Air bags
Introduction
The air bag installation point is identified
by the label AIR BAG.
An air bag supplements a correctly fastened
seat belt. However, it is not intended as a
substitute for the seat belt. Air bags provide
additional protection in the event of an acci- dent.
Not all air bags are deployed in an accident.
The various air bag systems work independ-
ently of each other (
Ypage 40).
There is, however, no system available today
that can completely rule out injury or death.
It is also not possible to rule out a risk of
injury caused by an air bag due to the high
speed at which the air bag must be deployed.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you do not sit in the correct seat posi-
tion, the air bag cannot protect as intended
and could even cause additional injury
when deployed. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
To avoid hazardous situations, always make
sure that all of the vehicle's occupants:
Rhave fastened their seat belts correctly,
including pregnant women
Rare sitting correctly and maintain the
greatest possible distance to the air
bags
Rfollow the following instructions
Always make sure that there are no objects
between the air bag and the vehicle's occu- pants.
RAdjust the seats properly before beginning
your journey. Always make sure that the seatis in an almost upright position.
RMove the driver's and front-passenger
seats as far back as possible. The driver's
seat position must allow the vehicle to be
driven safely.
ROnly hold the steering wheel on the outside.This allows the air bag to be fully deployed.
RAlways lean against the backrest while
driving. Do not lean forwards or lean
against the door or side window. You may
otherwise be in the deployment area of the
air bags.
RAlways keep your feet in the footwell in
front of the seat. Do not put your feet on the
dashboard, for example. Your feet may oth-
erwise be in the deployment area of the air
bag.
RFor this reason, always secure persons lessthan 5 ft (1.50 m) tall in suitable restraint
systems. Up to this height, the seat belt
cannot be worn correctly.
If a child is traveling in your vehicle, also
observe the following notes:
RAlways secure children under twelve years
of age and less than 5 ft (1.50 m) tall in
suitable child restraint systems.
ROnly secure a child in a rearward-facing
child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat when the front-passenger
front air bag is deactivated. If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is
permanently lit, the front-passenger front air bag is deactivated (
Ypage 30).
RAlways observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant Classification Sys-
tem (OCS)" (
Ypage 36) and on "Children in
the vehicle" (Ypage 42) in addition to the
child restraint system manufacturer's
installation and operating instructions.
Objects in the vehicle interior may prevent
an air bag from functioning correctly. Before
starting your journey and to avoid risks
resulting from the speed of the air bag as it
deploys, make sure that:
Rthere are no people, animals or objects
between the vehicle occupants and an air
bag.
Rthere are no objects between the seat, door and B-pillar.
Rno hard objects, e.g. coat hangers, hang on
the grab handles or coat hooks.
Rno accessories, such as cup holders, are
attached to the vehicle within the deploy-
ment area of an air bag, e.g. to doors or side
windows.
Rno heavy, sharp-edged or fragile objects
are in the pockets of your clothing. Store
such objects in a suitable place.
34Occupant safety
>> Safety.
Thorax/pelvis air bags0043deploy next to the
outer bolster of the seat backrest.
When deployed, the thorax/pelvis air bags
offer additional thorax and pelvis protec-
tion.
In the event of a side impact, the thorax/
pelvis air bag is deployed on the side on
which the impact occurs.
The thorax/pelvis air bag on the front-
passenger side deploys under the following
conditions:
Rthe OCS system detects that the front-
passenger seat is occupied or
Rthe belt tongue is engaged in the belt
buckle of the front-passenger seat
If the belt tongue is engaged in the belt
buckle, the thorax/pelvis air bag on the
front-passenger side deploys if an appro-
priate accident situation occurs. In this
case, deployment is independent of whether
the front-passenger seat is occupied or not.
Window curtain air bags
Window curtain air bags 0043are integrated
into the side of the roof frame above the
doors. When deployed, the window curtain air bag
enhances the level of protection for the head.
However, it does not protect the chest or arms.
In the event of a side impact, the window cur-
tain air bag 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 window curtain air bag may be
deployed in other accident situations
(
Ypage 40).
Occupant Classification System (OCS)
Introduction
The Occupant Classification System (OCS)
categorizes the person in the front-
passenger seat. Depending on that result, the
front-passenger front air bag and front-
passenger knee bag are either enabled or
deactivated.
