MERCEDES-BENZ CLS COUPE 2008 Service Manual

Stowage compartments
38 Stowage compartmentsAt a glance
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Stowage compartments
39Function Page
1 Glove compartment
177
2 Front-passenger seat stow-
age
compartment with first-
aid kit 216
3 Door stowage pocket
4 Ruffled pocket
5
Ashtray* 181
6 Door stowage pocket
7 Side stowage space in the
boot
8 Stowage well under the
boot floor
217
9 Hooks at the top of the boot
176
a Door stowage pocket
b
Ashtray* 181
c Ruffled pocket
d Door stowage pocket Function Page
e Driver's seat stowage com-
partment with fire extin-
guisher*
179
f Retaining clip on the sun
visor
180
g Front-passenger footwell
luggage net
176
h Stowage compartment in
the lower section of the
centre console
177
Ashtray* 181
Cigarette lighter* 181
j Stowage compartment in
front of the armrest
178
Cup holder* in the centre
console
172
k Stowage compartment/
telephone compartment
under the armrest
178 Function Page
l Front stowage compart-
ment in the centre console
in the rear
178
Cup holder* in the rear
centre console
173
m Rear stowage compart-
ment in the centre console
in the rear
179
n Cup holder in the rear seat
armrest
172
o Stowage compartment in
the rear seat armrest
179At a glance
* optional
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41
Occupant safety ..................................
42
Driving safety systems ....................... 57
Anti-theft systems .............................. 61
Safety
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Occupant safety
42 Occupant safety
Seat belts, together with belt tensioners, belt
force limiters and airbags, are coordinated
restraint systems. They reduce the risk of
injury in defined accident situations and
thereby increase occupant safety. However,
seat belts and airbags generally do not pro-
tect against objects penetrating the vehicle
from the outside.
To ensure that the restraint systems can
deliver their full potential protection, you
should ensure that:
R the seat and head restraint are adjusted
properly ( Y page 75)
R the seat belt has been fastened properly
(Y page 88)
R the airbags can inflate properly if they are
deployed ( Y page 45)
R the steering wheel is adjusted properly
(Y page 81)
R the restraint systems have not been modi-
fied
i An airbag increases the protection of
vehicle occupants wearing a seat belt.
However, airbags are only an additional
restraint system which complements, but does not replace, the seat belt. All vehicle
occupants must wear their seat belt cor-
rectly 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 deploy-
ment only provides increased protection if
the seat belt is worn correctly because:
R the seat belt helps to keep the vehicle
occupant in the best position in relation
to the airbag
R 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
Therefore, in accident situations where an
airbag is deployed, it only provides protec-
tion in addition to the seat belt if the seat
belt is being worn correctly. G
Risk of injury
The restraint system may not work as inten-
ded
if the following components have been
modified or work on these components has
not been performed correctly:
R restraint system, consisting of the seat
belts and anchorages, belt tensioners,
belt force limiters, airbags
R wiring
R networked electronic systems
Airbags or belt tensioners could then fail,
e.g. in the event of an accident in which the
deceleration force would normally be high
enough to trigger the systems, or they
could be triggered unintentionally. Never
carry out any modifications on the restraint
systems. Never tamper with electronic
components and their software. G
Risk of accident and injury
Always have maintenance work carried out
at a qualified specialist workshop which
has the necessary specialist knowledge
and tools to carry out the work required.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use
a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this
purpose. Safety
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Occupant safety
43In particular, work relevant to safety or on
safety-related
systems must be carried out
at a qualified specialist workshop. If this
work is not carried out correctly, the oper-
ating safety of your vehicle may be affec-
ted. There is a risk of an accident and injury. SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
The SRS reduces the risk of occupants com-
ing into contact with the vehicle's interior in
the event of an accident. It can also reduce
the forces to which occupants are exposed
during an accident.
The SRS consists of:
R 1 warning lamp
R belt tensioners
R belt force limiters
R Airbags
1 warning lamp The SRS functions are checked regularly
when you turn on the ignition and when the
engine

is running. Malfunctions can therefore
be detected in good time. The 1 warning lamp in the instrument
cluster

lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out no later than a few seconds
after the engine is started. G
Risk of injury
If SRS is malfunctioning, individual systems
may be activated unintentionally or not be
triggered in the event of an accident with
heavy braking.
A malfunction has occurred if the 1
warning lamp:
R does

not light up when you switch on the
ignition
R does not go out after the engine has been
running for a few seconds
R lights up again once the engine is running
In this case, have SRS checked immedi-
ately at a qualified specialist workshop.
Triggering of belt tensioners, belt force
limiters and airbags In the event of a collision, the sensor in the
airbag

