Road Runner

Got a question which (I presume) anyone with young kids can relate to.

My (sold) 2005 545i had fold down rear seats and separate lap belts and shoulder belts in the rear middle seat position. My wife's X5 on the other hand has a standard 3-point belt in the middle seat.

I'm wondering - do the 2007 550's with fold down seats have the same screwball apparatus that I had in my 545? Is that a fold down rear seat issue? What about the 07 550's with standard rear seats?

Thanks for any replies.

RR

dlevi67

I have an '05 E61 - which therefore has the fold-down seats; I assume they are very similar to the saloon's. And there are three normal (3-point) seatbelts.

Road Runner

That's very interesting. I remember mentioning this issue to my dealer about a year ago and she was confused. Then I showed her the seat in my car. At the time they were selling the 06's and they all seemed to have the middle 3-position belt. Though at the time all the cars in their or around the showroom didn't have fold down seats.

I just started thinking about it since I'm about to order a MY08. I like the fold down seats, but I would give them up in exchange for a proper 3-position belt in the middle.

Thanks for your input.

RR

madoon

my car has a 3-point seats belts... and i dont think i have ever seen an e60 with the normal lap belt....
but i have never seen one with fold down seats either... even 04 ive seen have the 3point seat belts...

Iceman

3 point seat belt for the middle, even with fold down rear seats.

Road Runner

Hey Iceman.

Man, that's good news. I don't know what weirdness happened with mine then. It was made December 2004, delivered January 2005.

So, that is interesting that it was manufactured after yours.

Just to be sure, perhaps I should describe in a bit more detail how my seatbelt was setup. I wish I had a pic. There was a vertical strap (should belt) which was physically separate from the lap belt. The two did not connect and therefore it was not a 3-point belt per se. The configuration formed a 3-point type of setup, but there were 2 separate belts required versus one belt (in a standard 3-point configuration).

Forgive me if I'm sounding detailed describing this. Based on everyone's reaction plus the dealer's, I'm beginning to wonder if I ended up with some sort of accidental seat config. It was quite strange and I found there was no way to connect the two belts together. The issue for me at the time was that the situation meant that I could not put my son's booster seat in the middle of the backseat. Since I only have one child, naturally that it is the preferred location for him to sit.

Thanks all for your responses.

RR

Iceman

A regular 3 point seat belt is as follows:

One belt with one fixed end.

In the E60 with fold down rear seats you have the same, BUT the fixed end is to be plugged in. Once it's plugged in, you have a regular 3 point seat belt. The only difference is, that you can unplug it and store it on the shelf. When in use the belt runs from the left shoulder across the body to the right where you plug it in, and then across the wasteline to the left, where it is also plugged in (first).

In the below picture you can see that it is stored on the shelf with the seats down:

Road Runner

Iceman,

Hmm.... ok... so, basically I'm a moron! :'(

I remember that, but I could never figure out the damn thing. It always seemed to act like a 2-belt system to me. Oh well, if I order my 08 with fold down seats, I know who to PM if I'm confused again! he he.

Thanks much for clarifying.

DOH!

RR