Date of printing:
08/12/2022Online Owner's Manual [In depth | Safety | Occupant safety]
Owner's Manual version: 06-13
Note: The online Owner's Manual is the latest version available. Deviations between this manual and items specific to your vehicle may occur since Mercedes-Benz constantly adapts its vehicles to the latest technology and modifies design and equipment. Please note that this online Owner's Manual does not under any circumstances replace the printed Owner's Manual which is supplied with the vehicle.
WARNING
If the restraint system is modified, it may no longer work as intended. The restraint system may then not perform its intended protective function by failing in an accident or triggering unexpectedly, for example. There is an increased risk of injury.
Never modify parts of the restraint system. Do not attempt to modify the wiring as well as electronic components or their software.
The seat belts, together with SRS (Supplemental Restraint System), are complementary, co-ordinated restraint systems more. They serve to reduce the risk of injury in defined accident scenarios and thus increase occupant safety. However, seat belts and airbags generally do not protect against objects penetrating the vehicle from the outside.
In order for the restraint systems to offer the intended level of protection, make sure that:
An airbag increases the degree of protection afforded to a vehicle occupant who is wearing a seat belt and is therefore supplemental to the seat belt. Airbags do not replace the need for all vehicle occupants to wear their seat belts correctly at all times. The airbags are not deployed in all types of accidents. For example, if the protective capacity of correctly fastened seat belts is not increased by deploying the airbags, the airbags will not deploy.
Airbag deployment only provides increased protection if the seat belt is worn correctly. The seat belt helps, firstly, to keep the vehicle occupant in the best position in relation to the airbag. Secondly, in a head-on collision, for example, the seat belt restricts movement of the vehicle occupant towards the point of impact.
The airbag system can be adjusted for a person with a physical disability. Consult a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre regarding the details.
WARNING
If SRS is malfunctioning, child restraint system components may be triggered unintentionally or might not be triggered at all in the event of an accident with a high rate of vehicle deceleration. There is an increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Have SRS checked and repaired immediately at a qualified specialist workshop.
Your instrument cluster may be equipped with either SRS warning lamp or
.
SRS functions are checked regularly when you switch on the ignition and when the engine is running. This allows malfunctions to be quickly identified.
When you switch on the ignition, SRS warning lamp or
lights up in the instrument cluster for approximately 4 seconds.
A malfunction has occurred if SRS warning lamp or
:
In the event of a collision, the airbag control unit evaluates important physical data such as the duration, direction and rate of vehicle deceleration or acceleration. Based on the evaluation of this data and with longitudinal deceleration in a collision, the belt tensioners are the first to be triggered by the airbag control unit.
The front airbags are not deployed unless the vehicle's rate of longitudinal deceleration reaches a higher value.
In the first stages of a collision, the airbag control unit evaluates physical data such as duration, direction and rate of vehicle deceleration or acceleration. Based on this evaluation, the control unit determines whether it is necessary to trigger the belt tensioners or deploy the airbags.
The triggering thresholds for the belt tensioners and airbags are variable and are adapted to the rate of vehicle deceleration. This process is pre-emptive in nature, since the airbags must be deployed at the start of the collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or acceleration and the direction of the force are essentially determined by:
Factors which can only be seen and measured after the collision has occurred do not play a decisive role in the deployment of an airbag, nor do they provide an indication of airbag deployment.
The vehicle may be considerably deformed, e.g. at the bonnet or wings, without an airbag being deployed. This is the case if only relatively easily deformable parts have been hit and the required rate of deceleration has not been reached. It is also possible that airbags may be deployed even though the vehicle is only slightly deformed. This is the case if, for example, very rigid vehicle parts such as the longitudinal body members are hit in an accident and the rate of deceleration is sufficient.
NEVER use a rearward-facing child restraint on a seat protected by an ACTIVE AIRBAG in front of it, DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY to the CHILD can occur.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries in the event of an accident with a high rate of deceleration, e.g. injuries caused by an airbag deploying within milliseconds or sudden braking, observe the following points:
all vehicle occupants must select a seat position which allows them to wear their seat belt correctly and which is as far away from the airbag as possible. The driver's seat position must be such that the vehicle can be driven safely. The distance from the driver's seat to the pedals must be such that the driver is able to depress them fully. The distance between the driver's chest and the centre of the airbag cover must be more than 25 cm. The driver's arms should be slightly bent when holding the steering wheel.
vehicle occupants should always wear their seat belt correctly and position their backrest as close to the vertical as possible.
adjust the head restraints in such a way that their upper edge is at the same height as the seat occupant's head.
move the co-driver's seat as far back as possible, especially if a child is secured in a restraint system on this seat.
rearward-facing child restraint systems must not be fitted to the co-driver's seat unless the co-driver's front airbag has been disabled. In Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the co-driver's front airbag is disabled if a child restraint system with automatic child seat recognition is fitted to the co-driver's seat of a vehicle with automatic child seat recognition on the co-driver's seat and if the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning lamp remains lit continuously.
