warning MERCEDES-BENZ B-CLASS HATCHBACK 2015 Owner's Manual

The seat belt system consists of:
R seat belts
R belt tensioners for the front seat belts and the
outer seat belts in the rear
R belt force limiters for the front seat belts and
the outer seat belts in the rear
If the seat belt is pulled quickly or sharply from
the belt outlet, the inertia reel locks. The belt
strap cannot be pulled out any further.
The belt tensioner tightens the seat belt in the
event of a collision so that it fits tightly across
your body. However, it does not pull the vehicle
occupants back in the direction of the seat
backrest.
The belt tensioner does not, however, correct an incorrect seat position or correct the routing of
a seat belt that is worn incorrectly.
When triggered, seat belt force limiters help to
reduce the peak force exerted by the seat belt
on the vehicle occupant.
The belt force limiters on the front seats are
synchronised with the front airbags, which take
on a part of the deceleration force. This can
reduce the forces to which the vehicle occu-
pants are subjected during an accident.
! If the co-driver's seat is not occupied, do not
engage the seat belt tongue in the buckle on
the co-driver's seat. Otherwise, the belt ten-
sioner could be triggered in the event of an
accident and would have to be replaced.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The seat belt cannot perform its intended pro- tective function if it is not fastened correctly. Also, an improperly fastened seat belt can
cause additional injuries in the event of an
accident, sudden braking or abrupt changes
of direction. There is an increased risk of
injury, possibly even fatal.
Always make sure that all vehicle occupants
are wearing their seat belt properly and are
seated correctly. G
WARNING
The seat belt does not offer the intended level of protection if you have not moved the back-
rest to an almost vertical position. When brak- ing 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 backrestis in an almost vertical position and that the
shoulder section of your seatbelt is routed
across the centre of your shoulder. G
WARNING
Persons under 1.50 mtall cannot wear the
seat belts correctly without a suitable, addi-
tional restraint system. The seat belt cannot
perform its intended protective function if it is not fastened correctly. Also, an improperly
fastened seat belt can cause additional inju-
ries in the event of an accident, sudden brak-
ing or abrupt changes of direction. There is an increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Secure persons less than 1.50 mtall in a suit-
able restraint system.
If a child younger than twelve years old and
under 1.50 m in height is travelling in the vehi-
cle: R always secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for this Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cle. The child restraint system must be appro- priate to the age, weight and size of the child.
R always observe the instructions and safety
notes on the automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivation system (Y page 42)
R always observe the instructions and safety
notes on "Children in the vehicle" in this Own- er's Manual (Y page 49) in addition to the
child restraint system manufacturer's instal-
lation instructions G
WARNING
Seat belts cannot protect as intended, if:
R they are damaged, have been modified, are
extremely dirty, bleached or dyed
R the seat belt buckle is damaged or
extremely dirty
R modifications have been made to the belt
tensioners, belt anchorages or inertia reels 36
Occupant safetySafety

Belt warning for the driver and front
passenger The
7 seat belt warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster reminds you that all vehicle occu-
pants must fasten their seat belts. It may light up continuously or flash. A warning tone may also
sound.
The 7 seat belt warning lamp goes out and
the warning tone stops as soon as the driver's
and the co-driver's seat belts have been fas-
tened.
i For more information on the
7seat belt
warning lamp, see "Warning and indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster, seat belt"
(Y page 214).
Rear seat belt status indicator The seat belts on the left and centre rear seats,
when viewed in the direction of travel, are not
fastened. (Example)
The rear seat belt status indicator is only avail-
able for certain countries.
For approximately 30 seconds, the rear seat belt status indicator informs you which rear seat belt
is not fastened.
The rear seat belt status indicator appears if:
R you drive off and reach a speed of approx-
imately 10 km/h
R the rear passengers fasten or unfasten their
seat belts while the vehicle is in motion
R someone gets in or out of the vehicle and you
pull away again
You can also cancel the rear seat belt status
indicator immediately (Y page 189).Airbags
Introduction The installation location of an airbag is identified
by the AIRBAG symbol. An airbag supplements a correctly worn seat
belt. It is not a replacement for the seat belt. The
airbag offers additional protection in applicable
accident situations.
Not all airbags are deployed in an accident. The
different airbag systems work independently of
each other (Y page 46).
