In The Vehicle - Mercedes-Benz CLA Operator's Manual

Children in the vehicle
56
The front seat belts and the outer seat belts in
the rear are equipped with Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices 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 posi-
tions or incorrectly fastened seat belts.
The ETDs do not pull vehicle occupants back
towards the backrest.
The ETDs can only be activated when:
the ignition is switched on
R
the restraint systems are operational; see
R
"6 SRS warning lamp" (
the belt tongue has engaged in the belt
R
buckle of the respective front seat
The ETDs on the outside seats in the rear
compartment are triggered independently of
the lock status of the seat belts.
The ETDs are triggered depending on the type
and severity of an accident:
in the event of a head-on or rear-end colli-
R
sion if the vehicle decelerates or acceler-
ates rapidly in a longitudinal direction dur-
ing the initial stages of the impact.
in the event of a side impact if the vehicle
R
decelerates or accelerates rapidly in a lat-
eral direction on the side opposite to the
impact.
in certain situations where the vehicle rolls
R
over if the system determines that it can
provide additional protection.
If the ETDs 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 and does not indicate that there
is a fire in the vehicle. The dust might cause
some temporary breathing difficulty for peo-
ple with asthma or other breathing trouble. To
avoid this, you may wish to get out of the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. You can
also open the window to allow fresh air to
enter the vehicle interior. The 6 SRS warn-
ing lamp lights up.
If the seat belt is also equipped with a seat
belt force limiter and this is triggered, the
force exerted by the seat belt on the vehicle
occupant is reduced.
The seat belt force limiters for the front seats
are synchronized with the front air bags,
which absorb part of the deceleration force.
This results in the force exerted on the occu-
pant being distributed over a greater area.
Children in the vehicle
Child restraint systems
page 41)
Y
Important safety notes
G
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, chil-
dren 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 impor-
tant information when circumstances require
you to place a child in the front passenger
seat:
R
WARNING
Your vehicle is equipped with air bag tech-
nology designed to deactivate the front