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Occupant safety
Restraint systems
This section will familiarise you with the most important features of the restraint systems in your vehicle. In the event of an accident, your vehicle may collide with another object, e.g. another vehicle. This may cause your vehicle to accelerate or decelerate suddenly. During this acceleration or deceleration, the vehicle occupants are always thrown towards the force of the impact. This means that there is a risk of vehicle occupants being injured on the vehicle interior or on parts of the vehicle. The purpose of supplementary restraint systems, i.e. principally the seat belts supplemented by belt tensioners and a driver's front airbag where necessary, is to minimise this risk of injury. However, seat belts and the driver's front airbag are generally unable to prevent injuries caused by objects penetrating the vehicle from the outside.
The most important restraint systems are:
Additional protection is provided by:
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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. All vehicle occupants must wear their seat belt correctly at all times, even if the vehicle is equipped with airbags. This is because on the one hand airbags are not deployed in all types of accident, as in some situations airbag deployment would not increase the protection afforded to vehicle occupants, provided they are wearing their seat belt correctly.
On the other hand, airbag deployment only provides increased protection if the seat belt is worn correctly, because:
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the seat belt helps to keep the vehicle occupant in the best position in relation to the airbag
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for example, in a head-on collision, the seat belt can more adequately prevent the occupant from being propelled towards the force of the impact, and is thus better suited to prevent injury
Thus, in accident situations where an airbag is deployed, it only provides protection in addition to the seat belt if the seat belt is being worn correctly.
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Modifications to or work performed incorrectly on restraint systems (seat belts, anchorages, belt tensioners or airbags) or their wiring, as well as work on other networked electronic systems, may prevent the restraint systems from working correctly. Airbags and belt tensioners could fail, e.g. in the event of an accident, the deceleration force of which would normally be sufficient to trigger the systems, or could be triggered unintentionally. For this reason, never tamper with the restraint systems. You must not tamper with electronic components or their software.
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Seat belts
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Airbags provide additional protection; however they are not a replacement for the seat belts. To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries, make sure that all occupants in particular, pregnant women wear their seat belt correctly at all times, have adopted a normal sitting position, and that their seat is positioned as close to the vertical as possible.
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The most important restraint systems are the seat belts and restraint systems for children in the vehicle. In the event of an accident, they are the most effective means of preventing vehicle occupants from moving in the direction of the impact and thus reducing the danger of them hitting parts of the vehicle interior.
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In many countries there are laws concerning the use of seat belts and child restraint systems.
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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 even cause severe or fatal injuries. Make sure that all vehicle occupants in particular, pregnant women wear their seat belt correctly at all times.
You must make sure that the belt:
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is routed as low as possible across your pelvic area, i.e. across your hip joints and not across your abdomen
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fits closely
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is not twisted
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is routed across the middle of your shoulder
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is not routed across your neck or under your arm
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fits closely across your pelvic area, by pulling upwards on the shoulder section of the belt
Do not secure any objects with a seat belt if the seat belt is being used by one of the vehicle's occupants.
Avoid wearing bulky clothing, e.g. a winter coat.
Do not route the belt strap across sharp-edged or fragile objects, especially if these are on or in your clothing, e.g. spectacles, pencils, keys, etc. The seat belt strap could be damaged and you could be injured.
Only one person should use each seat belt at any one time.
On no account should children travel sitting on the lap of another occupant. It would not be possible to restrain the child, and the child or other vehicle occupants could be injured seriously in the event of abrupt braking or even fatally in the event of an accident.
Persons under 1.50 m tall or under twelve years of age cannot wear the seat belts properly. They therefore require additional suitable restraint systems on appropriate seats for protection in an accident. Always follow the manufacturer's installation instructions when fitting a child seat.
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A seat belt only offers its intended degree of protection if the backrest is positioned as close to the vertical as possible and the occupant is sitting upright. Avoid seat positions that prevent the seat belt from being correctly routed . You should therefore position the backrest as close to the vertical as possible. Never drive with the backrest tilted too far back. You could otherwise be seriously or fatally injured in the event of an accident or sudden braking.
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As opposed to the lap belt, the lap-shoulder belt provides better restraint and therefore more protection against injuries.
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The seat belt cannot function correctly if the belt or buckle is dirty or damaged. Keep the belt and buckle clean, otherwise the belt tongue cannot engage correctly.
Regularly check the seat belts to make sure that they:
Otherwise the belt could tear in the event of an accident. You or others could be seriously or fatally injured.
Have seat belts which have been damaged or subjected to heavy loads in an accident replaced and have their anchorages checked.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that, for safety reasons, you only use seat belts which have been specially approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
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Wearing seat belts
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If the lap belt is not used, make sure that the belt tongue is always engaged in the seat belt buckle. The belt could otherwise be thrown about and injure vehicle occupants in the event of accidents and while the vehicle is in motion.
