Air Bag Questions/Answers
December 1996Q1: Do all new BMW vehicles (1996 or 1997 models) have air bags? Can I buy a new vehicle without air bags?
A: Since September, 1993, all new BMW cars have dual (driver and passenger) air bags.
Q2: Can I disable the air bag(s) in my vehicle? How can it be done? Who do I contact?
A: Federal law prohibits dealers, repair shops, etc. from disabling air bags. Further, state inspection laws may require air bags to be fully functional.
More important, because air bags, in conjunction with the use of safety belts, have been shown to save more than 1,100 lives between 1986 and 1995, NHTSA strongly discourages disabling, except in special circumstances.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) currently is reviewing its policy to determine whether and what types of exemptions from the statutory prohibition against disabling safety devices should be granted with respect to air bags. The agency's policy is currently to grant exemptions in cases involving either a child in a rear - facing child seat who has a medical condition requiring close monitoring by the driver, or a vehicle that does not have any rear seat in which to install a child seat.
Q3: To whom can I speak regarding disabling of the air bag?
A: The NHTSA has authority to exempt persons from the prohibition against disabling air bags, if it makes a determination that the exemption is consistent with safety. In order for the agency to have a complete and accurate account of your concerns, we ask that you please put your concerns/comments/requests in writing and forward them to:
Administrator
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
400 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590
Any petition for exemption must be addressed to the Administrator. NHTSA also maintains an Auto Safety Hotline: 1-800-424-9393, or for D.C. area residents: 202-366-0123.
Q4: Can I have a cut - off switch installed in my BMW?
A: BMW vehicles use a fully integrated electronic airbag sensor system in which a retrofit installation of a cut - off switch is not feasible.
To minimize the risk of airbag - induced injuries or death, BMWs built since 9/94 (8 Series E31 3/94; 5 Series E34 and 3 Series E36 6/94; 7 Series E38 9/94) utilize a dual deployment threshold for belted and unbelted occupants.
If the safety belt is worn, the airbag will not deploy at the lower crash severity but only at the higher crash severity, where airbags have been demonstrated to be beneficial in helping to prevent harm to the occupants.
Therefore, it is important to always wear the safety belt!
Q5: Should I put a rear - facing infant restraint in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger side air bag?
A: No. Under absolutely no circumstances should a person place a rear - facing infant restraint in front of an air bag. There is an extremely high risk of severe injury or fatality if the air bag deploys, and a child should never be subjected to this risk.
Many parents are concerned about having an infant rear-facing in the rear seat. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics stresses that a healthy baby buckled correctly in a rear - facing child seat is as safe as a baby placed in a crib for a nap or overnight sleep. The risk of serious injury to an infant in a crash while in a rear - facing seat in the front of the car is much greater than the risk of a healthy baby having a life - threatening health problem during a car ride.
Q6: Should I put a forward - facing child safety seat in the right front seat with an air bag? Will the child be safe if the air bag deploys?
A: The NHTSA recommends placing all children 12 years old and younger in the rear seat. That is the safest place. If no other option exists (e.g., in an emergency) except seating a young child in the front seat, several steps must be taken. First, the child needs to be properly restrained in the forward - facing child seat. Second, the vehicle seat needs to be pushed all the way back, to maximize the distance between the child and the air bag.
Q7: My child is too old for a child seat. Should I allow my child to ride in the front seat with an air bag? Will the child be safe if the air bag deploys?
A: NHTSA recommends placing all children 12 years old and younger in the rear seat. That is the safest place. If no other option exists (e.g., in an emergency), except seating them in the front seat, several steps need to be taken. First, the child needs to be properly restrained. This means, depending on the size of the child, a booster seat plus a lap / shoulder belt, or a lap / shoulder belt alone (for larger children). Second, the vehicle seat needs to be pushed all the way back, to maximize the distance between the child and the air bag. Third, the child needs to be sifting with his / her back against the seat back, not wiggling around or leaning forward, with as little slack as possible in the belt in order to minimize forward movement in the event of a crash.
Q8: I'm a short person and I sit very close to the steering wheel. What can I do to avoid serious injuries from the air bag?
A: All drivers need to be properly belted and sit as far away from the air bag as possible to allow the air bag to deploy. Short drivers should move the driver's seat rearward to allow space between the driver's chest and the steering wheel. The safest driving position is a comfortable one. In a comfortable driving position, the arms are slightly bent with the hands at 9 and 3 o'clock positions on the steering wheel, and the pedals are within easy reach. This arm positioning will give the bag room to deploy.
It is important to remember that the number of drivers killed by air bags is very small and that many more drivers are saved by air bags than are killed by the bag. A majority of the drivers killed by an air bag were not using their safety belts.
To minimize the risk of airbag - induced injuries or death, BMWs built since 9/94 (8 Series E31 3/94; 5 Series E34 and 3 Series E36 6/94; 7 Series E38 9/94) have a dual deployment threshold for belted and unbelted occupants.
If the safety belt is used, the airbag will not deploy at the lower crash severity but only at the higher crash severity, where airbags have been demonstrated to be beneficial in helping to prevent harm to the occupants.
Therefore, it is important to always wear the safety belt!
Q9: Is it safe for short adults to be seated in the front passenger seat of a vehicle equipped with a passenger air bag?
