Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all models,
series and optional equipment for your vehi-
cle that were available at the time of going to
press. National variations are possible. Note
that your vehicle may not be equipped with all
of the functions described. This is also the
case for systems and functions relevant to
safety.
i Read the information on qualified specialist
workshops: (Y page 23). Occupant safety
Introduction to the restraint system
The restraint system can reduce the risk of vehi-
cle occupants coming into contact with parts of
the vehicle's interior in the event of an accident. The restraint system can also reduce the forces
to which vehicle occupants are subjected during an accident.
The restraint system comprises:
R Seat belt system
R Airbags
R Child restraint system
R Child seat securing systems
The components of the restraint system work in
conjunction with each other. They can only
deploy their protective function if all vehicle
occupants always:
R fasten their seat belts correctly
(Y page 37)
R adjust their seat and head restraint properly
(Y page 87).
As the driver, you also have to make sure that
the steering wheel is adjusted correctly.
Observe the information relating to the correct
driver's seat position (Y page 86).
You also have to make sure that an airbag can
inflate properly if deployed (Y page 39).
An airbag supplements a correctly fastened seat belt. As an additional safety device, the airbag
increases the level of protection for vehicle
occupants in the event of an accident. For exam-
ple, if the protection of the seat belt is sufficient in an accident, the airbags are not deployed. In
the event of an accident, only the airbags that
increase protection in the relevant accident sit- uation are deployed. However, seat belts and
airbags generally do not protect against objects
penetrating the vehicle from the outside.
Information on the restraint system operation
can be found under "Triggering of belt tension-
ers and airbags" (Y page 46).
For more information about children travelling
with you in the vehicle, see "Children in the vehi-
cle" (Y page 49). Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the restraint system is modified, it may no
longer work as intended. The restraint system
may then not perform its intended protective function by failing in an accident or triggering
unexpectedly, for example. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Never modify parts of the restraint system. Do not attempt to modify the wiring as well as
electronic components or their software.
If it is necessary to modify an airbag system to
accommodate a person with disabilities, con-
tact a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for details. Restraint system warning lamp
The functions of the restraint system are
checked after the ignition is switched on and at
regular intervals while the drive system is run-
ning. Therefore, malfunctions can be detected in good time.
The 6 restraint system warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up when the ignition is switched on. It goes out no later than a few sec-
onds after the vehicle is started. The compo-
nents of the restraint system are in operational
readiness.
A malfunction has occurred if the 6restraint
system warning lamp:
R does not light up after the ignition is switched
on
R does not go out after a few seconds with the
drive system running
R lights up again while the drive system is run-
ning 34
Occupant safetySafety
G
DANGER
If the restraint system is malfunctioning,
restraint system components may be trig-
gered unintentionally or might not be trig-
gered at all in the event of an accident with a high rate of vehicle deceleration. This can
effect belt tensioners or airbags, for example. In addition, the vehicle's high-voltage electri-
cal system may not be deactivated as inten-
ded in the event of an accident. Touching
damaged components of the vehicle's high-
voltage electrical system could result in an
electric shock. There is an increased risk of
injury, possibly even fatal.
Have the restraint system checked and
repaired immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop. After an accident, immediately
switch the ignition off and remove the key
from the ignition lock. PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamp
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
:and
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp ;are
part of the automatic deactivation system of the front-passenger front airbag.
The indicator lamps display the status of the
front-passenger front airbag.
R PASSENGER AIR BAG ON lights up: the front-
passenger front airbag is enabled. If, in the
event of an accident, all deployment criteria
are met, the front-passenger front airbag is
deployed.
R PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF lights up: the front-
passenger front airbag is disabled. It will then
not be deployed in the event of an accident. Depending on the person in the front-passenger
seat, the front-passenger front airbag must
either be disabled or enabled; see the following
points. You must make sure of this both before
and during a journey.
