window MERCEDES-BENZ R-CLASS MPV 2008 User Guide
Page 49 of 373
Occupant safety
461
Front sidebag
2 Rear sidebag*, 2nd row
The sidebag inflates next to the backrest side
cushions.
Sidebags 1and 2are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion, e.g. in a side impact
R independently of the seat belt use
R independently of the front airbags
R independently of the belt tensioners
R if the vehicle overturns, but only if the sys-
tem detects high vehicle deceleration in a
lateral direction and determines that side- bag deployment can offer additional pro-
tection to that provided by the seat belt
Windowbags
The purpose of the windowbags is to enhance
the level of protection for the head (but not
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 They are located between
the front door (A-pillar) and the rear windows
(D-pillar). 1
Windowbag Windowbags
1are deployed:
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of vehicle acceleration or deceleration in a
lateral direction
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R independently of the front airbags
R regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied
R independently of the seat belt use PRE-SAFE
®
* system
PRE-SAFE ®
system takes pre-emptive meas-
ures to protect you in certain hazardous sit-
uations.
PRE-SAFE ®
intervenes in the event of:
R emergency braking situations, e.g. if BAS
Brake Assist intervenes
R critical situations involving driving dynam-
ics, e.g. if the vehicle oversteers or under-
steers significantly due to physical limits
being exceeded Safety
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh,
Version: 2.10.6
2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 46 Dateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight
Page 50 of 373
Occupant safety
47
If you are driving faster than approximately
35 km/h, PRE-SAFE
®
takes the following
measures in the aforementioned situations:
R It tensions the front seat belts.
R Vehicle with memory functions*: it adjusts
the front-passenger seat if this is in an
unfavourable position.
R If the vehicle skids, it closes the sliding/
tilting sunroof* and side windows so that
only a small gap remains.
If the hazardous situation passes without
resulting in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
releases
the belt pretensioning. You can then reverse
all settings made by PRE-SAFE ®
again.
If the seat belts are not released:
X Move the backrest or the seat back slightly
until the belt tension is reduced.
The locking mechanism releases. G
Risk of injury
Make sure when adjusting the seat that
nobody can become trapped.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats when adjusting
the seats. You could otherwise damage the
seats and the objects. NECK-PRO head restraint
NECK-PRO head restraints are designed to
increase protection to the driver's and front-
passenger's head and neck. To this end, the
head restraints on the driver's and front-
passenger seats are moved forwards and
upwards in the event of a rear-end collision
when viewed in the direction of travel. This
provides better head support. G
Risk of injury
Head restraint covers prevent the NECK-
PRO head restraints from triggering cor-
rectly. Consequently, the NECK-PRO head
restraints cannot provide the intended level
of protection. Do not use head restraint
covers.
If the NECK-PRO head restraints are triggered
in an accident, you must reset the head
restraints on the driver's and front-passenger
seats (Y page 304). Head restraints that have
been triggered are tilted forwards. Children in the vehicle
If a child is travelling in your vehicle, secure
the child using a child restraint system which
is appropriate to the size and age of the child
and recommended for Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cles. You should preferably fit the restraint
system to a suitable rear seat. Ensure that the
child is strapped in throughout the trip.
You can obtain information about the correct
child restraint system from any Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre.
i It is advisable to use Mercedes-Benz care
products to clean child restraint systems.
Information about this can be obtained
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. G
Risk of injury
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. Safety
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh,
Version: 2.10.6 2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 47 ZDateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight
Page 53 of 373
Occupant safety
50 Information about recommended child
restraint systems is available at any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Automatic child seat recognition on the
front-passenger seat*
If your vehicle does not have automatic child
seat recognition on the front-passenger seat,
this is indicated by a special sticker. The
sticker is affixed to the side of the dashboard
on the front-passenger side. It is visible when
you open the front-passenger door.
The warning lamp 13
is located on the centre
console. 1
5 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning
lamp The front-passenger seat sensor system for
child restraint systems detects whether a
special Mercedes-Benz child seat with auto-
matic child seat recognition has been fitted.
