ted. It will then not be deployed in the event
of an accident.
R PASSENGER AIR BAG ON ;lights up: the
front-passenger front air bag is enabled. If,
in the event of an accident, all deployment
criteria are met, the front-passenger front
air bag is deployed.
Depending on the person in the front-
passenger seat, the front-passenger front air
bag must either be deactivated or enabled;
see the following points. You must make sure
of this both before and during a journey.
R Children in a child restraint system:
whether the front-passenger front air bag is
enabled or deactivated depends on the
installed child restraint system, and the age and size of the child. Therefore, be sure to
observe the notes on the "Occupant Clas-
sification System (OCS)" (Y page 59) and
on "Children in the vehicle" (Y page 69).
There you will also find instructions on rear-
ward and forward-facing child restraint sys- tems on the front-passenger seat.
R All other persons: depending on the clas-
sification of the person in the front-
passenger seat, the front-passenger front
air bag is enabled or deactivated
(Y page 59). Be sure to observe the notes
on "Seat belts“ (Y page 51) and "Air bags"
(Y page 56). There you can also find infor-
mation on the correct seat position. Seat belts
Introduction Seat belts are the most effective means of
restricting the movement of vehicle occu-
pants in the event of an accident or the vehi-
cle rolling over. This reduces the risk of vehi- cle occupants coming into contact with parts
of the vehicle interior or being ejected from
the vehicle. Furthermore, the seat belt helps
to keep the vehicle occupant in the best posi- tion in relation to the air bag. The seat belt system comprises:
R Seat belts
R Emergency Tensioning Devices for the
front seat belts and the outer seat belts in
the rear
R Seat belt force limiters for the front seat
belts and the outer seat belts in the rear
R Belt bags for the outer seat belts in the rear,
depending on the vehicle's equipment
If the seat belt is pulled out of the belt outlet quickly or with a jerky movement, the belt
retractor locks. The belt strap cannot be
extracted any further.
The Emergency Tensioning Device tightens
the seat belt in an accident, pulling the belt
close against the body. However it does not
pull the vehicle occupant back in the direction
of the backrest.
The Emergency Tensioning Device does not
correct an incorrect seat position or the rout-
ing of an incorrectly fastened seat belt.
When triggered, seat belt force limiters help
to reduce the force exerted by the seat belt on the vehicle occupant.
The seat belt force limiters for the front seats
are synchronized with the front air bags,
which absorb part of the deceleration force.
This can reduce the force exerted on the vehi-
cle occupants during an accident.
! 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.
Important safety notes The use of seat belts and child restraint sys-
tems is required by law in:
R all 50 states
R the U.S. territories
R the District of Columbia
R all Canadian provinces Occupant safety
51Safety Z
Even where this is not required by law, all
vehicle occupants should correctly fasten
their seat belts before starting the journey. G
WARNING
If the seat belt is incorrectly fastened, it can-
not protect as intended. Furthermore, an
incorrectly fastened seat belt can cause addi- tional injury, for example, in an accident, dur-
ing braking or when abruptly changing direc-
tion. This poses an increased risk of injury or
even fatal injury.
Make sure that all vehicle occupants are
seated properly with a correctly fastened seat belt. 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 backrest
is in an almost vertical position and that the
shoulder section of your seat belt is routed
across the center of your shoulder. G
WARNING
Objects next to the front seat that block the
belt buckle or the moving belt anchorage on
the front seat impair the function of the Emer- gency Tensioning Devices. The Emergency
Tensioning Devices may not function as inten-
ded and the seat belt may no longer provide
the intended protection. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Before starting the journey, make sure that
there are no objects around the belt buckle or between the front seat and door. G
WARNING
Persons under 5 ft (1.50 m) in heightcannot
fasten the seat belt correctly without an addi- tional suitable restraint system. If the seat
belt is incorrectly fastened, it cannot protect
as intended. Furthermore, an incorrectly fas-
tened seat belt can cause additional injury, for example, in an accident, during braking or an
abrupt change of direction. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
For this reason, always secure persons under
5 ft (1.50 m) in height in suitable restraint
systems.
If a child younger than 12 years and under 5 ft
(1.50 m) in height is traveling in the vehicle:
R always secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for this Mercedes-Benz
vehicle. The child restraint system must be
appropriate to the age, weight and size of
the child
R always observe the instructions and safety
notes on the belt bags for the outer seat
belts in the rear (Y page 53)
R always observe the instructions and safety
notes in the "Children in the vehicle" sec-
tion of this Operator's Manual
(Y page 69) in addition to the child
restraint system manufacturer's installa-
tion instructions
R be sure to observe the instructions and
safety notes on the "Occupant classifica-
tion system (OCS)" (Y page 59) G
WARNING
The seat belts may not perform their intended protective function if:
R they are damaged, modified, extremely
dirty, bleach or dyed
R the seat belt buckle is damaged or
extremely dirty
R the Emergency Tensioning Devices, belt
anchorages or inertia reels have been modi-
fied
Seat belts may sustain non-visible damage in an accident, e.g. due to glass splinters. Modi-
fied or damaged seat belts may tear or fail,
e.g. in an accident. Modified Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices could accidentally trigger or 52
Occupant safetySafety
the child restraint system. Never place
objects under or behind the child restraint
system, e.g. cushions. Fully retract the seat
cushion length. 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.
The child restraint system must not touch the
roof or be put under strain by the head
restraint. Adjust the angle of the seat back-
rest and the head restraint position accord-
ingly.
Only then can OCS be guaranteed to function correctly. Always observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions.
Occupant Classification System opera-
tion (OCS) :
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
; PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp
The indicator lamps inform you whether the
front-passenger front air bag is deactivated or
enabled.
X Press the Start/Stop button once or twice,
or turn the SmartKey to position 1or 2in
the ignition lock.
The system carries out self-diagnostics.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF and
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamps
must light up simultaneously for approx-
imately six second s. The indi
cator lamps display the status of the
front-passenger front air bag.
R PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF :lights up: the
front-passenger front air bag is deactiva-
ted. It will then not be deployed in the event
of an accident.
R PASSENGER AIR BAG ON ;lights up: the
front-passenger front air bag is enabled. If, in the event of an accident, all deployment
criteria are met, the front-passenger front
air bag is deployed.
If the status of the front-passenger front air
bag changes while the vehicle is in motion, an air bag display message appears in the instru-
ment cluster (Y page 332). When the front-
passenger seat is occupied, always pay atten-
tion to the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON and
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamps. Be aware of the status of the front-passenger
front air bag both before and during the jour- ney. G
WARNING
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is lit, the front-passenger front air bag is disabled. It will not be deployed in the event of
an accident and cannot perform its intended
protective 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 ensure that:
R the classification of the person in the front-
passenger seat is correct and the front-
passenger front air bag 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 air bag is correct. 60
Occupant safetySafety
Deployment of Emergency Tensioning
Devices and air bags
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The air bag parts are hot after an air bag has
been deployed. There is a risk of injury.
Do not touch the air bag parts. Have a
deployed air bag replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop as soon as possible. G
WARNING
A deployed air bag no longer offers any pro-
tection and cannot provide the intended pro-
tection in an accident. There is an increased
risk of injury.
Have the vehicle towed to a qualified special- ist workshop in order to have a deployed air
bag replaced.
It is important for your safety and that of your
passenger to have deployed air bags replaced and to have any malfunctioning air bags
repaired. This will help to make sure the air
bags continue to perform their protective
function for the vehicle occupants in the
event of a crash. 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.
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 Emergency Tensioning Devices are trig-
gered or air bags are deployed, you will hear a bang, and a small amount of powder may also be released. The
6restraint system warn-
ing lamp lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your
hearing. The powder that is released gener-
ally does not constitute a health hazard, but it may cause short-term breathing difficulties in
people with asthma or other respiratory prob-
lems. 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.
Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency Tension-
ing Devices (ETDs) contain perchlorate mate-
rial, which may require special handling and
regard for the environment. National guide-
lines must be observed during disposal. In
California, see www.dtsc.ca.gov/
HazardousWaste/Perchlorate/
index.cfm .
Method of 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
Emergency Tensioning Devices during a fron-
tal or rear collision.
An Emergency Tensioning Device can only be triggered, if:
R the ignition is switched on
R the components of the restraint system are
operational; see "Restraint system warning lamp" (Y page 50)
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
the respective front-passenger seat
The Emergency Tensioning Devices in the
rear compartment are triggered independ-
ently of the lock status of the seat belts. Occupant safety
65Safety Z
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.
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. Infor-
mation about the convenience function can
be found under "Belt adjustment"
(Y page 55). PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS (anticipatory occu-
pant protection system PLUS)
Introduction PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS is only available in vehicles
with the Driving Assistance package.
Using the radar sensor system, PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS is able to detect that a head-on or rear-
end collision is imminent. In certain hazard-
ous situations, 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 when PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS intervenes.
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS does not intervene if the
vehicle is backing up.
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS does not perform braking
actions while the vehicle is in motion or when
Parking Guidance is active.
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 meas-
ures 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 brake pressure is increased if the
driver applies the brakes when the vehi-
cle is stationary.
- the seat belts are pre-tensioned.
The PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS braking application is
canceled:
R if the accelerator pedal is depressed when
a gear is engaged
R if the risk of a collision passes or is no lon-
ger detected
R if DISTRONIC PLUS indicates an intention
to pull away
If the hazardous situation passes without
resulting in an accident, the original settings
are restored. Automatic measures after an acci-
dent
Immediately after an accident, the following
measures are 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 electrically adjustable steering wheel is
raised
R the engine is switched off and the fuel sup-
ply is cut off
R vehicles with seat belt extenders: the seat-
belt buckles for the outer rear seats are
illuminated and extend forwards 68
Occupant safetySafety
R
vehicles with mbrace: automatic emer-
gency call
R vehicles with the hybrid drive system: the
hybrid system and the high-voltage electri-
cal system are deactivated 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 12 years and under 5 ft
(1.50 m) in height is traveling 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 be sure to observe the instructions and
safety notes on the "Occupant classifica-
tion system (OCS)" (Y page 59)G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi- cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
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
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle. G
WARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle. 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.
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 51) and the notes on correct use of
seat belts (Y page 53).
A booster seat may be necessary to achieve
proper seat belt positioning for children over
41 lbs (18 kg) or until they reach a height
where a lap/shoulder belt can be fastened
properly without a booster seat. Special seat belt retractor
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. Children in the vehicle
69Safety
Z
Top Tether
Introduction Top Tether provides an additional connection
between the child restraint system secured
with a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat mount
and the vehicle. This helps reduce the risk of
injury even further. If the child restraint sys-
tem is equipped with a Top Tether belt, this
should always be used.
Important safety notes 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. G
WARNING
Vehicles with electrically adjustable rear
bench seats:
If you adjust the seat after installing a child
restraint system:
R the seat belt could slacken or become too
tight
R the child restraint system could become
loose, incorrectly positioned or damaged
As a result, the child restraint system may not
be able to provide the intended level of pro-
tection. This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Never adjust the seat after installing the child
restraint system.
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 anchorages The Top Tether anchorage points are installed
in the rear compartment behind the head
restraints on the parcel shelf. X
Move the head restraint upwards.
X Fold up cover :of the Top Tether anchor-
age.
X Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system with Top Tether. Always
comply with the child restraint system
manufacturer's installation instructions
when doing so.
X Route Top Tether belt ?under the head
restraint between the two head restraint
bars.
X Hook Top Tether hook =of Top Tether
belt ?into Top Tether anchorage ;.
Make sure that Top Tether belt ?is not
twisted. Children in the vehicle
73Safety Z
X
Tension Top Tether belt ?. Always comply
with the child restraint system manufactur- er's installation instructions when doing so.
X Fold down cover :of the Top Tether
anchorage.
X If necessary, move the head restraint back
down again slightly (Y page 133). Make
sure that you do not interfere with the cor-
rect routing of Top Tether belt ?.Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat
General 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 the child restraint system on a
rear seat.
If it is absolutely necessary to install a child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat,
be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant Classification System (OCS)" (Y page 59).
You can thus avoid the risks that could arise
as a result of:
R an incorrectly categorized person in the
front-passenger seat
R the unintentional deactivation of the front-
passenger front air bag
R the unsuitable positioning of the child
restraint system, e.g. too close to the dash- board
Rearward-facing child restraint system If it is absolutely necessary to install a rear-
ward-facing child restraint system on the
front-passenger seat, always make sure that
the front-passenger front air bag is deactiva-
ted. Only if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is permanently lit (Y page 50)
is the front-passenger front air bag deactiva-
ted. Always observe the child restraint system
manufacturer's installation and operating
instructions.
Forward-facing child restraint system If it is absolutely necessary to install a
forward-facing child restraint system on the
front-passenger seat, always move the front-
passenger seat as far back as possible. Fully
retract the seat cushion length. The entire
base of the child restraint system must
always rest on the seat cushion of the front-
passenger seat. The backrest of the child
restraint system must lie as flat as possible
against the backrest of the front-passenger
seat. The child restraint system must not
touch the roof or be subjected to a load by the
head restraint. Adjust the angle of the seat
backrest and the head restraint position
accordingly. Always make sure that the shoul- der belt strap is correctly routed from the
vehicle belt outlet to the shoulder belt guide
on the child restraint system. The shoulder
belt strap must be routed forwards and down-
wards from the vehicle belt outlet. If neces-
sary, adjust the vehicle belt outlet and the
front-passenger seat accordingly.
Always observe the child restraint system
manufacturer's installation and operating
instructions. Child-proof locks
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If children are traveling in the vehicle, they
could:
R open doors, thus endangering other people
or road users
R exit the vehicle and be caught by oncoming
traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and become
trapped
There is a risk of an accident and injury. 74
Children in the vehicleSafety