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AirbagsSitting correctly with airbags
For your safety, comply with the 
following instructions for the air-
bags. If you do not, the airbags may not 
be able to provide their maximum pro-
tection. All passengers in the vehicle 
should be aware of and comply with 
this information: 
The airbags are supplemental restraint 
devices designed to provide extra pro-
tection; they are not a substitute for 
safety belts. Wear your safety belt at all 
times. The airbags will not be triggered 
in the event of a minor accident, a vehi-
cle roll-over, or collisions from the rear. 
In these instances, the safety belt pro-
vides optimal protection. 
Airbags are located under cover panels 
in the steering wheel, in the dashboard 
and in the side trim panels in the front.
Adjust your seat to a position that pro-
vides maximum distance between you 
and the steering wheel, the instrument 
panel and the door while still allowing 
comfortable and safe access to all 
vehicle controls.
To avoid sustaining hand and arm inju-
ries, always grasp the steering wheel 
on the rim with the hands at the 9 and 
3 o'clock positions. Do not place your 
hands on the center pad.
Never allow any objects to obstruct the 
area between the airbag and an occu-
pant.
Do not use the cover panel above the 
passenger-side airbag as a storage 
area.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the 
cover panels of the airbags, cover them 
or modify them in any other way.
Do not install a rear-facing child re-
straint system in the front passenger 
seat of this car. 
Children under 13 years of age and 
children less than 5 feet (150 cm) tall 
should ride only in the rear seat.
Infants or small children should never 
be held on the lap of a passenger.
If your car is equipped with side airbags 
in the rear passenger area, be sure that 
child restraints are mounted correctly 
and provided with the greatest-possible 
distance between the airbags in the 
side trim panels. Do not allow children 
to lean out of the child's seat in the di-
rection of the side trim panels. If they 
do so, serious injuries can occur if the 
airbag is triggered.
upright and be properly restrained 
(infants and small children in appropri-
ate child restraint systems; larger chil-
dren and adults using the safety belts). 
Never let an occupant's head rest near 
or on a side airbag because the inflating 
airbag could cause a serious or fatal in-
jury. Please note that the word "Airbag" 
imprinted on the door trim panel indi-
cates the airbag's location.
Accident research shows that the saf-
est place for children in an automobile 
is in the rear seat. However, a child sit-
ting in the rear seat and not properly re-
strained may place his or her head on 
or near the airbag, if so equipped. For 
example, a child — even though belted 
— may fall asleep with his or her head 
against the side airbag. It may be diffi-
cult for a driver to ensure that children 
in the rear seat will remain properly po-
sitioned at all times and not place their 
heads on or near the side airbag. 
Therefore, we recommend that the rear 
seat side airbags, if so equipped, be 
deactivated if children will travel in the 
rear seat.
The rear seat side airbags may already 
have been deactivated, either at the 
time of manufacture or by a BMW 
center. Labels in the rear door opening