2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER airbag disable

Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Restraint system warning lamp
The functions of the restraint system are
checked after the ignition is switched on and at
regular intervals while the engine is running.
Therefore, malfunctions can be detected in
good time.
The 6 restraint system warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up when the ignition is switched on. It goes out no later than a few sec-
onds after the vehicle is started. The compo-
nents of the restraint system are in operational
readiness.
A malfunction has occurred if the 6restraint
system warning lamp:
R does not light up after the ignition is switched
on
R does not go out after a few seconds with the
engine running
R lights up again while the engine is running G
WARNING
If the restraint system is malfunctioning,
restraint system components may be trig-
gered unintentionally or may not deploy as
intended during an accident. This may affect
the seat belt tensioner or airbag, for example. This poses an increased risk of injury or even
fatal injury.
Have the restraint system checked and
repaired immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop. PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamp PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp
:and
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp ;are
part of the automatic deactivation system of the front-passenger front airbag.
The indicator lamps display the status of the
front-passenger front airbag.
R PASSENGER AIR BAG ON lights up: the front-
passenger front airbag is enabled. If, in the
event of an accident, all deployment criteria
are met, the front-passenger front airbag is
deployed.
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.
Depending on the person in the front-passenger seat, the front-passenger front airbag must
either be disabled or enabled; see the following
points. You must make sure of this both before
and during a journey.
R Children in a rearward-facing child
restraint system: the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp must be lit. The front-
passenger front airbag is disabled. It is imper-
ative to observe the notes on the "Automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation sys-
tem" (Y page 46) and on "Children in the
vehicle" (Y page 54).
R Children in a forward-facing child
restraint system: depending on the installed
child restraint system and the age and size of the child, the front-passenger front airbag is
either disabled or enabled. Therefore, it is
imperative to observe the notes on the "Auto-
matic front-passenger front airbag deactiva-
tion system" (Y page 46) and on "Children in
the vehicle" (Y page 54).
R All other persons: the PASSENGER AIR BAG
ON indicator lamp must be lit. The front-
passenger front airbag is enabled. Depending on the build 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 46) as well as
on "Seat belts" (Y page 41) and "Airbags"
(Y page 43). There you can also find infor-
mation on the correct seat position. 40
Occupant safetySafety

tional injuries when deployed. There is an
increased risk of serious or even fatal injuries.
In order to avoid such risks, always ensure
that all vehicle occupants:
R fasten their seatbelts correctly, including
pregnant women
R are seated correctly and maintain the fur-
thest possible distance from the airbags
R observe the following notes
Always ensure that there are no objects loca-
ted between the airbag and the vehicle occu-
pant.
R Adjust the seats properly before beginning
your journey. Always make sure that the seat is in an almost upright position. The centre of
the head restraint must support the head at
about eye level.
R Move the driver's and front-passenger seats
as far back as possible. The driver's seat posi- tion must allow the vehicle to be driven safely.
R Only hold the steering wheel on the outside.
This allows the airbag to be fully deployed.
R Always lean against the backrest while driv-
ing. Do not lean forwards or lean against the
door or side window. You may otherwise be in
the deployment area of the airbags.
R Always keep your feet in the footwell in front
of the seat. Do not put your feet on the dash-
board, for example. Your feet may otherwise
be in the deployment area of the airbag.
R Always secure persons less than 1.50 mtall in
suitable restraint systems. Up to this height,
the seat belt cannot be worn correctly.
If a child is travelling in your vehicle, also
observe the following notes:
R Always secure children under twelve years of
age and less than 1.50 mtall in suitable child
restraint systems.
R Only secure a child to the front-passenger
seat when the front-passenger front airbag is disabled, and only then in a rearward-facing
child restraint system. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is permanently lit, the
front-passenger front airbag is disabled
(Y page 40).
R Always observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Automatic front-passenger
front airbag deactivation system"
(Y page 46) and on "Children in the vehicle" (Y
page 54) in addition to the manufactur-
er's operating and installation instructions for the child restraint system.
Objects in the vehicle interior may prevent
the airbag from functioning correctly. Before
starting your journey and to avoid risks resulting from the speed of the airbag as it deploys, make
sure that:
R there are no people, animals or objects
between the vehicle occupants and an airbag.
R there are no objects between the seat, door
and B-pillar.
R no hard objects, e.g. coat hangers, are hang-
ing on the grab handles or coat hooks.
R no accessories, such as cup holders, are
attached to the vehicle within the deployment
area of an airbag, e.g. to doors or side win-
dows.
R no heavy, sharp-edged or fragile objects are in
the pockets of your clothing. Store such
objects in a suitable place. G
WARNING
If you modify an airbag cover or affix objects
such as stickers to it, the airbag can no longer function correctly. There is an increased risk
of injury.
Never modify an airbag cover or affix objects
to it. G
WARNING
Sensors to control the airbags are located in
the doors. Modifications or work not per-
formed correctly to the doors or door panel-
ling, as well as damaged doors, can lead to the function of the sensors being impaired. The
airbags might therefore not function properly any more. Consequently, the airbags cannot
protect vehicle occupants as they are
designed to do. This poses an increased risk
of injury.
Never modify the doors or parts of the doors.
Always have work on the doors or door pan-
elling carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop. 44
Occupant safetySafety

