Get Occupant safety Guide for Mercedes CLA 4 Door Third Generation (2025-2026)

Brief overview of the most important points

Basic information

Make sure that the following prerequisites in par-

ticular have been met so that the components of

the restraint system are able to provide the inten-

ded level of protection:

Sit correctly (/ page 37).

Fasten the seat belt correctly (/ page 38).

Function of the seat belt warning lamp

ü (/ page 40).

Function of the rear seat belt status dis-

play (/ page 40).

The restraint system warning lamp 6 has

gone out aer the self-test (/ page 39).

The PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamps dis-

play the correct status for the front passenger

air bag (/ page 41).

Helping you to understand clearly

The "Occupant safety" chapter includes informa-

tion on equipment, functions and behaviors that

contribute directly to the safety of vehicle occu-

pants.

The information is structured as follows:

Brief overview of the most important points:

this chapter provides an overview of the rela-

tionship between the restraint system and the

correct behavior of all vehicle occupants.

Specic information: in further sections of the

"Occupant safety" chapter, you can nd spe-

cic information on the equipment and func-

tions of the restraint system.

Index: you can also nd certain topics in this

Operator's Manual using the index.

The "Occupant safety" chapter does not provide

information on topics including the following:

Children in the vehicle (/ page 53)

Driving and driving safety systems

(/ page 167)

Stowage areas (/ page 107)

Dening generic terms clearly

The following generic terms are used in this Oper-

ator's Manual:

Occupant safety: comprises the components

and system functions that help to minimize, as

much as possible, the stresses and conse-

quences for vehicle occupants caused by an

accident.

Restraint system: comprises those compo-

nents that, along with the vehicle structure,

help prevent vehicle occupants from poten-

tially coming into contact with parts of the

vehicle interior. The seat belts and air bags, for

example, are components of the restraint sys-

tem.

Child restraint system: you can nd all infor-

mation on this topic in the chapter "Children in

the vehicle" (/ page 53).

Be diligent

For the components of the restraint system to

provide the intended level of protection, it is

essential for your posture to be correct and for

the seat belt to be fastened correctly.

Occupant safety – Brief overview of the most important points

Bear in mind that negligence when adopting your

sitting position and fastening your seat belt may

have serious consequences. Be diligent and make

sure that all vehicle occupants are sitting cor-

rectly and have fastened their seat belts properly

before starting every journey.

Information on the correct seat position

The seat position must be correct in order for the

components of the restraint system to provide the

intended level of protection.

The seat position inuences both the protection

provided by the seat belt and the additional pro-

tection provided by the air bag.

The correct seat position with an almost upright

posture and a correctly fastened seat belt also

reduce the risk posed by the air bag when it is

deployed.

When choosing the seat, take note of the available

space. When you are sitting with the right posture

in a nearly upright position, your head should not

touch the roof.

WARNING Risk of injury or death due to

an incorrect seat position

If you deviate from the correct seat position,

the air bag cannot provide its intended protec-

tive function.

Each vehicle occupant must make sure of the

following.

Put the seat in the correct position.

Fasten seat belts correctly. Pregnant

women must take particular care to

ensure that the lap belt never lies across

the abdomen.

Observe the following information.

In order for the restraint system to provide the

intended level of protection, observe the following

information:

Before starting your journey, adjust your seat

correctly (/ page 92).

When doing so, make sure you are able to fas-

ten your seat belt correctly. The shoulder belt

strap must be routed forward from the seat

belt outlet over the center of your shoulder.

Keep your distance from the air bags, espe-

cially the front air bags. Set the driver's seat

and front passenger seat as far back as possi-

ble while making sure the seat belt is fastened

correctly.

If persons are sitting on the rear seats, vehicle

occupants should maintain a sucient dis-

tance to the parts of the vehicle interior in

front of them.

Make sure there are no people, animals or

objects between the vehicle occupants and an

air bag.

If you are the driver, observe the following

information on the correct position of the driv-

er's seat (/ page 92).

Hold the steering wheel only by the steering

wheel rim. This allows the driver's air bag to

fully deploy.

Assume a nearly upright position, with your

buttocks as far back as possible in the gap

between the seat cushion and seat backrest.

This ensures that your back lies as at and

rmly as possible against the seat backrest.

Occupant safety – Brief overview of the most important points

While driving, do not lean forward and do not

lean against the door or side window. You may

otherwise be in the deployment area of the air

bags.

