weight MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS 2007 User Guide

87 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
When the OCS senses that the front passen-
ger seat occupant is classified as being
heavier than the weight of a typical
12-month-old child seated in a standard
child restraint or as being a small individual
(such as a young teenager or a small adult),
the 59indicator lamp will illu-
minate for approximately 6 seconds when
the engine is started and then, depending on
occupant weight sensor readings from the
seat, remain illuminated or go out. With the
59indicator lamp illuminated,
the front passenger front air bag is deacti-
vated. With the 59indicator
lamp out, the front passenger front air bag is
activated.
When the OCS senses that the front passen-
ger seat occupant is classified as an adult or
someone larger than a small individual, the
59indicator lamp will illumi-
nate for approximately 6 seconds when the
engine is started and then go out, indicating
that the front passenger front air bag is
activated.
If the 59indicator lamp is illu-
minated, the front passenger front air bag is
deactivated and will not be deployed.
If the 59indicator lamp is not
illuminated, the front passenger front air
bag is activated and will be deployed:

in the event of certain frontal impacts


if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold


independently of the side impact air
bags.
If the front passenger front air bag is de-
ployed, the rate of inflation will be influ-
enced by:


the rate of vehicle deceleration as
assessed by the air bag control unit


the front passenger’s weight category
as identified by the Occupant Classifica-
tion System (OCS)
Warning!
G
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing position. Thus, we strongly recommend
that children be placed in the rear seats
whenever possible. Regardless of seating
position, children 12 years old and under
must be seated and properly secured in an
appropriate infant or child restraint
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
The infant or child restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle’s seat belt, the seat
belt and top tether strap, or lower anchors
and top tether strap, fully in accordance
with the child seat manufacturer’s
instructions.

ProCarManuals.com

88 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyChildren can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information when circumstances
require you to place a child in the front pas-
senger seat:

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


A child in a rear-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat will be serious-
ly injured or even killed if the front
passenger front air bag inflates in a
collision which could occur under some
circumstances, even with the air bag
technology installed in your vehicle. The
only means to completely eliminate this
risk is to never place a child in a rear-fac-
ing child restraint in the front seat. We
therefore strongly recommend that you
always place a child in a rear-facing
child restraint in the back seat.


If you must install a rear-facing child
restraint on the front passenger seat
because circumstances require you to
do so, make sure that the
59indicator lamp is illumi-
nated, indicating that the front passen-
ger front air bag is deactivated. Should
the 59indicator lamp not
illuminate or go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation.
Periodically check the
59indicator lamp while
driving to make sure the
59indicator lamp is illumi-
nated. If the 59indicator
lamp goes out or remains out, do not
transport a child on the front passenger
seat until the system has been repaired.
A child in a rear-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat will be serious-
ly injured or even killed if the front pas-
senger front air bag inflates.


If you have to place a child in a
forward-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat, move the seat as
far back as possible, use the proper
child restraint recommended for the
age, size and weight of the child, and
secure child restraint with the vehicle’s
seat belt according to the child seat
manufacturer’s instructions. For
children larger than the typical
12-month-old child, the front passenger
front air bag may or may not be
activated (
page 87).

ProCarManuals.com

89 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The 59indicator lamp is
located in the center console.
159indicator lamp
The 59indicator lamp1 will
be illuminated, except with the SmartKey
removed from the starter switch or with
the starter switch in position0
(page 39).
i
Deployment of the driver front air bag does
not mean that the front passenger front air bag
also should have deployed.
The Occupant Classification System (
page 85)
may have determined:


that the seat was empty or occupied by the
weight up to or less than that of a typical
12-month-old child seated in a standard
child restraint – both instances where the
system suppresses deployment of the front
passenger front air bag even though the im-
pact met the criteria and was of sufficient
severity to deploy the driver front air bag.


that the seat was occupied by a small individ-
ual (such as a young teenager or a small
adult) or a child weighing more than the
weight of a typical 12-month-old child in a
standard child restraint – instances where
the system may suppress deployment of the
front passenger front air bag even though
the impact met the criteria and was of suffi-
cient severity to deploy the driver front air
bag.
Warning!
G
If the 1indicator lamp and the
59indicator lamp are lit at the
same time, there is a malfunction in the
Occupant Classification System. The front
passenger front air bag will be deactivated
in this case. Have the system checked as
soon as possible by qualified technicians.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
In order to ensure proper operation of the
air bag system and OCS:

Do not place more than 4.4 lbs (2 kg)
into the parcel net on the back of the
front passenger seat. Otherwise, the
OCS may not be able to properly
approximate the occupant weight
category.


Do not place objects under and/or
around the front passenger seat.

