Page 57 of 389

ticularly if a seat belt tensioner was triggered or
an airbag was deployed.
An electric motor is used by PRE-SAFE ®
to trig-
ger the tightening of the seat belt in hazardous
situations. This procedure is reversible.
If the belt tensioners are triggered or an airbag is
deployed, you will hear a bang, and a small
amount of powder may also be released. The
6 restraint system warning lamp lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your hear-
ing. In general, the powder released is not haz-
ardous to health but may cause short-term
breathing difficulties to persons suffering from
asthma or other pulmonary conditions. Provided it is safe to do so, you should leave the vehicle
immediately or open the window in order to pre- vent breathing difficulties.
Operation During the first stage of a collision, the restraint
system control unit evaluates important physi-
cal data relating to vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, such as:
R duration
R direction
R intensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the seat
belt tensioners in the event of a head-on or rear
collision.
A seat belt tensioner can be triggered only if:
R the ignition is switched on
R the components of the restraint system are
operational. You can find further information
under: "Restraint system warning lamp"
(Y page 42)
R the seat belt buckle tongue has engaged in
the belt buckle of the respective front seat
The seat belt tensioners in the rear compart-
ment are triggered independently of the lock
status of the seat belts.
If the restraint system control unit detects a
high-severity accident, in certain head-on colli-
sions, additional components of the restraint
system are deployed independently of each
other:
R Front airbags and driver's kneebag
R Windowbag, if the system determines that
deployment can offer additional protection to that provided by the seat belt On vehicles with the automatic front-passenger
front airbag deactivation system: depending on
the person in the front-passenger seat, the
front-passenger front airbag is either disabled or enabled. The front-passenger front airbag can
be deployed in an accident only if the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is off.
Observe the information on the PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamps (Y page 42).
Your vehicle has two-stage front airbags. In the
first deployment stage, the front airbag is filled
with propellant gas to reduce the risk of injuries. The front airbag is fully deployed if the second
deployment stage is activated within a few mil-
liseconds.
The activation threshold for the seat belt ten-
sioners and airbags is determined based on the
evaluation of the vehicle's rate of deceleration
or acceleration at various points in the vehicle.
This process is pre-emptive in nature. The trig-
gering/deployment process should take place
in good time at the start of the collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or acceleration
and the direction of the force are essentially
determined by:
R the distribution of forces during the collision
R the collision angle
R the deformation characteristics of the vehicle
R the characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided
Factors that can be seen and measured only
after a collision has occurred do not play a deci-
sive role in the deployment of an airbag, nor do
they provide an indication of airbag deployment.
The vehicle may be deformed significantly with-
out an airbag being deployed. This is the case if only parts that are relatively easily deformed are
affected and the rate of deceleration is not high. Conversely, an airbag may be deployed even
though the vehicle suffers only minor deforma-
tion. This is the case if, for example, very rigid
vehicle parts such as longitudinal body mem-
bers are hit, and sufficient deceleration occurs
as a result.
If the restraint system control unit detects a side
impact or if the vehicle overturns, the applicable components of the restraint system are activa-
ted independently of each other depending on
the apparent type of accident.
R Sidebags on the side of the impact, independ-
ent of the seat belt tensioner and seat belt
usage 54
Occupant safetySafety
Page 58 of 389

Vehicles with the automatic front-passenger
front airbag deactivation system: the sidebag
on the front-passenger side deploys under the following conditions:
- an occupant is detected in the front-
passenger seat or
- the seat belt buckle tongue is engaged in
the belt buckle of the front-passenger seat
R Windowbag on the side on which an impact
occurs, independently of seat belt usage and
regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied
R Front seat belt tensioners, if the system
determines that deployment can offer addi-
tional protection for the vehicle occupants in
this situation
R Rear seat belt tensioners in certain situations
if the vehicle overturns
R Windowbags on the driver's and front-
passenger side in certain situations if the
vehicle overturns and if the system deter-
mines that deployment can offer additional
protection to that provided by the seat belt
i Not all airbags are deployed in an accident.
The different airbag systems work independ-
ently of each other.
How the airbag system works is determined
by the severity of the accident detected,
especially the vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, and the apparent type of accident:
R frontal collision
R side impact
R overturn PRE-SAFE
®
(anticipatory occupant
protection)
Introduction PRE-SAFE
®
takes pre-emptive measures to pro-
tect occupants in certain hazardous situations.
Important safety notes !
Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats. There is a risk
that the seats and/or the objects could be
damaged when PRE-SAFE ®
is activated.
