Important safety notes

Mercedes-Benz E-Class / Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan and Wagon Owners Manual / Safety / Occupant safety / Seat belts / Important safety notes

The use of seat belts and infant and child restraint systems is required by law in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S.

territories and all Canadian provinces.

Even where this is not the case, all vehicle occupants should have their seat belts fastened when the vehicle is in motion.

For further information on infants and children traveling in the vehicle and on infant and child restraint systems, see "Children in the vehicle"

WARNING
Always fasten your seat belt before driving off.

Always make sure all of your passengers are properly restrained. You and your passengers should always wear seat belts.

Failure to wear and properly fasten and position your seat belt greatly increases your risk of injuries and their likely severity in an accident.

If you are ever in an accident, your injuries can be considerably more severe without your seat belt properly buckled. Without your seat belt buckled, you are much more likely to hit the interior of the vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously injured or killed.

In the same crash, the possibility of injury or death is lessened if you are properly wearing your seat belt. The air bags can only protect as intended if the occupants are properly wearing their seat belts.

WARNING
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat backrest in an excessively reclined position as this can be dangerous. You could slide under the seat belt in a collision. If you slide under it, the seat belt would apply force at the abdomen or neck. That could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The seat backrest and seat belt provide the best restraint when the wearer is in a position that is as upright as possible and the seat belt is properly positioned on the body.

WARNING
Never let more people ride in the vehicle than there are seat belts available. Make sure everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly restrained with a separate seat belt. Never use a seat belt for more than one person at a time.

WARNING
Damaged seat belts or seat belts that have been subjected to stress in an accident must be replaced and their anchoring points must also be checked.

Only use seat belts which have been approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Do not make any modifications to the seat belts. This can lead to unintended activation of the ETDs or to their failure to activate when necessary.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may severely weaken them. In a crash they may not be able to provide adequate protection.
Have all work carried out only by qualified technicians. Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

Correct use of the seat belts

WARNING
USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY

- Seat belts can only work when used properly. Never wear seat belts in any other way than as described in this section, as that could result in serious injuries in the event of an accident.

- Each occupant should wear their seat belt at all times, because seat belts help reduce the likelihood of and potential severity of injuries in accidents, including rollovers.

The integrated restraint system includes SRS (driver front air bag, driver's side knee bag, front-passenger front air bag, side impact air bags, pelvis air bags, window curtain air bags for the side windows), Emergency Tensioning Devices, seat belt force limiters, and front seat knee bolsters.

The system is designed to enhance the protection offered to properly belted occupants in certain frontal (front air bags, driver's side knee bag and ETDs) and side (side impact air bags, window curtain air bags, and ETDs) impacts which exceed preset deployment thresholds and in certain rollovers (window curtain air bags and ETDs).

- Never wear the shoulder belt under your arm, across your neck or off your shoulder.

In a frontal crash, your body would move too far forward. That would increase the chance of head and neck injuries. The seat belt would also apply too much force to the ribs or abdomen, which could severely injure internal organs such as your liver or spleen.

Adjust the seat belt so that the shoulder section is located as close as possible to the middle of the shoulder. It should not touch the neck. Never pass the shoulder portion of the seat belt under your arm. For this purpose, you can adjust the height of the seat belt outlet.

- Position the lap belt as low as possible on your hips and not across the abdomen. If the lap belt is positioned across your abdomen, it could cause serious injuries in a crash.
- Never wear seat belts over rigid or breakable objects in or on your clothing, such as eyeglasses, pens, keys etc., as these might cause injuries.
- Make sure the seat belt is always fitted snugly. Take special care of this when wearing loose clothing.
- Never use a seat belt for more than one person at a time. Do not fasten a seat belt around a person and another person or other objects at the same time.
- Seat belts should not be worn twisted. In a crash, you would not have the full width of the seat belt to distribute impact forces.

The twisted seat belt against your body could cause injuries.

- Pregnant women should also always use a lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion should be positioned as low as possible on the hips to avoid any possible pressure on the abdomen.
- Place the seat backrest in a position that is as upright as possible.
- Check your seat belt during travel to make sure it is properly positioned.
- Never place your feet on the instrument panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always keep both feet on the floor in front of the seat.
- When using a seat belt to secure infant restraints, toddler restraints, or children in booster seats, always follow the child seat manufacturer's instructions.

WARNING
Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges. They could tear.

Do not allow the seat belt to get caught in the door or in the seat adjustment mechanism.

This could damage the seat belt.

Never attempt to make modifications to seat belts. This could impair the effectiveness of the seat belts.

Important safety notes

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