
Panic alarm
X
To activate: press the!button :for
approximately one second.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is primed.
X To deactivate: press the!button :
again.
or
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
or X Press the KEYLESS-GO Start/Stop button.
The KEYLESS-GO key must be in the vehicle.
The panic alarm function is only available in cer- tain countries. Occupant safety
Introduction to the restraint system
The restraint system can reduce the risk of vehi-
cle occupants coming into contact with parts of
the vehicle's interior in the event of an accident. Furthermore, the restraint system can also
reduce the forces to which vehicle occupants
are subjected during an accident.
The restraint system includes:
R Seat belt system
R Airbags
R Child restraint system
R Child seat securing system The various components of the restraint system
work complementary to one another. They can
only perform their intended protective function
if all vehicle occupants:
R have correctly fastened their seat belt
(Y page 45)
R have correctly adjusted their seat and head
restraint (Y page 102).
As the driver, you must also ensure that the
steering wheel is correctly adjusted. Observe
the information relating to the correct driver's
seat position (Y page 102).
Additionally, you must ensure that an airbag can
deploy freely (Y page 47).
The airbag is supplementary to a correctly fas-
tened seat belt. As an additional safety device,
the airbag increases the level of protection for
vehicle occupants in the event of an accident. If the protection provided by the seat belt is suf-
ficient, the airbags do not deploy. Furthermore,
in the event of an accident, only airbags which
provide greater protection in the given accident situation deploy. However, seat belts and air-
bags generally do not protect against objects
penetrating the vehicle from the outside.
Information on how the restraint system oper-
ates can be found in "Deployment of the seat
belt tensioner and airbags" (Y page 54).
See "Children in the vehicle" for information on
infants and children traveling with you in the
vehicle restraint systems for infants and chil-
dren(Y page 57). Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the restraint system is modified, it may no
longer work as intended. The restraint system
may then not perform its intended protective function by failing in an accident or triggering
unexpectedly, for example. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Never modify parts of the restraint system. Do not attempt to modify the wiring as well as
electronic components or their software.
If the vehicle needs to be adapted to accommo- date a person with disabilities, please contact a
specialist workshop. 42
Occupant safetySafety

tion system" (Y
page 50) and on "Children in
the vehicle" (Y page 57).
R All other persons: the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp must be off. The front-
passenger front airbag is enabled. Depending
on the stature of the person on the front-
passenger seat, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp may light up. The front-
passenger front airbag is disabled. It will then
not be deployed in the event of an accident. In this case, the front-passenger seat should not
be used.
It is imperative to observe the notes on the
"Automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system" (Y page 50) as well as
on "Seat belts" (Y page 44) and "Airbags"
(Y page 47). There, you can also find infor-
mation on the correct seat position. Seat belts
Introduction A correctly worn seat belt is the most effective
means of restraining the movement of vehicle
occupants in the event of a collision or if the
vehicle overturns. This reduces the risk of vehi-
cle occupants coming into contact with parts of
the vehicle interior or being ejected from it. The seat belt also helps to keep the vehicle occu-
pants in the best position in relation to the air-
bag being deployed.
The seat belt system consists of:
R seat belts
R belt tensioners for the front seat belts and
outer seat belts of the second row of seats
and the seats in the third row of seats
R belt force limiters for the front seat belts and
outer seat belts of the second row of seats, as
well as for the seat belts in the third row of
seats
If the seat belt is pulled quickly or sharply from
the belt outlet, the inertia reel locks. The belt
strap cannot be pulled out any further.
The belt tensioner tightens the seat belt in the
event of a collision so that it fits tightly across
your body. However, it does not pull the vehicle occupants back in the direction of the seat
backrest.
The belt tensioner does not, however, correct an
incorrect seat position or correct the routing of
a seat belt that is worn incorrectly. If the seat belt is also fitted with a belt force
limiter and this is triggered, the force exerted by the seat belt on the vehicle occupant is reduced.
The belt force limiters on the front seats are
synchronised with the front airbags, which take
on a part of the deceleration force. This can
reduce the forces to which the vehicle occu-
pants are subjected during an accident.
! If the co-driver's seat is not occupied, do not
engage the seat belt tongue in the buckle on
the co-driver's seat. Otherwise, the belt ten-
sioner could be triggered in the event of an
accident and would have to be replaced.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the seat belt is worn incorrectly, it cannot
perform its intended protective function. Fur- thermore, an incorrectly worn seat belt can
cause additional injuries, e.g. in the event of
an accident, heavy braking or sudden
changes of direction. There is an increased
risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Always ensure that all vehicle occupants havetheir seat belts fastened correctly and are sit-
ting properly. G
WARNING
The seat belt does not offer the intended level of protection if you have not moved the back-
rest to an almost vertical position. When brak-
ing or in the event of an accident, you could
slide underneath the seat belt and sustain
abdomen or neck injuries, for example. This
poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Adjust the seat properly before beginning
your journey. Always ensure that the backrest
is in an almost vertical position and that the
shoulder section of your seatbelt is routed
across the centre of your shoulder. G
WARNING
Persons under 1.50 mtall cannot wear the
seat belts correctly without an additional suit- able restraint system. If the seat belt is worn
incorrectly, it cannot perform its intended 44
Occupant safetySafety

