2009 BMW 3 SERIES airbag

At a glance
15Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Microphone for voice activation system*
and for telephone in hands-free mode*
2SOS: initiating an Emergency Request
call
*230
3 Reading lamps 93
4 Glass roof/panorama glass roof
*37
5 Interior lamps 93
6 Passenger airbag status lamp
*89
7 Control Display 16
8 Hazard warning flashers
9 Dynamic Traction Control DTC 81
10 Central locking system 30
11 Automatic climate control
12 CD/DVD drive 150
13 Changing the audio and entertainment
sources
14 Selecting AM or FM waveband 15
Changing
>Radio station 145
> Track 150
17 Controller 16
Can be turned, pressed, or moved in four
directions
18 Buttons on the controller 16
Selecting menus directly
19 Programmable memory keys 20
20 Switching audio sources on/off and adjust-
ing volume 142
21 Ejecting CD/DVD 150
Air distribution to the
windshield
95
Air distribution to the upper body
area 95
Air distribution to the footwell 95
Automatic air distribution and flow
rate 95
Cooling function 96
Automatic recircul ated-air control
AUC 96
Recirculated-air mode 96
Maximum cooling 95
Residual heat mode 96
Air flow rate 95
Defrosting windows 96
Rear window defroster 97
16
Heated seats*45
Park Distance Control PDC
*80
Sedan:
Roller sun blind
*102
Hill Descent Control HDC
*82
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Controls
41Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Adjustments
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital con-
tribution to relaxed, fati gue-free driving. In con-
junction with the safe ty belts, the head
restraints and the airbags, the seated position
has a major influence on your safety in the event
of an accident. To ensu re that the safety sys-
tems operate with optimal efficiency, we
strongly urge you to observe the instructions
contained in the following section.
For additional information on transporting chil-
dren safely, refer to page 49.
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate distance
between yourself and the airbags. Always
grip the steering wheel on the rim, with your
hands in the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions,
to minimize the risk of injury to the hands or
arms in the event of the airbag being triggered
off.
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 passen ger is sitting correctly,
e.g. not resting feet or legs on the dashboard,
otherwise leg injuries can occur if the front air-
bag is triggered.
Make sure that passengers do not lean their
heads against the side or head airbags, other-
wise serious injuries could result if the airbags
suddenly deployed. <
Even if you follow all the instructions, injuries
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 e ffect is usually only tem-
porary.
For airbag locations and additional information
on airbags, refer to page 88.
Head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of neck injury in the event of an accident.
Adjust the head restraint in such a way
that its center is at approx. ear level. Oth-
erwise, there is an increased risk of injury in the
event of an accident. <
Head restraints, refer to page 43.
Safety belt
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the
safety belt as an additi onal safety device, but
they do not represent a substitute.
Your vehicle has five seats, each of which is
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 be lt in the lap area sits
low across the hips and does not press against
the abdomen.
The safety belt must not rest against the throat,
run across sharp edges, pass over hard or frag-
ile objects or be pinched. Fasten the safety belt
so that it sits as snugly as possible against the
lap and shoulder withou t being twisted. Other-
wise the belt could slide over your hips and
injure your abdomen in the event of a frontal
collision.
Avoid wearing bulky clothing and regularly pull
the belt in the upper-bo dy area taut, otherwise
its restraining effect could be impaired.
Sports Wagon: if the rear center safety belt is
used, the wider backrest must be locked in
place, refer to page 107. Otherwise the safety
belt will have no restraining effect. <
Safety belts, refer to page 46.
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Adjustments
44
triggering of the active
head restraints, have the
testing, repair and remo val executed only by a
BMW center or a workshop that works accord-
ing to repair procedur es of BMW with corre-
spondingly trained personnel and that has the
required explosives licenses. Unprofessional
attempts to work on the system could lead to
failure in an emergency or to undesired airbag
activation, either of wh ich could result in per-
sonal injury. <
For technical reasons, the head restraint
cannot be removed. <
Front seats
Height adjustment
>To raise: pull up.