In such cases,
5PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF indicator lamp 1lights up. The front-
passenger airbag is deactivated. G
Risk of injury
If the 5 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warn-
ing lamp does not light up when the child
restraint system is fitted, the front-
passenger front airbag has not been disa-
bled. If the front-passenger front airbag is
deployed, the child could be seriously or
even fatally injured.
Proceed as follows:
R do not use a rearward-facing child
restraint system on the front-passenger
seat.
R fit a rearward-facing child restraint sys-
tem on a suitable rear seat.
or
R only use a forward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat and move the front-passenger seat to its rear-
most position.
R have the automatic child seat recognition
checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
To ensure that the automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat func-
tions correctly, never place objects (such
as a cushion) under the child restraint sys-
tem. The entire base of the child restraint
system must always rest on the seat cush-
ion. An incorrectly fitted child restraint sys-
tem cannot perform its intended protective
function in the event of an accident, and
could lead to injuries.
i The windowbag, the sidebag and the belt
tensioner on the front-passenger side are
still active even when the front-passenger
front airbag is disabled.
13 Vehicles without automatic child seat recognition in the front-passenger seat: the warning lamp lights up briefly when you turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock. However, it has no function and does not indicate that there is automatic child seat recognition on the front-passenger seat. Safety
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh,
Version: 2.10.6 2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 50Dateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight
Page 60 of 373
Occupant safety
57
X
Fold the backrests back until they engage
(Y page 190).
The outer seats in the 2nd row are only
locked if the lock verification indicator is
folded in and the indicator area is barely
visible (Y page 194). G
Risk of injury
Make sure that the seats are locked and the
backrests are locked in a vertical position
after fitting the TopTether belt*.
The outer seats in the 2nd row are only
locked if the lock verification indicator is
folded in and the indicator area is barely
visible.
If the backrests are not locked, they could
fold forwards in the event of an accident,
sudden braking or a sudden change of
direction. Instead of restraining an occu-
pant, they could cause additional serious or
even fatal injury.
X Fit the ISOFIX child restraint system with
TopTether. Comply with the manufactur-
er's installation instructions.
X Move the head restraint back down again
slightly if necessary (Y page 83). Make
sure that you do not interfere with the cor-
rect routing of TopTether belt* 4.Child-proof locks If children are travelling in the vehicle, you can
activate the child-proof locks for the rear
doors.
Child-proof locks for the rear doors
The child-proof locks on the rear doors enable
you to secure each door individually. A locked
door cannot be opened from the inside. The
door can be opened from the outside if the
vehicle is unlocked.
G
Risk of accident and injury
If children are travelling in the vehicle, acti-
vate the child-proof locks for the rear doors
and the override feature for the rear win-
dows. The children could otherwise open
doors or windows while the vehicle is in
motion and injure themselves or others. 1
To deactivate
2 To activate
X To activate: press latch2downwards.
X Make sure that the child-proof locks are
working properly.
X To deactivate: press latch1upwards.
Override feature for the rear windows G
Risk of accident and injury
If children are travelling in the vehicle, acti-
vate the child-proof locks for the rear doors
and the override feature for the rear win-
dows. The children could otherwise open
doors or windows while the vehicle is in
motion and injure themselves or others. Safety
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh,
Version: 2.10.6 2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 57 ZDateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight
Page 61 of 373
Driving safety sys
tems581
Switch
X To activate: press button 1.
Button 1engages. The rear side windows
can only be operated using the switches on
the driver's door.
X To deactivate: press button1.
Button 1pops out and is flush with the
other buttons. You can operate the rear
side windows using the switches in the rear
compartment. Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock Braking System)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System)
R Adaptive brake lamps
R ESP ®
( Electronic Stability Program)
R EBV (electronic brake-power distribution)
R Distance warning function* (vehicles with
Distronic*)
i In wintry road conditions, always use win-
ter tyres (M+S tyres) and, where necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the driv-
ing safety systems described in this section
work as effectively as possible. G
Risk of accident
The risk of an accident is significantly
increased by driving too fast. This is partic-
ularly the case when cornering on wet and
slippery roads and when driving too close
to the vehicle in front.
