seat belts MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class SEDAN 2016 W222 Owner's Manual

Anti-Theft Alarm systemsee ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
Arm rest
St owage compartment .................. 327
Asht ray.............................................. .334
Assistance display (on-board com-
puter) ..................................................2 68
Assistance menu (on-board com-
puter) ..................................................2 69
ASSYST PLUS
Displaying a service message ........3 58
Hiding a service message .............. 358
Resetting the service interval dis-
play ................................................ 358
Service message ............................ 357
Special service requirements ......... 358
ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
Activating/deactivating ................... 78
Function ...........................................7 8
Switching off the alarm .................... 78
ATTENTION ASSIST
Activating/deactivating ................. 271
Display message ............................ 299
Function/notes ............................. 228
Authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
see Qualified specialist workshop
Authorized workshop
see Qualified specialist workshop
AUTO lights
Display message ............................ 293
see Lights
Automatic car wash (care) ............... 359
Automatic engine start (ECO start/
stop function) .................................... 167
Automatic engine switch-off (ECO
start/stop function) .......................... 166
Automatic headlamp mode .............. 130
Automatic transmission
Accelerator pedal position ............. 173
Automatic drive program ............... 174
Changing gear ............................... 173
DIRECT SELECT lever ..................... 170
Display message ............................ 308
Driving tips .................................... 173
Emergency running mode .............. 177
Engaging drive pos itio
n .................. 171
Engaging neutral ............................ 171 Engaging park position automati-
cally ............................................... 170
Engaging reverse gear ................... 171
Engaging the park position ............ 170
Kickdown ....................................... 173
Manual drive program .................... 174
Manual drive program (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles) ................................ 175
Oil temperature (on-board com-
puter, Mercedes-AMG vehicles) ..... 275
Overview ........................................ 170
Problem (malfunction) ................... 177
Program selector button ................ 173
Pulling away ................................... 165
Starting the engine ........................ 164
Steering wheel paddle shifters ...... 174
Transmission position display ........ 172
Transmission positions .................. 172
Automatic transmission emer-
gency mode ....................................... 177
B
BAS (Brake Assist System) ................. 69
BAS PLUS (Brake Assist System
PLUS) with Cross-Traffic Assist
Function/notes ................................ 69
BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist
(Brake Assist PLUS with Cross-
Traffic Assist)
Important safety notes .................... 69
Battery (high-voltage)
see High-voltage battery
Battery (SmartKey)
Checking .......................................... 82
Important safety notes .................... 82
Replacing ......................................... 82
Battery (vehicle)
Charging ........................................ 374
Display message ............................ 295
Important safety notes .................. 372
Jump starting ................................. 376
Belt
see Seat belts
Belt bag ................................................ 48
Blind Spot Assist
see Active Blind Spot Assist
4Index

Refuelingprocess (PLUG-IN
HYBRID vehicles) .......................... .178
see Fuel
Remote control
Garage door opener ....................... 347
Programming (garage door
opener) .......................................... 348
Replacing bulbs
General notes ................................ 135
Reporting safety defects .................... 29
Rescue card ......................................... 29
Reserve (fuel tank)
see Fuel
Reserve fuel
Display message ............................ 296
Warning lamp ................................. 320
Residual heat (climate control) ........ 152
Restraint system
Display message ............................ 287
Introduction ..................................... 44
Warning lamp ................................. 319
Warning lamp (function) ................... 45
Reversing feature
Panorama sliding sunroof ................ 98
Roller sunblinds ............................... 99
Side windows ................................... 94
Trunk lid ........................................... 89
Reversing lamps (display mes-
sage) ................................................... 292
ROAD SURFACE SCAN ....................... 211
Roadside Assistance (breakdown) .... 26
Roller sunblind
Panorama roof with power tilt/
sliding panel ..................................... 99
Rear side windows ......................... 333
Rear window .................................. 334
Roller sunblind of the panorama
roof with power tilt/sliding panel
Operating (front roller sunblind) .... 100
Operating (rear roller sunblind) ...... 100
Roof carrier ........................................ 330
Roof lining and carpets (cleaning
guidelines) ......................................... 366
Roof load (maximum) ........................ 433S
Safety
Children in the vehicle ..................... 61
Hybrid drive system ......................... 42
see Occupant safety
see Operating safety
Safety notes
Hybrid vehicles ................................ 42
Safety system
see Driving safety systems
SD memory card
Selecting ........................................ 266
Seat
Adjusting the front-passenger
seat from the driver's seat ............. 108
Multicontour seat in the rear com-
partment ........................................ 117
Seat belt buckle extender
Display message ............................ 285
Seat belt extender
Function/notes ................................ 49
Seat belts
Adjusting the driver's and front-
passenger seat belt ......................... 50
Adjusting the height ......................... 49
Cleaning ......................................... 366
Correct usage .................................. 48
Fastening ......................................... 49
Important safety guidelines ............. 47
Introduction ..................................... 46
Releasing ......................................... 50
Seat belt extender ........................... 49
Warning lamp ................................. 313
Warning lamp (function) ................... 50
Seating
Seating comfort package ............... 117
Seating comfort package ................. 117
Seats
Active multicontour seat ................ 117
Adjusting (electrically) ................... 106
Adjusting (rear compartment) ........ 107
Adjusting the 4-way lumbar sup-
port ................................................ 118
Adjusting the head restraint .......... 114
Calling up a stored setting (mem-
ory function) .................................. 127
Chauffeur mode ............................. 111
Index17

