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Move the front-passenger seat as far back
as possible. Always observe the informa-
tion in "Child restraint systems on the front- passenger seat" (Y page 63) and in "Suit-
able positioning of the child restraint sys-
tem" (Y page 65). Alternatively, you can
fit the child restraint system to a suitable
rear seat.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied by a
person with a smaller build (e.g. a teenager
or small adult), either the PASSENGER AIR
BAG ON or PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indi- cator lamp lights up and remains lit after
the system self-test depending on the
result of the classification.
- if the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator
lamp lights up, move the front-passenger seat as far back as possible. Alterna-
tively, a person with a small build can sit
on a rear seat.
- if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is lit, a person with a smaller build
should not use the front-passenger seat.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied by an
adult or a person with a build correspond-
ing to that of an adult, the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp lights up after the
system self-test and remains lit. This indi-
cates that the front-passenger front airbag
is enabled.
If children are travelling in the vehicle, be sure to observe the notes on "Children in the vehi-
cle" (Y page 59).
If the automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system is malfunctioning, the
red 6 restraint system warning lamp in
the instrument cluster and the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp light up simulta-
neously. The front-passenger front airbag is
disabled in this case and does not deploy dur- ing an accident. Have the system checked as
soon as possible by qualified technicians.
Consult a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. The
front-passenger seat should only be repaired at a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. If the front-passenger seat, the seat cover or
the seat cushion is damaged, have the nec-
essary repair work carried out at a Mercedes- Benz Service Centre.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use a child restraint sys-
tem which has been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz in combination with the auto- matic front-passenger front airbag deactiva-
tion system.
System self-test G
DANGER
If both the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF and
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamps do
not light up during the system self-test, the
system is malfunctioning. The front-
passenger front airbag might be triggered
unintentionally or might not be triggered at all in the event of an accident with high deceler-
ation. This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
In this case the front-passenger seat may notbe used. Do not install a child restraint system
on the front-passenger seat. Have the auto-
matic front-passenger front airbag deactiva-
tion system checked and repaired immedi-
ately at a qualified specialist workshop. G
WARNING
If the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp remains lit after the system self-test, the
front-passenger front airbag is disabled. It willnot be deployed in the event of an accident. In
this case, the front-passenger front airbag
cannot perform its intended protective func-
tion, e.g. when a person is seated in the front- passenger seat.
That person could, for example, come into
contact with the vehicle's interior, especially
if the person is sitting too close to the dash-
board. This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury. 54
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When the front-passenger seat is occupied,
always ensure that:
R the classification of the person in the front-
passenger seat is correct and the front-
passenger front airbag is enabled or disa-
bled in accordance with the person in the
front-passenger seat.
R the person is seated properly with a cor-
rectly fastened seat belt.
R the front-passenger seat has been moved
as far back as possible.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp remains lit when it should not, the front-
passenger seat may not be used. Do not
install a child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat. Have the automatic front-
passenger front airbag deactivation system
checked and repaired immediately at a quali-
fied specialist workshop. G
WARNING
Objects between the seat surface and the
child restraint system could affect the func-
tion of the automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivation system. This could result
in the front-passenger front airbag not func-
tioning 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
rear reclining seat. Always comply with the
child restraint system manufacturer's instal-
lation instructions.
After the system self-test, the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF or PASSENGER AIR BAG ON
indicator lamp then shows the status of the
co-driver's front airbag (Y page 52).
Further information can be obtained under
"Problems with the automatic co-driver's front airbag deactivation system"
(Y
page 56). Occupant safety
55Safety Z
Page 59 of 421

Problems with automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation
Be sure to observe the notes on "System self-test" (Y
page 54).Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator
lamp lights up and
remains lit, even
though the front-
passenger seat is occu-
pied by an adult or a
person with a build cor-responding to that of an
adult. The classification of the person on the front-passenger seat is
false.
X Make sure the conditions for a correct classification of the per-
son on the front-passenger seat are met (Y page 52).