Although your vehicle is equipped with a PRE-
SAFE ®
system, the possibility of injury in the event of an accident cannot be ruled out. Always
adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing
road and weather conditions and maintain a
safe distance from the vehicle in front. Drive
carefully.
Function PRE-SAFE
®
intervenes:
R in emergency braking situations, e.g. when
BAS is activated
R in critical driving situations, e.g. when physi-
cal limits are exceeded and the vehicle under-
steers or oversteers severely
R vehicles with the Driving Assistance package:
when a driver assistance system intervenes
powerfully or the radar sensor system detects an imminent danger of collision in certain sit- uations
PRE-SAFE ®
takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detected:
R the front seat belts are pre-tensioned
R if the vehicle skids, the side windows and the
sliding sunroof are closed
R vehicles with the memory function for the
front-passenger seat: the front-passenger
seat is adjusted if it is in an unfavourable
position
If the hazardous situation passes without result- ing in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens the belt
pre-tensioning. All settings made by PRE-SAFE ®
can then be reversed.
If the seat belt pre-tensioning is not reduced:
X Move the seat backrest or seat back slightly
when the vehicle is stationary.
Seat belt pre-tensioning is reduced and the
locking mechanism is released.
Belt adjustment is an integral part of the PRE-
SAFE ®
convenience function. Information about
the convenience function can be found under
"Belt adjustment" (Y page 45). PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS (anticipatory occu-
pant protection PLUS)
Introduction PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS is available only in vehicles
with the Driving Assistance package. Occupant safety
55Safety Z
Page 59 of 389

Using the radar sensor system, PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS is able to detect that a head-on or rear-end
collision is imminent. In certain hazardous sit-
uations, PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS takes pre-emptive
measures to protect the vehicle occupants.
Important safety notes The intervention of PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS cannot
prevent an imminent collision.
The driver is not warned before the intervention
of PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS.
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS does not intervene:
R if the vehicle is reversing
R when the vehicle is towing a trailer and there
is a risk of a rear-end collision
When driving, or when parking or exiting a park- ing space with assistance from Active Parking
Assist, PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS will not apply the
brakes.
Function PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS intervenes in certain situa-
tions if the radar sensor system detects an
imminent head-on or rear-end collision.
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detected:
R if the radar sensor system detects that a
head-on collision is imminent, the seat belts
are pre-tensioned
R if the radar sensor system detects that a rear-
end collision is imminent:
- the rear hazard warning lamps are activa-
ted and flash at a higher frequency
- the brake pressure is increased if the driver
applies the brakes when the vehicle is sta-
tionary
- the seat belts are pre-tensioned
The PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS braking application is can-
celled:
R if the accelerator pedal is depressed when a
gear is engaged
R if the risk of a collision passes or is no longer
detected
R if DISTRONIC PLUS indicates an intention to
pull away
If the hazardous situation passes without result- ing in an accident, the original settings are
restored. Automatic measures after an acci-
dent
Immediately after an accident, the following
measures are implemented, depending on the
type and severity of the impact:
R the hazard lamps are switched on
R the emergency lighting is switched on
R the vehicle doors are unlocked
R the front side windows are lowered
R vehicles with the memory function: the elec-
trically adjustable steering wheel is raised
R the engine is switched off and the fuel supply
is cut off
R vehicles with the Mercedes-Benz emergency
call system: automatic emergency call Children in the vehicle
Important safety notes
Accident statistics show that children secured
in the rear seats are safer than children secured in the front-passenger seat. For this reason,
Mercedes-Benz strongly advises that you install
a child restraint system on a rear seat. Children are generally better protected there.
If a child younger than twelve years old and
under 1.50 min height is travelling in the vehi-
cle:
R always secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The child restraint system must be appropri-
ate to the age, weight and size of the child.
R be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes in this section in addition to the child
restraint system manufacturer's installation
instructions.
R be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes on the automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation system (Y page 49).56
Children in the vehicleSafety
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G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
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 key
with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. G
WARNING
If persons (particularly children) are exposed
to heat or cold for a prolonged period, there is a risk of serious or even fatal injuries. Never
leave persons (particularly children) unatten-
ded in the vehicle. G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is placed in direct sunlight, the parts could become very hot.
Children could be suffer burns by touching
these parts, in particular on the metallic parts
of the child restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you and your child leave the vehicle, always
make sure that the child restraint system is
not in direct sunlight. Cover it with a blanket, for example. If the child restraint system has
been exposed to direct sunlight, leave it to
cool down before securing the child in it.
Never leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle.
Always ensure that all vehicle occupants have
their seat belts fastened correctly and are sitting
properly. Particular attention must be paid to
children.
