the vehicle. This process is pre-emptive in
nature. Deployment 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:
Rthe distribution of forces during the collision
Rthe collision angle
Rthe deformation characteristics of the vehicle
Rthe characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided
Factors which can only be seen and measured
after a collision has occurred do not play a deci-
sive role in the deployment of an air bag. Nor do
they provide an indication of air bag deploy-
ment.
The vehicle can be deformed considerably, with-
out an air bag being deployed. This is the case if only parts which are relatively easily deformed
are affected and the rate of deceleration is not
high. Conversely, air bags 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 control unit of the restraint system dete
cts
a side impact or a vehicle rollover, the relevant
components of the restraint system are activa-
ted separately depending on the anticipated
type of accident.
RSide impact air bags on the side where the
impact takes place, independently of the
Emergency Tensioning Device and the use of
the seat belt on the driver's seat and outer
seats in the second row
The side impact air bag on the front-
passenger side (front) deploys under the fol-
lowing conditions:
-the OCS system detects that the front-
passenger seat is occupied or
-the belt tongue is engaged in the belt
buckle of the front-passenger seat
RWindow curtain air bag on the side of impact,
independently of the use of the seat belt and
independently of whether the front-
passenger seat is occupied
REmergency Tensioning Devices, if the system determines that deployment can offer addi-
tional protection in this situation
RWindow curtain air bags on the driver's and
front-passenger side in certain situations when the vehicle rolls over, if the system
determines that deployment can offer addi-
tional protection to that provided by the seat
belt
iNot all air bags are deployed in an accident.
The different air bag systems work independ- ently of each other.
How the air bag system works is determined
by the severity of the accident detected,
especially the vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration and the apparent type of accident:
RFrontal collision
RSide impact
RRollover
PRE-SAFE®(anticipatory occupant
protection system)
Introduction
In certain hazardous situations, PRE-SAFE®
takes pre-emptive measures to protect the vehi-
cle occupants.
Important safety notes
!Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats. There is a danger
that the seats and/or objects could be dam-
aged when PRE-SAFE
®is activated.
Although your vehicle is equipped with PRE-
SAFE
®, 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:
Rin emergency braking situations, e.g. when
BAS is activated
Rin critical driving situations, e.g. when physi-
cal limits are exceeded and the vehicle under-
steers or oversteers severely
Ron vehicles with the Driving Assistance pack-
age: if BAS PLUS intervenes powerfully or the
radar sensor system detects an imminent
danger of collision in certain situations
58Occupant safety
Safety
PRE-SAFE®takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detected:
Rthe front seat belts are pre-tensioned.
Rif the vehicle skids, the side windows and the
sliding sunroof are closed.
Rvehicles with the memory function: the front-
passenger seat is adjusted if it is in an unfav-
orable position.
Rvehicles with a multicontour seat: the air pres-
sure in the side bolsters of the seat backrest
is increased.
If the hazardous situation passes without result-
ing in an accident, PRE-SAFE
®slackens the belt
pre-tensioning. On vehicles with multicontour
seats, the air pressure in the side bolsters is
reduced again. All settings made by PRE-SAFE
®
can then be reversed.
If the seat belt pre-tensioning is not reduced:
XMove the seat backrest or seat back slightly
when the vehicle is stationary.
The seat belt pre-tensioning is reduced and
the locking mechanism is released.
The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE
®convenience function. Informa-
tion about the convenience function can be
found under "Belt adjustment" (
Ypage 48).
PRE-SAFE®PLUS (anticipatory occu-
pant protection system PLUS)
Introduction
PRE-SAFE®PLUS is only available in vehicles
with the Driving Assistance package.
Using the radar sensor system, PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS is able to detect that a head-on or rear-end
collision is imminent. In certain 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 about the intervention
of PRE-SAFE
®PLUS.
PRE-SAFE®PLUS does not intervene if the vehi-
cle is backing up.
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:
Rif the radar sensor system detects that a
head-on collision is imminent, the seat belts
are pre-tensioned.
Rif the radar sensor system detects that a rear-
end collision is imminent:
-the brake pressure is increased if the driver
applies the brakes when the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
-the seat belts are pre-tensioned.
