2008 BMW M5 SEDAN seats

At a glance
15Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Microphone for hands-free mode for
telephone
*
and for voice command system*23
2Reading lamps96
3SOS: initiating
an emergency request223
4Glass sunroof
*, electric38
5Interior lamps96
6Passenger airbag status lamp88
7Control Display16
8Hazard warning flashers
9Central locking system32
10Automatic climate control97
11Changing
>radio station148
>track148
12Ejecting
>navigation DVD
*148
>audio CD148
13Drive for navigation system DVD with
Professional
* navigation system122
14Programmable memory/direct selection
buttons21
15Drive for audio CDs14816Switching Entertainment sound output
on/off and adjusting volume148
18Controller16
Turn, press or move horizontally in four
directions
19Opening start menu on Control Display17
20Drivelogic of Sequential Manual
Transmission61
21EDC Electronic Damper Control for
Sequential Manual Transmission82
22DSC OFF Dynamic Stability Control for
Sequential Manual Transmission81
23POWER M Engine Dynamic Control for
Sequential Manual Transmission59
24EDC Electronic Damper Control for manual
transmission
*82
25MDM
>M Dynamic Mode for manual
transmission80
>Switching DSC on and off in manual
transmission81 Temperature setting, left/right98
Automatic air distribution and
volume98
Cooling function100
AUC Automatic recirculated-air
control/recirculated-air mode100
Maximum cooling100
Air volume99
Defrosting windows and removing
condensation99
Rear window defroster97
17
Heated seats46
Active seat ventilation
*47
Adjusting active backrest
width
*43
Flat Tire Monitor
*83
PDC Park Distance Control
*78
Opening luggage compartment
lid
*33

Controls
41Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Adjusting
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital con-
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. In the
interaction with the safety belts, the head
restraints and the airbags, the sitting position
plays an important role in an accident. To
ensure that the safety systems operate with
optimal efficiency, we strongly urge you to
observe the instructions contained in the fol-
lowing section.
For additional information on transporting chil-
dren safely, refer to page53.
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate distance
between yourself and the airbags. Always
hold the steering wheel by its rim with hands at
the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions, to mini-
mize the risk of injuries to your hands and arms
in the event of airbag deployment.
No one and nothing is to come between the air-
bags and the seat occupant.
Do not use the cover of the front airbag on the
front passenger side as a storage area. Make
sure that the front passenger is sitting correctly
and does not rest feet or legs on the instrument
panel, otherwise leg injuries can occur if the
front airbags are triggered.
Make sure that occupants do not rest their head
on the side or head airbags, otherwise injuries
can occur if the airbags are triggered.<
Even if you adhere to all the instructions, inju-
ries resulting from contact with airbags cannot
be fully excluded, depending on the circum-
stances. The ignition and inflation noise may
provoke a mild hearing loss in extremely sensi-
tive individuals. This effect is usually only tem-
porary.
For airbag locations and additional information
on airbags, refer to page87.
Head restraints
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of spinal injury in the event of an accident.
Adjust the head restraint so that its center
is approx. at ear level. Otherwise there is
increased danger of injury in the event of an
accident.<
Head restraints, refer to page44.
Safety belts
Before every drive, make sure that safety belts
are being worn at all of the occupied seats. Air-
bags complement the safety belt as an addi-
tional safety device, but they do not represent a
substitute.
Your vehicle is provided with five seats, which
are all equipped with a safety belt.
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. Make sure that the belt lies low around the
hips in the lap area and does not press on the
abdomen. The safety belt must not lie across
the neck, rub against sharp edges, be routed
over solid or breakable objects or be pinched.
Wear the safety belt without twisting, snugly
across the lap and shoulders, as close to the
body as possible. Otherwise the belt can slip
over the hips in the lap area in a frontal impact
and injure the abdomen. Avoid wearing clothing
that prevents the belt from fitting properly and
pull the belt in the upper body area periodically
to readjust the tension, in order to avoid a
reduction in the restraint of the safety belt.<
Safety belts, refer to page45.

