
regular intervals while the engine is running.
Therefore, malfunctions can be detected in
good time.
The6 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:
Rdoes not light up after the ignition is switched
on
Rdoes not go out after a few seconds with the
engine running
Rlights up again while the engine is running
GWARNING
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.
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp :is
part of the Occupant Classification System
(OCS). The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
informs you about the status of the front-
passenger front air bag.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp:
Ris lit: the front-passenger front air bag is
deactivated. It will then not be deployed in the
event of an accident.
Ris not lit
: 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 fol-
lowing points. You must make sure of this both
before and during a journey.
RChildren in a child restraint system:
whether the front-passenger front air bag is
enabled or deactivated depends on the instal-
led child restraint system, and the age and
size of the child. Therefore, be sure to observe the notes on the "Occupant Classification
System (OCS)" (
Ypage 49) and on "Chil-
dren in the vehicle" (Ypage 58). There you
will also find instructions on rearward and
forward-facing child restraint systems on the
front-passenger seat.
RAll other persons: depending on the classi-
fication of the person in the front-passenger
seat, the front-passenger front air bag is ena-
bled or deactivated (
Ypage 49). Be sure to
observe the notes on "Seat
belts“ (
Ypage 42) and "Air bags"
(Ypage 46). 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 occupants
in the event of an accident or the vehicle rolling
over. This reduces the risk of vehicle occupants coming into contact with parts of the vehicle
interior or being ejected from the vehicle. Fur-
thermore, the seat belt helps to keep the vehicle
occupant in the best position in relation to the
air bag.
42Occupant safety
Safety

Basic illustration
XAdjust the seat (Ypage 94).
The seat backrest must be in an almost ver-
tical position.
XPull the seat belt smoothly from the 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 auto-
matically, see "Belt adjustment"
(
Ypage 45).
XIf 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 shoul-
der. Adjust the belt outlet if necessary.
XTo raise: slide the belt outlet upwards.
The belt outlet will engage in various posi-
tions.
XTo lower: hold belt outlet release =and slide
belt outlet downwards.
XLet 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 to
securely fasten child restraint systems in the
vehicle. Further information can be found under
"Special seat belt retractor" (
Ypage 59).
Releasing seat belts
!Make sure that the seat belt is fully rolled up.
Otherwise, the seat belt or belt tongue will be
trapped in the door or in the seat mechanism.
This could damage the door, the door trim
panel and the seat belt. Damaged seat belts
can no longer fulfill their protective function
and must be replaced. Visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
XPress the release button in the belt buckle,
hold the belt tongue firmly and guide the belt
back.
Seat belt adjustment
The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE®convenience function. This func-
tion adjusts the driver's and front-passenger
seat belt to the upper body of the occupants.
The belt strap is tightened slightly when:
Rthe belt tongue is engaged in the buckle and
Rthe ignition is switched on
The seat-belt adjustment will apply a certain
retraction force if any slack is detected between
the vehicle occupant and the seat belt. Do not
hold on to the seat belt tightly while it is adjust-
ing.
You can switch the seat-belt adjustment on and
off in the on-board computer (
Ypage 208).
Belt warning for the driver and front
passenger
The 7 seat belt warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster is a reminder that all vehicle occu-
pants must wear their seat belts. It may light up
continuously or flash. In addition, there may be
a warning tone.
Regardless of whether the driver's seat belt has
already been fastened, the 7seat belt warn-
ing lamp lights up for six seconds each time the engine is started. If, after six seconds, the driver
or front-passenger seat belt has not been fas-
tened and the doors are closed, the 7seat
belt warning lamp lights up. As soon as the driv-
er's and front-passenger seat belts are fastened
or a front door is opened again, the 7seat
belt warning lamp goes out.
If the driver's seat belt is not fastened after the
engine is started, an additional warning tone will
sound. The warning tone switches off after six
Occupant safety45
Safety
Z