Observe the safety notes on the seat belt
(Y page 43) and the information on the correct
use of the seat belt (Y page 44). Child restraint system
Observe the instructions for correct use of the
child restraint system (Y page 61).
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you use only a child restraint system
recommended by Mercedes-Benz
(Y page 65). G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is incorrectly fit-
ted on the seat position suitable for this pur-
pose, it cannot perform its intended protec-
tive function. In the event of an accident,
sharp braking or a sudden change in direction, the child may not be held securely. There is an
increased risk of serious or even fatal injuries.
Observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions and the correct use for the child
restraint system. Make sure that the entire
surface of the child restraint system is resting
on the seat surface. Never place objects
under or behind the child restraint system,
e.g. cushions. Only use child restraint sys-
tems with the original cover designed for
them. Only replace damaged covers with gen- uine covers. G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is fitted 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 fit child restraint systems properly,
even if they are not being used. Make sure
that you observe the child restraint system
manufacturer's installation instructions.
Further information on stowing objects, luggage and loads securely can be found under "Loading
guidelines" (Y page 305). G
WARNING
Child restraint systems or their securing sys-
tems that have been damaged or subjected to a load in an accident cannot perform their Children in the vehicle
57Safety
Z
Page 61 of 389

intended protective function. In the event of
an accident, sharp braking or a sudden
change in direction, the child may not be held securely. There is an increased risk of serious
or even fatal injuries.
Immediately replace child restraint systems
that have been damaged or subjected to a
load in an accident. Have the child restraint
securing systems checked in a qualified spe-
cialist workshop before fitting a child restraint
system again.
The securing systems of child restraint systems are:
R the seat belt system
R the ISOFIX or i-Size securing rings
R the Top Tether anchorages
If circumstances require you to fit a child
restraint system to the front-passenger seat, be
sure to observe the information on "Child
restraint systems on the front-passenger seat"
(Y page 60).
Observe the warning labels in the vehicle inte-
rior and on the child restraint system.
i It is advisable to use Mercedes-Benz care
products to clean child restraint systems rec- ommended by Mercedes-Benz. Information
can be obtained at a qualified specialist work-
shop. ISOFIX and i-Size child seat securing
systems G
WARNING
ISOFIX child restraint systems or i-Size child
restraint systems do not offer sufficient pro-
tection for children whose weight is greater
than 22 kg, who are secured using the safety belt integrated in the child restraint system.
The child could, for example, not be restrained
correctly in the event of an accident. This
poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal
injury.
If the child weighs more than 22 kg, only use
ISOFIX child restraint systems or i-Size 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.
Observe the instructions for correct use of the
child restraint system (Y page 61) and the
installation and operating instructions for the
child restraint system used as provided by the
manufacturer .
Before every trip, make sure that the ISOFIX
child restraint system or the i-Size child restraint
system is engaged correctly in both ISOFIX or i-
Size securing rings. This symbol indicates an ISOFIX position that is
suitable for attaching an ISOFIX child restraint
system. A similar symbol can be found on the
ISOFIX child restraint system. This symbol indicates an i
‑Size position that is
suitable for attaching an i-Size child restraint
system. A similar symbol can be found on the i- Size child restraint system.
! When fitting the child restraint system,
make sure that the seat belt for the centre
seat does not get trapped. Otherwise, the
seat belt could be damaged. 58
Children in the vehicleSafety
Page 62 of 389

:
ISOFIX securing rings ;
i-Size securing rings
Vehicles with rear seat armrest: adjust the
rear seat armrest so that ISOFIX securing
rings :or i-Size securing rings ;are acces-
sible for the ISOFIX child restraint system or i-
Size child restraint system.
X Install the ISOFIX child restraint system on
both ISOFIX securing rings :or i-Size secur-
ing rings ;.
or X Install the i-Size child restraint system on both
i-Size securing rings ;.
ISOFIX and i-Size are standardised securing sys-
tems for special child restraint systems. ISOFIX
child restraint systems are approved in accord-
ance with ECE R-44. i-Size child restraint sys-
tems are approved in accordance with ECE
R-129.
Only child restraint systems that have been
approved in accordance with ECE R-44 may be
attached to ISOFIX securing rings. ISOFIX child
restraint systems in accordance with ECE R-44
and i‑Size child restraint systems that have been
approved in accordance with ECE R-129 may be attached to i-Size securing rings. ISOFIX secur-
ing ring :or i-Size securing ring ;are instal-
led on the left and right sides of the rear seats. Top Tether
Introduction Top Tether provides an additional connection
between the child restraint system secured with
ISOFIX and the vehicle. It helps reduce the risk
of injury even further. If the child restraint sys-
tem is fitted 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 fitting a Top Tether belt. Observe the lock verificationindicator.
