warning light MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS CABRIOLET 2012 User Guide

To ensure that the restraint systems can
deliver their full potential protection, make
sure that:
R the seat and head restraint are adjusted
properly (Y page 108).
R the seat belt has been fastened properly
(Y page 49).
R the airbags can inflate unrestricted if
deployed (Y page 42).
R the steering wheel is adjusted properly
(Y page 115).
R the restraint systems have not been modi-
fied.
An airbag increases the protection of vehicle
occupants wearing a seat belt. However, air-
bags are only an additional restraint system
which complements, but does not replace,
the seat belt. All vehicle occupants must wear
their seat belt correctly at all times, even if
the vehicle is equipped with airbags. The air-
bags are not deployed in all types of acci-
dents .For example, if the protective capacity
of correctly fastened seat belts is not
increased by deploying the airbags, the air-
bags will not deploy.
Airbag deployment only provides increased
protection if the seat belt is worn correctly.
First, the seat belt helps to keep the vehicle
occupant in the best position in relation to the
airbag. Second, in a head-on collision, for
example, the seat belt prevents the vehicle
occupant from being propelled towards the
point of impact. SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
Introduction SRS consists of:
R
the 6 SRS warning lamp
R airbags
R the airbag control unit with crash sensors
R belt tensioners
R belt force limiters SRS reduces the risk of occupants coming
into contact with the vehicle's interior in the
event of an accident. It can also reduce the
forces to which occupant
sare subjected dur-
ing an accident.
SRS warning lamp G
WARNING
If SRS is malfunctioning, individual systems
may be triggered unintentionally or might not
be triggered in the event of an accident with
a high rate of vehicle deceleration.
A malfunction has occurred if:
R the 6 SRS warning lamp does not light
up when the ignitio nis switched on.
R the engine is running and the 6SRS
warning lamp does not go out after a few
seconds.
R the engine is running and the 6SRS
warning lamp lights up again.
In this case, have SRS checked immediately
at a qualified specialist workshop.
SRS functions are checked regularly when
you switch on the ignition and when the
engine is running. Therefore, malfunctions
can be detected in good time.
The 6 SRS 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.
Triggering of belt tensioners, belt force
limiters and airbags During the first stage of a collision, the airbag
control unit evaluates important physical
data relating to vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, such as:
R
duration
R direction
R magnitude
Based on the evaluation of this data, the air-
bag control unit pre-emptively triggers the
belt tensioners in the first stage. Occupant safety
41Safety Z

G
WARNING
The airbag parts are hot after the airbag has
been deployed. Do not touch them as you
could burn yourself.
Have the airbags replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Otherwise, occupants are
not protected by the airbags in the event of
another accident.
Airbag deployment slows downa nd restricts
the movement of the vehicle occupant.
If the airbags are deployed ,you will hear a
bang, and a small amount of powder may also
be released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that is
released generally does not constitute a
health hazard. The 6SRS warning lamp
lights up.
The airbag installation locations are identified
by the AIRBAG symbol.
Front airbags !
Do not place heavy objects on the front-
passenger seat. The system may then
detect that the seat is occupied and if there
is an accident, the restraint systems on the
front-passenger side could be deployed.
Have restraint systems that have been trig-
gered replaced. Driver's airbag
:deploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger front air-
bag ;deploys in front of and above the glove
compartment. The front airbags increase protection for the
driver's and front-passenger's head and
chest.
They 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 depending on whether the seat belt is being
used
R independently of other airbags in the vehi-
cle
If the vehicle overturns, the front airbags are
generally not deployed. The front airbags are
deployed if the system detects high vehicle
deceleration in a longitudinal direction.
Vehicles with automatic child seat recog-
nition in the front-passenger seat: front-
passenger airbag is only activated if the sys-
tem determines that the front-passenger seat
is occupied. The 4PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF indicator lamp on the centre console
does not light up (Y page 56).
If a child restraint system is fitted to the front-
passenger seat and the 4PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp does not light up
on the centre console:
R a child restraint system without transpond-
ers for automatic child seat recognition is
fitted or
R a child restraint system with transponders
is not properly fitted. 44
Occupant safetySafety

