MERCEDES-BENZ ML320 2008 W164 Owners Manual

90 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Infant and child restraint systems
We recommend all infants and children be
properly restrained at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
All lap-shoulder belts except the driver’s
seat belt have special seat belt retractors
for secure fastening of child restraints.
To fasten a child restraint, follow child
restraint instructions for mounting. Then
pull the shoulder belt out completely and
let it retract. During seat belt retraction, a
ratcheting sound can be heard to indicate
that the special seat belt retractor is acti-
vated. The belt is now locked. Push down
on child restraint to take up any slack.
To deactivate, release seat belt buckle and
let seat belt retract completely. To deacti-
vate the special seat belt retractor for the
front passenger seat, the front passenger
seat must be in the most backward posi-
tion. The seat belt can again be used in the
usual manner.The use of infant or child restraints is re-
quired by law in all 50 states, the District
of Columbia, the U.S. territories and all
Canadian provinces.Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system’s
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned on these
parts.
If children open a door, they could

injure other persons

get out of the car and injure themselves
or be injured by following traffic
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger or cargo compartment unless
they are firmly secured in place. For more in-
formation, see “Loading” (
page 266) and
“Useful features” (
page 279).
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child’s risk of injury in the event
of

strong braking maneuvers

sudden changes of direction

an accident
Warning!G
Never release the seat belt buckle while the
vehicle is in motion, since the special seat
belt retractor will be deactivated.
iFor information on child seats with mounting
fittings for tether anchorages, see “Installation
of infant and child restraint system”
(
page 94).
For information on LATCH-type child seat
mounts, see “Child seat anchors – LATCH type”
(
page 93).


91 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Infants and small children should be
seated in an appropriate infant or child
restraint system properly secured in
accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions for the child restraint, that
complies with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards 213 and 225 and
Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 210.2.
A statement by the child restraint manu-
facturer of compliance with these
standards can be found on the instruction
label on the restraint and in the instruction
manual provided with the restraint.
When using any infant or child restraint
system, make sure to carefully read and
follow all manufacturer’s instructions for
installation and use.
Please read and observe warning labels
affixed to the inside of the vehicle and to
infant or child restraints.
Warning!G
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing position. Thus, we strongly recommend
that children be placed in the rear seats
whenever possible. Regardless of seating
position, children 12 years old and under
must be seated and properly secured in an
appropriate infant or child restraint
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
The infant or child restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle’s seat belt, the seat
belt and top tether strap, or lower anchors
and top tether strap, fully in accordance
with the child seat manufacturer’s
instructions.
Always sit as upright as possible, properly
use the seat belts and use an appropriately
sized infant restraint, toddler restraint, or
booster seat recommended for the size and
weight of the child.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following im-
portant information when circumstances
require you to place a child in the front
passenger seat:

Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to turn off the front
passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the OCS senses the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child or less along
with the weight of a standard
appropriate child restraint on the front
passenger seat.


92 Safety and Security
Occupant safety

A child in a rear-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat will be serious-
ly injured or even killed if the front
passenger front air bag inflates in a
collision which could occur under some
circumstances, even with the air bag
technology installed in your vehicle. The
only means to completely eliminate this
risk is to never place a child in a rear-fac-
ing child restraint in the front seat. We
therefore strongly recommend that you
always place a child in a rear-facing child
restraint in the back seat.
If you must install a rear-facing child
restraint on the front passenger seat be-
cause circumstances require you to do
so, make sure that the
59indicator lamp is illumi-
nated, indicating that the front passen-
ger front air bag is deactivated. Should
the 59indicator lamp not
illuminate or go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation.
Periodically check the
59indicator lamp while
driving to make sure the lamp is illumi-
nated. If the 59indicator
lamp goes out or remains out, do not
transport a child on the front passenger
seat until the system has been repaired.
A child in a rear-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat will be serious-
ly injured or even killed if the front pas-
senger front air bag inflates.
If you have to place a child in a
forward-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat, move the seat as
far back as possible, use the proper
child restraint recommended for the
age, size and weight of the child, and se-
cure child restraint with the vehicle’s
seat belt according to the child seat
manufacturer’s instructions. For
children larger than the typical
12-month-old child, the front passenger
front air bag may or may not be
activated (
page 80).
Warning!G
Infants and small children should never
share a seat belt with another occupant.
During an accident, they could be crushed
between the occupant and seat belt.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle
and/or the child is not properly secured in
the child restraint.


