
erwise be in the deployment area of the air
bag.
RFor this reason, always secure persons less
than 5 ft (1.50 m) tall in suitable restraint
systems. Up to this height, the seat belt
cannot be worn correctly.
If a child is traveling in your vehicle, also
observe the following notes:
RAlways secure children under twelve years
of age and less than 5 ft (1.50 m) tall in
suitable child restraint systems.
RChild restraint systems should be installed on the rear seats.
ROnly secure a child in a rearward-facing
child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat when the front-passenger
front air bag is deactivated. If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp ispermanently lit, the front-passenger front
air bag is deactivated (
Ypage 45).
RAlways observe the instructions and safetynotes on the "Occupant Classification Sys-
tem (OCS)" (
Ypage 53) and on "Children
in the vehicle" (
Ypage 61) in addition to
the child restraint system manufacturer's
installation instructions.
Objects in the vehicle interior may pre-
vent 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 deploy-
ment 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
steering 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
occupants in the front seats.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
informs you about the status of the front-
passenger front air bag (
Ypage 45).
Occupant safety51
Safety
Z

Occupant Classification System opera-
tion (OCS)
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp:
shows you whether the front-passenger front
air bag is deactivated.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 1or 2in the
ignition lock or on vehicles with KEYLESS-
GO, press the Start/Stop button once or
twice.
The system carries out self-diagnostics.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
must light up for approximately six seconds.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
then displays the status of the front-
passenger front air bag. If the status of the
front-passenger front air bag changes while
the vehicle is in motion, an air bag display
message may appear in the instrument clus-
ter (
Ypage 301). When the front-passenger
seat is occupied, always pay attention to the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp. Be
aware of the status of the front-passenger
front air bag both before and during the jour-
ney.
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.
Rdoes not light 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.
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.
54Occupant safety
Safety

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.
If OCS determines that:
Rthe front-passenger seat is unoccupied, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
lights up after the system self-test and
remains lit. This indicates that the front-
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Rthe front-passenger seat is occupied by a
child of up to twelve months old, in a stand-
ard child restraint system, the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp lights up after
the system self-test and remains lit. This
indicates that the front-passenger front air
bag is deactivated.
But even in the case of a twelve-month-old
child, in a standard child restraint system,
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp can go out after the system self-test.
This indicates that the front-passenger
front air bag is activated. The result of the
classification is dependent on, among
other factors, the child restraint system and the child's stature. It is recommended
that
you i
nstall the child restraint system on
a suitable rear seat.
Rthe front-passenger seat is occupied by a
person of smaller stature (e.g. a teenager
or small adult), the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp lights up and remains lit
after the system self-test depending on the
result of the classification or, alternatively,
goes out.
-If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is off, move the front-passenger
seat as far back as possible. Alterna-
tively, a person of smaller stature can sit
on a rear seat.
-If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is lit, a person of smaller stature
should not use the front-passenger seat.
Rthe front-passenger seat is occupied by an
adult or a person of a stature correspond-
ing to that of an adult, the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp goes out after the
system self-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 vehi-
cle" (
Ypage 61).
When OCS is malfunctioning, the red 6
restraint system warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster and the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp light up simultaneously.
The front-passenger front air bag is deactiva- ted in this case and does not deploy during an
accident. Have the system checked by quali-
fied technicians as soon as possible. Consult
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. The
front-passenger seat should only be repaired
at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If the front-passenger seat, the seat cover or
the seat cushion is damaged, have the nec-
essary repair work carried out at an author-
ized Mercedes-Benz Center.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use seat accessories
that have been approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Occupant safety55
Safety
Z