The system does not deactivate:
Rthe thorax/pelvis air bag
Rthe window curtain air bag
Rthe Emergency Tensioning Devices
Prerequisites
To be classified correctly, the front
passenger must sit:
Rwith the seat belt fastened correctly
Rin an almost upright position with their
back against the seat backrest
Rwith their feet resting on the floor, if pos-
sible
If the front passenger does not observe these
conditions, OCS may produce a false classi-
fication, e.g. because the front passenger:
Rtransfers their weight by supporting them-
selves on a vehicle armrest
Rsits in such a way that their weight is
raised from the seat cushion
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. 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-
36Occupant safety
>> Safety.
facing child restraint system must lie as flat
as possible against the backrest of the front-
passenger seat.
The child restraint system must not touch the
roof. Adjust the backrest angle accordingly.
Only then can OCS be guaranteed to function
correctly. Always observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions.
How the occupant classification system
(OCS) operates
0043PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
0044PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp
The indicator lamps indicate whether the
front-passenger front air bag is activated or
deactivated.
XTurn the key to position 1or 2in the igni-
tion lock.
The system carries out a self-diagnosis
test.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF and PASSENGER
AIR BAG ON indicator lamps must light up
simultaneously for about six seconds.
The indicator lamps then display the status of
the front-passenger front air bag:
RPASSENGER AIRBAG ON lights up: the front-
passenger front airbag is enabled. If, in
the case of an accident, all deployment cri-
teria are met, the front-passenger front
air bag is deployed.
RPASSENGER AIRBAG OFF lights up: the front-
passenger front airbag is disabled. It will then not be deployed in the event of an
accident.
Always observe the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON and
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamps when
the front-passenger seat is occupied. Make
sure that the status of the front-passenger front air bag is correct before and during a
journey.
GWARNING
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is lit, the front-passenger front air
bag is disabled. It will not be deployed in
the event of an accident and cannot perform
its intended protective function. A person
in the front-passenger seat could then, for
example, come into contact with the vehi-
cle's interior, especially if the person is
sitting too close to the dashboard. This
poses an increased risk of injury or even
fatal injury.
When the front-passenger seat is occupied, always ensure that:
Rthe classification of the person in the
front-passenger seat is correct and the
front-passenger front air bag is enabledor disabled in accordance with the per-
son in the front-passenger seat
Rthe front-passenger seat has been movedback as far back as possible.
Rthe person is seated correctly.
Make sure, both before and during the jour-
ney, that the status of the front-passenger
front air bag is correct.
GWARNING
If you secure a child in a rearward-facing
child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat and the PASSENGER AIR BAG
ON indicator lamp is lit up, the front-
passenger front air bag may deploy in an
accident. The child could be struck by the
air bag. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
Make sure that the front-passenger front
air bag has been disabled. The PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp must be lit.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
remains off and/or the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON
indicator lamp is lit, do not fit a rearward-
facing child restraint system to the front-
passenger seat. For more information, see
Occupant safety37
>> Safety.
Z
"Problems with the Occupant Classification
System (OCS)" (Ypage 40).
GWARNING
If you secure a child in a forward-facing
child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat and you position the front-
passenger seat too close to the dashboard,
in the event of an accident, the child could:
Rcome into contact with the vehicle's
interior if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is lit, for example
Rbe struck by the air bag if the PASSENGER
AIR BAG ON is lit up
This poses an increased risk of injury or
even fatal injury.
Move the front-passenger seat as far back
as possible. Always make sure that the
shoulder belt strap is correctly routed
from the vehicle belt guide to the shoulder
belt guide on the child restraint system.
The shoulder belt strap must be routed for-
wards and downwards from the belt guide.
Always observe the child restraint system
manufacturer's installation instructions.
If OCS detects that:
Rthe front-passenger seat is not occupied,
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
lights up continuously after the system's
self-diagnosis test. This indicates that
the front-passenger front air bag is deac-
tivated.
Rthe front-passenger seat is occupied by a
child aged up to twelve months in a stand-
ard child restraint system, the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp lights up con-
tinuously after the system's self-diagnosis
test. This indicates that the front-
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
In the case of a twelve-month-old child in a
standard child restraint system, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp may
light up continuously after the system's
self-diagnosis test. This indicates that
the front-passenger front air bag is acti-
vated. Categorization is dependent on the
type of child restraint system and the stat-
ure of the child, for example. Make sure
that the prerequisites for correct catego- rizat
ion have been met. If the PASSENGER
AIR BAG ON indicator lamp remains lit, do
not install a child restraint system on the
front-passenger seat.
