Front air bags

The front air bags increase protection for the driver's and front-passenger's head and chest.

Driver's air bag 1 deploys in front of the

Driver's air bag 1 deploys in front of the steering wheel; front-passenger front air bag 2 deploys in front of and above the glove box.

They are deployed:
• in the event of certain frontal impacts
• if the system determines that air bag deployment can offer additional protection to that provided by the seat belt
• if the seat belt is fastened
• independently of other air bags in the vehicle

Your vehicle has adaptive, two-stage front air bags. In the event of a collision, the air bag control unit evaluates the vehicle deceleration. In the first deployment stage, the front air bag is filled with enough propellant gas to reduce the risk of injuries.

The front air bag is fully deployed if a second deployment threshold is exceeded within a few milliseconds.

The deployment of the front-passenger front air bag is also influenced by the weight category of the front passenger, which is determined by the Occupant Classification System (OCS).

The lighter the passenger side occupant, the higher the vehicle deceleration rate required (predicted at the start of the impact) for second stage inflation of the front-passenger front air bag. In the second stage, the front air bags are inflated with the maximum amount of propellant gas available.

The front air bags are not deployed in situations where a low impact severity is predicted. You will then be protected by the fastened seat belt.

The front-passenger front air bag will only deploy if:
• the system, based on the OCS weight sensor readings, detects that the frontpassenger seat is occupied.
• the console is not lit. indicator lamp in the center console is not lit.
• the air bag control unit predicts a high impact severity.

    See also:

    Important safety notes
    WARNING To help avoid personal injury during a collision or sudden maneuver, exercise care when storing objects in the vehicle. Put luggage or cargo in the trunk if possible. Do not pile l ...

    LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat anchors in the rear
    WARNING Children that are too large for a child restraint must travel in seats using normal seat belts. Position shoulder belt across the chest and shoulder, not face or neck. In order to a ...

    Equipment packages: extras for the discerning customer
    In addition to the design and equipment lines, the AMG sports package and the Exclusive package offer more scope for equipping the new E-Class to personal taste. These packages contain high-qualit ...