Warning and indicator lamps
FunctionPage
:!ABS316
;åESP®OFF317
÷ESP®317
=#Turn signal, left131
?LLow-beam headlamps131
AKHigh-beam headlamps132
BTParking lamps, license
plate and instrument cluster
lighting
131
C! Turn signal, right131
D·Distance warning322
E!Electric parking brake
(yellow)319
FunctionPage
FElectric parking brake (red)319
F USA only
!Canada only
G;Engine diagnostics320
HÐ Power steering324
IBrakes (red)315
$USA only
JCanada only
JéRBS (Recuperative
Brake System)315
Kü Seat belts313
L6Restraint system45
MhTire pressure monitor323
iInformation on additional indicator and
warning lamps for PLUG-IN vehicles can be
found in the "PLUG-IN HYBRID operation"
section (
Ypage 242).
34Instrument cluster
At a glance

PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamp
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp:and
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp ;are
part of the Occupant Classification System
(OCS).
The indicator lamps display the status of the
front-passenger front air bag.
RPASSENGER AIR BAG ON lights up: the front-
passenger front air bag is enabled. If, in the
event of an accident, all deployment criteria
are met, the front-passenger front air bag is
deployed.
RPASSENGER AIR BAG OFF lights up: the front-
passenger front air bag is deactivated. It will
then not be deployed in the event of an acci-
dent.
Depending on the person in the front-passenger
seat, the front-passenger front air bag must
either be deactivated or enabled; see the fol-
lowing points. You must make sure of this both
before and during a journey.
RChildren in a child restraint system:
whether the front-passenger front air bag is
enabled or deactivated depends on the instal-
led child restraint system, and the age and
size of the child. Therefore, be sure to observe
the notes on the "Occupant Classification
System (OCS)" (
Ypage 53) and on "Chil-
dren in the vehicle" (Ypage 61). There you
will also find instructions on rearward and
forward-facing child restraint systems on the
front-passenger seat.
RAll other persons: depending on the classi-
fication of the person in the front-passenger
seat, the front-passenger front air bag is ena-
bled or deactivated (
Ypage 53). Be sure to
observe the notes on "Seat
belts“ (
Ypage 46) and "Air bags"
(Ypage 50). There you can also find infor-
mation on the correct seat position.
Seat belts
Introduction
Seat belts are the most effective means of
restricting the movement of vehicle occupants
in the event of an accident or the vehicle rolling over. This reduces the risk of vehicle occupants
coming into contact with parts of the vehicle
interior or being ejected from the vehicle. Fur-
thermore, the seat belt helps to keep the vehicle
occupant in the best position in relation to the
air bag.
The seat belt system comprises:
RSeat belts
REmergency Tensioning Devices for the front
seat belts and the outer seat belts in the rear
RSeat belt force limiters for the front seat belts
and the outer seat belts in the rear
RBelt bags for the outer seat belts in the rear,
depending on the vehicle's equipment
If the seat belt is pulled out of the belt outlet
quickly or with a jerky movement, the belt
retractor locks. The belt strap cannot be extrac-
ted any further.
The Emergency Tensioning Device tightens the
seat belt in an accident, pulling the belt close
against the body. However it does not pull the
vehicle occupant back in the direction of the
backrest.
The Emergency Tensioning Device does not cor- rect an incorrect seat position or the routing of
an incorrectly fastened seat belt.
When triggered, a seat belt force limiter helps to
reduce the force exerted by the seat belt on the
vehicle occupant.
The seat belt force limiters for the front seats are
synchronized with the front air bags, which
absorb part of the deceleration force. This can
reduce the force exerted on the vehicle occu-
pants during an accident.
!If the front-passenger seat is unoccupied,
do not insert the belt tongue into the buckle of
the front-passenger seat. This may otherwise
lead to the triggering of the Emergency Ten-
sioning Device in the event of an accident,
which will then need to be replaced.
46Occupant safety
Safety