Rthe engine is switched off and the fuel sup-ply is cut off
Rvehicles with mbrace: automatic emer-
gency call
Children in the vehicle
Important safety notes
Accident statistics show that children
secured in the rear seats are safer than chil-
dren secured in the front-passenger seat. For
this reason, Mercedes-Benz strongly advises
that you install a child restraint system on a
rear seat. Children are generally better pro-
tected there.
If a child younger than twelve years old and
under 5 ft (1.50 m) in height istraveling in the
vehicle:
Ralways 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
Rbe sure to observe the instructions and
safety notes in this section in addition to
the child restraint system manufacturer's
installation instructions
Rbe sure to observe the instructions and
safety notes on the "Occupant classifica-
tion system (OCS)" (
Ypage 53)
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
Rstart 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.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
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
(
Ypage 46) and the notes on correct use of
seat belts (
Ypage 47).
A booster seat may be necessary to achieve
proper seat belt positioning for children over
41 lbs (18 kg) until they reach a height where a three-point seat belt can be properly fas-
tened without a booster seat.
Special seat belt retractor
GWARNING
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 vehicle61
Safety
Z

Stop the vehicle immediately, paying atten-
tion to road and traffic conditions. Reactivate
the special seat belt retractor and secure the
child restraint system properly.
All seat belts in the vehicle, except the driv-
er's seat belt, are equipped with a special seatbelt retractor. When activated, the special
seat belt retractor ensures that the seat belt
cannot slacken once the child seat is secured.
Installing a child restraint system:
XMake sure you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions.
XPull the seat belt smoothly from the belt
outlet.
XEngage seat belt tongue in belt buckle.
Activating the special seat belt retractor:
XPull the seat belt out fully and let the inertia
reel retract it again.
While the seat belt is retracting, you should
hear a ratcheting sound. The special seat
belt retractor is enabled.
XPush the child restraint system down so
that the seat belt is tight and does not
loosen.
Removing the child restraint system and
deactivating the special seat belt retractor:
XMake sure you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions.
XPress the release button of the seat belt
buckle and guide the seat belt tongue back
towards the belt sash guide.
The special seat belt re
tractor is deactiva-
ted.
Child restraint system
The use of seat belts and child restraint sys-
tems is required by law in:
Rall 50 states
Rthe U.S. territories
Rthe District of Columbia
Rall Canadian provinces
If you install a rearward-facing child restraint
system on the center rear seat, the rear arm
rest must be folded back as far as possible.
You can obtain further information about the
correct child restraint system from any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
GWARNING
If the child restraint system is installed incor-
rectly on a suitable seat, it cannot protect as
intended. The child cannot then be restrained
in the event of an accident, heavy braking or
sudden changes of direction. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Make sure that you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions and the notes on use. Please ensure,
that the base of the child restraint system is
always resting completely on the seat cush-
ion. Never place objects, e.g. cushions, under or behind the child restraint system. Only use
child restraint systems with the original cover
designed for them. Only replace damaged
covers with genuine covers.
GWARNING
If the child restraint system is installed incor-
rectly or is not secured, it can come loose in
the event of an accident, heavy braking or a
sudden change in direction. The child
restraint system could be thrown about, strik-
ing vehicle occupants. There is an increased
risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Always install child restraint systems prop-
erly, even if they are not being used. Make
sure that you observe the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer's installation instructions.
You will find further information on stowing
objects, luggage or loads under "Loading
guidelines" (
Ypage 340).
GWARNING
Child restraint systems or their securing sys-
tems which have been damaged or subjected
62Children in the vehicle
Safety

