2004 BMW M3 COUPE belt

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This is the right way a larger child
should sit wearing the seat belt when
rear side airbags are provided.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 the ignition key is turned to
position 1 or higher.
System malfunction:
>Indicator lamp does not come on or
>indicator lamp lights up continuously.
If there is a system malfunction,
there is a risk that the airbags will
not be triggered within their normal
response range, even if the level of
impact would normally have triggered
them. Have your BMW center inspect
the airbag system immediately.<
Airbags
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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.Correct location for installingIn your BMW, all seats equipped with a
three-point safety belt – except for the
driver's seat – are suitable for installing
universal child-restraint systems of all
age classes and which have been
approved for the age group in question.
Child-restraint system with tether
strapIf you use a child-restraint system with
a tether strap, three additional tether
anchorage points have been provided.
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 headrest lift the headrest and
pass the tether strap between the
headrest 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.

57
Before installing any child-
restraint device or child seat,
please read the following:
Never install a rearward-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 rearward-facing child-restraint
system – of the kind designed for
infants under 1 year and 20 lbs/9 kg –
would be within the airbag's deploy-
ment 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 the
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 rearward-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.
Be sure 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.
Child seat securityAll 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.
Transporting children safely
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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 belt Release the safety belt, remove the
child seat and retract the safety belt to
its end position on the belt retractor.
LATCH child-restraint mounting
systemLATCH: Lower Anchors and Tether for
CHildren
The left and right rear seats are both
equipped with a LATCH child-restraint
mounting system.
Canadian models only:
The LATCH anchorage points are iden-
tified by buttons.
Remove the cover from the outside
anchorage by pulling forward. When
reinstalling ensure that the recess is on
the top.
With through-loading system: tilt the
backrest halfway forward to make the
cover easier to remove, refer to
page 102.
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59
The illustration is an example showing
the anchorages for a LATCH child-
restraint mounting system at the right
rear seat.
Always follow all manufacturer's
instructions and observe all safety
precautions when installing the LATCH
child-restraint system. Leave the rear
safety belts in the holders, if they are
not needed, to avoid unwanted move-
ment from the safety belts at high
speeds. OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

102Loading and transporting
Through-loading systemFolding the rear backrest1. Pull the corresponding lever to
release
2. The backrest moves forward slightly
when released. Reach into the gap
and fold it down.
When folding the backrest back
into its original position always
ensure that the detent engages
securely. A loose backrest might fail to
prevent cargo from entering the pas-
senger compartment during sudden
braking or evasive maneuvers, posing a
potential hazard to occupants.<
Rear center 3-point safety belt*You can roll up the rear 3-point belt
before folding back the through-loading
system:
>Retracting the 3-point-safety belt:
Loosen the safety belt and insert the
buckle latch into the support mount
provided on the rear window shelf.

105
Stowing cargo>Load heavy cargo as far forward as
possible – directly behind the back-
rests – and as low as possible
>Cover sharp edges and corners
>Do not pile objects higher than the
top edge of the backrest
>For very heavy loads when the rear
seat is not occupied, secure each
safety belt in the opposite buckle,
see illustration.
Securing the cargo in the luggage
compartment >For small, light items, use the rubber-
lined, non-skid side of the floor mat
or secure using the luggage compart-
ment net* or elastic straps, refer to
page 37
>For large, heavy pieces, see your
BMW center for load-securing
devices*. Anchorages located in the
luggage compartment can be used
for fastening the load-securing
devices.
Comply with the information enclosed
with the load-securing devices.
Cargo loading
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Wheel and tire combinationsThe right choice
BMW recommends using only
wheels and tires that have been
approved by BMW for your particular
vehicle model, as otherwise body con-
tact and serious accidents can result
despite the use of the same nominal
size, e.g. due to manufacturing toler-
ances. If non-approved wheels and
tires are used, BMW cannot evaluate
their suitability, and therefore cannot be
held liable for driving safety.<
BMW tests certain tire brands for each
tire size, classifies them as road-safe
and approves them. Consult your BMW
center for more information. Observe
any country-specific regulations, e.g.
on making a corresponding entry in the
vehicle documents.
The correct wheel and tire combi-
nation affects different systems
such as ABS, DSC, Flat Tire Monitor.
The function of these systems is
impaired if improper wheel and tire
combinations are used.
Therefore, only use tires of the same
brand and same tread configuration on
the vehicle and, for example following a
tire failure, restore the approved wheel
and tire combination as soon as possi-
ble.<
The use of rims and lug bolts that
do not meet the specifications of
the original factory-installed equipment
will affect the safe operation of your
vehicle and may cause an accident and
personal injury.
Never mix tires of different design, such
as steel-belted radials with radial bias-
belted or bias-ply tires, etc. Mixing tire
types will adversely affect roadholding
and can lead to loss of vehicle con-
trol.<
StorageAlways store tires in a cool, dry place.
Store them away from light whenever
possible. Protect the tires against con-
tact with oil, grease and fuel.
Do not exceed the maximum tire infla-
tion pressures specified on the tire
sidewall.
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