Mercedes-Benz 320 SE, Operator'S Manual

Page: 52 / 157

52
Emergency Tensioning
Retractor (ETR)
The seat belts for the front seats are
equipped with emergency tensioning
retractors. These tensioning retractors
are located in each belt's inertia reel
and become operationally ready with
the key in steering lock position 1 or 2.
The emergency tensioning retractors
are designed to activate only when the
seat belts are fastened during frontal
and front-angled impacts exceeding
the first threshold of the SRS. They re-
move slack from the belts in such a
way that the seat belts fit more snugly
against the body restricting its forward
movement as much as possible.
In cases of other frontal impacts, roll-
overs, certain side impacts, rear
collisions, or other accidents without
frontal forces, the emergency tensioning
retractors will not be activated. The
driver and passengers will then be
protected by the fastened seat belts and
inertia reel in the usual manner.
For seat belt and emergency tensioning
retractor safety guidelines see
Safety
Guidelines in Index.