Mercedes-Benz A Series Owner's Manual page 42

Comply with safety regulations when dis-
posing of belt tensioners. Any Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre can provide details of
these regulations.
Airbags
Airbag deployment slows down and restricts
the movement of the vehicle occupant.
If the airbags 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 escapes
does not generally constitute a health hazard.
The 1 warning lamp lights up.
The SRS/AIRBAG identification indicates the
location of the airbags.
G Risk of injury
Airbags provide additional protection; they
are not, however, a substitute for seat
belts.
Observe the following notes to reduce the
risk of serious or even fatal injury if an air-
bag is deployed:
all vehicle occupants — in particular preg-
R
nant women — must wear their seat belt
correctly at all times and lean back
* optional
against the backrest, which should be
positioned as close to the vertical as pos-
sible. The head restraint must support
the back of the head at about eye level.
always secure children less than 1.50 m
R
tall or under 12 years of age in suitable
child restraint systems.
all vehicle occupants must select a seat
R
position that is as far away from the air-
bag as possible. The driver's seat posi-
tion must allow the vehicle to be driven
safely. The driver's chest should be as far
away from the middle of the driver's front
airbag cover as possible.
move the front-passenger seat as far
R
back as possible, especially if a child is
secured in a child restraint system on the
seat.
vehicle occupants – in particular, chil-
R
dren – must not lean their head on the
area of the window in which a sidebag or
head/thorax airbag* is deployed.
Rearward-facing child restraint systems
R
must not be fitted to the front-passenger
seat unless the front-passenger front air-
bag has been disabled. The front-
passenger front airbag of a vehicle fitted
Occupant safety
with automatic child seat recognition* is
only disabled when a child restraint sys-
tem with automatic child seat recogni-
tion is fitted to the front-passenger seat.
The 5 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
warning lamp must be constantly lit.
If the front-passenger seat of your vehicle
does not have automatic child seat rec-
ognition*, or your rearward-facing child
restraint system does not have such a
feature, children must be secured in a
child restraint system on a suitable seat
in the rear. If you secure a forward-facing
child restraint system to the front-
passenger seat, you must move the front-
passenger seat as far back as possible.
make sure there are no heavy or sharp-
R
edged objects in pockets of clothing.
do not lean forwards, e.g. over the cover
R
of the driver's front airbag, particularly
when the vehicle is in motion.
do not put your feet on the dashboard.
R
only hold the steering wheel by the rim.
R
This allows the airbag to inflate fully. You
could be injured if the airbag is deployed
and you are holding the inside of the
steering wheel.
Safety
Z
39