belt BMW 6 SERIES 2007 Owners Manual

Adjusting
48
Adjusting
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital con-
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. In the
interaction with the safety belts, the head
restraints and the airbags, the seat position
plays an important role in an accident. To
ensure that the safety systems operate with
optimal efficiency, we strongly urge you to fol-
low the instructions contained in the following
section.
For additional information on Transporting chil-
dren safely, refer to page57.
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate distance
between yourself and the airbags. Always
hold the steering wheel by its rim with hands at
the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to mini-
mize the risk of injuries to your hands and arms
in the event of airbag deployment.
No one and nothing is to come between the air-
bags 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
and does not rest feet or legs on the instrument
panel, otherwise leg injuries can occur if the
knee and front airbags are triggered.
Make sure that occupants do not rest their head
on the side or head airbags; otherwise, injuries
can occur if the airbags are triggered.<
Even if you adhere to all the instructions, inju-
ries 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 page94.
Head restraints
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
ris k of injury to cervical vertebrae in an accident.
Adjust the head restraint so that its center
is approx. at ear level. Otherwise, there is
increased danger of injury in the event of an
accident.<
Head restraints, refer to page51.
Safety belt
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.
Your vehicle has four seats that are each
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 lies low around the
hips in the lap area and does not press on the
abdomen. The safety belt may not lie across the
neck, rub on sharp edges, be routed over solid
or breakable objects or be pinched. Wear the
safety belt without twisting, snugly across the
lap and shoulders, as close to the body as pos-
sible. Otherwise, the belt can slip over the hips
in the lap area in a frontal impact and injure the
abdomen. Avoid wearing clothing that prevents
the belt from fitting properly and pull the shoul-
der belt upward periodically to readjust the ten-
sion across your lap in order to avoid a reduc-
tion in the restraining effect of the safety belt.<
Safety belts refer to page53.

Controls
49Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Seats
Note before adjusting
Never attempt to adjust your seat while
operating the vehicle. The seat could
respond with unexpected movement and the
ensuing loss of vehicle control could lead to an
accident.
On the front passenger side as well, do not tilt
the backrest too far toward the rear. Failure to
observe this precaution can prevent the belt
from providing effective protection against
injury, as the passenger could slide under the
belt in an accident.<
Also follow the instructions regarding damage
to the safety belt on page53.
Convertible: with the wind deflector fitted,
do not incline the front seat backrests too
far backward if the seat is to be moved back to
the end position. Otherwise, the wind deflector
will be damaged.<
Adjusting seat
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
please follow the adjustment instructions on
page48.<
1Inclination
2Longitudinal direction
3Height
4Backrest
5Convertible: head restraints, refer to
page52With the sports seat
*, you can also adjust the
thigh support manually:
Pull the lever and adjust the thigh support in the
longitudinal direction.
Lumbar support*
You can also adjust the contours of the backrest
to obtain additional support in the lumbar
region.
The upper hips and spinal column receive sup-
plementary support to help you maintain a
relaxed, upright sitting position.
>Increase or decrease curvature:
Press front or rear of switch.
>Move curvature up or down:
Press top or bottom of switch.

Adjusting
52
Convertible
Adjusting height
>To raise: move the switch upward.
>To lower: move the switch downward.
Adjusting tilt angle
Swivel the head restraints.
Entering rear
Before starting to drive, fold backrests
back, otherwise there is the danger of
accident due to an unexpected movement of
the seat.<
Coupe: releasing backrest
Pull the lever upward and fold the backrest for-
ward.
The lever is designed so that the safety belt can
be hooked onto it. This enables you to fasten
the safety belt more conveniently.
Convertible: releasing backrest
The belt system integrated in the seat makes it
easier to get in back.
1.Pull lever 1 up and fold the backrest for-
ward.
2.Press and hold button 2 until the seat has
moved into the desired position.
3.After passengers have entered the rear, fold
the backrest back and lock it in place.
4.Press and hold button 3 until the seat has
moved back into its previous position. If you
release button3 before this, the seat stops
in its current position.
You can lock the backrest in place when it
is folded forward. This is useful, for exam-
ple, when you get into the vehicle while it is
parked on a hill. Press the backrest until it audi-
bly locks into place. To fold it back, you do not
need to use lever 1 to release it.<

