2000 AUDI ALLROAD Owners Manual

SAFETYRRST--------------------------------------------------
Unfaste ning the safety belt
• Push the red release button on the
buckle. The belt tongue will spring out of the
buckle.
• Let the belt to wind up on the retractor as
you guide belt tongue to its stowed posi­
tion.
24 Belt
tensioner
The retractors for the three-point safety
belts are equipped with belt tensioners.
Sensors activate the belt tensioners in fron­
tal collisions when deceleration is high
enough. This tightens the belt and takes up
belt slack. Taking up the slack helps to re­
duce forward occupant movement during a
collision.
The belt tensioner can only be activated
once. The belt tensioner will not be acti­
vated if the safety belt is not in use.
Never let the belt remain extended
over a rear seat back that has been
folded forward. The rear belt ten­
sioner will be activated unnecessar­
ily in an accident and then have to be
replaced.
The belt tensioner will not activate in a light
frontal collision insufficient to actuate the
tensioner or in any side, rollover, or rear-end
collision. �W
ARNING
• Safety belt systems including
belt tensioners cannot be re­
paired. Special procedures are re­
quired for removal and installation
of this system. Therefore. any
work on the safety belt system
must be performed only by an au­
thorized Audi Dealer.
• The belt tensioner system
works for one accident only. If belt
tensioners have been activated.
the system must be replaced.
Notes
• When the safety belt tensioner is acti­
vated, a fine dust is released. This is normal
and is not caused by a fire in the vehicle.
• Observe all safety regulations if the ve­
hicle or individual parts of the system, par­
ticularly the safety belt or airbag, are to be
scrapped. Your authorized Audi Dealers are
familiar with these regulations and can per­
form this service for you.

---------------------------------------------------SAFETY RRST
Airbag system
Your vehicle has two front and four
side airbags, one front and one side air­
bag for each front seat occupant, one side
airbag" for each rear seat occupant sitting
on the left and right rear seat.
In addition, your vehicle is equipped with
head airbags* on the left and right sides to
protect occupants seated next to the front
and rear doors. System
components
The airbag system consists of the following:
• electronic control module,
• an inflatable airbag with gas generator in­
side the steering wheel,
• an inflatable airbag with gas generator in­
side the instrument panel tor the front pas­
senger,
• supplemental side airbags in the back­
rest padding of the front and rear seats*,
• an inflatable curtain head airbag above
the doors on each side,
• an AIRB AG indicator light in the
instrument cluster ( see "Warning I Indica­
tor lights" page 125).
The indicator light in the instrument cluster
(readiness light) will light up for a few sec­
onds each time the ignition is switched on.
The light monitors the electronic control
module, sensor circuits, and system wiring. The
system must be inspected
if the indicator light:
• does not come on when the ignition is
switched on,
• does not go out after a few seconds after
the ignition is switched on, or
• comes on while driving.
In the event of a system malfunction, the in­
dicator light will stay on continuously to
serve as a constant reminder to have the
system repaired.
�W ARNING
If any of these conditions occur,
have the alrbag system inspected
immediately by your Audi Dealer.
Otherwise, the airbags in your ve­
hicle may not work properly in
case of a frontal collision or a side
impact.
25

SA
FETY FIRST
Front airbag
The airbag for the driver is located in the
steering wheel hub and is marked "AIR­
BAG." See illustration above.
The airbag for the front passenger's seat is
located in the instrument panel above the
glove compartment and is also marked with
"AIRBAG." See right illustration.
26 It
is very important to remember that front
airbags only supplement the three point
safety belts in some frontal accidents in
which the vehicle deceleration is high
enough to activate the airbags.
Front airbags are not activated ...
• if the ignition is switched off
• in side collisions
• in rear-end collisions
• in roiJovers Front
airbags may not inflate in certain fron­
tal collisions. Vehicle damage, repair costs
or even the lack of vehicle damage is not
necessarily an indication of proper airbag
operation.
The front airbags can only provide additional
protection for the chest and face of the
driver and the front seat passenger when ...
• safety belts are worn properly,
• the seats have been positioned so that
the occupant is properly seated as far as
possible from the airbag
• and the head restraints have been prop­
erly adjusted.
Airbags do not protect the lower part of the
body.
Safety belts are important to help keep front
seat occupants in the proper seated posi­
tion so that airbags can unfold properly and
provide added protection as intended.
For more details see next pages.

