
Infants and childre nm ust never travel sitting
on the lap of av ehicle occupant. In the event
of an accident, they could be crushed
between the vehicle occupant and seat belt. R
objects are never secured with as eat belt if
the seat belt is also being used by one of the
vehicle's occupants
Also ensure that there are never objects
between ap erson and the seat, e.g. cushions.
Seat belts are only intended to secure and
restrain vehicle occupants. Alway so bserve the
"Loading guidelines" for securing objects, lug-
gage or load s( Y
page 237).
Fastening and adjusting the seat belts Observe the safety notes on the seat belt
( Y
page 42) and the notes on correct use of seat
belts ( Y
page 43).
Basic illustration X
Adjust the seat ( Y
page 90).
The seat backrest must be in an almost
upright position. X
Pul lt he seat belt smoothly from the belt out-
let. X
Engage seat belt tongue D in belt buckle C .X
If necessary ,p ul lupont he shoulder section
of the seat belt to tighten the belt across your
body. The shoulder section of the seat belt must
always be routed across the center of the shoul-
der. Adjust the belt outlet if necessary. X
To raise: slid et he belt outlet up.
The belt outlet wil le ngage in variou sp osi-
tions. X
To lower: hold belt outlet release

seconds or once the driver's seat belt is fas-
tened.
If the vehicle's speed exceeds 15 mph
(25 km/h) once and the driver's and front-
passenger seat belts are not fastened, aw arning
tone sounds. Aw arning tone also sounds with
increasing intensit yf or 60 seconds or until the
driver or front passenger have fastened their
seat belts.
If the driver or front passenger unfasten their
seat belts during the journey, the seat belt warn-
ing is activated again.
Air bags
Introduction The installation point of an air bag can be rec-
ognized by the AIRBAG marking.
An air bag complements the correctly fastened
seat belt. It is no substitute for the seat belt. The
air bag provides additional protection in appli-
cable accident situations.
Not all air bags are deployed in an accident. The
different air bag systems function independ-
ently from one another ( Y
page 52).
However, no system available today can com-
pletely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
It is also not possible to rule out ar isk of injury
caused by an air bag due to the high speed at
which the air bag must be deployed.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If you do not sit in the correct seat position,
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: R
have fastened their seat belts correctly,
including pregnant women R
are sitting correctly and maintain the great-
est possible distance to the air bags R
follow the following instructions Always make sure that there are no objects
between the air bag and the vehicle's occu-
pants. R
Adjust the seats properly before beginning
your journey. Always make sure that the seat
is in an almost upright position. The center 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 .T he driver's seat posi-
tion must allow the vehicle to be driven safely. R
Only hold the steering wheel on the outside.
This allow st he air bag to be fully deployed. R
Always lean against the backrest while driv-
ing. Do not lean forward or lean against the
door or side window. You may otherwise be in
the deployment area of the air bags. 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 air bag. R
For this reason, always secure persons less
than 5f t( 1.50 m) tall in suitable restraint sys-
tems. Up to this height, the seat belt cannot
be worn correctly.
If ac hild is traveling in your vehicle ,a lso
observe the following notes: R
Always secure children under twelve years of
age and less than 5f t( 1.50 m) tal lins ui table
child restraint systems. R
Chil dr estraint systems shoul dbei nstalle do n
the rea rs ea ts. R
Onl ys ec ur eac hild in ar earward-facing child
restraint syste mont he front-passenge rs ea t
when the front-passenge rf ront ai rb ag is
deactivated .Ift he PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is permanentl yl it ,t he front-
passenge rf ront ai rb ag is deactivated
( Y
page 41). R
Alway so bser ve the instructions and safety
note sont he "Occupant Classification Syste m
( OCS) "( Y
page 47) and on "Children in the
vehicle" ( Y
page 54 )i na ddit io ntot he child
restraint syste mm an ufacturer's installation
and operating instructions.Occupant safety 45
Safety Z

passenger fron ta ir bag 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
fron ta ir bag is correct.
