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EnglishControls -> Adjusting for your BMW 5 Series 2004-2010
Adjusting
Head restraints
Sitting safely
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of spinal injury in the event of an accident.
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 sitting position
plays an important role in an accident. To
ensure that the safety systems operate with
optimal efficiency, we strongly urge you to
observe the instructions contained in the fol-
lowing section.
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 page 49.
Safety belts
For additional information on transporting chil-
dren safely, refer to page 56.
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.
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.
Your vehicle is provided with five seats, which
are all 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 must not lie across
the neck, rub against 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 possible. 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 belt in the upper body area periodically
to readjust the tension, in order to avoid a
reduction in the restraint of the safety belt.
Sports Wagon: if the center safety belt in the
rear is used, the larger backrest half must be
locked, refer to page 128, otherwise the middle
safety belt has no restraining action.<
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
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 page 100.
Safety belts, refer to page 50.
45
Seats
Note before adjusting
Never attempt to adjust your seat while
the vehicle is moving. The seat could
respond with unexpected movement, and the
ensuing loss of vehicle control could lead to an
accident.
Also on the passenger side, do not incline the
backrest too far to the rear while the vehicle is
being driven, otherwise there is a danger in the
event of an accident of sliding under the safety
belt, eliminating the protection normally pro-
vided by the belt.<
4
Backrest
Adjusting comfort seat*
In this seat, you can also adjust:
Please follow the instructions on damage to
safety belts provided on page 51 and the infor-
mation on the active front head restraints on
page 49.
Adjusting seat
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
please observe the adjustment instructions on
page 45.<
1
2
3
4
Backrest width
Shoulder support
Thigh support
Lumbar support*
Shoulder support
the adjustable upper backrest also supports the
back in the shoulder region. This provides a
relaxed driving position and helps relieve stress
on the shoulder muscles.
1
2
3
Longitudinal direction
Height
Angle
46
To deactivate: press button longer.
Lumbar support*
Button with one LED
You can also adjust the contour of the backrest
to obtain additional support in the lumbar
region.
Press the button repeatedly until the desired
program is shown on the Control Display.
The LED in the button lights up.
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 section of switch.
>
Shift curvature up or down: press upper or
lowers section of switch.
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.
To deactivate: press button longer.
Easy entry/exit*
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.
To facilitate entry and exit, the backrest width
temporarily opens all the way.
Button with three LEDs
Seat, mirror and steering
wheel memory*
Press button once per program:
>
>
>
"Comfort": one LED
"Normal": two LEDs
"Sport": three LEDs
You can store and request two different posi-
tions for the driver's seat and passenger seat*,
exterior rearview mirrors, and steering wheel.
47
The adjustment of the lumbar support is not
stored in the memory.
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 to persons or damage to
objects behind the seat as a result of a rearward
movement of the seat.<
Storing
1. Switch on radio readiness or ignition, refer
to page 61.
The system cancels the adjustment procedure
when you briefly press one of the seat adjust-
ment switches or one of the memory buttons.
2. Set the desired seat, exterior mirror and
steering wheel positions.
3. Press the
button:
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page 16.
1. Open the start menu.
The LED in the button lights up.
4. Press the desired memory button 1 or 2:
The LED goes out.
2. Press the controller to open the menu.
3. Select "Settings" and press the controller.
Requesting
4. Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the con-
troller.
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.<
5. Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Door locks" is selected and
press the controller.
Comfort mode
1. Open the driver's door after unlocking or
switch on radio readiness.
2. Briefly press the desired memory button 1
or 2.
The system cancels the adjustment procedure
when you briefly press one of the seat adjust-
ment switches or one of the memory buttons.
6. Select "Central locking" and press the con-
troller.
Safety feature
1. Close the driver's door and switch the igni-
tion on or off.
7. Select "Last seat pos." and press the con-
troller.
2. Press the desired memory button 1 or 2
and maintain pressure until the adjustment
process has been completed.
8. Select "After unlocking" or "After door
opened".
If the
button was pressed inadvertently:
press the button again; the LED goes out.
Requesting with remote control
The last positions of the driver's seat, the exte-
rior rearview mirrors, and steering wheel are
stored for the remote control currently in use.
You can choose when the position is requested:
>
>
Request when unlocking vehicle
9. Press the controller.
Request when opening driver's door
48
To cancel the request:
Select "Deactivated" and press the controller.