X If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp remains lit, the
front-passenger seat may not be used.
X Have the automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation
system checked as soon as possible at a Mercedes-Benz Ser-
vice Centre. The PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator
lamp does not light up
and/or does not stay
on.
The front-passenger
seat is:
R empty
R occupied with a rear-
ward-facing child
restraint system The automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation system is
malfunctioning.
X Make sure there is nothing between the seat and the child
restraint system.
X Make sure that the entire base of the child restraint system rests
on the seat cushion of the front-passenger seat.
X Make sure that the seat cushion length is fully retracted.
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 and the child restraint system being pulled too tightly.
X Check that the child restraint system is installed correctly.
X Make sure that no objects are applying additional weight to the
seat.
X If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp remains off and/
or the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp lights up, do not
install a rearward-facing child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat. It is recommended that you fit the child
restraint system to a suitable rear seat.
X Have the automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation
system checked as soon as possible at a Mercedes-Benz Ser-
vice Centre. 56
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Deployment of belt tensioners and air-
bags
Important safety notes G
WARNING
After the airbag deploys, the airbag parts are
hot. There is a risk of injury.
Do not touch the airbag parts. Have a
deployed airbag replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop as soon as possible. G
WARNING
Pyrotechnic seat belt tensioners that have
been deployed are no longer operational and
are unable to perform their intended protec-
tive function. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
Therefore, have pyrotechnic belt tensioners
which have been triggered immediately
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have
the vehicle towed to a qualified specialist
workshop after an accident. Take this into
account, particularly if a seat belt tensioner
was triggered or an airbag was deployed.
An electric motor is used by PRE-SAFE ®
to
trigger the tightening of the seat belt in haz-
ardous situations. This procedure is reversi-
ble.
If the belt tensioners are triggered or an air-
bag is deployed, you will hear a bang, and a
small amount of powder may also be
released. The 6restraint system warning
lamp lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your
hearing. In general, the powder released is
not hazardous to health but may cause short- term breathing difficulties to persons suffer-
ing from asthma or other pulmonary condi-
tions. Provided it is safe to do so, you should
leave the vehicle immediately or open the
window in order to prevent breathing difficul- ties. Operation During the first stage of a collision, the
restraint system control unit evaluates impor-
tant physical data relating to vehicle deceler-
ation or acceleration, such as:
R duration
R direction
R intensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the seat
belt tensioners in the event of a head-on or
rear collision.
A seat belt tensioner can only be triggered if:
R the ignition is switched on
R the components of the restraint system are
operational. You can find further informa-
tion under: "Restraint system warning
lamp" (Y page 43)
R the belt tongue has engaged in the belt
buckle of the respective front seat
The seat belt tensioners in the rear compart-
ment are triggered independently of the lock
status of the seat belts.
If the restraint system control unit detects a
high severity accident, in certain head-on col- lisions, additional components of the
restraint system are deployed independently
of each other:
R front airbags and driver's kneebag
R windowbag, if the system determines that
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
On vehicles with the automatic front-
passenger front airbag deactivation system:
depending on the person in the front-
passenger seat, the front-passenger front air- bag is either disabled or enabled. The front-
passenger front airbag can only be deployed
in an accident if the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON
indicator lamp is lit. Observe the information
on the PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamps
(Y page 43).
Your vehicle has two-stage front airbags. In
the first deployment stage, the front airbag is Occupant safety
57Safety Z
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filled with propellant gas to reduce the risk of
injuries. The front airbag is fully deployed if
the second deployment stage is activated
within a few milliseconds.
The activation threshold for the seat belt ten-
sioners and airbags is determined based on
the evaluation of the vehicle's rate of decel-
eration or acceleration at various points in the vehicle. This process is pre-emptive in nature.The triggering/deployment process should
take place in good time at the start of the
collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion and the direction of the force are essen- tially determined by:
R the distribution of forces during the colli-
sion
R the collision angle
R the deformation characteristics of the vehi-
cle
R the characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided
Factors which can only be seen and measured
after a collision has occurred do not play a
decisive role in the deployment of an airbag,
nor do they provide an indication of airbag
deployment.
