airbag BMW 550I 2011 F10 Owner's Manual

All around the headliner
1 Emergency Request*  269
2 Glass sunroof, powered*  
41
3 Indicator lamp, front passenger
airbag*  87
4 Reading lamps*  
84
5 Interior lamps  83
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls
At a glance

Adjusting
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 48.
▷ Head restraints, refer to page 49.
▷ Airbags, refer to page 85.
Seats
Adjusting
General information Do not adjust the seat while driving
Never attempt to adjust the driver's seat
while driving.
The

seat could respond with unexpected move‐
ment and the ensuing loss of vehicle control
could lead to an accident.◀
Do not incline the backrest too far to the
rear
Do not incline the backrest on the front passen‐
ger side too far to the rear during driving. Oth‐
erwise, there is the danger of sliding under the
safety belt in an accident. This would eliminate
the protection normally provided by the belt.◀
The seat setting is stored for the remote control
currently in use. When the vehicle is unlocked
via the remote control, the position is automati‐
cally retrieved if this function, refer to page 33,
was activated. At a glance: partially powered seats
1
Thigh support*
2 Tilt
3 Forward/backward
4 Lumbar support*
5 Height
6 Backrest
Adjustments in detail: partially
powered seats Forward/back:
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.
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Adjusting

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.◀
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. Seite 48
48 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490
Adjusting

Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Note
Children in the vehicle
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle; otherwise, they could endanger them‐
selves and other persons, e.g., by opening the
doors.◀
Children should always be in the rear
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children is in the back seat.
Transporting children in the rear
Only transport children younger than
13
years of age or shorter than 5 ft/150 cm in the
rear in child restraint fixing systems provided in
accordance with the age, weight and size of the
child; otherwise, there is an increased risk of in‐
jury in an accident.
Children 13 years of age or older must wear a
safety belt as soon as a suitable child restraint
fixing system can no longer be used, due to their
age, weight and size.◀
Children on the front passenger seat
Should it ever be necessary to use a child re‐
straint fixing system in the front passenger seat,
make sure that the front, knee and side airbags
on the front passenger side are deactivated. Au‐
tomatic deactivation of front passenger airbags,
refer to page 86.
Deactivating the front passenger airbags
If a child restraint fixing system is used in
the front passenger seat, the front passenger
airbags must be deactivated; otherwise, there is
an increased risk of injury to the child when the
airbags are triggered, even with a child restraint
fixing system.◀ Installing child restraint fixing
systems
Before mounting
If the rear seat backrests are adjustable:
Before mounting child restraint fixing systems,
return all of the rear seat backrests to the basic
position.
Notes
Manufacturer's information for child re‐
straint fixing systems
To select, mount and use child restraint fixing
systems, observe the information provided by
the system manufacturer; otherwise, the pro‐
tective effect can be impaired.
◀
On the front passenger seat
After installing a child restraint fixing system in
the front passenger seat, make sure that the
front, knee and side airbags on the front pas‐
senger side are deactivated.
Deactivate the front passenger airbags auto‐
matically, refer to page 86.
Deactivating the front passenger airbags
If a child restraint fixing system is used in
the front passenger seat, the front passenger
airbags must be deactivated; otherwise, there is
an increased risk of injury to the child when the
airbags are triggered, even with a child restraint
fixing system.◀
Seat position and height
Before installing a child restraint fixing system,
move the front passenger seat as far back as
possible and adjust its height to the middle po‐
sition to obtain the best possible position for the
belt and to offer optimal protection in the event
of an accident.
Do not change the seat position and height after
this. Seite 54
54 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490
Transporting children safely

