2014 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class Owner's Manual

Problems with the occupant classification system
G
WARNING
If the 00730074 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. G
WARNING
If the 00730074 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 a child on the front-passenger seat until the system has been repaired. Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0050 0050Solutions 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
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 279). Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0050 0050Solutions 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 the
weight of a child up
to twelve months old
in a child restraint
system The OCS is malfunctioning.
X
Make sure there is nothing between the seat cushion and the
child seat.
X Check the installation of the child restraint system.
X Make sure that no objects are 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 279). Occupant safety
55Safety Z

PRE-SAFE
®
(anticipatory occupant
protection system)
Introduction PRE-SAFE
®
takes preemptive measures to
protect occupants in certain hazardous
situations.
Important safety notes !
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.
Despite your vehicle being equipped with the
PRE-SAFE ®
system, the possibility of
personal injuries occurring as a result of an
accident cannot be eliminated.
Always adapt your driving style to suit the
prevailing road and weather conditions and
maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in
front. Drive carefully.
Function PRE-SAFE
®
intervenes:
R in emergency braking situations, e.g. when
BAS is activated.
R in critical driving situations, e.g. when
physical limits are exceeded and the
vehicle understeers or oversteers severely.
R vehicles with the Driving Assistance
package: when a driver assistance system
intervenes powerfully or the radar sensor
system detects an imminent danger of
collision in certain situations
PRE-SAFE ®
takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation
detected:
R the front seat belts are pre-tensioned.
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.
R the front-passenger seat is adjusted if it is
in an unfavorable position. R
vehicles with electrically adjustable
rear seats: the outer rear seats are
adjusted if they are in an unfavorable
position.
R vehicles with a multicontour seat: the
air pressure in the side bolsters of the
backrest is increased.
R vehicles with seat belt extenders: the
seat belts of the outer rear seats are pre-
tensioned.
If the hazardous situation passes without
resulting in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens
the belt pre-tensioning. On vehicles with
multicontour seats, the air pressure in the
side bolsters 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-tensioning is reduced and
the locking mechanism is released.
The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE ®
convenience function. More
information about seat-belt adjustment can
be found under "Seat-belt adjustment"
(Y page 60).
More information about PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS
(Y page 56). PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS (anticipatory
occupant protection system PLUS)
General information PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS is only available in vehicles
with the Driving Assistance package.
Using the radar sensor system, PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS is able to detect that a head-on or rear-
end collision is imminent. In certain
hazardous situations, PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS takes
pre-emptive measures to protect the vehicle
occupants. 56
Occupant safetySafety

Important safety notes
The intervention of PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS cannot
prevent an imminent collision.
The driver is not warned when PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS intervenes.
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS does not intervene:
R if the vehicle is backing up
R when the vehicle is towing a trailer and
there is a risk of a rear-end collision
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS does not perform braking
actions while the vehicle is in motion or when
Parking Guidance is active.
Function PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS intervenes in certain
situations if the radar sensor system detects
an imminent head-on or rear-end collision.
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS takes the following
measures depending on the hazardous
situation detected:
R If the radar sensor system detects that a
head-on collision is imminent, the seat
belts are pre-tensioned.
R If the radar sensor system detects that a
rear-end collision is imminent:
-the brake pressure is increased if the
driver applies the brakes when the
vehicle is stationary.
- the seat belts are pre-tensioned.
The PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS braking application is
canceled in the following situations:
R if the accelerator pedal is depressed when
a gear is engaged
R if the risk of a collision passes or is no
longer detected
R if DISTRONIC PLUS indicates an intention
to pull away
If the hazardous situation passes without
resulting in an accident, the original settings
are restored. Automatic measures after an
accident
Immediately after an accident, the following
measures are implemented, depending on
the type and severity of the impact:
R by activating the hazard warning lamps
R the emergency lighting is activated
R the vehicle doors are unlocked
R the front side windows are lowered
R the electrically adjustable steering wheel is
raised
R the engine is switched off
R vehicles with seat belt extenders: the
seat-belt buckles for the outer rear seats
are illuminated and extend forwards
R vehicles with mbrace: automatic
emergency call
R vehicles with the hybrid drive system:
the hybrid system is deactivated Seat belts
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Objects next to the front seat that block the
belt buckle or the moving belt anchorage on
the front seat impair the function of the
Emergency Tensioning Devices. The
Emergency Tensioning Devices may not
function as intended and the seat belt may no
longer provide the intended protection. This
poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal
injury.
Before starting the journey, make sure that
there are no objects around the belt buckle or
between the front seat and door. 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 Occupant safety
57Safety
Z

