2005 Mercedes C-Class Owner's Manual - Page 61

Safety and Security Occupant safety Air bags Warning! Warning! Warning! G G In the event that the 1 indicator lamp comes on during driving or does not come on at all, the SRS self-check has detected a malfunction. For your safety, we strongly recommend that you visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have the system checked; otherwise the SRS may not be activated when needed in an accident, which could result in serious or fatal injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly and unnecessarily which could also result in injury. In addition, improper work on the SRS creates a risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or causing unintended air bag deployment. Work on the SRS must therefore only be performed by qualified technicians. Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. G Air bags are designed to reduce the potential of injury and fatality in certain frontal impacts (front air bags), or side impacts (side impact air bags and head protection window curtain air bags). However, no system available today can totally eliminate injuries and fatalities. The activation of the air bags temporarily releases a small amount of dust from the air bags. This dust, however, is neither injurious to your health, nor does it indicate a fire in the vehicle. The dust might cause some temporary breathing difficulty for people with asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid this, you may wish to get out of 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. To reduce the risk of injury when the front air bags inflate, it is very important for the driver and front passenger to always be in a properly seated position and to wear your seat belts. For maximum protection in the event of a collision always be in normal seated position with your back against the backrest. Fasten your seat belt and make sure that it is properly positioned on your body. Since the air bag inflates with considerable speed and force, a proper seating and hands on steering wheel position will help to keep you at a safe distance from the air bag. Occupants who are unbelted, out of position or too close to the air bag can be seriously injured by an air bag as it inflates with great force in the blink of an eye: Sit properly belted in a nearly upright position with your back against the seat backrest. 59