The PRE-SAFE®PLUS braking application is can-
celed:
Rif the accelerator pedal is depressed when a
gear is engaged
Rif the risk of a collision passes or is no longer
detected
Rif 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:
Rthe hazard warning lamps are activated
Rthe emergency lighting is activated
Rthe vehicle doors are unlocked
Rthe front side windows are lowered
Rvehicles with a memory function: the electri-
cally adjustable steering wheel is raised
Rthe engine is switched off and the fuel supply
is cut off
Occupant safety59
Safety
Z
Rvehicles with mbrace: automatic emergency
call
Rvehicles with the hybrid drive system: the
hybrid system and the high-voltage electrical
system are deactivated
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 5 ft (1.50 m) in height is traveling in the
vehicle:
Ralways 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
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 classification system
(OCS)" (
Ypage 52)
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 sitting
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 fastened
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.
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 driver's
seat belt, are equipped with a special seat belt
60Children in the vehicle
Safety
The securing systems of child restraint systems
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 Classification
System (OCS)" (
Ypage 52). 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 Standards
213 and 225
RCanadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 210.2
Confirmation that the child restraint system cor-
responds to the standards can be found on an
instruction label on the child restraint system.
This confirmation can also be found in the instal-
lation instructions that are included 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 instal-
lation 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 (ISOFIX) securing
rings
!When installing the child restraint system,
make sure that the seat belt for the middle
seat does not get trapped. The seat belt could
otherwise be damaged.
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings
XInstall the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint system on both LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing
rings :.
ISOFIX is a standardized securing system for
specially designed child restraint systems on
the rear seats. LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing
rings for two LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint
systems are installed on the left and right of 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 instructions.
Top Tether
Introduction
Top Tether provides an additional connection
between the child restraint system secured with
a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) system and the vehicle.
This helps reduce the risk of injury even further.
If the child restraint system is equipped with a
Top Tether belt, this should always be used.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the rear seat backrests are not locked, they
could fold forwards in the event of an acci-
62Children in the vehicle
Safety
dent, heavy braking or sudden changes of
direction. As a result, child restraint systems
cannot perform their intended protective
function. Rear seat backrests that are not
locked can also cause additional injuries, e.g.
in the event of an accident. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Always lock rear seat backrests after instal-
ling a Top Tether belt. Adjust the rear seat
backrests so that they are in an upright posi-
tion.
Make sure that the backrest in the rear com-
partment engages fully. To do so, pull firmly on
the seat backrest.
Top Tether anchorages
Top Tether anchorage points ?are located on
the rear side of the rear seat backrests.
XMove head restraint =up (Ypage 103).
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 compartment
cover :if cargo compartment cover :is
installed.
RTop Tether belt Bis routed between 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 103). 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
the child restraint system on a rear seat.
If it is absolutely necessary to install a child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat,
always observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant Classification System
(OCS)" (
Ypage 52).
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 vehicle63
Safety
Z
Useful information
i
This Operator's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment of
your vehicle available at the time of publica-
tion of the Operator's Manual. Country-spe-
cific differences are possible. Please note
that your vehicle may not be equipped with all
features described. This also applies to
safety-related systems and functions.
iRead the information on qualified specialist
workshops (Ypage 29).
Correct driver's seat position
GWARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do the following while driving:
Radjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
Rfasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt before starting the engine.
XObserve the safety guidelines on seat adjust-
ment (Ypage 101).
XCheck whether you have adjusted seat =
properly (Ypage 102). When adjusting the seat, make sure that:
Ryou are as far away from the driver's air bag as
possible
Ryou are sitting in a normal upright position
Ryou can fasten the seat belt properly
Ryou have moved the backrest to an almost
vertical position
Ryou have set the seat cushion angle so that
your thighs are gently supported
Ryou can depress the pedals properly
XCheck whether the head restraint is adjusted
properly (Ypage 102).
When doing so, make sure that you have
adjusted the head restraint so that the back of
your head is supported at eye level by the
center of the head restraint.
XObserve the safety notes on steering column
adjustment (Ypage 107).
XMake sure that steering wheel :is adjusted
properly.