R Children in a rearward-facing child
restraint system: the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp must be lit. The front-
passenger front airbag is disabled. It is imper- ative to observe the notes on the "Automatic
front-passenger front airbag deactivation sys- tem" (Y page 42) and on "Children in the
vehicle" (Y page 49).
R Children in a forward-facing child
restraint system: depending on the installed
child restraint system and the age and size of
the child, the front-passenger front airbag is
either disabled or enabled. Therefore, it is
imperative to observe the notes on the "Auto- matic front-passenger front airbag deactiva-
tion system" (Y page 42) and on "Children in
the vehicle" (Y page 49).
R All other persons: the PASSENGER AIR BAG
ON indicator lamp must be lit. The front-
passenger front airbag is enabled. Depending on the build of the person on the front-
passenger seat, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp may light up. The front-
passenger front airbag is disabled. It will then
not be deployed in the event of an accident. In this case, the front-passenger seat should notbe used.
It is imperative to observe the notes on the
"Automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system" (Y page 42) as well as
on "Seat belts" (Y page 35) and "Airbags"
(Y page 39). There you can also find infor-
mation on the correct seat position. Seat belts
Introduction A correctly worn seat belt is the most effective
means of restraining the movement of vehicle
occupants in the event of a collision or if the
vehicle overturns. This reduces the risk of vehi-
cle occupants coming into contact with parts of
the vehicle interior or being ejected from it. The seat belt also helps to keep the vehicle occu-
pants in the best position in relation to the air-
bag being deployed. Occupant safety
35Safety Z
The seat belt system consists of:
R seat belts
R belt tensioners for the front seat belts and the
outer seat belts in the rear
R belt force limiters for the front seat belts and
the outer seat belts in the rear
If the seat belt is pulled quickly or sharply from
the belt outlet, the inertia reel locks. The belt
strap cannot be pulled out any further.
The belt tensioner tightens the seat belt in the
event of a collision so that it fits tightly across
your body. However, it does not pull the vehicle
occupants back in the direction of the seat
backrest.
The belt tensioner does not, however, correct an incorrect seat position or correct the routing of
a seat belt that is worn incorrectly.
When triggered, seat belt force limiters help to
reduce the peak force exerted by the seat belt
on the vehicle occupant.
The belt force limiters on the front seats are
synchronised with the front airbags, which take
on a part of the deceleration force. This can
reduce the forces to which the vehicle occu-
pants are subjected during an accident.
! If the co-driver's seat is not occupied, do not
engage the seat belt tongue in the buckle on
the co-driver's seat. Otherwise, the belt ten-
sioner could be triggered in the event of an
accident and would have to be replaced.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The seat belt cannot perform its intended pro- tective function if it is not fastened correctly. Also, an improperly fastened seat belt can
cause additional injuries in the event of an
accident, sudden braking or abrupt changes
of direction. There is an increased risk of
injury, possibly even fatal.
Always make sure that all vehicle occupants
are wearing their seat belt properly and are
seated correctly. G
WARNING
The seat belt does not offer the intended level of protection if you have not moved the back-
rest to an almost vertical position. When brak- ing 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 ensure that the backrestis in an almost vertical position and that the
shoulder section of your seatbelt is routed
across the centre of your shoulder. G
WARNING
Persons under 1.50 mtall cannot wear the
seat belts correctly without a suitable, addi-
tional restraint system. The seat belt cannot
perform its intended protective function if it is not fastened correctly. Also, an improperly
fastened seat belt can cause additional inju-
ries in the event of an accident, sudden brak-
ing or abrupt changes of direction. There is an increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Secure persons less than 1.50 mtall in a suit-
able restraint system.
If a child younger than twelve years old and
under 1.50 m in height is travelling in the vehi-
cle: R always secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for this Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cle. The child restraint system must be appro- priate to the age, weight and size of the child.
