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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Safety belts Airbags Child restraint systems*
Do not install a rear-facing child 
restraint system in the front 
passenger seat of your vehicle. If you 
do so, the child could be injured in an 
accident when the airbag is triggered. 
Children should always ride in the rear 
and the restraint systems should be 
secured with the safety belts.
Do not modify the child restraint system 
in any way. If you do so, it will not 
provide your child with maximum 
protection.<
1 Front airbags for driver and 
passenger
2 Side airbags for driver and passenger 
(front and rear
*)
Protective effectThe front airbags protect the front-seat 
occupants in the event of a severe 
frontal collision on which the protection 
afforded by the belts alone may no 
longer be sufficient. The side airbags 
help provide protection in the event of a 
collision from the side. Each of the side 
airbags is designed to help support the 
occupant's upper body.46cde048
The side airbags in the rear 
passenger area
* of your vehicle 
may already have been deactivated 
either at the time of manufacture or by a 
BMW center. You may have them acti-
vated if you desire to do so. Please 
contact your BMW center for additional 
information.<
The illustration depicts schematically 
the primary directions of vehicle impact 
that initiate airbag deployment.
The airbags will not be triggered in 
the event of a minor accident, a 
vehicle roll-over, or collisions from the 
rear.<
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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Airbags
At all times, occupants should sit 
upright and be properly restrained 
(infants and small children in appro-
priate child restraint systems; larger 
children 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 injury. Please note that 
the word "Airbag" imprinted on the door 
trim panel indicates the airbag's loca-
tion. 
Accident research shows that the 
safest place for children in an 
automobile is in the rear seat. However, 
a child sitting in the rear seat and not 
properly restrained may place his or her 
head on or near the airbag, if so 
equipped. For example, a child Ñ even 
though belted Ñ may fall asleep with his 
or her head against the side airbag. It 
may be difficult for a driver to ensure 
that children in the rear seat will remain 
properly positioned 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 door opening 
should indicate the status of your rear 
seat side airbags. If you are uncertain of 
their status, or wish to have the airbags 
activated or deactivated, please 
contact your BMW center.<
Even when all these guidelines are 
observed, there is still a small residual 
risk of injuries to the face, hands and 
arms occurring in isolated instances. 
The ignition and inflation noise may 
induce a mild temporary hearing loss in 
sensitive individuals.
For additional information concerning 
the airbag system, refer to pages 159 
and 189.This is the right way for a child to sit in 
a child restraint when rear side airbags 
(arrow) are provided.
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