However, no system available today can com-
pletely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
It is also not possible to completely rule out a
risk of injury caused by an airbag due to the
speed at which the airbag must be deployed.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you deviate from the correct seat position,
the airbag cannot perform its intended pro-
tective function and can even cause addi-
tional injuries when deployed. There is an
increased risk of serious or even fatal injuries. In order to avoid such risks, always ensure
that all vehicle occupants:
R fasten their seatbelts correctly, including
pregnant women
R are seated correctly and maintain the fur-
thest possible distance from the airbags
R observe the following notes
Always ensure that there are no objects loca-
ted between the airbag and the vehicle occu-
pant.
R Adjust the seats properly before beginning
your journey. Always make sure that the seat is in an almost upright position. The centre of
the head restraint must support the head at
about eye level.
R Move the driver's and front-passenger seats
as far back as possible. The driver's seat posi-
tion must allow the vehicle to be driven safely.
R Only hold the steering wheel on the outside.
This allows the airbag to be fully deployed.
R Always lean against the backrest while driv-
ing. Do not lean forwards or lean against the
door or side window. You may otherwise be in
the deployment area of the airbags.
R Always keep your feet in the footwell in front
of the seat. Do not put your feet on the dash- Occupant safety
39Safety Z

board, for example. Your feet may otherwise
be in the deployment area of the airbag.
R Always secure persons less than 1.50 mtall in
suitable restraint systems. Up to this height,
the seat belt cannot be worn correctly.
If a child is travelling in your vehicle, also
observe the following notes:
R Always secure children under twelve years of
age and less than 1.50 mtall in suitable child
restraint systems.
R Child restraint systems should be fitted to the
rear seats.
R Only secure a child to the front-passenger
seat when the front-passenger front airbag is
disabled, and only then in a rearward-facing
child restraint system. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is permanently lit, the
front-passenger front airbag is disabled
(Y page 35).
R Always observe the instructions and safety
notes on the automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivation system (Y page 42) and
on "Children in the vehicle" (Y page 49) in
addition to the child restraint system manu-
facturer's installation instructions.
Objects in the vehicle interior may prevent
the airbag from functioning correctly. Before
starting your journey and to avoid risks resulting
from the speed of the airbag as it deploys, make sure that:
R there are no people, animals or objects
between the vehicle occupants and an airbag.
R there are no objects between the seat, door
and B-pillar.
R no hard objects, e.g. coat hangers, are hang-
ing on the grab handles or coat hooks.
R no accessories, such as cup holders, are
attached to the vehicle within the deployment
area of an airbag, e.g. to doors, side windows, rear side trim or side walls.
R no heavy, sharp-edged or fragile objects are in
the pockets of your clothing. Store such
objects in a suitable place. G
WARNING
If you modify an airbag cover or affix objects
such as stickers to it, the airbag can no longer function correctly. There is an increased risk
of injury.
Never modify an airbag cover or affix objects
to it. G
WARNING
Sensors to control the airbags are located in
the doors. Modifications or work not per-
formed correctly to the doors or door panel-
ling, as well as damaged doors, can lead to the function of the sensors being impaired. The
airbags might therefore not function properly any more. Consequently, the airbags cannot
protect vehicle occupants as they are
designed to do. This poses an increased risk
of injury.
Never modify the doors or parts of the doors.
Always have work on the doors or door pan-
elling carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Front airbags !
Do not place heavy objects on the front-
passenger seat. This could cause the system
to identify the seat as being occupied. In the
event of an accident, the restraint systems on
the front-passenger side may be triggered
and have to be replaced. Driver's airbag
:deploys in front of the steer-
ing wheel. Front-passenger front airbag ;
deploys in front of and above the glove com-
partment.
When deployed, the front airbags offer addi-
tional head and thorax protection for the occu-
pants in the front seats.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF and PASSENGER
AIR BAG ON indicator lamps inform you about
the status of the front-passenger front airbag
(Y page 35). 40
Occupant safetySafety

The front-passenger front airbag will only deploy
if:
R the automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system has detected that the
front-passenger seat is occupied
(Y page 42). The PASSENGER AIR BAG ON
indicator lamp is lit (Y page 42)
R the restraint system control unit predicts a
high accident severity
Driver's kneebag Driver's kneebag
:deploys under the steering
column. The driver's kneebag is triggered
together with the front airbags.
