2009 BMW 3 SERIES deactivate passenger airbag

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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