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Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Do not leave children unattended in the 
vehicle, otherwise they could endanger 
themselves and other persons, e.g. by opening 
the doors. <
Children alwa ys in rear
Accident research shows that the safest place 
for children is on the rear seat.
Children younger than 13 years of age or 
with a height under 5 ft/150 cm may only 
be transported on the 2nd row seats in child 
restraint devices which correspond to the age, 
weight and height of the child. Otherwise there 
is an increased danger of injury in an accident.<
Children 13 years of age or older must wear a 
safety belt as soon as  a suitable child restraint 
device can no longer be used due to their age, 
weight and size.
Exception for front passenger seat
Should it be necessa ry to use a child 
restraint device on the front passenger 
seat, the front and side airbags on the passen-
ger side must be deactivated. Otherwise, there 
is an increased risk of in jury for the child if the 
airbags are triggered, even with a child restraint 
device. <
For more information on automatic deactivation 
of the front passenger airbags, refer to 
page 106.
Installing child restraint 
devices
Follow the child restraint device manufac-
turer's instructions fo r selection, installa-
tion, and use of child restraint devices. Other-
wise, the degree of protection may be 
reduced. <
BMW X5: for equipment with 3rd row 
seats
*, make sure that the seat of the 2nd  row seats on which the ch
ild restraint device is 
mounted is properly locked. Otherwise there is 
an increased risk of inju ry for the child in an 
accident.
Do not mount child rest raint devices on the 
3rd row seats, as otherwise the protection pro-
vided by these child restraint devices may be 
reduced. <
On front passenger seat
After mounting a child  restraint device on 
the front passenger seat, make sure that 
the front and side airbags on the front passen-
ger side are deactivated; otherwise, there is an 
increased risk of injury  if the airbags are trig-
gered. <
Backrest width*
The backrest width adjustment of the 
front passenger seat  must be completely 
open. After installing th e child's seat, no mem-
ory position may be called up; otherwise, the 
stability of the child's se at on the front passen-
ger seat is reduced.<
1. Open backrest width adjustment com-
pletely, refer to page 50.
2. Install child's seat.
Child seat security
The rear safety belts, in the BMW X5 all of the 
safety belts of the 2nd and 3rd
* row seats and 
the passenger safety belt  can be locked to pre-
vent them from being pulled out in order to 
secure child restraint devices. 
Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
106
the upholstery in the center of the steering 
wheel, on the instrument cluster, the doors, and 
the roof pillars as well as
 the sides of the head-
liner. Do not attempt to  remove or dismantle the 
steering wheel. Do not  touch the individual 
components immediately 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, remova l, and disposal of air-
bag generators executed only by a BMW Sports 
Activity Vehicle Center 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 undes-
ired 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 passeng er 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, read the safety informa-
tion and follow the inst ructions under Trans-
porting children safely, refer to page 61.
When teenagers and adults assume certain sit-
ting positions, this can cause the front and side 
airbags to deactivate. The indicator lamp for the 
front passenger airbags lights up when this 
occurs. In these cases, change the sitting posi-
tion so that the front passenger airbags are acti-
vated and the indicator la mp goes out. If the 
desired status cannot be  produced by changing  the sitting position, transport the correspond-
ing person on the rear se
at. Do not fit seat cov-
ers, seat cushion padding, ball mats or other 
items onto the front passenger seat unless they 
are specifically recomme nded 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 light s up when a child in 
a child restraint device  intended for the pur-
pose 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 vehi-
cle is manufactured. Af ter 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.