BabySmart™ air bag deactivation system
How the air bag deactivation system works
WARNING
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 restraint, toddler restraint, or booster
seat 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.
Occupants, especially children, should always sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt properly and use an appropriately 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 front
passenger seat:
• Children 12 years old and under must never
ride in the front seat, except in a Mercedes-
Benz authorized BabySmart™ compatible
child seat, which operates with the
BabySmart™ system installed in the vehicle
to deactivate the front passenger front air bag when it is installed properly.
Otherwise
they will be struck by the air bag when it
inflates in a crash. If this happens, serious
or fatal injury will result.
• 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 rear-facing child restraint in a backseat.
• If you must install a BabySmart™
compatible rear-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat because
circumstances require you to do so, make
sure the 
indicator lamp is
illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Should the 
indicator lamp not
illuminate or go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation.
Periodically check the 
indicator
lamp while driving to make sure the
indicator lamp is illuminated. If
the 
indicator lamp goes out or
remains out, do not transport a child on the
front passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.
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.
• If you have to place a child in a forwardfacing child restraint on the front passenger seat, move the seat as far back as possible, use the proper child restraint recommended for the age, size and weight of the child, and secure child restraint with the vehicle's seat belt according to the child seat manufacturer's instructions.
WARNING
When using a BabySmart™ compatible child
seat on the front passenger seat, the front
passenger front air bag will not deploy only if
the 
indicator lamp remains
illuminated.
Please be sure to check the 
indicator lamp every time you use a
BabySmart™ compatible child seat on the
front passenger seat. Should the 
indicator lamp go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation. If the
indicator lamp remains out, do not
use the BabySmart™ restraint to transport a
child on the front passenger seat until the
system has been repaired.
WARNING
The BabySmart™ air bag disabling system
ONLY works with specially adapted child
restraint systems. It does not work with child
restraint systems that are not compatible with
BabySmart™.
Never place anything between the seat cushion and the child restraint system (e.g. a cushion), as this reduces the effectiveness of the BabySmart™ air bag deactivation system.
The underside of the child restraint system must lie against the seat cushion of the frontpassenger seat. In the event of an accident, an incorrectly installed child restraint system could injure the child instead of offering protection.
Observe the manufacturer's instructions when installing special child restraint systems.
Your vehicle is equipped with a BabySmart™ system.
Special child restraint systems which are compatible with BabySmart™ are necessary for deactivating the front-passenger air bag.
When the special BabySmart™-compatible
child restraint system is installed correctly
and is recognized by the sensor system in the
front-passenger seat, the front-passenger air
bag is deactivated. In this case, 
indicator lamp 1 lights up. If you have any
questions regarding the special BabySmart™-
compatible child restraint systems, consult
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If the SmartKey has been removed from the
ignition lock or is in position 0, 
indicator lamp 1 does not light up.
The system does not disable: • the window curtain air bag • the Emergency Tensioning Device
System self-test
WARNING
Do not leave any switched on notebooks,
mobile phones, electronic tags (e.g. a ski
pass) or similar electronic devices on the
front-passenger seat. Signals emitted from
such devices can interfere with the
BabySmart™ air bag deactivation system.
Such interference can lead to the
indicator lamp not lighting up during the selftest.
If the 
SRS warning lamp and the
indicator lamp light up
simultaneously in the instrument cluster, the
system is malfunctioning. The frontpassenger
air bag could deploy without cause,
or may fail to deploy in the event of an
accident.
Have the system checked as soon as possible at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
The indicator lamp lights up
when
the SmartKey is turned to position 1 or 2 in
the ignition lock.
The indicator lamp goes out after
approximately six seconds.
If the indicator lamp does not
light
up or is always lit, then the system is
malfunctioning. Have the BabySmart™
system checked at an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center before transporting a child on
the front-passenger seat.
For further information, see "Problems with air bag deactivation system" .
Problems with the air bag deactivation system
WARNING
If the
indicator lamp
illuminates and remains illuminated when the weight of a typical
adult or someone larger than a small individual has been detected on the
passenger seat, do not
allow any occupant to use the passenger seat until the system has been repaired.
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General notes
Before you first drive off, read this Operator's
Manual carefully and familiarize yourself with
your vehicle.
For your own safety and a longer vehicle life,
follow the instructions and warning n ...
Important safety notes
WARNING
Modifications to or work improperly
conducted on restraint system components
or their wiring, as well as tampering with
interconnected electronic systems, can lead
to the restraint system ...