--------------------------------------------------SAFETYRRST
�W ARNING
• To reduce the risk of injury
when the front airbags inflate, the
driver and passenger should al­
ways sit in an upright position and
must never lean against or place
any part of your body too close to
the area where the front alrbags
are located.
• See "Imp ortance of proper seat­
ing position" in this section at
pages 29 and 37 and heed all
WA RNINGS.
G Occupants who are unbelted,
out of position or too close to the
airbag can be seriously injured by
an airbag as it unfolds with great
force in the blink of an eye. For
seat adjustment, see page 76. Remember
too, airbags will deploy only
once and only in certain kinds of accidents
- your safety belts are a�ways t� ere t? off �r
protection in those acc1dents m wh1ch air­
bags are not supposed to deploy or when
they have already deployed.
An airbag is not a substitute �or the safety
belt. It is part of the overall veh1cle safety sy­
stem. The airbag system works most effec­
tively when used with the safety belts.
Therefore, always wear your safety belts.
See pages 14 to 24.
It is important to remember that 'JI:'hile the
supplemental airbag system . IS d� s�g �ed to
reduce the likelihood of senous lnJUnes, 1t
can cause swelling, bruising, and minor
abrasions. How
the front airbag system works
The airbag system is designed so that in a
severe frontal collision the driver and
front passenger airbags are triggered. Th�
front airbags will not inflate in frontal colli­
sions in which vehicle deceleration is not
high enough, or in side or rear collisions, or
in rollovers.
It is not possible to define an airbag trig�er­
ing range that will cover every poss1ble
angle of impact, since the circumstances
will vary considerably between one acci­
dent and another.
Important factors include, for example, the
nature ( hard or soft) of the object which the
car hits, the angle of impact, vehicle speed,
and etc.
27

SAFETYRRST---------------------------------------------------
The triggering of the airbag system de­
pends on the vehicle deceleration rate
caused by the collision and registered by
the control unit. If this rate is below the ref­
erence value programmed into the control
unit, the airbags will not be triggered, even
though the car may be badly damaged as a
result of the accident.
When the system is activated, the airbags
fill with a propellant gas, break open the
padded covers, and inflate between the
steering wheel and the driver and between
the instrument panel and the front passen­
ger.
All this takes place within the blink of an
eye, so fast that many people don't even
realize that the airbags have deployed. The
airbags also inflate with a great deal or force
and nothing should be in their way when
they deploy.
28 Fully
inflated airbags in combination with
properly worn safety belts slow down and
limit the occupant's forward movement and
help to reduce the risk of injury to the head
and upper torso.
The airbags will deflate immediately after
the deployment so that the front occupants
can see through the windshield again.
When the system is activated, fine dust is
released. This is normal and is not caused
by a fire in the vehicle. It could irritate skin. �W
ARNING
• The fine dust created when air­
bags deploy can cause breathing
problems for people with a history
of asthma or other breathing con­
ditions.
• To reduce the risk of brea thing
problems, those with asthma or
other respiratory conditions
should get fresh air right away by
getting out of the car or opening
windows or doors.
• If you are in an accident in
which airbags deploy, wash your
hands and face with mild soap and
water before eating.
• Be careful not to get the dust
into your eyes or into any cuts or
scratches.
• If the residue should get into
your eyes, flush them with water.

