2003 BMW 3.0i ROADSTER center console

Adjustments
34 gered in every type of collision, e.g. in the
event of minor accidents, certain vehicle
roll-over situations or collisions from the
rear. In these instances, the safety belt pro-
vides sufficient protection.
Adjust your seat to a position that provides
maximum distance between you and the
steering wheel and the instrument panel
while still allowing comfortable and safe
access to all vehicle controls.
To minimize the risk of sustaining hand and
arm injuries, always hold the steering wheel
on the rim with the hands at or near 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 airbags and an occupant.
Do not use the cover panel above the pas-
senger side airbags as a storage area.
Never allow front passengers to lean
against or rest their feet or legs on the air-
bag cover panel.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or
modify them in any other way.
Never install a rear-facing child-restraint
system in the passenger seat of this vehi-
cle, unless the passenger airbags have
been turned off and the indicator lamp in
the center console indicates that the pas-
senger airbags are deactivated.
If you transport children, carefully read and
comply with the instructions in the follow-
ing section.
Be sure that child-restraints are mounted
correctly and as far as possible towards the
rear and in the lowest position. <
Even when all these guidelines are
observed, there is still a small residual risk
of injuries resulting from contact with
deploying airbags in isolated instances.
The ignition and inflation noise from the air-
bags may induce a mild temporary hearing
loss in sensitive individuals.
Transporting children safely
Deactivating/reactivating passenger
airbags
The passenger airbags must be deac-
tivated before using a rear-facing
child-restraint system on the passenger
seat, refer also to page 36 for explanation.
BMW also recommends that the passenger
airbags be deactivated if a child is trans-
ported in a front-facing child-restraint sys-
tem, regardless of the age of the child. If
you transport a child in the passenger seat
– not an infant in a rear-facing seat – who is
properly seated and seat-belted at all
times, the potential benefits of airbags
deploying in an accident generally out-
weigh the risks of the child being injured by
the force of a deploying airbag.
Therefore, you should deactivate the pas-
senger airbags only if you find it difficult to
ensure that the child will remain properly
seated and seat-belted at all times.
Always position the passenger seat as far
back as possible and at the lowest level.
The above warning and recommendations
are compatible with regulations estab-
lished by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration – NHTSA – permitting
the deactivation of front passenger airbags
by means of an on-off switch for members
of certain "at risk" groups.
Specifically, the 'at risk' groups are:
>Infants in rear-facing infant seats
>Persons with certain medical conditions
>Children aged 12 and under in the front
passenger seat.
NHTSA provides this information via their
website – www.nhtsa.dot.gov – or via their
Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-
9393 or 366-0123 in Washington, D.C.
area.<

Adjustments
36
LATCH child-restraint mounting
system*
LATCH: Lower Anchors and Tethers for
CHildren
The anchorage points for the LATCH child-
restraint system are located at the posi-
tions indicated by the arrows.
For Canadian models only:
The position of the anchorage points is
indicated by a label on the seat; refer to
detail in illustration.
Carefully slide the brackets through the
gaps in the upholstery at the indicated
locations, see arrows.
To mount the LATCH child-restraint
system, please follow the manufac-
turer's operating and safety precautions.<
Commercially available child seats comply-
ing with the legal standard are designed to
be secured with a seat belt or with the seat
belt portion of a combination lap/shoulder
belt.
Improperly or inadequately installed child-
restraint systems can increase the risk of
injury to children. Always read and follow
the instructions that come with the system.Before installing any child-restraint
device or child seat, please read the
following:
Never install a rear-facing child-restraint
system in the passenger seat of this vehi-
cle, unless the passenger airbags have
been turned off and the indicator lamp in
the center console indicates that the pas-
senger airbags are deactivated.
Your vehicle is equipped with an airbag
restraint system for the passenger.
Because the backrest on any rear-facing
child-restraint system – of the kind
designed for infants under 1 year and
20 lbs/9 kg – would be within the airbag's
deployment range, you must deactivate the
passenger's airbags, as the impact of the
airbags against the child-restraint's back-
rest could lead to serious or fatal injuries, if
the airbags are not deactivated.
For a child – not an infant –, certain precau-
tions should be taken. Position the passen-
ger seat as far back as possible and at the
lowest level. This important precaution is
intended to maximize the distance
between the airbags and the child. Younger
children should be secured in an appropri-
ate forward-facing child-restraint system
that has first been properly secured. Older
children should be tightly secured with a
safety belt, sitting with their back against
the vehicle seat back.
Always ensure that all occupants – of all
ages – remain properly and securely
restrained at all times.<
Securing the child-restraint system
The front passenger's safety belt can be
locked for mounting and securing a child-
restraint system.
A label with the appropriate instructions for
this is located in the immediate vicinity of
the buckle latch of the safety belt.

Interior conveniences
60
Interior conveniences
Glove compartment
To open
Press the two push buttons together.
To close
Swing the door up.
To prevent injury in the event of an
accident, close the glove compart-
ment immediately after use.<
Storage compartments
Storage compartment between
backrests
To open
1.Press button; see arrow 1
2.Swing the cover downward.
To close
Swing the door up.
Locking/unlocking
The storage compartment between the
backrests is automatically locked and
unlocked with the central locking system.
Releasing manually
In the event of an electrical malfunction of
the central locking system, you can manu-
ally unlock the storage compartment
between the seats.
1.Pull on the cord in the rear luggage
compartment panel.
The storage compartment between the
seats unlocks
2.Press button; see arrow 1.
Other compartments and nets*
You will find additional storage compart-
ments in the front doors and in the center
console.
Depending on the particular version, the
vehicle may also be equipped with two
storage compartments behind the seats.
A net
* is located on the passenger side
along the center console.