G WARNING
If you secure ac hild in ar earward-facing child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat
and the PASSENGER AIR BA GO FF indicator
lamp is off, the front-passenger fron ta ir bag
can deploy in the event of 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 fron ta ir
bag has been deactivated. The PASSENGER
AIR BA GO FF indicator lamp must be lit.
NEVER use ar earward-facing child restraint
on as eat protected by an ACTIVE FRONT AIR-
BA Ginf ron tofi t; DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY
to the child can occur.
If the PASSENGER AIR BA GO FF indicator lamp
stays off, do not install ar earward-facing child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat.
You can find more information on OCS under
"Problems with the Occupant Classification Sys-
tem" ( Y
page 51).
G WARNING
If you secure ac hild in af orward-facin gc hild
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 int oc ontact with the vehicle's inte-
rior if the PASSENGER AIR BA GO FF indi-
cator lamp is lit, for example R
be struck by the air bag if the PASSENGER
AIR BA GO FF indicator lamp is off
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
shoulder belt strap is correctly routed from
the vehicle belt sash guide to the shoulder
belt guide on the child restraint system. The
shoulder belt strap must be routed forwards
and downwards from the vehicle belt sash
guide. If necessary, adjust the vehicle belt
sash guide and the front-passenger seat
accordingly. Always observe the child
restraint system manufacturer's installation
instructions.
If OCS determines that: R
The front-passenger seat is unoccupied, the
PASSENGER AIR BA GO FF indicator lamp
lights up after the system self-test and
remains lit. This indicates that the front-
passenger fron ta ir bag is deactivated. R
The front-passenger seat is occupied by a
child of up to twelve months old, in as tandard
child restraint system, the PASSENGER AIR
BA GO FF indicator lamp lights up after the
system self-test and remains lit. This indi-
cates that the front-passenger fron ta ir bag is
deactivated.
But even in the case of at welve-month-old
child, in as tandard child restraint system, the
PASSENGER AIR BA GO FF indicator lamp can
go out after the system self-test. This indi-
cates that the front-passenger fron ta ir bag is
activated. The result of the classification is
dependen to n, among other factors, the child
restraint system and the child's stature. It is
recommended that you install the child
restraint system on as uitable rear seat.R
The front-passenger seat is occupied by a
person of smaller stature (e.g. at eenager or
small adult), the PASSENGER AIR BA GO FF
indicator lamp lights up and remains lit after
the system self-test dependin gont he result
of the classification or, alternatively, goes out. -
If the PASSENGER AIR BA GO FF indicator
lamp is off, move the front-passenger seatOccupant safety 49
Safety Z

sive role in the deployment of an air bag. Nor do
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 easil yd eformed
are affected and the rate of deceleration is not
high. Conversely, air bags may be deployed even
though the vehicle suffers only minor deforma-
tion. This is the case if, for example, very rigid
vehicle parts such as longitudinal body mem-
bers are hit, and sufficient deceleration occurs
as ar esult.
If the restraint system control unit detects as ide
impact or if the vehicle rolls over, the applicable
component soft he restraint system are activa-
ted independently of each other depending on
the apparent type of accident. R
Side impact air bags on the side where the
impact takes place, independently of the
Emergenc yT ensioning Device and the use of
the seat belt on the driver's seat and outer
seats in the second row
The side impact air bag on the front-
passenger side deploy su nder the following
conditions: -
the OCS system detects that the front-
passenger seat is occupied or -
the seat belt buckle tongue is engaged in
the belt buckle of the front-passenger seat R
Window 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 R
Emergenc yT ensioning Devices, if the system
determines that deployment can offer addi-
tional protection in this situation R
Window curtain air bags on the driver's and
front-passenger side in certain situations
when the vehicle rolls over, if the system
determines that deployment can offer addi-
tional protection to that provided by the seat
belt
i Not 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: R
Frontal collision R
Side impact R
Rollover
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent Immediately after an accident, the following
measures are implemented, depending on the
type and severity of the impact: R
the hazard warning lamps are activated R
the emergency lighting is activated R
the vehicle doors are unlocked R
the front side windows are lowered R
the engine is switched off and the fuel supply
is cut off R
vehicles with mbrace: automatic emergency
call
Children in the vehicle
Important safety notes Accident statistics show that children secured
in the rear seats are safer than children secured
in the front-passenger seat. For this reason,
Mercedes-Benz strongly advises that you install
ac hild restraint system on ar ear seat. Children
are generally better protected there.