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Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
The SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) consists of:
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 warning lamp
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Belt tensioners
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Airbag system with:
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Airbag control unit
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Driver's front airbag
warning lamp
The SRS regularly performs a self-check when the ignition is switched on and while the engine is running. This allows faults to be detected in good time.
The warning lamp in the instrument panel lights up for approximately 4 seconds when you switch on the ignition and goes out at least a few seconds after the engine is started.
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A malfunction has occurred if the warning lamp:
Individual systems could be triggered inadvertently or could fail in the event of an accident with a high rate of vehicle deceleration. If any of the above occurs, have the SRS checked and repaired immediately 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.
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Triggering the belt tensioners and the driver's front airbag
In the event of a collision, the sensor in 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 depending on the vehicle’s rate of longitudinal deceleration in a collision, the belt tensioners are the first to be triggered by the airbag control unit.
The driver's front airbag is not deployed unless a second activation threshold is reached, i.e. there is a higher rate of vehicle deceleration in a longitudinal direction.
Criteria for triggering belt tensioners and airbags
In the first stages of a collision, the sensor in the airbag control unit evaluates physical data, such as duration, direction and rate of vehicle deceleration or acceleration in order to determine whether it is necessary to trigger the belt tensioners and/or deploy the airbags.
The triggering thresholds for the belt tensioners and driver's front airbag are variable and are adapted to the rate of the vehicle deceleration. This process is pre-emptive in nature since the airbag must be deployed during, and not at the end of, the collision.
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The driver's front airbag is only deployed if the seat belt is fastened.
It is not always deployed in the event of an accident. The driver's front airbag is controlled by a complex sensor system and evaluation logic. This process is pre-emptive in nature as airbag deployment must take place during the impact and must be adapted to provide calculated, additional protection for the vehicle occupants.
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Vehicle deceleration or acceleration and the direction of the force are essentially determined by:
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the distribution of the force during the impact
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the collision angle
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the deformation characteristics of the vehicle
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the characteristics of the object with which the vehicle has collided, e.g. the other vehicle
Factors which can only be seen and measured after the collision has occurred, do not determine whether the airbags are deployed and do not provide an indication of their deployment.
The vehicle may be considerably deformed without the driver's front airbag being deployed if, for example, only relatively easily deformable parts, such as the front flap or wings, have been hit and the required rate of deceleration has not been reached. It is also possible that the driver's front airbag may be deployed even though the vehicle is only slightly deformed, if, for example, very rigid vehicle parts such as the longitudinal members are hit in an accident and the rate of deceleration is sufficient.
Belt tensioners
If the vehicle is equipped with a driver’s airbag, the seat belts on the driver's and co-driver's seat have belt tensioners.
Belt tensioners tighten the seat belts in an accident, pulling them close against the seat occupant's body.
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Belt tensioners do not correct:
Belt tensioners do not pull occupants back towards the backrest.
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When the ignition is switched on, the belt tensioner is activated:
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only when the restraint systems are operational (the warning lamp lights up after the ignition is switched on and goes out once the engine is running) more
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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 collision
If the belt tensioners are triggered, you will hear a bang, which will not cause any harm to your hearing, and a small amount of powder may also be released. The warning lamp lights up.
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Have belt tensioners which have
been triggered replaced 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.
Comply with safety regulations
when disposing of belt tensioners. Any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre can provide
details of these regulations.
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Airbag system
Your vehicle may be equipped with a driver's front airbag in the steering wheel.
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To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries in the event of an accident or similar situation with a high rate of deceleration, e.g. injuries caused by an airbag inflating within milliseconds or sudden braking, please observe the following points:
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All vehicle occupants must select a seat position that allows the seat belt to be worn correctly and that is as far away from the airbag as possible. The seat position of the driver must still allow him to control the vehicle safely. The driver must maintain a distance from the pedals such that he can 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.
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Vehicle occupants should always wear their seat belt correctly and position their backrest as close to the vertical as possible. The head restraints should support the back of the head at about eye level.
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Move the co-driver's seat as far back as possible, especially if a child is secured in a restraint system on this seat.
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Do not lean forwards, e.g. over the padded boss of the steering wheel, particularly when the vehicle is in motion.
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Do not put your feet on the dashboard.
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Only hold the steering wheel by the rim. This allows the airbag to inflate fully. If you hold on to the inside of the steering wheel, you could be injured if the airbag is deployed.
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Make sure that there are no people, animals or objects between the vehicle occupants and the area of deployment of the airbag.
