Mercedes-Benz 2001 C 320 - Manual (Page 72)

63 Restraint systems
Technical
data
Instruments
and controls
Operation Driving
Instrument
cluster display
Practical hints Car care Index
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
Airbags are intended as a supplement to seat belts.
Airbags alone cannot protect as well as airbags plus
seat belts in impacts for which the airbags were
designed to operate, and do not afford any protection
whatsoever in crashes for which the airbags are not
designed to deploy.
The SRS uses two crash severity levels (thresholds) to
activate either the emergency tensioning retractor (ETR)
or front airbag or both. Activation depends on the
direction and severity of the impact exceeding the
preset thresholds and whether the seat belt is fastened.
Seat belt fastened
• first threshold exceeded: ETR activates
• second threshold exceeded: airbag also activates
Seat belt not fastened
Front seats:
• first threshold exceeded: airbag activates, not ETR
Rear outer seats:
• first threshold exceeded: ETR activates
Driver and front passenger and rear outer seat systems
operate independently of each other.