The driving safety systems described in this
section cannot reduce this risk nor override
the laws of physics. For this reason, always adapt your driving
style to suit prevailing road and weather
conditions. Maintain sufficient distance
from other road users and objects on the
road.
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle when braking.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h
upwards, regardless of road surface condi-
tions. ABS works on slippery surfaces, even
when you only brake gently. G
Risk of accident
Do not depress the brake pedal several
times in quick succession (pumping).
Depress the brake firmly and evenly. Pump-
ing the brake pedal reduces the braking
effect.
Braking If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel
a pulsing in the brake pedal.Safety
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh
,V ersion: 2.10.6
2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 58 Dateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight
Page 67 of 373
Anti-theft syste
ms64 Tow-away protection*
An audible and visual alarm is triggered if the
vehicle's angle of inclination is altered while
tow-away protection is primed. This occurs if
the vehicle is jacked up on one side, for exam-
ple.
Priming tow-away protection X
Make sure that all the doors and the tail-
gate are closed.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or, on vehicles
with KEYLESS GO*, also using the locking
button on the door handle.
Tow-away protection is primed after
approx. 30 seconds.
Deactivating tow-away protection Deactivate tow-away protection manually to
prevent a false alarm if your vehicle:
R it is being transported
R it is being loaded, e.g. onto a ferry or car
transporter
R is being parked on a movable surface, e.g.
split-level garages
It is possible to switch off tow-away protec-
tion on the on-board computer for the next time the vehicle is locked (Y
page 136). Tow-
away protection remains deactivated until
you unlock and lock the vehicle again.
If you select Tow-away protection in the
"Display with ignition switched off" function
contained in the Vehiclesubmenu,
(Y page 133) the following message appears
in the multi-function display after switching
off the ignition: X
Press -.
The Tow-away protection off message
appears in the multi-function display.
i If you press +, tow-away protection
will remain primed.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or, on vehicles
with KEYLESS GO*, with the locking button
on the door handle.
Tow-away protection remains deactivated
until: R
the vehicle is unlocked again
R a door is opened and closed again
R the vehicle is locked again Interior motion sensor*
If the interior motion sensor is primed, a vis-
ual and audible alarm is deployed if move-
ment is detected in the vehicle interior while
the vehicle is locked. This occurs, for exam-
ple, if someone breaks the side windows of
your vehicle or reaches into the vehicle's inte-
rior.
Priming the interior motion sensor X
Make sure that:
R
the side windows are closed
R the hinged side windows *are closed
R the sliding/tilting sunroof* is closed Safety
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh,
Version: 2.10.6 2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 64Dateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight
Page 68 of 373
Anti-theft syste
ms 65
R
the panorama sliding sunroof* is closed
R there are no objects, e.g. mascots, hang-
ing on the rear-view mirror or on the
grasp handles on the roof trim.
This will prevent false alarms.
X Make sure that all the doors and the tail-
gate are closed.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or, on vehicles
with KEYLESS GO*, with the locking button
on the door handle.
The interior motion sensor is primed after
approximately 40 seconds.
Deactivating the interior motion sensor To prevent a false alarm, deactivate the inte-
rior motion sensor if you lock your vehicle and
R people or animals remain in the vehicle
R a window remains open
R a hinged side window* remains open
R the panorama sliding sunroof * remains
open
R the sliding/tilting sunroof* remains open
It is possible to deactivate the interior motion
sensor using the on-board computer for the
next time the vehicle is locked
(Y page 136). The interior motion sensor remains deactivated until you unlock and lock
the vehicle again.
If you select
Interior motion sensor in
the "Display with ignition switched off" func-
tion contained in the Vehiclesubmenu,
(Y page 133) the following message appears
in the multi-function display after switching
off the ignition: X
Press -.
The Interior motion sensor off mes-
sage appears in the multi-function display.
i If you press +, the interior motion sen-
sor will remain activated.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or, on vehicles
with KEYLESS GO*, with the locking button
on the door handle.