ProCarManuals.com

90 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Self-test Occupant Classification
System
After turning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position1 or2 or pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button once or
twice, the 59indicator lamp
(page 89) located in the center console
illuminates. If an adult occupant is properly
sitting on the front passenger seat and the
system senses the occupant as being an
adult, the 59indicator lamp
will illuminate and go out after approxi-
mately 6 seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the system
senses the front passenger seat as being
empty, the 59indicator lamp
will illuminate and not go out.For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 426).


Do not hang anything from or attach any
items to the seats.


Do not stuff objects such as books be-
tween the middle console and the front
passenger seat.


Do not move the front passenger seat
backwards against stiff objects.


Sit properly belted in a nearly upright
position with your back against the seat
backrest.


Do not lean on the armrests or lift your-
self from the seat by using the handle
over the door as this may cause the OCS
to be unable to correctly approximate
the occupant weight category.


Only have the seat repaired or replaced
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.


Read and observe all warnings in this
chapter.
Warning!
G
If the 59indicator lamp should
not illuminate, the system is not functioning.
You must see an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center before seating any child
on the front passenger seat.Warning!
G
Never place anything between seat cushion
and child seat (e.g. pillow), since it reduces
the effectiveness of the Occupant Classifi-
cation System. The bottom of the child seat
must make full contact with the passenger
seat cushion. An incorrectly mounted child
seat could cause injuries to the child in case
of an accident, instead of increasing protec-
tion for the child.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
installation of child seats.

ProCarManuals.com

281 Controls in detail
Loading
Loading
Carriers*
Roof railsFor further information, contact your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
Loading instructions
Warning!
G
Only use carriers* when the basic carrier
bars* have been completely mounted. The
left and right roof rails are only stabilized by
means of the basic carrier bars* mounted.
Follow the manufacturer’s installation
instructions. Otherwise, an improperly at-
tached carrier system or its load could be-
come detached from the vehicle.
Do not exceed the maximum roof load of
220 lb (100 kg).
Take into consideration that when the roof is
loaded, the handling characteristics are dif-
ferent from those when operating the vehi-
cles without a roof loaded.
!
Load the carriers* in such a way that the
vehicle cannot be damaged while driving.
Make sure


the tailgate can be completely opened


the tilt/sliding sunroof can be completely
raised at the rear
Warning!
G
Always fasten items being carried as secure-
ly as possible using cargo tie-down rings and
fastening materials appropriate for the
weight and size of the load.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown
around inside the vehicle, and can cause in-
jury to vehicle occupants unless the items
are securely fastened in the vehicle.
To help avoid personal injury during a colli-
sion or sudden maneuver, always use tie
down rings, and if so equipped, always use
partition net* when transporting cargo.
Never drive vehicle with the tailgate open.
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in uncon-
sciousness and death.
ProCarManuals.com

282 Controls in detailLoadingLoad distributionThe gross vehicle weight which is the
weight of the vehicle including fuel, tools,
spare wheel, installed accessories, pas-
sengers and luggage/cargo must never
exceed the load limit and Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) for your vehicle as
specified on the placard located on the
driver’s door B-pillar (
page 530). In addi-
tion, the load must be distributed in such a
way so that the weight on each axle never
exceeds the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) for the front and rear axle. The
GVWR and GAWR for your vehicle are indi-cated on the certification label which can
be found on the driver’s door B-pillar
(
page 530).
For more information, see “Tire and Load-
ing Information” (
page 369).
The handling characteristics of a fully load-
ed vehicle depend greatly on the load dis-
tribution. It is therefore recommended to
load the vehicle according to the illustra-
tions shown, with the heaviest items being
placed towards the front of the vehicle.
Please pay attention to and comply with
the following instructions when loading the
vehicle and transporting cargo:


Always place items being carried
against front or rear seat backrests,
and fasten them as securely as possi-
ble.


The heaviest portion of the cargo
should always be kept as low as possi-
ble against front or rear seat backrests.For additional safety when transporting
cargo while the rear seats are unoccupied,
fasten the outer seat belts crosswise into
the opposite side buckles.
i
The cargo compartment is the preferred
place to carry objects. The expanded cargo com-
partment (
page 284) should only be used for
items which do not fit in the cargo compartment
alone.
ProCarManuals.com

284 Controls in detailLoadingHooks
Four hooks are located on the rear com-
partment trim panels, two on each side.
1Hook
Use the hooks to secure light weight items
only. The maximum permissible weight per
hook is 9 lbs (4 kg).
Expanding cargo compartment
You can separately fold the left and right
rear seat backrests to expand the cargo
compartment.
Folding the rear seat backrest forwardWarning!
G
When expanding the cargo compartment,
always fully fold the corresponding seats
and, if so equipped, always use the partition
net* (
page 287) when transporting cargo.
Unless you are transporting cargo, the back-
rests must remain properly locked in the up-
right position.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown
around inside the vehicle, and can cause
injury to vehicle occupants unless the items
are securely fastened in the vehicle.
Always use the cargo tie down rings
(
page 283).
Warning!
G
Never drive the vehicle with the tailgate
open. Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases
may enter vehicle interior resulting in un-
consciousness and death.!
Always release the seat cushion and fold it
up before folding the seat backrest forward. The
covering on the seat backrest may otherwise be
damaged.
When the seat backrest are folded forward, the
front seats may not be moved to the rearmost
position. Otherwise you could damage the front
and second-row seats.
ProCarManuals.com

291 Controls in detail
Loading
Inserting the cargo tie-down ring in the
mounting element
1Cargo tie-down ring
2Mounting element
Turn mounting element2 in the cargo
rail toN.

