child restraint MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 2010 W164 User Guide

of the child, and secure child restraint with
the vehicle’s seat belt according to the child
seat manufacturer’s instructions.
GWarning!
When using a BabySmart™ compatible child
seat on the front passenger seat, the front
passenger front air bag will not deploy only if
the 42 indicator lamp remains
illuminated.
Please be sure to check the 42
indicator lamp every time you use a
BabySmart™ compatible child seat on the
front passenger seat. Should the
42 indicator lamp go out while
the restraint is installed, please check
installation. If the 42 indicator
lamp remains out, do not use the
BabySmart™ restraint to transport a child on
the front passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.
Special BabySmart™ compatible child seats,
designed for use with the Mercedes-Benz
system, are required for use with the
BabySmart™ air bag deactivation system.
Please contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for information on availability. With
the special child seat installed properly, the
front passenger front air bag will not deploy.
The 42 indicator lamp : will be
illuminated, except with the SmartKey
removed from the starter switch or with the
starter switch in position 0.
The system does not deactivate
Rthe side impact air bag
Rthe window curtain air bag
Rthe Emergency Tensioning Device (ETD)
Self-test BabySmart™ without special
child seat installed
After turning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position 1 or 2 or pressing the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button once or
twice, the 42 indicator lamp
comes on for approximately 6 seconds and
then goes out.
If the 42 indicator lamp should
not come on or is continuously lit, the system
is not functioning. You must see an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center before
seating any child on the front passenger seat.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (Y page 305).
GWarning!
Do not place powered-on laptops, mobile
phones, electronic tags such as those used in
ski passes and like electronic devices on the
front passenger seat. Signals from such
devices may interfere with the BabySmart™
air bag deactivation system. Such signal
interference may cause the 42
indicator lamp not to come on during self-test.
The SRS indicator lamp + and/or the
42 indicator lamp could be
continuously lit, indicating that the system is
not functioning. The front passenger front air
bag could deploy inadvertently or fail to
deploy in an accident.
GWarning!
The BabySmart™ air bag deactivation system
will ONLY work with a special child seat
designed to operate with it. It will not work
with child seats which are not BabySmart™
compatible.
Never place anything between seat cushion
and child seat (e.g. pillow), since it reduces
Occupant safety47Safety and security164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 47Z

the effectiveness off the BabySmart™ air bag
deactivation system. The bottom of the child
seat must make full contact with the front
passenger seat cushion. An incorrectly
mounted child seat could cause injuries to the
child in case of an accident, instead of
protecting the child.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
installation of special child seats.
Seat belts
Safety notes
The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in all 50
states, the District of Columbia, the U.S.
territories and all Canadian provinces.
Even where this is not the case, all vehicle
occupants should have their seat belts
fastened whenever the vehicle is in motion.
For information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and restraint
systems for infants and children, see
“Children in the vehicle” ( Y page 55).
GWarning!
Always fasten your seat belt before driving off.
Always make sure all of your passengers are
properly restrained. You and your passengers
should always wear seat belts.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and
position your seat belt greatly increases your
risk of injuries and their likely severity in an
accident.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries can
be considerably more severe without your
seat belt properly buckled. Without your seat
belt buckled, you are much more likely to hit
the interior of the vehicle or be ejected from
it. You can be seriously injured or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury or
death is lessened if you are properly wearing
your seat belt. The air bags can only protect
as intended if the occupants are properly
wearing their seat belts.
GWarning!
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide under
the seat belt in a collision. If you slide under
it, the seat belt would apply force at the
abdomen or neck. That could cause serious
or even fatal injuries. The seat backrest and
seat belt provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in a position that is as upright as
possible and the seat belt is properly
positioned on the body.
GWarning!
Never let more people ride in the vehicle than
there are seat belts available. Make sure
everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly
restrained with a separate seat belt. Never
use a seat belt for more than one person at a
time.
GWarning!
Damaged seat belts or seat belts that have
been subjected to stress in an accident must
be replaced. Also, the seat belt anchoring
points must be checked.
Only use seat belts which have been approved
by Mercedes-Benz.
Do not make any modifications to the seat
belts. This can lead to unintended activation
of the ETDs or to their failure to activate when
necessary.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Have all work carried out only by qualified
technicians. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Proper use of seat belts
GWarning!
USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY
R Seat belts can only protect when used
properly. Never wear seat belts in any other
48Occupant safetySafety and security
164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 48