--------------------------SAFETY FIRST
Importance
of proper seating
position
In a collision airbags must inflate within a
blink of an eye and with considerable force.
The supplemental airbags could injure you
if you are not seated properly. Therefore in
order to help the airbag to do its job, it is im­
portant, both as a driver and as a passenger
to sit properly at all times. By keeping room
between your body and the front of the pas­
senger compartment, the airbag can inflate
fully and completely and provide supple­
mental protection in certain frontal colli­
sions. See page 76 for information on the
adjustment of the front seats and also
"Front seats" page 78, for details on the op­
eration of the seat adjustment controls. It's
especially importantthat children be proper­
ly restrained. See chapter "Child safety",
page 44. �W
ARNING
• Sitting too close to the stee ring
wheel or instrument panel will de­
crease the effe ctiveness of the air­
bags and will increase the risk of
personal injury in an accident.
• If you are unrestrained, leaning
forward, sitting sideways or out of
position in any way. your risk of in­
jury is much higher. You will also
receive serious or fatal injuries
from the airbag if you are up
against it or too close to it when it
inflates.
• To reduce the risk of injury
when an alrbag inflates, always
wear safety belts properly.
See "How to wear the safety belts
properly" on page 18. '4
WARNING continued
• Children age 12 or younger
should always ride in the rear seat.
If children are not properly re­
strained, they may be severely in­
jured or killed when an airbag
inflates. Never let children ride un­
restr ained or improperly re­
strained in the vehicle.
• Adjust the front seats properly.
- Never ride with the backrest re-
clined.
- Always sit as far as possible
from the the stee ring wheel or
the instrument panel.
Always heed all WA RNINGS
on next page.
29

SAFETY FIRST--------------------------
�
WARNING continued
- Always sit upright with your
back against the backrest of
your seat.
. 30 Never
place your feet on the in­
strument panel or on the seat.
Always keep both feet on the
floor in front of the seat to help
prevent serious injuries to the
legs and hips if the airbag in­
flates. BBN-163
There is a lot that you and your passengers
can do to help the individual safety features
installed in your Audi work together as a
system. Adjusting
the driver's seat
For detailed steps for adjusting the driver's
seat please see "Front Seats" on page 76.
We recommend that you adjust the driver's
seat as follows:
- adjust the seat in fore and aft direction so
that you can easily push the pedals all the
way while keeping your knee slightly
bent.
- adjust the seatback so that when you sit
with your back against the seatback, you
can still grasp the top of the steering
wheel.
adjust the steering wheel -see chapter
"Adjustable steering column" page 98.
- the distance from the center of your
breastbone to the center of the airbag
cover on the steering wheel must be at
least 1 0 inches (25 em) or more. See il­
lustration .

-----------------------------------------------------SAFETY RRST
�W ARNING
• Never sit closer than 10 inches
(25 em) to the stee ring wheel.
• If you cannot sit more than
10 inches (25 em) from the steer­
ing wheel, we recommend that
you investigate whether adaptive
equipment may be available to
help you reach the pedals and in­
crease your seating distance from
the steering wheel.
Adjusting the steering wheel
For detailed steps for adjusting the steering
wheel please see "Adjustable steering col­
umn" page 98.
Adjust the steering wheel so that the steer­
ing wheel and airbag cover points at your
chest and not at your face. The steer ing
wheel should be adjusted so that you can
hold the outer rim of the steering wheel
comfortably with your hands at the 3 o'clock
and 9 o'clock positions. �W
ARNING
• Pointing the steering wheel to­
ward your face decreases the abil­
ity of the supplementa l driver's air­
bag to protect you in an accident.
• Holding the steering wheel the
wrong way can cause serious inju­
ries to the hands, arms and head if
the driver's airbag inflates.
• Never hold the steering wheel at
the 12 o'clock position or with
your hands at other positions in­
side the steering wheel rim or on
the steering wheel hub.
Adjusting the passenger's seat
For detailed steps for adjusting the pas­
senger's seat please see "Front Seats" on
page 76.
We recommend that you adjust the passen­
ger's seat as follows:
- backrest upright (never reclined)
place your feet on the floor in front of the
passenger's seat adjust
the passenger's seat as far as pos­
sible to the rear of the fore and aft adjust-
1)1ent range.
�W ARNING
• Always keep both feet on the
floor in front of the seat.
• Never place your feet on the in­
strument panel or on the seat. If
the airbag inflates and your feet
are on the instrument panel or on
the seat, your could receive seri­
ous personal injuries.
Some other important points to
know
Because airbags inflate in the blink of an eye
with great force, things you have on your lap
or have placed on the seat could become
dangerous projectiles and be pushed into
you if the airbag inflates.
Always head all WARNINGS
on next page.
31