The restraint system may not work as intended if the following components have been modified or work on these components has not been performed correctly:

• restraint system, consisting of the seat belts and anchorages, belt tensioners, belt force limiters, airbags

• wiring

• networked electronic systems

Airbags or belt tensioners could then fail, e.g. in the event of an accident in which the deceleration force would normally be high enough to trigger the systems, or they could be triggered unintentionally. Never carry out any modifications on the restraint systems. Never tamper with electronic components and their software.

Always have maintenance work carried out at a qualified specialist workshop which has the necessary specialist knowledge and tools to carry out the work required.

Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this purpose.

In particular, work relevant to safety or on safety-related systems must be carried out at a qualified specialist workshop. If this work is not carried out correctly, the operating safety of your vehicle may be affected. There is a risk of an accident and injury.

If SRS is malfunctioning, individual systems may be activated unintentionally or not be triggered in the event of an accident with a high rate of vehicle deceleration.

A malfunction has occurred if the warning lamp:

• does not light up when you switch on the ignition

• does not go out after the engine has been running for a few seconds

• lights up again once the engine is running

In this case, have SRS checked immediately at a qualified specialist workshop.

If the seat belt tensioners have been triggered, they provide no additional protection in the event of another accident. Therefore, have belt tensioners which have been triggered replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.

Comply with safety regulations when disposing of belt tensioners. Any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre can provide details of these regulations.

Airbags provide additional protection; they are not, however, a substitute for the seat belts.

Observe the following notes to reduce the risk of serious or even fatal injury if an airbag is deployed:

• all vehicle occupants - in particular pregnant women - must wear their seat belt correctly at all times and lean back against the backrest, which should be positioned as close to the vertical as possible. The head restraint must support the back of the head at about eye level.

• always secure children less than 1.50 m tall or under 12 years of age in suitable child restraint systems.

• all vehicle occupants must select a seat position that is as far away from the airbag as possible. The driver's seat position must allow the vehicle to be driven safely. The driver's chest should be as far away from the middle of the driver's front airbag cover as possible.

• move the front-passenger seat as far back as possible, in particular, if a child is secured in a child restraint system on the seat.

• vehicle occupants - in particular, children - must not lean their head on the area of the window in which a sidebag or head/thorax airbag* is deployed.

• rearward-facing child restraint systems must not be fitted to the front-passenger seat unless the front-passenger front airbag has been disabled. The front-passenger front airbag of a vehicle fitted with automatic child seat recognition* is only disabled when a child restraint system with automatic child seat recognition is fitted to the front-passenger seat*. The  PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning lamp must be constantly lit.

  If either the rearward-facing child restraint system or the front-passenger seat* of your vehicle does not have automatic child seat recognition, 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 front-passenger seat, you must move the front-passenger seat as far back as possible.

• make sure there are no heavy or sharp-edged objects in pockets of clothing.

• do not lean forwards, e.g. over the cover of the driver's front airbag, particularly when the vehicle is in motion.

• do not put your feet on the dashboard.

• only hold the steering wheel by the rim. This allows the airbag to inflate fully. You could be injured if the airbag is deployed and you are holding the inside of the steering wheel.

• do not lean on the doors from inside the vehicle.

• make sure that there are no people, animals or objects between the vehicle occupants and the area of deployment of the airbag.

• do not place any objects between the seat backrest and the door.

• do not hang any hard objects, for example coat hangers, on the grab handles or coat hooks.

• do not attach accessories, e.g. cup holders, to the doors.

It is not possible to rule out the risk of injuries caused by an airbag due to the high speed at which the airbag is required to deploy.

The airbag's functionality can only be guaranteed if the following parts are not covered and no badges or stickers are attached to them:

• padded steering wheel boss

• front-passenger front airbag cover

• outer side of front seats

• side panel next to the rear seat backrest

When an airbag deploys, a small amount of powder is released. The powder may cause short-term breathing difficulties to persons suffering from asthma or other pulmonary conditions.

In order to prevent possible 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 airbag parts are hot after the airbag has been deployed. Do not touch them, otherwise you may burn yourself.

Occupants are not protected by the airbags in the event of another accident. Have the airbags checked at a qualified specialist workshop.

If you wish to use seat covers, Mercedes-Benz recommends that, for safety reasons, you only use seat covers that have been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The seat covers must be equipped with a special tear seam for head/thorax airbags. Otherwise, a head/thorax airbag may not deploy correctly and could fail to provide the intended protection in the event of an accident. Appropriate seat covers can be obtained from a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.

Do not secure any objects (e.g. coat hangers) on the head restraint rods. Otherwise, the active head restraints may not function correctly and could fail to provide the intended protection in the event of an accident.

Do not leave children unsupervised in the vehicle, even if they are secured in a child restraint system. Children could injure themselves on parts of the vehicle. They could also be seriously or even fatally injured by prolonged exposure to extreme heat or cold.