to a load in an accident can no longer protectas intended. The child cannot then be
restrained in the event of an accident, heavy
braking or sudden changes of direction. There
is an increased risk of injury, possibly even
fatal.
Replace child restraint systems which have
been damaged or subjected to a load in an
accident as soon as possible. Have the secur-
ing systems on the child restraint system
checked at a qualified specialist workshop,
before you install a child restraint system
again.
The securing systems of child restraint sys-
tems are:
Rthe seat belt system
Rthe LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings
Rthe Top Tether anchorages
If it is absolutely necessary to carry a child on
the front-passenger seat, be sure to observe
the information on the "Occupant Classifica-
tion System (OCS)" (
Ypage 53). There you
will also find information on deactivating the
front-passenger front air bag.
All child restraint systems must meet the fol-
lowing standards:
RU.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stand-
ards 213 and 225
RCanadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 210.2
Confirmation that the child restraint system
correspo nds to th
e standards can be found
on an instruction label on the child restraint
system. This confirmation can also be found
in the installation instructions that are inclu-
ded with the child restraint system.
Observe the warning labels in the vehicle inte-
rior and on the child restraint system.
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat secur-
ing system
GWARNING
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint systems
do not offer sufficient protective effect for
children whose weight is greater than 48 lbs
(22 kg) who are secured using the safety belt integrated in the child restraint system. In the
event of an accident, a child might not be
restrained correctly. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
If the child weighs more than 48 lbs (22 kg),
only use LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint
systems with which the child is also secured
with the vehicle seat belt. Also secure the
child restraint system with the Top Tether
belt, if available.
Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation and operating instructions for the
child restraint system used.
Before every trip, make sure that the LATCH-
type (ISOFIX) child restraint system is
engaged correctly in both LATCH-type (ISO-
FIX) securing rings
To ensure that the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system can perform its protective
function as intended, the backrest of the
respective outer seat in the second row mustbe in the upright position.
!When installing the child restraint system,
make sure that the seat belt for the middle
se at d
oes not get trapped. The seat belt
could otherwise be damaged.
Children in the vehicle63
Safety
Z

LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings for the outer
seat in the second row of seats
Installation indicator:shows the installa-
tion location of LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings ;.
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings for the third
row of seats
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings ;for
two LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint sys-
tems are installed on the left and right:
Ron the rear seat backrests of the outer
seats in the second row
Ron the backrests of the seats in the third
row of seats
Before installing a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system on the second row of seats:
XMove the rear seat backrests in the second
row to an upright position (
Ypage 113).
XInstall the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system on both LATCH-type (ISO- FIX) securing rings ;.
ISOFIX is a standardized securing system for
specially designed child restraint systems on
the rear seats. Non-LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seats may
also be used and can be installed using the
vehicle's seat belt system. Install the child
seat according to the manufacturer's instruc-
tions.
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
GWARNING
If the rear seats or the rear seat backrests are
not locked, they could fold forwards in the
event of an accident, heavy braking or sudden
changes of direction. As a result, child
restraint systems cannot perform their inten-
ded protective function. Rear seats and 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 the rear seats and rear seat
backrests after installing a Top Tether belt.
Observe the lock verification indicator. Adjust the rear seat backrests so that they are in an
upright position.
If the rear seat backrest is not engaged and
locked, this will be shown in the multifunction
display in the instrument cluster.
64Children in the vehicle
Safety

Top Tether anchorages
The Top Tether anchorages for the second
row of seats are located on the rear of the rear
seat backrests. For the third row of seats, usethe cargo tie-down rings in the cargo com-
partment floor.
XMove head restraint =upwards.
XInstall the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system with Top Tether. Always
comply with the child restraint system
manufacturer's installation instructions
when doing so.
XRoute Top Tether belt Bunder head
restraint =between the two head restraint
bars.
XGuide Top Tether belt Bdownwards
between cargo compartment cover :and
rear seat backrest ;.
XHook Top Tether hook Aof Top Tether belt
B into Top Tether anchorage ?.Make sure that:
RTop Tether hook
Ais hooked into Top
Tether anchorage ?as shown.
RTop Tether belt Bis not twisted.
RTop Tether belt Bis routed between rear
seat backrest ;and cargo compart-
ment cover :if cargo compartment
cover :is installed.
RTop Tether belt Bis routed between the
rear seat backrest ;and the cargo net if
the cargo net is installed.
XTension Top Tether belt B. Always comply
with the child restraint system manufactur-
er's installation instructions when doing so.
XMove head restraint =back down again
slightly if necessary (
Ypage 112). Make
sure that you do not interfere with the cor-
rect routing of Top Tether bel
tB.
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)" (
Ypage 53).
You can thus avoid the risks that could arise
as a result of:
Ran incorrectly categorized person in the
front-passenger seat
Rthe unintentional deactivation of the front-
passenger front air bag
Rthe unsuitable positioning of the child
restraint system, e.g. too close to the dash-
board
Children in the vehicle65
Safety
Z