If the seat belts are not released:
X
Move the backrest or seat back slightly, but
only when the vehicle is stationary.
The belt pretensioning is reduced and the
locking mechanism is released.
More information abouts eat belt adjustment,
a convenience function integrated into PRE-
SAFE ®
, can be found under "Seat belt adjust-
ment" (Y page 51). Seat belts
Important safety notes G
WARNING
A seat belt which is not worn correctly, or
which has not been engaged in the seat belt
buckle correctly, cannot provide the intended
level of protection. Under certain circumstan-
ces, this could cause severe or even fatal inju-
ries in the event of an accident.
Therefore, make sure that all occupants —in
particular, pregnan twomen —wear their seat
belts correctly at all times.
R The seat belt must fit snugly on your body
and must not be twisted.Therefore, avoid
wearing bulky clothing, e.g. a winter coat.
The shoulder section of the belt must be
routed across the centre of your shoulder
—onn o account across your neck or under
your arm —and pulled tight against your
uppe rbody. The lap belt must always pass
across your lap as low down as possible, i.e.
over your hip joints —not across your abdo-
men. If necessary, push the seat belt
slightly downwards and adjust it by pulling
it in the direction the seat belt retracts.
R Do not route the seat belt strap over sharp
or fragile objects. Please make sure that
such objects are not on or in your clothing,
e.g. spectacles, pens or keys etc. The seat
belt strap could become damaged and tear
during an accident and you or other vehicle
occupants could be injured. R
Only one person should use each seat belt
at any one time. Children must never travel
sitting on the lap of another occupant. The
child will not be secured in the event of an
accident, heavy braking or sudden change
of direction .This may result in the child or
other occupants being seriously or fatally
injured.
R Persons under 1.50 mtall cannot wear the
seat belts correctly. For this reason secure
persons less than 1.50 m tall in specially
designed, suitable restraint systems.
R Children unde r1.50 mtall and younger
than twelve years of age canno twear the
seat belts correctly. For this reason secure
them in special suitable child restraint sys-
tems installed on a suitable seat. Additional
information can be found in the Operating
Instructions in the chapter "Safety", "Chil-
dren in the Vehicle". Observe the installa-
tion instructions of the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer.
R Do not secure an object with a seat belt if
the seat belt is also being used by one of
the vehicle's occupants. G
WARNING
The seat belt does not offer the intended level
of protection unless the backrest is almost
vertical. Under certain circumstances, this
could cause severe or even fatal injuries in the
event of an accident.
Before starting a journey, make sure that the
seat is properly adjusted and that the back-
rest is almost vertical. G
WARNING
Ad irty or damaged seat belt or one that has
been modified or subjected to a load in an
accident no longer offers the intended level of
protection. Under certain circumstances, this
could cause severe or even fatal injuries in the
event of an accident.
For this reason, chec kregularly that the seat
belts are not damaged or dirty. Occupant safety
49Safety
Z

Example: Coupé
X Press release button ?on belt buckle =.
X Slide belt tongue ;back to belt sash
guide :.
Belt warning for the driver and front
passenger The
7 seatbelt warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster is a reminder for all occupants
to fasten their seat belts. It may light up con-
tinuously or flash. In addition, there may be a
warning tone.
The 7 seat belt warning lamp goes out and
the warning tone ceases when the driver and
the fron tpassenger have fastened their seat
belt.
For certain countries only: regardless of
whether the driver and th efront passenger
have fastened their seat belts, the 7seat
beltw arning lamp lights up for six seconds
after the engine is started. It then goes out if
the driver and the fron tpassenger have fas-
tened their seat belts.
i For more information on the 7seat
belt warning lamp, see "Indicato rand warn-
ing lamps in the instrument cluster, seat
belt" (Y page 276). Rear seat belt status indicator
Display for securely fastened occupants on right
side of rea
rcompartmen t(example)
The rear-compartment seat belt status indi-
cator tells you if the rear passengers have
their seat belts fastened. The rear-compart-
ment seat belt status indicato rindicates the
rea rseat on which the belt is fastened. The
ü symbol in the display indicates a fas-
tened seat belt. If a seat belt is not fastened
or if a seat is not occupied, the ýsymbol
is displayed.
The rear-compartment seat belt status indi-
cator appears in the multifunction display for
around 30 seconds 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
the vehicle drives off again.
You can also cancel the rear seat belt status
indicator immediately (Y page 249).
i The status indicator for the rear-compart-
ment seat belts is only available for certain
countries.
Belt tensioners, belt force limiters G
WARNING
If the seat belt tensioners have been trig-
gered, they provide no additional protection
in the event of another accident. Therefore,
have belt tensioners which have been trig-
gered replaced at a qualified specialist work-
shop. 52
Occupant safetySafety