way than as described in this section, as
that could result in serious injuries in case
of an accident.
R Each occupant should wear their seat belt
at all times, because seat belts help reduce
the likelihood of and potential severity of
injuries in accidents, including rollovers.
The integrated restraint system includes
SRS (driver front air bag, front passenger
front air bag, side impact air bags, window
curtain air bags for door windows),
Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs),
seat belt force limiters, and front seat knee
bolsters.
The system is designed to enhance the
protection offered to properly belted
occupants in certain frontal (front air bags
and ETDs) and side (side impact air bags,
window curtain air bags, and ETDs) impacts
which exceed preset deployment
thresholds and in certain rollovers (window
curtain air bags and ETDs).
R Never wear the shoulder belt under your
arm, against your neck or off your shoulder.
In a frontal crash, your body would move
too far forward. That would increase the
chance of head and neck injuries. The seat
belt would also apply too much force to the
ribs or abdomen, which could severely
injure internal organs such as your liver or
spleen.
Adjust the seat belt so that the shoulder
section is located as close as possible to
the middle of the shoulder. It should not
touch the neck. Never pass the shoulder
portion of the seat belt under your arm. For
this purpose, you can adjust the height of
the seat belt outlet.
R Position the lap belt as low as possible on
your hips and not across the abdomen. If
the lap belt is positioned across your
abdomen, it could cause serious injuries in
a crash.
R Never wear seat belts over rigid or
breakable objects in or on your clothing,such as eyeglasses, pens, keys etc., as
these might cause injuries.
R Make sure the seat belt is always fitted
snugly. Take special care of this when
wearing loose clothing.
R Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time. Do not fasten a seat belt
around a person and another person or
other objects at the same time.
R Seat belts should not be worn twisted. In a
crash, you would not have the full width of
the seat belt to distribute impact forces.
The twisted seat belt against your body
could cause injuries.
R Pregnant women should also always use a
lap/shoulder belt. The lap belt portion
should be positioned as low as possible on
the hips to avoid any possible pressure on
the abdomen.
R Place the seat backrest in a position that is
as upright as possible.
R Check your seat belt during travel to make
sure it is properly positioned.
R Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.
R When using a seat belt to secure infant
restraints, toddler restraints, or children in
booster seats, always follow the child seat
manufacturer’s instructions.GWarning!
Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges. They
could tear.
Do not allow the seat belt to get caught in the
door or in the seat adjustment mechanism.
This could damage the seat belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to seat
belts. This could impair the effectiveness of
the seat belts.
Occupant safety49Safety and security164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 49Z

Fastening the seat beltsGWarning!
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front seating
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
appropriately sized infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat recommended for
the size and weight of the child. For additional
information, see “Children in the vehicle”.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
GWarning!
Vehicles with BabySmart™ air bag
deactivation system, Canada only: Children
12 years old and under must never ride in the
front seat, except in a Mercedes-Benz
authorized BabySmart™ compatible child
seat, which operates with the BabySmart™
system installed in the vehicle to deactivate
the front passenger front air bag when it is
installed properly. Otherwise they will be
struck by the air bag when it inflates in a
crash. If this happens, serious or fatal injury
will result.
XWith a smooth motion, pull the seat belt out
of seat belt outlet :.
XPlace the shoulder portion of the seat belt
across the top of your shoulder and the lap
portion across your hips.
XPush latch plate ; into buckle = until it
clicks.
Seat belt adjustment function: The seat
belts on both front seats adjust to the
upper body automatically as necessary
(Y page 51).
XIf necessary, adjust the seat belt to the
correct height (Y page 51).
XIf necessary, tighten the lap portion to a
snug fit by pulling shoulder portion up.
All lap/shoulder belts except the driver’s seat
belt have special seat belt retractors to
secure child restraints properly. For more
information on special seat belt retractors,
see “Infant and child restraint system”
(Y page 56).
To release the seat belt with seat belt release
button ?, see (Y page 51).
50Occupant safetySafety and security
164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 50

Make sure:
R The seat belt is always fitted snugly.
R Adjust the seat belt so that the shoulder
section is located as close as possible to
the middle of the shoulder.
R Place the lap portion of the seat belt as low
as possible on your hips.
Seat and head restraintGObserve Safety notes, see page 81.XPosition seat = and head restraint
properly. See ( Y page 82) for seat and
head restraint adjustment.
Observe the following points:
R Always be in a properly seated position.
R The position should be as far rearward from
the front air bag in the steering wheel as
possible, while still permitting proper
operation of vehicle controls.
R Adjust the seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely.
R The seat must be adjusted so that you can
correctly fasten and position your seat belt.
R The seat backrest must be in a position that
is as nearly upright as possible.
R Adjust the seat cushion so that the front
edge of the seat cushion lightly supports
your legs.
R Adjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible and the
center of the head restraint supports the
back of the head at eye level.
R Never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while the seat is being
adjusted.
Children in the vehicle
Safety notes
If an infant or child is traveling with you in the
vehicle:
XSecure the child using an infant or child
restraint appropriate to the age and size of
the child.XMake sure the infant or child is properly
secured at all times while the vehicle is in
motion.GWarning!
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch. Always
take the SmartKey with you and lock the
vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. The children
could
R injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
R be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or cold
R injure themselves or cause an accident with
vehicle equipment that can be operated
even if the SmartKey is removed from the
starter switch or removed from the vehicle,
such as seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment, or the memory function
If children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system’s
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned by these
parts.
GWarning!
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger or cargo compartment unless they
are firmly secured in place.
Occupant safety55Safety and security164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 55Z

Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child’s risk of injury in the event
of
R strong braking maneuvers
R sudden changes of direction
R an accident
Infant and child restraint systemsGObserve Safety notes, see page 55.
We recommend all infants and children be
properly restrained at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
Canada only:
Only use a BabySmart™ compatible child
restraint for the front passenger seat in this
vehicle.
All lap/shoulder belts except the driver’s seat
belt have special seat belt retractors for
secure fastening of child restraints.
To fasten a child restraint, follow the child
restraint manufacturer’s instructions for
mounting.
To activate the special seat belt retractor:
XPull the shoulder belt out completely and
let it retract.
During seat belt retraction, a ratcheting
sound can be heard to indicate that the
special seat belt retractor is activated.
The seat belt is now locked.XPush down on child restraint to take up any
slack.
To deactivate the special seat belt retractor:
XRelease the seat belt buckle and let the
seat belt retract completely.
The seat belt can then again be used in the
usual manner.
To deactivate the special seat belt retractor
for the front passenger seat, the front
passenger seat must be in the most backward
position.
GWarning!
Never release the seat belt buckle while the
vehicle is in motion, since the special seat belt
retractor will be deactivated.
i Information on child seats with mounting
fittings for tether anchorages
( Y page 58).
For information on LATCH-type child seat
anchors ( Y page 59).
The use of infant or child restraints is required
by law in all 50 states, the District of
Columbia, the U.S. territories and all
Canadian provinces.
Infants and small children should be seated
in an appropriate infant or child restraint
system. They must be properly secured in
accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions for the child restraint. All infant
or child restraint systems must comply with
U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 225 and Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards 213 and 210.2.
A statement by the child restraint
manufacturer of compliance with these
standards can be found on the instruction
label on the restraint and in the instruction
manual provided with the restraint.
When using any infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat, make sure to
carefully read and follow all manufacturer’s
instructions for installation and use.
Please read and observe warning labels
affixed to the inside of the vehicle and to
infant or child restraints.
GWarning!
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front seating
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
56Occupant safetySafety and security
164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 56

infant restraint, toddler restraint, or booster
seat 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.
Occupants, especially children, should always
sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Children 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
passenger seat:
R USA only: Your vehicle is equipped with air
bag technology designed to deactivate 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 appropriate
child restraint on the front passenger seat.
R USA only: For children larger than the
typical 12-month-old child, the front
passenger front air bag may or may not be
activated. Always make sure the
42 indicator lamp is
illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
R Canada only: Children 12 years old and
under must never ride in the front seat,
except in a Mercedes-Benz authorized
BabySmart™ compatible child seat, which
operates with the BabySmart™ system
installed in the vehicle to deactivate the
front passenger front air bag when it is
installed properly. Otherwise they will be
struck by the air bag when it inflates in a
crash. If this happens, serious or fatal injury
will result.R A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat will be seriously
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-facing child restraint
in the front seat. We therefore strongly
recommend that you always place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint in a backseat.
R If you must install a rear-facing child
restraint on the front passenger seat
because circumstances require you to do
so, make sure the 42
indicator lamp is illuminated, indicating
that the front passenger front air bag is
deactivated. Should the 42
indicator lamp not illuminate or go out while
the restraint is installed, please check
installation. Periodically check the
42 indicator lamp while
driving to make sure the 42
indicator lamp is illuminated. If the
42 indicator 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 seriously
injured or even killed if the front passenger
front air bag inflates.
R 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.GWarning!
Infants and small children should never share
a seat belt with another occupant. During an
Occupant safety57Safety and security164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 57Z