Important safety notes
The use of seat beltsand child restrain tsystems
is require dby law in:
Rall 50 state s
RtheU.S. territories
Rth eDistric tof Columbia
Rall Canadian province s
Even wher ethis is no trequire dby law, all vehicl e
occupant sshould correctl yfaste ntheir seat
belt sbefore starting th ejourney.
GWARNIN G
If th eseat belt is incorrectl yfastened, it can -
no tprotect as intended. Furthermore ,an
incorrectl yfastene dseat belt can caus eaddi-
tional injury, for example, in an accident, dur-
ing braking or when abruptl ychanging direc-
tion .This poses an increased ris kof injury or
eve nfatal injury.
Mak esur ethat all vehicl eoccupant sare
seated properly wit h acorrectl yfastene dseat
belt .
GWARNIN G
The seat belt does no toffer th eintended level
of protection if you have no tmoved th eback-
res tto an almost vertical position .When brak -
ing or in th eevent of an accident, you could
slide underneat hth eseat belt and sustain
abdomen or neck injuries, for example. This
poses an increased ris kof injury or eve nfatal
injury.
Adjus tth eseat properly before beginning
your journey. Always ensur ethat th ebackrest
is in an almost vertical position and that th e
shoulder section of your seat belt is routed
across th ecenter of your shoulder .
GWARNING
Objects next to th efron tseat that bloc kth e
belt buckle or th emoving belt anchorage on
th efron tseat impair th efunction of th eEmer-
gency Tensioning Devices. The Emergency
Tensioning Devices may no tfunction as inten -
ded and th eseat belt may no longer provide
th eintended protection .This poses an
increased ris kof injury or eve nfatal injury.
Before starting th ejourney, mak esur ethat
there are no objects aroun dth ebelt buckle or
between th efron tseat and door .
GWARNING
Person sunder 5ft (1.50 m) in height canno t
faste nth eseat belt correctl ywithout an addi-
tional suitable restrain tsystem. If th eseat
belt is incorrectl yfastened, it canno tprotect
as intended. Furthermore ,an incorrectl yfas -
tene dseat belt can caus eadditional injury, for
example, in an accident, during braking or an
abrup tchang eof direction .This poses an
increased ris kof injury or eve nfatal injury.
Fo rthis reason ,always secure person sunder
5 ft (1.50 m) in height in suitable restrain t
systems .
If achild younger than twelve years old and
under 5ft (1.5 0m) in height is traveling in the
vehicle:
Ralways 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
Ralways observe the instructions and safety
notes on the belt bags for the outer seat belts
in the rear (
Ypage 48)
Ralways observe the instructions and safety
notes on "Children in the vehicle"
(
Ypage 61) in addition to the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation and oper-
ating instructions
Rbe sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant classification system
(OCS)" (
Ypage 53)
GWARNING
The seat belts may not perform their intended protective function if:
Rthey are damaged, modified, extremely
dirty, bleach or dyed
Rthe seat belt buckle is damaged or
extremely dirty
Rthe Emergency Tensioning Devices, belt
anchorages or inertia reels have been modi-
fied
Occupant safety47
Safety
Z

