If the SmartKey is removed from the ignition
lock or is in position 0,PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp 001Adoes not light up.
The Occupant Classification System (OCS)
categorize sthe occupant on the front-
passenge rseat using aweight sensor .The
front-passenger front air bag is deactivated
automatically for certain weight categories.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
shows you the current status.
Occupant Classification System (OCS)
categories the occupant on the front-
passenger seat using aweight sensor.
The front-passenger front air bag and the
front-passenger knee bag are deactivated
automatically for certain weight categories.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
shows you the current status.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp lights up, the front-passenger front air
bag and the front-passenger knee bag are
disabled.
The system does not deactivate:
R the side impact air bag
R the pelvis air bag
R the window curtain air bag
R the Emergency Tensioning Devices
To be classified correctly, the front passenger
must sit:
R with the seat belt fastened correctly
R in ap osition that is as upright as possible
with their back against the seat backrest
R with their feet on the floor The OCS weight sensor reading is affected if
the occupant's weight is transferred, e.g. by
leaning on the armrest.
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.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you only use seat
accessories that have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Both the driver and the front passenger
should always observe the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp as an indication of
whether or not the front passenger is
positioned correctly. Observe also the air bag
displaym essages that can be displayed in the
instrumentc luster (Ypage 244).
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 achild restraint system
R is occupied by asmall individual, such as a
young teenager or asmall adult
R is occupied by achild in achild restraint
system whose weight is greater than that
of at ypical twelve montho ld 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.
For further information ,see "Air bag display
messages" (Y page 244).
System self-test G
WARNING
If the 000F000Bindicator lamp does not
illuminate, the system is not functioning. You
must contac tanauthorized Mercedes-Benz 50
Occupant safetySafety
Cente
rbefore seating any child on the front
passenger seat. G
WARNING
Objects between the seat surface and the
child restraint system could affect the
function of the OCS. This could result in the
front-passenger fron tair bag not functioning
as intended during an accident. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Do not place any objects between 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.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 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 onceort wice 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 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp goes out again after approximately six
seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the OCS
system detects that the front-passenger
seat is empty, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp will continue to light up.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp will not go out.
For more information about the OCS, see
"Problems with the Occupant Classification
System "(Ypage 52). Occupant safety
51Safety Z
Problems with the Occupant Classification System
G
WARNING
If the 000F000B indicator lamp illuminates and remains illuminated when the weight of atypical
adult or someone larger than asmall individual has been detected on the passenger seat, do not
allow any occupant to use the passenger seat until the system has been repaired. G
WARNING
If the 000F000B indicator lamp does not illuminate or remains out with the weight of atypical
12-month-old child in astandard 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. Problem Possiblec
auses/consequencesa nd000B 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 achild The COS is malfunctioning.
X
Make sure that the front passenger is sitting in acorrect ,upright
position.
X Have the COS checked as soon as possible at aqualified
specialist workshop.
X Observe the additional displaym essages in the multifunction
display( Ypage 244). 52
Occupant safetySafety
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
000B Solutions
The PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator
lamp does not light up
and/or does not stay
on.
The front-passenger
seat is:
R
unoccupied
R occupied with the
weight of achild up
to twelve months old
in ac hild restraint
system The COS is malfunctioning.
X
Make sure there is nothingb etween the seat cushion and the
child seat.
X Make sure that the backrest and base of the child restraint
system rest 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 pulledt oo tightly.
X Check the installation of the child restraint system.
X Make sure that no objectsa re applying additionalweight onto
the seat.
X If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp remains off, have
the COS checked immediatel yataqualified specialist
workshop. Do not transport achild on the front-passenger seat
until the COS has been repaired.
X Observ ethe additional display messages in the multifunction
display ( Ypage 244). NECK-PRO head restraints/NECK-
PRO luxur
yhead restraints
Importan tsafet ynotes G
WARNING
The function of the head restraint may be
impaired if you:
R attach objects such as coat hangers to the
head restraints, for example
R use head restraint covers
If you do so, the head restraint scannot fulfill
their intended protective function in the event
of an accident. In addition, objects attached
to the head restraint scould endanger other
vehicle occupants. There is an increased risk
of injury.
Do not attach any objects to the head
restraint sand do not use head restraint
covers.
NECK-PRO head restraints/NECK-PRO luxury
head restraint sincrease protection of the driver'
sand front-passenger's head and
neck. In the event of arear collision of a
certain severity, the NECK-PRO head
restraints/NECK-PRO luxury head restraints
on the driver' sand the front-passenger seats
are moved forwards and upwards. This
provides better head support.
If the NECK-PRO head restraints/NECK-PRO
luxury head restraint shave been triggered in
an accident, reset the NECK-PRO head
restraints/NECK-PRO luxury head restraints
on the driver' sand front-passenger seats
(Y page 54). 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.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have
the NECK-PRO head restraints/NECK-PRO
luxury head restraint schecked at aqualified
specialist workshop after arear-end collision. Occupant safety
53Safety Z
R
if, on vehicles with DISTRONIC PLUS ,the
radar sensor system detect sanimminent
dange rofcollision 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 the front-passenger seat is adjusted if it is
in an unfavorable position.
R vehicles with amulticontour 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 sliding sunroof 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. The air pressure in
the side bolsters on the multicontour seat/
active multicontour seat is reduced again. 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-tensionin gisreduced and
the lockin gmechanism is released.