Sit with your feet resting on the oor, if possi-

ble. Your thighs are slightly supported by the

seat cushion

Do not put your feet up on the cockpit, for

example. Your feet may otherwise be in the

deployment area of the air bag.

Fasten the seat belt correctly.

Notes on wearing the seat belt correctly

Always fasten your seat belt correctly before

starting a journey. A seat belt can provide the

best level of protection only if it is worn correctly.

WARNING Risk of injury or death due to

incorrectly fastened seat belt

If the seat belt is not worn correctly, it cannot

perform its intended protective function.

In addition, an incorrectly fastened seat belt

can also cause injuries, for example, in the

event of an accident or when braking or

changing direction suddenly.

Always ensure that all vehicle occupants

have their seat belts fastened correctly

and are sitting properly.

WARNING Risk of injury or death when

additional restraint systems are not used

for persons with a smaller stature

Persons under 5  (1.50 m ) tall cannot wear

the seat belt correctly without a suitable addi-

tional restraint system.

Always secure persons under 5 

(1.50 m) tall in a suitable restraint sys-

tem.

Each vehicle occupant must observe the following

notes in particular:

The seat belt must not be twisted:

The shoulder belt strap must be routed

forward from the seat belt outlet over the cen-

ter of your shoulder.

The shoulder belt strap should neither touch

your neck nor be routed under your arm or

behind your back.

The lap belt must be routed as low down

across the hips as possible.

In addition, push the lap belt down as far as

possible across your hips and pull tight with

the shoulder belt strap. Never route the lap

belt across your abdomen.

Pregnant women must also take particular

care with this.

The shoulder belt strap and lap belt must t

snugly against the body aer being tightened.

Avoid wearing bulky clothing, e.g. a winter

coat.

Never route the seat belt across sharp, poin-

ted, abrasive or fragile objects.

Only one person should use each seat belt at

any one time.

Occupant safety – Brief overview of the most important points

Never secure objects with a seat belt if the

seat belt is also being used by one of the vehi-

cle's occupants.

Also ensure that no objects, e.g. a cushion,

are ever placed between a person and the

seat.

Fastening seat belts

If the seat belt is pulled quickly or sharply, the

seat belt retractor locks. The seat belt strap can-

not be pulled out any further.

Always engage seat belt tongue 2 of the seat

belt into seat belt buckle

1 of the corre-

sponding seat.

NOTE Deployment of components of the

restraint system when the front passenger

seat is unoccupied and a seat belt is

buckled

When the front passenger seat is unoccupied

and the seat belt tongue of the seat belt is

engaged in the seat belt buckle, components

of the restraint system may deploy unnecessa-

rily on the front passenger side, e.g. the Emer-

gency Tensioning Device.

Only buckle the seat belts as intended.

Observe the information on the special seat

belt retractor of the seat belt (/ page 61).

Function of the restraint system warning lamp

When the vehicle is switched on, a self-test is per-

formed, during which the restraint system warning

lamp 6 lights up. It goes out no later than a

few seconds aer the vehicle is started. The com-

ponents of the restraint system are then func-

tional.

Occupant safety – Brief overview of the most important points

A malfunction has occurred in the restraint sys-

tem if:

the restraint system warning lamp 6 does

not light up or lights up continuously when the

vehicle is switched on.

the restraint system warning lamp 6 lights

up continuously or repeatedly during a jour-

ney.

If components of the restraint system have been

deployed, the restraint system warning lamp 6

will light up continuously.

WARNING Risk of injury due to malfunc-

tions in the restraint system

Components in the restraint system may be

activated unintentionally or not deploy as plan-

ned in an accident.

Have the restraint system checked and

repaired immediately at a qualied spe-

cialist workshop.

Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have the

vehicle towed to a qualied specialist workshop.

Function of the seat belt warning lamp

The ü seat belt warning lamp in the Instru-

ment Display is a reminder that all vehicle occu-

pants must wear their seat belts correctly.

The ü seat belt warning lamp lights up for six

seconds every time the vehicle is started.

In addition, a warning tone may sound.

When the driver's and front passengers doors are

closed and the driver and front passenger have

fastened their seat belts, the seat belt warning

goes out.

In the following cases, the seat belt warning lights

up during a journey if:

The driver or front passenger is not wearing a

seat belt and the following criteria apply:

The vehicle travels faster than 5 mph

(9 km/h) for more than 20 seconds.

The vehicle travels faster than 15 mph

(25 km/h) once.