The driver's kneebag offers additional thigh,
knee and lower leg protection for the occupant
in the driver's seat.
Sidebags G
WARNING
Unsuitable seat covers can obstruct or pre-
vent the deployment of the airbags integrated into the seats. Consequently, the airbags can-
not protect vehicle occupants as they are
designed to do. In addition, the function of the automatic front-passenger front airbag deac-
tivation system could be restricted. This
poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal
injury.
You should only use seat covers that have
been approved for the corresponding seats by Mercedes-Benz. Front sidebags
:and rear sidebags ;deploy
next to the outer bolster of the seat backrest.
When deployed, the sidebag offers additional
thorax protection. It also offers additional pelvis
protection for occupants in the front seats.
However, it does not protect the:
R head
R neck
R arms
In the event of a side impact, the sidebag is
deployed on the side on which the impact
occurs.
Vehicles with the automatic front-passenger air- bag deactivation system: the sidebag on the
front-passenger side deploys under the follow-
ing conditions:
R an occupant is detected on the front-
passenger seat or
R the belt tongue is engaged in the belt buckle
of the front-passenger seat
If the belt tongue is engaged in the belt buckle,
the sidebag on the front-passenger side deploys if an appropriate accident situation occurs. In
this case, deployment is independent of
whether the front-passenger seat is occupied or
not. Occupant safety
41Safety Z

The indicator lamps display the status of the
front-passenger front airbag:
R PASSENGER AIR BAG ON lights up: the front-
passenger front airbag is enabled. If, in the
event of an accident, all deployment criteria
are met, the front-passenger front airbag is
deployed.
R PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF lights up: the front-
passenger front airbag is disabled. It will then
not be deployed in the event of an accident.
If the status of the front-passenger front airbag
changes while the vehicle is in motion, an airbag display message appears in the instrument clus-
ter (Y page 199). When the front-passenger
seat is occupied, always pay attention to the
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON and PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamps. Be aware of the status of the front-passenger front airbag both before
and during the journey.
If a person sits in the passenger seat, they must
be:
R seated with the seat belt fastened correctly
R in an almost upright position with their back
against the seat backrest
R with their feet resting on the floor, if possible
If the front passenger does not observe these
conditions, the automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivation system may be influenced,
e.g. because the front passenger:
R transfers their weight by supporting them-
selves on a vehicle armrest
R sits in such a way that their weight is raised
from the seat cushion
The front-passenger front airbag may be disa-
bled by mistake as a result of these or similar
actions. In this case, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp lights up permanently. The
front-passenger front airbag does not then
deploy during an accident. G
WARNING
If the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is lit, the front-passenger front airbag is disa-
bled. It will not be deployed in the event of an
accident and cannot perform its intended pro-
tective function. A person in the front-
passenger seat could then, for example, come
into contact with the vehicle's interior, espe-
cially if the person is sitting too close to the
dashboard. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury. When the front-passenger seat is occupied,
always make sure that:
R the classification of the person in the front-
passenger seat is correct and that the front- passenger front airbag is enabled or disa-
bled in accordance with the person in the
front-passenger seat.
R the front-passenger seat has been moved
back as far back as possible.
R the person is seated correctly.
Make sure, both before and during the jour-
ney, that the status of the front-passenger
front airbag is correct. G
WARNING
If you secure a child on the co-driver's seat in a rearward-facing child restraint system and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp
lights up, the co-driver's airbag could be
deployed in the event of an accident. The childcould be struck by the airbag. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
In this case, always ensure that the co-driver's
airbag is disabled. The PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF indicator lamp must light up.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
remains off and/or the PASSENGER AIR BAG
ON indicator lamp lights up, do not install a rear- ward-facing child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat. Further information can be
found under "Problems with the automatic front-
passenger front airbag deactivation system"
(Y page 46). G
WARNING
If you secure a child in a forward-facing child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat
and you position the front-passenger seat too close to the dashboard, in the event of an
accident, the child could:
R come into contact with the vehicle's inte-
rior if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indi-
cator lamp is lit, for example
R be struck by the airbag if the PASSENGER
AIR BAG ON indicator lamp is lit Occupant safety
43Safety
Z

This poses an increased risk of injury or even
fatal injury.