Headbags
Headbags
:deploy in the area of the side win-
dows at the front.
When deployed, the headbag enhances the level
of protection for the head. However, it does not protect the:
R chest
R arms
In the event of a side impact, the headbag is
deployed on the side on which the impact
occurs.
If the system determines that they can offer
additional protection to that provided by the
seat belt, a headbag may be deployed in other
accident situations (Y page 51).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 front-passenger headbag
R the seat belt tensioner
If you 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. cushions. 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 back-
rest of the forward-facing child restraint system
must, as far as possible, be resting on the back-
rest 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 accordingly. Only then is the correct
function of the automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation system guaranteed. Always
observe the information on suitable positioningof the child restraint system (Y page 58) in
addition to the child restraint system manufac-
turer's installation 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: the front-
passenger front airbag is enabled. If, in the
event of an accident, all deployment criteria 46
Occupant safetySafety

are met, the front-passenger front airbag is
deployed.
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 status of the front-passenger front airbag
changes while the vehicle is in motion, an airbag display message appears in the instrument clus-
ter (Y page 226). When the front-passenger
seat is occupied, always pay attention to the
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON and PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamps. Be aware of the status of the front-passenger front airbag both before
and during the journey.
If a person sits in the passenger seat, they must
be:
R with the seat belt fastened correctly
R in an almost upright position with their back
against the seat backrest
R with their feet resting on the floor, if possible
If the front passenger does not observe these
conditions, the automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivation system may be influenced,
e.g. because the front passenger:
R transfers their weight by supporting them-
selves on a vehicle armrest
R sits in such a way that their weight is raised
from the seat cushion
The front-passenger front airbag may be disa-
bled by mistake as a result of these or similar
actions. In this case, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp lights up permanently. The
front-passenger front airbag does not then
deploy during an accident. G
WARNING
If the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is lit, the front-passenger front airbag is disa-
bled. It will not be deployed in the event of an
accident and cannot perform its intended pro-
tective 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 make sure that:
R the classification of the person in the front-
passenger seat is correct and that the front- passenger front airbag is enabled or disa-
bled in accordance with the person in the
front-passenger seat.
R the front-passenger seat has been moved
back as far back as possible.
R the person is seated correctly.
Make sure, both before and during the jour-
ney, that the status of the front-passenger
front airbag is correct. G
WARNING
If you secure a child on the co-driver's seat in a rearward-facing child restraint system and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp
lights up, the co-driver's airbag could be
deployed in the event of an accident. The childcould be struck by the airbag. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
In this case, always ensure that the co-driver's
airbag is disabled. The PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF indicator lamp must light up.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
remains off and/or the PASSENGER AIR BAG
ON indicator lamp lights up, do not install a rear- ward-facing child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat. Further information can be
found under "Problems with the automatic front-
passenger front airbag deactivation system"
(Y page 50). G
WARNING
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, in the event of an
accident, the child could:
R come into contact with the vehicle's inte-
rior if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indi-
cator lamp is lit, for example
R be struck by the airbag if the PASSENGER
AIR BAG ON indicator lamp is lit up.
This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Always move the front-passenger seat as far
back as possible and fully retract the seat
cushion length. Always make sure that the Occupant safety
47Safety
Z