Insert cargo tie-down ring1 into
mounting element2.

Turn mounting element2 until it en-
gages in the ‹position.
You should be able to feel the mounting
element engage in the cargo rail.
Belt reel
1Belt reel
2Mounting element
3Locking button

Insert two mounting elements2 into a
cargo rail.

Turn mounting element2 in the cargo
rail toN.

Insert belt reel1 into mounting
element2.

Turn mounting element2 in the cargo
rail until it engages in the‹ posi-
tion.
You should be able to feel the mounting
element engage in the cargo rail.

Press locking button3 on the belt
reel1 and pull cargo net out in direc-
tion of arrow.
Warning!
G
The cargo tie-down rings should be subject
to equal loads. Make sure to comply with
the information provided in the loading in-
structions (
page 281).
i
The belt reel can be used to tighten
light-weight loads against the side wall of the
cargo compartment, thus securing them from
slipping.

ProCarManuals.com

297 Controls in detail
Useful features
3Storage compartment
4Coin holder
Opening the storage tray
Pull button1 and lift up armrest.
Opening the storage compartment

Pull button2 and lift up armrest.
The coin holders4 are located in front
of storage compartment3.Rear storage compartments
Depending on the vehicle configuration,
your vehicle may be equipped with two
storage compartments in the front of the
rear seats.

Briefly press the front of the cover.
The storage compartment opens
automatically.
Parcel nets
i
If your vehicle is equipped with a smoking
package*, the storage compartment contains an
ashtray (
page 300).
Warning!
G
Do not place objects with a combined
weight of more than 4.4 lbs (2 kg) into the
parcel net on the back of the front passen-
ger seat. Otherwise, the Occupant Classifi-
cation System OCS (
page 85) may not be
able to properly approximate the occupant
weight category.
Parcel nets are intended for storing
light-weight items only.
Heavy objects, objects with sharp edges or
fragile objects may not be transported in the
parcel nets. In an accident, during hard
braking, or sudden maneuvers, they could
be thrown around inside the vehicle and
cause injury to vehicle occupants.
Parcel nets cannot protect transported
goods in the event of an accident.
ProCarManuals.com

337 Operation
Driving instructions


Comply with the warnings
(page 333) and rules for off-road
driving (
page 335).


Driving on embankments, slopes and
other steep inclines should only be
done straight up or downhill, i.e. in the
line of gravity. Maximum vehicle climb-
ing ability is a 100% grade which is
equivalent to a slope angle of
45 degrees. Keep in mind that the
climbing ability of the vehicle depends
on terrain conditions.


Shift automatic transmission to
position1 (
page 193).


Drive slowly.


Avoid excessive engine speeds – drive
with moderate engine speeds
(max. 3 000 rpm).


Utilize the engine’s braking power
when descending a slope, observe the
engine speed (do not overrev the en-
gine). Apply the service brake as need-
ed.


Check the brakes after a lengthy down-
grade drive.Traction in steep terrain
The maximum vehicle climbing ability is a
100% grade which is equivalent to a slope
angle of 45 degrees. Keep in mind that the
climbing ability of the vehicle depends on
terrain conditions.
Be easy on the accelerator and watch for
continuous wheel traction when driving in
steep terrain.
Vehicles with air
suspension
package*
1
1
1
1Vehicles with AMG Sport-Package*
2
Raised level
34°
29°
31°
Highway
29°
22°
27°
ML 63 AMG
1
2
Raised level
28°
29°
Highway
23°
24°
i
For maximum engine speed, see “Instru-
ment cluster” (
page 26) and see “Engine”
(
page 534).Warning!
G
To help avoid the vehicle rolling over, never
turn it around on steep inclines. If the vehi-
cle cannot complete the attempted climb,
back it down in reverse gear.
i
The hill start assist system supports you
when driving uphill.
For more information, see “Hill start assist sys-
tem” (page 192).
i
The 4-ETS helps greatly when starting out on
a steep incline when the front wheels have then
the tendency to slip due to the weight shifting
towards the rear axle.
The 4-ETS recognizes the situation and limits the
torque for the front wheels by braking them.
Simultaneously the torque for the rear wheels is
increased.
ProCarManuals.com