Always move the front-passenger seat as far
back as possible and fully retract the seat
cushion length. Always make sure that the
shoulder belt strap is correctly routed from
the vehicle belt outlet to the shoulder belt
guide on the child restraint system. The shoul-
der belt strap must be routed forwards and
downwards from the vehicle belt outlet. If
necessary, adjust the vehicle belt outlet and
the front-passenger seat accordingly. Always
observe the information about suitable posi-
tioning of the child restraint system in this
Owner's Manual as well as the child restraint system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions.
If the automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system detects that:
R the front-passenger seat is unoccupied, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
lights up after the system self-test and
remains lit. This indicates that the front-
passenger front airbag is disabled.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied by a
child in a rearward-facing child restraint sys-
tem, the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp lights up after the system self-test and
remains lit. This indicates that the front-
passenger front airbag is disabled.
But in the case of a child in a rearward-facing
child restraint, the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON
indicator lamp can light up after the system
self-test and remain lit. This indicates that the
front-passenger front airbag is enabled. The
result of the classification is dependent on,
among other factors, the child restraint sys-
tem and the child's build. It is recommended
that you fit the child restraint system to a
suitable rear seat.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied by a
child in a forward-facing child restraint sys-
tem, either the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON or
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
lights up and remains lit after the system self- test depending on the result of the classifica-tion. The result of the classification is depend-
ent on, among other factors, the child
restraint system and the child's build. Move the front-passenger seat as far back as
possible. Always observe the information in
"Child restraint systems on the front-
passenger seat" (Y page 52) and in "Suita-
ble positioning of the child restraint system"
(Y page 54). Alternatively, you can fit the
child restraint system to a suitable rear seat.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied by a per-
son with a smaller build (e.g. a teenager or
small adult), either the PASSENGER AIR BAG
ON or PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp lights up and remains lit after the system
self-test depending on the result of the clas-
sification.
- if the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator
lamp lights up, move the front-passenger
seat as far back as possible. Alternatively, a
person with a small build can sit on a rear
seat.
- if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is lit, a person with a smaller build
should not use the front-passenger seat.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied by an
adult or a person with a build corresponding
to that of an adult, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
ON indicator lamp lights up after the system
self-test and remains lit. This indicates that
the front-passenger front airbag is enabled.
If children are travelling in the vehicle, be sure to
observe the notes on "Children in the vehicle"
(Y page 49).
If the automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system is malfunctioning, the red
6 restraint system warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp light up simultaneously.
The front-passenger front airbag is disabled in
this case and does not deploy during an acci-
dent. Have the system checked as soon as pos-
sible by qualified technicians. Consult a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. The front-
passenger seat should only be repaired at a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
If the front-passenger seat, the seat cover or the seat cushion is damaged, have the necessary
repair work carried out at a Mercedes-Benz Ser-vice Centre.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use a child restraint system
which has been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz in combination with the auto-
matic front-passenger front airbag deactivation
system. 44
Occupant safetySafety

System self-test
G
DANGER
If both the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF and
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamps do
not light up during the system self-test, the
system is malfunctioning. The front-
passenger front airbag might be triggered
unintentionally or might not be triggered at all in the event of an accident with high deceler-
ation. This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
In this case the front-passenger seat may notbe used. Do not install a child restraint system
on the front-passenger seat. Have the auto-
matic front-passenger front airbag deactiva-
tion system checked and repaired immedi-
ately at a qualified specialist workshop. G
WARNING
If the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp remains lit after the system self-test, the
front-passenger front airbag is disabled. It willnot be deployed in the event of an accident. In
this case, the front-passenger front airbag
cannot perform its intended protective func-
tion, e.g. when a person is seated in the front- passenger seat.
That person could, for example, come into
contact with the vehicle's interior, especially
if the person is sitting too close to the dash-
board. This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
When the front-passenger seat is occupied,
always ensure that:
R the classification of the person in the front-
passenger seat is correct and the front-
passenger front airbag is enabled or disa-
bled in accordance with the person in the
front-passenger seat.
R the person is seated properly with a cor-
rectly fastened seat belt.
