2007 Mercedes R-Class Owner's Manual - Page 77

Safety and Security Occupant safety i Air bags are designed to deploy only in certain frontal impacts (front air bags), side impacts (side impact and head protection window curtain air bags) which exceed preset thresholds, and in certain rollovers (head protection window curtain air bags). Only during these events will they provide their supplemental protection. The driver and passengers should always wear their seat belts. Otherwise it is not possible for air bags to provide their supplemental protection. In case of other types of impacts and impacts below air bag deployment thresholds, air bags will not deploy. The driver and passenger will then be protected to the extent possible by a properly fastened seat belt. A properly fastened seat belt is also needed to provide the best possible protection in a rollover. We caution you not to rely on the presence of the air bags in order to avoid wearing your seat belt. It is important to your safety and that of your passengers that you replace deployed air bags and repair any malfunctioning air bags to make sure the vehicle will continue to provide supplemental crash protection for occupants. Safety guidelines for the seat belt, emergency tensioning device and air bag Warning! G Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly stressed in an accident must be replaced and their anchoring points must also be checked. Use only belts installed or supplied by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. Air bags and pyrotechnic emergency tensioning devices (ETDs) are designed to function on a one-time-only basis. An air bag or ETD that is deployed must be replaced. Do not pass belts over sharp edges. They could tear. Do not make any modification that could change the effectiveness of the belts. Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may severely weaken them. In a crash they may not be able to provide adequate protection. No modifications of any kind may be made to any components or wiring of the SRS. This includes changing or removing any component or part of the SRS, the installation of additional trim material, badges, etc. over the steering wheel hub, front passenger front air bag cover, outboard sides of the front seat backrests, door trim panels, or door frame trims, and installation of additional electrical/electronic equipment on or near SRS components and wiring. Keep area between air bags and occupants free from objects (e.g. packages, purses, umbrellas, etc.). Do not hang items such as coat hangers from the coat hooks or handles over the door. These items may turn into projectiles and cause head and other injuries when window curtain air bag is deployed. Air bag system components will be hot after an air bag has inflated. Do not touch. 76