> To lower: press the button, arrow 1, and
slide the head restraint down.
Rear seats
Height adjustment
> To raise: pull up.
> To lower: press the button, arrow 1, and
slide the head restraint down.
The center head restraint is not height-adjust-
able.
Removing
Sedan:
Only with through-loading system:
1. Pull up as far as it will go.
2. Press the button, arrow 1, tilt the rear seat
backrest slightly forward and pull the head
restraint all the way out.
Only remove the head restraints if no pas-
sengers will be sitting in the rear. Reinstall
head restraints before transporting passengers
in the rear. <
Folding head restrain ts down and back
up
Folding down:
Press the button, arrow 1.
Folding up:
Pull the head restraint.
Depending on the equipment version, it may be
possible to fold down the outer rear head
restraints as well.
Only fold the head restraints down if no
passengers will be sitting in the rear. Fold
up the head restraints before transporting pas-
sengers in the rear. <
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Adjustments
46
The adjusting procedure is halted immediately
when you touch a seat adjustment switch or
one of the memory buttons.
Selecting automatic call-up
iDrive, for operating pr
inciple refer to page16.
1. "Settings"
2. "Door locks"
3. "Last seat position auto."
et
The function for au tomatically calling up
the last seat position is switched on and is
stored for the remote control currently in use.
Switching off automatic call-up
Deactivate "Last seat position automatic".
Safety belts
Observe the adjustment instructions on
page42 to ensure the best possible per-
sonal protection. <
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the
safety belt as an additi onal safety device, but
they do not repres ent a substitute.
On the rear seats, the center belt buckle marked
with the letters CENTER is solely intended for
the center passenger.
Closing
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in
the belt buckle.
The upper belt anchor is suitable for adults of
any stature as long as the seat is adjusted prop-
erly, refer to page 42.
Opening
1.Grasp the belt firmly.
2. Press the red button in the buckle.
3. Guide the belt into its reel.
'Fasten safety belts' reminder for front
seats
The indicator lamps light up and an
acoustic signal sounds. In addition, a
message appears on the Control Dis-
play. Check whether the safety belt
has been fastened correctly.
The 'Fasten safety belts' reminder is issued as
long as the driver's safe ty belt has not been fas-
tened. The 'Fasten safety belts' reminder is also
activated at road speeds above approx. 5 mph
or 8 km/h if the front passe nger's safety belt is
not fastened, if objects are placed on the front
passenger seat, or if dr iver or front passenger
unfasten their safety belts.
Damage to safety belts
If the safety belts are damaged or
stressed in an accident: have the belt sys-
tem, including any belt tensioners or child-
restraint systems, replaced and the belt
anchors checked. Have this work done only by
your BMW center or at a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
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Controls
49Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, otherwise they could endanger
themselves and/or other persons by opening
the doors, for example. <
The rear center seat is not suitable for installing
child-restraint systems for all age groups,
approved for the age group in question.
Children always in the rear
Accident research has shown that the safest
place for children is on the rear seat.
Children under the age of 13 or smaller
than 5 ft/150 cm may be transported only
in the rear in suitable child-restraint systems
appropriate for their age, weight and size. Oth-
erwise there is an increase d risk of injury in the
event of an accident. <
Children 13 years of age or older must be buck-
led in with a safety belt as soon as there no
longer is any child-restraint system that is
appropriate for their age, size and weight.
Exception for front passenger seat
Should it be necessa ry to use a child-
restraint system on the front passenger
seat, the front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger must be deactiva ted. Otherwise, a child
traveling on that seat w ill face a significant risk
of injury if the airbags are triggered off, even
with a child-restraint system. <
For more information on automatic deactivation
of the front passenger airbags refer to page 88.
Installing child-restraint
systems
Observe the child-restraint system man-
ufacturer's instructio ns when selecting,
installing and using child -restraint systems.
