Why did they put this in?

[Dinan55]

Look: http://www.bmwusa.com/NR/rdonlyres/67F41938-1AC1-4F99-9BA5-EDD092AD768F/0/0428_04_sm.jpg

There's an airbag turn-off switch opposite of the sports button. Anyone know why they did that? Is that the switch itself or is it just a light?? Unless you're riding with somebody you hate I don't see why you would need that.

 

[Bryan330i]

Could it only have 2 seats? I think they do that sometimes in case a younger child need to ride in the seat.

 

[coyotefreek]

as Bryan said, it is for if you have a kid in the seat. Most cars have that now adays. Our MDX goes one step farther, it is all automatic with sensors. It knows how much someone is weighing, and it can also tell if you are sitting up straight or not because if you are lying down and the airbag goes off ouch.

 

[Big Daddy]

Heck my 97 Chevrolet pickup has an on/off switch for the passenger side airbag and it is a extended cab three door!

 

[CosmosBlack]

The e39's have sensors under the seats too for the passenger airbag.

 

[bahnstormer]

my C240 rental has a switch that says airbag off but i can't press it =[
i'm thinking its a warning light of sorts...but the bmw button def looks
pressable; and the only logical conclusion is for track days or babies.

 

[Wadula]

some cars have a lock in the glove box for example. check that out.

 

[PuShAkOv]

I do not think the button should be that exposed.

 

[jrt67ss350]

It's not a button - it's just a light telling you the status of the whether or not the airbag is turned on or off. There is a switch somewhere that you need to use the ignition key to operate to turn the airbag off.

 

[CosmosBlack]

I thought it was on the headliner???

 

[Average Jae]

that looks like a z4.

i think the way to turn the aitbag off is by installing the bmw approved child seats.

 

[CosmosBlack]

that looks like a z4.

Nope, that is a 545i

 

[Average Jae]

oh thanks.. haven't really sat in the new 5 to know that.. ooops ^^;;

 

[nadroj]

bmw messed up the new 5s

 

[ariper79]

The new E60 has a sensor in the passenger seat that can tell the difference between a child seat and a grown human. This way, it automatically activates the airbag if a grown person sits in it, and it won't activate it if there is a child seat there. The light in the headliner is just there to tell you if the airbag is active or not, has no function.

 

[MrElussive]

Yeah, some new luxury cars have this feature. It measures the weight in the front passenger seat and/or if there is a certain baby seat connected. The airbag status thing is just an indicator that lights up...it is NOT a button.

 

[Cabra]

Thats a Z4, not a 5 Series

And its just a light, not a button.