If ac hild younger than twelve years old and
under 5ft( 1.50 m) in height is traveling in the
vehicle: R
always secure the child in ac hild restraint
system suitable for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The child restraint system must be appropri-
ate to the age, weight and size of the child R
be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes in this section in addition to the child
restraint system manufacturer's installation
instructions R
be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant classification system
(OCS)" ( Y
page 47)54
Children in the vehicle
Safety

G WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they coul ds et it in motion by, for example:R
release the parking brake. R
shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P .R
start the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicl ee quip-
ment and become trapped. There is ar isk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, alway st ake the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
G WARNING
If persons, particularl yc hildren are subjected
to prolonged exposure to extreme hea to r
cold, there is ar isk of injury ,p ossibly even
fatal .N ever leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
G WARNING
If the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. Chil-
dren may burn themselves on these parts,
particularl yont he metal parts of the child
restraint system. There is ar isk of injury.
If you leave the vehicle, taking the child with
you ,a lway se nsure that the child restraint
system is not expose dtod irect sunlight. Pro-
tect it with ab lanket, for example. If the child
restraint system has been expose dtod irect
sunlight, let it cool dow nb efore securing the
child in it. Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
Always ensure that all vehicl eo ccupants have
their seat belts fastened correctly and are sitting
properly .P articular attention must be pai dt o
children.
Observe the safety notes on the seat belt
( Y
pag e4 2) and the notes on correct use of seat
belts ( Y
pag e4 3).
Ab ooster seat may be necessary to achieve
prope rs eat bel tp ositioning for children over
41 lbs (18 kg )u ntil they reach ah eight where a three-point seat bel tc an be properly fastened
without ab ooster seat.
Special seatbelt retractor
G WARNING
If the seat bel tisr eleased while driving, the
child restraint system wil lnol onger be
secure dp roperly .T he special seat bel tr etrac-
tor is disable da nd the inertia real draw sina
portion of the seat belt. The seat bel tc annot
be immediatel yr efastened. There is an
increased risk of injury ,p ossibly even fatal.
Stop the vehicl ei mmediately, paying atten-
tion to road and traffic conditions. Reactivate
the special seat bel tr etractor and secure the
child restraint system properly.
All seat belts in the vehicle, except the driver's
seat belt, are equipped with as pecial seat belt
retractor. When activated, the special seat belt
retractor ensure st hat the seat bel tc annot
slacken once the child seat is secured.
Installing ac hild restraint system: X
Make sure you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions. X
Pul lt he seat bel ts moothly from the bel to ut-
let. X
Engage seat bel tt ongue in bel tb uckle.
Activating the special seat bel tr etractor:X
Pul lt he seat bel to ut full ya nd let the inertia
reel retract it again.
Whil et he seat bel tisr etracting, you should
hear ar atcheting sound .T he special seat belt
retractor is enabled. X
Push the child restraint system dow nsot hat
the seat bel tist ight and does not loosen.
Removing the child restraint system and deac-
tivating the special seat bel tr etractor:X
Make sure you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions. X
Press the release button of the seat belt
buckle and guide the seat bel tt ongue back
toward st he bel ts ash guide.
