2004 Mercedes E-Class Owner's Manual - Page 64

Safety and Security Occupant safety Emergency tensioning device (ETD), seat belt force limiter The seat belts for the front and rear outer seats are equipped with emergency tensioning devices and belt force limiters. The ETD is designed to activate in the following cases when the seat belts are fastened: in frontal or rear-end impacts exceeding a preset severity level in certain vehicle rollovers if the restraint systems are operational and functioning correctly, see 1 indicator lamp ( page 56) Never wear the shoulder belt under your arm, against your neck or off your shoulder. In a crash, your body would move too far forward. That would increase the chance of head and neck injuries. The belt would also apply too much force to the ribs or abdomen, which could severely injure internal organs such as your liver or spleen. Never wear belts over rigid or breakable objects in or on your clothing, such as eyeglasses, pens, SmartKeys etc., as these might cause injuries. Position the lap belt as low as possible on your hips and not across the abdomen. If the belt is positioned across your abdomen, it could cause serious injuries in a crash. 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. Belts should not be worn twisted. In a crash, you wouldn't have the full width of the belt to manage impact forces. The twisted belt against your body could cause injuries. Pregnant women should also 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. Never place your feet on the instrument panel or on the seat. Always keep both feet on the floor in front of the seat. 64