2003 BMW 325Ci COUPE ESP

43 Adjustments
Safe seating positionFor relaxed and fatigue-free driving you
should select a sitting position that
reflects your personal requirements. In
combination with the safety belts and
airbags, the correct seating position
plays an important role in enhancing
occupant safety in the event of an acci-
dent. To ensure that the vehicle's safety
systems provide you with optimal pro-
tection, we request that you direct your
careful attention to the following sec-
tion.
For supplementary information on
transporting children, refer to page 54.Sitting safely with airbags
Always maintain an adequate dis-
tance between yourself and the
airbags. Always hold the steering wheel
by the rim to keep any chance of injury
to hands or arms to an absolute mini-
mum should the airbag be deployed.
Never allow any objects, individuals or
animals to obstruct the areas between
passengers and airbags. Never use the
front airbag's cover as a storage tray or
support for objects of any kind. Never
allow front passengers to rest their feet
or legs on the airbag cover.<
For airbag locations and additional
information on airbags, refer to
page 52.Sitting safely with safety belts
Never allow more than one person
to wear a single safety belt. Never
allow infants or small children to ride in
a passenger's lap. Avoid twisting the
belt while routing it firmly across the
pelvis and shoulder, wear it as snugly
against your body as possible. Do not
allow the belt to rest against hard or
fragile objects. Do not route the belt
across your neck, or run it across sharp
edges. Be sure that the belt does not
become caught or jammed. Avoid
wearing bulky clothing and pull on the
lap belt periodically to retension it over
your shoulders. In the event of a frontal
impact, a loose lap belt could slide over
the hips, leading to abdominal injury. In
addition, the safety belt's restraint
effectiveness is reduced if it is worn
loosely. Expectant mothers should
always wear their safety belts, taking
care to position the lap belt against the
lower hips, where it will not exert pres-
sure against the abdominal area.<
For information on using the safety
belts, refer to page 47.
SeatsWhen adjusting your seat, always
observe the following precautions
Never try to adjust your seat while
operating the vehicle. The seat
could respond with an unexpected
movement, and the ensuing loss of
vehicle control could lead to an acci-
dent. Never ride with the backrest
reclined to an extreme angle. This is
especially important for the front pas-
senger to remember. If you do so, there
is a risk that you will slide under the
safety belt in an accident, thus reducing
the protection provided by the safety
belt.<
Seat adjustment>Manual seat adjustment, refer to
page 44
>Power seat adjustment, refer to
page 45
>Head restraint, refer to page 46
>Entering the rear, refer to page 46.
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51
Interior rearview mirrorTo reduce glare from vehicles behind
you when you are driving at night, tilt
the lens by turning the button.
Vehicles without alarm system:
Tilt the small lever forward.
Interior rearview mirror with
automatic dimming feature*This mirror automatically responds to
ambient light and headlamp glare from
following vehicles by dimming through
an infinitely variable range and auto-
matically reverts to its clear, undimmed
setting whenever you select reverse.
To ensure that the mirror continues to
operate efficiently, ensure that the pho-
tocells remain clear and unobstructed.
One photocell is integrated in the mir-
ror's lens – see arrow – while the other
is located at an offset position on the
rear of the mirror. Refrain from attach-
ing stickers to the windshield in the
area immediately in front of the mirror.
Mirrors
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52Passenger safety systems
Airbags1Front airbags on the driver and pas-
senger sides
2Head airbags for driver and front pas-
senger
3Side airbags on the driver and pas-
senger sides – front and rear*Protective effectThe front airbags supplement the three-
point safety belts by providing addi-
tional protection in the event of a
severe frontal collision in which the pro-
tection afforded by the belts alone may
no longer be sufficient. The Head Pro-
tection System and side airbags help
provide protection in the event of a col-
lision from the side. Each of the side
airbags is designed to help support the
upper body.
For information on the correct sitting
posture, refer to page 43.