If the system determines that it can offer addi-
tional protection to that provided by the seat
belt, a windowbag may be deployed in other
accident situations (Y page 54).Automatic front-passenger front air-
bag deactivation
Introduction In order to recognise a child restraint system on
the front-passenger seat, the automatic front-
passenger front airbag deactivation system cat- egorises the person in the front-passenger seat.Depending on that result, the front-passenger
front airbag is either enabled or disabled. If a
rearward-facing child restraint system is fitted
to the front-passenger seat, the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp must light up after
the system self-test and remain lit. The front-
passenger front airbag is disabled.
The system does not disable:
R the sidebag
R the windowbag
R the seat belt tensioner
In the following situation, the sidebag and the
seat belt tensioner are deactivated:
R the automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system has not categorised the
person in the front-passenger seat as an adult or a person of corresponding stature and
R the seat belt tongue of the seat belt is not
inserted into the front-passenger seat belt
buckle
Make sure that your vehicle is equipped with the
automatic front-passenger front airbag deacti-
vation system (Y page 61). If this is not the
case, always install a child restraint system on a
suitable rear seat (Y page 62).
If it is absolutely necessary to install a child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat, be
sure to observe the correct positioning of the
child restraint system. Never place objects
under or behind the child restraint system, e.g. a
cushion. The entire base of the child restraint
system must always rest on the seat cushion of the front-passenger seat. The backrest of the
forward-facing child restraint system must, as
far as possible, be resting on the backrest of the
front-passenger seat. The child restraint system
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 position accord-
ingly. Only then is the correct function of the
automatic front-passenger front airbag deacti-
vation system guaranteed. Always observe the
information on suitable positioning of the child
restraint system (Y page 62) in addition to the
child restraint system manufacturer's installa-
tion instructions.
Operation of automatic front-passenger
front airbag deactivation :
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp
; PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
The indicator lamps inform you whether the
front-passenger front airbag is disabled or ena-
bled.
X Press the Start/Stop button once or twice, or
turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
The system carries out a self-diagnosis.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF and PASSENGER
AIR BAG ON indicator lamps must light up simul- taneously for approximately six seconds.
The indicator lamps display the status of the
front-passenger front airbag:
R PASSENGER AIR BAG ON lights up for 60 sec-
onds, then both indicator lamps are off
(PASSENGER AIR BAG ON and OFF): the front-
passenger front airbag is able to deploy in the
event of an accident.
R PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF lights up: the front-
passenger front airbag is disabled. It will then
not be deployed in the event of an accident.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp is
off, only the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp shows the status of the front-passenger
front airbag. The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indi-
cator lamp may be lit continuously or be off. 50
Occupant safetySafety

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 43)
R the belt 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 43).
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 on which an impact
occurs, independently of the seat belt ten-
sioner and seat belt usage
Vehicles with the automatic front-passenger
front airbag deactivation system: the sidebag Occupant safety
55Safety Z

on the front-passenger side deploys under the
following conditions:
- an occupant is detected in the front-
passenger seat or
- the belt 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 Seat belt tensioners, if the system determines
that deployment can offer additional protec-
tion for the vehicle occupants in this situation
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 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 risk
that the seats and/or the objects could be
damaged 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:
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 on 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
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: the front-
passenger seat is adjusted if it is in an unfav-
ourable position.
R vehicles with a multicontour seat: the air pres-
sure in the side bolsters of the 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:
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.
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" (Y page 46). PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS (anticipatory occu-
pant protection 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- 56
Occupant safetySafety

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 Parking Pilot,
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 Distance Pilot DISTRONIC 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 may be implemented, depending on
the type and severity of the impact:
R the hazard warning lamps are activated
R the emergency lighting is activated
R the vehicle doors are unlocked
R the front side windows are lowered
R vehicles with a memory function: the electri-
cally 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 seats. For this reason, Mercedes-
Benz strongly advises that you fit 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 m in 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 50). Children in the vehicle
57Safety Z

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 44) and the notes on how to use the seat
belt properly (Y page 45). Child restraint system
If you fit a rearward-facing child restraint system
to the centre rear seat, the rear arm rest must be folded back as far as possible.
Observe the instructions for correct use of the
child restraint system (Y page 62).
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 312).58
Children in the vehicleSafety

Before installing an ISOFIX child restraint sys-
tem on the second row of seats:
X Move the rear seat backrests in the second
row to an upright position (Y page 107).
X Install the ISOFIX child restraint system on
both ISOFIX securing rings :.
ISOFIX is a standardised securing system for
specially designed child restraint systems on
the rear seats.
Non-ISOFIX child seats may also be used and
can be installed using the vehicle's seat belt
system. When fitting a child restraint system, be sure to observe the manufacturer's installation
and operating instructions and the instructions
for correct use of the child restraint system
(Y page 62). 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 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 fitting a Top Tether belt.
Observe the lock verification indicator. Adjust the rear seat backrests so that they are in an
upright position.
Make sure that the backrest in the rear com-
partment engages fully. To do so, pull firmly on
the seat backrest. Top Tether anchorages
The Top Tether anchorages for the second row
of seats are located on the rear side of the
backrests on both outer rear seats. For the third
row of seats, use the lashing eyelets in the lug-
gage compartment floor. X
Move head restraint =upwards
(Y page 105).
X Fit the ISOFIX child restraint system with Top
Tether. Always comply with the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions when doing so.
X Route 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 Aof Top Tether belt
B into Top Tether anchorage ?.
Ensure that:
R Top Tether hook Ais hooked into Top
Tether anchorage ?as shown
R Top Tether belt Bis not twisted
R Top Tether belt Bis routed between rear
seat backrest ;and luggage compart- 60
Children in the vehicleSafety