
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 eliminate
this risk completely is never to place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint in the front-
passenger seat. We therefore strongly rec- ommend that you always place a child in a
rear-facing child restraint on the rear seat.
R If you install a rear-facing child restraint on
the front-passenger seat, make sure the
00730074 indicator lamp is illuminated,
indicating that the front-passenger front air bag is deactivated. Should the 00730074
indicator lamp not illuminate or go out while
the restraint is installed, please check
installation. Periodically check the
00730074 indicator lamp while driving to
make sure that the 00730074indicator
lamp is illuminated. If the 00730074indi-
cator lamp goes out or remains out, do not transport a child on the front-passenger
seat until the system has been repaired.
A child 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.
R If 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 recommen-
ded for the age, size and weight of the
child
- secure child restraint with the vehicle's
seat belt according to the child seat man-
ufacturer's instructions
R For children larger than the typical 12-
month-old child, the front-passenger front
air bag may or may not be activated.
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 a child restraint system.
R is occupied by a small individual, such as a
young teenager or a small adult.
R is occupied by a child in a child restraint
system whose weight is greater than that of
a typical twelve month old child.
These are examples of when the OCS deacti- vates the front-passenger front air bag. Deac-
tivation takes place although the collision ful- fills the criteria for deploying the driver's air
bag. If the SmartKey is removed from the ignition
lock or is in position
0, the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp does not light up. G
WARNING
If the red 0075SRS warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and the 00730074indica-
tor 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-Benz Center.
Only have the seat repaired or replaced at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Occupant safety
49Safety
Z

In order to ensure proper operation of the air
bag system and OCS:
R Sit with the seat belt properly fastened in a
position that is as upright as possible with
your back against the seat backrest.
R When seated, a passenger should not posi-
tion him/herself in such a way as to cause the passenger's weight to be lifted from theseat cushion as this may result in the OCS
being unable to correctly approximate the
passenger's weight category.
R Read and observe all warnings in this chap-
ter.
System self-test The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
lights up if you:
R turn the SmartKey to position 1or 2in the
ignition lock
R press the KEYLESS-GO Start/Stop button
once or twice on vehicles with KEYLESS-GO
When an adult is sitting correctly on the front-
passenger seat and is categorized by the OCS system as an adult, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp lights up and goes off
again after approximately six seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the OCS sys-
tem classifies the front-passenger seat as
being empty, the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp will continue to light up and not go out. G
WARNING
If the 00730074indicator lamp does not illu-
minate, the system is not functioning. You
must contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center before seating any child on the front
passenger seat.
For more information about the OCS, see
"Problems with the Occupant Classification
System" (Y page 51). G
WARNING
Objects between the seat surface and the
child restraint system could affect OCS oper- ation. This could result in the front-passenger
air 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. The
entire base of the child restraint system must always rest on the seat cushion of the front-
passenger seat. The backrest of the forwards-
facing child restraint system must, as far as
possible, be resting on the backrest of the
front-passenger seat. Always comply with the child restraint system manufacturer's instal-
lation instructions. 50
Occupant safetySafety

Problems with the Occupant Classification System
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 Make sure that the front passenger is sitting in a correct, upright
position.
X Have the OCS checked as soon as possible at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display (Y page 215). 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. 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 a
weight up to that of a typical twelve-
month-old child in a
standard child
restraint system The OCS is malfunctioning.
X Make sure there is nothing between the seat cushion and the
child seat.
X Make sure that the backrest and base of the child restraint sys-
tem are resting securely on the front-passenger seat. If neces-
sary, 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 pulled too tightly.
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 spe-
cialist 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 215). Occupant safety
51Safety Z

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. PRE-SAFE
®
(anticipatory occupant
protection system)
Introduction PRE-SAFE
®
takes preemptive measures to
protect occupants in certain hazardous sit-
uations.
Important safety notes !
Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell under or behind the seats when
moving the seats back. There is a risk that
the seats and/or the objects could be dam-
aged.
Despite your vehicle being equipped with the PRE-SAFE ®
system, the possibility of per-
sonal injuries occurring as a result of an acci-
dent 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 phys-
ical limits are exceeded and the vehicle
understeers or oversteers severely.
R vehicles with the Driving Assistance
package: when BAS PLUS intervenes pow-
erfully 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 detec-
ted:
R the front seat belts are pre-tensioned.
R on vehicles with memory function for the
front-passenger seat: the front-passenger
seat is adjusted if it is in an unfavorable
position.
R if the vehicle skids, the side windows are
closed so that only a small gap remains.
The panorama roof with power tilt/sliding
panel is completely closed.
If the hazardous situation passes without
resulting in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens
the belt pre-tensioning. All settings made by
PRE-SAFE ®
can then be reversed.
If the seat belt pre-tensioning is not reduced:
X Move the seat backrest or seat back
slightly when the vehicle is stationary.
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 56). NECK-PRO head restraints
The NECK-PRO head restraints increase pro-
tection for the driver's and front passenger's head and neck. In the event of a rear collision
of a certain severity, the NECK-PRO head
restraints on the driver's and the front-
passenger seats are moved forwards and
upwards. This provides better head support. 52
Occupant safetySafety

the door trim panel and the seat belt. Dam-
aged seat belts can no longer fulfill their
protective function and must be replaced.
Visit a qualified specialist workshop.
Belt warning for the driver and front
passenger Regardless of whether the driver's and front-
passenger seat belts have already been fas-
tened, 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 driv-
er'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, the 0076seat belt
warning lamp lights up:
R until the driver's or front passenger's seat
belt is fastened
R if a vehicle speed of 15 mph (25 km/h) is
exceeded, a warning tone also sounds with
increasing intensity for a maximum of
60 seconds or until the driver or front-
passenger seat belt has been fastened
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 illu- minated.
After the vehicle comes to a standstill, the
warning tone is reactivated and the 0076seat
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 indi-
cator lamps in the instrument cluster, seat
belts" (Y page 233).
Emergency Tensioning Devices, seat
belt force limiters G
WARNING
Pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning Devices
that have been deployed are no longer opera- tional and are unable to perform their inten-
ded protective function. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Therefore, have pyrotechnic Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices which have been triggered
immediately replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
! If the front-passenger seat is unoccupied,
do not insert the belt tongue into the buckle of the front-passenger seat. This may oth-
erwise lead to the triggering of the Emer-
gency Tensioning Device in the event of an accident, which will then need to be
replaced.
i Vehicles with PRE-SAFE ®
: an electric
motor is used by PRE-SAFE ®
to trigger the
tightening of the seat belt in hazardous sit- uations. This procedure is reversible.
The seat belts are equipped with ETDs 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 posi-
tions or incorrectly fastened seat belts.
The ETDs do not pull vehicle occupants back
towards the backrest. Occupant safety
57Safety Z

The ETDs can only be activated when:
R the ignition is switched on
R the restraint systems are operational; see
"SRS warning lamp "( Ypage 41)
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the lap-shoulder belts in the front
R the front-passenger seat is occupied and
the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
the front-passenger side
The ETDs on the seats in the rear compart-
ment are triggered independently of the lock
status of the seat belts.
The Emergency Tensioning Devices are trig-
gered depending on the type and severity of
an accident, if:
R in the event of a head-on or rear-end colli-
sion, 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, the vehicle
decelerates or accelerates rapidly in a lat-
eral direction on the side opposite the
impact
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 peo-
ple with asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid this, you may wish to get out of the
vehicle or open the windows as soon as it is
safe to do so. The 0075SRS 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 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 occu-
pant being distributed over a greater area. Children in the vehicle
Child restraint systems
Important safety notes 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:
R all 50 states
R the U.S. territories
R the District of Columbia
R all Canadian provinces
Infants and children must always be seated in an appropriate infant or child restraint systemrecommended 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:
R U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stand-
ards 213 and 225
R Canadian 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
in the installation instructions that are inclu-
ded with the child restraint system.
Always read and follow the manufacturer's
instructions when using an infant or child
restraint system or booster seat.
Observe the warning labels in the vehicle inte-
rior or on the infant or child restraint. G
WARNING
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 58
Children in the vehicleSafety

