2006 Mercedes E-Class Owner's Manual - Page 77

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: 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 66) In an impact, emergency tensioning devices remove slack from the belts. Belt force limiters reduce the force exerted by the seat belts on occupants during a crash. Warning! 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, dashboard, or on the seat. Always keep both feet on the floor in front of the seat. When using a seat belt to secure infant or toddler restraints or children in booster seats, always follow the child seat manufacturer's instructions. G An emergency tensioning device (ETD) that was activated must be replaced. When disposing of the emergency tensioning device, our safety instructions must be followed. These are available at your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. i The ETDs for the front seats will only activate if the front seat belts are fastened (latch plate properly inserted into buckle). The ETDs for the rear outer seats will activate with or without the respective seat belts fastened. Automatic comfort-fit feature seat belt An automatic comfort-fit feature for front seats reduces the retracting force of the seat belts when they are in normal use. 76