Transporting children safelyVehicle features and optionsThis chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due tothe selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems. The respectively applicable country
provisions must be observed when using the
respective features and systems.
The right place for children
Note
Children in the vehicle
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle; otherwise, they could endanger them‐
selves and other persons, e.g., by opening the
doors.◀
Children should always be in the rear Accident research shows that the safest place
for children is in the back seat.
Transporting children in the rear
Only transport children younger than
13 years of age or shorter than 5 ft/150 cm in
the rear in child restraint systems provided in
accordance with the age, weight and size of
the child; otherwise, there is an increased risk
of injury in an accident.
Children 13 years of age or older must wear a
safety belt as soon as a suitable child restraint
system can no longer be used due to their age,
weight and size.◀
Children on the front passenger seat
Should it ever be necessary to use a child re‐
straint system in the front passenger seat,
make sure that the front, knee and side airbags
on the front passenger side are deactivated.
Automatic deactivation of front-seat passen‐
ger airbags, refer to page 99.Note
Deactivating the front-seat passenger
airbags
If a child restraint system is used in the front
passenger seat, deactivate the front-seat pas‐
senger airbags; otherwise, there is an in‐
creased risk of injury to the child when the air‐
bags are activated, even with a child restraint
system.◀
Installing child restraint
systems
Hints Manufacturer's information for child re‐straint systems
To select, mount and use child restraint sys‐
tems, observe the information provided by the
system manufacturer; otherwise, the protec‐
tive effect can be lost.◀
Ensuring the stability of the child seat
When installing child restraint systems,
make sure that the child seat is securely fas‐
tened to the backrest of the seat. Angle and
headrest of the backrest might need to be ad‐
justed or possibly be removed. Make sure that
all backrests are securely locked. Otherwise
the stability of the child seat can be affected,
and there is an increased risk of injury becauseSeite 61Transporting children safelyControls61
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of unexpected movement of the seat back‐
rest.◀
On the front passenger seat
Deactivating airbags Deactivating the front-seat passenger
airbags
If a child restraint system is used in the front
passenger seat, deactivate the front-seat pas‐
senger airbags; otherwise, there is an in‐
creased risk of injury to the child when the air‐
bags are activated, even with a child restraint
system.◀
After installing a child restraint system in the
front passenger seat, make sure that the front,
knee and side airbags on the front passenger
side are deactivated.
Deactivate the front-seat passenger airbags automatically, refer to page 99.
Seat position and height
Before installing a child restraint system, move
the front passenger seat as far back as possi‐
ble and adjust its height to the highest and
thus best possible position for the belt and to
offer optimal protection in the event of an acci‐
dent.
If the upper anchorage of the safety belt is lo‐
cated in front of the belt guide of the child seat,
move the passenger seat carefully forward un‐
til the best possible belt guide position is
reached.
Backrest width Backrest width for the child seat
Before installing a child restraint system
in the front passenger seat, the backrest width
must be opened completely. Do not changethe adjustment after this; otherwise, the stabil‐
ity of the child seat will be reduced.◀
Adjustable backrest width: before installing a
child restraint system in the front passenger
seat, open the backrest width completely. Do
not change the backrest width again and do
not call up a memory position.
Child seat security
The rear safety belts and the front passenger
safety belt can be permanently locked to fas‐
ten child restraint systems.
The front passenger safety belt can be perma‐
nently locked to fasten child restraint systems.
Locking the safety belt
1.Pull out the strap completely.2.Secure the child restraint system with the
belt.3.Allow the strap to be pulled in and pull it
tight against the child restraint system.
The safety belt is locked.
Unlocking the safety belt
1.Unbuckle the belt buckle.2.Remove the child restraint system.3.Allow the strap to be pulled in completely.Seite 62ControlsTransporting children safely62
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erational readiness of the entire airbag system
and the belt tensioner.
Airbag system malfunctioning▷Warning lamp does not come on when the
ignition is turned on.▷The warning lamp lights up continuously.
In case of a malfunction have airbag sys‐
tem checked immediately.
In case of a malfunction have airbag system
checked immediately; otherwise, there is a risk
that the system does not function as expected
in case of a severe accident.◀
Automatic deactivation of the front-
seat passenger airbags
The system reads if the front passenger seat is
occupied by measuring the human body's re‐
sistance.
Front, knee and side airbag on the front pas‐
senger's side are either activated or deacti‐
vated.
Leave feet in the footwell
Make sure that the front passenger
keeps his or her feet in the footwell; otherwise,
proper functioning of the front passenger air‐
bag might not be assured.◀
Child restraint fixing system in the front
passenger seat
Before transporting a child on the front pas‐
senger seat, refer to the safety notes and in‐
structions for children on the front passenger
seat, see Children.◀
Malfunction of the automatic
deactivation system
When transporting older children and adults,
the front-seat passenger airbags may be deac‐
tivated in certain sitting positions. In this case,
the indicator lamp for the front-seat passenger
airbags lights up.
In this case, change the sitting position so that
the front-seat passenger airbags are activated
and the indicator lamp goes out.
If it is not possible to activate the airbags, have
the person sit in the rear.
To enable correct recognition of the occupied
seat cushion▷Do not attach covers, cushions, ball mats
or other items to the front passenger seat
unless they are specifically recommended
by your vehicle's manufacturer.▷Do not place any electronic devices on the
passenger seat if a child restraint system is
to be installed on it.▷Do not place objects under the seat that
could press against the seat from below.▷No moisture in or on the seat.
Indicator lamp for the front-seat
passenger airbags
The indicator lamp for the front-seat passen‐
ger airbags indicates the operating state of the
front-seat passenger airbags.
The lamp indicates whether the airbags are ei‐
ther activated or deactivated.
▷The indicator lamp lights up
when a child is properly
seated in a child restraint fix‐
ing system or when the seat
is empty. The airbags on the
front passenger side are not
activated.▷The indicator lamp does not light up when,
e.g., a correctly seated person of sufficientSeite 99SafetyControls99
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