2006 Mercedes E-Class Owner's Manual - Page 73

Safety and Security Occupant safety i The front air bags in this vehicle have been designed to inflate in two stages. This allows the air bag to have different rates of inflation that are based on the rate of relevant vehicle deceleration as assessed by the air bag control unit. On the front passenger side, the front air bag deployment is additionally influenced by the passenger's weight category as identified by the Occupant Classification System (OCS) ( page 81). The lighter the front passenger side occupant, the higher the vehicle deceleration rate required for the second stage inflation of the air bag. The air bags will not deploy in impacts which do not exceed the system's deployment thresholds. You will then be protected by the fastened seat belts. The passenger front air bag will only be deployed if: the system, based on OCS weight sensor readings, senses that the front passenger seat is occupied the 75 indicator lamp in the center console is not lit ( page 85) the impact exceeds a preset deployment threshold Side impact air bags, window curtain air bags The side impact air bags 1 and window curtain air bags 2 are deployed: on the impacted side of the vehicle in impacts exceeding a preset deployment threshold independently of the front air bags In addition, the window curtain air bags 2 are deployed: in certain vehicle rollovers The side impact air bags 1 and window curtain air bags 2 are not deployed in impacts which do not exceed the system's deployment threshold. 1 Side impact air bags 2 Window curtain air bag 72