2018 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS Owners Manual

When activated, an air bag can pr ov ide addi‐
tional pr ot ection fo r the re spective ve hicle
occupant.
AIR BA GP ot ential pr ot ection fo r
…
Knee air bag Thigh, knee and lo we r leg
Driver's air bag,
front passenger
air bag Head and ri bcage
Wi ndow air ba gH ead
Side air bag Ribcage, also pelvis fo r
front seat occupants
The front-passenger air bag can be depl oy ed in
an accident only if th e PA SSENGER AIR BA G OFF
indicator lamp is off. If th e front passenger seat
is occupied, make sure, bo th before and during
th e journe y, th at th e st atus of th e front
passenger air bag is cor re ct ( →
pa ge 43). u NO TE Impo rt ant points to re member if
th e front passenger seat is unoccupied
In an accident, th e components of th e
re st ra int sy st em may deploy unnecessarily
on th e front passenger side if: R
There are heavy objects on th e front
passenger seat. R
The seat belt to ngue is engaged in th e
seat belt buckle of th e front passenger
seat and th e front passenger seat is
unoccupied.

q
WA RNING Risk of inju ry or death due to
objects between th e sitting sur fa ce and
th e ch ild re st ra int sy st em
Objects between th e sitting sur fa ce and th e
ch ild re st ra int sy st em could af fe ct th e func‐
tion of th e automatic front passenger airbag
shutoff.
This could re sult in th e front passenger air‐
bag not functioning as intended during an
accident.

PA SSENGER AIR BA G indicator lamp
Sy st em self- te st
When th e ignition is switched on, a sy st em self-
te st is per fo rm ed during which th e two
PA SSENGER AIR BA G ON and OFF indicator
lamps light up simultaneousl y. The st atus of th e front passenger air bag is dis‐
pla ye d af te r th e sy st em self-tes t:R
PA SSENGER AIR BA G ON lights up fo r
60 seconds, subsequently bo th PA SSENGER
AIR BA G ON and OFF indicator lamps are off:
th e front passenger air bag is able to deploy
in th e eve nt of an accident. R
PA SSENGER AIR BA G OFF lights up continu‐
ously: th e front passenger air bag is deactiva‐
te d. It will th en not be deplo ye d in th e eve nt
of an accident.
If th e PA SSENGER AIR BA G ON indicator lamp is
off, on ly th e PA SSENGER AIR BA G OFF indicator
lamp sho ws th e st atus of th e front passenger air
bag. The PA SSENGER AIR BA G OFF indicator
lamp may be lit continuously or be off.
If th e PA SSENGER AIR BA G OFF indicator lamp
and th e u re st ra int sy st em wa rn ing lamp
light up simultaneousl y, th e front passenger seat
may not be used. Also in th is case, do not ins ta ll
a ch ild re st ra int sy st em on th e front passenger
seat. Ha ve th e automatic front passenger air bag
shutoff ch ec ke d and re paired immediately at a
qu alified specialist wo rk shop. St atus display
If th e front passenger seat is occupied, ensure,
bo th before and durin g th e
journe y, th at th e st a‐
tus of th e front passenger air bag is cor re ct fo r
th e pr eva iling situation.
Af te r in st alling a re ar wa rd -facing ch ild
re st ra int sy st em on th e front passenger
seat: PA SSENGER AIR BA G OFF must be lit con‐
tinuousl y.
q
WA RNING Risk of inju ry or death from
using a re ar wa rd -facing ch ild re st ra int
sy st em when th e front passenger air bag
is enabled
If yo u secure a ch ild in a re ar wa rd -facing
ch ild re st ra int sy st em on th e front passenger
seat and th e PA SSENGER AIR BA G OFF indi‐
cator lamp is off, th e front passenger air bag
can deploy in th e ev ent of an accident.
The ch ild could be st ru ck by th e air bag.
Alw ay s ensure th at th e front passenger air
bag is disabled. The PA SSENGER AIR BA G
OFF indicator lamp must be lit. Occupant saf et y 43