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Do not hang any hard objects, e.g. coat hangers, on the grab handles or coat hooks.
Due to the high speed at which airbags have to deploy, the risk of injuries caused by airbag deployment cannot be completely ruled out.
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The function of the driver's front airbag is only guaranteed if you:
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do not cover or affix badges or stickers to the padded boss of the steering wheel
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do not modify the restraint system components, including the wiring
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Airbag deployment
An airbag inflates within milliseconds. The warning lamp lights up.
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If the airbag is deployed, you will hear a bang and a small amount of powder may also be released. The bang will not damage your hearing and the powder does not constitute a health hazard.
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An inflated airbag slows and reduces the movement of the vehicle occupants.
When the vehicle occupant makes contact with the airbag, hot gas flows out of the inflated airbag. This feature is designed to reduce the force acting on the occupant’s head and chest. The airbag is therefore in a deflated state after an accident.
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After the driver's front airbag has been deployed:
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the airbag parts are then hot. Do not touch them otherwise you could burn yourself
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the driver's front airbag must be replaced 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
All work relevant to safety or on safety-related systems must be carried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
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A small amount of powder is released when an airbag is deployed. This powder is not hazardous to health and does not indicate that there is a fire in the vehicle. The powder could cause short-term breathing difficulties in people with asthma or breathing problems. To prevent these breathing difficulties, you should either:
or
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Front airbag
 Driver's front airbag
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The airbag inflates in front of the steering wheel.
The driver's front airbag is deployed:
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in the initial stages of an accident with a high rate of vehicle acceleration or deceleration in a longitudinal direction
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if the system determines that airbag deployment can offer additional protection to that provided by the seat belt
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if the seat belt is fastened
Children in the vehicle
If a child is travelling in the vehicle:
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secure the child, preferably on a suitable rear seat, using a child restraint system appropriate to his/her age and size and which has been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles
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ensure that the child is strapped in throughout the trip
You can obtain child seats and information about the correct child restraint system from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
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Do not leave children unsupervised in the vehicle, even if they are secured in a child restraint system. The children could:
Do not expose the child restraint system to direct sunlight, as this could cause, for example, metal parts of the child restraint system to become very hot. Touching these parts could cause skin burns.
If the children open a door, they could:
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thereby cause injury to other persons
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get out of the vehicle and injure themselves in the process or they could be injured by passing traffic
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seriously injure themselves through falling out of the vehicle, because of its height off the ground
Do not carry heavy or hard objects inside the vehicle unless they are secured.
An unsecured or incorrectly positioned load increases the risk of injury to the child in the event of:
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Child restraint systems
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only use “Universal” category child restraint systems suitable for the age and size of the children on the different seats.
You can obtain child seats and information about the correct child restraint system from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
 Example of an approval label on the child restraint system
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To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury to the child in the event of an accident, braking or sudden change in direction:
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Always secure children less than 1.50 m tall and under 12 years of age in a special child restraint system installed on a suitable vehicle seat, as the seat belts are not designed for passengers of this size.
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Do not secure children under 12 years of age on the co-driver's seat without a suitable forward-facing child restraint system.
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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.
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On no account should children travel sitting on the lap of another occupant. The forces produced in the event of an accident, sharp braking or a sudden change in direction make it impossible for a child to be held securely. It may be thrown against parts of the vehicle interior and be seriously or fatally injured.
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All vehicle occupants must always have their seat belt fastened correctly.
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If the child restraint system is not fitted correctly to a suitable seat, the child may no longer be secured in the event of an accident or sudden braking and may be seriously or fatally injured. When fitting a child restraint system, you must observe the manufacturer's installation instructions and correct use of the child restraint system.
Child restraint systems should preferably be fitted to the rear seats. The child is generally better protected there.
Never place objects, e.g. cushions, under the child restraint system. The entire base of the child restraint system must always be resting on the seat cushion.
Child restraint systems must not be used without their original cover. Only replace damaged covers with genuine Mercedes-Benz covers.
Only use child restraint systems which have been recommended for Mercedes-Benz on the rear seats.
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If you no longer require the child restraint system, remove it from the vehicle or secure it with the seat belt.
The restraint system could otherwise be thrown through the vehicle interior in the event of an accident.
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If the child restraint system or its securing system has already been damaged or subjected to a load in an accident, a child subsequently secured in it could be seriously or fatally injured in the event of an accident, braking or a sudden change in direction.
Have restraint systems and their securing systems which have been damaged or subjected to a load in an accident checked and, if necessary, replaced immediately at a qualified specialist workshop which has the necessary specialist knowledge and tools for the work required.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this purpose. All work relevant to safety or on safety-related systems must be carried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
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