The vehicle may be deformed significantly
without an airbag being deployed. This is the
case if only parts which are relatively easily
deformed are affected and the rate of decel-
eration is not high. Conversely, an airbag may
be deployed even though the vehicle suffers
only minor deformation. This is the case if, for example, very rigid vehicle parts such as lon-
gitudinal body members are hit, and sufficient deceleration occurs as a result.
If the restraint system control unit detects a
side impact, the applicable components of
the restraint system are activated independ-
ently of each other.
R Sidebags on the side on which an impact
occurs, independent from the seat belt ten-
sioner and seat belt usage
Vehicles with the automatic front-
passenger airbag deactivation system: the sidebag on the front-passenger side
deploys under the following conditions:
- an occupant is detected on the front-
passenger seat or
- the belt tongue is engaged in the belt
buckle of the front-passenger seat
R Windowbag on the side on which an impact
occurs, independent of seat belt usage and
regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied
R Seat belt tensioners, if the system deter-
mines that deployment can offer additional
protection for the vehicle occupants in this situation
i Not all airbags are deployed in an acci-
dent. The different airbag systems work
independently of each other.
How the airbag system works is deter-
mined by the severity of the accident detec- ted, especially the vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, and the apparent type of acci-
dent:
R frontal collision
R side impact PRE-SAFE
®
(anticipatory occupant
protection)
Introduction In certain hazardous situations, PRE-SAFE
®
takes pre-emptive measures to protect the
vehicle occupants.
Important safety notes !
Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats. There is a risk that the seats and/or the objects could be
damaged when PRE-SAFE ®
is activated.
Although your vehicle is equipped with PRE-
SAFE ®
, the possibility of injury in the event of
an accident cannot be ruled out. Always
adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing
road and weather conditions and maintain a 58
Occupant safetySafety
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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 on vehicles with DISTRONIC PLUS: if adap-
tive Brake Assist intervenes powerfully
PRE-SAFE ®
takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detec-
ted:
R the front seat belts are pre-tensioned.
R if the vehicle skids, the side windows and
the panorama sliding sunroof are closed.
R vehicles with the memory function: the
front-passenger seat is adjusted if it is in an
unfavourable position.
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.
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. Infor-
mation about the convenience function can
be found under "Belt adjustment"
(Y page 47). Automatic measures after an acci-
dent
Immediately after an accident, the following
measures may be implemented, depending
on the type and severity of the impact:
R the hazard warning lamps are activated
R the emergency lighting is activated
R the vehicle doors are unlocked
R the front side windows are lowered
R the engine is switched off and the fuel sup-
ply is cut off
R vehicles with the Mercedes-Benz emer-
gency call system: automatic emergency
call Children in the vehicle
Important safety notes
Accident statistics show that children
secured in the rear seats are safer than chil-
dren secured in the front-passenger seat. For this reason, Mercedes-Benz strongly advises
that you install a child restraint system on a
rear seat. Children are generally better pro-
tected there.
If a child younger than twelve years old and
under 1.50 m in height is travelling in the
vehicle:
R always secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cles. The child restraint system must be
appropriate to the age, weight and size of
the child.
R be sure to observe the instructions and
safety notes in this section in addition to
the child restraint system manufacturer's
installation instructions.
R always pay attention to the instructions
and safety notes on the automatic front-
passenger front airbag deactivation system (Y page 51). Children in the vehicle
59Safety Z
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G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. G
WARNING
If persons (particularly children) are exposed
to heat or cold for a prolonged period, there is a risk of serious or even fatal injuries. Never
leave persons (particularly children) unatten-
ded in the vehicle. G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is placed in direct sunlight, the parts could become very hot.