shoulder belt strap is correctly routed from
the vehicle seat belt 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 guide. Always
observe the child restraint system manufac-
turer's installation instructions.
If the automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system detects that: R the 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 airbag is disabled.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied by a
child in a rearward-facing child restraint sys-
tem, the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp lights up after the system self-test and
remains lit. This indicates that the front-
passenger front airbag is disabled.
But in the case of a child in a rearward-facing
child restraint, the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON
indicator lamp can light up after the system
self-test and remain lit. This indicates that the
front-passenger front airbag is enabled. The
result of the classification is dependent on,
among other factors, the child restraint sys-
tem and the child's build. Make sure that the
conditions for a correct classification are met. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp remains on, do not install a child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied by a
child in a forward-facing child restraint sys-
tem, either the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON or
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
lights up and remains lit after the system self- test depending on the result of the classifica-
tion. The result of the classification is depend- ent on, among other factors, the child
restraint system and the child's build.
Move the front-passenger seat as far back as
possible. Always observe the information in
"Child restraint systems on the front-
passenger seat" (Y page 56) and in "Suita-
ble positioning of the child restraint system"
(Y page 58).
R the front-passenger seat is occupied by a per-
son with a smaller build (e.g. a teenager or
small adult), either the PASSENGER AIR BAG
ON or PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp lights up and remains lit after the system self-test depending on the result of the clas-
sification.
- If the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator
lamp lights up, move the front-passenger
seat as far back as possible.
- If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is lit, a person with a smaller build
should not use the front-passenger seat.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied by an
adult or a person with a build corresponding
to that of an adult, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
ON indicator lamp lights up after the system
self-test and remains lit. This indicates that
the front-passenger front airbag is enabled.
If children are travelling in the vehicle, be sure to
observe the notes on "Children in the vehicle"
(Y page 54).
If the automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system is malfunctioning, the red
6 restraint system warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp light up simultaneously.
The front-passenger front airbag is disabled in
this case and does not deploy during an acci-
dent. Have the system checked as soon as pos-
sible by qualified technicians. Consult a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. The front-
passenger seat should only be repaired at a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
If the front-passenger seat, the seat cover or the seat cushion is damaged, have the necessary
repair work carried out at a Mercedes-Benz Ser-vice Centre.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use a child restraint system
which has been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz in combination with the auto-
matic front-passenger front airbag deactivation
system.
System self-test G
DANGER
If both the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF and
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamps do
not light up during the system self-test, the
system is malfunctioning. The front-
passenger front airbag might be triggered
unintentionally or might not be triggered at all in the event of an accident with high deceler-
ation. This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury. 48
Occupant safetySafety

