
Adjustments
42
Adjustments
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital con-
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. In con-
junction with the safety belts, the head 
restraints and the airbags, the seated position 
has a major influence on your safety in the event 
of an accident. To ensure 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 page52.
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 should come between the 
airbags 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, 
e.g. not resting feet or legs on the dashboard; 
otherwise, leg injuries can occur if the front air-
bag deploys.
Make sure that passengers keep their heads 
away from the side airbag and do not lean 
against the cover of the head airbag; otherwise, 
serious injuries can result if the airbag 
deploys.<
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 effect is usually only tem-
porary.
For airbag locations and additional information 
on airbags, refer to page90.
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 page44.
Safety belt
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants 
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the 
safety belt as an additional safety device, but 
they do not represent a substitute.
Your vehicle has four 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 belt 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 without 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-body area taut; otherwise, 
its restraining effect could be impaired.<
Safety belts, refer to page48.
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  

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accident.
On the front passenger seat as well, 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 provided by the belt.<
Comply with the instructions on head restraint 
height on page44, and on damaged safety 
belts on page49.
Manual adjustment
Observe the adjustment instructions on 
page42 to ensure the best possible per-
sonal protection.<
Longitudinal direction
Pull lever 1 and slide the seat to the desired 
position.
After releasing the lever, move the seat gently 
forward or back to make sure it engages prop-
erly.
Height
Pull lever 2 and apply your weight to the seat or 
lift it off, as necessary.
Backrest
Pull lever 3 and apply your weight to the back-
rest or lift it off, as necessary.
Tilt*
Pull the lever and apply your weight to the seat 
or lift it off, as necessary.
Thigh support*
Pull the lever and move the thigh support for-
ward or back.
Electrical adjustment
Observe the adjustment instructions on 
page42 to ensure the best possible per-
sonal protection.< 

Adjustments
48
Storing
1.Switch on radio readiness or the ignition, 
refer to page55.
2.Adjust the seat and exterior mirrors to the 
desired positions.
3.Press the   button.
The LED in the button lights up.
4.Press the desired memory button 1 or 2: the 
LED goes out.
The driver's seat and exterior mirror posi-
tions are stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Call-up
Do not call up the memory while you are 
driving; otherwise, unexpected seat 
movement could result in an accident.<
Comfort function
1.Unlock and open the driver's door or switch 
on radio readiness, refer to page55.
2.Briefly press the desired memory button1 
or 2.
The adjusting procedure is halted immediately 
when you touch a seat adjustment switch or 
one of the memory buttons.
Safety feature
1.Close the driver's door and switch the igni-
tion on or off, refer to page55.
2.Press the desired memory button1 or2 
and keep it pressed until the adjustment 
process has been completed.
If the   button was pressed accidentally:
Press the button again; the LED goes out.
Call-up with the remote control
The driver's seat position last set is stored for 
the remote control currently in use.
You can select whether or not the seat is reset 
to that position automatically.
When this Personal Profile function is 
used, first make sure that the footwell 
behind the driver's seat is free of obstacles. 
Failure to do so could cause injury to persons or 
damage to objects as a result of a rearward 
movement of the seat.<
The adjusting procedure is halted immediately 
when you touch a seat adjustment switch or 
one of the memory buttons.
Selecting automatic call-up
1."Settings"
2."Door locks"
3."Last seat position auto."
 The function for automatically 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 additional safety device, but 
they do not represent a substitute. 

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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 page42.
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 
driver's and front passenger seat
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 "Fa sten safety belts " reminder is iss ued a s 
long as the driver's safety 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 passenger safety 
belt is not fastened, if objects are placed on the 
front passenger seat, or if driver or front pas-
senger 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-respondingly trained personnel. Otherwise, it is 
not guaranteed that the safety devices will func-
tion properly.<
Coupe: belt hand-over
The concept
The belt hand-over makes it easier for you to 
fasten your safety belt. When you close the 
door and switch on radio readiness or the igni-
tion, the belt hand-over extends automatically 
and presents the in a position that is convenient 
for fastening it around you. After you have fas-
tened your safety belt, the belt hand-over 
retracts to its original position.
Even if you have not yet fastened your safety 
belt, the belt hand-over will retract if you:
>Wait for more than approx. one minute
>Open the corresponding door
>Start driving.
Closing the respective door reactivates the belt 
hand-over if the ignition or radio readiness is on.
Front passenger seat
The belt hand-over will extend only if the seat is 
occupied and after the front passenger door is 
closed.
Pinch protection system
If the belt hand-over encounters resistance on 
moving in or out, it moves back slightly in the 
opposite direction and stops in this position. To 
reactivate the belt hand-over: open and close 
the door or switch the ignition off and on.
Although there is a pinch protection sys-
tem, always check that the maneuvering  

Transporting children safely
52
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.<
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 increased 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 necessary to use a child 
restraint system on the front passenger 
seat, the front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger must be deactivated. Otherwise, a child 
traveling on that seat will 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 page90.
Installing child restraint 
systems
Observe the child restraint system manu-
facturer's instructions 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 belt 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; otherwise, there is an 
increased risk of injury if the airbags deploy.<
Seat position
Before installing a child restraint system, move 
the front passenger seat as far back and up as 
possible to obtain the best possible position for 
the belt. Do not change the seat position after 
this.
Backrest width*
The backrest width of the front passenger 
seat must be at its widest possible set-
ting. Do not change the setting after installing 
the child seat. Otherwise, the child seat's stabil-
ity on the front passenger seat is limited.<
1.Adjust the backrest width to its widest set-
ting, refer to page44.
2.Install the child seat.
Child seat security
The rear safety belts and the front passenger 
safety belt can be prevented from being pulled 
out in order to fasten child restraint systems. 

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To lock the safety belt
1.Secure the child restraint system with the 
belt.
2.Pull the belt strap all the way out.
3.Allow the belt strap to retract and pull it taut 
against the child restraint system.
The safety belt is locked.
To unlock the safety belt
1.Open the belt buckle.
2.Remove the child restraint system.
3.Allow the safety belt strap to retract all the 
way.
LATCH child restraint fixing 
system
LATCH: Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHil-
dren.
To install and use the LATCH child 
restraint system, follow the operating and 
safety instructions provided by the manufac-
turer of the system; otherwise, the protective 
function of the seat may be compromised.<
Mounts for the lower LATCH anchors
Before installing the child seat, pull the belt out 
of the area for the child restraint fixing system.
Ensure that both lower LATCH anchors 
are correctly engaged and that the child 
restraint system is resting firmly against the 
backrest; otherwise, the protective function of 
the seat may be compromised.
tive caps.
Upper LATCH retaining strap
Convertible
For Canadian Customers Only.
The following statement is required by Trans-
port Canada.
This vehicle is not equipped with user-ready 
tether anchorages. As such neither a child 
restraint system, nor a booster cushion, requir-
ing the use of a tether strap can be properly 
secured in the vehicle.
Coupe
Use the top tether anchors to secure child 
restraint systems only; otherwise, the 
anchors could be damaged.<
For child restraint systems with tether straps 
there are two additional anchors, see arrows. 

Technology for driving comfort and safety
90
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the 
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2Coupe: head airbags
3Side airbags in the seat backrests
4Convertible: knee airbags
Protective action
Observe the adjustment instructions on 
page42 to ensure the best possible per-
sonal protection.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and 
front passenger by responding to frontal 
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-
vide adequate restraint. 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 coverings, and do not attach 
holders such as for navigation instruments or 
mobile phones.
Do not attach seat covers, 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 undesired airbag activation, 
either of which could result 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 impression 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 airbags, deactivated or  

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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 page52.
The front and side airbags can also be deacti-
vated by adolescents and adults sitting in cer-
tain positions; the indicator 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 cushion 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 front and side airbags in accordance 
with whether and how the front passenger seat 
is occupied. The indicator lamp shows whether 
the front passenger airbags are activated 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 indicator 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 readiness of airbag system
As of radio readiness, refer to page55, the 
warning lamp comes on briefly 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 the system will not function 
as intended even if a sufficiently severe acci-
dent occurs.<