2008 Mercedes C-Class Owner's Manual - Page 44
2008 Mercedes C-Class Manual
Page 44 highlights
Safety and Security Occupant safety When the OCS senses that the front passenger seat occupant is classified as an adult or someone larger than a small individual, the 5/indicator lamp will illuminate for approximately 6 seconds when the engine is started and then go out, indicating that the front passenger front air bag is activated. If the 5/ indicator lamp is illuminated, the front passenger front air bag is deactivated and will not be deployed. If the 5/ indicator lamp is not illuminated, the front passenger front air bag is activated and will be deployed: in the event of certain frontal impacts if impact exceeds a preset deployment threshold independently of the front side impact air bags and/or rear side impact air bags*. If the front passenger front air bag is deployed, the rate of inflation will be influenced by: the rate of relevant vehicle deceleration as assessed by the air bag control unit front passenger's weight category as identified by the Occupant Classification System (OCS). More information about air bag display messages ( page 393). Warning! Children can be killed or seriously injured by an inflating air bag. Note the following important information when circumstances require you to place a child in the front passenger seat: Your vehicle is equipped with air bag technology designed to turn off the front passenger front air bag in your vehicle when the system senses the weight of a typical 12-month-old child or less along with the weight of a standard appropriate child restraint on the front passenger seat. A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the front passenger seat will be seriously injured or even killed if the front passenger front air bag inflates in a collision which could occur under some circumstances, even with the air bag technology installed in your vehicle. The only means to completely eliminate this risk is to never place a child in a rear-facing child restraint in the front seat. We therefore strongly recommend that you always place a child in a rearfacing child restraint in the back seat. G According to accident statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seating position. Thus, we strongly recommend that children be placed in the rear seats whenever possible. Regardless of seating position, children 12 years old and under must be seated and properly secured in an appropriate infant or child restraint recommended for the size and weight of the child. The infant or child restraint must be properly secured with the vehicle's seat belt, the seat belt and top tether strap, or lower anchors and top tether strap, fully in accordance with the child seat manufacturer's instructions. 43