continue to perform their protective function for
the vehicle occupants in the event of a crash.
GWARNING
Pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning Devices
that have been deployed are no longer opera-
tional and are unable to perform their inten-
ded protective function. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Therefore, have pyrotechnic Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices which have been triggered
immediately replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
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 Emergency Tensioning Devices are triggered
or air bags are deployed, you will hear a bang,
and a small amount of powder may also be
released. The 6restraint system warning
lamp lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your hear-
ing. The powder that is released generally does
not constitute a health hazard, but it may cause
short-term breathing difficulties in people with
asthma or other respiratory problems. To avoid
this, you may wish to get out of the vehicle or
open the windows as soon as it is safe to do so.
Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning
Devices (ETDs) contain perchlorate material,
which may require special handling and regard
for the environment. National guidelines 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 physi-
cal data relating to vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, such as:
Rduration
Rdirection
Rintensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the Emer-
gency Tensioning Devices during a frontal 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; see "Restraint system warning
lamp" (
Ypage 35)
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 collision
situations:
RFront air bags as well as driver's and front-
passenger knee bags
RSide impact air bag and window curtain air
bag, if the system determines that deploy-
ment can offer additional protection to that
provided by the seat belt
The front-passenger front air bag is activated 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 indicator lamp is lit.
Observe the information on the PASSENGER AIR
BAG indicator lamps (
Ypage 36).
Your vehicle has two-stage front air bags. During the fi
rst 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 sec-
ond deployment threshold is reached within a
few milliseconds.
The activation threshold of the Emergency Ten-
sioning 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 acceleration
and the direction of the force are essentially
determined by:
Rthe distribution of forces during the collision
Rthe collision angle
Rthe deformation characteristics of the vehicle
Rthe characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided
Factors which can only be seen and measured
after a collision has occurred do not play a deci-
sive role in the deployment of an air bag, Nor do
Occupant safety47
Safety
Z
they provide an indication of air bag deploy-
ment.
The vehicle can be deformed considerably, with-
out an air bag being deployed. This is the case if
only parts which are relatively easily deformed
are affected and the rate of deceleration is not
high. Conversely, air bags may be deployed eventhough 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 that the vehicle is rolling over, the rel-
evant restraint system components are activa-
ted independently of one another depending on
the apparent type of accident. If the system
determines a need for additional protection for
the vehicle occupants, the Emergency Tension-
ing Devices are triggered.
RSide impact air bag on the side of impact,
independently of the Emergency Tensioning
Device and the use of the seat belt on the
driver's seat
The side impact 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
iNot all air bags are deployed in an accident.
The different air bag systems work independ-
ently of each other.
How the air bag system works is determined
by the severity of the accident detected,
especially the vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration and the apparent type of accident:
RFrontal collision
RSide impact
RRollover
PRE-SAFE®(anticipatory occupant
protection system)
Introduction
In certain hazardous situations, PRE-SAFE®
takes pre-emptive measures to protect the vehi-
cle occupants.
Important safety notes
!Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell under or behind the seats when mov-
ing the seats back. There is a risk that the
seats and/or the objects could be damaged.
Despite your vehicle being equipped with the
PRE-SAFE
®system, the possibility of personal
injuries occurring as a result of an accident can-
not be eliminated. Always adapt your driving
style to suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions and maintain a safe distance from
the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
Function
PRE-SAFE®intervenes:
Rin emergency braking situations, e.g. when
BAS is activated
Rin critical driving situations, e.g. when physi-
cal limits are exceeded and the vehicle under-
steers or oversteers severely
Ron vehicles with DISTRONIC PLUS: if adaptive
Brake Assist intervenes powerfully
PRE-SAFE
®takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detected:
Rthe seat belts are pre-tensioned.
Rif the vehicle skids, the side windows are
closed.
Rvehicles with the memory function for the
front-passenger seat: the front-passenger
seat is adjusted if it is in an unfavorable posi-
tion.
If the hazardous situation passes without result-
ing in an accident, PRE-SAFE
®slackens the belt
pre-tensioning. All settings made by PRE-SAFE®
can then be reversed.
If the seat belt pre-tensioning is not reduced:
XMove the seat backrest or seat back slightly
when the vehicle is stationary.
The seat belt pre-tensioning is reduced and
the locking mechanism is released.
The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE
®convenience function. Informa-
tion about the convenience function can be
found under "Belt adjustment" (
Ypage 39).
48Occupant safety
Safety
Using the SmartKey
XPress and hold the&button until the side
windows are fully closed.
XMake sure that all the side windows are
closed.
XTo interrupt convenience closing: release
the & button.