Otherwise the protective effect may be dimin-
ished. < Standard child-restraint systems are designed
to be secured with a lap be
lt or with the lap-belt
section of a lap-and-shoulder belt. Incorrectly
or improperly installed child-restraint systems
can increase the risk of injury to children.
Always follow the installation instructions for
the system with the greatest care.
On the front passenger seat
After installing a child-restraint system on
the front passenger seat, make sure that
the front and side airbags for the front passen-
ger are deactivated, ot herwise there is an
increased risk of injury if the airbags deploy. <
Backrest width*
The backrest width of the front passen-
ger's seat must be at its widest possible
setting. Do not change the setting after install-
ing the child seat. Othe rwise the child seat's
stability on the front passenger's seat is lim-
ited. <
1. Adjust the backrest width to its widest set-
ting, refer to page 43.
2. Install the child seat.
Child seat security
The rear safety belts and the front passenger's
safety belt can be prevented from being pulled
out in order to fasten child-restraint systems.
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Technology for driving comfort and safety
88
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2 Head airbags
3 Side airbags in the seat backrests
Protective action
Observe the adjustment instructions on
page 41 to ensure the best possible per-
sonal protection. <
The front airbags help protect the driver and
front passenger by re sponding to frontal
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-
vide adequate restrain t. When needed, the
head and side airbags help provide protection in
the event of side impact. The relevant side air-
bag supports the side upper body area. The
head air bag supports the head.
The airbags have been designed to not be trig-
gered in every collision situation, e.g. not in
minor accidents or rear-end collisions.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or
modify them in any other way.
Keep the dashboard and windows on the front
passenger side clear, i.e. do not cover with
adhesive labels or coveri ngs, and do not attach
holders such as for navigation instruments or
mobile phones.
Do not attach seat cove rs, cushions or other
objects not specifically approved for seats with
integral side airbags to the front seats. Do not
hang items of clothing such as coats or jackets
over the backrests. Do not attempt to remove the airbag retention system from the vehicle. Do
not modify the individual components of the
system or its wiring in any way. This includes
the upholstered covers
on the steering wheel,
instrument panel, seats and roof posts, as well
as the sides of the roof lining. Do not attempt to
remove or dismantle the steering wheel.
Do not touch the individual components imme-
diately after the system has been triggered,
because there is a danger of burns.
In the event of malfunctions, deactivation or
triggering of the airbag restraint system, have
the testing, repair, removal and disposal of air-
bag generators executed only by a BMW center
or a workshop that works according to repair
procedures of BMW with correspondingly
trained personnel and that has the required
explosives licenses. Unprofessional attempts to
work on the system could lead to failure in an
emergency or to undesi red airbag activation,
either of which could resu lt in personal injury.<
Warning notices and information about the air-
bags can also be found on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of the front
passenger airbags
An analysis of the impr ession in the front pas-
senger seat cushion determines whether and
how the seat is occupied. The front and side air-
bags for the front passenger are activated or
deactivated by the system accordingly.
The indicator lamp above the interior
rearview mirror shows the current status
of the front passenger ai rbags, deactivated or
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Controls
89Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
activated, refer to Status of front passenger air-
bags below. <
Before transporting a child on the front
passenger seat, read the safety precau-
tions and handling instructions under Trans-
porting children safely, refer to page 49.
The front and side airbags can also be deacti-
vated by adolescents and adults sitting in cer-
tain positions; the indi cator lamp for the front
passenger airbags comes on. In such cases, the
passenger should change his or her sitting
position so that the front passenger airbags are
activated and the indicator lamp goes out. If the
desired airbag status cannot be achieved by
changing the sitting position, transport the rele-
vant passenger on a rear seat. Do not attach
seat covers, seat cushio n padding, ball mats or
other items to the front passenger seat unless
they are specifically recommended by BMW.
Do not place any items under the seat which
could press against the seat from below. Other-
wise a correct analysis of the seat cushion is not
ensured. <
Status of front passenger airbags
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags shows the functional status of the front
passenger's front and side airbags in accor-
dance with whether and how the front passen-
ger seat is occupied. Th e indicator lamp shows
whether the front passenger airbags are acti-
vated or deactivated.