vehicle" (Ypage 58) in addition to the child
restraint system manufacturer's installation
and operating instructions.
Objects in the vehicle interior may prevent
an air bag from functioning correctly. Before
starting your journey and to avoid risks resulting
from the speed of the air bag as it deploys, make sure that:
Rthere are no people, animals or objects
between the vehicle occupants and an air
bag.
Rthere are no objects between the seat, door
and B-pillar.
Rno hard objects, e.g. coat hangers, hang on
the grab handles or coat hooks.
Rno accessories, such as cup holders, are
attached to the vehicle within the deployment
area of an air bag, e.g. to doors, side windows,
rear side trim or side walls.
Rno heavy, sharp-edged or fragile objects are in
the pockets of your clothing. Store such
objects in a suitable place.
GWARNING
If you modify the air bag cover or affix objects
such as stickers to it, the air bag can no longer
function correctly. There is an increased risk
of injury.
Never modify an air bag cover or affix objects
to it.
GWARNING
Sensors to control the air bags are located in
the doors. Modifications or work not per-
formed correctly to the doors or door panel-
ing, as well as damaged doors, can lead to the
function of the sensors being impaired. The air
bags might therefore not function properly
anymore. Consequently, the air bags cannot
protect vehicle occupants as they are
designed to do. There is an increased risk of
injury.
Never modify the doors or parts of the doors.
Always have work on the doors or door pan-
eling carried out at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Front air bags
Driver's air bag :deploys in front of the steer-
ing wheel. Front-passenger front air bag ;
deploys in front of and above the glove box.
When deployed, the front air bags offer addi-
tional head and thorax protection for the occu-
pants in the front seats.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
informs you about the status of the front-
passenger front air bag (
Ypage 42).
The front-passenger front air bag will only
deploy if:
Rthe system, based on the OCS weight sensor
readings, detects that the front-passenger
seat is occupied (
Ypage 49)
Rthe PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
does not light up (Ypage 49)
Rthe restraint system control unit predicts a
high accident severity
Knee bags
Driver's knee bag :deploys under the steering
column and front-passenger knee bag ;under
the glove box. The driver's and front-passenger
knee bags are triggered together with the front
air bags.
Occupant safety47
Safety
Z

PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp:
indicates whether the front-passenger front air
bag is disabled.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 1or 2in the
ignition lock, or in vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, press the start/stop button once or twice.
The system carries out a self-diagnosis test.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
must light up for about six seconds.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
then shows the status of the front-passenger
front air bag. If the status of the front-passenger
front air bag changes whilst the vehicle is in
motion, an air bag display message may appear
in the instrument cluster (
Ypage 219). Always
observe the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp when the front-passenger seat is occu-
pied. Make sure that the status of the front-
passenger front air bag is correct before and
during a journey.
If the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp:
Rlights up, the front-passenger front air bag is
disabled. It will then not be deployed in the
event of an accident.
Rdoes not light up, the front-passenger front
air bag is enabled. If, in the case of an acci-
dent, all deployment criteria are met, the
front-passenger front air bag is deployed.
GWARNING
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:
Rthe 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
Rthe front-passenger seat has been moved
back as far back as possible.
Rthe 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.
GWARNING
If you secure a child in a child restraint system on the front-passenger seat and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is
off, the front-passenger front air bag can
deploy in the event of an accident. The child
could be struck by the air bag. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Make sure that the front-passenger front air
bag has been disabled. The PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp must be lit.
GWARNING
If you secure a child in a forward-facing child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat
and you position the front-passenger seat too close to the dashboard, the child could, in the
event of an accident:
Rcome into contact with the vehicle's inte-
rior if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indi-
cator lamp is lit, for example
Rbe struck by the air bag if the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is off
This poses an increased risk of injury or even
fatal injury.
Move the front-passenger seat as far back as
possible. Always make sure that the shoulder
belt strap is correctly routed from the vehicle
belt sash guide 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 sash guide. If nec- essary, adjust the vehicle belt sash guide and
the front-passenger seat accordingly. Always
observe the child restraint system manufac-
turer's installation instructions.
50Occupant safety
Safety