The side airbags in the rear pas-
senger area* of your vehicle may
already have been deactivated either at
the time of manufacture or by a BMW
center. You may have them activated if
you desire to do so. Please contact
your BMW center for additional infor-
mation.<
The airbags do not deploy in
response to minor collisions, rear
impacts and certain kinds of vehicle
rollover.<
Do not apply adhesive materials to
the cover panels of the airbags,
cover them or modify them in any other
way. Do not remove the airbag restraint
system. In the event of a malfunction,
deactivation or triggered activation – as
a response to an accident – of the air-
bag restraint system, solely consult
your BMW center for inspection, repair
or disassembly. Do not modify or
tamper with either the wiring or the indi-
vidual components in the airbag sys-
tem. These include the upholstered
covers on the steering wheel, the
instrument panel, side panels on doors
and in the rear and the roof struts as
well as down the sides of the roof lin-
ers. Also, do not attempt to remove the
steering wheel. Unprofessional
attempts to service the system could
lead to failure in an emergency or
undesired airbag activation, either of
which could result in personal injury. Do
not touch the individual components
immediately after the system has been
activated, as this could result in per-
sonal injury.<
All vehicle occupants should
always sit upright and be properly
restrained – infants and small children
in appropriate 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 air-
bag'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
restrained may place his or her head on
or near the airbag, if so equipped. For
example, a child — even though belted
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53
in — 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
positioned at all times and do not place
their heads on or near the side airbag.
Therefore, we recommend that the
rear-seat side airbags, if installed in the
vehicle, be deactivated if children will
be riding in the rear seat.
The rear-seat side airbags may already
have been deactivated, either at the
time of manufacture or by a BMW cen-
ter. 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 con-
tact 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 from airbag deployment
in isolated instances.
The ignition and inflation noise may
induce a mild temporary hearing loss in
sensitive individuals.
Corresponding airbag warning labels
are found on both sun visors.This is the right way a child should sit in
a child restraint when rear side airbags,
see arrow, are provided.
This is the right way a larger child
should sit wearing the seat belt when
rear side airbags, see arrow, are pro-
vided.Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp indicates the
operational status of the airbag
system when the ignition key is
in position 1 or higher.
System operational:
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly
when you turn the ignition key to
position 1 or higher.
System malfunction:
>Indicator lamp does not come on or
>indicator lamp lights up continuously.
Airbags
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54
If there is a system malfunction, there is
a risk that the airbags will not be trig-
gered within their normal response
range, even if the level of impact would
normally have triggered them.
Have your BMW center inspect the sys-
tem immediately.
Transporting children safelyCommercially available child-restraint
systems are designed to be secured
with a lap belt or with the lap belt por-
tion of a combination lap/shoulder belt.
Improperly or inadequately installed
restraint systems can increase the risk
of injury to children. Always read and
follow the instructions that come with
the system.
Child-restraint system with
tether strapIf you use a child-restraint system with
a tether strap, three additional tether
anchorage points have been provided –
refer to the arrows in the illustration.
Airbags
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55
Depending on the location selected for
seating in the rear passenger area,
attach the tether strap to the corre-
sponding anchorage point to secure the
child-restraint system, as shown in the
illustration.
If the respective seating position is fit-
ted with a head restraint, lift the head
restraint, and pass the tether strap
between the head restraint and the seat
back.
It is recommended to readjust the head
restraint in the lowest possible position.
Adjust the tether strap according to the
child-restraint manufacturer's instruc-
tions.
Before installing any child-
restraint device or child seat,
please read the following:
Never install a rear-facing child-
restraint system in the front passenger
seat of this vehicle.
Your vehicle is equipped with an airbag
supplemental restraint system for the
front passenger. Because the backrest
on any rear-facing child-restraint sys-
tem – of the kind designed for infants
under 1 year and 20 lbs/9 kg – would
be within the airbag's deployment
range, you should never mount such a
device in the front passenger seat,
since the impact of the airbag against
the child-restraint's backrest could lead
to serious or fatal injuries.
If it is necessary for a child – not an
infant – to ride in the front seat, certain
precautions should be taken. First,
move the passenger seat as far away
from the dashboard as possible. This
important precaution is intended to
maximize the distance between the air-
bag and the child. Older children
should be tightly secured with a safety
belt after they have outgrown a booster
seat that is appropriate for their age,
height, and weight. Younger children
should be secured in an appropriate
forward-facing child-restraint system
that has first been properly installed
with a safety belt.
Never install a rear-facing child-
restraint system in the front passenger
seat.