Comply with safety regulation
swhen dispos-
ing of belt tensioners. Any Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre can provide details of these
regulations.
! If the front-passenger seat is not occu-
pied, do not engage the seat belt tongue in
the buckle on the front-passenger seat.
Otherwise, the belt tensioner could be trig-
gered in the event of an accident.
The seat belts are fitted with belt tensioners.
The belt tensioners tighten the seat belts in
an accident, pulling them close against the
body.
Belt tensioners do not correct incorrect seat
positions or incorrectly fastened seat belts.
Belt tensioners do not pull vehicle occupants
back towards the backrest.
If the seat belt is also fitted with a belt force
limiter and this is triggered, the force exerted
by the seat belt on the vehicle occupant is
reduced.
The belt force limiters for the front seats are
synchronised with the front airbags, which
take on a part of the deceleration force. This
results in the force exerted on the occupant
being distributed over a greater area.
The belt tensioners can only be activated
when:
R the ignition is switched on.
R the restraint systems are operational; see
"SRS warning lamp" (Y page 41).
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the three-point seat belts in front.
R
The belt tensioners on the seats in the rear
compartmenta re triggered independently of
the lock status of the seat belts.
The beltt ensioners are triggered depending
on the type and severity of an accident:
R if, in the event of a head-on or rear-end col-
lision the vehicle decelerates or acceler- ates rapidly in a longitudinal direction dur-
ing the initial stages of the impact
R if, in the event of a side impact, on the side
opposite the impact the vehicle deceler-
ates or accelerates rapidly in a lateral direc-
tion
R Cabriolet: in certain situations if the vehicle
overturns and the system determines that
it can provide additional protection.
If the airbags are deployed, you will hear a
bang, and a small amount of powder may also
be released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that is
released generally does not constitute a
health hazard. The 6SRS warning lamp
lights up.
Automatic comfort-fit feature The fron
tseat belts have an automatic com-
fort-fit feature. The automatic comfort-fit fea-
ture reduces the retraction force of the seat
belts. This results in increased seat belt com-
fort. Children in the vehicle
Child restraint systems
Important safety notes G
WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious or even fatal
injury to the child in the event of a sudden
change in direction, braking or an accident:
R children less than 1.50 m tall and under
twelve years of age must always be secured
in special child restraint systems on a suit-
able vehicle seat. This is necessary
because the seat belts are not designed for
children.
R Do not drive with a child secured in a rear-
ward-facing child restraint system on the
front-passenger seat. Exception: if the vehi-
cle is equipped with automatic child seat
recognition on the front-passenger seat Children in the vehicle
53Safety
Z