Adjusting
42
Seats
Note before adjusting
Never attempt to adjust your seat while
the vehicle is moving. The seat could
respond with unexpected movement, and the
ensuing loss of vehicle control could lead to an
accident.
Also on the passenger side, do not incline the
backrest too far to the rear while the vehicle is
being driven, otherwise there is a danger in the
event of an accident of sliding under the safety
belt, eliminating the protection normally pro-
vided by the belt.<
Please follow the instructions on damage to
safety belts provided on page46 and the infor-
mation on the active front head restraints
on
page44.
Adjusting seat
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
please observe the adjustment instructions on
page41.<
1Longitudinal direction
2Height
3Angle4Backrest width
5Backrest
6Head restraint height
7Shoulder support
*
8Thigh support
9Lumbar support
*
Shoulder support*
This also supports the back in the shoulder
area, This provides a relaxed driving position
and helps relieve stress on the shoulder mus-
cles.
Lumbar support*
You can also adjust the contour of the backrest
to obtain additional support in the lumbar
region.
The upper hips and spinal column receive sup-
plementary support to help you maintain a
relaxed, upright sitting position.
>Increase or decrease curvature: press front
or rear section of switch.
>Shift curvature up or down: press upper or
lowers section of switch.

Controls
45Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Have the active head restraints reset after they
are triggered in a rear-end collision. Only have
this work carried out by a BMW center or a
workshop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel. Otherwise, this safety equipment will
not function properly.<
Please contact a BMW center if you wish
to have the front head restraints removed
and installed.<
Front seats: height adjustment
Front seats: adjusting distance to the
back of the head
>Forward: pull up.
>Back: push the button and slide the head-
rest cushion toward the rear.
Do not place any objects behind the
headrest cushion. Otherwise, you can
impair the proper function of the head
restraint.<
On seats with a shoulder support
* you adjust
the distance to the back of the head with the
shoulder support, refer to page42.
Adjusting side extensions*
You can fold the side extensions on the head
restraint forward for increased lateral support in
the resting position.
Rear seats: height adjustment
>To raise: pull up.
>To lower: press the button, arrow1, and
push the head restraint downward.
Removing
1.Pull the head restraint upward to the stop.
2.Press the button, arrow1, and pull the head
restraint all the way out.
Safety belts
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
please observe the adjustment instructions on
page41.<
Before every drive, make sure that safety belts
are being worn at all of the occupied seats. Air-
bags complement the safety belt as an addi-
tional safety device, but they do not represent a
substitute.

Transporting children safely
54
Unlocking safety belt
1.Open the belt buckle.
2.Remove the child restraint system.
3.Allow the belt webbing to be pulled in com-
pletely.
LATCH child restraint fixing system
LATCH: Lower Anchor and Tethers for CHil-
dren.
Follow the system manufacturer's
instructions on installation and use of
LATCH child restraint systems in order not to
impair their protective function.<
Before attaching the LATCH child's seat, pull
the belt away from the region of the child
restraint fixing system.
Make sure that the LATCH mounts have
properly clicked into place and that the
child restraint system is resting snugly against
the backrest. Otherwise, the protective action
may be impeded.<
Rear seats
The anchor points for the LATCH anchors are
located at the positions indicated by arrows in
the gap between the seat and the backrest.
Rear seats with through-loading
system*
The anchor points for the LATCH anchors are
located behind the indicated protective caps.
Remove the cover caps before mounting the
child's seat.
Child restraint system with tether strap
Only use the tether-strap mounting
points to secure child restraint systems,
otherwise the mounting points could be dam-
aged.<
There are three additional mounting points for
child restraint systems with a tether strap, refer
to arrows. Fold the corresponding mounting
point upward before using.
Placement of tether strap
Make sure that the upper retaining strap
is not routed over sharp edges and does
not twist on its way to the upper mounting point;
otherwise, the belt may not properly secure the
child restraint system in the event of an acci-
dent.<
Outer rear seat
1Direction of travel
2Head restraints