Using KEYLESS-GO
The driver's door and the door at which the han-
dle is used, must both be closed. The SmartKey
must be outside the vehicle. The gap between
the SmartKey and the corresponding door han-
dle should not be greater than 3 ft (1 m).
XTouch recessed sensor surface :on the
door handle until the side windows are fully
closed.
Make sure you only touch recessed sensor
surface :.
XMake sure that all the side windows are
closed.
XTo interrupt convenience closing: release
recessed sensor surface :on the door han-
dle.
Resetting the side windows
If a side window can no longer be closed fully,
you must reset it.
XClose all the doors.
XSwitch on the power supply or switch on the
ignition with the Start/Stop button.
XPull the corresponding switch on the door
control panel until the side window is com-
pletely closed (
Ypage 72).
XHold the switch for an additional second. If the side window opens again slightly:
XImmediately pull the corresponding switch on
the door control panel until the side window is
completely closed (
Ypage 72).
XHold the switch for an additional second.
XIf the respective side window remains closed
after the button is released, then it has been
set correctly. If this is not the case, repeat the
steps above.
Side windows73
Opening and closing
Z
Problems with the seat heating
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The seat heating has
switched off prematurely
or cannot be switched
on.The on-board voltage is too low because too many electrical consum-
ers are switched on.
XSwitch off electrical consumers that you do not need, such as the
rear window defroster or interior lighting.
Once the battery is sufficiently charged, the seat heating can be
switched back on manually.
Steering wheel
Important safety notes
GWARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do the following while driving:
Radjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
Rfasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt before starting the engine.
GWARNING
If the steering wheel is unlocked while the
vehicle is in motion, it could change position
unexpectedly. This could cause you to lose
control of the vehicle. There is a risk of an
accident.
Before starting off, make sure the steering
wheel is locked. Never unlock the steering
wheel while the vehicle is in motion.
GWARNING
Children could injure themselves if they
adjust the steering wheel. There is a risk of
injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
The electrically adjustable steering wheel can
still be adjusted when there is no SmartKey in
the ignition lock.
Adjusting the steering wheel
:Adjusts the steering wheel position (fore-
and-aft adjustment)
;Adjusts the steering wheel height
iFurther related subjects:
REASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature (Ypage 80)
RStoring settings (Ypage 84)
EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature
Important safety notes
GWARNING
When the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature adjusts
the steering wheel, you and other vehicle
occupants – particularly children – could
become trapped. There is a risk of injury.
While the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature is mak-
ing adjustments, make sure that no one has
any body parts in the sweep of the steering
wheel.
Move the steering wheel adjustment lever if
there is a risk of entrapment by the steering
wheel. The adjustment process is stopped.
80Steering wheel
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Overview of climate control systems
General notes
Observe the settings recommended on the fol-
lowing pages. The windows could otherwise fog
up.
To prevent the windows from fogging up:
Rswitch off climate control only briefly
Rswitch on air-recirculation mode only briefly
Rswitch on the cooling with air dehumidifica-
tion function
Rswitch on the defrost windshield function
briefly, if required
Climate control regulates the temperature and
air humidity in the vehicle interior. The interior
filter cleans the air, thus improving the interior
climate.
The cooling with air dehumidification function is
only available when the engine is running. Opti-
mum climate control is only achieved with the
side windows closed.
iVentilate the vehicle for a brief period during
warm weather, e.g. using the convenience
opening feature (
Ypage 72). This will speed
up the cooling process and the desired inte-
rior temperature will be reached more
quickly.
iThe integrated filter filters out most parti-
cles of dust and soot and completely filters
out pollen. It also reduces gaseous pollutants
and odors. A clogged filter reduces the
amount of air supplied to the vehicle interior.
For this reason, you should always observe
the interval for replacing the filter, which is
specified in the Maintenance Booklet. As it
depends on environmental conditions, e.g.
heavy air pollution, the interval may be
shorter than stated in the Maintenance Book-
let.
iIt is possible that the blower may be activa-
ted automatically 60 minutes after the engine
has been switched off depending on various
factors, e.g. the outside temperature. The
vehicle is then ventilated for 30 minutes to dry
the climate control system.
Overview of climate control systems93
Climate control
Control panel for dual-zone climate control
:Sets the temperature, left (Ypage 96)
;Sets the air distribution (Ypage 96)
=Sets the airflow (Ypage 97)
Switches off climate control (
Ypage 95)
?Sets climate control to automatic (Ypage 96)
ADefrosts the windshield (Ypage 97)
BCalls up the climate control menu of the multimedia system (Ypage 204)
CSwitches the rear window defroster on/off (Ypage 97)
DActivates/deactivates synchronization (Ypage 97)
EActivates/deactivates air-recirculation mode manually (Ypage 99)
FSwitches cooling with air dehumidification on/off (Ypage 95)
GSets the temperature, right (Ypage 96)
Optimum use of 3-zone automatic cli-
mate control
3-zone automatic climate control
The following contains instructions and recom-
mendations to enable you to get the most out of
your 3-zone automatic climate control.
