2012 BMW 5 SERIES seats

AdjustingVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipment
is also described that is not available in a vehicle,
e. g., because of the selected optional equip‐
ment or country variant. This also applies for
safety-related functions and systems.
Sitting safely
The ideal seating position can make a vital con‐
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving.
The seating position plays an important role in
an accident in combination with:▷Safety belts, refer to page 51.▷Head restraints, refer to page 52.▷Airbags, refer to page 94.
Seats
General information Do not adjust the seat while driving
Do not adjust the driver's seat while driv‐
ing, or the seat could respond with unexpected
movement and the ensuing loss of vehicle con‐
trol could lead to an accident.◀
Do not incline the backrest too far to the
rear
Also on the front passenger side, do not incline
the backrest on the front passenger side too far
to the rear during driving, or there is a risk of
slipping under the safety belt in the event of an
accident. This would eliminate the protection
normally provided by the belt.◀
Semi-electrically adjustable seats
At a glance1Thigh support2Tilt3Forward/backward4Lumbar support5Height6Backrest
Tilt
Pull the lever and move the seat to the desired
tilt. After releasing the lever, apply your weight
to the seat or lift it off to make sure the seat en‐
gages properly.
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Forward/backward
Pull the lever and slide the seat in the desired
direction.
After releasing the lever, move the seat forward
or back slightly to make sure it engages prop‐
erly.
Height
Move the button in the required direction.
Backrest
Move the button in the required direction.
Electrically adjustable seats
At a glance1Lumbar support2Backrest width3Shoulder support4Backrest5Forward/back, height, tilt6Thigh support
Note
The seat setting for the driver's seat is stored for
the remote control currently in use. When the
vehicle is unlocked via the remote control, the
position is automatically retrieved if the Func‐
tion, refer to page 35, for this is activated.
Adjustments in detail
1.Forward/back.Seite 48ControlsAdjusting48
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The ventilation rapidly cools the seat, e. g., if the
vehicle interior is overheated or for continuous
cooling at high temperatures.
Switching on
Press the button once for each ventila‐
tion level.
The highest level is active when three LEDs are
lit.
If when the seat ventilation is turned on the Max‐
imum Cooling function is activated, the seat
ventilation automatically switches to the highest
level. When the Maximum Cooling function is
switched off, the unit switches to the previously
set level.
After a short time, the system automatically
moves down one level in order to prevent ex‐
cessive cooling.
Switching off
Press the button longer.
The LEDs go out.
Safety belts
Seats with safety belt
The vehicle has five seats, each of which is
equipped with a safety belt.
Notes
Always make sure that safety belts are being
worn by all occupants before driving away.
Although airbags enhance safety by providing
added protection, they are not a substitute for
safety belts.▷The shoulder strap's anchorage point will be
correct for adult seat occupants of every
build if the seat is correctly adjusted.▷The two outer safety belt buckles,
integrated into the rear seat, are for passen‐
gers sitting on the left and right.▷The center rear seat belt buckle marked with
the letters CENTER is solely intended for
the center passenger.
One person per safety belt
Never allow more than one person to wear
a single safety belt. Never allow infants or small
children to ride on a passenger's lap.◀
Putting on the belt
Lay the belt, without twisting, snugly
across the lap and shoulders, as close to the
body as possible. Make sure that the belt lies low
around the hips in the lap area and does not
press on the abdomen. Otherwise, the belt can
slip over the hips in the lap area in a frontal im‐
pact and injure the abdomen.
The safety belt must not lie across the neck, rub
on sharp edges, be routed over solid or breaka‐
ble objects, or be pinched.◀
Reduction of restraining effect
Avoid wearing clothing that prevents the
belt from fitting properly, and pull the shoulder
belt periodically to readjust the tension across
your lap; otherwise, the retention effect of the
safety belt may be reduced.◀
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Buckling the belt
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in the
belt buckle.
Unbuckling the belt
1.Hold the belt firmly.2.Press the red button in the belt buckle.3.Guide the belt back into its reel.
Safety belt reminder for the driver's and
front passenger seat
The indicator lamp flashes or lights up
and a signal sounds. Make sure that the
safety belts are positioned correctly.
The safety belt reminder is active at speeds
above approx. 5 mph/8 km/h. It can also be ac‐
tivated if objects are placed on the front pas‐
senger seat.
Damage to safety belts
In the case of strain caused by accidents or
damage:
Have the safety belts, including the safety belt
tensioners, replaced and have the belt anchors
checked.
Checking and replacing safety belts
Have the work performed only by your
service center; otherwise, it cannot be ensured
that this safety feature will function properly.◀
Front head restraints
Correctly adjusted head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of injury to cervical vertebrae in the event of
an accident.
Adjusting the head restraint
Correctly adjust the head restraints of all
occupied seats; otherwise, there is an increased
risk of injury in an accident.◀
Height
Adjust the head restraint so that its center is ap‐
proximately at ear level.
Distance
Adjust the distance so that the head restraint is
as close as possible to the back of the head.
Active head restraint
In the event of a rear-end collision with a certain
severity, the active head restraint automatically
reduces the distance from the head.
Reduced protective function▷Do not use seat or head restraint cov‐
ers.▷Do not hang objects, e.g., clothes hangers,
on the head restraints.▷Only attach accessories approved by BMW
to the seat or head restraint.
Otherwise, the protective function of the active
head restraint will be impaired and the personal
safety of the occupants will be endangered.◀
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Adjusting the height: manual head
restraints▷To raise: pull.▷To lower: press the button, arrow 1, and
push the head restraint down.
Adjusting the height: electrical head
restraints
Adjusting electrically.
Distance to back of head: manual head
restraints
▷Forward: by pulling▷Back: press the button and push the head
restraint toward the rear.Distance to back of head: electrical
head restraints
The head restraint is automatically repositioned
when the shoulder support is adjusted.
Adjusting the side extensions
Fold forward for increased lateral support in the
resting position.
Removing
The head restraints cannot be removed.
Rear head restraints
Correctly adjusted head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of injury to cervical vertebrae in the event of
an accident.
Adjusting the head restraint
Correctly adjust the head restraints of all
occupied seats; otherwise, there is an increased
risk of injury in an accident.◀
Height
Adjust the head restraint so that its center is ap‐
proximately at ear level.
Distance
Adjust the distance so that the head restraint is
as close as possible to the back of the head.
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Protective action
Airbags are not triggered in every impact situa‐
tion, e.g., in less severe accidents or rear-end
collisions.
Information on how to ensure the optimal
protective effect of the airbags▷Keep at a distance from the airbags.▷Always grasp the steering wheel on the
steering wheel rim, holding your hands at
the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, to keep
the danger of injury to your hands or arms as
low as possible if the airbag is triggered.▷There should be no people, animals, or ob‐
jects between an airbag and a person.▷Do not use the cover of the front airbag on
the front passenger side as a storage area.▷Keep the dashboard and window 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 instru‐
ments and mobile phones.▷Make sure that the front passenger is sitting
correctly, i.e., keeps his or her feet and legs
in the footwell; otherwise, leg injuries can
occur if the front airbag is triggered.▷Do not place slip covers, seat cushions or
other objects on the front passenger seat
that are not approved specifically for seats
with integrated side airbags.▷Do not hang pieces of clothing, such as jack‐
ets, over the backrests.▷Make sure that occupants keep their heads
away from the side airbag and do not rest
against the head airbag; otherwise, injuries
can occur if the airbags are triggered.▷Do not remove the airbag restraint system.▷Do not remove the steering wheel.▷Do not apply adhesive materials to the air‐
bag cover panels, cover them or modify
them in any way.▷Never modify either the individual compo‐
nents or the wiring in the airbag system. This
also applies to steering wheel covers, the
dashboard, the seats, the roof pillars and the
sides of the headliner.◀
Even when all instructions are followed closely,
injury from contact with the airbags cannot be
ruled out in certain situations.
The ignition and inflation noise may lead to
short-term and, in most cases, temporary hear‐
ing impairment in sensitive individuals.
In the case of a malfunction, deactivation
and after triggering of the airbags
Do not touch the individual components imme‐
diately after the system has been triggered; oth‐
erwise, there is the danger of burns.
Only have the airbags checked, repaired or dis‐
mantled and the airbag generator scrapped by
your service center or a workshop that has the
necessary authorization for handling explosives.
Non-professional attempts to service the sys‐
tem could lead to failure in an emergency or un‐
desired triggering of the airbag, either of which
could result in injury.◀
Warnings and information on the airbags are
also found on the sun visors.
Functional readiness of the airbag
system
When the ignition is switch on, the warn‐
ing lamp in the instrument cluster lights
up briefly and thereby indicates the op‐
erational readiness of the entire airbag system
and the belt tensioner.
Airbag system malfunctioning
▷Warning lamp does not come on when the
ignition is turned on.▷The warning lamp lights up continuously.Seite 95SafetyControls95
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When there is a malfunction, have the air‐
bag system checked immediately
When there is a malfunction, have the airbag
system checked immediately; otherwise, there
is a risk that the system does not function as ex‐
pected in the event of an accident despite cor‐
responding severity of the accident.◀
Automatic deactivation of the front
passenger airbags
The system determines whether the front pas‐
senger seat is occupied by measuring the re‐
sistance of the human body.
The front, knee, and side airbag on the front
passenger side are activated or deactivated ac‐
cordingly.
Leave feet in the footwell
Make sure that the front passenger keeps
his or her feet in the footwell; otherwise, the front
passenger airbags may not function properly.◀
Child restraint fixing system in the front
passenger seat
Before transporting a child on the front passen‐
ger seat, see the safety notes and instructions
under Children on the front passenger seat.◀
Malfunction of the automatic
deactivation system
When transporting older children and adults, the
front passenger airbags may be deactivated in
certain sitting positions. In this case, the indica‐
tor lamp for the front passenger airbags lights
up.
In this case, change the sitting position so that
the front passenger airbags are activated and
the indicator lamp goes out.
If it is not possible to activate the airbags, have
the person sit in the rear.
To make sure that the occupied seat cushion
can be evaluated correctly▷Do not attach covers, cushions, ball mats or
other items to the front passenger seat un‐less they are specifically recommended by
the manufacturer of your vehicle.▷Do not place any electronic devices on the
passenger seat if a child restraint system is
to be installed on it.▷Do not place objects under the seat that
could press against the seat from below.
Indicator lamp for the front passenger
airbags
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air‐
bags indicates the operating state of the front
passenger airbags.
The lamp indicates whether the airbags are ac‐
tivated or deactivated.
▷The indicator lamp lights up
when a child who is properly
seated in a child restraint fix‐
ing system intended for that
purpose is detected on the
seat or the seat is empty. The
airbags on the front passen‐
ger side are not activated.▷The indicator lamp does not light up when,
for example, a correctly seated person of
sufficient size is detected on the seat. The
airbags on the front passenger side are ac‐
tivated.
Detected child seats
The system generally detects children seated in
a child seat, especially in the child seats that
were required by NHTSA when the vehicle was
manufactured. After installing a child seat, make
sure that the indicator lamp for the front pas‐
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senger airbags lights up. This indicates that the
child seat has been detected and the front pas‐
senger airbags are not activated.
Strength of the driver's and front
passenger airbag
The strength with which the driver's and front
passenger airbags are triggered depends on the
position of the driver's and front passenger
seats.
To maintain the accuracy of this function over
the long-term, calibrate the front seats when a
corresponding message appears on the Control
Display.
Calibrating the front seats
A corresponding message appears on the Con‐
trol Display.1.Move the respective seat forward all the
way.2.Move the respective seat forward again. It
moves forward briefly.3.Readjust the seat to the desired position.
The calibration procedure is completed when
the message on the Control Display disappears.
If the message continues to be displayed, repeat
the calibration.
If the message does not disappear after a repeat
calibration, have the system checked as soon as
possible.
Unobstructed area of movement
Ensure that the area of movement of the
seats is unobstructed to avoid personal injury or
damage to objects.◀
Tire Pressure Monitor TPM
The concept
The tire inflation pressure is measured in the
four mounted tires. The system notifies you if
there is a significant loss of pressure in one or
more tires.
Functional requirements
The system must have been reset when the in‐
flation pressure was correct; otherwise, reliable
signaling of a flat tire is not ensured. Always use
wheels with TPM electronics to ensure that the
system will operate properly. Reset the system
after each correction of the tire inflation pres‐
sure and after every tire or wheel change.
System limits Sudden tire damage
Sudden serious tire damage caused by
external influences cannot be indicated in ad‐
vance.◀
The system does not operate correctly if it has
not been reset. For example, a flat tire may be
indicated despite correct tire inflation pres‐
sures.
The system is inactive and cannot indicate a flat
tire:▷For a mounted wheel without TPM electron‐
ics.▷When the TPM is disturbed by other sys‐
tems or devices with the same radio fre‐
quency.
Status display
The current status of the Tire Pressure Monitor
TPM can be displayed on the Control Display,
e.g., whether or not the TPM is active.
1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Tire Pressure Monitor - TPM"
The status is displayed.
Status display
The tire and system status is indicated by the
color of the tires.
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