belt BMW Z8 2002 User Guide

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AirbagsSitting correctly with airbags
Comply with the following instruc-
tions for the airbags, otherwise,
the airbags may not be able to provide
their maximum protection, with
resulting risks to personal safety. All
passengers in the vehicle should be
aware of and comply with this informa-
tion:
The airbag is a supplemental restraint
device; it is not a substitute or replace-
ment for your safety belt, which you
should continue to wear at all times.
When adjusting your seat, assume a
comfortable driving posture allowing
comfortable and secure access to all of
the vehicle's controls. Avoid sitting too
close to the steering wheel.
Always hold the steering wheel by the
rim Ð hands in the "9 o'clock" and
"3 o'clock" positions Ð otherwise, your
hands or arms could be injured if the
airbag is triggered.
Never allow any other passengers,
animals or objects to intrude into the
area between the airbag and the driver
or front passenger.
Do not use the cover panel above the
front passenger airbag as a storage
area.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, or cover or
modify them in any other way.
Do not use a rear-facing child seat in
the front passenger seat. If you use a
child-restraint system, carefully read
and comply with the instructions on
page 53.
Be sure that child seats are installed
correctly and with the greatest possible
distance between them and the side
airbag. Do not allow children to lean out
of the child's seat in the direction of the
side trim panels. If they do so, serious
injuries can occur if the airbag is trig-
gered.<
Even when all these guidelines are
observed, there is still a small residual
risk of injury to the face, hands and
arms occurring from airbag deployment
in isolated instances.
The ignition and inflation noise may
cause a mild temporary hearing loss in
extremely sensitive individuals.
You will find the proper airbag safety
precautions on both sun visors and on
the instrument cluster (US models).
For additional information concerning
the airbag system, refer to pages 123
and 150.The illustration shows the correct
seating position for a child in a child-
restraint system
* with sufficient
distance between the child and the side
airbag (arrow).
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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Airbags Transporting children safelyThe illustration shows the correct
seating position for an older child
wearing a safety belt with sufficient
distance between the child and the side
airbag (arrow).520de116
Before installing any child-
restraint device or child seat,
please read the following:
Never install a rear-facing child-
restraint system in the passenger seat
of this vehicle.
If the airbag deploys and hits the back-
rest of the rear-facing child seat, it is
likely that the child sitting in the rear-
facing child seat will be seriously
injured or killed.
If it is necessary for a child (not an
infant) to ride in the vehicle, certain
precautions should be taken. First,
move the passenger seat as far away
from the dashboard as possible. This
important precaution is intended to
maximize the distance between the
airbag and the child. Older children
should be tightly secured with the
safety belt. Younger children should be
secured in an appropriate forward-
facing child-restraint system that has
first been secured with a safety belt.
In the interest of the child's safety,
please carefully read and comply with
the instructions for installation and use
provided by the child restraint's manu-
facturer whenever you use such a
device.
Do not allow children to lean out of a
child-restraint system toward the door
or dashboard, as otherwise serious
injuries may result if the airbag deploys.
Always ensure that all occupants (of all
ages) remain properly and securely
restrained at all times.
Read carefully and comply with the
safety precautions covering safety belts
on page 50. If you do not, the protec-
tive function of the safety belts will be
limited.<

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Transporting children safelyChild seat securityThe safety belt on the passenger side
can be locked for mounting and
securing child-restraint systems.
A label with operating instructions is
attached to the belt next to the sliding
latch plate.520us003
To lock the beltExtract the entire length of the belt from
the inertia reel mechanism. 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.
The belt cannot be retracted further.
Comply with the installation instructions
provided by the manufacturer of the
child-restraint system.To release the beltRelease the buckle, remove the child-
restraint system and allow the inertia
reel to retract the belt completely.

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Special features of winter tires Snow chains
*
Choosing the right tireFor winter road driving, BMW recom-
mends winter tires (M+S radial belt
tires). Although all-season M+S tires
provide better winter traction than stan-
dard summer tires with H, V, W, Y and
ZR speed ratings, they generally fail to
provide the same levels of performance
as standard snow tires in winter driving.
In the interests of safe tracking and
steering response, install radial tires
made by the same manufacturer and
with the same tread configuration on all
four wheels if you elect to mount winter
tires.
When selecting winter tires,
remember that you should never
mount anything other than safety tires,
as your vehicle is not equipped with a
spare tire.
For further information, refer to
page 137.<
Do not exceed specified
maximum speeds
Never exceed the maximum speed
for which winter tires are rated.
Unprofessional attempts by laymen to
service tires can lead to damage and
accidents.
Have this work performed by skilled
professionals only. Your BMW center
will be glad to assist you with both their
expertise and the proper equipment for
your vehicle.<
Tire condition, tire pressureOnce the tread depth on winter tires is
less than 0.16 in (4 mm), they are no
longer suitable for winter road driving,
and in the interest of safety should be
replaced.
Comply with the specified tire inflation
pressures Ð and be sure to have the
wheel and tire assemblies balanced
every time you change the tires.
The use of narrow-link BMW snow
chains is permissible in pairs only on
the rear wheels with winter tires with
tire size 245/45 R 18 96 H. Comply with
all manufacturer's safety precautions
when mounting the chains. Do not
exceed a speed of 30 mph (50 km/h)
while driving with mounted snow
chains.
Do not activate the Flat Tire
Monitor when driving with snow
chains mounted. Malfunction warnings
and undetected losses in pressure are
a possibility when driving with snow
chains.
For further information, refer to
page 67.<