RActivate climate control using the Ã
rocker switch. The indicator lamp above the
à rocker switch lights up. The "Cooling
with air dehumidification" function is not acti-
vated automatically in automatic mode. If
necessary, activate this function
(
Ypage 95).
RSet the temperature to 72 ‡ (22 †).
ROnly use the "Windshield defrosting" function
briefly until the windshield is clear again.
ROnly use air-recirculation mode briefly, e.g. if
there are unpleasant outside odors or when in
a tunnel. The windows could otherwise fog up, since no fresh air is drawn into the vehicle in
air-recirculation mode.
ECO start/stop function
During automatic engine switch-off, the climate
control system only operates at a reduced capa-
city. If you require the full climate control output,
you can switch off the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button (
Ypage 106).
94Overview of climate control systems
Climate control
Operating the climate control sys-
tems
Switching climate control on/off
General notes
When the climate control is switched off, the air
supply and air circulation are also switched off.
The windows could fog up. Therefore, switch off
climate control only briefly
Switch on climate control primarily using the
à rocker switch (
Ypage 96).
Switching on/off
XSelect key position 2with the Start/Stop but-
ton (Ypage 103).
XTo switch on: set the airflow to level 1 or
higher using the Hrocker switch.
XTo switch off: set the airflow to level 0 using
the H rocker switch.
Activating/deactivating cooling with
air dehumidification
General notes
If you deactivate the "Cooling with air-dehumid-
ification" function, the air inside the vehicle will
not be cooled. The air inside the vehicle will also
not be dehumidified. The windows can fog up
more quickly. Therefore, deactivate the cooling
with air-dehumidification function only briefly.
The "Cooling with air dehumidification" function is only available when the engine is running. The
air inside the vehicle is cooled and dehumidified
according to the temperature selected.
Condensation may drip from the underside of
the vehicle when it is in cooling mode. This is
normal and not a sign that there is a malfunc-
tion.
Switching on/off
XPress the ¿rocker switch up or down.
The indicator lamp above the ¿rocker
switch lights up or goes out.
Operating the climate control systems95
Climate control
Setting the airflow
XSelect key position2with the Start/Stop but-
ton (Ypage 103).
XTo increase or reduce: press theH
rocker switch up or down.
Switching the synchronization func-
tion on/off
General notes
Climate control can be set centrally using the
synchronization function. The temperature set-
ting is adopted for the front-passenger side.
Switching on/off
XPress the 0rocker switch up or down.
The indicator lamp above the 0rocker
switch lights up or goes out.
The synchronization function deactivates if the
settings for the front-passenger side are
changed.
Defrosting the windshield
General notes
You can use this function to defrost the wind-
shield or to clear a fogged up windshield or front
side windows on the inside.
Switch off the "Windshield defrosting" function
as soon as the windshield is clear again.
Switching on/off
XSelect key position 2with the Start/Stop but-
ton (Ypage 103).
XTo switch on: press the¬rocker switch
up or down.
The indicator lamp above the ¬rocker
switch lights up. The current climate control
settings are deactivated.
The climate control system switches to the
following functions:
Rhigh airflow
Rhigh temperature
Rair distribution to the windshield and front
side windows
Rair-recirculation mode off
iIf necessary, the "Cooling with air dehumid-
ification" function is activated. In this case,
the indicator lamp above the ¿rocker
switch remains switched off.
XTo switch off: press the¬rocker switch
up or down.
The indicator lamp above the ¬rocker
switch goes out. The previously selected set-
tings are restored. Air-recirculation mode
remains deactivated.
Defrosting the windows
Windows fogged up on the inside
XActivate the "Cooling with air dehumidifica-
tion" function with the ¿rocker switch.
XSwitch on automatic mode using the Ã
rocker switch.
XIf the windows continue to fog up, activate the "Windshield defrosting" function using the
¬ rocker switch.
iYou should only select this setting until the
windshield is clear again.
Windows fogged up on the outside
XActivate the windshield wipers.
XSwitch on automatic mode using the Ã
rocker switch.
iIf you clean the windows regularly, they do
not fog up so quickly.
Rear window defroster
General notes
The rear window defroster has a high current
draw. You should therefore switch it off as soon
as the rear window is clear. Otherwise, the rear
window defroster switches off automatically
after several minutes.
If the battery voltage is too low, the rear window defroster may switch off.
Operating the climate control systems97
Climate control