R the front-passenger seat has been moved
as far back as possible.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp remains lit when it should not, the front- passenger seat may not be used. Do not
install a child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat. Have the automatic front-
passenger front airbag deactivation system
checked and repaired immediately at a quali-
fied specialist workshop. G
WARNING
Objects between the seat surface and the
child restraint system could affect the func-
tion of the automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivation system. This could result
in the front-passenger front airbag not func-
tioning as intended during an accident. This
poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Do not place any objects between the seat
surface and the child restraint system. The
entire base of the child restraint system must always rest on the seat cushion of the front-
passenger seat. The backrest of the forwards-
facing child restraint system must, as far as
possible, be resting on the backrest of the
rear reclining seat. Always comply with the
child restraint system manufacturer's instal-
lation instructions.
After the system self-test, the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF or PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator
lamp then shows the status of the co-driver's
front airbag (Y page 42).
Further information can be obtained under
"Problems with the automatic co-driver's front
airbag deactivation system" (Y page 46). Occupant safety
45Safety Z

Problems with automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation
Be sure to observe the notes on "System self-test" (Y
page 45).Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp
lights up and remains lit,
even though the front-
passenger seat is occu-
pied by an adult or a per-
son with a build corre-
sponding to that of an
adult. The classification of the person on the front-passenger seat is false.
X Make sure the conditions for a correct classification of the person
on the front-passenger seat are met (Y page 42).
X If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp remains lit, the front-
passenger seat may not be used.
X Have the automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation sys-
tem checked as soon as possible at a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre. The PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp
does not light up and/or
does not stay on.
The front-passenger seatis:
R empty
R occupied with a rear-
ward-facing child
restraint system The automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation system is
malfunctioning.
X Make sure there is nothing between the seat and the child restraint
system.
X Make sure that the entire base of the child restraint system rests on
the seat cushion of the front-passenger seat.
X Make sure that the seat cushion length is fully retracted.
X When installing the child restraint system, make sure that the seat
belt is tight. Do not pull the seat belt tight with the front-passenger
seat adjustment. This could result in the seat belt and the child
restraint system being pulled too tightly.
X Check that the child restraint system is installed correctly.
X Make sure that no objects are applying additional weight to the
seat.
X If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp remains off and/or
the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp lights up, do not install
a rearward-facing child restraint system on the front-passenger
seat. It is recommended that you fit the child restraint system to a suitable rear seat.
X Have the automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation sys-
tem checked as soon as possible at a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre. Deployment of belt tensioners and air-
bags
Important safety notes G
WARNING
After the airbag deploys, the airbag parts are
hot. There is a risk of injury.
Do not touch the airbag parts. Have a
deployed airbag replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop as soon as possible. G
WARNING
Pyrotechnic seat belt tensioners that have
been deployed are no longer operational and
are unable to perform their intended protec-
tive 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.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have the
vehicle towed to a qualified specialist workshop 46
Occupant safetySafety

after an accident. Take this into account, par-
ticularly if a seat belt tensioner was triggered or
an airbag was deployed.
An electric motor is used by PRE-SAFE ®
to trig-
ger the tightening of the seat belt in hazardous
situations. This procedure is reversible.
If the belt tensioners are triggered or an airbag is
deployed, you will hear a bang, and a small
amount of powder may also be released. The
6 restraint system warning lamp lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your hear-
ing. In general, the powder released is not haz-
ardous to health but may cause short-term
breathing difficulties to persons suffering from
asthma or other pulmonary conditions. Provided it is safe to do so, you should leave the vehicle
immediately or open the window in order to pre- vent breathing difficulties.
Operation During the first stage of a collision, the restraint
system control unit evaluates important physi-
cal data relating to vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, such as:
R duration
R direction
R intensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the seat
belt tensioners in the event of a head-on or rear
collision.
A seat belt tensioner can only be triggered if:
R the ignition is switched on
R the components of the restraint system are
operational. You can find further information
under: "Restraint system warning lamp"
(Y page 34)
R the belt tongue has engaged in the belt buckle
of the respective front seat
The seat belt tensioners in the rear compart-
ment are triggered independently of the lock
status of the seat belts.