R always observe the instructions and safety
notes on the automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivation system (Y page 42)
R always observe the instructions and safety
notes on "Children in the vehicle" in this Own- er's Manual (Y page 49) in addition to the
child restraint system manufacturer's instal-
lation instructions G
WARNING
Seat belts cannot protect as intended, if:
R they are damaged, have been modified, are
extremely dirty, bleached or dyed
R the seat belt buckle is damaged or
extremely dirty
R modifications have been made to the belt
tensioners, belt anchorages or inertia reels 36
Occupant safetySafety
Seat belts may sustain non-visible damage in
an accident, e.g. due to glass splinters. Modi-
fied or damaged seat belts can tear or fail, for example in the event of an accident. Modified
seat belt tensioners may be deployed unin-
tentionally or fail to be deployed when
required. There is an increased risk of injury,
possibly even fatal.
Never modify safety belts, seat belt tension-
ers, seat belt anchorages and inertia reels.
Ensure that seat belts are not damaged or
worn and are clean. After an accident, have
the seat belts checked immediately at a quali- fied specialist workshop.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only use
seat belts which have been approved specifi-
cally for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz. Other- wise, your vehicle's general operating permit
could be invalidated.
Correct seat belt use Observe the safety notes on the seat belt
(Y
page 36).
All vehicle occupants must be wearing the seat
belt correctly before beginning the journey. Also make sure that all vehicle occupants are always
wearing the seat belt correctly while the vehicle is in motion.
When fastening the seat belt, always make sure
that:
R the seat belt tongue is only inserted into the
belt buckle belonging to that seat
R the seat belt is tight across your body
Avoid wearing bulky clothing, e.g. a winter
coat.
R the seat belt is not twisted
Only then can forces which occur be distrib-
uted across the surface of the seat belt.
R the shoulder section of the belt is always
routed across the centre of your shoulder
The shoulder section of the seat belt should
not touch your neck nor be routed under your
arm. If possible, adjust the seat belt to the
appropriate height.
R the lap belt passes across your lap as tightly
and as low down as possible
The lap belt must always be routed across
your hip joints and never across your abdo- men. This applies particularly to pregnant
women. If necessary, press the lap belt down
into your hip joints and pull tight with the
shoulder section of the belt.
R the seat belt is not routed across sharp, poin-
ted or fragile objects
If you have such items located on or in your
clothing, e.g. pens, keys or spectacles, store
these in a suitable place.
R only one person is using a seat belt
Infants and children must never travel sitting
on the lap of a vehicle occupant. In the event
of an accident, they could be crushed
between the vehicle occupant and seat belt.
R objects are never secured with a seat belt if
the seat belt is also being used by one of the
vehicle's occupants
Also ensure that no objects are placed
between a person and the seat. e.g. a cush-
ion.
Seat belts are only intended to secure and
restrain vehicle occupants. Always observe the
"Loading guidelines" for securing objects, lug-
gage or loads (Y page 224).
Fastening and adjusting the seat belts Observe the safety notes on the seat belt
(Y
page 36) and the information on the correct
use of the seat belt (Y page 37).
If a passenger is wearing the centre rear seat
belt, also observe the information on the seat
belt for the centre rear seat (Y page 38). Basic illustration Occupant safety
37Safety Z
X
Adjust the seat (Y page 86).
The seat backrest must be in an almost ver-
tical position.
X Pull the seat belt smoothly from belt outlet
=.
X Engage seat belt tongue ;in belt buckle :.
The seat belt on the driver's seat and the
front-passenger seat may be tightened auto-
matically; see "Belt adjustment"
(Y page 38).
X If necessary, pull upwards on the shoulder
section of the seat belt to tighten the belt
across your body. The shoulder section of the seat belt must
always be routed across the centre of the shoul- der. Adjust the belt outlet if necessary.
X To raise: slide the belt outlet upwards.
The belt outlet will engage in various posi-
tions.
X To lower: hold belt outlet release ?and slide
belt outlet downwards.
X Let go of belt outlet release ?in the desired
position and make sure that the belt outlet
engages.
Seat belt for the centre rear seat If the left-hand rear seat backrest is folded down
and back up again, the rear centre seat belt may lock. The seat belt can then not be pulled out.