control unit evaluates important phys-
ical data such as duration, direction and force
of the vehicle deceleration or acceleration.
Based on the evaluation of this data and depending on the vehicle's rate of longitudi-
nal deceleration in a collision, in the first
stage the airbag control unit pre-emptively
triggers the belt tensioners.
i
The

front belt tensioners can only be trig-
gered if the belt tongue is correctly
engaged in the seat belt buckle.
The front airbags are only deployed if there is
an even higher rate of vehicle deceleration in
a longitudinal direction.
Vehicles fitted with adaptive, dual-stage front
airbags: when the first deployment threshold
is reached, the front airbag is filled with
enough gas to reduce the risk of injuries. The
front airbag is only fully inflated if a second
threshold is reached within a few millisec-
onds due to the control unit having detected
further deceleration.
Criteria for triggering belt tensioners and
airbags
In the first stage of a collision, the airbag con-
trol unit evaluates the duration and direction
of vehicle acceleration or deceleration in
order to determine whether it is necessary to
trigger the belt tensioner and/or airbag.
The belt tensioner and airbag triggering
thresholds are variable and are adapted to the
rate of deceleration of the vehicle. This proc- Safety
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Occupant safety
44
ess is pre-emptive in nature as the airbag
must
be deployed during – and not at the end
of – the collision.
i Airbags are not deployed in all types of
accidents. They are controlled by complex
sensor technology 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. Not all airbags are
deployed in an accident.
The different airbag systems work inde-
pendently of each other. However, the
deployment of each individual system will
depend on the type of accident determined
by the control system in the first stages of
the collision (head-on collision, side impact
and overturn) and the extent of the acci-
dent (in particular, the vehicle's rate of
deceleration or acceleration).
The rate of vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion and the direction of the force are basi-
cally determined by:
R the distribution of forces during the colli-
sion
R the collision angle R
the deformation characteristics of the vehi-
cle
R the characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided, e.g. the other vehi-
cle
Factors which can only be seen and measured
after the collision has taken place do not play
a decisive role in the deployment of an airbag,
nor do they provide an indication of it.
The vehicle may be deformed significantly,
e. g. on the bonnet or the wing, without an
airbag being deployed. This happens if only
parts which are relatively easily deformed are
affected and the necessary deceleration does
not occur. Conversely, airbags may be
deployed even though the vehicle suffers only
minor deformations. This is the case if, for
example, very rigid vehicle parts such as lon-
gitudinal body members are affected and suf-
ficient deceleration occurs as a result.
Belt tensioners, belt force limiters The front seat belts and the outer seat belts
in

the rear are equipped with belt tensioners.
! Do not engage the seat belt tongue in the
buckle on the front-passenger seat if the
seat is not occupied. Otherwise the belt tensioner could be activated in an emer-
gency.
If the seat belt is also equipped with a belt
force limiter, the force exerted by the seat
belt on the seat occupant is reduced.
Belt tensioners tighten the seat belts in an
accident,

pulling them close against the body.
i Belt tensioners do not correct incorrect
seat positions or incorrectly fastened seat
belts.
Belt tensioners do not pull occupants back
towards the backrest.
The front belt force limiters are synchronised
with the front airbags, which spread the
forces exerted by the belt force limiters on
the occupant over a greater area.
When the ignition is switched on, the belt ten-
sioner is triggered:
R only if the restraint systems are operational
(the 1 warning lamp lights up after the
ignition is switched on and goes out once
the engine is running)(Y page 43)
R for each three-point seat belt in the front of
the vehicle when the belt tongue is
engaged in the buckle
R In the event of a head-on or rear-end colli-
sion if the vehicle decelerates or acceler- Safety
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Occupant safety
45
ates rapidly in a longitudinal direction
during the initial stages of the collision
R In certain situations if the vehicle over-
turns, if the system determines that it can
provide additional protection
When 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 1 warn-
ing lamp lights up. G
Risk of injury
If the seat belt tensioners have been trig-
gered, they provide no additional protec-
tion in the event of another accident.
Therefore,

have belt tensioners which have
been triggered replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Comply with safety regulations when dis-
posing of belt tensioners. Any Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre can provide details of
these regulations.
Airbags Airbag deployment slows down and restricts
the movement of the vehicle occupant.
When

the airbags are deployed, 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
1 warning lamp
lights up.
The SRS/AIRBAG symbol indicates the loca-
tion of the airbags. G
Risk of injury
Airbags provide additional protection; they
are not, however, a substitute for the seat
belts.
Observe the following notes to reduce the
risk of serious or even fatal injury if an air-
bag is deployed:
R Vehicle occupants — in particular preg-
nant woman — must wear their seat belt
correctly at all times and lean back
against their backrest, which should be
positioned