The driver or front passenger unfastens their

seat belt while the vehicle is in motion.

Function of the rear seat belt status display

When the vehicle is switched on, the rear seat

belt status indicator will inform you for a certain

amount of time which rear seat belt is not fas-

tened.

The status of the rear seat belt can be recognized

by the color of the symbol on the driver's display:

Grey: the seat belt tongue of a rear seat belt is

not engaged in the seat belt buckle of the cor-

responding seat.

Green: the seat belt tongue of a rear seat belt

is engaged in the seat belt buckle of the corre-

sponding seat.

Occupant safety – Brief overview of the most important points

Every vehicle occupant must always fasten

their seat belt correctly before starting a jour-

ney.

Red: a vehicle occupant in the rear passenger

compartment has released the seat belt

buckle using the release button and may not

be properly secured.

If a vehicle occupant unfastens a seat belt in the

rear passenger compartment, the rear seat belt

status display will appear again.

In addition, a warning tone may sound.

Function of the PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator

lamps (front passenger air bag)

The PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamps display

the status of the front passenger air bag.

If the front passenger seat is occupied or a child

restraint system is installed on the front

passenger seat, you must make sure, both before

and during a journey, that the status of the front

passenger air bag is correct for the current situa-

tion.

WARNING Risk of potentially fatal injuries

due to objects trapped under the front

passenger seat

Objects trapped under the front passenger

seat may interfere with the function of the

automatic front passenger air bag shuto or

damage the system.

Do not stow any objects under the front

passenger seat.

When the front passenger seat is occu-

pied, ensure that no objects have

become trapped beneath the front

passenger seat.

Self-test: when the vehicle is switched on, both

the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON and OFF indicator

lamps light up simultaneously for several seconds.

Aer the self-test, you can determine the status of

the front passenger air bag as follows:

Front passenger air bag disabled: PASSENGER

AIR BAG OFF lights up continuously.

Occupant safety – Brief overview of the most important points

The front passenger air bag will not be

deployed in the event of an accident. If

PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF is lit, no one may

use the front passenger seat.

If a rearward-facing child restraint system is

installed on the front passenger seat,

PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF must be lit continu-

ously.

Front passenger air bag enabled: PASSENGER

AIR BAG ON lights up for up to 60 seconds or

both the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON and OFF

indicator lamps do not light up.

The front passenger air bag may be deployed

during an accident. If the front passenger air

bag has this status, no rearward-facing child

restraint system may be installed on the front

passenger seat.

If you are driving with a child in the vehicle,

observe the information in the chapter "Chil-

dren in the vehicle" (/ page 53)

WARNING Risk of injury or death due to a

disabled front passenger airbag

The front passenger airbag is disabled when

the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp

is lit.

A person in the front passenger seat could

then, for example, come into contact with the

vehicle interior, especially if the person is sit-

ting too close to the cockpit.

If the front passenger seat is occupied, always

ensure that:

The classication of the person in the front

passenger seat is correct and the front

passenger airbag is enabled or disabled in

accordance with the person in the front

passenger seat.

The front passenger seat has been moved

as far back as possible.

The person is seated correctly.

Both before and during the journey,

ensure that the status of the front

passenger airbag is correct.

Malfunction of the automatic front passenger air

bag shuto

The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp and

the restraint system indicator lamp 6 light up

simultaneously.

In this case, no one may use the front passenger

seat and no child restraint system may be instal-

led on the front passenger seat.

Have the automatic front passenger air bag shut-

o checked and repaired immediately at a quali-

ed specialist workshop.

Be sure to also observe the following further rela-

ted subjects:

Child restraint system on the front passenger

seat (/ page 57)

Disabling or enabling the front passenger air bag

The automatic front passenger air bag shuto can

activate or deactivate the front passenger air bag

and front passenger knee bag according to the

situation.

Occupant safety – Brief overview of the most important points

This happens automatically as a result of the clas-

sication of the person or child restraint system

on the front passenger seat.

You cannot manually disable or enable the front

passenger air bag.

Also observe the following information:

The status of the front passenger air bag: see

"Function of the PASSENGER AIR BAG indica-

tor lamps" (/ page 41)

Notes on using the front passenger seat: see

"Information on automatic front passenger air

bag shuto" (/ page 43)

If you are driving with a child in the vehicle,

observe the chapter "Children in the vehicle"

(/ page 53)

Information on the child restraint system

When installing a child restraint system, observe

the notes in "Children in the vehicle"

(/ page 53).

