Mercedes-Benz S-Class 2011 Operator's Manual page 48

Occupant safety
46
bags will continue to provide supplemental
crash protection for occupants.
Front air bags
G
Warning
Observe "Important safety notes"
Y
( page 44).
The front air bags increase protection for the
driver's and front-passenger's head and
chest.
Driver's air bag : deploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger air bag ;
deploys in front of and above the glove box.
They are deployed:
in the event of certain frontal impacts
R
if the system determines that air bag
R
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
if the seat belt is fastened
R
independently of other air bags in the
R
vehicle
If the vehicle overturns, the front air bags are
generally not deployed unless the system
detects high vehicle deceleration in a
longitudinal direction.
Your vehicle has adaptive, two-stage front air
bags. In the event of a collision, the air bag
control unit evaluates the vehicle
deceleration. When the first deployment
threshold is reached, the front air bag is filled
with enough propellant gas to reduce the risk
of injuries. The front air bag is fully deployed
if a second deployment threshold is exceeded
within a few milliseconds.
The deployment of the front-passenger air
bag is also influenced by the weight category
of the front passenger, which is determined
by the Occupant Classification System (OCS)
Y
( page 48).
The lighter the passenger side occupant, the
higher the vehicle deceleration rate required
for second stage inflation of the front-
passenger front air bag. In the second stage,
the front air bags are inflated with the
maximum amount of propellant gas available.
In impact situations with deceleration or
acceleration values lower than the vehicle
deceleration or acceleration values preset in
the system, the front air bags are not
deployed. You will then be protected by the
seat belt.
The front-passenger air bag will only deploy
if:
the system, based on the OCS weight
R
sensor readings, has detected that the
front-passenger seat is occupied.
the 42 indicator lamp in the
R
center console is not lit, (
the impact exceeds a preset deployment
R
threshold.
Side impact air bags
G
Warning
Observe "Important safety notes"
Y
( page 44).
G
Warning!
The pressure sensors for side impact air bag
control are located in the doors. Do not
modify any components of the doors or door
trim panels including, for example, the
addition of door speakers.
Improper repair work on the doors or the
modification or addition of components to the
doors create a risk of rendering the side
impact air bags inoperative or causing
unintended air bag deployment. Work on the
Y page 48)