2019 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV seats

bag as it deploys, vehicle occupants must
ensure the following points.
Before commencing your journey, ensure that:
R there are no people, animals or objects
between the vehicle occupants and an air bag
R there are no objects between the seat, door
and B-pillar
R there are no hard objects, e.g. coat hangers,
hanging on the grab handles or coat hooks
R no accessories, such as cup holders, are
attached to the vehicle within the deployment
area of an air bag, e.g. to doors, side windows,
rear side trim or side walls
R no heavy, sharp-edged or fragile objects are in
the pockets of your clothing. Store such
objects in a suitable place G
WARNING
If you modify the air bag cover or affix objects
such as stickers to it, the air bag can no longer function correctly. There is an increased risk
of injury.
Never modify an air bag cover or affix objects to it. G
WARNING
Sensors to control the air bags are located in the doors. Modifications or work not per-
formed correctly to the doors or door panel-
ing, as well as damaged doors, can lead to the
function of the sensors being impaired. The air bags might therefore not function properly
anymore. Consequently, the air bags cannot
protect vehicle occupants as they are
designed to do. There is an increased risk of
injury.
Never modify the doors or parts of the doors.
Always have work on the doors or door pan-
eling carried out at a qualified specialist work- shop.
Front air bags !
Do not place heavy objects on the front-
passenger seat. This could cause the system
to identify the seat as being occupied. In the
event of an accident, the restraint systems on the front-passenger side may be triggered
and have to be replaced. Driver's air bag
0043deploys in front of the steer-
ing wheel. Front-passenger front air bag 0044
deploys in front of and above the glove box.
When deployed, the front air bags offer addi-
tional head and thorax protection for the occu-
pants in the front seats.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
informs you about the status of the front-
passenger front air bag (Y page 45).
The front-passenger front air bag will only
deploy if:
R the system, based on the OCS weight sensor
readings, detects that the front-passenger
seat is occupied (Y page 51). The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is
not lit (Y page 52)
R the restraint system control unit predicts a
high accident severity
Driver's knee bag Driver's knee bag
0043deploys under the steering
column. The driver's knee bag is deployed
together with the front air bag.
The driver's knee bag offers additional thigh,
knee and lower leg protection for the occupant
in the driver's seat. 50
Occupant safetySafety

Side impact air bags
G
WARNING
Unsuitable seat covers can obstruct or pre-
vent deployment of the air bags integrated
into the seats. Consequently, the air bags
cannot protect vehicle occupants as they are designed to do. In addition, the operation of
the occupant classification system (OCS)
could be adversely affected. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
You should only use seat covers that have
been approved for the respective seat by
Mercedes-Benz. Front side impact air bags
0043and second row
rear side impact air bags 0044deploy next to the
outer bolster of the seat backrest.
When deployed, the side impact air bag offers
additional thorax protection. It also offers addi-
tional pelvis protection for occupants in the
front seats. However, it does not protect the:
R head
R neck
R arms
If the restraint system control unit detects a side
impact, the side impact air bag is deployed on
the side on which the impact occurs.
The side impact air bag on the front passenger
side deploys under the following conditions:
R the OCS system detects that the front
passenger seat is occupied or
R the seat belt buckle tongue is engaged in the
belt buckle of the front passenger seat
If the belt tongue is engaged in the belt buckle,
the side impact air bag on the front passenger
side deploys if an appropriate 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 and deploy in the area
extending from the front door (A-pillar) to the
rear side window (D-pillar).
When deployed, the window curtain air bag
enhances the level of protection for the head.
However, it does not protect the chest or arms.
If the restraint system control unit detects a side
impact, the window curtain 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
(Y page 56). Occupant Classification System
(OCS)
Introduction The Occupant Classification System (OCS) cat-
egorizes the person in the front-passenger seat.
Depending on that result, the front-passenger
front air bag is either enabled or deactivated.
The system does not deactivate:
R the side impact air bag
R the window curtain air bag
R the Emergency Tensioning Devices Occupant safety
51Safety Z

only parts which are relatively easily deformed
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 a result.
If the restraint system control unit detects a side impact or if the vehicle rolls over, the applicable
components of the restraint system are
deployed independently of each other depend-
ing on the apparent type of accident.
R Side impact air bags on the side where the
impact takes place, independently of the
Emergency Tensioning 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 deploys under 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 Emergency Tensioning 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 Head-on collision
R Side impact
R Rollover 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 or behind the seats. There is a danger that the seats and/or objects could be dam-
aged when PRE-SAFE ®
is activated.
Although your vehicle is equipped with PRE-
SAFE ®
, the possibility of injury in the event of an
accident cannot be ruled out. 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:
R in emergency braking situations, e.g. when
BAS is activated
R in critical driving situations, e.g. when physi-
cal limits are exceeded and the vehicle under-
steers or oversteers severely
R on vehicles with the Driving Assistance PLUS
package: when Active Brake Assist intervenes
powerfully or the radar sensor system detects an imminent danger of collision in certain sit- uations
PRE-SAFE ®
takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detected:
R the front seat belts are pre-tensioned.
R if the vehicle skids, the side windows and the
sliding sunroof are closed.
R vehicles with the memory function: the front-
passenger seat is adjusted if it is in an unfav-
orable position.
R vehicles with a multicontour seat: the air pres-
sure in the side bolsters of the seat backrest
is increased.
If the hazardous situation passes without result- ing in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens the belt
pre-tensioning. On vehicles with multicontour
seats, the air pressure in the side bolsters is
reduced again. All settings made by PRE-SAFE ®
can then be reversed. 58
Occupant safetySafety

