Mercedes-Benz 2013 SL Operator's Manual page 56

Occupant safety
54
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
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severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
No modifications of any kind may be made
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to any components or wiring of the SRS.
Do not change or remove any component
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or part of the SRS.
Do not install additional trim material, seat
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covers, badges, etc. over the steering
wheel hub, front-passenger front air bag
cover, outer sides of the seat backrests,
door trim panels, or door frame trims.
Do not install additional electrical/
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electronic equipment on or near SRS
components and wiring.
Keep area between air bags and occupants
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free of objects (e.g. packages, purses,
umbrellas, etc.).
Air bag system components will be hot after
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an air bag has inflated. Do not touch them.
Never place your feet on the instrument
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panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.
Improper repair work on the SRS creates a
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risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended air bag deployment.
Work on the SRS must therefore only be
performed by qualified technicians.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
For your protection and the protection of
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others, when scrapping the air bag unit or
ETD, our safety instructions must be
followed. These instructions are available
from any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Given the considerable deployment speed,
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required inflation volume, and the material
of the air bags, there is the possibility of
abrasions or other, potentially more serious
injuries resulting from air bag deployment.
If you sell your vehicle, Mercedes-Benz
strongly recommends that you inform the
subsequent owner that the vehicle is
equipped with SRS. Also, refer them to the
applicable section in the Operator's Manual.
Air bags
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Air bags are designed to reduce the incidence
of injuries and fatalities in certain situations:
frontal impacts (driver's and front-
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passenger front air bags and knee bags)
side impacts (side impact air bags and head
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bags)
rollover (head bags)
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However, no system available today can
completely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
When the air bags are deployed, a small
amount of powder is released. The powder
generally does not constitute a health hazard
and does not indicate that there is a fire in the
vehicle. In order to prevent potential
breathing difficulties, you should leave the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. If you
have any breathing difficulty but cannot get
out of the vehicle after the air bag inflates,
then get fresh air by opening a window or
door.
G
WARNING
In order to reduce the potential danger of
injuries caused during the deployment of the
front air bags, the driver and front passenger
must always be correctly seated and wear
their seat belts.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision, you must always be in the normal
seat position with your back against the
backrest. Fasten your seat belt and make sure
that it is correctly positioned on your body.