The interior motion sensor remains deacti-
vated until: R
the vehicle is unlocked again
R a door is opened and closed again
R the vehicle is locked again Safety
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh,
Version: 2.10.6 2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 65 ZDateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight
Page 70 of 373
67
Opening and closing
...........................68
Key positions ....................................... 76
Seats .................................................... 77
Steering wheel .................................... 88
Mirrors ................................................. 90
Memory functions* .............................92
Seat belts ............................................. 94
Lights ................................................... 97
Windscreen wipers ...........................104
Side windows .................................... 106Driving and parking
..........................110
Transmission ..................................... 113
Instrument cluster ............................118
On-board computer ..........................120
Driving systems ................................ 140
Air conditioning ................................. 159
Sliding sunroof .................................. 178
Loading and stowing ........................183
Features ............................................. 204 Controls
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh,
Version: 2.10.6 2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 67Dateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight
Page 73 of 373
Opening and closing
70
i
You can also use the KEYLESS GO key to
open and close the side windows and the
sliding/tilting sunroof* or the panorama
sliding sunroof *.You can open them using
the summer opening feature
(Y page 108). You can close them using
the convenience closing feature
(Y page 108).
i If the vehicle has been parked for a long
time, you must pull the door handle to acti-
vate the KEYLESS GO functions.
Important notes R
If the KEYLESS GO key is removed from the
vehicle (e.g. in luggage or an article of
clothing), it will no longer be possible to
lock or start the vehicle.
R If the KEYLESS GO key is removed from the
vehicle while the engine is running, e.g. if
the front passenger leaves the vehicle with
the KEYLESS GO key, the following mes-
sage will appear in the multi-function dis-
play as you pull away: Key not detec-
ted.
R If the KEYLESS GO key is in the vehicle, the
vehicle can be started at any time. If you
have left the KEYLESS GO key in the vehi-
cle, the following message will appear in the multi-function display when you lock
the vehicle:
Key still in vehicle.
Factory settings X
To unlock centrally: pull the door handle.
The turn signals flash once. The locking
knobs in the doors pop up. The anti-theft
alarm system* is deactivated.
When it is dark, the surround lighting also
comes on if it is activated in the on-board
computer.
i If you do not open either a door or the
tailgate after you have unlocked the vehi-
cle, it will automatically relock after approx-
imately 40 seconds.
i There is a danger of the vehicle being
unlocked unintentionally. This could occur
if the KEYLESS GO key is within one metre
of the vehicle and the door handle is
splashed with water. This could also occur
when cleaning the door handle. 1
Locking button on the door handle
X To lock centrally: press locking button
1 on the door handle.
The turn signals flash three times. The lock-
ing knobs in the doors drop down. The anti-
theft alarm system* and the immobiliser
are primed.
Individual settings You can change the setting of the locking
system. When you now grasp the door handle
on the driver's door, you will only unlock the
driver's door and the fuel filler flap. This could
be useful if you frequently travel on your own.
X
To change the setting: press thek
and j buttons simultaneously for Controls
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh,
Version: 2.10.6 2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 70Dateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight
Page 75 of 373
Opening and closing
721
Handle
X Pull handle 1.
X Raise the tailgate.
Closing from the outside G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody can become trap-
ped as you close the tailgate.
i Do not leave the key in the luggage com-
partment. You could otherwise lock your-
self out. X
Pull the tailgate down using recess 1.
X Push the tailgate closed from the outside.
X Lock the vehicle if necessary using
the j button on the key or with KEY-
LESS GO*.
Opening from the inside You can unlock and open the tailgate from the
inside.
The handle is located on the lower part of the
window frame of the tailgate on the right-hand side when viewed in the direction of
travel. 1
Handle
2 To slide the handle to the left
3 To pull the handle upwards
X Press handle 1in the direction of
arrow 2as far as it will go and hold it there.
X From this position, pull handle 1in the
direction of arrow 3as far as it will go and
hold it there.
X Swing the tailgate upwards.
i Vehicles with the EASY-PACK tailgate*:
If you do not open the tailgate after unlock-
ing, it will lock again automatically after a
few seconds. Controls
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh,
Version: 2.10.6
2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 72 Dateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight