Deactivate the hybrid system manually if:
R the 6 restraint system warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up after an accident
R the vehicle is badly damaged, e.g. after an
accident, and the restraint system compo-
nents were not activated
R the vehicle is badly damaged and has to be
towed or transported
X If possible, move the vehicle out of the
danger zone:
shift the automatic transmis-
sion into position N.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Roll the vehicle to a safe place and park it
safely.
Get assistance from others if necessary.
The vehicle is locked automatically when the
ignition is switched on and the wheels are turn-
ing. There is therefore a risk of being locked out
if the vehicle is being pushed or tested on a
dynamometer.
X Switch the ignition off.
X Shift the automatic transmission to park posi-
tion P.
Apply the electric parking brake
(Y page 192).
Secure the vehicle against rolling away
(Y page 414).
X To use the high-voltage switch-off device:
open the tailgate.
X Lift the luggage compartment floor upwards
(Y page 359).
X Pull off the right-hand trim in the luggage
compartment. X
Press release clip :in the direction of the
arrow and pull it out.
X Pull high voltage switch-off device ;apart
until it engages in the stop position. If the hybrid drive system has been deactivated
due to reasons mentioned above, have it
checked at a qualified specialist workshop
before reactivation.
High-voltage battery G
WARNING
In the event of a vehicle fire, the internal pres- sure of the high-voltage battery could exceeda critical value. In this case, flammable gas
escapes through a vent valve in the vehicle's
underbody. The gas can ignite. There is a risk
of injury.
Leave the danger area immediately. Secure
the danger area at a suitable distance, whilst
observing legal requirements. G
WARNING
If the housing of the high-voltage battery has
been damaged, electrolyte and gases may
leak out. These are poisonous and caustic.
There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with the skin, eyes or clothing. Immediately rinse electrolyte splashes off
with water and seek medical attention
straight away.
! Exhaustive discharge caused by the vehicle
standing idle for lengthy periods can damage
the high-voltage battery. If the vehicle is idle
for lengthy periods leave the high-voltage bat- tery connected to a charging station.
Charging the high-voltage battery (Y page 182).
Engine compartment Before opening the bonnet:
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch the ignition off.
X Remove the key from the ignition lock.
or, on vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start function
or KEYLESS ‑GO:
X Remove the Start/Stop button from the igni-
tion lock. 42
Hybrid vehiclesSafety
X
Observe the warning notes on the risk of elec-
tric shock (Y page 41).
X Observe the warning notes about the bonnet
(Y page 374). RBS driving safety system (Recupera-
tive Brake System)
The Recuperative Braking System supports you
when braking with an electronically-controlled
brake boost mode and enables the recovery of
kinetic energy (recuperation).
Further information about the Recuperative
Braking System (Y page 259). Panic alarm
X
To prime: press the!button :for
approximately one second.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is primed.
X To deactivate: press the!button :
again.
or
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
or, on vehicles with KEYLESS‑ GO:
X Press the Start/Stop button.
The key must be in the vehicle.
The panic alarm function is only available in cer- tain countries. 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 46)
R adjust their seat and head restraint properly
(Y page 108).
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 107).
You also have to make sure that an airbag can
inflate properly if deployed (Y page 48).
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 55).
For more information about children travelling
with you in the vehicle, see "Children in the vehi-
cle" (Y page 58). 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 Occupant safety
43Safety
Z
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. Restraint system warning lamp
The functions of the restraint system are
checked after the ignition is switched on and at
regular intervals while the engine is running.
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
engine running
R lights up again while the engine is running
All vehicles, except hybrid vehicles: G
WARNING
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. There is an increased risk of serious or even
fatal injuries.
Have the restraint system checked and
repaired immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Hybrid vehicles: 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 ON indicator lamp
:and
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 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. 44
Occupant safetySafety
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 51) and on "Children in the
vehicle" (Y page 58).
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 51) and on "Children in
the vehicle" (Y page 58).
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 51) as well as
on "Seat belts" (Y page 45) and "Airbags"
(Y page 48). 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. 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
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.
If the seat belt is also fitted with a belt force
limiter and this is triggered, the force exerted by
the seat belt on the vehicle occupant is reduced.
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 Occupant safety
45Safety
Z
The indicator lamps inform you whether the
front-passenger front airbag is disabled or ena-
bled.
X Press the Start/Stop button once or twice, or
turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
The system carries out a self-diagnosis.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF and PASSENGER
AIR BAG ON indicator lamps must light up simul- taneously for approximately six seconds.
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.
If the status of the front-passenger front airbag
changes while the vehicle is in motion, an airbag display message appears in the instrument clus-
ter (Y page 311). When the front-passenger
seat is occupied, always pay attention to the
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON and PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamps. Be aware of the status of the front-passenger front airbag both before
and during the journey.
If a person sits in the passenger seat, they must
be:
R seated with the seat belt fastened correctly
R in an almost upright position with their back
against the seat backrest
R with their feet resting on the floor, if possible
If the front passenger does not observe these
conditions, the automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivation system may be influenced,
e.g. because the front passenger:
R transfers their weight by supporting them-
selves on a vehicle armrest
R sits in such a way that their weight is raised
from the seat cushion
The front-passenger front airbag may be disa-
bled by mistake as a result of these or similar
actions. In this case, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp lights up permanently. The
front-passenger front airbag does not then
deploy during an accident. G
WARNING
If the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is lit, the front-passenger front airbag is disa-
bled. It will not be deployed in the event of an
accident and cannot perform its intended pro-
tective function. A person in the front-
passenger seat could then, for example, come
into contact with the vehicle's interior, espe-
cially if the person is sitting too close to the
dashboard. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
When the front-passenger seat is occupied,
always make sure that:
R the classification of the person in the front-
passenger seat is correct and that the front-
passenger front airbag is enabled or disa-
bled in accordance with the person in the
front-passenger seat.
R the front-passenger seat has been moved
back as far back as possible.
R the person is seated correctly.
Make sure, both before and during the jour-
ney, that the status of the front-passenger
front airbag is correct. G
WARNING
If you secure a child on the co-driver's seat in a rearward-facing child restraint system and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp
lights up, the co-driver's airbag could be
deployed in the event of an accident. The child could be struck by the airbag. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
In this case, always ensure that the co-driver's
airbag is disabled. The PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF indicator lamp must light up.
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 rear- ward-facing child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat. Further information can be
found under "Problems with the automatic front-
passenger front airbag deactivation system"
(Y page 55). 52
Occupant safetySafety
ticularly if a seat belt tensioner was triggered or
an airbag was deployed.
An electric motor is used by PRE-SAFE ®
to trig-
ger the tightening of the seat belt in hazardous
situations. This procedure is reversible.
If the belt tensioners are triggered or an airbag is
deployed, you will hear a bang, and a small
amount of powder may also be released. The
6 restraint system warning lamp lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your hear-
ing. In general, the powder released is not haz-
ardous to health but may cause short-term
breathing difficulties to persons suffering from
asthma or other pulmonary conditions. Provided it is safe to do so, you should leave the vehicle
immediately or open the window in order to pre- vent breathing difficulties.
Operation During the first stage of a collision, the restraint
system control unit evaluates important physi-
cal data relating to vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, 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 information
under: "Restraint system warning lamp"
(Y page 44)
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 collisions,
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 airbag 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 44).
Your vehicle has two-stage front airbags. In the
first deployment stage, the front airbag is 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 mil-
liseconds.
The activation threshold for the seat belt ten-
sioners and airbags is determined based on the
evaluation of the vehicle's rate of deceleration
or acceleration at various points in the vehicle.
This process is pre-emptive in nature. The trig-
gering/deployment process should take place
in good time at the start of the collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or acceleration
and the direction of the force are essentially
determined by:
R the distribution of forces during the collision
R the collision angle
R the deformation characteristics of the vehicle
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 deci-
sive role in the deployment of an airbag, nor do
they provide an indication of airbag deployment.
The vehicle may be deformed significantly with-out an airbag being deployed. This is the case if
only parts which are relatively easily deformed
are affected and the rate of deceleration 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 longitudinal body
members are hit, and sufficient deceleration
occurs as a result.
If the restraint system control unit detects a side impact or if the vehicle overturns, the applicable
components of the restraint system are activa-
ted independently of each other depending on
the apparent type of accident.
R Sidebags on the side on which an impact
occurs, independent from the seat belt ten-
sioner and seat belt usage 56
Occupant safetySafety
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 determines
that deployment can offer additional protec-
tion for the vehicle occupants in this situation
R Windowbags on the driver's and front-
passenger side in certain situations if the
vehicle overturns and if the system deter-
mines that deployment can offer additional
protection to that provided by the seat belt
i Not all airbags are deployed in an accident.
The different airbag systems work independ-
ently of each other.
How the airbag system works is determined
by the severity of the accident detected,
especially the vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, and the apparent type of accident:
R frontal collision
R side impact
R overturn PRE-SAFE
®
(anticipatory occupant
protection)
Introduction In certain hazardous situations, PRE-SAFE
®
takes pre-emptive measures to protect the vehi- cle 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 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 physi-
cal limits are exceeded and the vehicle under-
steers or oversteers severely
R on vehicles with the Driving Assistance pack-
age: if BAS PLUS 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 side windows and the
sliding sunroof are closed.
R vehicles with the memory function: the front-
passenger seat is adjusted if it is in an unfav-
ourable position.
R vehicles with a multicontour seat: the air pres-
sure in the side bolsters of the backrest is
increased.
If the hazardous situation passes without result- ing 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 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. Informa-
tion about the convenience function can be
found under "Belt adjustment" (Y page 47). PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS (anticipatory occu-
pant protection PLUS)
Introduction PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS is only available in vehicles
with the Driving Assistance package. Occupant safety
57Safety Z
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 sit-
uations, PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS takes pre-emptive
measures to protect the vehicle occupants.
Important safety notes The intervention of PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS cannot
prevent an imminent collision.
The driver is not warned before the intervention
of PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS.
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS does not intervene:
R if the vehicle is reversing
R when the vehicle is towing a trailer and there
is a risk of a rear-end collision
When driving, or when parking or exiting a park- ing space with assistance from Active Parking
Assist, PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS will not apply the
brakes.
Function PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS intervenes in certain situa-
tions 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 rear hazard warning lamps are activa-
ted and flash at a higher frequency
- the brake pressure is increased if the driver
applies the brakes when the vehicle is sta-
tionary
- the seat belts are pre-tensioned.
The PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS braking application is can-
celled:
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 result- ing in an accident, the original settings are
restored. 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 vehicles with a memory function: the electri-
cally adjustable steering wheel is raised
R the engine is switched off and the fuel supply
is cut off
R vehicles with the Mercedes-Benz emergency
call system: automatic emergency call
R vehicles with the hybrid drive system: the
hybrid system and the high-voltage electrical
system are deactivated Children in the vehicle
Important safety notes
Accident statistics show that children secured
in the rear seats are safer than children 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 protected there.
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 Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The child restraint system must be appropri-
ate 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). 58
Children in the vehicleSafety