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
88 or a workshop that works according to BMW
repair procedures with correspondingly trained
personnel and has the required explosives
licenses. Otherwise unprofessional attempts to
service the system could lead to failure in an
emergency or undesired airbag triggering,
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 front and
side airbags on the front passenger side are
activated or deactivated accordingly by the sys-
tem.
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 page53.
The front and side airbags on the front passen-
ger side can be deactivated for teenagers and
adults in certain sitting positions; then the indi-
cator lamp for the front passenger airbags lights
up. In these cases, change the sitting position
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 sitting position, transport the correspond-
ing person on the rear seat. Do not fit seat cov-
ers, seat cushion padding, ball mats or other
items onto the front passenger seat unless they
are specifically recommended by BMW. Do not
lay objects under the seat which could press
against the seat from below. Otherwise a cor-
rect evaluation of the occupied seat surface
cannot be ensured.<
Operating state of front passenger
airbags
Depending on the vehicle's equipment, the
arrangement of the switches and indicator
lamps may differ somewhat.
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags indicates the operating status of the front
and side airbags on the front passenger side
depending on the seat occupation. The indica-
tor lamp shows whether the front passenger
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.
The front and side airbags on the front pas-
senger side are not activated.
Most child's seats are detected by the
system. Especially the child's seats
required by the NHTSA at the time the vehicle is
manufactured. After installing a child's seat,
make sure that the indicator lamp for the front
passenger airbags lights up. This indicates that
the child's seat has been detected and the front
passenger airbags are not activated.<
>The indicator lamp does not light up when,
for example, a correctly seated person of
sufficient height is detected on the seat.
The front and side airbags on the front pas-
senger side are activated.
>The indicator lamp does not light up when
the seat is empty.
However, the front and side airbags on the
front passenger side are not activated.

Controls
107Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Opening upper compartment
Press button and fold cover upward.
Accessing lower compartment
Press the button at the front and fold the upper
compartment or the telephone cradle upward.
Ventilating lower compartment*
Push the slide in the lower compartment
upward.
Depending on the automatic climate con-
trol setting, the temperature inside the
ventilated compartment may be higher than in
the rest of the interior. Should this be the case,
push the slide downward to close off the venti-
lation.<
Adjusting
Push the illustrated section of the center arm-
rest into the desired position.
Connection for external audio device
You can connect an external audio device such
as a CD or MP3 player and play audio tracks
over the vehicle's loudspeaker system:
>AUX-In connection, refer to page168.
>USB/audio interface
*, refer to page169.
Storage compartments
Storage compartments are located in the cen-
ter console and in the rear.
Storage nets are located on the backrests of the
front seats, and a net
* is provided in the front
passenger footwell.
Do not stow hard or sharp-edged objects
in the storage nets or the net, otherwise
there is an increased risk of injury in an acci-
dent.<

Controls
111Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Loading
1.Fold down the center armrest, press the
button and open the cover.
2.Press the button again; the cover in the
cargo bay opens. If you press the button
firmly the first time, this also opens the
cover in the cargo bay.
3.Extend the ski bag between the front seats
and fill it. The zipper facilitates access to the
stowed items and drying of the ski bag.
4.Insert the latch plate of the ski bag retaining
strap into the center safety belt buckle that
is marked CENTER.
Only stow clean skis in the ski bag. Wrap sharp
edges to prevent damage.
Securing cargo
After loading, secure the ski bag and its con-
tents. Tighten the retaining strap on the ten-
sioning buckle for this purpose.
Secure the ski bag in this way. If you fail to
do so, it could endanger vehicle occu-
pants during braking or evasive maneuvers.<
To store the ski bag, perform the above steps in
reverse order.
Removing ski bag
The ski bag can be completely removed, e.g. for
faster drying or to allow you to put it to other
uses.
1.Pull the handle forward and pull the ski bag
up and out.
2.Close the cover in the cargo bay.
Your BMW center will be glad to provide
you with more detailed information on the
various items of equipment.<