Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2010, Owner'S Manual

Page: 35 / 333

Vehicle equipment
i
This manual describes all the standard
and optional equipment of your vehicle
which was available at the time of pur-
chase. Country-specific differences are
possible. Bear in mind that your vehicle
may not feature all functions described
here.
Occupant safety
Important safety notes
Seat belts, together with belt tensioners, belt
force limiters and airbags, are complemen-
tary, coordinated restraint systems. They
reduce the risk of injury in specific, pre-
defined types of accident situations and
thereby increase occupant safety. However,
seat belts and airbags generally do not pro-
tect against objects penetrating 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 92).
R
the seat belt has been fastened properly
(
Y
page 41)
R
the airbags can inflate unrestricted if
deployed (
Y
page 34)
R
the steering wheel is adjusted properly
(
Y
page 92)
R
the restraint systems have not been modi-
fied.
i
An airbag increases the protection of
vehicle occupants wearing a seat belt. As
such they 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. Airbags are not deployed in all
types of accidents, e.g. in situations where
airbag deployment would not increase the
protection afforded by a correctly worn
seat belt. Airbag deployment only provides
increased protection if the seat belt is worn
correctly, because:
R
the seat belt helps to keep the vehicle
occupant in the best position in relation
to the airbag
R
for example, in a head-on collision, the
seat belt can more adequately prevent
the occupant from being propelled
towards the point of the impact, and is
thus better suited to prevent injury.
Therefore, in accident situations where an
airbag is deployed, it only provides protec-
tion in addition to the seat belt if the seat
belt is being worn correctly.
G
Risk of accident and injury
Always have maintenance work carried out at
a qualified specialist workshop which has the
necessary specialist knowledge and tools to
carry out the work required.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this pur-
pose.
In particular, work relevant to safety or on
safety-related systems must be carried out at
a qualified specialist workshop. If this work is
not carried out correctly, the operating safety
of your vehicle may be affected. There is a risk
of an accident and injury.
G Risk of injury
The restraint system may not work as inten-
ded if the following components have been
modified or work on these components has
not been performed correctly:
R
restraint system, consisting of the seat
belts and anchorages, belt tensioners, belt
force limiters, airbags
R
wiring
R
networked electronic systems
Airbags or belt tensioners could then fail, e.g.
in the event of an accident in which the decel-
eration force would normally be high enough
to trigger the systems, or they could be trig-
32
Occupant safety
Saf
et
y
BA 207 ECE ÄJ 2010/1a; 1; 2, en-GB
mkalafa Version: 3.0.2.11
2010-01-26T13:03:22+01:00 - Seite 32