If OCS detects that:
Rthe front-passenger seat is not occupied, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
lights up continuously after the system's self-diagnosis test. This indicates that the front-
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Rthe front-passenger seat is occupied by a
child aged up to twelve months in a standard
child restraint system, the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp lights up continu-
ously after the system's self-diagnosis test.
This indicates that the front-passenger front
air bag is deactivated.
In the case of a twelve-month-old child in a
standard child restraint system, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp may
go out after the system's self-diagnosis test.
This indicates that the front-passenger front
air bag is activated. Categorization is depend-
ent on the type of child restraint system and
the stature of the child, for example. In this
case, always install the child restraint system
on a suitable rear seat.
Rthe front-passenger seat is occupied by a per-
son of smaller stature (e.g. a teenager or a
small adult), the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp lights up continuously or goes
off after the system's self-diagnosis test
depending on the categorization.
-If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is off, position the front-passenger
seat as far back as possible. Alternatively, a
person of smaller stature can sit on a rear
seat.
-If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp lights up, a person of smaller stature
should not sit on the front-passenger seat.
Rthe front-passenger seat is occupied by an
adult or a person of an appropriate size, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
goes out after the system's self-diagnosis
test. This indicates that the front-passenger
front air bag is activated.
If children are traveling in the vehicle, be sure to observe the notes on "Children in the vehicle"
(
Ypage 58).
If the OCS is malfunctioning, both the red 6
restraint system warning lamp in the instrument
cluster and the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indi-
cator lamp light up simultaneously. In this case,
the front-passenger air bag is deactivated and
does not deploy during an accident. Ha
ve the
system checked by qualified technicians as soon as possible. Consult an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Only have the front-
passenger seat repaired at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
If the front-passenger seat, the seat cover or the
seat cushion are damaged, have the necessary
repair work carried out at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use seat accessories that
have been approved by Mercedes-Benz.
If the driver's air bag deploys, this does not
mean that the front-passenger front air bag will
also deploy. The Occupant Classification Sys-
tem (OCS) categorizes the occupant on the
front-passenger seat. Depending on the result,
the front-passenger air bag is activated or deac-
tivated.
System self-test
GDANGER
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp does not light up during the system self-
test, then the system is malfunctioning. The
front-passenger front air bag might be trig-
gered unintentionally or might not be trig-
gered at all in the event of an accident with
high deceleration. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
In this case the front-passenger seat may not
be used. Do not install a child restraint system
on the front-passenger seat. Have the Occu-
pant Classification System (OCS) checked
and repaired immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
GWARNING
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp remains lit after the system self-test, the
front-passenger front air bag is disabled. It will
not be deployed in the event of an accident. In
this case, the front-passenger front air bag
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-
Occupant safety51
Safety
Z

Problems with the Occupant Classification System (OCS)
Be sure to observe the notes on "System self-test" (Ypage 51).
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
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 per-
son of a stature corre-
sponding to that of an
adult.The classification of the person on the front-passenger seat is incor-
rect.
XMake sure the conditions for a correct classification of the person
on the front-passenger seat are met (Ypage 49).
XIf the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp remains lit, the front-
passenger seat may not be used.
XHave OCS checked as soon as possible at an authorized Mercedes- Benz Center.
The PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp
does not light up and/or
does not stay on.
The front-passenger seat
is:
Runoccupied
Roccupied with the
weight of a child up to
twelve months old in a
child restraint system
OCS is malfunctioning.
XMake sure there is nothing between the seat cushion and the child
seat.
XMake sure that the entire base of the child restraint system rests on
the seat cushion of the front-passenger seat. The backrest of the
forward-facing child restraint system must lie as flat as possible
against the backrest of the front-passenger seat. If necessary,
adjust the position of the front-passenger seat.
XWhen installing the child restraint system, make sure that the seat belt is tight. Do not pull the seat belt tight using the front-passenger
seat adjustment. This could result in the seat belt and the child
restraint system being pulled too tightly.
XCheck for correct installation of the child restraint system.
Make sure that the head restraint does not apply a load to the child
restraint system. If necessary, adjust the head restraint accord-
ingly.
XMake sure that no objects are applying additional weight onto the
seat.
XIf the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp remains off, do not
install a child restraint system on the front-passenger seat. It is
recommended that you install the child restraint system on a suit-
able rear seat.
XHave OCS checked as soon as possible at an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.
Deployment of Emergency Tensioning
Devices and air bags
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
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.
Occupant safety53
Safety
Z

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.
GWARNING
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 trig-
ger the tightening of the seat belt in hazardous
situations. This procedure is reversible.
If Emergency Tensioning Devices are triggered
or air bags are 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 hear-
ing. The powder that is released generally does
not constitute a health hazard, but it may cause
short-term breathing difficulties in people with
asthma or other respiratory problems. Provided
it is safe to do so, you should leave the vehicle
immediately or open the window in order to pre-
vent breathing difficulties.
Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning
Devices (ETDs) contain perchlorate material,
which may require special handling and regard
for the environment. National guidelines 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 important physi-
cal data relating to vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, such as:
Rduration
Rdirection
Rintensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the Emer-
gency Tensioning Devices during a frontal or
rear collision.
An Emergency Tensioning Device can only be
triggered, if:
Rthe ignition is switched on
Rthe components of the restraint system are
operational. You can find further information
under: "Restraint system warning lamp"
(
Ypage 41)
Rthe belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
the respective front-passenger seat
The Emergency Tensioning Devices in the rear
compartment are triggered independently of the
lock status of the seat belts.
If the restraint system control unit detects a
more severe accident, further components of
the restraint system are activated independ-
ently of each other in certain frontal collision
situations:
RFront air bags and driver's knee bag
RWindow curtain air bag, if the system deter-
mines that deployment can offer additional
protection to that provided by the seat belt
The front-passenger front air bag is activated or
deactivated depending on the person on the
front-passenger seat. The front-passenger front
air bag can only deploy in an accident if the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is off. Observe the information on the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp (
Ypage 42).
Your vehicle has two-stage front air bags. During the fi
rst deployment stage, the front air bag is
filled with propellant gas to reduce the risk of
injuries. The front air bag is fully deployed with
the maximum amount of propellant gas if a sec-
ond deployment threshold is reached within a
few milliseconds.
The activation threshold of the Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices and the air bag are determined
by evaluating the rate of vehicle deceleration or
acceleration which occurs at various points in
54Occupant safety
Safety