NEVER use a re ar wa rd fa cing ch ild re st ra int
on a seat pr ot ected by an AC TIVE FRONT AIR
BA G in front of it; DE AT H or SERIOUS INJU RY
to th e ch ild can occur.
When ins ta lling a ch ild re st ra int sy st em on th e
front passenger seat, obse rv e th e ve hicle-spe‐
cific information in th is Operator's Manual.
Depending on th e ch ild re st ra int sy st em and th e
st ature of th e ch ild, th e PA SSENGER AIR BA G
OFF indicator lamp may be off. In th is case, do
not ins ta ll th e re ar wa rd -facing ch ild re st ra int
sy st em on th e front passenger seat.
Ins te ad, ins ta ll th e re ar wa rd -facing ch ild
re st ra int sy st em on a suitable re ar seat.
Af te r in st alling a fo rw ard-facing ch ild
re st ra int sy st em on th e front passenger
seat: depending on th e ch ild re st ra int sy st em
and th e st ature of th e ch ild, PA SSENGER AIR
BA G OFF may be lit continuously or be off.
Alw ay s obser ve th e fo llowing information. q
WA RNING Risk of inju ry or death due to
incor re ct positioning of th e fo rw ard-
fa cing ch ild re st ra int sy st em
If yo u secure a ch ild in a fo rw ard-facing ch ild
re st ra int sy st em on th e front passenger seat
and yo u position th e front passenger seat to o
close to th e cockpit, in th e eve nt of an acci‐
dent, th e ch ild could: R
Come into con ta ct wi th th e ve hicle inte‐
ri or if th e PA SSENGER AIR BA G OFF indi‐
cator lamp is lit, fo r ex ample.R
Be st ru ck by th e air bag if th e
PA SSENGER AIR BA G OFF indicator lamp
is off.

should not use th e front passenger seat.
Ins te ad, th ey should use a re ar seat.R
If th e front passenger seat is occupied with a
person of smaller st ature (e.g. a te enager or
small adult), th e PA SSENGER AIR BA G OFF
indicator lamp either lights up continuously
or re mains out, depending on th e re sult of
th e classification: -
PA SSENGER AIRB AG OFF is off: mo ve th e
front passenger seat as fa r back as possi‐
ble or a person of smaller st ature should
use a re ar seat.-
If th e PA SSENGER AIRB AG OFF indicator
lamp is lit continuously: a person of
smaller st ature should not use th e front
passenger seat.
q
WA RNING Risk of inju ry or death when
th e PA SSENGER AIR BA G OFF indicator
lamp is lit
If th e PA SSENGER AIR BA G OFF indicator
lamp re mains lit af te r th e sy st em self-test,
th e front passenger air bag is deactivated. It
will not be deplo ye d in th e ev ent of an acci‐ dent. In th is case, th e front passenger air bag
cann ot per fo rm its intended pr ot ective func‐
tion, e.g. when a person is seated in th e front
passenger seat.
That person could, fo r ex ample, come into
con ta ct wi th th e ve hicle interior, especially if
th e person is sitting to o close to th e cockpit.
If th e front passenger seat is occupied,
alw ay s ensure th at: R
The classification of th e person in th e
front passenger seat is cor re ct and th e
front passenger air bag is enabled or
deactivated in accordance with th e per‐
son in th e front passenger seat. R
The person is seated proper ly with a cor‐
re ctly fast ened seat belt. R
The front passenger seat has been mo ve d
as fa r back as possible.
Fu rt her re lated subjects: R
Child re st ra int sy st em on th e front passenger
seat ( →
page 53). PRE-SAFE ®
sy st em
Information on PRE- SA FE ®
(anticipa to ry
occupant pr ot ection)
PRE- SA FE ®
is able to de te ct cer ta in critical driv‐
ing situations and implement pre-em pt ive meas‐
ures to pr ot ect th e ve hicle occupants.
PRE-SAFE ®
can implement th e fo llowing meas‐
ures independently of each ot her: R
Ti ghtening th e seat belts on th e driver's seat
and front passenger seat. R
Closing th e side windo ws . R
Ve hicles with sliding sunroof: Closing th e
sliding sunroof. R
Ve hicles with memory function: Moving
th e front passenger seat to a more fa vo ra ble
seat position. R
Ve hicles with memory function in th e
re ar passenger co mp artment: moving th e
outer re ar seats to a more fa vo ra ble seat
position. Occupant saf et y 45

R
Ve hicles with multicontour seat: Increas‐
ing th e air pressure in th e seat side bols te rs
of th e seat backrest.R
Ve hicles with re ar seat belt buckle
ex te nders: tightening seat belts on th e outer
re ar seats.R
PRE- SA FE ®
Sound: Pr ov ided th at th e multi‐
media sy st em is switched on, ge nerates a
brief noise signal to st imulate th e innate pro‐
te ctive mechanism of a person's hea ri ng.
u NO TE Dama ge caused by objects in th e
fo ot we ll or behind th e seat
The automatic adjustment of th e seat posi‐
tion may re sult in damage to th e seat and/or
th e object.