WARNING

Air bags are designed to reduce the incidence of injuries and fatalities in certain situations:

1. frontal impacts (driver's and frontpassenger front air bags and driver's knee bag)
2. side impacts (side impact air bags, window curtain air bags and pelvis air bags)
3. rollover (window curtain air bags)

However, no system available today can completely eliminate injuries and fatalities.

When the air bags are deployed, a small amount of powder is released. The powder generally does not constitute a health hazard and does not indicate that there is a fire in the vehicle. In order to prevent potential breathing difficulties, you should leave the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the vehicle after the air bag inflates, then get fresh air by opening a window or door.

WARNING

To reduce the risk of injuries during front air bag inflation, the driver and front-passenger must always be seated correctly and have their seat belts fastened accordingly.

For maximum protection in the event of a collision, you must always be in the normal seat position with your back against the backrest. Fasten your seat belt and make sure that it is correctly positioned on your body.

Since the air bag inflates with considerable speed and force, a proper seating position and correct positioning of the hands on the steering wheel will help to keep you at a safe distance from the air bag. Occupants who are not wearing their seat belt, are not seated properly or are too close to the air bag can be seriously injured or killed by an air bag as it inflates with great force instantaneously:

• Sit with the seat belt properly fastened in a position that is as upright as possible with your back against the seat backrest.
• Move the driver's seat as far back as possible, still permitting proper operation of vehicle controls. The distance from the center of the driver's chest to the center of the air bag cover on the steering wheel must be at least 10 inches (25 cm) or more. You should be able to accomplish this by adjusting the seat and steering wheel. If you have any difficulties, please contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
• Do not lean your head or chest close to the steering wheel or dashboard.
• Only hold the steering wheel by the rim. Placing hands and arms inside the rim can increase the risk and potential severity of hand/arm injury when the driver front air bag inflates.
• Adjust the front-passenger seat as far back as possible from the dashboard when the seat is occupied.
• Occupants, especially children, should never place their bodies or lean their heads in the area of the door where the side impact air bag inflates. This could result in serious injuries or death should the side impact air bag be deployed. Always sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt properly and use an appropriately sized child restraint, infant restraint or booster seat recommended for the size and weight of the child.

Failure to follow these instructions can result in severe injuries to you or other occupants.

If you sell your vehicle, it is important that you make the buyer aware of this safety information. Be sure to give the buyer this Operator's Manual.

WARNING

Accident research shows that the safest place for children in an automobile is in a rear seat.

A side impact air bag related injury may occur if occupants, especially children, are not properly seated or restrained when next to a side impact air bag which needs to deploy rapidly in a side impact in order to do its job.

To help avoid the possibility of injury, please follow these guidelines:

(1) Always sit as upright as possible and use the seat belts properly. Make sure that children 12 years old and under use an appropriately sized child restraint, infant restraint, or booster seat recommended for the size and weight of the child.

(2) Always wear seat belts properly.

The air bags are only deployed if the air bag control unit detects the need for deployment. Only in the event of such a situation will they provide their supplemental protection.

The driver and passenger should always wear their seat belts. Otherwise, it is not possible for the air bags to provide their supplemental protection.

In the event of other types of impacts and impacts below air bag deployment thresholds, the air bags will not deploy. The driver and passengers will then be protected to the extent possible by a properly fastened seat belt. A properly fastened seat belt is also needed to provide the best possible protection in a rollover.

Air bags provide additional protection; they are not, however, a substitute for seat belts. All vehicle occupants must fasten their seat belts regardless of whether your vehicle is equipped with air bags or not.

It is important for your safety and that of your passenger to have deployed air bags replaced and to have any malfunctioning air bags repaired. This will help to make sure the air bags continue to perform their protective function for the vehicle occupants in the event of a crash.