How the occupant classificationsystem works
The OCS is standard equipment in the USA.
The OCS categorizes the occupant on the front-passenger seat by means of a weight sensor. The front-passenger front air bag is deactivated automatically for certain weight categories. The indicator lamp shows you the current status. If the indicator lamp is illuminated, the front-passenger front air bag is deactivated.
The system does not disable:
• the side impact air bag
• the window curtain air bag
• the Emergency Tensioning Devices/belt
buckle tensioners
To be classified correctly, the front passenger must sit:
• with the seat belt fastened correctly
• in a position that is as upright as
possible
with their back against the seat backrest
• with their feet on the floor
If the front-passenger's weight is transferred to another object in the vehicle (e.g. by leaning on armrests), OCS may not be able to approximate the occupant's weight category.
In addition, the occupant weight may appear to increase or decrease due to the following:
• objects hanging on the seat
• objects lodged underneath the seat
• objects lodged between the seat and the
center console
• objects lodged between the seat and the
door
• other passengers exerting weight on the
seat
• objects applying pressure to the back of
the seat
Make sure that the seat always has clearance in all directions.
If the front-passenger seat, the seat cover or the seat cushion are damaged, have the necessary repair work carried out at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only use seat accessories which have been approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Both the driver and the passenger should always use the indicator lamp as an indication of whether or not the passenger is properly positioned.
WARNING
If the indicator lamp
illuminates when an adult or someone larger
than a small individual is in the front
passenger seat, have the front passenger
reposition himself or herself in the seat until
the indicator lamp goes out,
or check whether objects are caught under or
around the seat.
In the event of a collision, the air bag control
unit will not allow front passenger front air bag
deployment when the OCS has classified the
front passenger seat occupant as weighing as
much as or less than a typical 12-month-old
child in a standard child restraint or if the front
passenger seat is classified as being empty.
When the OCS senses that the front
passenger seat occupant is classified as
being up to or less than the weight of a typical
12-month-old child in a standard child
restraint, the indicator
lamp
will illuminate when the engine is started and
remain illuminated. This indicates that the
front passenger front air bag is deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the front
passenger seat is classified as being empty,
the indicator lamp will
illuminate when the engine is started and
remain illuminated. This indicates that the
front passenger front air bag is deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the front
passenger seat occupant is classified as
being heavier than the weight of a typical 12-month-old child seated in a
standard child
restraint or as being a small individual (such
as a young teenager or a small adult), the
indicator lamp will
illuminate
for approximately 6 seconds when the engine
is started. Depending on occupant weight
sensor readings from the seat, it will then
remain illuminated or go out. With the
indicator lamp illuminated,
the front passenger front air bag is
deactivated. With the
indicator lamp out, the front passenger front
air bag is activated.
When the OCS senses that the front
passenger seat occupant is classified as an
adult or someone larger than a small
individual, the indicator
lamp
will illuminate for approximately six seconds
when the engine is started and then go out.
This indicates that the front passenger front
air bag is activated.
If the indicator lamp is
illuminated, the front passenger front air bag
is deactivated and will not be deployed.
If the indicator lamp is not
illuminated, the front passenger front air bag
is activated and will be deployed
• in the event of certain frontal
impacts
• if the impact exceeds a
predetermined
triggering threshold
• independently of the side impact air
bags
If the front passenger front air bag is
deployed, the rate of inflation will be
influenced by
• the rate of vehicle deceleration as
assessed
by the air bag control unit
• the front passenger's weight
category as
identified by the OCS
For further information, see "air bag display messages".
WARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained on the rear
seats than on the front-passenger seat. Thus,
we strongly recommend that children be
placed in the rear seats whenever possible.
Regardless of seating position, children 12
years old and under must be seated and
properly secured in an appropriately sized
child restraint system or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
The infant or child restraint system must be
properly secured with the vehicle's seat belt,
the seat belt and Top Tether strap, or lower
anchors and Top Tether strap, fully in
accordance with the child seat
manufacturer's instructions.
Occupants, especially children, should always
sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriate sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information when circumstances
require you to place a child in the frontpassenger
seat:
• Your vehicle is equipped with air
bag
technology designed to deactivate the
front-passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the system senses the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child or less along
with the weight of a standard appropriate
child restraint on the front-passenger seat.
• A child in a rear-facing child
restraint on the
front-passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front-passenger
front air bag inflates in a collision which
could occur under some circumstances,
even with the air bag technology installed
in your vehicle. The only means to eliminate
this risk completely is never to place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint in the frontpassenger
seat. We therefore strongly recommend that you always place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint on the rear
seat.
• If you install a rear-facing child
restraint on
the front-passenger seat, make sure the
indicator lamp is
illuminated, indicating that the frontpassenger
front air bag is deactivated.
Should the indicator lamp
not illuminate or go out while the restraint
is installed, please check installation.
Periodically check the
indicator lamp while driving to make sure
the indicator lamp is
illuminated. If the
indicator
lamp goes out or remains out, do not
transport a child on the front-passenger
seat until the system has been repaired.
A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front-passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front-passenger
front air bag inflates.
• If you place a child in a
forward-facing child
restraint on the front-passenger seat:
- move the seat as far back as possible
- use the proper child restraint
recommended for the age, size and
weight of the child
- secure child restraint with the vehicle's seat belt according to the child
seat manufacturer's instructions
• For children larger than a typical
12-monthold
child, the front-passenger front air bag
can be activated or deactivated.
If the driver's air bag deploys, this does not mean that the front-passenger front air bag also has to deploy.
The OCS may have detected that the seat:
• was empty or occupied by a person with a
weight of up to or less than that of a typical 12-month-old child seated in a
standard
child restraint
• was occupied by a small individual, such as
a young teenager or a small adult
• was occupied by a child in a child
restraint
system, whose weight is greater than that
of a typical 12-month-old child.
These are examples of when the OCS deactivates the front-passenger front air bag.
Deactivation takes place although the collision fulfills the criteria for deploying the driver's air bag.
If the SmartKey has been removed from the ignition lock or is in position 0, indicator lamp 1 does not light up.
WARNING
If the red SRS warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and the
indicator lamp light up simultaneously, the
OCS is malfunctioning. The front passenger
front air bag will be deactivated in this case.
Have the system checked by qualified
technicians as soon as possible. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Only have the seat repaired or replaced at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
In order to ensure proper operation of the air
bag system and OCS:
• Do not place more than 4.4 lb(2 kg)
into the
parcel net on the rear of the front
passenger seat. Otherwise, the OCS may not be able to properly approximate the
occupant weight category.
• Do not place objects under and/or
around
the front passenger seat.
• Do not hang anything from or attach
any
items to the seats.
• do not store any objects, such as
books,
between the front passenger seat and the
center console or the front-passenger door.
• Do not move the front passenger seat
backwards against rigid objects.
• Sit with the seat belt properly
fastened in a
position that is as upright as possible with
your back against the seat backrest.
• When seated, a passenger should not
position him/herself in such a way as to
cause the passenger's weight to be lifted
from the seat cushion as this may result in
the OCS being unable to correctly
approximate the passenger's weight
category.
• Read and observe all warnings in
this
chapter.
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