2000 Mercedes E-Class Owner's Manual - Page 71

Instruments and controls Operation Driving Instrument cluster display 68 Practical hints Car care Technical data Index Restraint systems Supplemental restraint system (SRS) Airbags are intended as a supplement to seat belts. Airbags alone cannot protect as well as airbags plus seat belts in impacts for which the airbags were designed to operate, and do not afford any protection whatsoever in crashes for which the airbags are not designed to deploy. The SRS uses two crash severity levels (thresholds) to activate either the Emergency Tensioning Retractor (ETR) or front airbag or both. Activation depends on the direction and severity of the impact exceeding the preset thresholds and whether the seat belt is fastened. Seat belt fastened • first threshold exceeded: ETR activates • second threshold exceeded: airbag also activates Seat belt not fastened Front seats: • first threshold exceeded: airbag activates, but not ETR Rear outer seats: • first threshold exceeded: ETR activates Driver, front passenger and rear outer seat systems operate independently of each other.