The special seat bel tr etractor is deactivated.Children in the vehicle 55
Safety Z

Child restraint system The use of seat belt sa nd child restraint systems
is required by law in: R
all 50 states R
th eU .S .t erri toriesR
th eD istrict of ColumbiaR
all Canadian provinces
If you install ar earward-facing child restraint
system on th ec ente rr ear seat ,t he rear arm rest
must be folded back as far as possible.
You can obtain further informatio na bout the
correc tc hi ld restraint system from any author-
ize dM ercedes-Ben zC enter.
G WARNING
If th ec hi ld restraint system is installed incor-
rectly on as uitable seat ,itc anno tp rotect as
intended. The child canno tt he nber estrained
in th ee vent of an accident, heav yb raking or
sudde nc ha nges of direction .T her eisa n
increased ris kofi njury, possibly eve nf atal.
Mak es ure that you observ et he child restraint
system manufacturer' si nstallatio ni nstruc-
tions and th en otes on use. Pleas ee ns ure,
that th eb ase of th ec hi ld restraint system is
always restin gc ompletely on th es eat cush-
ion .N ever plac eo bjects, e.g .c ushions, under
or behin dt he child restraint system. Only use
child restraint systems wit ht he original cover
designe df or them. Only replace damaged
covers wit hg enuine covers.
G WARNING
If th ec hi ld restraint system is installed incor-
rectly or is no ts ecured, it can com el oos ei n
th ee vent of an accident, heav yb raking or a
sudde nc ha ng eind irection .T he child
restraint system coul dbet hr own about ,s tr ik-
ing vehicle occupants. Ther eisani ncreased
ris kofi njury, possibly eve nf atal.
Always install child restraint systems prop-
erly, eve nift he ya re no tb ein gu sed. Make
sure that you observ et he child restraint sys-
te mm anufacturer' si nstallatio ni nstructions.
You will fin df urther informatio nons to wing
objects, luggag eorl oads unde r" Loading guide-
lines" ( Y
page 237). G WARNING
Child restraint systems or their securin gs ys-
tems whic hh ave been damaged or subjected
to al oad in an acciden tc an no longer protect
as intended. The child canno tt he nb e
restraine dint he event of an accident, heavy
braking or sudde nc ha nges of direction .T here
is an increased ris kofi njury, possibly even
fatal.
Replac ec hi ld restraint systems whic hh ave
been damaged or subjected to al oad in an
acciden tass oon as possible. Hav et he secur-
ing systems on th ec hi ld restraint system
checked at aq ualified specialist workshop,
before you install ac hi ld restraint system
again.
The securin gs ystems of child restraint systems
are: R
th es eat belt system R
th eL AT CH-type (ISOFIX) securin gr ingsR
th eT op Tether anchorages
If it is absolutely necessary to carry ac hi ld on
th ef ront-pa ssenger seat ,bes ure to observ et he
informatio nont he "Occupan tC lassification
Syste m( OCS)" ( Y
page 47) .T her ey ou will also
fin di nformatio nond eactivatin gt he front-
passenger fron ta ir bag.
All child restraint systems must mee tt he fol-
lowin gs ta ndards: R
U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safet yS ta ndards
21 3a nd 225 R
Canadian Motor Vehicle Safet yS ta ndards
21 3a nd 210.2
Confirmation that th ec hi ld restraint system cor-
responds to th es ta ndards can be foun dona n
ins truc tion label on th ec hi ld
restraint system.
This confirmation can also be foun dint he instal-
lation instruction st ha ta re included wit ht he
child restraint system.
Observ et he warning labels in th ev ehicle inte-
rior and on th ec hi ld restraint system.56
Children in th ev ehicle
Safety

LATCH-typ e( ISOFIX) child seat secur-
ing system
G WARNING
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint systems
do not offer sufficient protection for children
whose weight combine dw ith th ec hild
restraint system is greater than 65 lbs (29 kg)
and who are secured usin gt he safety belt
integrated in th ec hild restraint system. In the
even tofana ccident, ac hild migh tn ot be
restrained correctly. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
If th ec hild and th ec hild restraint system
together weigh mor et ha n65l bs (29 kg), only
use LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint sys-
tem sw ith whic ht he child is also secured with
th ev ehicle seat belt .A ls os ecure th ec hild
restraint system with th eT op Tether belt ,i f
available.
Always comply with th em anufacturer' si nstal-
latio na nd operatin gi nstruction sf or th ec hild
restraint system used.
Before ever yt ri p, mak es ure that th eL AT CH-
type (ISOFIX) child restraint system is engaged
correctly in bot hL AT CH-type (ISOFIX) securing
rings
! When installing th ec hild restraint system,
mak es ure that th es eat belt for th em iddle
seat does not get trapped. The seat belt could
otherwise be damaged.
X
Install th eL AT CH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint
system on bot hL AT CH-type (ISOFIX) securing
rings C .
ISOFI Xisas ta ndardized securin gs ystem for
specially designed child restraint systems on
th er ear seats. LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings for two LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint
systems are installe dont he left and righ toft he
rear seats.
Non-LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat sm ay also
be used and can be installe du sin gt he vehicle's
seat belt system. Install th ec hild seat according
to th em anufacturer' si nstructions.
Top Tether
Introduction Top Tether provides an additional connection
between th ec hild restraint system secured with
aL AT CH-type (ISOFIX) system and th ev ehicle.
This helps reduc et he risk of injury even further.
If th ec hild restraint system is equipped with a
Top Tether belt ,t hi ss hould always be used.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If th er ear seat backrests are not locked ,t he y
could fold forwards in th ee ven tofana cci-
dent, heavy braking or sudden changes of
direction. As ar esult, child restraint systems
cannot perform their intended protective
function .R ear seat backrests that are not
locked can also cause additional injuries ,e .g.
in th ee ven tofana ccident. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Always lock rear seat backrests after instal-
ling aT op Tether belt .O bserve th el oc kv eri-
ficatio ni ndicator. Adjust th er ear seat backr-
est ssot ha tt he ya re in an uprigh tp osition.
If th er ear backres tisn ot engaged and locked,
th er ed lock verificatio ni ndicator will be visible
( Y
page 240).Children in th ev ehicle 57
Safety Z

G WARNING
If the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. Chil-
dren may burn themselves on these parts,
particularl yont he metal parts of the child
restraint system. There is ar isk of injury.
If you leave the vehicle, taking the child with
you ,a lway se nsure that the child restraint
system is not expose dtod irect sunlight. Pro-
tect it with ab lanket, for example. If the child
restraint system has been expose dtod irect
sunlight, let it cool dow nb efore securing the
child in it. Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
Child-proof locks for the rear doors
You secure each door individually with the child-
proof locks on the rear doors. Ad oor secured
with ac hild-proof lock cannot be opened from
insid et he vehicle. When the vehicl eisu nlocked,
the door can be opened from the outside. X
To activate: press the child-proof lock lever
up in the direction of arrow C .X
Make sure that the child-proof locks are work-
ing properly. X
To deactivate: press the child-proof lock
leve rd ow nint he direction of arrow D . Override feature for the rear side win-
dows X
To activate/deactivate: press button C .
If indicator lamp D is lit, operation of the rear
side windows is disabled. Operation is only
possible using the switches in the driver's
door. If indicator lamp D is off, operation is
possible using the switches in the rear com-
partment.
Pets in the vehicle
G WARNING
If you leave animals unattended or unsecured
in the vehicle, they coul dp ress buttons or
switches, for example.
As ar esult, they could: R
activate vehicl ee quipment and become
trapped, for example R
activate or deactivate systems ,t hereby
endangering other road users
Unsecure da nimals coul da ls obef lung around
the vehicl eint he event of an accident or sud-
den steering or braking, thereby injuring vehi-
cle occupants. There is ar isk of an accident
and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals properly during
the journey ,e .g. use as uitable anima lt rans-
port box.60
Pets in the vehicle
Safety