How do I disable the Airbags?

monkey_boy · 27 May 2010 at 19:57

Hi All,

I've been looking through the owners manual for the X5 and it says that you need to contact BMW Service to be able to disable them. Does anyone know how to? I don't want to now, but I'm still curious.

Clown · 27 May 2010 at 20:02

You need to contact BMW Service.

6thElement · 27 May 2010 at 20:02

Crash head on into a wall, then they won't work any more.

Alternatively follow your owners manual.

( |-| |2 ][ $ · 27 May 2010 at 20:03

Put the child seat in the back. It's safer there anyway.

guyfawkes5 · 27 May 2010 at 20:04

6thElement said:
Alternatively follow your owners manual.

monkey_boy said:
Hi All,

I've been looking through the owners manual...

[TW]Fox · 27 May 2010 at 20:05

You can't disable the airbags. The only airbag you can disable is the passenger airbag for use with a forward facing child seat.

You can't disable the rest of them and I doubt BMW would even if you asked them to. Why would you want to?

monkey_boy · 27 May 2010 at 20:09

[TW]Fox;16636486 said:
You can't disable the airbags. The only airbag you can disable is the passenger airbag for use with a forward facing child seat.

You can't disable the rest of them and I doubt BMW would even if you asked them to. Why would you want to?

Sorry, I am talking about the passenger side airbag. Not just the airbags in general. The other half is taking our daughter on holiday and I'm following down later once I've finished work, and she wanted to have her next to her where she could see her with it being a long journey. We've decided to keep her in the back anyway, but I just thought it was odd that you'd have to contact BMW each time you wanted the passenger airbag disabling?

Dogbreath · 27 May 2010 at 20:10

monkey_boy said:
you need to contact BMW Service to be able to disable them. Does anyone know how to?

Telephone, or call in person at the dealers should be fine.

markweatherill · 27 May 2010 at 20:19

I just done a Google on this and there was talk of rear side airbags.
Does the UK model have these?

mjt · 27 May 2010 at 20:20

markweatherill said:
I just done a Google on this and there was talk of rear side airbags.
Does the UK model have these?

It used to be an optional extra, could well be standard these days.

icysniper · 27 May 2010 at 20:22

Don't know if this helps but a quick google shows

If the weight on the seat is under 100lb, then the airbag will not deploy on the passenger side. The "Pass Airbag Off" lamp should illuminate.
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[TW]Fox · 27 May 2010 at 20:22

Rear side airbags were an option on the X5.

Newer BMW's have a key to turn off the front passenger airbags but the E53 is E39 based and therefore does not.

It is not advised you use a babyseat in the front anyway, though.

mjt · 27 May 2010 at 20:24

icysniper said:
If the weight on the seat is under 100lb, then the airbag will not deploy on the passenger side. The "Pass Airbag Off" lamp should illuminate.

This is how all airbags work. Either way, putting a child in the front is not recommended.