Important safety notes
!Makesur ethat there are no objects in th e
footwell or behind th eseats. Ther eis adanger
that th eseat sand/o robjects could be dam-
aged when PRE-SAF E
®is activated.
Althoug hyour vehicl eis equipped wit hPRE -
SAFE
®, th epossibilit yof injury in th eevent of an
acciden tcanno tbe rule dout .Always adapt your
driving style to suit th eprevailing road and
weather condition sand maintai n asafedistanc e
from th evehicl ein front. Drive carefully.
Function
PRE-SAF E®intervenes:
Rin emergenc ybraking situations, e.g. when
BA Sis activated
Rin critical driving situations, e.g. when physi-
cal limits are exceeded and th evehicl eunder-
steer sor oversteer sseverely
Ron vehicles wit hth eDrivin gAssistanc epack-
age: if BA SPLU Sintervenes powerfully or th e
radar sensor system detects an imminent
danger of collision in certain situation s
PRE-SAF E
®takes thefollowin gmeasures
depending on th ehazardous situation detected:
Rth efron tseat belt sare pre-tensioned.
Rth efront-passenger seat is adjusted if it is in
an unfavorable position .
Rif thevehicl eskids, th eside windows and th e
sliding sunroo fare closed.
Rvehicles wit h amulticontour seat or active
multicontour seat :th eair pressur ein th eside
bolsters of th ebackrest is increased.
If th ehazardous situation passes without result -
ing in an accident, PRE-SAF E
®slackens thebelt
pre-tensioning .On vehicles wit hmulticontour
seat sor active multicontour seats, th eair pres-
sur ein th eside bolsters is reduce dagain .All
setting smade by PRE-SAF E
®can then be
reversed.
If th eseat belt pre-tensioning is no treduced:
XMov eth eseat backrest or seat bac kslightly
when th evehicl eis stationary.
The seat belt pre-tensioning is reduce dand
th elockin gmechanism is released.
The seat-belt adjustmen tis an integral part of
th ePRE-SAF E
®convenience function .Informa-
tion about th econvenience function can be
foun dunder "Belt adjustment" (
Ypage 45).
PRE-SAFE®PLUS (anticipatory occu-
pant protection system PLUS)
Introduction
PRE-SAF E®PLUSis only available in vehicles
wit hth eDrivin gAssistanc epackage.
Using th eradar sensor system, PRE-SAF E
®
PLUSis able to detec tthat ahead-on or rear-end
collision is imminent .In certain hazardous sit -
uations, PRE-SAF E
®PLUStakes pre-emptive
measures to protect th evehicl eoccupants.
Important safety notes
The intervention of PRE-SAF E®PLUScanno t
preven tan imminent collision .
The driver is no twarned about th eintervention
of PRE-SAF E
®PLUS.
PRE-SAF E®PLUSdoes no tinterven eif th evehi-
cle is backin gup.
When driving ,or when parking or exiting apark -
ing spac ewit hassistanc efrom Active Parking
Assist ,PRE-SAF E
®PLUSwill no tapply th e
brakes.
Function
PRE-SAF E®PLUSintervenes in certain situa-
tion sif th eradar sensor system detects an
imminent head-on or rear-end collision .
PRE-SAF E
®PLUStakes th efollowin gmeasures
depending on th ehazardous situation detected:
Rif th eradar sensor system detects that a
head-on collision is imminent ,th eseat belt s
are pre-tensioned.
Rif th eradar sensor system detects that arear -
en dcollision is imminent :
-thebrak epressur eis increased if th edriver
applie sth ebrakes when th evehicl eis sta-
tionary.
-th eseat belt sare pre-tensioned.
The PRE-SAF E®PLUSbraking application is can -
celed:
Rif th eaccelerato rpedal is depressed when a
gear is engage d
Rif theris kof acollision passes or is no longer
detecte d
Rif DISTRONI CPLU Sindicates an intention to
pull away
Occupant safety57
Safety
Z