BMW 5 Series: Automatic deactivation of the front 
passenger airbags - Airbags - Safety - Controls - BMW 5 Series Owners ManualsBMW 5 Series: Automatic deactivation of the front passenger airbags

The system determines whether the front passenger seat is occupied by measuring the resistance of the human body.

The front, knee, and side airbag on the front passenger side are activated or deactivated accordingly.

Make sure that the front passenger keeps 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.◀

passenger seat Child restraint fixing system in the front passenger seat
Before transporting a child on the front passenger 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 indicator 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 unless unless they are specifically recommended by the manufacturer of your vehicle.

▷ Do not place any electronic devices on the passenger seat if a child restraint system is to be installed on it.

▷ 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 airbags

The indicator lamp for the front passenger airbags indicates the operating state of the front passenger airbags.

The lamp indicates whether the airbags are activated or deactivated.

lamp lights up ▷ The indicator lamp lights up when a child who is properly seated in a child restraint fixing system intended for that purpose is detected on the seat or the seat is empty. The airbags on the front passenger 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 activated.

Detected child seats

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 passenger airbags lights up. This indicates that the child seat has been detected and the front passenger airbags are not activated.

    Functional readiness of the airbag system
    When the ignition is switch on, the warning lamp in the instrument cluster lights up briefly and thereby indicates the operational readiness of the entire airbag system and the belt tension ...

    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 ...

    See also:

    Important safety notes
    WARNING When leaving the vehicle, always remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock. Always take the SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle ...

    System limits
    Personal responsibility The system cannot serve as a substitute for the driver's personal judgment of the traffic situation. In the event of a warning, do not jerk the steering wheel, as you ...

    Backing Up
    Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. To move the trailer to the left, move that hand to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your hand to the right. Always back up ...