If the restraint system control unit detects a high severity accident, in certain head-on collisions,
additional components of the restraint system
are deployed independently of each other:
R front airbags and driver's kneebag
R windowbag, if the system determines that
deployment can offer additional protection to
that provided by the seat belt On vehicles with the automatic front-passenger
front airbag deactivation system: depending on the person in the front-passenger seat, the
front-passenger front airbag is either disabled or
enabled. The front-passenger front airbag can
only be deployed in an accident if the
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp is lit.
Observe the information on the PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamps (Y page 35).
Your vehicle has two-stage front airbags. In the
first deployment stage, the front airbag is filled
with propellant gas to reduce the risk of injuries. The front airbag is fully deployed if the second
deployment stage is activated within a few mil-
liseconds.
The activation threshold for the seat belt ten-
sioners and airbags is determined based on the
evaluation of the vehicle's rate of deceleration
or acceleration at various points in the vehicle.
This process is pre-emptive in nature. The trig-
gering/deployment process should take place
in good time at the start of the collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or acceleration
and the direction of the force are essentially
determined by:
R the distribution of forces during the collision
R the collision angle
R the deformation characteristics of the vehicle
R the characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided
Factors which can only be seen and measured
after a collision has occurred do not play a deci-
sive role in the deployment of an airbag, nor do
they provide an indication of airbag deployment.
The vehicle may be deformed significantly with-out an airbag being deployed. This is the case if
only parts which are relatively easily deformed
are affected and the rate of deceleration is not
high. Conversely, an airbag may be deployed
even though the vehicle suffers only minor
deformation. This is the case if, for example,
very rigid vehicle parts such as longitudinal body
members are hit, and sufficient deceleration
occurs as a result.
If the restraint system control unit detects a side impact, the applicable components of the
restraint system are activated independently of
each other.
R Sidebags on the side on which an impact
occurs, independent from the seat belt ten-
sioner and seat belt usage
Vehicles with the automatic front-passenger
airbag deactivation system: the sidebag on Occupant safety
47Safety Z

the front-passenger side deploys under the
following conditions:
- an occupant is detected on the front-
passenger seat or
- the belt tongue is engaged in the belt
buckle of the front-passenger seat
R Windowbag on the side on which an impact
occurs, independent of seat belt usage and
regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied
R Seat belt tensioners, if the system determines
that deployment can offer additional protec-
tion for the vehicle occupants in this situation
i Not all airbags are deployed in an accident.
The different airbag systems work independ-
ently of each other.
How the airbag system works is determined
by the severity of the accident detected,
especially the vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, and the apparent type of accident:
R frontal collision
R side impact PRE-SAFE
®
(anticipatory occupant
protection)
Introduction In certain hazardous situations, PRE-SAFE
®
takes pre-emptive measures to protect the vehi- cle occupants.
Important safety notes !
Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats. There is a risk
that the seats and/or the objects could be
damaged when PRE-SAFE ®
is activated.
Although your vehicle is equipped with PRE-
SAFE ®
, the possibility of injury in the event of an
accident cannot be ruled out. Always adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing road and
weather conditions and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front. Drive carefully. Function PRE-SAFE
®
intervenes:
R in emergency braking situations, e.g. when
BAS is activated
R in critical driving situations, e.g. when physi-
cal limits are exceeded and the vehicle under- steers or oversteers severely
PRE-SAFE ®
takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detected:
R the front seat belts are pre-tensioned.
R if the vehicle skids, the side windows are
closed.
R vehicles with the memory function: the front-
passenger seat is adjusted if it is in an unfav-
ourable position.
If the hazardous situation passes without result- ing in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens the belt
pre-tensioning. All settings made by PRE-SAFE ®
can then be reversed.
If the seat belt pre-tensioning is not reduced:
X Move the seat backrest or seat back slightly
when the vehicle is stationary.
Seat belt pre-tensioning is reduced and the
locking mechanism is released.
The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE ®
convenience function. Informa-
tion about the convenience function can be
found under "Belt adjustment" (Y page 38). Automatic measures after an acci-
dent
Immediately after an accident, the following
measures may be implemented, depending on
the type and severity of the impact: R the hazard warning lamps are activated
R the emergency lighting is activated
R the vehicle doors are unlocked
R the front side windows are lowered
R the drive system and high-voltage electrical
system are switched off
R vehicles with the Mercedes-Benz emergency
call system: automatic emergency call 48
Occupant safetySafety