Rthe front-passenger seat is occupied by a
person of smaller stature (e.g. a teenager
or a small adult), either the PASSENGER AIR
BAG ON or PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp lights up continuously after the sys-
tem's self-diagnosis test depending on the categorization.
-If the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator
lamp is lit, position the front-
passenger seat as far back as possible.
-If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp lights up, a person of smaller stat-
ure should not sit on the front-passenger
seat.
Rthe front-passenger seat is occupied by an
adult or a person of an appropriate size,
the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp
lights up continuously after the system's
self-diagnosis test. This indicates that
the front-passenger front air bag is acti-
vated.
If children are traveling in the vehicle, be
sure to observe the notes on "Children in the
vehicle" (
Ypage 42).
If the OCS is malfunctioning, both the red
0075 restraint system warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp light up simultane-
ously. In this case, the front-passenger air
bag is deactivated and does not deploy during
an accident. Have the system checked by
qualified technicians as soon as possible.
Consult a smart center. Only have the front-
passenger seat repaired at a smart center.
If the front-passenger seat, the seat cover or
the seat cushion are damaged, have the nec-
essary repair work carried out at a smart cen-
ter.
For safety reasons, smart recommends that you only use seat accessories which have been
approved by smart.
If the driver's air bag deploys , this does not
mean that the front-passenger front air bag
will also deploy. The Occupant Classifica-
tion System (OCS) categorizes the occupant on
the front-passenger seat. Depending on the
result, the front-passenger air bag is acti-
vated or deactivated.
38Occupant safety
>> Safety.
System self-test
GDANGER
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 air bag might be triggered
unintentionally or might not be triggered
at all in the event of an accident with high
deceleration. This poses an increased risk
of injury or even fatal injury.
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 Occupant Classification System (OCS)
checked and repaired immediately at a
qualified specialist workshop.
GDANGER
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp remains lit after the system self-test, the front-passenger front air bag is disa-
bled. It will not be deployed in the event of
an accident. In this case, the front-
passenger front air bag cannot perform its
intended protective function, 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, espe-
cially if the person is sitting too close to
the dashboard. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
When the front-passenger seat is occupied,
always ensure that:
Rthe classification of the person in the
front-passenger seat is correct and the
front-passenger front air bag is enabledor disabled in accordance with the per-
son in the front-passenger seat
Rthe person is seated properly with a cor-
rectly fastened seatbelt
Rthe front-passenger seat has been movedback 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 Occupant
Classification System (OCS) checked and
repaired immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
GWARNING
Objects between the seat surface and the
child restraint system could affect OCS
operation. This could result in the front-
passenger air bag not functioning 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
forward-facing child restraint system
must, as far as possible, be resting on the
backrest of the front-passenger seat.
Always comply with the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions.
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 air bag (
Ypage 37).
For more information about the OCS, see
"Problems with the Occupant Classification
System" (
Ypage 40).
Occupant safety39
>> Safety.
Z
Problems with the occupant classification system (OCS)
Be sure to observe the notes on "System self-test" (Ypage 39).
ProblemPossible causes/consequences and0050Solutions
The PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp
lights up and remains
lit, even though the
front-passenger seat is
occupied by an adult or
a person of a stature
corresponding to that
of an adult.The classification of the person on the front-passenger seat is
incorrect.
XMake sure the conditions for a correct classification of the
person on the front-passenger seat are met (Ypage 36).
XIf the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp remains lit, the
front-passenger seat may not be used.
XHave the OCS checked at a smart center as soon as possible.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp
does not light up and/or
does not stay on.
The front-passenger
seat is:
Runoccupied
Roccupied with the
weight of a child up
to twelve months old
in a child restraint
system
OCS is malfunctioning.
XMake sure there is nothing between the seat cushion and the
child seat.
XMake sure that the entire base of the child restraint system rests
on the seat cushion of the front-passenger seat. The backrest of
the forward-facing child restraint system must lie as flat as
possible against the backrest of the front-passenger seat. If
necessary, adjust the position of the front-passenger seat.
XWhen installing the child restraint system, make sure that the
seat belt is tight. Do not pull the seat belt tight using the front-
passenger seat adjustment. This could result in the seat belt and
the child restraint system being pulled too tightly.
XCheck for correct installation of the child restraint system.
XMake sure that no objects are applying additional weight onto
the seat.