Controls
53Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Lock backrest warning lamp:
Lights up when the backrest is not
locked. At the same time, a message is
shown on the Control Display.
Safety belts
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
please follow the adjustment instructions on
page48.<
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.
Fastening
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in
the belt buckle.
Releasing
1.Hold the belt firmly.
2.Press the red button in the belt buckle.
3.Guide the belt into its reel.The shoulder strap's anchorage point will be in
the correct position for adults of every build if
the seat is correctly adjusted, refer to page49.
Safety belt reminder for driver's seat
and passenger seat*
The indicator lamp lights up and a sig-
nal sounds. At the same time, an addi-
tional message appears on the Control
Display. Please check whether safety belts are
being worn correctly.
The safety belt reminder is operative at speeds
above approx. 5 mph/8 km/h. It can also be acti-
vated if objects are placed on the passenger
seat.
Damage to safety belts
In the event of loads caused by accidents
or other damage: replace the belt system
including the safety belt tensioners and any
child restraint systems, and have the belt
anchor points checked. Have this work carried
out only by a BMW center or a workshop that
works according to BMW repair procedures
with appropriately trained personnel. Other-
wise, correct operation of this safety equipment
is not guaranteed.<
Heated seats*
The temperature setting advances one step in
its control sequence each time you press the
button. The maximum temperature is supplied
when three LEDs are lit.
To switch off:
Press the button longer.

Controls
57Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
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 always in the rear
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children is in the back.
Children younger than 13 years of age or
with a height under 5 ft/150 cm may only
be transported in the rear in child restraint sys-
tems 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
system can no longer be used due to 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, knee and side airbags on the
passenger side must be deactivated. Other-
wise, there is an increased risk of injury for the
child if the airbags are triggered, even with a
child restraint system.<
For more information on automatic deactivation
of the front passenger airbags, refer to page95.
Installing child restraint
systems
Follow child restraint system manufac-
turer's instructions for the selection,
installation and use of child restraint systems.
Otherwise, the degree of protection they offer
may be reduced.<
On front passenger seat
After mounting a child restraint system on
the front passenger seat, make sure that
the front and side airbags on the front passen-
ger side are deactivated, as otherwise there is
an increased risk of injury if the airbags are trig-
gered.<
Child seat security
All rear safety belts and the safety belt for the
front passenger can be locked against pulling
out to secure child restraint systems.
Locking safety belt
1.Secure the child restraint system with the
belt.
2.Pull out the belt webbing completely.
3.Allow the belt webbing to be pulled in and
pull taut against the child restraint system.
The safety belt is locked.
Unlocking safety belt
1.Open the belt buckle.
2.Remove the child restraint system.
3.Allow the belt webbing to be pulled in com-
pletely.
Coupe: child restraint system with
tether strap
Only use the tether-strap mounting
points to secure child restraint systems,
otherwise the mounting points could be dam-
aged.<

Transporting children safely
58 There are two additional mounting points for
child restraint systems with a tether strap, refer
to arrows.
Placement of tether strap
1.Fold anchor fitting into upright position.
2.Push head restraint downward.
3.Guide tether strap over head restraint and
hook onto anchor fitting.
LATCH child restraint fixing system
LATCH: Lower Anchor and Tethers for CHil-
dren.
When installing and using LATCH child
restraint systems, comply with the sys-
tem manufacturer's operating and safety
instructions.<
Rear seats
Before attaching the LATCH child's seat, pull
the belt away from the region of the child
restraint fixing system.The mounting points for the LATCH anchors
are located at the positions indicated by arrows
in the gap between the seat and the backrest.
Make sure that the LATCH anchor fittings
are properly engaged and the child
restraint system firmly contacts the backrest.<