Notes on the child restraint system on the front

passenger seat

WARNING Risk of injury or fatal injuries if

the front passenger air bag is enabled

If the front passenger air bag is enabled, a

child on the front passenger seat may be

struck by the front passenger air bag in the

event of an accident.

NEVER use a rearward-facing child

restraint system on a seat with an ENA-

BLED FRONT AIR BAG. This can result in

the DEATH of or SERIOUS INJURY to the

CHILD.

Also pay particular attention to the notes on rear-

ward-facing or forward-facing child restraint sys-

tems on the front passenger seat (/ page 57).

Information on the automatic functions of the

restraint system

Function of the automatic front passenger air bag

shuto

A person on the front passenger seat must

observe the following information:

Sit correctly (/ page 37).

Fasten the seat belt correctly (/ page 38).

The automatic front passenger air bag shuto can

activate or deactivate the front passenger air bag

and front passenger knee bag according to the

situation.

Make sure you observe the following information:

Status of the front passenger air bag: see

"Function of the PASSENGER AIR BAG indica-

tor lamps" (/ page 41).

When installing a child restraint system on the

front passenger seat, observe the vehicle-spe-

cic information (/ page 57).

Occupant safety – Information on the automatic functions of the restraint system

Status of the front passenger air bag in relation to

the stature of the person:

Front passenger air bag disabled: PASSENGER

AIR BAG OFF lights up continuously.

The front passenger air bag will not be

deployed in the event of an accident. If

PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF is lit, no one may

use the front passenger seat.

Front passenger air bag enabled: PASSENGER

AIR BAG ON lights up for up to 60 seconds or

until both the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON and

OFF indicator lamps go out.

The front passenger air bag may be deployed

during an accident. Observe the following

information on the correct seat position

(/ page 37).

Vehicles with rear seats: a person of smaller

stature should use a rear seat.

System limits

The front passenger air bag may otherwise be dis-

abled by mistake, for example, in the following sit-

uation:

The front passenger transfers their weight by

supporting themselves on a vehicle armrest.

The front passenger sits in such a way that

their weight is raised from the seat surface.

NOTE Deployment of components of the

restraint system when the front passenger

seat is unoccupied

In an accident, the components of the

restraint system may deploy unnecessarily on

the front passenger side if:

There are heavy objects on the front

passenger seat.

The seat belt tongue is engaged in the seat

belt buckle of the front passenger seat and

the front passenger seat is unoccupied.

Store objects in a suitable place.

Only one person should use each seat

belt at any one time.

Depending on the detected accident situation, the

window air bag on the front passenger side may

deploy. The air bag is deployed regardless of

whether the front passenger seat is occupied.

Function of PRE-SAFE

(anticipatory occupant

protection)

PRE-SAFE

is able to detect certain critical driv-

ing situations and implement pre-emptive meas-

ures to protect the vehicle occupants.

PRE-SAFE

can implement the following meas-

ures independently of each other:

Tightening the seat belts on the driver's seat

and front passenger seat.

Closing the side windows.

Vehicles with sliding sunroof: closing the slid-

ing sunroof.

Occupant safety – Information on the automatic functions of the restraint system

Vehicles with memory function: moving the

front passenger seat to a more favorable seat

position.

PRE-SAFE

Sound: provided that the multime-

dia system is switched on, generating a brief

noise signal to stimulate the innate protective

mechanism of a person's hearing.

NOTE Damage caused by objects in the

footwell or behind the seat

The automatic adjustment of the seat position

may result in damage to the seat and/or the

object.

Stow objects in a suitable place.

Reverting the PRE-SAFE

system measures

If an accident did not occur, the pre-emptive

measures that were taken will be reversed.

You will need to perform certain settings yourself.

If the seat belt pre-tensioning is not reduced,

move the seat backrest back slightly.

The locking mechanism will release.

Seat belt adjustment function

Vehicles with PRE-SAFE

: aer you have fastened

the seat belt of the front seat, it may adjust itself

against your body by pulling at the shoulder until

somewhat tight. Do not hold the seat belt tightly

while it is adjusting.

This function is a reminder that all vehicle occu-

pants must wear their seat belts correctly.

You can activate and deactivate the seat belt

adjustment function using the multimedia system

(/ page 45).

Activating/deactivating seat belt adjustment via

the multimedia system

Multimedia system:

Settings

Vehicle

Occupant Protection

Activate or deactivate Belt adjustment.

Overview of the automatic measures aer an acci-

dent

Depending on the type and severity of the acci-

dent, and depending on the vehicle's equipment,

the following measures can be implemented,

forexample:

automatic braking (post-collision brake)

activating the hazard warning lights

triggering an automatic emergency call

(/ page 263)

Switching o the engine

To start the vehicle again, switch the vehicle

o and on once more (/ page 137). Depend-

ing on the type and severity of the accident,

you may no longer be able to start the vehicle.

switching o the fuel supply

unlocking the vehicle doors

lowering the side windows

displaying the emergency guide in the central

display

switching on the interior lighting

Occupant safety – Information on the automatic functions of the restraint system

Function of the post-collision brake aer an acci-

dent

Depending on the accident situation, the post-col-

lision brake can minimise the severity of a further

collision or even avoid it.

If an accident is detected, the post-collision brake

can initiate automatic braking. When the vehicle

has come to a standstill, the electric parking

brake is automatically applied.

The driver can cancel automatic braking by taking

the following actions:

Braking more strongly than automatic braking

Fully depressing the accelerator pedal with

force

Purpose and function of the restraint system

Overview of deployment situations (restraint sys-

tem)

Make sure that the following prerequisites in par-

ticular have been met so that the components of

the restraint system are able to provide the inten-

ded level of protection:

Sit correctly (/ page 37).

Fasten the seat belt correctly (/ page 38).

Function of the seat belt warning lamp

(/ page 40).

Function of the rear seat belt status dis-

play (/ page 40).

The restraint system warning lamp 6 is not

lit up aer the self-test (/ page 39).

The PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamps dis-

play the correct status of the front passenger

air bag (/ page 41).

Depending on the detected deployment situation,

the components of the restraint system can be

activated or deployed independently of each

other:

Emergency Tensioning Device: frontal impact,

rear impact, side impact, rollover

Driver's air bag, front passenger air bag: fron-

tal impact

Knee air bag: frontal impact

Side impact air bag: side impact

Window curtain air bag: side impact, rollover,

frontal impact

The installation location of an air bag is identied

by the AIRBAG symbol (/ page 52).

Observe the information on the function of the

restraint system (/ page 46).

Information on how the restraint system works

How the restraint system functions depends on

the severity of the impact detected and the appa-

rent type of accident.

Occupant safety – Purpose and function of the restraint system

For more information about types of accidents,

see "Overview of deployment situations"

(/ page 46).

The activation thresholds for the components of

the restraint system are determined based on the

evaluation of the sensor values measured at vari-

ous points in the vehicle. This process is pre-emp-

tive in nature. The triggering/deployment of the

components of the restraint system must take

place in good time at the start of the collision.

Factors that can be seen and measured only aer

a collision has occurred cannot play a decisive

role in air bag deployment. Nor do they provide an

indication of air bag deployment.

The vehicle may be deformed signicantly without

an air bag being deployed. This is the case if only

parts which are relatively easily deformed are

aected and the rate of vehicle deceleration is

not high. Conversely, an air bag may be deployed

even though the vehicle suers only minor defor-

mation. If very rigid vehicle parts such as longitu-

dinal members are hit, this may result in su-

ciently high levels of vehicle deceleration.

Depending on the apparent type of accident and

the detected deployment situation, Emergency

Tensioning Devices and/or air bags can supple-

ment the protection oered by a correctly worn

seat belt.

When enabled, an air bag can provide additional

protection for the respective vehicle occupant.

Potential protection provided by each air bag:

Knee air bag: thigh, knee and lower leg

Driver's air bag, front passenger air bag: head

and ribcage

Window air bag: head

Side air bag: ribcage and pelvis

NOTE Mercedes-AMG vehicles

Observe the notes in the Supplement.

You could otherwise fail to recognize

dangers.

However, no system available today can com-

pletely eliminate injuries and fatalities in every

accident situation. In particular, the seat belt and

air bag generally do not protect against objects

penetrating the vehicle from the outside. It is also

not possible to completely rule out the risk of

injury caused by the air bag deploying.

Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have the

vehicle towed to a qualied specialist workshop

aer an accident. Take this into account, particu-

larly if an Emergency Tensioning Device is trig-

gered or an air bag deployed.

If the Emergency Tensioning Devices are triggered

or an air bag is deployed, you will hear a bang,

and a small amount of powder may also be

released:

The bang will not generally aect your hearing.

In general, the powder released is not hazard-

ous to health but may cause short-term

breathing diculties to persons suering from

asthma or other pulmonary conditions.

Provided it is safe to do so, leave the vehicle

immediately or open the window in order to

prevent breathing diculties.

Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning

Devices contain perchlorate material, which may

require special handling or environmental protec-

Occupant safety – Purpose and function of the restraint system

tion measures. National guidelines regarding

waste disposal must be observed. In California,

see the Using the search

function, you will nd information on perchlorate,

for example.

Information on the limited protection provided by

the restraint system

Risk due to the incorrect behavior of vehicle occu-

pants

All vehicle occupants must make sure of the fol-

lowing in particular:

They observe the information on the correct

seat position (/ page 37).

There are no heavy, sharp-edged or fragile

objects in the pockets of their clothing. Store

such objects in a suitable place.

WARNING Risk of injury or death due to

an incorrect seat position

The seat belt does not oer the intended level

of protection if you have not moved the seat

backrest to an almost vertical position.

In particular, you could slip beneath the seat-

belt and become injured.

Adjust the seat properly before begin-

ning your journey.

Always ensure that the seat backrest is

in an almost vertical position and that

the shoulder belt is routed across the

center of your shoulder.

Risk due to objects in the vehicle interior

All vehicle occupants must make sure of the fol-

lowing in particular:

They observe the information on the correct

seat position (/ page 37).

There are no objects between the seat, door

and door pillar (B-pillar).

There are no hard objects, e.g. coat hangers,

hanging on the grab handles or coat hooks.

There are no heavy, sharp-edged or fragile

objects in the pockets of their clothing. Store

such objects in a suitable place.

WARNING Risk of injury or death due to

blocked seat belt buckle or seat belt

anchorage

Objects next to the front seat that block the

seat belt buckle or the moving seat belt

anchorage on the front seat impair the func-

tion of the Emergency Tensioning Devices.

Before starting the journey, make sure

that there are no objects around the seat

belt buckle or between the front seat

and door.

WARNING Risk of injury from objects in

the deployment area of an airbag

Objects in the deployment area of an airbag

can hinder or prevent the correct deployment

of the airbag.

Occupant safety – Purpose and function of the restraint system

The airbag may then deploy in an uncontrolled

manner and may even cause additional inju-

ries to the vehicle occupants by deploying.

This may be the case in particular if the airbag

is integrated into the seat.

Always stow and secure objects cor-

rectly.

Before commencing your journey, make

sure that no objects are stowed in the

deployment area of an airbag.

The installation location of an air bag is identied

by the AIRBAG (/ page 52) symbol.

Risk due to installing accessories

Do not attach accessories such as mobile naviga-

tion devices, mobile phones or cup holders within

the deployment area of an air bag, e.g. on the

cockpit, on the door, on the side window or on the

side trim.

In addition, no connecting cables, tensioning

straps or retaining straps may be routed or

attached to the vehicle within the deployment

area of an air bag. Always comply with the acces-

sory manufacturer's installation instructions and,

in particular, the notes on suitable places for

installation.

WARNING Risk of injury or death due to

unsuitable protective covers

Unsuitable protective covers mean that air

bags can no longer protect vehicle occupants

as they are designed to do.

Use only protective covers approved by

Mercedes-Benz for the seat in question.

In addition, the function of the automatic

passenger air bag deactivation may be restricted

by an unsuitable protective cover. If the front

passenger seat is occupied, ensure that the

PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamps display the

correct status of the front passenger air bag

(/ page 41).

Risk due to pets in the vehicle interior

WARNING Risk of accident and injury due

to animals le unsecured or unattended in

the vehicle

If you leave animals in the vehicle unattended

or unsecured, they could possibly press but-

tons or switches.

An animal may:

Activate vehicle equipment and become

trapped, for example

Switch systems on or o and endanger

other road users

Unsecured animals may be thrown around in

the vehicle in the event of an accident or sud-

den steering and braking maneuvers and

injure vehicle occupants in the process.

Never leave animals in the vehicle unat-

tended.

Always correctly secure animals while

driving, e.g. using a suitable animal car-

rier.

Occupant safety – Purpose and function of the restraint system

Risk due to modication, damage or wear to the

components of the restraint system

NOTE Mercedes-AMG vehicles

Observe the notes in the Supplement.

You could otherwise fail to recognize

dangers.

WARNING Risk of injury or death due to

modications to the restraint system

Vehicle occupants may no longer be protected

as intended if alterations are made to the

restraint system.

Never alter the parts of the restraint sys-

tem.

Never tamper with the wiring or any elec-

tronic component parts or their so-

ware.

If it is necessary to modify the vehicle to accom-

modate a person with disabilities, contact an

authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for details.

USA only: for details, contact our Customer Assis-

tance Center on 1-800-FOR-MERCedes

(1‑800‑367‑6372).

WARNING Risk of injury or death due to

damaged or modied seat belts

Seat belts cannot provide protection in the fol-

lowing situations:

The seat belt is damaged, has been modi-

ed, is extremely dirty, bleached or dyed

The seat belt buckle is damaged or

extremely dirty

Modications have been made to the

Emergency Tensioning Device, seat belt

anchorage or seat belt retractor

Seat belts may sustain non-visible damage in

an accident, e.g. due to glass splinters.

Modied or damaged seat belts could tear or

fail in the event of an accident, for example.

Modied Emergency Tensioning Devices could

accidentally trigger or fail to function as inten-

ded.

Never modify the seat belt system, for

example the seat belt, seat belt buckle,

Emergency Tensioning Device, seat belt

anchorage and seat belt retractor.

Make sure that the seat belts are undam-

aged, not worn and clean.

Always have the seat belts checked

immediately aer an accident at a quali-

ed specialist workshop.

Use only seat belts that have been approved for

your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.

The seat is designed for the standard three-point

seat belt. If you install a dierent multipoint seat

belt, such as a four-point seat belt, the restraint

system will not be able to provide the intended

level of protection.

Depending on the type of vehicle, there may be

openings in the seat backrest. These openings

have no function.

Occupant safety – Purpose and function of the restraint system

WARNING Risk of injury or fatal injury due

to modied seat belt systems

If you feed seat belts through the opening in

the seat backrest, the seat backrest may be

damaged or may even break in the event of an

accident.

Only use the standard three-point seat

belt.

Never modify the seat belt system.

WARNING Risk of injury due to modica-

tions to the cover of an airbag

If you change the cover of an airbag or attach

objects, e.g. even stickers, to it, the airbag

may no longer function as intended.

Never modify the cover of an airbag.

Do not attach any objects to the cover.

The installation location of an air bag is identied

by the AIRBAG symbol (/ page 52).

WARNING Risk of injury due to malfunc-

tioning sensors in the door

The function of the airbags can be impaired

due to modications or incorrect work per-

formed on the doors or door trim, or if the

doors are damaged.

Never modify the doors or parts of the

doors.

Always have work on the doors or door

trim carried out at a qualied specialist

workshop.

Risk due to components of the restraint system

that have already been deployed

Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have the

vehicle towed to a qualied specialist workshop

aer an accident.

WARNING Risk of burns from hot air bag

components

The air bag parts are hot aer an air bag has

been deployed.

Do not touch the air bag parts.

Have a deployed air bag replaced at a

qualied specialist workshop as soon as

possible.

WARNING Risk of injury due to deployed

airbag

A deployed airbag no longer oers any protec-

tion.

Have the vehicle towed to a qualied

specialist workshop in order to have the

deployed airbag replaced.

Have deployed air bags replaced immediately.

WARNING Risk of injury or death from

deployed pyrotechnic Emergency Tension-

ing Devices

Pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning Devices

that have been deployed are no longer opera-

tional and are unable to perform their inten-

ded protective function.

Therefore, have deployed pyrotechnic

Emergency Tensioning Devices immedi-

Occupant safety – Purpose and function of the restraint system

ately replaced at a qualied specialist

workshop.

Seat belts

Releasing seat belts

Press the release button in the seat belt

buckle and guide the seat belt back with the

seat belt tongue.

NOTE Damage caused by trapping the

seat belt

If an unused seat belt is not fully retracted, it

may become trapped in the door or in the seat

mechanism.

Always ensure that an unused seat belt

is fully retracted.

Airbags

Overview of air bags

Driver's knee air bag

Driver's air bag

Front passenger air bag

Front passenger knee air bag

Window curtain air bag

Side impact air bag

The installation location of an air bag is identied

by the AIRBAG symbol.

Observe the information under "Overview of

deployment situations" (/ page 46).

Occupant safety

Occupant safety for Your Mercedes CLA 4 Door Third Generation (2025-2026)

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