In this case the front-passenger seat may not
be used. Do not install a child restraint system
on the front-passenger seat. Have the auto-
matic front-passenger front airbag deactiva-
tion system checked and repaired immedi-
ately at a qualified specialist workshop. G
WARNING
If the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp remains lit after the system self-test, the
front-passenger front airbag is disabled. It willnot be deployed in the event of an accident. In
this case, the front-passenger front airbag
cannot perform its intended protective func-
tion, e.g. when a person is seated in the front- passenger seat.
That person could, for example, come into
contact with the vehicle's interior, especially
if the person is sitting too close to the dash-
board. This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
When the front-passenger seat is occupied,
always ensure that:
R the classification of the person in the front-
passenger seat is correct and the front-
passenger front airbag is enabled or disa-
bled in accordance with the person in the
front-passenger seat.
R the person is seated properly with a cor-
rectly fastened seat belt.
R the front-passenger seat has been moved
as far back as possible.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp remains lit when it should not, the front- passenger seat may not be used. Do not
install a child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat. Have the automatic front-
passenger front airbag deactivation system
checked and repaired immediately at a quali-
fied specialist workshop. G
WARNING
Objects between the seat surface and the
child restraint system could affect the func-
tion of the automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivation system. This could result in the front-passenger front airbag not func-
tioning as intended during an accident. This
poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal
injury.
Do not place any objects between the seat
surface and the child restraint system. The
entire base of the child restraint system must always rest on the seat cushion of the front-
passenger seat. The backrest of the forwards-
facing child restraint system must, as far as
possible, be resting on the backrest of the
rear reclining seat. Always comply with the
child restraint system manufacturer's instal-
lation instructions.
After the system self-test, the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF or PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator
lamp displays the status of the front-passenger
front airbag (Y page 46).
Further information can be found under "Prob-
lems with the automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivation system" (Y page 50). Occupant safety
49Safety Z

The roll bars are located in the rear area of the
vehicle under the two outer rear compartment
trim covers.
They extend if systems detect that the vehicle is in danger of overturning. The two outer rear
compartment trim covers are opened and the
roll bars are extended within fractions of a sec-
ond.
Once the roll bars are extended, you can no lon-
ger lower them. An open roof can no longer be
closed. In this case, visit the nearest qualified
specialist workshop. Deployment of belt tensioners and air-
bags
Important safety notes G
WARNING
After the airbag deploys, the airbag parts are
hot. There is a risk of injury.
Do not touch the airbag parts. Have a
deployed airbag replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop as soon as possible. G
WARNING
Pyrotechnical belt tensioners which have
been triggered are no longer operational and
therefore cannot protect as intended. There is an increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Have pyrotechnic belt tensioners which have
been triggered replaced at a qualified special-
ist workshop immediately.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have the
vehicle towed to a qualified specialist workshop
after an accident. Take this into account, par- 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 only be triggered 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 40)
R the belt tongue has engaged in the belt buckle
of the respective seat
If the restraint system control unit detects a high severity accident, in certain head-on collisions,
additional components of the restraint system
are deployed independently of each other:
R front airbags
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 only be deployed in an accident if the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp is lit.
Observe the information on the PASSENGER AIR
BAG indicator lamps (Y page 40). Occupant safety
51Safety Z

Please observe the warning notice on the front-
passenger sun visor; see the illustration. G
WARNING
If you secure a child on the co-driver's seat in a rearward-facing child restraint system and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp
lights up, the co-driver's airbag could be
deployed in the event of an accident. The childcould be struck by the airbag. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
In this case, always ensure that the co-driver's
airbag is disabled. The PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF indicator lamp must light up.
NEVER use a rearward-facing child restraint on a seat protected by an ACTIVE AIRBAG in front of
it; DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY to the CHILD can occur.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp is
lit, the front-passenger front airbag is enabled
(Y page 40).
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 58).
Observe the following information under "Rear-
ward-facing child restraint system" and
"Forward-facing child restraint system" as well
as information on the suitable positioning of the child restraint system (Y page 58).
Rearward-facing child restraint system If you secure a child in a rearward-facing child
restraint system on 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 40) is the front-passenger front airbag
disabled.
Always observe the information on suitable
positioning of the child restraint system
(Y page 58) in addition to the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation and operat-
ing instructions.
Forward-facing child restraint system If you secure a child in a forward-facing child
restraint system on 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 sys- tem 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 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 accordingly.
Always make sure that the shoulder belt strap is
correctly routed from the front-passenger seat
belt guide to the shoulder belt guide on the child
restraint system. The shoulder belt strap must
be routed forwards and downwards from the
front-passenger seat belt guide. If necessary,
adjust the front-passenger seat accordingly. Children in the vehicle
57Safety Z