We strongly urge you to carefully read
and comply with the instructions for
installation and use provided by the
child restraint's manufacturer when-
ever you use such a device.
Do not attempt to modify child-restraint
systems. If you do this, the protection
provided by these systems could be
impaired.
Always ensure that all occupants – of all
ages – remain properly and securely
restrained at all times.<
All rear seating positions in your vehicle
meet the recommendations of
SAE J1819, an industry-recommended
practice for securing child-restraint sys-
tems in motor vehicles.
Transporting children safely
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76Technology for safety and driving convenience
Park Distance Control (PDC)*The conceptPDC provides extra safety and conve-
nience during parking maneuvers.
Acoustic signals alert you to the
momentary distance to an object
behind your vehicle. For this purpose,
four ultrasonic sensors in the rear
bumper measure the distance to the
next object. The monitoring range for
the rear bumper's two corner sensors
extends outward roughly 2 ft/60 cm,
while the two centrally located sensors
detect objects at distances of up to
approx. 5 ft/1.50 meters.
PDC is a parking aid that can
identify objects if they are
approached slowly, as is generally the
case when parking. Avoid driving
towards objects rapidly; due to underly-
ing physical principles, the system may
otherwise alert you too late for you to
take evasive steps.<
The system starts to operate automati-
cally approx. one second after you
select Reverse or move the selector
lever into the R position with the igni-
tion key in position 2.
Let this short period elapse before
driving backwards.<
PDC is deactivated when you shift back
out of Reverse.
You can have a signal set to con-
firm that the PDC has been acti-
vated. indicated by a tone sounding at various
intervals. As the distance between vehi-
cle and object decreases, the intervals
between the tones become shorter. A
continuous tone indicates the pres-
ence of an object less than 1 ft/30 cm
away.
The warning signal is canceled after
approx. three seconds if the distance to
the object remains constant during this
time – if you are moving parallel to
a wall, for instance.
System malfunctions will be indicated
by a continuous high-pitched tone
when the system is activated the first
time. Please have the problem fixed by
your BMW center.
PDC does not replac the driver's
personal responsibility for evaluat-
ing the distance between the vehicle
and any objects. Even when sensors
are involved, there is a blind spot in
which objects cannot be detected. This
applies especially in those cases where
the system approaches the physical
limits of ultrasonic measurement, as
occurs with tow bars and trailer cou-
plings, and in the vicinity of thin or
wedge-shaped objects. Moreover, low
objects that have already been
detected – such as a curb edge – can
disappear out of the detection range of
the sensors before a continuous tone
sounds.
Loud sources of sound from outside or
inside the vehicle could drown out the
PDC signal tone.<
Keep the sensors clean and free
of ice or snow in order to ensure
that they will continue to operate effec-
tively.
Do not apply high pressure spray to the
sensors for a prolonged period of time.
Always maintain a distance of more
than 4 in/10 cm.<
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77
Automatic Stability Control plus Traction (ASC+T)*The conceptASC+T optimizes vehicle stability and
traction, especially when just starting
off, when accelerating or when going
through curves.
ASC+T is ready each time you start the
engine.
ASC+T incorporates the Automatic Dif-
ferential Brake (ADB) and Cornering
Brake Control (CBC) functions.
Additional information on ASC+T is
found in the "Technology" brochure.Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out shortly
after you switch on the ignition,
refer to page 19.
>The indicator lamp flashes: ASC+T is
actively controlling drive torque and
braking intervention
>The indicator lamp stays lit: ASC+T
has been switched off with the but-
ton; ADB is operational. ADB control
intervention is not indicated.
The indicator and the brake
warning lamps will remain on
continuously yellow:
The ASC+T and ADB have been
switched off manually or there is
a system malfunction.
You can still drive the vehicle as normal
without ASC+T.
In the event of a fault, please consult
your BMW center.
Indicator and warning lamps for
Canadian models.
Switching off the ASC+T/
activating the ADBPress the ASC button briefly; the indi-
cator lamp comes on and stays on.
ASC+T has been switched off; ADB is
operational.
In the following rare situations, it may
be effective to activate the ADB for a
brief period:
>When rocking the vehicle or starting
off in deep snow or on loose surfaces
>When driving with snow chains.
To maintain vehicle stability,
always drive with the ASC+T acti-
vated whenever possible.<
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