2003 BMW 325xi TOURING Owner's Manual

49
Before activating the programmed
adjustment feature, ensure that
the footwell behind the driver's seat is
empty and unobstructed. If you fail to
do so, any persons, animals or objects
behind the seat could be injured or
damaged by a rearward movement of
the seat.<
Passenger-side exterior mirror tilt
functionAutomatic curb monitor*
1. Set the mirror selection switch 1 to
the driver's door mirror position
2. When shifting into Reverse or placing
the selector lever in position R, the
passenger-side mirror tilts down-
ward to help the driver monitor the
area directly adjacent to the vehicle
during parking – curbs, etc.
How far the passenger mirror tilts
can be set individually for each
ignition key.<
You can deactivate this automatic fea-
ture by setting the mirror selection
switch to the passenger side position.
Seat heating*The seat cushion and backrest can be
heated with the ignition key in
position 2.
You can call up different heating modes
by repeatedly pressing the button.
You can also switch the higher heating
modes off directly:
Press the button and hold it slightly
longer.
Seat and mirror memory*
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50
Steering wheelTo adjust
Never attempt to adjust the steer-
ing wheel while driving the vehicle
– it could respond with unexpected
movement, posing a potential accident
hazard.<
1. Fold down the detent lever
2. Adjust the steering column to obtain
the best reach and rake angles for
the current seat position
3. Fold the detent lever back up to
engage the lock.
MirrorsTo adjust exterior mirrors1Switch for 4-way adjustment
2Selection switch for changing
between mirrorsTo adjust manuallyYou can also adjust the mirrors manu-
ally:
Press against the edges of the lens.
For storing mirror settings, refer to Seat
and mirror memory on page 48.
The mirror on the passenger's
side features a lens with a more
convex surface than the mirror installed
on the driver's side. When estimating
the distance between yourself and
other traffic, bear in mind that the
objects reflected in the mirror are closer
than they appear. This means that esti-
mations of the distance to following
traffic should not be regarded as pre-
cise. when you turn the ignition key to posi-
tion 2.
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51
Interior rearview mirrorTo reduce glare from vehicles behind
you when you are driving at night, tilt
the mirror by turning the knob.
Vehicles not equipped with an alarm
system:
Fold the small lever forward.
Interior rearview mirror with
automatic dimming feature*This mirror automatically responds to
glare by dimming through an infinitely
variable range. It automatically reverts
to its clear, undimmed mode whenever
you select reverse.
To ensure that the mirror continues to
operate efficiently, ensure that the area
adjacent to the photocells remains
clean and unobstructed. One photocell
is integrated within the mirror's lens –
see arrow – while the other is located at
an offset position on the rear of the mir-
ror. Refrain from attaching stickers or
other objects to the windshield in the
area immediately behind the rearview
mirror.
Mirrors
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52Passenger safety systems
Airbags1Front driver and passenger-side air-
bags
2Head airbags for driver and front pas-
senger
3Side airbags on the driver and pas-
senger sides front and rear*Protective effectThe front airbags protect the vehicle's
occupants during frontal impacts in
which the protection provided by the
safety belts alone might not be enough
to prevent injury. The head airbags and
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 seat occupant's 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, consult your BMW
center for inspection, repair or disas-
sembly. Do not modify or tamper with
either the wiring or the individual com-
ponents in the airbag system. These
include the upholstered cover panels in
the steering wheel, the instrument
panel, the side trim panels in the front
and rear, in the roof panels, and in the
sides of the inside roof lining. Also, do
not attempt to remove the steering
wheel. Unprofessional attempts to ser-
vice the system could lead to failure in
an emergency or undesired airbag acti-
vation, either of which could result in
personal injury. Do not touch the indi-
vidual components immediately after
the system has been activated, as this
could result in personal injury.<
At all times, occupants should sit
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
injury. 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
restrained may place his or her head on
or near the airbag, if so equipped. For
example, a child — even though belted
in — may fall asleep with his or her head
against the side airbag. It may be diffi-
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53
cult 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 installed in the
vehicle, be deactivated if children will
travel in the rear seat.
The rear side airbags may already have
been deactivated, either at the time of
manufacture or by a BMW center.
Labels in the door opening should indi-
cate the status of your rear side air-
bags. If you are uncertain of their sta-
tus, or wish to have the airbags
activated or deactivated, please con-
tact your BMW center.<
Even when all these guidelines are fol-
lowed, 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 safety belt when
rear side airbags – see arrow – are pro-
vided.Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp indicates the
operational status of the airbag
system with the ignition key 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:
>The indicator lamp does not come on
or
Airbags
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54
>the indicator lamp lights up continu-
ously.
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.
To gain access to this anchor fitting lift
the plastic plug, see arrows, with the
help of a screwdriver.
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 instrument panel 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 secured
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 whenever
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.
Be sure that all occupants – off all ages
– remain properly and securely
restrained at all times.<
All rear seating positions in your vehicle
meet the recommendations of
SAEJ1819, an industry-recommended
practice for securing child-restraint sys-
tems in motor vehicles.
Transporting children safely
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56
Securing child-restraint systemAll of the rear belt retractors and the
front passenger's safety belt can be
locked for mounting and securing child-
restraint systems.
A label with the appropriate instructions
for this is located in the immediate
vicinity of the buckle latch of each
safety belt.To lock the safety beltExtract the entire length of the belt from
the inertia reel mechanism. Allow the
reel to retract the belt somewhat and
engage the buckle, then tighten the belt
against the child-restraint system. The
retraction mechanism is now locked.
The belt cannot be extracted further.
Always observe the installation instruc-
tions provided by the manufacturer of
the child-restraint system.To unlock the safety beltRelease the safety belt, remove the
child's seat and retract the safety belt
to its end position on the belt retractor.
Child-restraint mounting system
(LATCH)LATCH: Lower Anchors and Tethers for
CHildren
Canadian models only:
The LATCH anchorage points are iden-
tified by buttons.
Transporting children safely
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