If the seat belt pre-tensioning is not reduced:
X Move 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" (Y page 48).PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS (anticipatory occu-
pant protection system PLUS)
Introduction PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS is only available in vehicles
with the Driving Assistance PLUS package.
Using the radar sensor system, PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS is able to detect that a head-on or rear-end
collision is imminent. In certain hazardous sit-
uations, PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS takes pre-emptive
measures to protect the vehicle occupants.
Important safety notes The intervention of PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS cannot
prevent an imminent collision.
The driver is not warned about the intervention
of PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS.
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS does not intervene if the vehi-
cle is backing up.
When driving, or when parking or exiting a park-
ing space using Active Parking Assist, PRE-
SAFE ®
PLUS will not apply the brakes.
Function PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS intervenes in certain situa-
tions if the radar sensor system detects an
imminent head-on or rear-end collision. PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detected:
R if the radar sensor system detects that a
head-on collision is imminent, the seat belts
are pre-tensioned.
R if the radar sensor system detects that a rear-
end collision is imminent:
- the brake pressure is increased if the driver
applies the brakes when the vehicle is sta- tionary.
- the seat belts are pre-tensioned.
The PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS braking application is can-
celed:
R if the accelerator pedal is depressed when a
gear is engaged
R if the risk of a collision passes or is no longer
detected
R if Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC indicates
an intention to intervene
If the hazardous situation passes without result- ing in an accident, the original settings are
restored. 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 switched on
R the emergency lighting is activated
R the vehicle doors are unlocked
R the front side windows are lowered
R vehicles with a memory function: the electri-
cally adjustable steering wheel is raised when
the driver's door is opened
R the engine is switched off and the fuel supply
is cut off
R vehicles with Mercedes me connect: auto-
matic 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 Children in the vehicle
59Safety Z

All child restraint systems must meet the fol-
lowing standards:
R U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 225
R Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 210.2
Confirmation that the child restraint system cor- responds to the standards can be found on an
instruction label on the child restraint system.
This confirmation can also be found in the instal-
lation instructions that are included with the
child restraint system.
Observe the warning labels in the vehicle inte-
rior and on the child restraint system. LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat secur-
ing system G
WARNING
For LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint sys-
tems in which the child is secured using the
safety belt integrated in the child restraint
system, the maximum permissible weight of
the child and child restraint system together
is 73 lbs (33 kg).
If the child and the child restraint system
together weigh more than 73 lbs (33 kg), the
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint system
with integrated safety belt no longer offers
sufficient protection. The LATCH-type (ISO-
FIX) child seat securing system may be over-
loaded, and the child may not be restrained in
an accident, for example. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
If the child and the child restraint system
together weigh more than 73 lb s(33 kg), use
only a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint sys-
tem in which the child is also secured with the vehicle seat belt. Also secure the child
restraint system with the Top Tether belt, if
available.
Regularly check that the permissible gross
weight of the child together with the child
restraint system is still maintained.
Always comply with the manufacturer's instal-
lation and operating instructions for the child
restraint system used. Before every trip, make sure that the LATCH-
type (ISOFIX) child restraint system is engaged
correctly in both LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing
rings
To ensure that the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system can perform its protective func-
tion as intended, the backrest of the respective outer seat in the second row must be in the
upright position.
! When installing the child restraint system,
make sure that the seat belt for the middle
seat does not get trapped. The seat belt could
otherwise be damaged. LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings for the outer
seat in the second row of seats
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings for the third
row of seats
Before installing a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system on the second row of seats:
X Move the backrests in the second row of
seats to an upright position (Y page 101).
X Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint
system on both LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing
rings 0043.
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) is a standardized securing system for specially designed child restraint
systems on the rear seats. 62
Children in the vehicleSafety