and the child is secured in a child restraint
system with transponders for automatic
child seat recognition
R 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 childre nmust never travel sitting on the lap
of another occupant. Due to the forces
which occur in the event of a sudden
change of direction, heav ybraking or an
accident, it would not be possible to
restrai nthe child. The child could be thrown
against parts of the vehicle interior and be
seriously or even fatally injured. G
WARNING
The child restraint system cannot perform its
protective function if it is not correctly fitted
to a suitable vehicle seat. The child cannot be
restrained in the event of an accident, heavy
braking or sudden changes of direction. The
child could be seriously or even fatally injured.
For this reason, when fitting a child restraint
system, observe the manufacturer's installa-
tion instructions and the correct use of the
child restraint system.
Child restraint systems should be fitted to the
rear seats. Children are generally better pro-
tected there.
The entire base of the child restraint system
must always rest on the seat cushion. There-
fore, never place objects, e.g. a cushion,
under the child restraint system.
Only use child restraint systems with the orig-
inal cover designed for them. Only replace
damaged covers with genuine Mercedes-Benz
covers.
We recommend the use of child restraint sys-
tems which have been approved for
Mercedes-Ben zvehicles. G
WARNING
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system. They could injure them- selves on parts of the vehicle. They could also
be seriously or even fatally injured by pro-
longed exposure to extreme heat or cold.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. Parts of the child restraint sys-
tem could heat up and the child could burn
herself/himself on them.
If a child opens a door, the child or other per-
sons could be injured as a result. They could
get out and injure themselves or be injured by
a passing vehicle.
Observe the general notes on the HOLD func-
tion, which can be found under the same key-
word. G
WARNING
Unsecured or incorrectly positioned loads
increase the risk of injury for children and all
other occupants in the event of:
R an accident
R sudden braking
R a sudden change of direction
Do not transport heavy or hard objects in the
vehicle interior unless they are secured. You
will find further information under "Loading
guidelines" in the index.
If a child is travelling in your vehicle, secure
the child using a child restraint system which
is recommended for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The child restraint system must be appropri-
ate to the age, weight and size of the child.
Ideally the child restraint system should be
installed on a suitable rear seat. Make sure
that the child is secured for the trip.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use
the listed child restraint systems
(Y page 62). You can obtain further infor-
mation about the correct child restraint sys-
tem from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
i It is advisable to use Mercedes-Benz care
products to clean child restraint systems.
You can obtain information about this at
any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. 54
Children in the vehicleSafety

Warning notice on the front-passenger sun visor
Warning symbol for a rearward-facing child
restraint system
Do not use a rearward-facing child restraint
system on a seat that is protected by an air-
bag installed in fron tofit.
Automatic chil dseat recognition on the
front-passenger seat G
WARNING
If the 4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indica-
to rlamp does no tlight up when the child
restraint system is fitted, the front-passenger
airbag has not been disabled. If the front-
passenger airbag deploys, 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-passenge rseat.
R fit a rearward-facing child restraint system
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 the rear-
most position.
R have the automatic child seat recognition
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
To ensure that the automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat func-
tions/communicates correctly, never place
objects, e.g. a cushion, under the child
restraint system. The entire base of the child
restraint system must always rest on the seat
cushion. An incorrectly fitted child restraint
system cannot perform its intended protec-
tive function in the event of an accident, and
could lead to injuries. G
WARNING
Do not place electronic devices on the front-
passenger seat, e.g.:
R laptops, when switched on
R mobile phones
R cards with transponders, e.g. ski passes or
access cards
Signals from electronic equipment can cause
interference in the automatic child seat rec-
ognition sensor system. This can lead to a
system malfunction. This may cause the
4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp to light up without there being a child
seat with transponders for automatic child
seat recognition fitted. The front-passenger
airbag will not then deploy during an accident.
It is also possible that the 6SRS warning
lamp lights up and/or the 4PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp does not light up
briefly when you turn the key in the ignition
lock to position 2.56
Children in the vehicleSafety

If yourv
ehicle 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. The sticker is
visible when you open the front-passenger
door.
Vehicles without automatic child seat recog-
nition on the front-passenger seat: when you
turn the key to position 2inthe ignition lock,
the 4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp lights up briefly, but does not have any
function. It does not indicate that there is
automatic child seat recognition on the front-
passenger seat. The front-passenger seat sensor system for
child restraint systems detects whether a
special Mercedes-Ben zchild seat with a
transponder for automatic child seat recog-
nition has been fitted. In this case, 4
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp :
lights up. The front-passenger front airbag is
disabled. i
If the front-passenger front airbag is dis-
abled by the automatic child seat recogni-
tion, the following remain enabled on the
front-passenger side:
R the sidebag
R the pelvisbag
R Coupé:t he windowbag
R Cabriolet: the headbag
R the belt tensioner
ISOFIX child seat securing system for
the rear seats G
WARNING
Ac hild restraint system secured by the ISOFIX
child seat securing system does not provide
sufficient protection for children weighing
more than 22 kg. For this reason, do not
secure children weighing more than 22 kg in
a child restraint system secured by the ISOFIX
child seat securing system. If the child weighs
more than 22 kg, secure the child restraint
system with the vehicle seat belt as well. In
addition, when fitting a child restraint system,
be sure to observe the manufacturer's instal-
lation instructions and the instructions for
correct use of the child restraint system. G
WARNING
Please note that if child restraint systems, or
their retaining systems, are damaged or sub-
jected to a load in an accident, they may not
be able to provide their protective function.
This could result in serious or even fatal inju-
ries to the secured child in the event of an
accident, heavy braking or a sudden change
in direction.
For this reason, have child restraint systems
and their anchorages which have been dam-
aged or subjected to a load in an accident
checked immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop. Children in the vehicle
57Safety Z

