protective function. Furthermore, an incor-
rectly worn seat belt can cause additional
injuries, e.g. in the event of an accident, heavy
braking or sudden changes of direction. There
is an increased risk of injury, possibly even
fatal.
Always secure persons less than 1.50 m tall in
additional suitable restraint systems.
If a child younger than twelve years old and
under 1.50 m in height is travelling in the vehi-
cle:
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always 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.
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always observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Automatic front-passenger
front airbag deactivation system"
(
Y
page 50)
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always observe the instructions and safety
notes on "Children in the vehicle"
(
Y
page 57) in addition to the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation and oper-
ating 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
Seat belts may sustain non-visible damage in
an accident, e.g. due to glass splinters. Modi-
fied or damaged seat belts can tear or fail, for
example in the event of an accident. Modified
seat belt tensioners may be deployed unin-
tentionally or not function as intended. There
is an increased risk of injury, possibly even
fatal.
Never modify seat belts, seat belt tensioners,
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 qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only use
seat belts which have been approved specifi-
cally for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz. Other-
wise, your vehicle's general operating permit
could be invalidated.
Correct seat belt use
Pay attention to the safety notes about the seat
belt (
Y
page 44).
All vehicle occupants must fasten their seat
belts correctly before you start driving. You
must also make sure that all vehicle occupants
have fastened their seat belts correctly during
the journey.
When fastening your seat belt, always make
sure that:
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the seat belt tongue is inserted into the belt
buckle that belongs to the seat.
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the seat belt is tightened 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 dis-
tributed over the area of the belt.
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the shoulder section of the belt is always
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. Adjust the seat belt to the
appropriate height as necessary.
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The lap belt must be taut and as low as pos-
sible over your lap.
The lap belt must always be routed across
your hip joints and not across your abdomen.
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, pointed
or fragile objects.
If such objects are located on or in your cloth-
ing, e.g. pens, keys, spectacles, etc. stow
these in a suitable location.
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Only one person should use each seat belt at
any one time.
Babies and children must never travel sitting
on the lap of another vehicle occupant. In the
Occupant safety
45
Saf
ety
Z
