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the airbag restraint system, have the testing,
repair, removal, and disposal of airbag genera-
tors executed only by a BMW center or a work-
shop that works according to BMW repair pro-
cedures with correspondingly trained
personnel and has the required explosives
licenses. Unprofessional attempts to service
the system could lead to failure in an emer-
gency or undesired airbag activation, either of
which could result in personal injury.<
Warnings and information on the airbags is also
provided on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of front
passenger airbags
The occupation of the seat is detected by eval-
uating the impression on the occupied seat sur-
face of the front passenger seat. The system
appropriately activates or deactivates the front,
knee, and side airbag on the front passenger
side.
The current status of the front passenger
airbag, i.e. deactivated or activated, is
indicated by the indicator lamp over the interior
rearview mirror, refer to Operating state of front
passenger airbags in the following.<
Before transporting a child on the front
passenger seat, observe the safety infor-
mation and handling instructions under Trans-
porting children safely, refer to page54.
The front, knee and side airbag on the front pas-
senger side can be deactivated for teenagers
and adults in certain seat positions; then the
indicator lamp for the front passenger airbags
lights up. In these cases, change the seat posi-
tion so that the front passenger airbags are acti-
vated and the indicator lamp goes out. If the
desired status cannot be produced by changing
the seat position, have the person ride in the
back. Do not place slip covers, seat cushions,
beaded mats, or other objects on the passenger
seat that are not specifically recommended by
BMW. Do not lay objects under the seat which
could press against the seat from below. Other-
wise, a correct evaluation of the occupied seat
surface cannot be ensured.<
Operating state of front passenger
airbags
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags indicates the operational status of the
front, knee and side airbag on the front passen-
ger side depending on the seat occupation. The
indicator lamp shows whether the front passen-
ger airbags are activated or deactivated.
>The indicator lamp lights up when a child in
a child restraint system intended for the
purpose is properly detected on the seat.
Front, knee and side airbag on the front
passenger side are deactivated.
>The indicator lamp does not light up when,
for example, a correctly seated person of
sufficient height is detected on the seat.
Front, knee and side airbag on the front
passenger side are activated.
>The indicator lamp does not light up when
the seat is empty.
The front, knee, and side airbags on the
front passenger side are not activated in
this case, though.
Operational readiness of the airbag
system
Once the radio ready position is reached, the
warning lamp lights up briefly, thus indicating
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Practical interior accessories
Integrated universal remote
control*
The concept
The integrated universal remote control can
replace as many as three hand-held transmit-
ters for various remote-controlled accessories,
such as door openers and house alarm sys-
tems. The integrated universal remote control
registers and stores signals from the original
hand-held transmitters.
The signal of an original hand-held transmitter
can be programmed into one of the three mem-
ory buttons1. Then the respective devices can
be actuated using the programmed memory
buttons. The LED2 flashes to confirm trans-
mission of the signal.
Should you sell your vehicle one day, be sure to
delete the stored programs beforehand for your
security, refer to page112.
To prevent possible damage or injury,
during programming or before each use
of the programmed device by the integrated
universal remote control, always inspect the
immediate area to make certain that no people,
animals or objects are within the swiveling and
movement range of the device. Also, comply
with the safety precautions of the original hand-
held transmitter.<
Checking compatibility
If you see this symbol on the packaging
or in the manual supplied with the orig-
inal hand-held transmitter, it is safe to
assume that it is compatible with the integrated
universal remote control.
If you have additional questions, please contact
your BMW center or call: 1-800-355-3515.
Information is also provided on the Internet at:
www.bmwusa.com or
www.homelink.com.
HomeLink is a registered trademark of
Johnson Controls, Inc.
Programming
1Memory buttons
2LED
Fixed-code hand-held transmitters
1.Switch on the ignition.
2.When using for the first time: press both
outer buttons1 for approx. 20 seconds,
maintaining pressure until the LED2 starts
to flash. The three memory buttons1 are
cleared.
3.Hold the original hand-held transmitter at a
distance of approx. 2in/5cm to 8in/20cm
from the memory buttons1.
The required distance between the
hand-held transmitter and memory
buttons1 depends on the relevant system
of the original hand-held transmitter used.<
4.Simultaneously press the transmit button
on the original hand-held transmitter and
the desired memory button1 of the inte-
grated universal remote control. The LED2
flashes slowly at first. As soon as the LED2
flashes rapidly, release both buttons. If the
LED2 does not flash rapidly after approx.
15 seconds, alter the distance.
5.To program other original hand-held trans-
mitters, repeat steps 3 and 4.