If the rearward-facing child restraint system does not have automatic child seat recognition, or if your vehicle does not have automatic child seat recognition on the co-driver's seat, children must be secured in a child restraint system on a suitable seat in the rear. If you secure a forward-facing child restraint system to the co-driver's seat, you must move the co-driver's seat as far back as possible.
do not lean forwards, e.g. over the padded boss of the steering wheel, particularly when the vehicle is in motion.
only hold the steering wheel by the rim; this allows the airbag to deploy fully. If you hold the inner part of the steering wheel, you could be injured when the airbag deploys.
make sure that there are no people, animals or objects between the vehicle occupants and the area of deployment of the airbags.
do not place any objects between the seat backrest and the door.
do not hang any hard objects, e.g. coat hangers, on the grab handles or coat hooks.
Due to the high speed of airbag deployment, it is not possible to entirely rule out the risk of injuries caused by the airbag deploying.
WARNING
WARNING
Unsuitable seat covers may obstruct or even prevent deployment of the airbags integrated into the seats. The airbags may then fail to protect the vehicle occupants as intended. Operation of the automatic child seat recognition may also be impaired. There is an increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Use only seat covers which have been specifically approved for the respective seat by Mercedes-Benz.
WARNING
Airbag deployment slows down and restricts the movement of the vehicle occupant.
If an airbag is deployed, you will hear a bang and powder may also be released. SRS
warning lamp or
lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your hearing. The powder could cause short-term breathing difficulties in people with asthma or other respiratory problems. In order to prevent breathing difficulties, you should leave the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. You can also open the window to allow fresh air to enter the interior. The powder does not constitute a health hazard and does not indicate that there is a fire in the vehicle. The powder is generally not hazardous to health.
Use only seat covers approved by Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model. The seat covers must have tear release seams for thoraxbags. Otherwise the thoraxbag will not correctly deploy and afford the intended protection potential in an accident.
Suitable seat covers are available from a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre, for example.
The airbag installation locations are identified by the label SRS/AIRBAG or AIRBAG.
Driver's airbag
inflates in front of the steering wheel; co-driver's airbag
inflates in front of and above the glove compartment. If your vehicle is fitted
with a co-driver's double airbag, it will inflate in front of and above the
centre console.
The front airbags increase the degree of protection afforded to the driver and co-driver against head and chest injuries.
The airbags are deployed:
If the vehicle overturns, the front airbags are generally not deployed. The front airbags are deployed if it is detected that the vehicle is decelerating rapidly in the longitudinal direction.
Vehicles with automatic child seat recognition in the
co-driver seat: co-driver airbag
is activated only if the co-driver seat is detected as occupied. The
indicator lamp below the hazard warning
lamp does not light up
more. This means that a child restraint system
without automatic child seat recognition has been fitted or that a child
restraint system with automatic child seat recognition has not been fitted
incorrectly.
WARNING
Use only seat covers approved by Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model. The seat covers must have tear release seams for thoraxbags. Otherwise the thoraxbag will not correctly deploy and afford the intended protection potential in an accident. There is a danger of injury.
Suitable seat covers are available from a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre, for example.
Thoraxbags are only installed for individual seats in the outer seat cushions of the driver's
and co-driver's seats.
When activated, thoraxbags increase protection for the chest area of the occupants facing the impact. However,
they do not protect:
Thoraxbags are deployed:
Vehicles with automatic child seat recognition in the co-driver seat: the co-driver
thoraxbag is also activated when the
indicator lamp below the hazard warning lamps switch lights up more. That is, the co-driver thoraxbag is also deployed if a child restraint system with
automatic child seat recognition has been installed.
Windowbags enhance protection for the head (but not the chest or arms) of the vehicle occupants
on the side of the vehicle on which the impact occurs.
The windowbags are integrated into the side of the roof frame above the front doors.
WARNING
Airbags provide additional protection, but are not a substitute for the seat belts. To reduce the risk of serious or even fatal injuries, make sure that all occupants - in particular, pregnant women - wear their seat belt correctly at all times and have adopted a normal sitting position, and that their seat backrest is positioned as close to the vertical as possible.
WARNING
A seat belt which is not worn, which is worn incorrectly, or which has not been engaged in the seat belt buckle correctly, cannot perform its intended protective function. Under certain circumstances, this could result in severe or even fatal injury. For this reason, make sure that all occupants - in particular, pregnant women - always wear their seat belts correctly.
Make sure that the seat belt:
Do not secure any objects with a seat belt if the seat belt is being worn by one of the vehicle's occupants.
Avoid wearing bulky clothing, e.g. a winter coat.
Do not route the belt strap across sharp or fragile objects, including objects that are on or in your clothing, such as spectacles, pens and keys. Otherwise the seat belt strap could be damaged and you or other occupants could be injured in an accident.
