Mercedes-Benz B-Class 2011, Owner'S Manual

Page: 41 / 329

Useful information
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This Owner's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment
available to your vehicle at the time of pub-
lication of the Owner's Manual. Country-
specific deviations are possible. Please
note that your vehicle may not be equipped
with all features described. This also
applies to safety-relevant systems and
functions.
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Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops (
Y
page 22).
Occupant safety
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If service work is not carried out correctly, the
operating safety of your vehicle may be affec-
ted. This could cause you to lose control of
your vehicle and cause an accident. More-
over, the safety systems may no longer be
able to protect you or others as they are
designed to do.
Always have service work carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
G
WARNING
Modifications to or work performed incor-
rectly on the following parts can result in the
restraint systems not functioning as intended:
R
the restraint system, consisting of seat
belts and their anchorage points, belt ten-
sioners, belt force limiters and airbags
R
the wiring
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networked electronic systems
Airbags and belt tensioners could fail to
deploy or be triggered in an accident despite
the deceleration force being sufficient to trig-
ger the systems, or could be triggered unin-
tentionally. For this reason, never make any
modifications to the restraint systems.
Therefore, you must not tamper with elec-
tronic components or their software.
The seat belts, together with SRS (Supple-
mental Restraint System), are complemen-
tary, co-ordinated restraint systems
(
Y
page 39). They reduce the risk of injury
in specific, pre-defined types of accident sit-
uations and thereby increase occupant
safety. However, seat belts and airbags gen-
erally do not protect against objects pene-
trating the vehicle from the outside.
To ensure that the restraint systems can
deliver their full potential protection, make
sure that:
R
the seat and head restraint are adjusted
properly (
Y
page 86).
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the seat belt has been fastened properly
(
Y
page 45).
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the airbags can inflate unrestricted if
deployed (
Y
page 40).
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the steering wheel is adjusted properly
(
Y
page 91).
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the restraint systems have not been modi-
fied.
An airbag increases the protection of vehicle
occupants wearing a seat belt. However, air-
bags are only an additional restraint system
which complements, but does not replace,
the seat belt. All vehicle occupants must wear
their seat belt correctly at all times, even if
the vehicle is equipped with airbags. The air-
bags are not deployed in all types of acci-
dents. For example, if the protective capacity
of correctly fastened seat belts is not
increased by deploying the airbags, the air-
bags will not deploy.
Airbag deployment only provides increased
protection if the seat belt is worn correctly.
The seat belt helps, firstly, to keep the vehicle
occupant in the best position in relation to the
airbag. Secondly, in a head-on collision, for
example, the seat belt prevents the vehicle
occupant from being propelled towards the
point of impact.
38
Occupant safety
Safety