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
94 the TPMS malfunction indicator after replacing
one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or alternate tires
and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to func-
tion properly.
Active steering*
The concept
The active steering is a system that actively var-
ies the steering angle of the front wheels in rela-
tion to the steering wheel movements.
When you are driving in the low road speed
range, e. g. in a town or when parking, the steer-
ing angle increases, i.e. the steering becomes
very direct. In the higher speed range, on the
other hand, the steering angle is reduced more
and more. This improves the handling capability
of your BMW over the entire speed range.
In critical situations, the system can make tar-
geted corrections to the steering angle pro-
vided by the driver and thus stabilize the vehicle
before the driver intervenes. This stability-pro-
moting intervention is deactivated when DSC is
switched off, refer to page88.
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up yellow and
a message is shown on the Control Dis-
play. The active steering is no longer
operational. At low speed, larger steering wheel
movements are required, while the vehicle
reacts more sensitively to steering wheel move-
ments in the higher road speed range. The sta-
bility-promoting intervention can also be deac-
tivated. Proceed cautiously and drive
defensively. Have the system checked.
Brake force display
>On the left: normal braking.
>On the right: heavy braking.
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2Coupe: head airbags
3Side airbags
4Knee airbag
5Knee airbagProtective action
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
please follow the adjustment instructions on
page48.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and
front passenger by responding to frontal
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
96 The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags indicates the operating status of the front,
knee and side airbags on the front passenger
side depending on whether the seat is occu-
pied. The indicator lamp shows whether the
front passenger airbags are activated or deacti-
vated.
>The indicator lamp lights up when a child in
a child restraint system intended for the
purpose is properly detected on the seat.
The front, knee and side airbags on the front
passenger side are deactivated.
Most child seats are detected by the sys-
tem. Especially the child seats required
by the NHTSA at the time the vehicle is manu-
factured. After installing a child seat, make sure
that the indicator lamp for the front passenger
airbags lights up. This indicates that the child
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.
The front, knee and side airbags on the front
passenger side are activated.
>The indicator lamp does not light up when
the seat is empty.
But the front, knee and side airbags on the
front passenger side are still deactivated.
Operational readiness of airbag system
From radio readiness, refer to page59, the
warning lamp lights up briefly, indicating the
operational readiness of the entire airbag sys-
tem and the safety belt tensioners.
Airbag system malfunction
>Warning lamp does not light up as of radio
readiness.
>Warning lamp lights up continuously.
Have the airbag system checked immedi-
ately in case of a malfunction; otherwise,
there is a danger that the airbag system may not
respond in the expected manner in an accident
despite an impact of corresponding intensity.<
Convertible: rollover
protection system
The rollover protection system is automatically
activated in the event of an accident or a critical
driving situation, extreme inclination on the lon-
gitudinal axis, or loss of ground contact. The
rollover bars located behind the rear head
restraints are deployed within fractions of a sec-
ond.
As a supplement to the rollover bar integrated
into the windshield frame, the rollover protec-
tion system ensures that all vehicle occupants
have the necessary headroom.
Always keep the path of movement of the
rollover protection system clear.
In less severe accidents, you are protected by
the fastened safety belt and, depending on the
severity of the accident, the belt tensioner and
the multistage airbag restraint system.<
Lowering
If the rollover protection system experienced no
impact after automatic activation, then it can be
lowered again. No tools are necessary for this
purpose.

Controls
117Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Securing cargo
After loading, secure the ski bag and its con-
tents. To do so, tighten the retaining belt at the
buckle.
Secure the ski bag in this way. If you fail to
do so, it could move around and endanger
occupants during braking or evasive maneu-
vers.
To refit the filler element, insert the two tabs at
the bottom into the strip and press the filler ele-
ment back into place. Make sure that you do not
damage the rear seat upholstery.<

Wheels and tires
202
Tire identification marks
Knowledge of the labeling on the side of the tire
makes it easier to identify and choose the right
tires.
Tire size
Speed letter
T = up to 118 mph/190 km/h
H = up to 131 mph/210 km/h
V = up to 150 mph/240 km/h
W = up to 167 mph/270 km/h
Y = up to 186 mph/300 km/h
Tire Identification Number
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of
the US Department of Transportation.
DOT code:
Tire age
The tire's date of manufacture is indicated on
the sidewall:
DOT ... 3406 indicates that a tire was manufac-
tured in week 34 of the year 2006.
BMW recommends replacing all tires at least
every 6 years, even if some tires may last for
10 years.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:
Tread wear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
DOT Quality Grades
Tread wear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must conform to
Federal Safety Requirements in addition
to these grades.<
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified gov-
ernment test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half, 1γ, times as well on the govern-
ment course as a tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm due to varia-
tions in driving habits, service practices and dif-
ferences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C.
These grades represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test sur-
faces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor-
nering, hydroplaning, or peak traction charac-
teristics.< e.g.
Nominal width in mm
Aspect ratio in Ξ
Belted construction – radial
Rim diameter in inches
Carrying capacity ID-code
(not in ZR tires)
Speed code letter
(in ZR tires before the R)
245/45 R 18 96 W
e.g.
Manufacturer code
for tire make
Tire size and tire design
Tire ageDOT xxxx xxx 3406