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 Tensioning Devices 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 Tensioning Devices 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
Tensioning Devices, 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 Canadian provinces
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 63) for further information on
infants and children traveling in the vehicle
as well as on child restraint systems. 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, front-passenger
front air bag, side impact air bags, window
curtain air bags for the side windows),
Emergency Tensioning Devices, seat belt
force limiters, and front seat knee bolsters.
The system is designed to enhance the
protection offered to properly belted
occupants in certain frontal (front air bags
and ETDs) and side (side impact air bags,
window curtain air bags, and ETDs) impacts
which exceed preset deployment
thresholds and in certain rollovers (window
curtain air bags and ETDs).
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. Never pass the shoulder
portion of the seat belt under your arm. For
this purpose, you can adjust the height of
the seat belt outlet.
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 58
Occupant safetySafety

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 routed
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. Fastening seat belts G
WARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained on the rear
seats than on the front-passenger seat. Thus,
we strongly recommend that children be
placed in the rear seat whenever possible.
Regardless of seating position, 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.
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. X
Adjust the seat and move the backrest to
an almost vertical position (Y page 110).
X Pull the seat belt smoothly through 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 pelvis. Occupant safety
59Safety Z

X
Engage belt tongue 0044in buckle 0087.
Seat-belt adjustment: if necessary, the
driver's and front-passenger seat belts
automatically adjust to the upper body
(Y page 60).
X If necessary, adjust the seat belt to the
appropriate height (Y page 60).
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 a special seat belt retractor to
securely fasten child restraint systems in the
vehicle. Further information on the "Special
seat belt retractor" (Y page 66).
Information on releasing the seat belt with
release button 0085(Ypage 60).
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 force if any slack is detected
between the occupant and the seat belt. Do
not hold on to the seat belt tightly while it is
adjusting. Information on activating and
deactivating the seat-belt adjustment
function can be found in the separate
COMAND operating instructions.
The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE ®
convenience function. More
information about PRE-SAFE ®
(Y page 56). Belt height adjustment
You can adjust the seat belt height on the
front seats. Adjust the belt to a height that
allows the 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 0043.
X Slide the belt sash guide downwards.
X Release belt sash guide release 0043and
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. 60
Occupant safetySafety

X
Press release button 0085on belt buckle 0087.
X Guide belt tongue 0044to belt sash
guide 0043.
Seat belt extender General information
The seat belt extender is used on the outer
rear seats. As the height can be adjusted
automatically, it offers various comfort and
safety functions.
Important safety notes
Ensure that no objects impair the movement
of the seat belt buckle.
Function
To assist you in finding and fastening the seat
belt buckle:
R the belt buckle moves forwards to a
convenient position
R the belt buckle is illuminated
i After fastening, the belt buckle returns to
its normal position. The seat belt is
therefore no longer loose over the lap or
thorax.
Incorporation into the PRE-SAFE ®
system:
The belt buckle is quickly lowered in
hazardous situations to pre-tension the seat
belt. Incorporation into the measures after an
accident:
If a rear door is opened after an accident:
R
the belt buckle moves forwards
R the belt buckle is illuminated
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 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
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:
R the 0076 seat belt warning lamp remains lit
as long as the driver's or front-passenger's
seat belt is not fastened
and
R if a vehicle speed of 15 mph (25 km/h) is
exceeded, the 0076seat belt warning lamp
begins to flash. A warning 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
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
illuminated.
After the vehicle comes to a standstill, the
warning tone is reactivated and the 0076seat Occupant safety
61Safety Z

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 belts" (Y page 302).
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, in the event of
an accident the different stages of the
Emergency Tensioning Devices could be
triggered.
i An electric motor is used by PRE-SAFE ®
to trigger the tightening of the seat belt in
hazardous situations. This procedure is
reversible.
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 incorrect seat
positions or incorrectly fastened seat belts.
The ETDs do not pull vehicle occupants back
towards the backrest.
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.
When triggered, seat belt force limiters help
to reduce the force exerted by the seat belt
on the vehicle occupant.
The seat belt force limiters for the front seats
are synchronized with the front air bags,
which absorb part of the deceleration force.
This results in the force exerted on the
occupant being distributed over a greater
area.
The ETDs can only be activated when:
R
the ignition is switched on
R the restraint systems are operational; see
"SRS warning lamp" (Y page 45)
R the front-passenger seat is occupied and
the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
the front-passenger side
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the three-point seat belts in front
The ETDs on the outside seats in the rear
compartment are triggered independently of
the lock status of the seat belts.
The various stages of the Emergency
Tensioning Devices 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
decelerates or accelerates rapidly in a
lateral direction on the side opposite to the
impact.
R in certain situations where the vehicle rolls
over if the system determines that it can
provide additional protection. 62
Occupant safetySafety