Front seats: height adjustment
Head restraints
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of spinal injury in the event of 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. Only remove the head restraints if no
one will be sitting on the seat in question. Rein-
stall the head restraints before transporting
passengers, as otherwise the head restraint
cannot provide its protective function.<
Front seats: adjusting distance to the
back of the head
Active front head restraints
In the event of a rear-end collision of sufficient
severity, the active head restraint reduces the
distance to the head.
Do not use seat covers or head restraint
covers that could impede the proper
>
>
Forward: pull up.
functioning of the active head restraint. Other-
wise, there is no assurance that the active head
restraint will perform its protective function and
it is not possible to take advantage of its injury-
reducing potential in the event of a rear-end
collision.
Back: push the button and slide the head-
rest cushion toward the rear.
Do not place any objects behind the
headrest cushion. Otherwise, you can
impair the proper function of the head
Have the active head restraints reset after they
are triggered in a rear-end collision. Only have
this work carried out by a BMW center or a
workshop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel. Otherwise, this safety equipment will
not function properly.<
restraint.<
Comfort seat*
You can adjust the distance to the back of the
head with the shoulder support, refer to
page 46.
Please contact a BMW center if you wish
to have the front head restraints removed
and installed.<
49
Adjusting side extensions
You can fold the side extensions on the head
restraint forward for increased lateral support in
the resting position.
Rear seats: height adjustment
Fastening
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in
the belt buckle.
Safety belt reminder for driver's seat
and passenger seat*
>
>
To raise: pull up.
The indicator lamp lights up and a sig-
nal sounds. A message also appears on
the Control Display. Please check
To lower: press the button, arrow 1, and
push the head restraint downward.
whether the safety belt is correctly positioned.
Removing
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.
1. Pull the head restraint upward to the stop.
2. Press the button, arrow 1, and pull the head
restraint all the way out.
Releasing
Safety belts
1. Grasp the belt firmly.
2. Press the red button in the buckle.
3. Guide the belt into its reel.
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
please observe the adjustment instructions on
page 45.<
The shoulder strap's anchorage point will be
correct for adult seat occupants of every build if
the seat is correctly adjusted, refer to page 46.
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.
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
50
the word CENTER is intended exclusively for
use by passengers riding in the center position.
The maximum temperature is supplied when
three LEDs are lit.
The temperature is reduced and if need be, the
heating is switched off in order to reduce the
load on the battery. The LEDs remain lit.
Damage to safety belts
When subjected to strain due to an acci-
dent or in the event of damage, replace
the safety belts, the belt tensioners, and any
child restraint systems and have the belt anchor
points checked. Only have this work carried out
at a BMW center or at a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel. Otherwise cor-
rect operation of this safety equipment is not
guaranteed.<
To switch off: press button longer.
Temperature distribution without
active seat ventilation
The heat output can be distributed variously in
the seat cushion and the backrest.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page 16.
1. Open the start menu.
2. Move the controller to the left to open "Cli-
mate".
Seat heating*
3. Select "Seat heater distribution" and press
the controller.
Front
4. Move the controller to the left or right to
select "Driver" or "Passenger".
The appearance and arrangement of the but-
tons may vary depending on the equipment.
5. Turn the controller to adjust the distribu-
tion.
The setting is applied.
Temperature distribution with active
seat ventilation
The heat output can be distributed variously in
the seat cushion and the backrest.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page 16.
1. Open the start menu.
1
2
3
Seat heating, three LEDs
2. Move the controller to the left to open "Cli-
mate".
Seat heating, one LED
Seat heating with active seat ventilation*
Press the respective button once per tempera-
ture level. The temperature level is shown on
the Control Display with buttons 2 and 3.
51
3. Select "Driver's seat climate" or "Passen-
ger's seat climate" and press the controller.
Press the respective button once per ventila-
tion level. The ventilation level appears on the
Control Display. The maximum level is supplied
when three LEDs are lit.
The air quantity is reduced and if need be, the
ventilation is switched off in order to reduce the
load on the battery. The LEDs remain lit.
To switch off: press button longer.
The highest level is used for rapid cooling,
e.g. when the vehicle has become heated
up. After a short time, the system is automati-
cally switched down one level in order to pre-
vent excessive cooling.<
Turn the controller to adjust the distribution.
The setting is applied.