Overview: indicator/warning lamps
Symbol Function or system
Turn signal
Parking brake
Parking brake in Canadian models
Automatic Hold*
Front fog lamps*
High beams
High-beam Assistant*
Parking lamps, headlamp control
Active Cruise Control*
Vehicle detection, Active Cruise
Control*
Cruise control*
Lane departure warning*
DSC Dynamic Stability Control
DSC Dynamic Stability Control or
DTC Dynamic Traction Control
Tire Pressure Monitor* Symbol Function or system
Safety belts
Airbag system
Steering system
Emissions
Brake system
Brake system in Canadian models
Antilock Brake System ABS
Antilock Brake System ABS in Cana‐
dian models
Text messages
Text
messages in combination with a symbol in
the instrument cluster explain a Check Control
message and the meaning of the indicator and
warning lamps.
Supplementary text messages
Addition information, such as on the cause of a
fault or the required action, can be called up via
Check Control. The supplementary text of ur‐
gent messages is displayed automatically.
It is shown on the Control Display.
Symbols
Depending on the Check Control message, the
following functions can be selected.
▷ "Owner's Manual"
Display additional information about the
Check Control message in the integrated
owner's manual.
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

Safety
Airbags
1
Front airbag, driver
2 Front airbag, front passenger
3 Head airbag 4
Side airbag
5 Knee airbags
Front airbags
Front airbags help protect the driver and front
passenger by responding to frontal impacts in
which safety belts alone cannot provide ade‐
quate restraint.
Side airbags
In a lateral impact, the side airbag supports the
side of the body in the chest and lap area.
Head airbags
In
a lateral impact, the head airbag supports the
head.
Knee airbag
The knee airbag supports the legs in a frontal
impact. 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. Seite 85
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

▷
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
▷ In radio ready state, the warning lamp does
not come on.
▷ The warning lamp lights up continuously.
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.◀ Seite 86
86 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490
Safety

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 objects on the front pas‐
senger seat.
▷ 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.
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‐
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. Seite 87
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

Everything from A to Z
Index
A
ABS, Antilock Brake Sys‐
tem 95
ACC, Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go 102
Activated-charcoal filter 129
Active Blind Spot Detec‐ tion 92
Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go, ACC 102
Active seat, front 46
Active seat ventilation, front 47
Active Steering, integral 98
Adaptive brake assistant 95
Adaptive brake lights, refer to Brake force display 94
Adaptive drive 97
Adaptive light control 81
Additional telephone 210
Additives, oil 258
Adjustments, seats/head re‐ straints 44
Airbags 85
Airbags, indicator/warning light 86
Air circulation, refer to Recir‐ culated-air mode 127
Air distribution, manual 126
Air drying, refer to Cooling function 128
Air pressure, tires 242
Air vents, refer to Ventila‐ tion 129
Air volume, automatic climate control 127
Alarm system 39
Alarm, unintentional 40
All around the center con‐ sole 14
All around the headliner 15 All around the steering
wheel 12
ALL program, automatic cli‐ mate control 128
All-season tires, refer to Win‐ ter tires 252
All-wheel-drive 96
Alternating-code hand-held transmitter 133
Alternative oil types 258
AM/FM station 174
Announcement, navigation, refer to Spoken instruc‐
tions 163
Antifreeze, washer fluid 64
Antilock Brake System, ABS 95
Anti-slip control, refer to DSC 95
Appointments 226
Approved engine oils 258
Apps 236
Armrest, refer to Center arm‐ rest 139
Arrival time 77
Ashtray 134
Ashtray, front 134
Ashtray, rear 135
Assist 232
Assistance, Roadside Assis‐ tance 270
Assistance when driving off 95
Audio playback 181
Audio playback, Blue‐ tooth 196
AUTO intensity 127
Automatic car wash 274
Automatic climate con‐ trol 126
Automatic Cruise Control with Stop & Go 102
Automatic Curb Monitor 52 Automatic deactivation, front
passenger airbags 86
Automatic headlamp con‐ trol 81
Automatic Hold 60
Automatic locking 35
Automatic recirculated-air control 127
Automatic Soft Closing, doors 35
Automatic transmission with Steptronic 65
Automatic trunk lid 36
AUTO program, automatic cli‐ mate control 127
AUTO program, intensity 127
AUX-IN port 192
Average fuel consumption 76
Average speed 76
Axle loads, weights 283
B
Backrest curvature, refer to Lumbar support 46
Backrest, seats 44
Backup camera 113
Backup lamps, bulb replace‐ ment 266
Balance 172
Band-Aids, refer to First aid kit 270
Bar for tow-starting/tow‐ ing 272
Bass 172
Battery replacement, remote control, rear entertain‐
ment 202
Battery replacement, vehicle battery 267
Battery replacement, vehicle remote control 28
Battery, vehicle 267
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294 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490Everything from A to Z