Seat belts may sustain non-visible damage inan accident, e.g. due to glass splinters. Modi-
fied or damaged seat belts may tear or fail,
e.g. in an accident. Modified Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices could accidentally trigger or
fail to deploy when necessary. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Never modify the seat belts, Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices, belt anchorages or inertia
reels. Make sure that the seat belts are
undamaged, not worn out and clean. Follow-
ing an accident, have the seat belts checked
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Only use seat belts that have been approved for
your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
Proper use of the seat belts
Pay attention to the safety notes about the seat
belt (Ypage 47).
All vehicle occupants must fasten the seat belt
correctly before setting off. Make sure that all
occupants are wearing their seat belts correctly
for the entire journey.
When fastening the seat belt, make sure that:
RThe seat belt tongue is inserted into the belt
buckle that belongs to the seat.
RThe seat belt is tightened across your body.
Avoid wearing bulky clothing, e.g. a winter
coat.
RThe seat belt is not twisted.
Only then can the forces produced in the
event of an accident be evenly distributed
across the belt.
RThe shoulder section of the belt must always
be routed across the center of the shoulder.
The shoulder section of the belt should not
come into contact with your neck and must
not be routed under the arm. Where possible,
adjust the seat belt to the appropriate height.
RThe lap belt must be taut and as low as pos-
sible over your lap.
The lap belt must always pass across your hip
joints and never across your stomach or
abdomen. Pregnant women must take partic-
ular care. If necessary, the lap belt can be
pushed down across the hip joints and pulled
tight using the shoulder section.
RThe seat belt is not routed over sharp, pointed
or fragile objects.
If these item s a
re on or in your clothing, e.g.
eyeglasses, pens, keys, etc., stow these items
in a more suitable location.
ROnly one person should use each seat belt at
any one time.
On no account should babies or children
travel sitting on the lap of another vehicle
occupant. During an accident, they could be
crushed between the occupant and seat belt.
RObjects are not secured with a seat belt if the
seat belt is being used by one of the vehicle’s
occupants.
Also make sure that there are no objects, e.g.
cushions, between the occupant and the seat.
Seat belts are solely intended for the protection
and restraint of the vehicle occupants. To
secure objects, luggage or loads, always
observe the "Loading guidelines" (
Ypage 325).
Rear beltbags
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 50).
Depending on the vehicle's equipment, the
outer rear seat belts are equipped with a belt
bag. This can be seen from the BELTBAG iden-
tification on the rear seat belt.
GWARNING
In an accident, the belt bag may damage a
non-approved child restraint system. As a
result, the child restraint system may not be
able to provide the intended level of protec-
tion. This poses an increased risk of injury or
even fatal injury.
For this reason, a child restraint system with
an integrated seat belt should always be
installed using LATCH-type (ISOFIX). In a vehi- cle with optional belt bags for the rear seats,
you should only ever use a booster seat with
integrated backrest that has been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz in conjunction
with a belt bag. Never use a seat belt equipped
with a belt bag to secure a forward or rear-
ward-facing child restraint system or a boos-
ter seat that has not been approved. For infor-
mation on approved child restraint systems,
48Occupant safety
Safety

please contact an authorized Mercedes-BenzCenter.
Further information on child restraint systems
(
Ypage 61).
When triggered, belt bags :open, increasing
the protected area of the occupants' ribcages.
The belt bags are triggered depending on the
type and severity of the accident.
Fastening and adjusting the seat belts
Observe the safety notes on the seat belt
(Ypage 47) and the notes on correct use of seat
belts (Ypage 48).
Basic illustration
XAdjust the seat (Ypage 104).
The seat backrest must be in an almost ver-
tical position.
XPull the seat belt smoothly from the belt out- let.
The seat belt on the driver’s seat and the
front-passenger seat may be tightened auto-
matically, see "Belt adjustment"
(
Ypage 50).
XIf necessary, pull upwards on the shoulder
section of the seat belt to tighten the belt
across your body.
The shoulder section of the seat belt must
always be routed across the center of the shoul-
der. Adjust the belt outlet if necessary.
XTo raise: slide the belt outlet upwards.
The belt outlet will engage in various posi-
tions.
XTo lower: hold belt outlet release =and slide
belt outlet downwards.
XLet go of belt outlet release =in the desired
position and make sure that the belt outlet
engages.
All seat belts except the driver's seat belt are
equipped with a special seat belt retractor to
securely fasten child restraint systems in the
vehicle. Further information can be found under
"Special seat belt retractor" (
Ypage 62).
Rear seat belt buckle extenders
The seat belt extender is an integral part of the
PRE-SAFE®convenience function. It is used on
the outer rear seats.
Always ensure that it is possible to move the belt
buckle freely. Always stow objects in the vehicle
correctly.
To assist you in finding the seat belt buckle and
fastening the seat belt:
Rthe belt buckle moves forwards to a conven-
ient position
Rthe belt buckle is illuminated
After the seat belt is fastened, the belt buckle
returns to its normal position. The seat belt then
lies tight across the lap and thorax areas.
Incorporation into the PRE-SAFE
®system:
the belt buckle is lowered quickly in certain haz-
ardous situations. This pre-tensions the seat
belt.
Incorporation into the automatic measures
after the accident: in this situation, the belt
Occupant safety49
Safety
Z

