Child restraint systems

Important safety notes

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 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
Infants and small children should never share a seat belt with another occupant. In the event of an accident, they could be crushed between the occupant and seat belt.

A child's risk of serious or fatal injuries is significantly increased if the child restraints are not properly secured in the vehicle and/ or the child is not properly secured in the child restraint.

Children that are too large for a child restraint must travel in seats using normal seat belts.

Position the shoulder belt across the chest and shoulder, not face or neck. A booster seat may be necessary to achieve proper seat belt positioning for children over 41 lb (18 kg) until they reach a height where a lap-shoulder belt fits properly without a booster.

When the child restraint is not in use, remove it from the vehicle or secure it with the seat belt to prevent the child restraint from becoming a projectile in the event of an accident.

WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock. Always take the SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.

Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle, even if they are secured in a child restraint system, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised access to a vehicle could result in an accident and/or serious personal injury. The children could:
• injure themselves on parts of the vehicle • be seriously or fatally injured through excessive exposure to extreme heat or cold • injure themselves or cause an accident with vehicle equipment that can be operated even if the SmartKey is removed from the ignition lock or removed from the vehicle, such as seat adjustment, steering wheel adjustment, or the memory function

If children open a door, they could injure other persons or get out of the vehicle and injure themselves or be injured by following traffic.

Do not expose the child restraint system to direct sunlight. The child restraint system's metal parts, for example, could become very hot, and the child could be burned on these parts.

WARNING
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the passenger compartment or trunk unless they are firmly secured in place.

Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo increases a child's risk of injury in the event of
• strong braking maneuvers • sudden changes of direction • an accident

We recommend that all infants and children be properly restrained using the infant or child restraint systems at all times while the vehicle is in motion.

Always use a child restraint system that is compatible with BabySmart™ on the frontpassenger seat.

The use of infant or child restraints is required by law in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, all U.S. territories and all Canadian provinces.

Infants and small children must be seated in an appropriate infant or child restraint system recommended for the size and weight of the child. The infant or child restraint system must be properly secured in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. All infant or child restraint systems must comply with U.S.

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213 and 225 and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213 and 210.2.

An information label on the child restraint system indicates whether it meets these standards. This confirmation can also be found in the installation instructions that are included with the child restraint system.

Always read and follow the manufacturer's instructions when using an infant or child restraint system or booster seat.

Observe the warning labels in the vehicle interior or on the infant or child restraint.

If an infant or child is traveling in the vehicle: ► Secure the child with a child or infant seat restraint system appropriate to the age and weight of the child.

► Make sure that the infant or child is properly secured at all times while the vehicle is in motion.

Special seat belt retractor

WARNING
Observe "Important safety notes" .

WARNING
Never release the seat belt buckle while the vehicle is in motion, since the special seat belt retractor will be deactivated.

All seat belts except the driver's seat belt are equipped with a special seat belt retractor.

When activated, the special seat belt retractor ensures that the seat belt will not slacken once the child restraint system has been secured.

Installing a child restraint system: ► Always comply with the manufacturer's installation instructions.

► Pull the seat belt smoothly from the seat belt retractor.

► Engage the seat belt tongue in the belt buckle.

Activating the special seat belt retractor: ► Pull the seat belt out fully and let the seat belt retractor retract it again.

While the seat belt is retracting, you should hear a ratcheting sound. The special seat belt retractor is activated.

► Push down on the child restraint system to take up any slack.

Removing a child restraint system/ deactivating the special seat belt retractor: ► Always comply with the manufacturer's installation instructions.

► Press the release button on the seat belt buckle.

► Guide the seat belt tongue into the belt outlet.

The special seat belt retractor is deactivated.

LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat anchors in the rear

WARNING
Observe "Important safety notes" .

WARNINGM< Children that are too large for a child restraint must travel in seats using normal seat belts.

Position shoulder belt across the chest and shoulder, not face or neck.

A booster seat may be necessary to achieve proper seat belt positioning for children over 41 lb (18 kg) until they reach a height where a lap/shoulder belt fits properly without a booster.

Install the child restraint system in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

Attach the child restraint system to both securing rings.

An incorrectly installed child restraint system could come loose during an accident and seriously or even fatally injure the child.

Child restraint systems or child seat securing rings that are malfunctioning or damaged as the result of a collision must be replaced.

When installing the child restraint system, make sure that the seat belt for the middle seat does not get trapped. The seat belt could otherwise be damaged.

ISOFIX is a standardized securing system for specially designed child restraint systems on the rear seats. Securing rings for two LATCHtype (ISOFIX) child restraint systems are installed on the left and right of the rear seats.

Secure non-LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint systems using the vehicle's seat belt system. When installing child restraint systems, you must observe the manufacturer's installation instructions.

1 Securing rings

► Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint system. Comply with the manufacturer's instructions when installing the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint system.

► When a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat securing system is installed, make sure that the center seat belt in the rear compartment is fully functional and can move freely.

Top Tether

WARNING
Observe "Important safety notes" .

WARNING
Always lock the rear seat backrests in their upright position when the rear seats are occupied by passengers. Lock the rear seat backrests in their upright position before installing the Top Tether straps or when the cargo compartment is not in use. Make sure that rear seat backrests are secured properly by pushing and pulling on the seat backrests.

If the seat backrest is not locked properly, the seat backrest could fold forward. The child restraint system is no longer supported properly or held in position and can no longer fulfill its function. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries.

WARNING
Only use the described top tether anchorage rings for the respective child seat. Other lashing eyelets could tear in case of an accident. Make sure the top tether straps are not crossed or twisted and the hook is attached and closed properly.

Top Tether provides an additional connection between a child restraint system, secured with a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat mount, and the rear seat. This helps reduce the risk of injury even further.

► Remove cargo compartment cover .

► Move the head restraint upwards.

► Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint system with Top Tether. Comply with the manufacturer's installation instructions when doing so.

► Route Top Tether belt 3 under the head restraint between the two head restraint bars.

► Attach Top Tether hook 1 to Top Tether anchorage 2 on the cargo compartment floor.

► Hook Top Tether hook 1 of Top Tether belt = into Top Tether anchorage 2.

Ensure that:
• Top Tether hook 1 is hooked into Top Tether anchorage 2 as shown.

• Top Tether belt 3 is not twisted.

► Make sure that Top Tether belt 3 is not twisted.

► Tension Top Tether belt 3. Comply with the manufacturer's installation instructions when doing so.

► Move head restraint back down again slightly if necessary . Make sure that you do not interfere with the correct routing of Top Tether belt 3.