"Passenger" Saftey
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Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 120
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From: San Francisco
2005 E-500
"Passenger" Saftey
We need more humor around here! Made my normal trip to the cleaners (no, not the MB Dealership) with some shirts and pants. As I normally do, I placed the stuff on the front seat. As soon as I started off, I heard a warning alert, but it is not the hand brake as usual. The dry cleaning was heavy enough to set off the safety belt warning and light. It was only five shirts and pants!
Had to endure the warning noise until I arrived. Next time I guess I will strap the clothing in. :v
Sunny with a little wind in San Francisco
Had to endure the warning noise until I arrived. Next time I guess I will strap the clothing in. :v
Sunny with a little wind in San Francisco
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,586
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From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
I tried to "fool" the front passenger seat sensor with two half-gallon jugs of tomato juice (well, this is Sacramento), total weight about nine pounds, and didn't get so much as a peep from the seat belt alarm when I started the car and put it in gear. There wouldn't be much point in having less than ten pounds or so set off the sensor, since even an infant in a car seat weighs that much (not that an infant in a car seat should be in the front seat). Four possibilities:
1. The sensor on an '05 is more sensitive than the sensor on an '03.
2. Cars in The City By The Bay are inherently more sensitive than cars in Sacratomato.
3. The passenger-seat sensor in your car is a bit overeager.
4. The passenger-seat sensor in my car is an underachiever.
+++++++++++++++++++
Typically http://www.kxtv10.com/capture/tc-east.jpg weather in California's Big Valley.
1. The sensor on an '05 is more sensitive than the sensor on an '03.
2. Cars in The City By The Bay are inherently more sensitive than cars in Sacratomato.
3. The passenger-seat sensor in your car is a bit overeager.
4. The passenger-seat sensor in my car is an underachiever.
+++++++++++++++++++
Typically http://www.kxtv10.com/capture/tc-east.jpg weather in California's Big Valley.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,586
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From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
That's a reasonable explanation for the difference. I vaguely recall hearing my '03 complain once when I, as driver, had my seat belt fastened, but the passenger hadn't yet fastened her belt - but I could be recalling that incorrectly. I'll have to test it the next time I have a passenger.
Almost a Member!
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 51
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From: Sacramento, CA
2015 E350
DWP: I can attest to the fact that #2 on your list (SFO sensors are more sensitive than Sacramento) isn't true. If I set my handbag, plus even one other item on the passenger seat, the alarm goes off. What's frustrating is, that it doesn't go off until the car is moving, so I find myself pushing items from the seat to the floor, one by one until it finally shuts up. A couple of times I have resorted to grabbing the seatbealt and fastening it. I've owned the car for 9 months now and, interestingly, I don't recall having this problem until just recently -- that last two or three months. So, is the sensor becoming more sensitive over time? Or is my handbag getting heavier? I actually did end up weighing my handbag. In spite of the rumors about women and our handbags, it only weighs 4 pounds!! ;-)
After having a 2001 C320 that spent 78 days in the shop in just 20,000 miles, I'm quite thankful that this is the only "problem" I've had with the car so far. I do intend to ask if the sensor can be adjusted when I go in for service....if I can wait that long.
SL
After having a 2001 C320 that spent 78 days in the shop in just 20,000 miles, I'm quite thankful that this is the only "problem" I've had with the car so far. I do intend to ask if the sensor can be adjusted when I go in for service....if I can wait that long.
SL
Last edited by sl561; Jun 22, 2005 at 07:14 PM.
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,586
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From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
Originally Posted by atssystems.com
DWP, I don't think this sensor they have in the 05's is in the 03 or the 04's. It is called a Occupant Classification System (I think) and is new for 05.
"Occupant Classification System (OCS) automatically turns the front passenger's front air bag on or off based on the weight category determined by weight sensor readings from the front passenger seat."
The similar page for the 2003 and 2004 W211 (in the "Certified Pre-Owned" section) doesn't contain the reference to OCS. No wonder that my car ignored the tomato juice.
