Mercedes-Benz 2013 S-CLASS, Owner'S Manual, Page: 53 / 493

perform its intended protective function if it
is not fastened correctly. Also, an improperly
fastened seat belt can cause additional inju-
ries in the event of an accident, sudden brak-
ing or abrupt changes of direction. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Secure persons less than 1.50 m tall in a suit-
able restraint system.
If a child younger than 12 years old and under
1.50 m in height is travelling in the vehicle:
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always secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for this Mercedes-Benz
vehicle. The child restraint system must be
appropriate to the age, weight and size of
the child
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always observe the instructions and safety
notes on the belt bags for the outer seat
belts in the rear compartment
(
Y
page 51)
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be sure to observe the instructions and
safety notes in "Children in the vehicle" in
this Owner's Manual (
Y
page 60) in addi-
tion to the child restraint system manufac-
turer's installation instructions.
G WARNING
Seat belts cannot protect as intended, if:
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they are damaged, have been modified, are
extremely dirty, bleached or dyed
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the seat belt buckle is damaged or
extremely dirty
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modifications have been made to the belt
tensioners, belt anchorages or inertia reels
Damage caused to safety belts in an accident
may not be visible, e.g. by splinters of glass.
Modified or damaged seat belts can tear or
fail, for example in the event of an accident.
Modified seat belt tensioners may be
deployed unintentionally or fail to be deployed
when required. There is an increased risk of
injury, possibly even fatal.
Never modify safety belts, seat belt tension-
ers, seat belt anchorages and inertia reels.
Ensure that seat belts are not damaged or
worn and are clean. After an accident, have
the seat belts checked immediately at a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
use seat belts which have been approved
specifically for your vehicle by Mercedes-
Benz.
Correct use of the seat belt
Pay attention to the safety notes about the
seat belt (
Y
page 49).
All vehicle occupants must fasten their seat
belts correctly before you start driving. You
must also make sure that all vehicle occu-
pants have their seat belts correctly fastened
at all times during the journey.
When fastening your seat belt, always make
sure that:
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the seat belt tongue is only inserted into the
belt buckle that belongs to the seat.
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the seat belt is pulled tight across your
body.
Avoid wearing bulky clothing, e.g. a winter
coat.
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the seat belt is not twisted.
Only then can the forces which occur be
distributed over the area of the belt.
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the shoulder section of the belt is routed
across the centre of your shoulder.
The shoulder section of the belt must not
come into contact with your neck or be
routed under your arm. Where possible,
adjust the seat belt to the appropriate
height.
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the lap belt must be taut and pass across
your lap as low down as possible.
The lap belt must always be routed across
your hip joints and not across your abdo-
men. Pregnant women must take particular
care with this. If necessary, push the lap
belt down to your hip joint and pull it tight
using the shoulder section of the belt.
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the seat belt is not routed over sharp, poin-
ted or fragile objects.
50
Seat belts
Saf
ety