93 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Child seat anchors – LATCH type
This vehicle is equipped with two LATCH
(L
ower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren)
type anchors (at each of the outer rear
seats) for the installation of a LATCH child
seat with matching mounting fittings.
The LATCH anchors are blended with
covers.
1Anchorage ring covers
Children too big for a toddler restraint must
ride in seats using regular seat belts. Posi-
tion shoulder belt across chest and shoul-
der, not face or neck. A booster seat may be
necessary to achieve proper belt positioning
for children from 41 lb until they reach a
height where a lap/shoulder belt fits
properly without a booster.
When the child restraint is not in use,
remove it from the vehicle or secure it with
the seat belt to prevent the child restraint
from becoming a projectile in the event of an
accident.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system.
A child’s unsupervised access to a vehicle
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
Warning!G
Children too big for a toddler restraint must
ride in seats using regular seat belts. Posi-
tion shoulder belt across chest and shoul-
der, not face or neck.
A booster seat may be necessary to achieve
proper belt positioning for children over
41 lb until they reach a height where a
lap/shoulder belt fits properly without a
booster.
Install child seat according to manufactu-
rer’s instructions.
The child seat must be firmly attached to the
right and left side anchors2 (
page 94).
An incorrectly mounted child seat may come
loose during an accident which could result
in serious injury or death to the child.
Damaged or impact damaged child seats or
child seat mounting fittings must be re-
placed.
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system.

94 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Remove anchorage ring cover1 from
the seat on which a child seat is to be
installed.
2Anchors
Install a LATCH type child seat accord-
ing to the manufacturer’s instructions.Installation of infant and child restraint
system
This vehicle is equipped with tether
anchorages for a top tether strap at each
of the rear seating positions.
1Anchorage ring cover
Remove anchorage ring cover1 from
seat backrest of the seat on which a
child seat is to be installed.2Anchorage ring
3Hook!Make sure the seat belt for the center seat
can operate freely with a child seat installed.
iNon-LATCH type child seats may also be
used and can be installed using the vehicle’s
seat belt system. Install child seat according to
the manufacturer’s instructions.
iFor safety, make sure hook3 has attached
to anchorage ring2 beyond the safety catch, as
illustrated.

95 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Move the respective head restraint to
its uppermost position (
page 128).
2Anchorage ring
3Hook
4Top tether strap
Guide top tether strap4 between
head restraint and top of seat backrest.
Securely fasten hook3, which is part
of the tether strap4, to anchorage
ring2.
Make sure

the top tether strap is not twisted

the head restraint is installed and
positioned such that the top tether
strap can pass freely between the
head restraint and top of seat back-
rest

top tether strap is positioned be-
tween the seat backrest and the
cargo compartment cover blind (if
installed)

the top tether strap is positioned
between the seat backrest and the
cargo net* (if installed)
Lower the head restraint if necessary
(
page 128).
Make sure the top tether strap can
pass freely between the head restraint
and top of seat backrest.
Install the child restraint system and
tighten the top tether strap according
to the child restraint manufacturer’s in-
structions.
Warning!G
After installing top tether straps, make sure
that the seat backrests are in an upright po-
sition and are properly locked. Check for
secure locking by pushing and pulling on the
seat backrests. If a seat backrest is not
properly locked, the seat backrest could
fold. The child seat would no longer be prop-
erly supported or positioned to provide its
intended benefit.

