2015 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class Owner's Manual

voltage electrical system. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Have the restraint system checked and
repaired immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop. Immediately switch off the ignition and remove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock after an accident.
If components of the restraint system are
activated during an accident, the hybrid sys-
tem is automatically deactivated.
The hybrid system is not activated when the
vehicle is started if:
R a short circuit is detected in the hybrid sys-
tem.
R one of the hybrid system’s electrical con-
nections is disconnected.
This ensures that you do not come into con-
tact with high voltage.
Manual deactivation of the hybrid sys-
tem The hybrid system can be deactivated man-
ually using the high voltage switch-off device.
! To prevent damage to the hybrid system
please observe the following instructions:
R only deactivate the hybrid system man-
ually in the following situations.
R work on the hybrid system may only be
carried out at a qualified specialist work-
shop, even when it has been deactivated
manually.
R if the 6 restraint system warning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up after an
accident.
R if the vehicle is badly damaged, e.g. after an
accident, and the restraint system compo-
nents were not activated.
R if 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.
i The vehicle is locked automatically when
the ignition is switched on and the wheels
are turning. 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
position P(Y page 197).
Depress the electric parking brake
(Y page 222).
Secure the vehicle against rolling away
(Y page 466).
X To use the high-voltage switch-off
device: open the trunk lid.
X Lift the trunk floor upwards (Y page 377).
X Remove the right-hand paneling in the
trunk. X
Press release clip :in the direction of the
arrow and pull it out.
X Pull the high voltage switch-off device ;
apart until it engages in the stop position.
If the hybrid system has been deactivated due to reasons mentioned above, have it checked
at a qualified specialist workshop before
reactivation. Hybrid vehicles
47Safety Z

High-voltage battery
G
WARNING
In the event of a vehicle fire, the internal pres- sure of the high-voltage battery can exceed a
critical value. In this case flammable gas
escapes through a ventilation valve on the
underbody. The gas can ignite. There is a risk of injury.
Leave the danger zone 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 skin, eyes or clothing.
Immediately rinse electrolyte splashes off
with water and seek medical attention
straight away.
! Exhaustive discharge caused by the vehi-
cle standing idle for lengthy periods can
damage the high-voltage battery.
Hybrid vehicles: if the vehicle is idle for
lengthy periods, run it for a few minutes
once every six weeks to charge up the high- voltage battery. During the charging proc-
ess, switch off all electrical consumers, e.g.
the automatic climate control or the seat
heating.
Plug-in hybrid vehicles: if the vehicle is
idle for lengthy periods leave the high-volt- age battery connected to a charging sta-
tion.
PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles: charging the high-
voltage battery (Y page 209).
Engine compartment Before opening the hood:
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Shift the automatic transmission to park
position P. X
Switch the ignition off.
X Remove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock (Y page 189).
or X If the SmartKey is inserted in the ignition
lock: remove the SmartKey from the igni-
tion lock.
X Observe the warning notes on the risk of
electric shock (Y page 46).
X Observe the warning notices about the
hood (Y page 404). RBS driving safety system (Recupera-
tive Brake System)
The Recuperative Braking System supports
you when braking with an electronically-con-
trolled brake boost mode and enables the
recovery of kinetic energy (recuperation). G
WARNING
If the Recuperative Braking System malfunc-
tions, braking resistance may be reduced and brake pedal travel may be longer than usual. If
you subsequently depress the brake pedal as usual, the braking effect may not be sufficient.
There is a risk of an accident.
In the event of this malfunction, continue to
depress the brake pedal. Stop the vehicle in
accordance with the traffic conditions. If nec-
essary, contact a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Further information about the Recuperative
Braking System (Y page 276).48
Hybrid vehiclesSafety

Panic alarm
X
To activate: press!button :for at
least one second.
An alarm sounds and the exterior lighting
flashes.
X To deactivate: press!button :
again.
or
X Press the Start/Stop button.
The SmartKey must be in the vehicle. Occupant safety
Restraint system: introduction
The restraint system reduces 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 Air bags
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, at all times,
all vehicle occupants:
R have fastened their seat belts correctly
(Y page 53)
R have adjusted their seat and head restraint
properly (Y page 121).
As the driver, you also have to make sure that
the steering wheel is adjusted correctly.
Observe the information relating to the cor-
rect driver's seat position (Y page 120).
You also have to make sure that an air bag can inflate properly if deployed (Y page 56).
An air bag supplements a correctly worn seat
belt. As an additional safety device, the air
bag increases the level of protection for vehi-
cle occupants in the event of an accident. For example, if, in the event of an accident, the
protection offered by the seat belt is suffi-
cient, the air bags are not deployed. When an
accident occurs, only the air bags that
increase protection in that particular accident
situation are deployed. However, seat belts
and air bags generally do not protect against objects penetrating the vehicle from the out-
side.
Information on restraint system operation
can be found under "Deployment of Emer-
gency Tensioning Devices and air bags"
(Y page 65).
For more information about children traveling
with you in the vehicle and on child restraint
systems, see "Children in the vehicle"
(Y page 69). Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Modifications to the restraint system may
cause it to no longer work as intended. The
restraint system may then not perform its
intended protective function and may fail in an accident or trigger unexpectedly, for example. Occupant safety
49Safety
Z