> The indicator lamp lights up when a child in
a specially designated child-restraint sys-
tem is detected, as intended, on the seat.
The front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger are not activated. Most child seats are detected by the
system, especially child seats
required by the NHTSA at the time of vehi-
cle production. After mounting a child seat,
ensure that the indica tor lamp for the front
passenger airbag is lit. It indicates that the
child seat has been detected and that the
front passenger airbags are deactivated. <
> The indicator lamp does not come on as
long as a person of sufficient size and in a
correct sitting position is detected on the
seat.
The front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger are activated.
> The indicator lamp does not come on if the
seat is empty.
The front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger are not activated.
Operational readine ss of airbag system
As of radio readiness, refer to page 53, the
warning lamp comes on br iefly to indicate that
the entire airbag system and the belt tensioners
are operational.
Airbag system malfunction
> Warning lamp does not light up at radio
readiness or beyond.
> Warning lamp remains permanently on.
In the event of a fault in the airbag system,
have it checked without delay, otherwise
there is the risk that th e system will not function
as intended even if a sufficiently severe acci-
dent occurs. <
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Everything from A - Z
250
Everything from A - Z
Index
"..." Identifies Control Display texts used to select
individual functions and
refers you to the page where
these texts can be found.
A
ABS Antilock Brake System 81
ACC, refer to Active cruise control 61
Accident, refer to Sending an Emergency Request 230
Activated-charcoal filter for
automatic climate control 97
Active cruise control 61
– indicator lamps 64
– malfunction 65
– selecting distance 63
– sensor 64
Active steering 87
Adaptive brake light
– brake force display 87
Adaptive Head Light 91
Additives
– coolant 215
Address, entering 123,129
Address for navigation
– entering 123,129
Adjusting temperature inside the car, refer to Automatic
climate control 95
Adjusting the thigh support 42
Adjusting the tone during audio operation, refer to
Tone control 142
Airbags 88
– indicator/warning lamp 89
– sitting safely 41
Air conditioning mode
– automatic climate control 95
– ventilation 97 Air distribution
– automatic
95
Air flow rate 95
Airing, refer to Ventilation 97
Air pressure, refer to Tire inflation pressure 195
Air recirculation, refer to Recirculated-air mode 96
Air supply
– automatic climate control 95
– ventilation 97
Air vents 94
AKI, refer to Fuel specifications 191
Alarm system 33
– avoiding unintentional alarms 34
– interior motion sensor 33
– switching off an alarm 33
– tilt alarm sensor 33
Albums of music
collection 159
All-season tires, refer to Winter tires 210
All-wheel drive, refer to xDrive 82
AM, waveband 145
Ambient

air, refer to
Recirculated-air mode 96
Antenna for mobile phone 168
Antifreeze
– coolant 215
– washer fluid 59
Antilock Brake System ABS 81
Anti-theft alarm system, refer
to Alarm system 33
Anti-theft system 27
Approved axle loads, refer to
Weights 241
Approved gross vehicle weight, refer to Weights 241Armrest, refer to Center
armrest 103
Arrival time, refer to
Computer 69
Ashtray
– front 104
– rear 105
Assistance systems, refer to Driving stability control
systems 81
AUC Automatic recirculated- air control 96
Audio 142
– controls 142
– switching on/off 142
– tone control 142
– volume 142
Audio device, external 103
Automatic
– air distribution 95
– air flow rate 95
– cruise control 59,61
– headlamp control 90
Automatic car washes 218
Automatic climate control 94
– automatic air distribution 95
Automatic curb monitor 47
Automatic recirculated-air control AUC 96
Automatic Service
Request 185
Automatic transmission with Steptronic 55
– interlock 55,56
– overriding selector lever lock 57
– shiftlock, refer to Changing selector lever position 56
– sport program 56
– towing 232
– tow-starting 232
AUTO program for automatic
climate control 95
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