External temperature warn‐
ing 73
Eyes for securing cargo 149
F
Fader 172
Failure message, refer to Check Control 70
False alarm, refer to Uninten‐ tional alarm 40
Fan, refer to Air volume 127
Fault displays, refer to Check Control 70
Filler neck for engine oil 257
Fine wood, care 276
First aid kit 270
Fitting
for towing, refer to Tow
fitting 273
Flat tire, Tire Pressure Monitor TPM 88
Flat tire, warning lamp 89
Flat tire, wheel change 267
Flooding 147
Floor carpet, care 276
Floor mats, care 276
FM/AM station 174
Fold-out position, windshield wipers 64
Foot brake 147
Front airbags 85
Front fog lamps 83
Front fog lamps, front, bulb re‐ placement 265
Front lamps 263
Front passenger airbags, au‐ tomatic deactivation 86
Front passenger airbags, indi‐ cator lamp 87
Front seats, adjusting 44
Fuel cap 240
Fuel consumption, current 74
Fuel consumption, refer to Average fuel consump‐
tion 76
Fuel filler flap 240
Fuel gauge 72
Fuel quality 241 Fuel, tank capacity
284
Fuse 268
G
Garage door opener, refer to Integrated universal remote
control 132
Gas station recommenda‐ tion 163
Gear
change, automatic trans‐
mission 65
Gear shift indicator 75
General driving notes 146
Glass sunroof, powered 41
Glove compartment 138
GPS navigation, refer to Navi‐ gation system 154
Gross vehicle weight, ap‐ proved 283
Gross weight, permissible for trailer towing 283
H
Hand brake, refer to Parking brake 60
Hand-held transmitter, alter‐ nating code 133
Hazard warning flashers 269
HDC Hill Descent Control 96
HD Radio 175
Head airbags 85
Headlamp control, auto‐ matic 81
Headlamp courtesy delay fea‐ ture 80
Headlamp courtesy delay fea‐ ture via remote control 33
Headlamp flasher 62
Headlamp glass 263
Headlamps 263
Headlamps, care 275
Headlamp washer system 62
Headliner 15
Headphones, rear entertain‐ ment 205
Head restraints 44 Head restraints, front 49
Head restraints, rear 50
Head-up Display
124
Head-up Display, care 276
Heavy cargo, stowing 149
Height, seats 44
Height, vehicle 280
High-beam Assistant 82
High beams 62
High beams/low beams, refer to High-beam Assistant 82
Hill Descent Control HDC 96
Hills 148
Hill start assistant, refer to Drive-off assistant 95
Hints 6
Holder for beverages 140
Homepage 6
Hood 255
Horn 12
Hotel function, trunk lid 37
Hot exhaust system 146
House number, entering for navigation 155
Hydroplaning 147
I
Ice warning, refer to External temperature warning 73
Icy roads, refer to External temperature warning 73
Identification marks, tires 249
Identification number, refer to Engine compartment 255
iDrive 16
Ignition key, refer to Remote control 28
Ignition off 58
Ignition on 58
Indication of a flat tire 89
Individual air distribution 126
Individual settings, refer to Personal Profile 29
Inflation pressure, tires 242
Info display, refer to Com‐ puter 75
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls At a glance