Information about seat belt adjustment, a
convenienc efunction integrated into PRE-
SAFE ®
,c an be found in the "Seat belt
adjustment" section (Y page 57).Seat belts
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The seat belt does not offer the intended level
of protection if the backrest is not in the
upright position. When braking or in the event of an accident
,you could slide underneath the
seat belt and sustain abdomen or neck
injuries, for example. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Adjust the seat properly before beginning
your journey. Always make sure that the seat
is in the upright position. G
WARNING
Seat belts cannot protect as intended, if:
R they are damaged, extremely dirty,
bleached or dyed
R the seat belt buckle is damaged or
extremely dirty
R the Emergency Tensionin gDevices or the
belt anchorage has been modified.
Damage caused to seat belts in an accident
may not be visible, e.g. by splinters of glass.
Modified or damaged seat belts can tear or
fail, for example in the event of an accident.
Modified Emergency Tensionin gDevices may
be deployed unintentionally or fail to be
deployed when required. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Never modify seat belts, Emergency
Tensionin gDevices, seat belt anchorages and
inertia reels. Ensure that seat belts are not
damaged or worn and are clean.
Only use seat belts that have been approved
for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
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 Canadia nprovinces
Even where this is not required by law,a ll
vehicl eoccupants should correctly fasten
their seat belts before starting the journey.
i See "Children in the vehicle"
(Y page6 0) for further information on
infants and children traveling in the vehicle
as wellasonc hild restraint systems. Occupant safety
55Safety Z
placed in the rear seat whenever possible.
Regardless of seatin
gposition ,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.
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. X
Adjust the seat and move the backrest to
an almost vertical position (Y page 98).
X Pull the seat belt smoothly through belt
sash guide 001A.
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 0010in buckle 0024.
Seat-belt adjustment:ifn ecessary, the
driver's and front-passenger seat belts
automatically adjust to the upper body
(Y page 57). X
If necessary, adjust the seat belt to the
appropriate height (Y page 58).
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 aspecial seat belt retractor to
securely fasten child restraint systems in the
vehicle. Further information can be found
under "Special seat belt retractor"
(Y page 63).
For more information about releasing the seat
belt with release button 0021,see "Releasing
seat belts" (Y page 58).
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 2in the ignition lock.
R the SmartKey is in position 2in the ignition
lock and you then engage the belt tongue
in the buckle.
The seat-belt adjustment will apply a
retraction forc eifany 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 233).
The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE ®
convenience function .More
information about PRE-SAFE ®
can be found
under "PRE-SAFE ®
(preventativ eoccupant
protection)" (Y page 54). Occupant safety
57Safety Z
Bel
theight adjustment Yo
uc an adjus tthe seat belt height on the
front seats. Adjust the belt to aheight that
allowst he upper part of the seat belt to be
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 001A.
X Slide the belt sash guide downwards.
X Release belt sash guide release 001Aand
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 aqualified specialist
workshop. X
Press release button 0021on belt buckle 0024.
X Guideb elt tongue 0010to belt sash
guide 001A.
Belt warning for the driver and front
passenger Regardless of whether the driver's and front-
passenger seat belts have already been
fastened, the
0013seat 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
am aximum 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:
R the 0013 seat belt warning lamp remains lit
as long as the driver's or front-passenger's
seat belt is not fastened
and
R ifav ehicle speed of 15 mph (25 km/h) is
exceeded, the 0013seat belt warning lamp
begins to flash. Awarning tone also sounds
wit hincreasing intensit yfor am aximum of 58
Occupant safetySafety
60 seconds or until the drive
rorfront
passenger have fastene dtheir sea tbelts.
If the driver/fron tpassenger unfasten their
seat belt while the vehicle is in motion ,the
0013 seat belt warning lamp lights up and a
warning tones ounds again.
The warning tonec eases even if the driver or
front-passenger seat belt has still not been
fastened after 60 seconds. The 0013seat belt
warning lamp stops flashing but remains
illuminated.
After the vehicle comes to astandstill, the
warning toneisr eactivated and the seat belt
warning lamp 0013flashes again if the vehicle
speed again exceeds 15 mph (25 km/h).
The 0013 seat belt warning lamp only goes
out if:
R both the driver and the fron tpassenger
have fastened their seat belts.
or
R thev ehicle is stationar yand adoor is open.
i For mor einformatio nonthe0013 seat
belt warning lamp, see "Warning and
indicator lamps in th einstrumen tcluster,
seat belts" ( Ypage 265).
Emergency Tensionin gDevices, seat
belt force limiters G
WARNING
Pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning Devices
that have been deployed are no longer
operational and are unable to perfor mtheir
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 aqualified
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 ®
:E mergency
Tensioning Devices that are triggered by an
electric motor can be deployed as often as
desired and do not need to be replaced.
The front seat belts and the outer seat belts
in the rear are equipped with Emergency
Tensioning Devices 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 incorrects eat
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 0012"(Ypage 41)
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the front seat belts.
The ETDs on the outside seats in the rear
compartmenta re triggeredindependently of
the lock status of the seat belts.
The ETDs are triggere ddepending on the type
and severity of an accident:
R if, in the event of ahead-on or rear-end
collision, the vehicl edecelerates or
accelerates rapidly in alongitudinal
direction during the initia lstages of the
impact
R if,int he event of asidei mpact ,onthe side
opposite the impact the vehicle
decelerates or accelerates rapidl yina
latera ldirection
R if,inc ertainsituations where the vehicle
rolls over ,the system determines that it
can provide additional protection
If the ETD sare deployed, you will hear abang,
and asmall amoun tofpowder may also be
released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that is
released generally does not constitute a Occupant safety
59Safety Z