Only one person must use each seat belt at any one time.
Children must never travel in the vehicle sitting on the lap of another vehicle occupant. It would not be possible to restrain the child, and the child and other vehicle occupants could be injured seriously or even fatally in the event of sharp braking.
Persons under 1.50 m in height and children under 12 years of age cannot wear the seat belts properly. They therefore require additional suitable restraint systems fitted on appropriate seats for protection in an accident. Always follow the manufacturer's installation instructions when fitting a child restraint system.
WARNING
The seat belt does not offer the intended level of protection if you have not moved the backrest to an almost vertical position. When braking or in the event of an accident, you could slide underneath the seat belt and sustain abdomen or neck injuries, for example. This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Adjust the seat properly before beginning your journey. Always ensure that the backrest is in an almost vertical position and that the shoulder section of your seatbelt is routed across the centre of your shoulder.
WARNING
Seat belts cannot protect as intended, if:
Damage caused to safety belts in an accident may not be visible, e.g. by splinters of glass. Modified or damaged seat belts can tear or fail, for example in the event of an accident. Modified seat belt tensioners may be deployed unintentionally or fail to be deployed when required. There is an increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Never modify safety belts, seat belt tensioners, seat belt anchorages and inertia reels. Ensure that seat belts are not damaged or worn and are clean. After an accident, have the seat belts checked immediately at a qualified specialist workshop.
Mercedes-Benz recommends using seat belts approved by Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle.
Always have damaged seat belts or seat belts that have been subjected to a load in an accident replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
Please observe the care instructions on cleaning seat belts more.
Seat belts are the most effective means of restraining the movement of vehicle occupants in the event of an accident. This reduces the risk of vehicle occupants coming into contact with parts of the vehicle interior.
WARNING
Make sure that the seat belt is completely retracted. Otherwise, the seat belt or belt tongue will be trapped in the door or in the seat mechanism. This could damage the door, the door trim panel and the seat belt. Damaged seat belts can no longer perform their protective function and must be replaced in a qualified specialist workshop.
The warning lamp in the instrument cluster is a reminder for all occupants to fasten
their seat belts. It may light up continuously or flash. A warning tone may also sound.
The warning lamp goes out and the warning tone stops as soon as the driver's and the
co-driver's seat belts have been fastened.
Only for certain countries: regardless of whether the driver and co-driver have fastened
their seat belts, the warning lamp lights up for 6 seconds each time the engine is started. It then goes out if the driver and co-driver have
already fastened their seat belts.
WARNING
Pyrotechnic seat belt tensioners 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 belt tensioners which have been triggered immediately replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
The driver's and co-driver's seat belts are equipped with belt tensioners and belt force limiters. The belt tensioners are belt inertia-reel tensioners which are mounted on the inside of the B-pillar together with the belt force limiters. The seat belt for the middle seat is only fitted with a belt tensioner and belt force limiter for the twin co-driver's seat in vehicles with a co-driver's double airbag.
Belt tensioners tighten the seat belts in an accident, pulling them close against the seat occupant's body.
Belt tensioners do not correct an incorrect seat position or incorrectly worn seat belts.
Belt tensioners do not pull occupants back towards the backrest.
When activated, the belt force limiters reduce the force exerted by the seat belt on the driver or co-driver.
The belt force limiters are synchronised with the front airbags, which absorb part of the deceleration force, resulting in the force exerted on the occupant being distributed over a greater area.
The belt tensioners can only be activated if the ignition is on and the restraint systems are ready for operation; see "SRS warning lamp" more.
The belt tensioners are triggered depending on the type and severity of an accident:
in the event of a head-on or rear-end collision if the vehicle decelerates or accelerates rapidly in a longitudinal direction during the initial stages of the impact.
in the event of a side impact if the vehicle decelerates or accelerates rapidly in a lateral direction and the vehicle is equipped with thorax sidebags and/or windowbags.
If the belt tensioners are triggered, you will hear a bang and a small amount of powder
may momentarily also be released. SRS warning lamp or
lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your hearing. The powder could cause short-term breathing difficulties in people with asthma or other respiratory problems. In order to prevent breathing difficulties, you should leave the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. You can also open the window to allow fresh air to enter the interior. The powder does not constitute a health hazard and does not indicate that there is a fire in the vehicle. The powder is generally not hazardous to health.
Notes
Date of printing:
08/12/2022Online Owner's Manual [In depth | Safety | Occupant safety]
Owner's Manual version: 06-13
Note: The online Owner's Manual is the latest version available. Deviations between this manual and items specific to your vehicle may occur since Mercedes-Benz constantly adapts its vehicles to the latest technology and modifies design and equipment. Please note that this online Owner's Manual does not under any circumstances replace the printed Owner's Manual which is supplied with the vehicle.