accident, they could be crushed between the
occupant and seat belt.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
Children too big for a toddler restraint must
ride in seats using regular seat belts. Position
shoulder belt across chest and shoulder, not
face or neck. A booster seat may be
necessary to achieve proper seat belt
positioning for children over 41 lb (18 kg) until
they reach a height where a lap/shoulder belt
fits properly without a booster.
When the child restraint is not in use, remove
it from the vehicle or secure it with the seat
belt to prevent the child restraint from
becoming a projectile in the event of an
accident.
Installation of infant and child restraint
systems
GObserve Safety notes, see page 55.GWarning!
Always lock the seat backrests in their upright
position when the rear seats are occupied by
passengers. Lock the seat backrests in their
upright position after installing top tether
straps or when the extended cargo
compartment is not in use. Make sure that
seat backrests are secured properly by
pushing and pulling on the seat backrests. If
a seat backrest is not locked properly, the
seat backrest could fold. The child seat would
no longer be supported properly or positioned
to provide its intended benefit. That could
cause serious or even fatal injuries.
This vehicle is equipped with tether
anchorages for a top tether strap at each of
the rear seating positions.
Top tether straps enable an additional
connection to be made between child
restraint systems secured with LATCH-type
anchors and rear seats. This can further
reduce the risk of injury.
XPress in lower part of anchorage ring
cover : on the seat backrest on which a
child seat is to be installed.
XPull on upper part of anchorage ring
cover : to remove cover.
XStore anchorage ring cover : in a
convenient place (e.g. glove box).
XMove the respective head restraint to its
uppermost position (Y page 84).
58Occupant safetySafety and security
164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 58

XGuide top tether strap ? between the
head restraint and top of the seat backrest.
XSecurely fasten hook =, which is part of
top tether strap ?, to anchorage ring ;.
Make sure
Rhook = is attached to anchorage ring ;
beyond the safety catch, as illustrated
Rtop tether strap ? is not twisted
Rthe head restraint is installed and
positioned such that top tether strap ?
can pass freely between the head restraint
and top of the seat backrest
Rtop tether strap ? is positioned between
the seat backrest and the cargo
compartment cover blind (if installed)
Rtop tether strap ? is positioned between
the seat backrest and the cargo net (if
installed)
XLower the head restraint if necessary
(Y page 84).
Make sure the top tether strap can pass
freely between the head restraint and top
of the seat backrest.
XInstall the child restraint system and
tighten the top tether strap according to
the child restraint manufacturer’s
instructions.
After removing the child restraint system and
top tether strap ?:
XReinstall anchorage ring cover :.
Child seat anchors – LATCH-type
GObserve Safety notes, see page 55.GWarning!
Children too big for a toddler restraint must
ride in seats using regular seat belts. Position
shoulder belt across chest and shoulder, not
face or neck.
A booster seat may be necessary to achieve
proper seat belt positioning for children over
41 lb (18 kg) until they reach a height where
a lap/shoulder belt fits properly without a
booster.
Install child seat according to manufacturer’s
instructions.
The child seat must be firmly attached to both
anchors.
An incorrectly mounted child seat may come
loose during an accident which could result in
serious injury or death to the child.
Damaged or impact damaged child seats or
child seat mounting fittings must be replaced.
Each rear outer seat has two LATCH-type
anchors for the installation of a LATCH-type
child seat with matching mounting fittings.
Non-LATCH-type child seats may also be used
and can be installed using the vehicle’s seat
belt system. Install child seat according to the
manufacturer’s instructions.
The LATCH-type anchors are blended with
covers.
XRemove anchorage ring covers : from
anchors ; of the seat on which a child seat
is to be installed.
Occupant safety59Safety and security164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 59Z

iIf you now press the KEYLESS-GO start/
stop button
R once more, the ignition (position 2) is
switched on
R twice more the power supply is again
switched off
Ignition (or position 2) XPress the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
twice.
This supplies power for all electrical
consumers.
All lamps (except low-beam headlamp
indicator lamp, high-beam headlamp
indicator lamp, and turn signal indicator
lamps unless activated) in the instrument
cluster come on. If a lamp in the instrument
cluster fails to come on when the ignition
is switched on, have it checked and
replaced if necessary. If a lamp in the
instrument cluster remains on after
starting the engine or comes on while
driving, refer to “Lamps in instrument
cluster” ( Y page 297).
i
If you now press the KEYLESS-GO start/
stop button once, the power supply is again
switched off.
Seats
Safety notes
GWarning!
In order to avoid possible loss of vehicle
control the following must be done before the
vehicle is put into motion:
R seat adjustment
R head restraint adjustment
R steering wheel adjustment
R rear view mirror adjustment
R fastening of seat belts
GWarning!
Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide under
the seat belt in a collision. If you slide under
it, the seat belt would apply force at the
abdomen or neck. That could cause serious
or fatal injuries. The seat backrest and seat
belts provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in a position that is as upright as
possible and seat belts are properly
positioned on the body.
GWarning!
Your seat must be adjusted so that you can
correctly fasten your seat belt.
Observe the following points:
R Adjust the seat backrest until your arms are
slightly angled when holding the steering
wheel.
R Adjust the seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely. The
position should be as far back as possible
with the driver still able to operate the
controls properly.
R Adjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible. The center of
the head restraint must support the back of
the head at eye level.
R Never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being
adjusted.
Failure to do so could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
GWarning!
The power seats can be operated at any time.
Therefore, do not leave children unattended
in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. A child’s unsupervised access to a
Seats81Controls in detail164_AKB; 7; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:07:36+02:00 - Seite 81Z