Belt Force Limiters; Emergency Tensioning Devices - Mercedes-Benz SLK350 Operator's Manual

Occupant safety
52
The warning tone ceases after 60 seconds
even if the driver or front passenger has still
not fastened their seat belt. The 7 seat
belt warning lamp stops flashing, but remains
lit.
After the vehicle has come to a stop, the
warning tone will be reactivated and the
7 seat belt warning lamp will flash again
once the vehicle has exceeded a speed of
15 mph (25 km/h).
The 7 seat belt warning lamp will not go
out until:
both the driver and the front passenger
R
have fastened their seat belts.
or
the vehicle is stationary and a door is open.
R
i
For more information on the 7 seat
belt warning lamp, see "Warning and
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster,
seat belt" ( page 228).
Y
Emergency Tensioning Devices, belt
force limiters
The seat belts are equipped with ETDs and
seat belt force limiters.
The ETDs tighten the seat belts in an accident,
pulling them close against the body.
The ETDs do not correct incorrect seat
positions or incorrectly fastened seat belts.
The ETDs do not pull vehicle occupants back
towards the backrest.
Seat belt force limiters, when triggered, help
to reduce the peak force exerted by the seat
belt on the vehicle occupant.
The seat belt force limiters are synchronized
with the front air bags, which take on a part
of the deceleration force. Thus, the force
exerted on the occupant is distributed over a
greater area.
The ETDs can only be activated when:
the ignition is switched on.
R
the restraint systems are operational; see
R
"SRS warning lamp" (
R
R
The ETDs are triggered depending on the type
and severity of an accident:
R
R
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If the air bags are deployed, you will hear a
bang, and a small amount of powder may also
be released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that is
released generally does not constitute a
health hazard. The 6 SRS warning lamp
lights up.
! If the front-passenger seat is not
page 36).
Y
the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the three-point seat belts.
the front-passenger seat is occupied and
the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
the front-passenger side.
if, in the event of a head-on or rear-end
collision, the vehicle decelerates or
accelerates rapidly in a longitudinal
direction during the initial stages of the
impact
if, in the event of a side impact, the vehicle
is subjected to high lateral acceleration/
deceleration
if, in certain situations where the vehicle
overturns, the system determines that it
can provide additional protection
G WARNING
Pyrotechnic ETDs that were activated must be
replaced.
For your safety, when disposing of the
pyrotechnic ETDs always follow our safety
instructions. These are available at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
occupied, do not engage the seat belt
tongue in the buckle on the front-
passenger seat. Otherwise, the Emergency
Tensioning Device could be triggered in the
event of an accident.