If the rear seat backrest is not engaged and
locked, this will be shown on the multifunction
display on the instrument cluster.
Top Tether anchorages Top Tether anchorages
?are located on the
rear side of the backrests on both outer rear
seats.
X Move head restraint :upwards.
X Fit the ISOFIX child restraint system with Top
Tether. Always comply with the child restraint Children in the vehicle
59Safety Z
Page 63 of 389

system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions when doing so.
X
Guide Top Tether belt Bunder head
restraint :between the two head restraint
bars.
X Guide Top Tether belt Bdownwards between
luggage compartment cover =and rear seat
backrest ;.
X Hook Top Tether hook Ainto Top Tether
anchorage ?on the back of rear seat back-
rest ;.
X Make sure that Top Tether belt Bis not twis-
ted.
X Tension Top Tether belt B. Always comply
with the child restraint system manufactur-
er's installation instructions when doing so.
X If necessary, move head restraint :back
down again slightly (Y page 104). Make sure
that you do not interfere with the correct rout-
ing of Top Tether belt B.Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat
General notes Accident statistics show that children secured
in the rear seats are safer than children secured
in the front-passenger seat. For this reason,
Mercedes-Benz strongly advises that you install a child restraint system on a rear seat.
Vehicles with the automatic front-passenger
front airbag deactivation system: if it is abso-
lutely necessary to fit a child restraint system to the front-passenger seat, always observe the
information on the "Automatic front-passenger
front airbag deactivation system" (Y page 49).You can thus avoid the risks that could arise as
a result of:
R a child restraint system that is not detected
by the automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system
R unintentional disabling of the front-passenger
front airbag
R unsuitable positioning of the child restraint
system, e.g. too close to the dashboard Please observe the warning notice on the
front-passenger sun visor; see illustration. G
WARNING
If you secure a child in a rearward-facing child
restraint system on the co-driver's seat and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
is off, the co-driver's front airbag can deploy in the event of an accident. The child could be
struck by the airbag. There is an increased risk
of injury, possibly even fatal.
In this case, always make sure that the co-
driver's front airbag has been disabled. The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
must be lit.
NEVER use a rearward-facing child restraint on a
seat protected by an ACTIVE FRONT AIRBAG;
DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY to the child can
occur.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
goes out, the front-passenger front airbag is
enabled (Y page 42). 60
Children in the vehicleSafety
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Vehicles without the automatic front-
passenger front airbag deactivation
system If the front-passenger seat of your vehicle is not
equipped with the automatic front-passenger
front airbag deactivation system, this is indica-
ted by a special sticker. The sticker is affixed to
the side of the dashboard on the front-
passenger side. The sticker is visible when you
open the front-passenger door.
In this case, never fit a rearward-facing child
restraint system on the front passenger seat
(Y page 61).
Observe the following information under "Rear-
ward-facing child restraint system"
(Y page 61) and "Forward-facing child
restraint system" (Y page 61) as well as infor-
mation on the suitable positioning of the child
restraint system (Y page 61).
Rearward-facing child restraint system If it is absolutely necessary to fit a rearward-
facing child restraint system to the front-
passenger seat, always make sure that the
front-passenger front airbag is disabled. Only if
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is lit continuously (Y page 42) is the front-
passenger front airbag disabled.
Always observe the information on suitable
positioning of the child restraint system
(Y page 61) in addition to the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation and operat-
ing instructions.
Forward-facing child restraint system If it is absolutely necessary to fit a forward-
facing child restraint system to 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,
as far as possible, lie flat against the backrest of the front-passenger seat. The child restraint sys-tem must not touch the roof or be put under
strain by the head restraint. Adjust the angle of
the seat backrest and the head restraint posi-
tion accordingly. 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 shoul-
der belt strap must be routed forwards and
downwards from the belt sash guide. If neces-
sary, adjust the belt sash guide and the front-
passenger seat accordingly.
Always observe the information on suitable
positioning of the child restraint system
(Y page 61) in addition to the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation and operat-
ing instructions. Suitable positioning of the child
restraint system
Introduction Only child restraint systems approved in accord-
ance with ECE standards ECE R44 or ECE R129 (i-Size child restraint systems) are permitted foruse in the vehicle.
"Universal"-category child restraint systems can
be recognised by their orange approval label and the text "Universal" or an "i-Size" label. Children in the vehicle
61Safety Z