage 45).
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.
The front-passenger front air bag will only
deploy if:
Rthe system, based on the OCS weight
sensor readings, detects that the front-
passenger seat is occupied
Rthe PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp on the center console is not lit
(Ypage 45)
Rthe air bag control unit predicts a high
impact severity
Knee bags
Occupant safety43
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in a rear-facing child restraint on the rear
seat.
RIf you install a rear-facing child restraint on
the front-passengerseat, make sure the
indicator lamp is illuminated,
indicating that the front-passenger frontair
bag is deactivated. Should the
indicator lamp not illuminate or go out while
the restraint is installed, please check
installation.Periodically check the
indicator lamp while driving to
make sure that theindicator
lamp is illuminated. If the
indicator lamp goes out or remains out, do
not transport a child on the front-passenger
seat until the system has been repaired.
Achild 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.
RIf 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
RFor children larger than the typical 12-
month-old child, the front-passenger front
air bag may or may not be activated.
GWARNING
If the redSRS warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and the
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-BenzCenter.
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:
RSit with the seat belt properly fastened in a
position that is as upright as possible with
your back against the seat backrest.
RWhen 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.
RRead and observe all warnings in this
chapter.
If the SmartKey has been removed from the
ignition lock or is in position0,
indicator lampdoes 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.
indicator lampshows you the
current status. Ifindicator
lampis lit, the front-passenger front air
bag is disabled.
The system does not deactivate:
Rthe side impact air bag
Rthe window curtain air bag
Rthe Emergency Tensioning Devices
Occupant safety47
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XAdjust the seat and move the backrest to
an almostvertical position (Ypage 90).
XPull the seat belt smoothly through belt
sash guide.
XWithout twisting it, guide the shoulder
section of the seat belt across the middle
of your shoulder and the lap section across
your pelvis.
XEngage belt tonguein buckle".
XIf necessary, adjust the seat belt to the
appropriate height (Ypage 52).
XIf necessary, pull upwards on the shoulder
section of the seat belt to tighten the belt
across your body.
All seat belts in the vehicle with the exception
of the driver's seat belt are equipped with a
special seat belt retractor, with which a child
restraint system can be secured. For further
information on special seat belt retractors,
see (Ypage 57).
Information on releasing the seat belt with
release button!(Ypage 52).
Belt height adjustment
You can adjust the seat belt height on the
frontseats. Adjust the belt to a height that
allows the upper part of the seat belt to be
routed across the center of your shoulder.
XTo raise:slide the belt sash guide upwards.
The belt sash guide engages in various
positions.
XTo lower:press and hold belt sash guide
release.
XSlide the belt sash guide downwards.
XRelease belt sash guide releaseand
make sure that the belt sash guide has
engaged.
Releasing seat belts
!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.
XPress release button!on belt buckle".
XGuide belt tongueback to belt sash
guide.
Belt warning for the driver and front
passenger
Every time the engine is started, the
seat belt warning lamp lights up for six
seconds. It lights up regardless of whether
the driver's and front-passenger seat belts
have already been fastened. If the driver's
and front-passenger seat belts have already
been fastened, theseat belt warning
lamp then goes out.
52Occupant safety
Safety

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:
Rtheseat belt warning lamp remains lit
as long as the driver's or front-passenger's
seat belt is not fastened
and
Rif a vehicle speed of 15 mph (25 km/h) is
exceeded, theseat belt warning lamp
begins to flash.Awarning tone also sounds
with increasing intensity for a maximum of
60 seconds or until the driver or front
passenger have fastened their seat belts.
If the driver/front passenger unfasten their
seat belt while the vehicle is in motion, the
seat belt warning lamp lights up and a
warning tone sounds again.
The warning tone ceases evenifthe driver or
front-passenger seat belt has still not been
fastened after 60 seconds. Theseat belt
warning lamp stops flashing but remains
illuminated.
After the vehicle comes to a standstill, the
warning tone is reactivated. Theseat
belt warning lamp flashes again if the vehicle
speed exceeds 15 mph (25 km/h).
Theseat belt warning lamp only goes
out if:
Rboth the driver and the front passenger
have fastened their seat belts.
or
Rthe vehicle is stationary and a door is open.
iFor more information on theseat
belt warning lamp, see "Warning and
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster,
seat belts" (Ypage 240).
Emergency Tensioning Devices, seat
belt force limiters
GWARNING
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.
The front seat belts and the outer seat belts
in the rear are equipped with Emergency
Tensioning Devices and seat belt force
limiter.
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:
Rthe ignition is switched on.
Rthe restraint systems are operational; see
"SRS warning lamp" (Ypage 39).
Rthe belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the front seat belts.
The ETDs on the outside seats in the rear
compartmentare triggered independently of
the lock status of the seat belts.
The ETDs are triggered depending on the type
and severity of an accident:
Rif, in the event of a head-on or rear-end
collision, the vehicle decelerates or
accelerates rapidly in a longitudinal
Occupant safety53
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direction during the initial stages of the
impact.
Rif, in the event of a side impact, on the side
opposite the impact the vehicle
decelerates or accelerates rapidly in a
lateral direction.
Rif, in certain situationswhere the vehicle
rolls over, the system determines that it
can provide additional protection.
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. TheSRS
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
occupant is reduced.
The seat belt force limiter 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
GWARNING
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
possible. Regardless of seating position,
children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an appropriate
infant restraint, toddler restraint, or booster
seat recommended for the size and weight of
the child.
The infant or child restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle's seat belt, the seat
belt and top tether strap, or lower anchors 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:
RYour 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.
RFor children larger than the typical
12-month-old child, the front passenger
front air bag may or may not be activated.
Always make sure theindicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
RAchild 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
completely eliminate this risk is to never
place a child in a rear-facing child restraint
in the front seat. We therefore strongly
54Children in the vehicle
Safety

Children that are too large for a child restraint
must travel in seats usingnormal seat belts.
Position the shoulder belt across the chest
and shoulder, not the face or neck.Abooster
seat may be necessary to achieve proper seat
belt positioning for children over 41 lbs
(18 kg) until they reach a height wherealap/
shoulder belt fits properly without a booster
seat.
When the child restraint is notinuse, 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.
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
Ropen the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
Rget out and disrupt traffic.
Roperate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshifting the automatic transmission out of
park positionP
RStart 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.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
If the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot.
Children may burn themselves on these parts,
particularly on the metal parts of the child
restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you leave the vehicle, taking the child with
you, always ensure that the child restraint
system is not exposed to direct sunlight.
Protect it with a blanket, for example. If the
child restraint system has been exposed to
direct sunlight, let it cool down before
securing the child in it. Never leave children
unattended in the vehicle.
If an infant or child is traveling in the vehicle:
RSecure the child with a child or infant seat
restraint system appropriate to the age and
weight of the child.
RMake sure that the infant or child is
properly secured at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
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:
Rall 50 states
Rthe U.S. territories
Rthe District of Columbia
Rall 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:
RU.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards 213 and 225
RCanadian 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
56Children in the vehicle
Safety