96 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Blocking of rear door window operation
With the override switch you can disable
the rear side window switches in the rear
door panels.The override switch is located on the
driver’s door control panel.
1Override switch
For more information on power windows,
see “Power windows” (
page 235).Disabling
Press override switch1 until it engag-
es.
The switch engages in the recessed
position.
The rear door windows can no longer
be operated using the switches located
in the rear doors.
Enabling
Press override switch1 once more.
The switch disengages from its
recessed position back to its original
position.
The rear door windows can again be
operated using the switches located in
the rear doors.
Warning!G
Activate the override switch when children
are riding in the back seats of the vehicle.
The children could otherwise injure them-
selves, e.g. by becoming trapped in the win-
dow opening.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an
accident and/or serious personal injury.
iOperating the rear door windows using the
switches located on the door control panel of the
driver’s door is still possible.

97 Safety and Security
Panic alarm
Panic alarm
1Âbutton
Activating
Press and hold button1 for at least
1 second.
An audible alarm and flashing exterior
lamps will operate briefly.
Deactivating
Press button1 again.
or
Insert the SmartKey or the SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* in the starter
switch.
or
Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button (
page 41).
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* must
be in the vehicle.
iUSA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interfer-
ence, and
(2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
iCanada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry
Canada. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.

98 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
In this section you will find information on
the following driving safety systems:

ABS (Antilock Brake System)

BAS (Brake Assist System)

ESP® (Electronic Stability Program)

EBP (Electronic Brake Proportioning)

4-ETS (Electronic Traction System)
ABS
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) regulates
the brake pressure so that the wheels do
not lock during braking. This allows you to
maintain the ability to steer your vehicle.
The ABS is functional above a speed of ap-
proximately 5 mph (8 km/h) independent
of road surface conditions.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will
respond even to light brake pressure.
The -indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 26) comes on when you
switch on the ignition. It goes out when the
engine is running.
Warning!G
The following factors increase the risk of
accidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns

Wet and slippery road surfaces

Following another vehicle too closely
The driving safety systems described in this
section cannot reduce these risks or pre-
vent the natural laws of physics from acting
on the vehicle.
Always adapt your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions and
keep a safe distance to other road users and
objects in the street.
iIn winter operation, the maximum effective-
ness of the ABS, the BAS, the ESP®, the EBP, and
the 4-ETS is only achieved with winter tires
(
page 384) or snow chains as required.
Warning!G
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm,
steady brake pedal pressure instead. Pump-
ing the brake pedal defeats the purpose of
the ABS and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.

99 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Braking
At the instant one of the wheels is about to
lock up, a slight pulsation can be felt in the
brake pedal, indicating that the ABS is in
the regulating mode.
Keep firm and steady pressure on the
brake pedal while experiencing the pul-
sation.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and ability to steer
the vehicle.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an
indication of hazardous road conditions
and functions as a reminder to take extra
care while driving.Emergency brake maneuver
Keep continuous full pressure on the
brake pedal.
Off-road – ABS
With the off-road driving program switched
on (
page 253), the ABS designed for
off-road use is automatically activated.
When applying the brakes at speeds below
approximately 18 mph (30 km/h), the
front wheels are locked cyclically to short-
en the braking distance (dig-in effect). This
affects steering the vehicle.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 399).
Warning!G
When the ABS is malfunctioning, the BAS,
the ESP®, and the 4-ETS are also switched
off. The basic driving and braking functions
are still available.
When the ABS is malfunctioning, the wheels
may lock during hard braking, reducing
steering capability and extending the brak-
ing distance.
Warning!G
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking or steering efficiency be-
yond that afforded by the condition of the
vehicle brakes and tires or the traction
afforded. The ABS cannot prevent acci-
dents, including those resulting from
excessive speed in turns, following another
vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning. Only a
safe, attentive, and skillful driver can pre-
vent accidents. The capabilities of an ABS
equipped vehicle must never be exploited in
a reckless or dangerous manner which
could jeopardize the user’s safety or the
safety of others.