Problems with child seat recognition
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The
4 PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp on the centre con-
sole is lit. As
pecial Mercedes-Benz child seat with a transponder for auto-
matic child seat recognition has been fitted to the front-passenger
seat. The front-passenger fron tairbag has therefore been disabled
as desired. The
4 PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp on the centre con-
sole is lit.
or
The 6 warning lamp
lights up and/or the
4 PASSENGER AIR-
BAG OFF indicator
lamp does not light up
briefly when you switch
the ignition on. G
Risk of injury
There is no child seat fitted to the front-passenger seat .Automatic
child seat recognition is malfunctioning.
X Remove electronic equipmen tfrom the front-passenge rseat,
e.g.:
R laptop
R mobile phone
R cards with transponders, such as ski passes or access cards
If the 4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is still lit:
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. Suitable positioning of the child
restraint systems
X
To install a child restraint system on
the front-passenger seat: move the front-
passenger seat to the rearmost and lowest
position.
Key to the letters used in the following table:
XS eat which is unsuitable for children in
this weight category.
US uitable for child restraint systems in the
"Universal" category that are approved
for use in this weigh tcategory.
UF Suitable for forward-facing child restraint systems that belong to th e"Universal"
category and are approved for use in this
weight category.
LS uitable for child restraint systems as
recommended, see the following table of
"Recommended child restraint systems"
(Y page 62). Front-passenger seat Weight cat-
egories Front-
passenger
airbag is
not disa-
bled: Front-
passenger
front air-
bag is disa-
bled.
Categor
y0:
up to 10 kg X U, L
Category
0+: up to
13 kg
X U, L
Category I:
9 to 18 kg UF, L U, L
Group II:1
5
to 25 kg UF, L U, L
Group III:
22 to 36 kg
UF, L U, L
Vehicles with automatic child seat recog-
nition in the front-passenger seat:
a "Uni-
versal" category child restraint system with a 60
Children in the vehicleSafety

be seriously or even fatally injured by pro-
longed exposure to extreme heat or cold.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight
.Parts of the child restraint sys-
te mc ould heat up and the child could burn
herself/himself on them.
If a child opens a door, the child or other per-
sons could be injured as a result. They could
get out and injure themselves or be injured by
a passing vehicle.
Also observe the notes on HOLD.R elevant
information can be found in the index.
Override feature for the rear side win-
dows G
WARNING
Activate the override switch for the rear side
windows if children are travelling in the vehi-
cle. Otherwise, the children could open the
side windows while the vehicle is moving and
injure themselves or others. X
To activate/deactivate: press button;.
If indicator lamp :is lit, operation of the
rear side windows is disabled. Operation is
only possible using the switches in the driv-
er's door. If indicator lamp :is off, oper-
ation is possible using the switches in the
rear compartment. Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS (Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
(Y page 65)
R BAS (Brake AssistSystem) (Y page 65)
R BAS PLUS(Brake AssistSystem PLUS)
(Y page 65)
R Adaptive brake lamps (Y page 67)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 67)
R EBD ( electronic brake force distribution)
(Y page 68)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 69)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 69) Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you
are inattentive, the driving safety systems can
neither reduce the risk of accident nor over-
ride the laws of physics. Driving safety sys-
tems are merely aids designed to assist driv-
ing. You are responsible for the distance to
the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed and for
braking in good time. Always adapt your driv-
ing style to suit the prevailing road and
weather conditions and maintain a safe dis-
tance from the vehicle in front. Drive care-
fully.
i The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there
is adequate contact between the tyres and
the road surface. Please pay special atten-
tion to the notes on tyres, recommended
minimum tyre tread depths, etc.
(Y page 340).
In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tyres (M+S tyres) and, if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the driv-
ing safety systems described in this section
work as effectively as possible. 64
Driving safet
ysystemsSafety