G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. Chil-
dren 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. Pro- tect 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:
X Secure the child with a child or infant seat
restraint system appropriate to the age and
weight of the child.
X Make sure that the infant or child is prop-
erly secured at all times while the vehicle is
in motion.
Special seat belt retractor All seat belts except the driver's seat belt are
equipped with a special seat belt retractor.
When activated, the special seat belt retrac-
tor ensures that the seat belt will not slacken
once the child restraint system has been
secured.
Installing a child restraint system:
X Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Pull the seat belt smoothly from the seat
belt retractor.
X Engage the seat belt tongue in the belt
buckle. Activating the special seat belt retractor:
X Pull the seat belt out fully and let the seat
belt retractor retract it again.
While the seat belt is retracting, you should
hear a ratcheting sound. The special seat
belt retractor is activated.
X Push down on the child restraint system to
take up any slack.
Removing a child restraint system/deactivat-
ing the special seat belt retractor:
X Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Press the release button on the belt buckle,
hold the belt tongue firmly and guide it back
towards the belt sash guide.
The special seat belt retractor is deactiva-
ted. G
WARNING
If the seat belt is released while driving, the
child restraint system will no longer be
secured properly. The special seat belt retrac- tor is disabled and the inertia real draws in a
portion of the seat belt. The seat belt cannot
be immediately refastened. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Stop the vehicle immediately, paying atten-
tion to road and traffic conditions. Reactivate
the special seat belt retractor and secure the
child restraint system properly.
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat anchors
in the rear G
WARNING
Children that are too large for a child restraint
must travel in seats using normal seat belts.
Position shoulder belt across the chest and
shoulder, not face or neck.
A booster seat may be necessary to achieve
proper seat belt positioning for children over
41 lb (18 kg) until they reach a height where a lap/shoulder belt fits properly without a boos-
ter. Children in the vehicle
61Safety
Z

Install the child restraint system in accord-
ance with the manufacturer's instructions.
Attach the child restraint system to both
securing rings.
An incorrectly installed child restraint system
could come loose during an accident and seri- ously or even fatally injure the child.
Child restraint systems or child seat securing
rings that are malfunctioning or damaged as
the result of a collision must be replaced.
ISOFIX is a standardized securing system for
specially designed child restraint systems on
the rear seats. Securing rings for two LATCH- type (ISOFIX) child restraint systems are
installed on the left and right of the rear seats.
Non-LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seats may
also be used and can be installed using the
vehicle's seat belt system. Install the child
seat according to the manufacturer's instruc- tions.
The securing rings on the rear seats are cov-
ered by an upholstered lining. Installation instructions
0043indicate the
installation location of securing rings 2.
X Fold upholstery cover 0087and the Velcro
fastener down.
X Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint systems on both securing
rings 0044. Comply with the manufacturer's
instructions when installing the LATCH-
type (ISOFIX) child restraint system. Top Tether G
WARNING
If the rear seat backrests are not locked, they
could fold forwards in the event of an acci-
dent, heavy braking or sudden changes of
direction. As a result, child restraint systems
cannot perform their intended protective
function. Rear seat backrests that are not
locked can also cause additional injuries, e.g. in the event of an accident. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Always lock rear seat backrests after instal-
ling a Top Tether belt. Observe the lock veri-
fication indicator. Adjust the rear seat backr-
ests so that they are in an upright position.
If the rear seat backrest is not engaged and
locked, this will be shown in the multifunction
display in the instrument cluster. A warning
tone also sounds.
Top Tether provides an additional connection between a child restraint system, secured
with a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat mount, and the rear seat. This helps reduce the risk of
injury even further.
The Top Tether anchorage points are installed
in the rear compartment behind the head
restraints. X
Press down the rear of cover 0044in the
direction of the arrow.
Cover 0044is raised slightly at the front.
X Fold up cover 0044of Top Tether anchorage
0087. 62
Children in the vehicleSafety