Children could be suffer burns by touching
these parts, in particular on the metallic parts
of the child restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you and your child leave the vehicle, always
make sure that the child restraint system is
not in direct sunlight. Cover it with a blanket, for example. If the child restraint system has
been exposed to direct sunlight, leave it to
cool down before securing the child in it.
Never leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle.
Always ensure that all vehicle occupants have their seat belts fastened correctly and are sit-
ting properly. Particular attention must be
paid to children.
Observe the safety notes on the seat belt
(Y page 44) and the information on the cor-
rect use of the seat belt (Y page 46). Child restraint system
If you fit a rearward-facing child restraint sys- tem to the centre rear seat, the rear arm restmust be folded back as far as possible.
Observe the instructions for correct use of
the child restraint system (Y page 65).
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use a child restraint sys- tem recommended by Mercedes-Benz
(Y page 69). G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is incorrectly fit-
ted on the seat position suitable for this pur-
pose, it cannot perform its intended protec-
tive function. In the event of an accident,
sharp braking or a sudden change in direction, the child may not be held securely. There is an
increased risk of serious or even fatal injuries.
Observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions and the correct use for the child
restraint system. Make sure that the entire
surface of the child restraint system is resting
on the seat surface. Never place objects
under or behind the child restraint system,
e.g. cushions. Only use child restraint sys-
tems with the original cover designed for
them. Only replace damaged covers with gen- uine covers. G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is fitted incor-
rectly or is not secured, it can come loose in
the event of an accident, heavy braking or a
sudden change in direction. The child
restraint system could be thrown about, strik- ing vehicle occupants. There is an increased
risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Always fit child restraint systems properly,
even if they are not being used. Make sure
that you observe the child restraint system
manufacturer's installation instructions.
You will find further information on stowing
objects, luggage and loads securely under
"Loading guidelines" (Y page 316).60
Children in the vehicleSafety
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G
WARNING
Child restraint systems or their securing sys-
tems that have been damaged or subjected to a load in an accident cannot perform their
intended protective function. In the event of
an accident, sharp braking or a sudden
change in direction, the child may not be held securely. There is an increased risk of serious
or even fatal injuries.
Immediately replace child restraint systems
that have been damaged or subjected to a
load in an accident. Have the child restraint
securing systems checked in a qualified spe-
cialist workshop before fitting a child restraint
system again.
The securing systems of child restraint sys-
tems are:
R the seat belt system
R the ISOFIX or i-Size securing rings
R the Top Tether anchorages
If it is absolutely necessary to fit a child
restraint system to the front-passenger seat,
always observe the information on "Child
restraint systems on the front-passenger
seat" (Y page 63).
Observe the warning labels in the vehicle inte- rior and on the child restraint system.
i It is advisable to use Mercedes-Benz care
products to clean child restraint systems
recommended by Mercedes-Benz. You can
obtain information about this at any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. ISOFIX and i-Size child restraint sys-
tems G
WARNING
ISOFIX child restraint systems or i-Size child
restraint systems do not offer sufficient pro-
tection for children whose weight is greater
than 22 kg, who are secured using the safety belt integrated in the child restraint system.
The child could, for example, not be restrained
correctly in the event of an accident. This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal
injury.
If the child weighs more than 22 kg, only use
ISOFIX child restraint systems or i-Size child
restraint systems with which the child is also
secured with the vehicle seat belt. Also secure
the child restraint system with the Top Tether belt, if available.
When fitting a child restraint system, be sure to observe the manufacturer's installation
and operating instructions and the instruc-
tions for correct use of the child restraint sys-
tem (Y page 65).
Before every trip, make sure that the ISOFIX
child restraint system is engaged correctly in both ISOFIX securing rings. This symbol indicates an ISOFIX position
which is suitable for attaching an ISOFIX child
restraint system. A similar symbol can be
found on the ISOFIX child restraint system. This symbol indicates an i‑Size position which
is suitable for attaching an i-Size child
restraint system. A similar symbol can be
found on the i-Size child restraint system. Children in the vehicle
61Safety Z