"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.
GWARNING
Pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning Devices
that have been deployed are no longer
operational and are unable to perform
their intended protective function. This
poses an increased risk of injury or even
fatal injury.
Therefore, have pyrotechnic Emergency
Tensioning Devices which have been trig-
gered immediately replaced at a qualified
specialist workshop.
If Emergency Tensioning Devices are trig-
gered or air bags are deployed, you will hear
a bang, and a small amount of powder may also
be released. The 0075restraint system warn-
ing lamp lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your
hearing. The powder that is released gener-
ally does not constitute a health hazard, but it may cause short-term breathing difficulties
in people with asthma or other respiratory
problems. Provided it is safe to do so, you
should leave the vehicle immediately or open
the window in order to prevent breathing dif-
ficulties.
Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency Tension-
ing Devices (ETDs) contain perchlorate mate-
rial, which may require special handling and
regard for the environment. National guide-
lines must be observed during disposal. In
California, see www.dtsc.ca.gov/
HazardousWaste/Perchlorate/index.cfm .
Method of operation
During the first stage of a collision, the
restraint system control unit evaluates
important physical data relating to vehicle
deceleration or acceleration, such as:
Rduration
Rdirection
Rintensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the
Emergency Tensioning Devices during a fron- tal or rear collision. An Emergency Tensioning Device can only be
triggered, if:
Rthe ignition is switched on
Rthe components of the restraint system are
operational. You can find further informa-
tion under: "Restraint system warning
lamp" (
Ypage 30)
Rthe belt tongue has engaged in the belt
buckle of the respective seat
If the restraint system control unit detects a
more severe accident, further components of
the restraint system are activated independ- ently of each other in certain frontal colli-
sion situations:
RFront air bags as well as driver's and front-
passenger knee bags
RWindow curtain air bag, if the system
determines that deployment can offer
additional protection to that provided by
the seat belt
The front-passenger front air bag is activa-
ted or deactivated depending on the person on
the front-passenger seat. The front-
passenger front air bag can only deploy in an
accident if the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indi-
cator lamp is lit. Observe the information on
the PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamps
(
Ypage 30).
Your vehicle has two-stage front air bags.
During the first deployment stage, the front
air bag is filled with propellant gas to
reduce the risk of injuries. The front air bag
is fully deployed with the maximum amount of
propellant gas if a second deployment
threshold is reached within a few millisec-
onds.
The activation threshold of the Emergency
Tensioning Devices and the air bag are
determined by evaluating the rate of vehicle
deceleration or acceleration which occurs at
various points in 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 acceler-
ation and the direction of the force are
essentially determined by:
Rthe distribution of forces during the col-
lision
Rthe collision angle
Occupant safety41
>> Safety.
Z
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
Switching off the alarm
XTo switch off the alarm:press the0036
button on the key.
The alarm is switched off.
or
XSwitch on the ignition.
The alarm is switched off.
The alarm is not switched off, even if you
close the open door that triggered it, for
example.
Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information
about the following driving safety systems:
RABS (Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
(Ypage 47)
RDistance warning function (Ypage 48)
Resp®(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Ypage 49)
REBD (Electronic Brake forceDistribution)
(Ypage 50)
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or
become distracted, the driving safety sys-
tems can neither reduce the risk of accident
nor override the laws of physics. Driving
safety systems are merely aids designed to
assist driving. You are responsible for the
distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle
speed and for braking in good time. Always
adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road, weather and traffic conditions and
maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in
front. Drive carefully.
The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there is
adequate contact between the tires and the
road surface. Please pay special attention to
the notes on tires, recommended minimum
tire tread depths, etc. (
Ypage 177).
In wintry driving conditions, always use win-
ter tires (M+S tires) and if necessary, snow
chains. Only in this way will the driving
safety systems described in this section work
as effectively as possible. For safety reasons, smart recommends that you
only use snow chains that have been specially
approved for your vehicle by smart, or fine-
link snow chains that are of a corresponding
standard of quality. For more information,
please contact a qualified specialist work-
shop.
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General information
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle when braking.
The 0025 (Canada only) or 00DF(USA only) abs
warning lamp in the instrument cluster lights up when the ignition is switched on. It goes
out when the engine is running.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Ypage 47).
When ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information
on the ABS warning lamp (
Ypage 132) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (
Ypage 121).
GWARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking
characteristics may be severely impaired.
Additionally, further driving safety sys-
tems are deactivated. There is an increased
danger of skidding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist workshop.
abs works from a speed of about 4 mph (6 km/h),
regardless of road-surface conditions. ABS
works on slippery surfaces, even if you only
brake gently.
Driving safety systems47
>> Safety.
Z
XTo switch off:press button0044.
Indicator lamp 0043lights up.
XTo switch on: press button0044.
Indicator lamp 0043goes out.
Starting at a speed of around 4 mph (7 km/h),
the distance warning function warns you if
you rapidly approach a vehicle in front. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound
and the 00BAdistance warning lamp will
light up in the instrument cluster.
XBrake immediately in order to increase the distance from the vehicle in front.
or
XTake evasive action, provided it is safe to
do so.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving condi-
tions may also cause the system to display a
warning.
With the help of the radar sensor system, the
distance warning function can detect obsta-
cles that are in the path of your vehicle for an
extended period of time.
Up to a speed of around 45 mph (70 km/h), the
distance warning function can also react to
stationary obstacles, such as stopped or
parked vehicles.
ESP®(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 47).
esp
®monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tires and the road surface.
If esp
®detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilize the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified
to keep the vehicle on the desired course
within physical limits. esp
®assists the
driver when pulling away on wet or slippery
roads. esp
®can also stabilize the vehicle
during braking.
ETS (Electronic Traction System)
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 47).
ETS traction control is part of esp
®.
ETS brakes the drive wheels individually if
they spin. This enables you to pull away and
accelerate on slippery surfaces, for example if the road surface is slippery on one side. In
addition, more drive torque is transferred to
the wheel with traction.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If ESP
®is malfunctioning, ESP®is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, fur-
ther driving safety systems are deactiva-
ted. This increases the risk of skidding and
an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP
®checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
!If you test the parking brake using a brake
dynamometer, switch the ignition off.
Application of the brakes by ESP
®may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
When towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised, observe the notes on esp
®
(Ypage 171).
If the 00E5esp®warning lamp lights up per-
manently, esp®or hill start assist are
unavailable due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(
Ypage 134) and display messages which may
be shown in the instrument cluster
(
Ypage 121).
iOnly use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will esp®function
properly.
Characteristics of ESP®
General information
If the 00E5esp®warning lamp goes out before
the journey begins, esp®is automatically
active.
If esp
®intervenes, the 00E5esp®warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
Driving safety systems49
>> Safety.
Z
Problems with the SmartKey
ProblemPossible causes/consequences and0050Solutions
You cannot lock or
unlock the vehicle
using the SmartKey.The SmartKey battery is discharged or nearly discharged.
XTry again to lock/unlock the vehicle using the remote control
function of the SmartKey. Do this by pressing the 0036or0037
button in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle.
If this does not work:
XChange the key battery if necessary (Ypage 52).
XUnlock the vehicle with the key in the emergency lock
(Ypage 55) or lock the vehicle with the emergency locking
(Ypage 55).
There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves.
XTry again to lock/unlock the vehicle using the remote control
function of the SmartKey. Do this by pressing the 0036or0037
button in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle.
The SmartKey is faulty.
XUnlock the vehicle with the key in the emergency lock
(Ypage 55) or lock the vehicle with the emergency locking
(Ypage 55).
XHave the SmartKey checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
You have lost a Smart-
Key.XHave the SmartKey deactivated at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
XReport the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
XIf necessary, have the locks changed as well.
The engine cannot be
started using the
SmartKey.the on-board voltage is too low.
XSwitch off non-essential consumers, e.g. seat heating or inte-
rior lighting, and try to start the engine again.
If this does not work:
XCheck the starter battery and charge it if necessary
(Ypage 164).
or
XJump-start the vehicle (Ypage 168).
or
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
The steering lock is mechanically blocked.
XRemove the SmartKey and reinsert it into the ignition lock.
When you turn the key, turn the steering wheel in both direc-
tions.
SmartKey53
>> Opening and closing.
Z