2011 Mercedes S-Class Owner's Manual - Page 51

Occupant safety When the OCS senses that the frontpassenger seat occupant is classified as being heavier than the weight of a typical 12month-old child seated in a standard child restraint or as being a small individual (such as a young teenager or a small adult), the 42 indicator lamp will illuminate for approximately 6 seconds when the engine is started and then, depending on occupant weight sensor readings from the frontpassenger seat, remain illuminated or go out. With the 42 indicator lamp illuminated, the front-passenger front air bag is deactivated. With the 42 indicator lamp out, the front-passenger front air bag is activated. When the OCS senses that the frontpassenger seat occupant is classified as an adult or someone larger than a small individual, the 42 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 42 indicator lamp is illuminated, the front-passenger front air bag is deactivated and will not be deployed. If the 42 indicator lamp is not illuminated, the front-passenger front air bag is activated and will be deployed: Rin 49 G Warning According to accident statistics, children are safer when properly restrained on the rear seats than on the front-passenger seat. 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 appropriately sized child restraint system or booster seat recommended for the size and weight of the child. The infant or child restraint system 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. Occupants, especially children, should always sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt properly and use an appropriate sized infant restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat recommended for the size and weight of the child. 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 frontpassenger seat: RYour the event of certain frontal impacts Rif impact exceeds a preset deployment threshold Rindependently of the side impact air bags If the front-passenger front air bag is deployed, the rate of inflation will be influenced by: Rthe rate of vehicle deceleration as assessed Rthe by the air bag control unit front passenger's weight category as identified by OCS For further information, see the section regarding air bag display messages (Y page 386). vehicle is equipped with air bag technology designed to deactivate 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. RA 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 eliminate this risk completely is never to place a child in a rear-facing child restraint in the frontpassenger seat. We therefore strongly Z Safety