Adjusting the steering wheel manually
(
Ypage 107)
Adjusting the steering wheel electrically
(
Ypage 108)
When adjusting the steering wheel column,
make sure that:
Ryou can hold the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent
Ryou can move your legs freely
Ryou can see all the displays in the instrument cluster clearly
XObserve the safety guidelines for seat belts
(Ypage 46).
XCheck whether you have fastened seat
belt ;properly (Ypage 48).
The seat belt should:
Rfit snugly across your body
Rbe routed across the middle of your shoulder
Rbe routed in your pelvic area across the hip
joints
XBefore starting off, adjust the rear-view mirror
and the exterior mirrors in such a way that you
have a good view of road and traffic condi-
tions (
Ypage 110).
XVehicles with a memory function: save the
seat, steering wheel and exterior mirror set-
tings with the memory function (
Ypage 113).
100Correct driver's seat position
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Seats
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Children could become trapped if they adjust
the seats, particularly when unattended.
There is a risk of injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
The seats can still be adjusted when there is no
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
GWARNING
When you adjust a seat, you or other vehicle
occupants could become trapped, e.g. on the seat guide rail. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure when adjusting a seat that no one
has any body parts in the sweep of the seat.
Observe the safety notes on "Air bags"
(
Ypage 49) and "Children in the Vehicle"
(Ypage 60).
GWARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do the following while driving:
Radjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
Rfasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt before starting the engine.
GWARNING
If you adjust the seat height carelessly, you or
other vehicle occupants could be trapped and
thereby injured. Children in particular could
accidentally press the electrical seat adjust-
ment buttons and become trapped. There is a
risk of injury.
While moving the seats, make sure that your
hands or other body parts do not get under the
lever assembly of the seat adjustment sys-
tem.
GWARNING
If the head restraints are not installed or not
adjusted correctly, they cannot provide pro-
tection as intended. There is an increased risk
of injury in the head and neck area, e.g. in the event of an accident or when braking.
Always drive with the head restraints instal-
led. Before driving off, make sure for every
vehicle occupant that the center of the head
restraint supports the back of the head at
about eye level.
GWARNING
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.
!To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information:
Rkeep liquids from spilling on the seats. If
liquid is spilled on the seats, dry them as
soon as possible.
Rif the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat heat-
ing should also not be used to dry the seats.
Rclean the seat covers as recommended;
see "Interior care".
Rdo not transport heavy loads on the seats.
Do not place sharp objects on the seat
cushions, e.g. knives, nails or tools. The
seats should only be occupied by passen-
gers, if possible.
Rwhen the seat heating is in operation, do
not cover the seats with insulating materi-
als, e.g. blankets, coats, bags, seat covers,
child seats or booster seats.
!Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell under or behind the seats when mov-
Seats101
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Z
ing the seats back. There is a risk that the
seats and/or the objects could be damaged.
iIt is not possible to remove the head
restraints from the front seats. The rear-com-
partment head restraints, however, can be
removed (
Ypage 104).
For more information, contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
iFurther related subjects:
RCargo compartment enlargement (folding
down the rear bench seat) (Ypage 332)
Adjusting the seats electrically
:Head restraint height
;Seat cushion angle
=Seat height
?Seat fore-and-aft adjustment
ABackrest angle
iVehicles with memory function: if PRE-
SAFE®has been triggered, the front-
passenger seat will be moved to a better posi- tion if it was previously in an unfavorable posi-
tion.
iVehicles with memory function: when the
seat is moved forwards or backwards, the
headrest is moved up or down automatically.
Adjusting the head restraints
Important safety notes
GWARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do the following while driving:
Radjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
Rfasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt before starting the engine.
GWARNING
If the head restraints are not installed or not
adjusted correctly, they cannot provide pro-
tection as intended. There is an increased risk
of injury in the head and neck area, e.g. in the event of an accident or when braking.
Always drive with the head restraints instal-
led. Before driving off, make sure for every
vehicle occupant that the center of the head
restraint supports the back of the head at
about eye level.
Do not rotate the head restraints of the front and rear seats. Otherwise, you cannot adjust the
height and angle of the head restraints to the
correct position.
Using the fore-and-aft adjustment, adjust the
head restraint so that it is as close as possible to
your head.
Observe the important safety notes regarding
the seats (
Ypage 101).
102Seats
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors