BMW 525I 2005 Service Manual

Adjustments
40 The upper hips and spinal column receive sup-
plementary support to help you maintain a
relaxed, upright sitting position.
>Increase or decrease curvature: push
switch forward or back.
>Shift curvature up or down: push switch up
or down.
Adjusting active backrest width*
First set a comfortable backrest width, see
above. Based on the backrest width set, the lat-
eral support is automatically adapted to the cur-
rent driving situation.
The adaptation of the backrest width and the
speed of the adjustment vary depending on the
program. You can select from among three pro-
grams from comfort to sport.
Press program button once:
>"Comfort" program: one LED
>"Normal" program: two LEDs
>"Sport" program: three LEDs
To switch off: press button longer.
Easy entry/exit*
To facilitate entry and exit, the backrest tempo-
rarily opens all the way.
Seat, mirror and steering
wheel memory*
You can store and request two different posi-
tions for the driver's seat and passenger seat
*,
external rearview mirrors, and steering wheel.
The adjustment of the lumbar support is not
stored in the memory.
Storing
1.Turn ignition key to position 1 or 2, refer to
page51.
2.Set the desired seat, exterior mirror and
steering wheel positions.
3.Press button:
The LED in the button lights up.
4.Press the desired memory button1 or2.
The LED goes out.
Requesting
Do not request a position from the mem-
ory while the vehicle is moving. There is a
risk of accident from unexpected movement of
the seat or steering wheel.<
Convenience mode
1.Open the driver's door after unlocking or
turn the ignition key to position 1.
2.Briefly press the desired memory button1
or2.
The system immediately cancels the
adjustment procedure when you briefly
press one of the seat adjustment buttons or
one of the memory buttons.

Controls
41Reference
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Mobility
Safety feature
1.Close the driver's door and turn the ignition
key to position 0 or 2.
2.Press the desired memory button1 or2
and maintain pressure until the adjustment
process has been completed.
If the button was pressed inadvertently:
press the button again; the LED goes out.
Position stored in key
The positions of the driver's seat, the external
rearview mirrors, and steering wheel are stored
for the remote key currently in use.
You can choose when the position is requested:
>Request when unlocking vehicle
>Request when opening driver's door
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page16.
1.Open the menu.
2.Select "Vehicle settings" and press the
controller.
3.Select "Door locks" and press the control-
ler.
4.Select "Central locking" and press the con-
troller.
5.Select "Last seat pos." and press the con-
troller.
6.Select "After unlocking" or "After opening
door" and press the controller.
To cancel the request:
Select "Deactivated" and press the controller.
When using this feature, always make
sure that the footwell behind the driver's
seat is empty and unobstructed. Failure to do so could cause injury or damage to persons or
objects behind the seat as a result of a rearward
movement of the seat.<
Passenger-side exterior mirror tilt
function*
Automatic curb monitor
Activating
1.Slide mirror selector switch into the driver's
side mirror position 1.
2.When you shift into reverse or move the
selector lever into position R, the exterior
mirror on the front passenger side tilts
downward slightly. This allows the driver to
see the area immediately adjacent to the
vehicle – such as a curb – when parking, etc.
Deactivating
Slide mirror selector switch into the passen-
ger's side mirror position 2.
Head restraints
Head restraints reduce the risk of spinal
injury in the event of an accident. Adjust
the head restraints so that they are centered
roughly at the level of your ears.<

Adjustments
42
Front seat: height adjustment
You can adjust the height of the head restraints
electrically.
Front seat: angle adjustment
Swivel the head restraint.
With the comfort seat, use the shoulder support
to set the distance to the back of the head.
Adjusting side extensions in the
comfort seat
You can fold the side extensions on the head
restraint forward for increased lateral support in
the resting position.
Front head restraints, active*
The comfort seats are equipped with an active
head restraint.
In the event of a rear-end collision of sufficient
severity, the active head restraint reduces the
distance to the head.
To ensure that the active head restraints
afford maximum protection, and to avoid
unnecessary risks to personal safety, we
request that you read and comply with the fol-
lowing:>Do not install seat or head-restraint covers
>Never use the head restraints as supports
for suspending objects of any kind, such as
clothes hangers. Refrain from mounting
accessories on either the seat or the head
restraint.<
Rear seats: height adjustment
Up: pull up.
Down: press button1 and slide the head
restraint downward.
Safety belts
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
please observe the adjustment instructions on
page38.<
Before every drive, make sure that safety belts
are being worn at all of the occupied seats. Air-
bags complement the safety belt as an addi-
tional safety device, but they do not represent a
substitute.

Controls
43Reference
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Mobility
Fastening
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in
the belt buckle.
Safety belt memory for driver's seat
and passenger seat*
The indicator lamp lights up, a signal
sounds, and a message appears on the
display. Please check whether safety
belts are correctly placed.
The safety belt memory is operative at speeds
above approx. 5 mph/8 km/h. It can also be acti-
vated if objects are placed onto the passenger
seat.
Releasing
1.Grasp the belt firmly.
2.Press the red button in the buckle.
3.Guide the belt into its reel.
The shoulder strap's anchorage point will be in
the correct position for adult seat occupants of
every build if the seat is correctly adjusted, refer
to page38.The two rear safety belt buckles integrated into
the rear seat are for passengers sitting on the
left and right. The belt buckle embossed with
the word CENTER is intended exclusively for
use by passengers riding in the center position.
Damage to safety belts
If the safety belts are damaged or
stretched in an accident: Have the entire
belt system, including the tensioning mecha-
nisms, replaced at your BMW center or at a
workshop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel. Have the belt anchorage points
inspected for damage at the same time. Failure
to observe this precaution may prevent the
safety belts from effectively providing optimal
protection when needed.<
Heated seats*
Front
The temperature setting progresses one step
through its control sequence each time you
press the button. When the maximum tempera-
ture is selected, three LEDs light up.
To switch off: press the button longer.

Adjustments
44
Rear
The operating concept is the same as for the
front heated seats.
Temperature distribution in front
The heat output can be distributed variously in
the seat cushion and the backrest.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page16.
Ignition key in position 2:
1.Select "Climate".
2.Select "Seat heater distribution" and press
the controller.
3.Move the controller to the left or right to
select "Driver" or "Passenger".
4.Turn the controller. The adjustment is
applied; the field can be changed.
Active seat ventilation*
The system progresses one step through the
control sequence each time you press the but-
ton.
To switch off: press the button longer.
The highest position with three LEDs is
used for rapid cooling, e.g. when the vehi-
cle has gotten heated up. After a short time, the
system is automatically switched down one
position in order to prevent excessive cooling.<
Active seat*
The seat cushion is actively varied by alter-
nately raising and lowering the right and left half
of the seat cushion. This reduces muscular ten-
sion and fatigue to help prevent lower back
pain.
Press the button to switch on; the LED lights
up.
If you switch off the active seat, it can take up
to 1 minute before the two halves of the seat
cushion have returned to their initial position.

Controls
45Reference
At a glance
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Communication
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Entertainment
Mobility
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
The mirror on the passenger side fea-
tures a lens with a more convex surface
than the mirror installed on the driver's side.
When estimating the distance between yourself
and other traffic, bear in mind that the objects
reflected in the mirror are closer than they
appear. This means that estimations of the dis-
tance to following traffic should not be regarded
as precise.<
1Adjustments
2Switching to the other mirror or to the auto-
matic parking function, refer to Tilting the
passenger-side mirror, page41
Storing the mirror positions, refer to Seat, mir-
ror and steering wheel memory on page40.
Manual adjustment
You can also adjust the mirrors manually if nec-
essary by pressing against the outer edges of
their mirror glass.
Folding mirrors in and out
To prevent the exterior mirrors on this
vehicle from being damaged, always fold
them in by hand before entering an automatic
car wash.<
Automatic heating
Both exterior mirrors are automatically heated
in ignition key position 2.
Interior rearview mirror
To reduce the dazzle effect of following vehi-
cles at night, turn the knob.
Automatically dimming mirrors, refer to
page107.
Steering wheel
Adjustments
Do not adjust steering wheel while driv-
ing. There is a risk of accident from unex-
pected movement of the steering wheel.<
The steering wheel can be adjusted in four
directions.
Storing steering wheel positions, refer to Seat,
mirror and steering wheel memory on page40.
Easy entry/exit*
To facilitate entry and exit, the steering wheel
temporarily moves into the uppermost position.

Adjustments
46
Steering wheel heater*
Press the button with the ignition key in
position 2.
When the steering wheel heater is operating,
the LED in the button lights up.
Programmable buttons* on the
steering wheel
You can assign the function buttons individu-
ally.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page16.
1.Open the menu.
2.Select "Vehicle settings" and press the
controller.
3.Select "Steering wheel buttons" and press
the controller.The various functions are displayed:
>"Nav. voice instructions"
Voice instructions for the navigation
system
>"Air recirculation on / off"
Permanently shutting off outside air,
refer to AUC Automatic recirculated air
control on page91
>"Mute on / off"
Mutes the audio sources
>"Monitor on / off"
Switches the Control Display on/off
>"Telephone list"
Switching between Entertainment and
Telephone
>"Next entertainment source"
Changes audio source
4.Select the desired function.
5.Press the controller.
6.Select button if necessary.
7.Press the controller.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
You can operate the selected function using the
corresponding button.
Operating function
Press the corresponding button on the steering
wheel.
Voice instructions of navigation system:
>To switch voice instructions on/off: hold the
button down.
>To repeat the last voice instruction: press
button.

Controls
47Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communication
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Children always in the rear
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children in a vehicle is in the rear seat.
Older children should be tightly secured with a
safety belt, after they have outgrown a booster
seat that is appropriate for their age, height and
weight.
A child sitting in the rear seat and not
properly restrained may place his or her
head on or near the airbag, if so equipped. For
example, a child, even though belted, may fall
asleep with his or her head against the side air-
bag. It may be difficult for a driver to ens ure that
children in the rear seat will remain properly
positioned at all times and do not place their
heads on or near the side airbag. Therefore, we
recommend that the rear seat side airbags, if
provided, be deactivated if you plan to transport
children in the rear seat.<
Deactivating rear seat side airbags
The rear seat side airbags may already have
been deactivated by a BMW center. Labels in
the rear door opening should indicate the status
of your rear seat side airbags. If you are uncer-
tain of their status, or wish to have the airbags
activated or deactivated, please contact your
BMW center.
Child-restraint system in the rear
Children under 13 years of age and chil-
dren less than 5 ft/150 cm tall should
always ride in the rear and the restraint systems
should be secured with the vehicle's safety
belts.<
Younger children should be secured in an
appropriate forward-facing child-restraint sys-
tem that has first been properly restrained. We
strongly urge you to carefully read and comply
with the instructions for installation and use provided by the child-restraint's manufacturer
whenever you use such a device.
All rear sitting positions in your vehicle meet the
recommendations of SAE J1819, an industry-
recommended practice for securing child-
restraint systems in motor vehicles.
Exception for front passenger seat
Should it be necessary to use a child-
restraint system on the front passenger
seat, the airbags on the front passenger side
must be deactivated. Otherwise, there is a con-
siderable risk of injury for the child when the air-
bags are triggered, even with a child-restraint
system. Your BMW center will be glad to advise
you.<
Never install a rearward-facing child-
restraint system in the front passenger
seat of this vehicle if the passenger's airbag is
not deactivated. If you do so, the child could be
severely injured when the airbag is trig-
gered.Your vehicle is equipped with an airbag
supplemental restraint system for the front pas-
senger. Because the backrest on any rearward-
facing child-restraint system – of the kind
designed for infants under 1 year and 20 Ibs./
9 kg – would be within the airbag's deployment
range, you should never mount such a system
in the front passenger seat, since the impact of
the airbag against the child restraint's backrest
could lead to serious or fatal injuries.<
More information on automatic deactivation of
the front passenger airbags, refer to page83.
Backrest width adjustment
The backrest width adjustment of the
passenger seat must be opened com-
pletely. After the child's seat is installed, mem-
ory positions must not be requested and the
active backrest width adjustment must be
deactivated, otherwise there is the risk of
injury.<