The corresponding memory button1 is now
programmed with the signal of the original
hand-held transmitter.
You can operate the system when the engine is
running or when the ignition is switched on.
Practical interior accessories
118
Ski bag*
Designed for safe, convenient transport of up to
4 pairs of standard skis or up to 2 snowboards.
The ski bag itself plus the additional capacity
provided by the luggage compartment make it
possible to stow skis with a length of up to
6.9 ft/2.10 m. When skis of 6.9 ft/2.10 m in
length are loaded, the ski bag will tend to con-
tract, reducing its overall capacity.
Loading
1.Fold down the center armrest in the rear
backrest.
2.Pull on the handle and open the cover panel.
3.Remove the cover panel
* and place it on
the controller in the rear.
4.To open the cover panel in the luggage
compartment:
Press the handle and slide it to the right.5.Place the ski bag between the front seats
and load it. The zipper gives you easy
access to the stowed items and facilitates
drying of the ski bag.
Only stow clean skis in the ski bag. Wrap sharp
edges so that no damage occurs.
Securing cargo
After loading, secure the ski bag and its con-
tents. Tighten the retaining strap on the ten-
sioning buckle for this purpose.
Failure to secure the ski bag with the
retaining strap could endanger occupants
during braking or evasive maneuvers.<
Stowing ski bag
1.To close the cover panel in the luggage
compartment:
Press the handle and slide it to the left.
2.Fold the ski bag and store it in the compart-
ment.
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Stowing cargo
>Place heavy cargo as far forward and as low
as possible, placing it directly behind the
bulkhead behind the rear seats.
>Cover sharp edges and corners.
>For very heavy cargo when the rear seat is
not occupied, secure each outside rear
safety belt in the opposite buckle.
Securing cargo
>Use the luggage net* or securing straps to
secure small and lightweight luggage and
cargo.
>Heavy-duty straps
* for securing larger and
heavier objects are available at your BMW
center. Four lashing eyes for attaching
these heavy-duty straps are provided in the
luggage compartment, refer to illustration.
>Please follow the special instructions sup-
plied with the heavy-duty straps.
Always position and secure the load as
described above. If you do not, it can
endanger the passengers, for example during
braking or evasive maneuvers.
Attach heavy-duty straps only to the lashing
eyes, refer to illustration, otherwise, the heavy-
duty straps could come loose or the vehicle
could be damaged.Never exceed either the approved gross vehicle
weight or either of the approved axle loads, refer
to page220, as excessive loads can impair the
operational safety of the vehicle and may also
put you in violation of highway safety laws.
You should never transport heavy or hard
objects unsecured in the passenger compart-
ment, as they could fly around and pose a safety
hazard to the vehicle's occupants during abrupt
braking or evasive maneuvers .<
Roof-mounted luggage rack*
A special rack system is available as an option
for your BMW. Please comply with the precau-
tions included with the installation instructions.
Anchorage points
The anchorage points are located inside the
door openings.
Loading roof rack
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of
gravity when loaded, they have a major effect on
its handling and steering response.
You should therefore always remember not to
exceed the approved roof load capacity, the
approved gross vehicle weight or the axle loads
when loading the rack.
You can find the specified weights under
Weights starting on page220.
Make sure that the roof load is distributed
evenly, and that it does not extend outward to
beyond the limits of the loading surface. Always
load the heaviest pieces first – on the bottom.
Be sure that adequate clearance is maintained
for raising the glass sunroof, and that objects do
Things to remember when driving
126 not project into the opening path of the luggage
compartment lid.
Secure roof-mounted cargo correctly and
securely to prevent it from shifting or falling off
as you drive.
Drive smoothly. Avoid sudden acceleration and
braking maneuvers. Take corners gently.
Entry/pass tags
Infrared windshield technology has been used
on your vehicle to minimize solar heating of the
vehicle interior. This technology also reduces
the ability of electronic devices to transmit and
receive through the windshield, which will
impair their performance and operating range.
If you want to place an electronic toll collection
device or entry/pass tags behind the wind-
shield, please use the area marked in the illus-
tration. This area is clearly visible from inside
the vehicle.
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Under the hood
Never attempt to perform any service or
repair operations on your vehicle without
the required, professional technical training.
If you are unfamiliar with the regulations to be
observed, only have work on your vehicle car-
ried out by a BMW center or a repair shop that
works in accordance with BMW guidelines and
uses appropriately trained personnel. If this
work is not carried out properly, there is a dan-
ger of subsequent damage and related safety
hazards.<
Hood
Unlocking
Pull the lever located under the left side of the
instrument panel.
Opening
Pull the release handle and open the hood.