X To release the rear centre seat belt: pull
the seat belt out approximately 20 mm at the belt outlet on the backrest and then release itagain.
The seat belt is retracted and released. Releasing the 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 fulfil their protective function
and must be replaced. Visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Basic illustration
X Press release button :, hold belt tongue;
firmly and guide it back towards belt outlet
=.
Seat belt adjustment The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE
®
convenience function. This func-
tion adjusts the driver's and front-passenger
seat belt to the upper body of the occupants.
The belt strap is tightened slightly when:
R the seat belt tongue is engaged in the belt
buckle and
R the ignition is switched on
The seat-belt adjustment will apply a certain
tightening force if any slack is detected between
the vehicle occupant and the seat belt. Do not
hold on to the seat belt tightly while it is adjust-
ing.
You can switch the seat-belt adjustment on and
off in the on-board computer (Y page 188).38
Occupant safetySafety
Belt warning for the driver and front
passenger The
7 seat belt warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster reminds you that all vehicle occu-
pants must fasten their seat belts. It may light up continuously or flash. A warning tone may also
sound.
The 7 seat belt warning lamp goes out and
the warning tone stops as soon as the driver's
and the co-driver's seat belts have been fas-
tened.
i For more information on the
7seat belt
warning lamp, see "Warning and indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster, seat belt"
(Y page 214).
Rear seat belt status indicator The seat belts on the left and centre rear seats,
when viewed in the direction of travel, are not
fastened. (Example)
The rear seat belt status indicator is only avail-
able for certain countries.
For approximately 30 seconds, the rear seat belt status indicator informs you which rear seat belt
is not fastened.
The rear seat belt status indicator appears if:
R you drive off and reach a speed of approx-
imately 10 km/h
R the rear passengers fasten or unfasten their
seat belts while the vehicle is in motion
R someone gets in or out of the vehicle and you
pull away again
You can also cancel the rear seat belt status
indicator immediately (Y page 189).Airbags
Introduction The installation location of an airbag is identified
by the AIRBAG symbol. An airbag supplements a correctly worn seat
belt. It is not a replacement for the seat belt. The
airbag offers additional protection in applicable
accident situations.
Not all airbags are deployed in an accident. The
different airbag systems work independently of
each other (Y page 46).
However, no system available today can com-
pletely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
It is also not possible to completely rule out a
risk of injury caused by an airbag due to the
speed at which the airbag must be deployed.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you deviate from the correct seat position,
the airbag cannot perform its intended pro-
tective function and can even cause addi-
tional injuries when deployed. There is an
increased risk of serious or even fatal injuries. In order to avoid such risks, always ensure
that all vehicle occupants:
R fasten their seatbelts correctly, including
pregnant women
R are seated correctly and maintain the fur-
thest possible distance from the airbags
R observe the following notes
Always ensure that there are no objects loca-
ted between the airbag and the vehicle occu-
pant.
R Adjust the seats properly before beginning
your journey. Always make sure that the seat is in an almost upright position. The centre of
the head restraint must support the head at
about eye level.
R Move the driver's and front-passenger seats
as far back as possible. The driver's seat posi-
tion must allow the vehicle to be driven safely.
R Only hold the steering wheel on the outside.
This allows the airbag to be fully deployed.
R Always lean against the backrest while driv-
ing. Do not lean forwards or lean against the
door or side window. You may otherwise be in
the deployment area of the airbags.
R Always keep your feet in the footwell in front
of the seat. Do not put your feet on the dash- Occupant safety
39Safety Z
board, for example. Your feet may otherwise
be in the deployment area of the airbag.
R Always secure persons less than 1.50 mtall in
suitable restraint systems. Up to this height,
the seat belt cannot be worn correctly.
If a child is travelling in your vehicle, also
observe the following notes:
R Always secure children under twelve years of
age and less than 1.50 mtall in suitable child
restraint systems.
R Child restraint systems should be fitted to the
rear seats.