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Approved wheel and tire specifications Snow chains
*
It is impossible to install snow chains
on 275/40 R 18 99 W summer tires.
Do not activate the Flat Tire
Monitor when driving with snow
chains mounted. Malfunction warnings
and undetected losses in pressure are
a possibility when driving with snow
chains.
For further information, refer to
page 67.< BMW tests certain tire brands for each tire size, classifies them as road-safe and
approves them. Your BMW center can provide further information.
Observe any regulations applicable in the country of use, e. g. requiring entry in
the vehicle documents.
Tire specifications Light-alloy wheel
BMW Z8
Summer tires
Front: 245/45 R 18 96 W 8Jx18EH2
Rear: 275/40 R 18 99 W 9Jx18EH2
Winter tires
245/45 R 18 96 H M+S 8Jx18EH2
The use of rims and wheel bolts
that do not meet the specifica-
tions of the original factory-installed
equipment will affect the safe operation
of your vehicle and may cause an acci-
dent and personal injury.
Never mix tires of different design, such
as steel-belted radials with radial bias-
belted or bias-ply tires, etc. Mixing tire
types will adversely affect roadholding
and can lead to loss of vehicle
control.<

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Caring for your vehicleWindow careYou can use window and glass cleaner
to clean inside window surfaces and
mirrors without smearing and streaking.
Never use polishing pastes or abrasive
(quartz) cleansers on mirror lenses.
Clean the wiper blades with soapy
water. The wiper blades should be
replaced twice a year Ð before and after
the cold season.
Use only wiper blades approved
by BMW.<
Caring for other vehicle
components and materials Light-alloy wheels should be treated
with alloy wheel cleaner, especially
during the winter months. However, do
not use aggressive products containing
acids, strong alkalis or abrasives. Do
not use steam cleaners operating at
temperatures above 140 7 (60 6).
Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Carefully clean chrome parts such as
lamp sockets assemblies, door handles
and similar items with an ample amount
of clean water Ð and shampoo, too, if
necessary Ð especially if there is an
accumulation of road salt. Use a
chrome polish for an additional treat-
ment.
Use water to clean plastic components,
headliners, lamp lenses, and surfaces
sprayed dull black Ð adding vinyl
shampoo, if necessary. Do not allow
moisture to soak through the seats or
headliner. Never use solvents such as
lacquer thinner, heavy-duty grease
remover, fuels, or similar substances.
Use a soft, clean cloth to wipe off the
clear covers of the instruments, using
methylated spirits with distilled water as
a cleaning solvent, if necessary, at a
mixing ratio of 1:1.Rubber components should be cleaned
with water only; a rubber treatment or
silicone spray may also be applied.
The safety belts should be cleaned with
a mild soap and water solution without
being removed from the vehicle. Never
attempt chemical or dry cleaning, as
damage to the belt fabric could result.
After cleaning, never allow the inertia
reel to retract the belts until they are
completely dry. Dirty safety belts
prevent the inertia reel mechanism from
retracting the strap properly, thus
constituting a safety hazard.
Heavily soiled floor carpets and mats
*
can be cleaned with an interior cleaner.
The floor mats can be removed from
the vehicle for cleaning.
Clean aluminum surfaces with water
and, if necessary, with a mild soap.
Never use solvents such as lacquer
thinner, heavy-duty grease remover,
fuels, or similar substances.
Use only a wet cloth to clean painted
inner parts. Dry them afterwards with a
soft cloth.
Use the cleaning and car-care
products available at your BMW
center.<

Overview
Controls and features
Operation, care
and maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical data
Index Advanced technology
149n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Airbags150
Car radio reception151
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)152
Safety belt tensioner153
Interior rearview mirror with
automatic dimmer154
Xenon lamps155
Tech-

150n
Deceleration sensors continuously
monitor the acceleration forces acting
upon the vehicle. If there is a decelera-
tion because of a collision, where the
protection normally afforded by the
safety belts is no longer sufficient by
itself, then the gas generators for the
front airbag will be simultaneously
ignited on both the driver and
passenger sides. The front airbag on
the passenger side, however, will be
deployed only if a second sensor has
detected that the passenger is occu-
pied.
In the event of a side collision, only the
side airbags will be triggered if neces-
sary. And only that airbag for that side
of the vehicle where the collision
occurred will be triggered.
390de012
The airbags located under the marked
covers inflate and unfold in a matter of
milliseconds. In this process, they tear
through the designed separation points
of the covers or press them out.
Because the inflation process must be
virtually instantaneous, it is necessarily
accompanied by a certain amount of
ignition and inflation noise. The gas
required to inflate the airbags is not
dangerous, and the associated smoke
then dissipates.
The entire process is completed within
fractions of a second.
Airbags

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Safety belt tensionerThe safety belt tensioner responds to
severe frontal collisions by tightening
the belt to ensure that occupants
remain firmly positioned in their seats.
A gas-pressure system retracts the
buckle assembly to tension the
shoulder and lap belts within fractions
of a second. This reduces the tendency
to slide under the lap belt. 520de148

Overview
Controls and features
Operation, care
and maintenance
Technical data
Index Advanced technology
157n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Engine data158
Dimensions159
Weights160
Capacities161
Electrical system162
Drive belts162
Data
Owner service procedures