Do not expose the child restraint system to direct sunlight. The metallic parts of the child restraint system could heat up and the child could be burned by them.

If a child opens the door, other persons could be injured. They could get out and injure themselves or be injured by a passing vehicle.

An unsecured or incorrectly positioned load increases the risk of injury to the child in the event of:

• an accident

• a braking manoeuvre

• a sudden change of direction

Do not carry heavy or hard objects inside the vehicle unless they are secured. You will find further information under "Loading guidelines" in the index.

To reduce the risk of serious or even fatal injury to the child in the event of a sudden change in direction, braking or an accident:

• Children less than 1.50 m tall and under twelve years of age must always be secured in special child restraint systems on a suitable vehicle seat. This is necessary because the seat belts are not designed for children of this size.

• Do not secure children under twelve years of age on the front-passenger seat. Exception: the child is secured in a vehicle with automatic child seat recognition on the front-passenger seat* and is secured in a child restraint system with automatic child seat recognition.

• If you fit a child restraint system to the front-passenger seat, you must move the front-passenger seat as far back as possible.

• Children must never travel sitting on the lap of another occupant. Due to the forces occurring in the event of a sudden change of direction, heavy braking or an accident, it would not be possible to restrain the child. The child could be thrown against parts of the vehicle interior and be seriously or even fatally injured.

If the child restraint system is not correctly fitted to a suitable vehicle seat, it cannot perform its protective function. The child cannot be restrained in the event of a sudden change of direction, heavy braking or an accident. This may lead to serious or even fatal injuries. For this reason, when fitting a child restraint system, observe the manufacturer's installation instructions and the correct use of the child restraint system.

Child restraint systems should preferably be fitted to the rear seats. Children are generally better protected there.

The entire base of the child restraint system must always rest on the seat cushion. Never place objects, e.g. a cushion, under the child restraint system.

Only use child restraint systems with their original covers. Only replace damaged covers with genuine Mercedes-Benz covers.

For safety reasons, you should only use child restraint systems which have been approved for use in Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

Vehicles with a through-loading feature* in the rear seat backrest: do not fit a rearward-facing child restraint system on the centre rear seat.

If the front-passenger front airbag is not disabled:

• a child secured in a child restraint system on the front-passenger seat could be seriously and even fatally injured by the front-passenger front airbag deploying. This is especially a risk if the child is in the immediate vicinity of the front-passenger front airbag when it deploys.

• a child must never be secured on the front-passenger seat in a rearward-facing child restraint system. Only secure a rearward-facing child restraint system on a suitable rear seat.

• always move the front-passenger seat to the rearmost position if you secure a child in a forward-facing child restraint system on the front-passenger seat.

The front-passenger front airbag is not disabled:

• on vehicles without automatic child seat recognition on the front-passenger seat*.

• in vehicles with automatic child seat recognition on the front-passenger seat*, if there is no child restraint system with automatic child seat recognition fitted to the front-passenger seat.

• on vehicles with automatic child seat recognition on the front-passenger seat* if the  PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning lamp is not lit.

To draw attention to this danger, there is an appropriate warning sticker on the dashboard as well as on both sides of the sun visor on the front-passenger side.

Information about recommended child restraint systems is available at any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.

If the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning lamp does not light up when the child restraint system is fitted, the front-passenger front airbag has not been disabled. If the front-passenger front airbag is deployed, the child could be seriously or even fatally injured.

Proceed as follows:

• Do not use a rearward-facing child restraint system on the front-passenger seat.

• Fit a rearward-facing child restraint system on a suitable rear seat.

or

• Only use a forward-facing child seat on the front-passenger seat and move the front-passenger seat to its rearmost position.

• Have the automatic child seat recognition checked at a qualified specialist workshop.

To ensure that the automatic child seat recognition on the front-passenger seat functions correctly, never place objects (such as a cushion) under the child restraint system. The entire base of the child restraint system must always rest on the seat cushion. An incorrectly fitted child restraint system cannot perform its intended protective function in the event of an accident, and could lead to injuries.

Do not place items of electronic equipment on the front-passenger seat, e.g.:

• laptops, when switched on

• mobile phones

• cards with transponders, e.g. ski passes or access cards

Signals from electronic equipment can cause interference in the automatic child seat recognition sensor system. This can lead to a system malfunction. This may cause the  PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning lamp to light up without there being a child seat with automatic child seat recognition fitted. This means that the front-passenger airbag does not deploy during an accident. It is also possible that the  PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning lamp will not light up briefly if you turn the key in the ignition lock to position 2.

A child restraint system secured by the ISOFIX child seat securing system does not provide sufficient protection for children weighing more than 22 kg. For this reason, do not secure children weighing more than 22 kg in a child restraint system secured by the ISOFIX child seat securing system. If the child weighs more than 22 kg, secure the child restraint system using a lap-shoulder belt.