Transporting children safely
48 1.After the vehicle is unlocked, sit in the pas-
senger seat and close the door.
2.Open the backrest width adjustment com-
pletely, refer to page39.
3.Deactivate active backrest width adjust-
ment, refer to page40.
4.Install child's seat.
Installing child-restraint
systems
Before installing any child-restraint system or
child seat, read the following:
Observe the child-restraint system man-
ufacturer's instructions for installation
and use. Otherwise the degree of protection
may be reduced. After an accident, have all
parts of the child-restraint system and of the
relevant vehicle safety belt system checked and
r e p la c e d i f n e c e s s a ry . H a v e t h is w o r k d o n e o n ly
at your BMW center or at a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel. <
Commercially-available child-restraint systems
are designed to be secured with a lap belt or
with the lap belt portion of a combination lap/
shoulder belt. Improperly or inadequately
installed restraint systems can increase the risk
of injury to children. Always read and follow the
instructions that come with the system.
Child seat security
All of the rear belt retractors and the front pas-
senger safety belt can be locked for mounting
and securing child-restraint systems.Information regarding this is located near the
buckle latch of each safety belt.
To lock safety belt
Pull the entire length of the belt from the belt
retractor. Allow the reel to retract the belt
somewhat and engage the buckle, then tighten
the belt against the child-restraint system. The
retraction mechanism is now locked.
To unlock the safety belt
Release the buckle, remove the child-restraint
system and allow the belt retractor to reel the
belt completely in.
Child-restraint system with tether
strap
If you use a child-restraint system with a tether
strap, three additional tether anchorage points
have been provided, refer to the arrows in the
illustration. Depending on the location selected
for sitting in the rear passenger area, attach the
tether strap to the corresponding anchorage
point to secure the child-restraint system, as
shown in the illustration below.
Placement of the tether strap
Outer sitting positions:
Lift the head restraint and pass the tether strap

Controls
49Reference
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Mobility
between the head restraint and the seat back. It
is recommended to readjust the head restraint
into the lowest possible position.
Center sitting position:
Pull the center armrest forward somewhat to
guide the tether strap through the opening.
Then reengage the center armrest.
Adjust the tether strap according to the
child-restraint manufacturer's instruc-
tions.<
LATCH child-restraint fixing system
LATCH: Lower Anchor and Tethers for CHil-
dren.
The rear outer sitting positions are provided
with anchors for a LATCH child-restraint fixing
system.
To attach the LATCH child-restraint fix-
ing system, follow the operating and
safety instructions of the manufacturer.<
Access to anchorage points on rear
seat with through-loading system
The illustration shows the left rear seat as an
example.The anchorage points for the LATCH child-
restraint fixing system are located underneath
the identifying symbols.
Before attaching the LATCH child-restraint fix-
ing system, pull the belt out of the region of the
child-restraint fixing system.
Access to anchorage points on rear
seat with through-loading system
The illustration shows the right rear seat as an
example.
The anchorage points for the LATCH child-
restraint fixing system are located behind the
indicated protective caps.
Before attaching the child-restraint fixing sys-
tem, remove the LATCH protective caps and
pull the belt away from the region of the child-
restraint fixing system.
On journeys
If the rear is equipped with side airbags,
make s ure that children do not lean o ut of
the child's seat towards the door panels. Other-
wise severe injuries can be caused if the side
airbags are triggered.<