buckle is illuminated and extended after a rear
door is opened.
Releasing seat belts
!Make sure that the seat belt is fully rolled up.
Otherwise, the seat belt or belt tongue will be
trapped in the door or in the seat mechanism.
This could damage the door, the door trim
panel and the seat belt. Damaged seat belts
can no longer fulfill their protective function
and must be replaced. Visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
XPress the release button in the belt buckle,
hold the belt tongue firmly and guide the belt
back.
Seat belt adjustment
The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE®convenience function. This func-
tion adjusts the driver's and front-passenger
seat belt to the upper body of the occupants.
The belt strap is tightened slightly when:
Rthe belt tongue is engaged in the buckle and
Rthe ignition is switched on
The seat-belt adjustment will apply a certain
retraction force if any slack is detected between
the vehicle occupant and the seat belt. Do not
hold on to the seat belt tightly while it is adjust-
ing.
You can switch the seat-belt adjustment on and
off using the multimedia system. Information on
activating and deactivating the seat-belt adjust-
ment function can be found in the Digital Oper-
ator's Manual.
Belt warning for the driver and front
passenger
The 7 seat belt warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster is a reminder that all vehicle occu-
pants must wear their seat belts. It may light up
continuously or flash. In addition, there may be
a warning tone.
Regardless of whether the driver's seat belt has
already been fastened, the 7seat belt warn-
ing lamp lights up for six seconds each time the
engine is started. If, after six seconds, the driver
or front-passenger seat belt has not been fas-
tened and the doors are closed, the 7seat
belt warning lamp lights up. As soon as the driv- er's and front-passenger seat belts are fastened or a front door is opened again, the
7seat
belt warning lamp goes out.
If the driver's seat belt is not fastened after the
engine is started, an additional warning tone will
sound. The warning tone switches off after six
seconds or once the driver's seat belt is fas-
tened.
If the vehicle's speed exceeds 15 mph
(25 km/h) once and the driver's and front-
passenger seat belts are not fastened, a warning
tone sounds. A warning tone also sounds with
increasing intensity for 60 seconds or until the
driver or front passenger have fastened their
seat belts.
If the driver or front passenger unfasten their
seat belts during the journey, the seat belt warn-
ing is activated again.
Air bags
Introduction
The air bag installation point is identified by the
label AIR BAG.
An air bag supplements a correctly fastened
seat belt. However, it is not intended as a sub-
stitute for the seat belt. Air bags provide addi-
tional protection in the event of an accident.
Not all air bags are deployed in an accident. The
various air bag systems work independently of
each other (
Ypage 57).
There is, however, no system available today
that can completely rule out injury or death.
It is also not possible to rule out a risk of injury
caused by an air bag due to the high speed at
which the air bag must be deployed.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you do not sit in the correct seat position,
the air bag cannot protect as intended and
could even cause additional injury when
deployed. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
50Occupant safety
Safety

To avoid hazardous situations, always make
sure that all of the vehicle's occupants:
Rhave fastened their seat belts correctly,
including pregnant women
Rare sitting correctly and maintain the great-
est possible distance to the air bags
Rfollow the following instructions
Always make sure that there are no objects
between the air bag and the vehicle's occu-
pants.
RAdjust the seats properly before beginning
your journey. Always make sure that the seat
is in an almost upright position. The center of
the head restraint must support the head at
about eye level.
RMove 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.
ROnly hold the steering wheel on the outside.
This allows the air bag to be fully deployed.
RAlways 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 air bags.
RAlways keep your feet in the footwell in front
of the seat. Do not put your feet on the dash-
board, for example. Your feet may otherwise
be in the deployment area of the air bag.
RFor this reason, always secure persons less
than 5 ft (1.50 m) tall in suitable restraint sys-
tems. Up to this height, the seat belt cannot
be worn correctly.
If a child is traveling in your vehicle, also
observe the following notes:
RAlways secure children under twelve years of
age and less than 5 ft (1.50 m)tall in suitable
child restraint systems.
RChild restraint systems should be installed on
the rear seats.
ROnly secure a child in a rearward-facing child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat
when the front-passenger front air bag is
deactivated. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is permanently lit, the fro nt-
p