Closing
Close the hood with force. It must be clearly
heard to engage.
Observe the same precautions that apply
to all closing operations by ensuring that
the hood's travel range is clear and unob-
structed before allowing the hood to fall into
position.
If you see any signs that the hood is not com-
pletely closed while you are driving your vehicle,
you should stop at once and close it securely.<
Replacing components
210 >Vehicle jack
Located in the luggage compartment
behind the right-hand side panel.
Grasp the handle in the upper panel and fold
it down.
Loosen the wingnut and remove the jack.
After use, screw the jack all the way back
down and snap the handle back into place.
Spare tire
1.Loosen the wing nut 1.
2.Remove the washer 2 from the side.
3.Completely unscrew the threaded rod 3.
4.Remove the spare tire.
Preparing for a wheel change
1.Read carefully and comply with the safety
precautions on page209.
2.Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling:
Place the wheel chock against the rear sur-
face of the front tire on the side opposite the
side being raised. If the vehicle is parked on
a downward slope, place the wheel chock
securely in front of the tire. On a steep
grade, also secure the vehicle against roll-
ing.
3.Loosen the lug bolts a half turn.
Lifting vehicle
1.Position the jack at the jacking point closest
to the wheel so that the entire jack base
makes contact vertically under the jacking
point.
The vehicle jack is designed for
changing wheels only. Do not attempt
to raise another vehicle model with it or to
raise any load of any kind. To do so could
cause accidents and personal injury.<
2.Guide the jack head into the rectangular
recess of the jacking point when cranking
up the jack, refer to section of illustration.
3.Jack the vehicle up until the wheel you are
changing is raised from the ground.
Mounting a wheel
1.Unscrew the lug bolts and remove the
wheel.
2.Remove accumulations of mud or dirt from
the mounting surfaces of the wheel and
hub. Clean the lug bolts.
3.Position the new wheel or spare tire on the
hub and screw in at least two bolts diago-
nally.
When you mount wheels other than Genu-
ine BMW light-alloy wheels, different lug
bolts may also be required.
4.Screw in the remaining lug bolts. Tighten all
the bolts securely in a diagonal pattern.
5.Lower the vehicle and remove the jack from
beneath the vehicle.
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After mounting
1.Tighten the lug bolts in a diagonal pattern.
To ensure safety, always have the
lug bolts checked with a calibrated
torque wrench as soon as possible to
ensure that they are tightened to the speci-
fied torque. The tightening torque is
100lbft/140Nm.<
2.Reverse the removal sequence when stor-
ing the wheel and tools in the vehicle.
3.Check and correct the tire inflation pressure
at the earliest opportunity.
Protect valve stems and valve stem
seal caps from dirt and contamina-
tion. Dirt in valve stems is a frequent source
of gradual air loss.<
4.Reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to
page90, or reset the Tire Pressure Monitor,
refer to page92.
5.Replace the damaged tire as soon as possi-
ble and have the new wheel/tire balanced.
Driving with spare tire
On certain wheel-tire combinations, the
size of the spare tire differs from that of
the rest of the tires. The spare tire is fully capa-
ble of running in all load and speed ranges.
However, to recreate the original conditions,
the tire should be replaced as soon as possi-
ble.<
Vehicle battery
Maintenance
The battery is 100 % maintenance-free, i.e., the
electrolyte will last for the life of the battery
when the vehicle is operated in a temperate cli-
mate. Your BMW center will be happy to advise
you on all questions concerning the battery.
Charging battery
Charge the battery in the vehicle only via the
terminals in the engine compartment and with
the engine off. Connections, refer to Jump
starting on page213.
Battery switch
Before storing the vehicle for an extended
period of several weeks or more, slide the bat-
tery switch located behind the trim panel on the
right side of the luggage compartment to OFF.
This reduces the current flow from the battery
for the period during which the vehicle remains
parked. A message is shown on the Info Dis-
play. Please take note of the supplementary
information provided on the Control Display.
Disposal
Have old batteries disposed of following
replacement at your BMW center or bring
them to a collection point. Maintain the battery
in an upright position for transport and storage.
Always secure the battery to prevent it from tip-
ping over during transport.<
Power failure
After a temporary interruption in electrical
power, the functioning of some equipment may
be limited and must be reinitialized. Individual
settings are also lost and must be updated
again:
>Seat, mirror, and steering wheel memory
The positions must be stored again, refer to
page46.
>Time and date
These must be reset, refer to page84.
>Radio
Stations must be stored again, refer to
page158.
>Navigation system
You must wait until it becomes operational
again, refer to Inserting navigation CDs/
DVDs on page130.