as close to the vertical as pos-
sible. The head restraint must support
the back of the seat occupant's head at
about eye level.
R Always secure children less than
1.50 m tall or under 12 years of age in
suitable child restraint systems.
R All vehicle occupants must select a seat
position that is as far away from the air-
bag as possible. The driver's seat posi-
tion must allow the vehicle to be driven safely. The driver's chest should be as far
away

from the middle of the driver's front
airbag cover as possible.
R Move the front-passenger seat as far
back as possible, in particular, if a child
is secured in a child restraint system on
the seat.
R Vehicle occupants – in particular, chil-
dren – must not lean their head into the
area of the window in which the sidebag/
windowbag is deployed.
R Rearward-facing child restraint systems
must not be fitted to the front-passenger
seat unless the front-passenger front air-
bag has been disabled. On the front-
passenger seat, the front-passenger
front airbag is only deactivated if a child
restraint system with automatic child
seat recognition is fitted to the front-
passenger seat*. The 5 PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF warning lamp must be lit
constantly.
If either the rearward-facing child
restraint system or the front-passenger
seat* of your vehicle does not have auto-
matic child seat recognition, children
must be secured in a child restraint sys- Safety
* optional
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Occupant safety
46 tem on a suitable seat in the rear. If you
secure a forward-facing child restraint
system to the front-passenger seat, you
must move the front-passenger seat as
far back as possible.
R Make sure there are no heavy or sharp-
edged objects in pockets of clothing.
R Do
not lean forwards, e.g. over the cover
of the driver's front airbag, particularly
when the vehicle is in motion.
R Do not put your feet on the dashboard.
R Only hold the steering wheel by the rim.
This allows the airbag to inflate fully. You
could be injured if the airbag is deployed
and you are holding the inside of the
steering wheel.
R Do not lean on the doors from inside the
vehicle.
R Make sure that there are no people, ani-
mals or objects between the vehicle
occupants and the area of deployment of
the airbag.
R Do not place any objects between the
seat backrest and the door. R
Do not hang any hard objects, for exam-
ple
coat hangers, on the grab handles or
coat hooks.
R Do not attach accessories, e.g. cup hold-
ers, to the doors.
It is not possible to rule out the risk of inju-
ries caused by an airbag due to the high
speed at which the airbag is required to
deploy. G
Risk of injury
The airbag's functionality can only be guar-
anteed if the following parts are not cov-
ered and no badges or stickers are
attached to them:
R Padded steering wheel boss
R Front-passenger front airbag cover
R Outer side of front seats
R Rear door trims G
Risk of injury
When an airbag deploys, a small amount of
powder
is released. The powder may cause
short-term breathing difficulties to persons
suffering from asthma or other pulmonary
conditions. In order to prevent possible breathing dif-
ficulties you should leave the vehicle as
soon

as it is safe to do so. You can also open
the window to allow fresh air to enter the
interior. The powder does not constitute a
health hazard and does not indicate that
there is a fire in the vehicle. G
Risk of injury
The airbag parts are hot after the airbag has
been deployed. Do not touch them, other-
wise you may burn yourself.
Occupants

are not protected by the airbags
in the event of another accident. Have the
airbags checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Front airbags
The front airbags are designed to increase
protection for the driver's and front-
passenger head and chest. Safety
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Occupant safety
47
The driver's front airbag and front-passenger
front airbag are deployed:
R
at the start of an accident with a high rate
of vehicle acceleration or deceleration in a
longitudinal direction
R if the system determines that airbag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
R if the seat belt is fastened
R independently of other airbags in the vehi-
cle
R if the vehicle overturns, but only if the sys-
tem detects high vehicle deceleration in a
longitudinal direction1 Driver's front airbag
2 Front-passenger front airbag Driver's front airbag
1 deploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger front airbag
2 deploys in front of and above the glove
compartment.
In vehicles with automatic child seat recog-
nition in the front-passenger seat*, front-
passenger front airbag 2 is only deployed if
the 5 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning
lamp in the centre console is not lit
(Y page 51). This means that a child
restraint system with automatic child seat
recognition* has not been fitted to the front-
passenger seat or has been fitted incorrectly.
Sidebags
G Risk of injury
If you wish to use seat covers, Mercedes-
Benz recommends that, for safety reasons,
you only use seat covers that have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The
seat covers must be equipped with a spe-
cial tear seam for sidebags. Otherwise, a
sidebag may not deploy correctly and could
fail to provide the intended protection in the
event of an accident. Appropriate seat cov-
ers can be obtained from a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre. The sidebags are intended to offer additional
protection for the thorax when deployed.
However, they do not protect the head, neck
and arms.1
Front sidebag
2 Rear sidebag*
The sidebag inflates next to the backrest side
cushions.
Sidebags 1 and 2 are 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 use of the seat belt
R independently of the front airbags
Safety
* optional
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