assenger front air bag is deactivated
(
Ypage 46).
RAlways observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant Classification System
(OCS)" (
Ypage 53) and on "Children in the vehicle" (
Ypage 61
)in addition to the child
restraint system manufacturer's installation
and operating instructions.
Objects in the vehicle interior may prevent
an air bag from functioning correctly. Before
starting your journey and to avoid risks resulting from the speed of the air bag as it deploys, make
sure that:
Rthere are no people, animals or objects
between the vehicle occupants and an air
bag.
Rthere are no objects between the seat, door
and B-pillar.
Rno hard objects, e.g. coat hangers, hang on
the grab handles or coat hooks.
Rno accessories, such as cup holders, are
attached to the vehicle within the deployment
area of an air bag, e.g. to doors, side windows,
rear side trim or side walls.
Rno heavy, sharp-edged or fragile objects are in
the pockets of your clothing. Store such
objects in a suitable place.
GWARNING
If you modify the air bag cover or affix objects
such as stickers to it, the air bag can no longer
function correctly. There is an increased risk
of injury.
Never modify an air bag cover or affix objects
to it.
GWARNING
Sensors to control the air bags are located in
the doors. Modifications or work not per-
formed correctly to the doors or door panel-
ing, as well as damaged doors, can lead to the
function of the sensors being impaired. The air
bags might therefore not function properly
anymore. Consequently, the air bags cannot
protect vehicle occupants as they are
designed to do. There is an increased risk of
injury.
Never modify the doors or parts of the doors.
Always have work on the doors or door pan-
eling carried out at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Occupant safety51
Safety
Z

tection in an accident. There is an increased
risk of injury.
Have the vehicle towed to a qualified special-
ist workshop in order to have a deployed air
bag replaced.
It is important for your safety and that of your
passenger to have deployed air bags replaced
and to have any malfunctioning air bags
repaired. This will help to make sure the air bags
continue to perform their protective function for
the vehicle occupants in the event of a crash.
GWARNING
Pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning Devices
that have been deployed are no longer opera-
tional and are unable to perform their inten-
ded protective function. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Therefore, have pyrotechnic Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices which have been triggered
immediately replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
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 Emergency Tensioning Devices are triggered
or air bags are deployed, you will hear a bang,
and a small amount of powder may also be
released. The 6restraint system warning
lamp lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your hear-
ing. The powder that is released generally does
not constitute a health hazard, but it may cause
short-term breathing difficulties in people with
asthma or other respiratory problems. Provided
it is safe to do so, you should leave the vehicle
immediately or open the window in order to pre-
vent breathing difficulties.
Air bags and pyrotechnic Emer gency T
ensioning
Devices (ETDs) contain perchlorate material,
which may require special handling and regard
for the environment. National guidelines must
be observed during disposal. In California, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/
Perchlorate/index.cfm.
Method of 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:
Rduration
Rdirection
Rintensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the Emer-
gency Tensioning Devices during a frontal or
rear collision.
An Emergency Tensioning Device can only be
triggered, if:
Rthe ignition is switched on
Rthe components of the restraint system are
operational. You can find further information
under: "Restraint system warning lamp"
(
Ypage 45)
Rthe belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
the respective front-passenger seat
The Emergency Tensioning Devices in the rear
compartment are triggered independently of the
lock status of the seat belts.
Vehicles with belt bags: the belt bags are also
deployed depending on the type and severity of
the accident.
Vehicles with a rear reclining seat: the Emer-
gency Tensioning Device is only triggered if the
belt buckle tongue is engaged in the belt buckle.
If the seat backrest is reclined, the cushion air
bag will also be deployed depending on the type
a

nd severity of the accident.
If the restraint system control unit detects a
more severe accident, further components of
the restraint system are activated independ-
ently of each other in certain frontal collision
situations:
RFront air bags and driver's knee bag
RWindow curtain air bag, if the system deter-
mines that deployment can offer additional
protection to that provided by the seat belt
The front-passenger front air bag is activated or
deactivated depending on the person on the
front-passenger seat. The front-passenger front
air bag can only deploy in an accident if the
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp is lit.
Observe the information on the PASSENGER AIR
BAG indicator lamps (
Ypage 46).
58Occupant safety
Safety