If the child restraint system is not correctly fitted to a suitable vehicle seat, it cannot perform its protective function. The child cannot be restrained in the event of a sudden change of direction, heavy braking or an accident. This may lead to serious or even fatal injuries. For this reason, when fitting a child restraint system, observe the manufacturer's installation instructions and the correct use of the child restraint system.

On the rear seats, only use child restraint systems with an ISOFIX child seat securing system which have been recommended for use in Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

An incorrectly fitted child restraint system could come loose and seriously or even fatally injure the child or other vehicle occupants. When fitting the child restraint system, make sure that it is engaged in the securing rings on both sides.

Please note that child restraint systems cannot provide a protective function if they or their retaining systems are damaged or have been subjected to a load in an accident. This could result in serious or even fatal injuries to the secured child in the event of an accident, heavy braking or a sudden change in direction.

For this reason, have child restraint systems and their anchorages which have been damaged or subjected to a load in an accident checked immediately at a qualified specialist workshop.

Make sure that the rear seat backrest is fully locked. The red lock verification indicators on the left and right should no longer be visible. If they are, the rear seat backrests are not locked. If this is the case, occupants could be injured in the event of an accident, e.g. by objects being thrown forwards from the luggage compartment.

To reduce the risk of serious or even fatal injury to the child in the event of a sudden change in direction, braking or an accident:

• do not modify the integrated child seat.

• when the child seat is occupied, adjust the head restraint to a position in which the back of the child's head is supported by the centre of the head restraint at about eye level.

• replace an integrated child seat that has been damaged or subjected to a heavy load as the result of an accident.

• be aware that children under two years of age require a different child restraint system. Information about other child restraint systems is available from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.

• the rear seat backrest in the vehicle must be securely locked in position.

To reduce the risk of serious or even fatal injury to the child in the event of a sudden change in direction, braking or an accident:

• The shoulder belt section of the seat belt must be routed across the middle of the child's shoulder - never across the child's neck - and be pulled tight against the child's chest. The lap section of the seat belt must be routed across the child's pelvis - not across the abdomen - and be pulled tight against the child's body; retighten the belt strap if necessary.

• Only ever secure one child at a time in the child restraint system.

• The belt must be routed through the hook.

• The belt strap must not be trapped or twisted, nor rub against any sharp edges.

If the padded table is not installed correctly on the integrated child seat, it cannot provide the intended protection. It would then not be possible to restrain the child in the event of an accident, sudden braking or abrupt change in direction and this could result in serious or even fatal injury to the child. For this reason, observe the following description when fitting the padded table:

The padded table is only suitable for use together with the folded-out integrated child seat.

On the rear seats, only use the padded table which is recommended for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

An incorrectly fitted padded table could come loose and seriously or even fatally injure the child or other vehicle occupants. Fit the padded table and ensure that it is correctly secured.

If the padded table is damaged or subjected to a load in an accident, it cannot provide the intended protection. It would then not be possible to restrain the child in the event of an accident, sudden braking or abrupt change in direction and this could result in serious or even fatal injury to the child.

You must therefore have padded tables that are damaged or have been subjected to a heavy load in an accident checked immediately along with their mountings at a qualified specialist workshop and replaced if necessary.

To reduce the risk of serious or even fatal injury to the child in the event of a sudden change in direction, braking or an accident:

• observe the following description when fitting the padded table.

• do not modify the padded table.

• when the child seat is occupied, adjust the head restraint to a position in which the back of the child's head is supported by the centre of the head restraint at about eye level.

• replace a damaged padded table or one that has been subjected to a load in an accident.

• be aware that children under two years of age or children weighing less than 12.5 kg require a different child restraint system. Information about other child restraint systems is available from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.

Do not modify the padded table, integrated child seat or seat belts. The padded table must not be used without a cover. The cover must not be removed from the padded table or replaced with a cover from another manufacturer. Otherwise, the official approval becomes invalid and its protective function could be restricted.

Do not subject the padded table to unnecessary heat nor expose it to direct sunlight. Parts of the padded table could heat up and the child could be burnt by the hot parts.

Ensure that:

• the belt is routed as described below

• the belt is not twisted

• the padded table is close to the child's body

• the belt is routed through the hook

• the belt strap is not trapped or twisted and does not rub against any sharp edges

It would otherwise not be possible to restrain the child in the event of an accident, sudden braking or abrupt change in direction and this could result in serious or even fatal injury to the child.

The padded table must be secured in the vehicle correctly or stowed securely in the luggage compartment. It could otherwise become loose in the event of an accident, sudden braking or abrupt change in direction and could injure vehicle occupants or cause damage to the vehicle.

If children are travelling in the vehicle, activate the child-proof locks for the rear doors and the override feature for the rear windows. The children could otherwise open doors or windows while the vehicle is in motion and injure themselves or others.

If children are travelling in the vehicle, activate the child-proof locks for the rear doors and the override feature for the rear windows. The children could otherwise open doors or windows while the vehicle is in motion and injure themselves or others.