Rear
Active seat*
Operation similar to front seat heating; two tem-
perature levels, without temperature distribu-
tion.
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.
Active seat ventilation*
Press the button to switch on; the LED lights
up.
The appearance and arrangement of the but-
tons may vary depending on the equipment.
The action of the system is reduced and if need
be, switched off in order to reduce the load on
the battery. The LED remains lit.
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.
1
2
Active seat ventilation
Active seat ventilation with seat heating
52
Automatic heating
Mirrors
Below a certain outdoor temperature, both
exterior mirrors are heated whenever the
engine is running or the ignition is switched on.
Exterior mirrors
The mirror on the passenger's side is
more curved than the driver's mirror.
Objects reflected in the mirror are closer than
they appear. Do not estimate the distance of
following traffic based on what you see in the
mirrors, otherwise there is an increased acci-
dent risk.<
Tilting down passenger-side exterior
mirror – automatic curb monitor*
Activating
1. Slide switch into the driver's side mirror
position, arrow 1.
1
2
Adjusting
2. Shift into reverse or move selector lever into
position R.
Switching to the other mirror or to the
automatic curb monitor
The mirror glass tilts downward somewhat
on the passenger's side. This allows the
driver to see the area immediately adjacent
to the vehicle – such as a curb – when park-
ing, etc.
3
Folding mirrors in and out*
Storing the mirror positions, refer to Seat, mir-
ror and steering wheel memory on page 47.
Adjusting manually
You can also adjust the mirrors manually by
pressing against the outer edges of their mirror
glass.
Deactivating
Slide switch into the passenger side mirror
position, arrow 2.
Folding mirrors in and out*
Interior rearview mirror
Pressing button 3 allows you to fold mirrors
in and out up to a speed of approx. 20 mph/
30 km/h. This is advantageous, for example, in
car washes, narrow streets or for bringing mir-
rors that have been manually folded in back into
the correct position. Mirrors that were folded in
are folded out automatically at a speed of
approx. 25 mph/40 km/h.
Before going through a car wash, fold the
mirrors in manually, or with button 3, oth-
erwise they could be damaged, depending on
the width of the car wash system.<
To reduce the dazzle effect of following vehi-
cles at night, turn the knob.
53
Interior and exterior mirrors,
automatic dimming feature*
Easy entry/exit*
To facilitate entry and exit, the steering wheel
temporarily moves into the uppermost position.
Steering wheel heating*
This feature is controlled by two photocells in
the interior rearview mirror. One is integrated
into the glass of the mirror, while the other is
located at an offset position on the rear of the
mirror housing.
Press the button.
When the steering wheel heater is operating,
the LED in the button lights up.
For trouble-free operation, keep the photocells
clean and do not cover the area between the
interior rearview mirror and the windshield. Do
not attach stickers of any kind to the windshield
in front of the mirror, either.
Programmable buttons* on steering
wheel
Steering wheel
Adjusting
Do not adjust the steering wheel while the
vehicle is moving. There is a risk of acci-
dent as the result of unexpected movement.<
You can program the buttons individually.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page 16.
1. Press the
button.
This opens the start menu.
2. Press the controller to open the menu.
The steering wheel can be adjusted in four
directions.
Storing steering wheel positions, refer to Seat,
mirror and steering wheel memory on page 47.
54
3. Select "Settings" and press the controller.
6. Select the button if necessary and press the
controller.
4. Select "Steering wheel buttons" and press
the controller.
You can operate the selected function using the
corresponding button.
A list of different functions appears:
> "Navigation voice instructions"
Voice instructions for the navigation
system*
Operating function
Press the corresponding button on the steering
wheel.
> "Air recirculation on / off"
Permanently shutting off outside air,
refer to AUC Automatic recirculated-air
control on page 117
If you have programmed "Navigation voice
instructions" for one of the buttons:
>
To switch voice instructions on/off:
Press button longer.
> "Mute on / off"
Mutes the audio sources
>
To repeat the last voice instruction:
Press the button.
> "Monitor on / off"
Switches the Control Display on/off
> "Telephone list"
*
Display/hide phone book or last list of
stored phone numbers
> "HDC on / off"
Switches HDC Hill Descent Control* on/
off
> "Next entertainment source"
Changes audio source
> "Night Vision on / off"
Switches BMW Night Vision* on/off
5. Select the desired function and press the
controller.
55