A: Yes. However, all passengers should be properly restrained, regardless of size. All front seat passengers should move the seat as far rearward as possible, and tilt back the seat back slightly. In order to allow the air bag to deploy safely, front seat passengers should avoid leaning or reaching forward and should remain seated against the vehicle seat back, with as little slack in the belt as possible to minimize forward movement in a crash.
Q10: Is it safe for elderly people to be seated in front of an air bag?
A: Elderly people, like all other drivers and front seat passengers, should be properly restrained and should move the seat as far rearward as possible, being careful to remain seated against the vehicle seat back and keeping the arms away from the area in which the air bag will deploy.
To minimize the risk of airbag - induced injuries or death, BMWs built since 9/94 (8 Series E31 3194; 5 Series E34 and 3 Series E36 6/94; 7 Series E38 9/94) have a dual deployment threshold for belted and unbelted occupants. If the safety belt is used, the airbag will not deploy at the lower crash severity but only at the higher crash severity, where airbags have been demonstrated to be beneficial in helping to prevent harm to the occupants.
Therefore, it is important to always wear the safety belt!
Q11: I am pregnant. Is it safe for me to be seated in front of an air bag?
A: Crashes are violent occurrences that pose risks to all passengers, including fetuses. Pregnant women are at risk whether or not there are air bags in the vehicle. It is strongly recommended that pregnant women wear their safety belts. The shoulder portion should be positioned between the breasts and to the side of the fetus. The lap portion should be placed under the abdomen as low as possible on the hips and across the upper thighs, never above the abdomen. Also, pregnant women should sit as far from the air bag as possible.
To minimize the risk of airbag - induced injuries or death, BMWs built since 9/94 (8 Series E31 3/94; 5 Series E34 and 3 Series E36 6/94; 7 Series E38 9/94) have a dual deployment threshold for belted and unbelted occupants. If the safety belt is used, the airbag will not deploy at the lower crash severity but only at the higher crash severity, where airbags have been demonstrated to be beneficial in helping to prevent harm to the occupants.
Therefore, it is important to always wear the safety belt!
Q12: Is there a minimum weight of the driver or passenger necessary that will cause the air bag to deploy?
A: No. The deployment of the airbag solely depends on the crash severity.
To minimize the risk of airbag - induced injuries or death, BMWs built since 9/94 (8 Series E31 3/94; 5 Series E34 and 3 Series E36 6/94; 7 Series E38 9/94) have a dual deployment threshold for belted and unbelted occupants. If the safety belt is used, the airbag will not deploy at the lower crash severity but only at the higher crash severity, where airbags have been demonstrated to be beneficial in helping to prevent harm to the occupants.
Therefore it is important to always wear the safety belt!
Q13: Where should I place a child seat in my BMW?
A: The general recommendation for the positioning of a child seat in our vehicles is the center rear seating position.
If two child seats are needed, it is recommended that the left and right outboard rear seat positions be used (see note).
AT NO TIME should a child seat be placed in the front passenger seating position in a vehicle equipped with a passenger air bag. This is especially important for rear - facing infant carriers, since such a seat would be struck by a deploying air bag.
NOTE:
All BMW vehicles built after September 1, 1995, have, at every passenger seating position including the center rear, a safety belt with a lockability feature for child seat installation. Instructions for the proper use of this feature are on each belt and in the vehicle owner's manual.
For all BMW vehicles built before September 1, 1995, it will be necessary to utilize a "locking clip" at the "sliding latch plate" of the safety belt to ensure proper securing of the child seat at all outboard passenger seating positions.
For 7 Series (E32 and pre - 9/1/95 E38) vehicles, which have an emergency - locking retractor lap belt rather than a manual lap belt, we recommend that either the left or right outboard rear seating position be used.
(If a 7 Series E38 customer with a vehicle built before 9/1/95 is insistent on having a lockable belt in the center rear seating position, then a post - 9/1/95 belt may be installed by a BMW Dealer at customer expense.)
(For 7 Series E32 customers insistent on using the center rear seating position, a 5 Series E34 manual center rear lap belt may be installed by a BMW Dealer at customer expense.)
The locking clip is available from the child seat manufacturer or may be purchased at retails stores that sell child seats.
The sliding latch plate is the part of the seat belt assembly that latches into the safety belt receptacle (buckle).
Always follow the installation instructions of the child seat manufacturer when utilizing a Locking Clip for the proper installation of the child seat.
Q14: Can I transport an infant or child in my Z3?
A: ^ Many state laws and common sense dictate that infants and small children should never be carried on the lap of an adult.
^ A rear - facing child seat should never be used in the front passenger seat, because the passenger airbag can place an extremely high load on a rear - facing child seat in the event of deployment.
^ Also, BMW strongly recommends against the use of a forward facing child seat in the front passenger seat.
If it is absolutely necessary for a child to be transported in the car (i.e., in an emergency), follow the instructions of the child seat manufacturer for proper installation and always move the vehicle seat as far back as possible. Be sure to lock the belt according to the instructions on the belt label and the BMW Owner's Manual.
^ Further, BMW recommends against small children that have outgrown child seats from riding in the front passenger seat.
However, if a child must ride in the front passenger seat, the proper use of both the shoulder and lap portions of the safety belt must be assured.
If the shoulder belt portion of the safety belt does not fit correctly, the child should sit on a booster seat with the vehicle seat moved as far rearward as possible and the safety belt properly adjusted.