XIf the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp remains off and/or
the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp lights up, do not
install a child restraint system on the front-passenger seat.
XHave the OCS checked at a smart center as soon as possible.
Deployment of belt tensioners and air
bags
Important safety notes
GWARNING
The air bag parts are hot after an air bag
has been deployed. There is a risk of
injury.
Do not touch the air bag parts. Have a
deployed air bag replaced at a qualified
specialist workshop as soon as possible.
GWARNING
A deployed air bag no longer offers any
protection and cannot provide the intended
protection in an accident. There is an
increased risk of injury.
Have the vehicle towed to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop in order to have a
deployed air bag replaced.
For your own safety and that of your front
passenger, it is important that you have
deployed air bags replaced and faulty air
bags repaired. This will help to make sure the
air bags continue to perform their protective
function for the vehicle occupants in the
event of a crash.
40Occupant safety
>> Safety.
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
decisive role in the deployment of an air bag.
Nor do they provide an indication of air bag
deployment.
The vehicle can be deformed considerably,
without an air bag being deployed. This is the
case if only parts which are relatively easily deformed are affected and the rate of decel-
eration is not high. Conversely, air bags may
be deployed even though the vehicle suffers
only minor deformation. This is the case if,
for example, very rigid vehicle parts such as longitudinal body members are hit, and suf-
ficient deceleration occurs as a result.
If the control unit of the restraint system
detects a side impact or a vehicle rollover,
the relevant components of the restraint sys-
tem are activated separately depending on
the anticipated type of accident.
RThorax/pelvis air bag on the side of
impact, independently of the Emergency
Tensioning Device and the use of the seat
belt
The thorax/pelvis air bag on the front-
passenger side deploys under the following
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
RWindow curtain air bags on the driver's andfront-passenger side in certain situations
when the vehicle rolls over, if the system
determines that deployment can offer
additional protection to that provided by
the seat belt
REmergency Tensioning Devices, if the sys-
tem determines that deployment can offer
additional protection in this situation
iNot all air bags are deployed in an acci-
dent. The differ ent air bag systems work
independently of each other. How the air bag system works is determined
by the severity of the accident detected,
especially the vehicle deceleration or
acceleration and the apparent type of acci-
dent:
RFrontal collision
RSide impact
RRollover
Children in the vehicle
Important safety notes
If a child younger than 12 years 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 vehi-
cles. The child restraint system must be
appropriate to the age, weight and size of
the child
Rbe sure to observe the instructions and
safety notes in this section in addition to
the child restraint system manufacturer's
installation instructions
Rbe sure to observe the instructions and
safety notes in "Occupant classification
system (OCS)" (
Ypage 36)
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of
park position Por shift manual trans-
mission into neutral.
Rstart the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle
equipment 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 sub-
jected to prolonged exposure to extreme
42Children in the vehicle
>> Safety.
heat or cold, there is a risk of injury, pos-
sibly 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.
Children 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. Protect 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.
Read and follow the safety notes on the seat
belt (
Ypage 31) and the notes on correct use of
the seat belts (Ypage 32).
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 lap/shoulder belt fits properly with-
out 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
retractor 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, pos-
sibly even fatal.
Stop the vehicle immediately, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions.
Reactivate the special seat belt retractor
and secure the child restraint system prop-erly.
The seat belt on the front-passenger side is
equipped with a special seat belt retractor.
When activated, the special seat belt retrac-
tor ensures that the seat belt will not slacken once the child restraint system has been
secured.
Installing a child restraint system:
XAlways comply with the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions.
XPull the seat belt smoothly from the belt
loop.
XEngage the seat belt tongue in the belt
buckle.
Activating the special seat belt retractor:
XPull the seat belt out fully and let the seat
belt retractor retract it again.
While the seat belt is retracting, you
should hear a ratcheting sound. The special seat belt retractor is activated.
XPress the child restraint system down so
that the seat belt fits tightly and does not
slacken.
Removing a child restraint system and deac-
tivating the special seat belt retractor:
XAlways comply with the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions.
XPress the seat belt buckle release button,
hold the belt tongue firmly and guide it
back towards the belt outlet.
The special seat belt retractor is deacti-
vated.
Child restraint system
The use of seat belts and child restraint sys- tems is required by law in:
Rall 50 states
Rthe U.S. territories
Rthe District of Columbia
Rall Canadian provinces
You can obtain further information about the correct child restraint system from any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Children in the vehicle43
>> Safety.
Z