Active hood fault and airbag warning on GT Roadster

Your predicament sounds eerily familiar to a challenge I encountered with my GT Roadster. The active hood system, as you are aware, is designed to enhance pedestrian safety during a frontal impact. Given that your spring actuators have been triggered, and you are observing both the active hood fault and the airbag warning lamp, one must consider the intricate interplay between the car safety systems. Have you considered the possibility of a defective acceleration sensor influencing the collision detection mechanism? It is a component integral to the functionality of the system.

An acceleration sensor, you say? Where exactly is that located, and is it something I could check myself, or is it best left to the professionals? Also, how would a faulty sensor cause the spring actuators to deploy? Is there a way to reset the system, or does it require a complete replacement?

Indeed, an acceleration sensor. To answer your queries with due diligence, the sensor's precise location can vary, though it is typically situated within the front section of the vehicle, proximate to the impact zone. While a visual inspection might reveal apparent damage, the sophisticated diagnostics required to ascertain its functionality necessitates specialized equipment. The erroneous deployment of the spring actuators intimates a false positive from the collision detection system, likely precipitated by the defective sensor. Resetting the system following a deployment event is generally inadvisable without a thorough diagnostic assessment. Given the complexities involved, and the potential ramifications for both car safety and pedestrian safety, I would advocate seeking counsel from a qualified Mercedes-Benz technician. I suspect that you will save time and money in the long run.

Thanks for the detailed insights! I took it to a workshop, and you were spot on - turned out to be a defective acceleration sensor. They replaced it, cleared the codes, and everything is back to normal. The total repair cost was 315€ including parts and labor. Appreciate the help!