This poses an increased risk of injury or even
fatal injury.
Never modify parts of the restraint system.
Never tamper with the wiring, the electronic
components or their software.
If it is necessary to modify an air bag system to accommodate a person with disabilities, con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
details. USA only: for further information con- tact our Customer Assistance Center at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1‑800‑367‑6372). 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 run-
ning. Therefore, malfunctions can be detec-
ted in good time.
The 6 restraint system warning lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up when the igni-
tion is switched on. It goes out no later than a few seconds after the vehicle is started. The
components of the restraint system are in
operational readiness.
A malfunction has occurred if the 6
restraint 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 restraint system is malfunctioning, restraint system components may be triggered unin-
tentionally or might not be triggered at all in
the event of an accident with a high rate of
vehicle deceleration. This can affect the Emer- gency Tensioning Device or air bag, for exam-
ple. This poses an increased risk of injury or
even fatal injury. Have the restraint system checked and
repaired in a qualified specialist workshop as soon as possible.
Hybrid vehicles: G
DANGER
If the restraint system is malfunctioning, indi- vidual restraint system components may be
triggered unintentionally or might not be trig-
gered at all in the event of an accident with a high rate of vehicle deceleration. This could
affect Emergency Tensioning Devices or air
bags, for example. The vehicle's high-voltage
electrical system may also not be deactivated
as intended in the event of an accident. You
could suffer an electric shock if you touch the damaged components of the vehicle's high-
voltage electrical system. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Have the restraint system checked and
repaired immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop. Immediately switch off the ignition
and remove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock after an accident. PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamp
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
:
and PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator
lamp ;are part of the Occupant Classifica-
tion System (OCS).
The indicator 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- 50
Occupant safetySafety

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

fail to deploy when necessary. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Never modify the seat belts, Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices, belt anchorages or inertia
reels. Make sure that the seat belts are
undamaged, not worn out and clean. Follow-
ing an accident, have the seat belts checked
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Only use seat belts that have been approved
for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz. Any such
modifications could invalidate the vehicle's
general operating permit.
Proper use of the seat belts Observe the safety notes on the seat belt
(Y page 51).
All vehicle occupants must be wearing the
seat belt correctly before beginning the jour-
ney. Also make sure that all vehicle occu-
pants are always wearing the seat belt cor-
rectly while the vehicle is in motion.
When fastening the seat belt, always make
sure that:
R the seat belt tongue is only inserted to the
belt buckle belonging to that seat.
R the seat belt is tight across your body.
Avoid wearing bulky clothing, e.g. a winter
coat.
R the seat belt is not twisted.
Only then can the forces which occur be
distributed over the area of the belt.
R the shoulder section of the belt is always
routed across the center of your shoulder.
The shoulder section of the belt must not
come into contact with your neck or be
routed under your arm. Where possible,
adjust the seat belt to the appropriate
height.
R the lap belt passes tightly and as low down
as possible across your lap.
The lap belt must always be routed across
your hip joints and not across your abdo-
men. This applies particularly to pregnant women. If necessary, push the lap belt
down to your hip joint and pull it tight using
the shoulder section of the belt.
R the seat belt is not routed across sharp,
pointed or fragile objects.
If you have such items located on or in your clothing, e.g. pens, keys or eyeglasses,
store these in a suitable place.
R only one person is using a seat belt at a
time.
Infants and children must never travel sit-
ting on the lap of a vehicle occupant. In the
event of an accident, they could be crushed
between the vehicle occupant and seat
belt.
R objects are never secured with a seat belt if
the seat belt is also being used by one of the vehicle's occupants.
Seat belts are only intended to secure and
restrain vehicle occupants. Always observe
the "Loading guidelines" for securing objects,
luggage or loads (Y page 372).
Rear beltbags i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 56).
Depending on the vehicle's equipment, the
outer rear seat belts are equipped with a belt bag. This can be seen from the BELTBAG iden-
tification on the rear seat belt. G
WARNING
In an accident, the belt bag may damage a
non-approved child restraint system. As a
result, the child restraint system may not be
able to provide the intended level of protec-
tion. This poses an increased risk of injury or
even fatal injury.
For this reason, a child restraint system with
an integrated seat belt should always be
installed using LATCH-type (ISOFIX). In a vehi- cle with optional belt bags for the rear seats,
you should only ever use a booster seat with
integrated backrest that has been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz in conjunction Occupant safety
53Safety
Z

with a belt bag. Never use a seat belt equipped
with a belt bag to secure a forward or rear-
ward-facing child restraint system or a boos-
ter seat that has not been approved. For infor-
mation on approved child restraint systems,
please contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Further information on child restraint sys-
tems (Y page 69). When triggered, belt bags
:open, increas-
ing the protected area of the occupants' ribc-
ages. The beltbags are triggered depending
on the type and severity of the accident.
Fastening and adjusting the seat belts Observe the safety notes on the seat belt
(Y
page 51) and the notes on correct use of
seat belts (Y page 53). X
Adjust the seat (Y page 120).
The seat backrest must be in an almost
vertical position.
X Pull the seat belt smoothly from belt outlet
= and engage belt tongue ;into belt
buckle :.
The seat belt on the driver’s seat and the
front-passenger seat may be tightened
automatically, see "Belt adjustment"
(Y page 55).
X If necessary, pull upwards on the shoulder
section of the seat belt to tighten the belt
across your body. The shoulder section of the seat belt must
always be routed across the center of the
shoulder. Adjust the belt outlet if necessary.
X To raise: slide the belt outlet upwards.
The belt outlet will engage in various posi-
tions.
X To lower: hold belt outlet release :and
slide the belt outlet downwards.
X Let go of belt outlet release :in the
desired position and make sure that the
belt outlet engages.
All seat belts except the driver's seat belt are equipped with a special seat belt retractor tosecurely fasten child restraint systems in the
vehicle. Further information can be found
under "Special seat belt retractor"
(Y page 69). 54
Occupant safetySafety