Non-LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seats may also
be used and can be installed using the vehicle's seat belt system. Install the child seat according
to the manufacturer's instructions. Top Tether
Introduction Top Tether provides an additional connection
between the child restraint system secured with
a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) system and the vehicle.
This helps reduce the risk of injury even further.
If the child restraint system is equipped with a
Top Tether belt, this should always be used.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the rear seat backrests are not locked, they
could fold forwards in the event of an acci-
dent, heavy braking or sudden changes of
direction. As a result, child restraint systems
cannot perform their intended protective
function. Rear seat backrests that are not
locked can also cause additional injuries, e.g. in the event of an accident. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Always lock rear seat backrests after instal-
ling a Top Tether belt. Adjust the rear seat
backrests so that they are in an upright posi-
tion.
Make sure that the backrest in the rear com-
partment engages fully. To do so, pull firmly on
the seat backrest.
Top Tether anchorages The Top Tether anchorages for the second row
of seats are located on the rear of the seat
backrests. For the third row of seats, use the
cargo tie-down rings in the cargo compartment
floor.
X
Move head restraint 0087upwards
(Y page 100).
X Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint
system with Top Tether. Always comply with
the child restraint system manufacturer's
installation instructions when doing so.
X Route Top Tether belt 0084under head restraint
0087 between the two head restraint bars.
X Guide Top Tether belt 0084down between cargo
compartment cover 0043and seat backrest 0044.
X Hook Top Tether hook 0083of Top Tether belt
0084 into Top Tether anchorage 0085.
Make sure that:
R Top Tether hook 0083is hooked into Top
Tether anchorage 0085as shown.
R Top Tether belt 0084is not twisted.
R Top Tether belt 0084is routed between seat
backrest 0044and cargo compartment
cover 0043if cargo compartment cover 0043is
installed.
R Top Tether belt 0084is routed between seat
backrest 0044and the cargo net if the cargo
net is installed.
X Tension Top Tether belt 0084. Always comply
with the child restraint system manufactur-
er's installation instructions when doing so.
X Move head restraint 0087back down again
slightly if necessary (Y page 100). Make sure
that you do not interfere with the correct rout-
ing of Top Tether belt 0084. Children in the vehicle
63Safety Z

Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat
General 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 the child restraint system on a rear seat.
If it is absolutely necessary to install a child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat,
always observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant Classification System
(OCS)" (Y page 51).
You can thus avoid the risks that could arise as a result of:
R an incorrectly categorized person in the front-
passenger seat
R deactivating the front passenger front air bag
unintentionally
R the unsuitable positioning of the child
restraint system, e.g. too close to the dash-
board
Rearward-facing child restraint system If circumstances require you to secure a child in
a rearward-facing child restraint system on the
front-passenger seat, always make sure that the
front passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Only if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is lit continuously (Y page 45), is the front
passenger front air bag deactivated.
Always observe the child restraint system man- ufacturer's installation and operating instruc-
tions.
Forward-facing child restraint system If it is absolutely necessary to install a forward-
facing child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat, always move the front-
passenger seat as far back as possible. The
entire base of the child restraint system must
always rest on the seat cushion of the front-
passenger seat. The backrest of the 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 or be subjected to a load by the head
restraint. Adjust the angle of the seat backrest
and the head restraint position accordingly.
Always make sure that the shoulder belt strap is correctly routed from the vehicle belt outlet to
the shoulder belt guide on the child restraint
system. The shoulder belt strap must be routed forward and down from the vehicle belt outlet. If
necessary, adjust the vehicle belt outlet and the
front-passenger seat accordingly.
Always observe the child restraint system man- ufacturer's installation and operating instruc-
tions. Child-proof locks
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If children are traveling in the vehicle, they
could:
R open doors, thus endangering other people
or road users
R exit the vehicle and be caught by oncoming
traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and become
trapped
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Always activate the child-proof locks and
override feature if children are traveling in the vehicle. When leaving the vehicle, always take
the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unattended in the vehicle.
Override feature for:
R the rear doors (Y page 65)
R the rear side windows (Y page 65) G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi- cle, they could set 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 vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury. 64
Children in the vehicleSafety

Correct driver's seat position
G
WARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do the following while driving:
R adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
R fasten 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. Observe the following when adjusting steering
wheel
0043, seat belt 0044and driver's seat 0087:
R you are as far away from the driver's air bag as
possible
R you are sitting in a normal upright position
R your thighs are slightly supported by the seat
cushion
R your legs are not entirely stretched and you
can depress the pedals properly
R the back of your head is supported at eye level
by the center of the head restraint
R you can hold the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent
R you can move your legs freely
R you can see all the displays in the instrument
cluster clearly R
you should have a good overview of traffic
conditions
R the seat belt is pulled snugly against the body
and is routed across the center of your shoul-
der and across your hips in the pelvic area
Further related subjects:
R Electrical seat adjustment (Y page 98)
R Adjusting the steering wheel mechanically
(Y page 108) or electrically (Y page 108)
R Fastening the seat belt correctly (Y page 48).
R Adjusting the rear-view mirror and exterior
mirrors (Y page 110).
R Vehicles with memory function: storing the
seat, steering wheel, exterior mirror and
Head-up display settings with the memory
function (Y page 113) Seats
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Children could become trapped if they adjust the seats, particularly when unattended.
There is a risk of injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Neverleave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
The seats can still be adjusted when there is no
SmartKey in the ignition lock. G
WARNING
When you adjust a seat, you or other vehicle
occupants could become trapped, e.g. on the seat guide rail. There is a risk of injury.
When adjusting a seat, make sure that no one
has any body parts in the sweep of the seat.
Observe the safety notes on "Air bags"
(Y page 49) and "Children in the Vehicle"
(Y page 59). Seats
97Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z