R Only secure a child to the front-passenger
seat when the front-passenger front airbag is
disabled, and only then in a rearward-facing
child restraint system. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is permanently lit, the
front-passenger front airbag is disabled
(Y page 35).
R Always observe the instructions and safety
notes on the automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivation system (Y page 42) and
on "Children in the vehicle" (Y page 49) in
addition to the child restraint system manu-
facturer's installation instructions.
Objects in the vehicle interior may prevent
the airbag from functioning correctly. Before
starting your journey and to avoid risks resulting
from the speed of the airbag as it deploys, make sure that:
R there are no people, animals or objects
between the vehicle occupants and an airbag.
R there are no objects between the seat, door
and B-pillar.
R no hard objects, e.g. coat hangers, are hang-
ing on the grab handles or coat hooks.
R no accessories, such as cup holders, are
attached to the vehicle within the deployment
area of an airbag, e.g. to doors, side windows, rear side trim or side walls.
R no heavy, sharp-edged or fragile objects are in
the pockets of your clothing. Store such
objects in a suitable place. G
WARNING
If you modify an airbag cover or affix objects
such as stickers to it, the airbag can no longer function correctly. There is an increased risk
of injury.
Never modify an airbag cover or affix objects
to it. G
WARNING
Sensors to control the airbags are located in
the doors. Modifications or work not per-
formed correctly to the doors or door panel-
ling, as well as damaged doors, can lead to the function of the sensors being impaired. The
airbags might therefore not function properly any more. Consequently, the airbags cannot
protect vehicle occupants as they are
designed to do. This poses an increased risk
of injury.
Never modify the doors or parts of the doors.
Always have work on the doors or door pan-
elling carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Front airbags !
Do not place heavy objects on the front-
passenger seat. This could cause the system
to identify the seat as being occupied. In the
event of an accident, the restraint systems on
the front-passenger side may be triggered
and have to be replaced. Driver's airbag
:deploys in front of the steer-
ing wheel. Front-passenger front airbag ;
deploys in front of and above the glove com-
partment.
When deployed, the front airbags offer addi-
tional head and thorax protection for the occu-
pants in the front seats.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF and PASSENGER
AIR BAG ON indicator lamps inform you about
the status of the front-passenger front airbag
(Y page 35). 40
Occupant safetySafety
The front-passenger front airbag will only deploy
if:
R the automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system has detected that the
front-passenger seat is occupied
(Y page 42). The PASSENGER AIR BAG ON
indicator lamp is lit (Y page 42)
R the restraint system control unit predicts a
high accident severity
Driver's kneebag Driver's kneebag
:deploys under the steering
column. The driver's kneebag is triggered
together with the front airbags.
The driver's kneebag offers additional thigh,
knee and lower leg protection for the occupant
in the driver's seat.
Sidebags G
WARNING
Unsuitable seat covers can obstruct or pre-
vent the deployment of the airbags integrated into the seats. Consequently, the airbags can-
not protect vehicle occupants as they are
designed to do. In addition, the function of the automatic front-passenger front airbag deac-
tivation system could be restricted. This
poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal
injury.
You should only use seat covers that have
been approved for the corresponding seats by Mercedes-Benz. Front sidebags
:and rear sidebags ;deploy
next to the outer bolster of the seat backrest.
When deployed, the sidebag offers additional
thorax protection. It also offers additional pelvis
protection for occupants in the front seats.
However, it does not protect the:
R head
R neck
R arms
In the event of a side impact, the sidebag is
deployed on the side on which the impact
occurs.
Vehicles with the automatic front-passenger air- bag deactivation system: the sidebag on the
front-passenger side deploys under the follow-
ing conditions:
R an occupant is detected on the front-
passenger seat or
R the belt tongue is engaged in the belt buckle
of the front-passenger seat
If the belt tongue is engaged in the belt buckle,
the sidebag on the front-passenger side deploys if an appropriate accident situation occurs. In
this case, deployment is independent of
whether the front-passenger seat is occupied or
not. Occupant safety
41Safety Z