2008 AUDI A4 AVANT light

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passenger's upper torso on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a
side co llis ion. The airbag dep loys on ly in side impacts and only
when the vehic le acce leration registered by the control unit is high
enoug h. If this rate is below the reference va lue programmed into
the control unit, the side airbags will not be triggered, even though
the car may be badly damaged as a resu lt of the collision . It is not
possible to define an airbag trigger ing range that wi ll cover every
possible angle of impact, since the circumstances will vary consid ­
erab ly between one coll ision and another. I mportant factors
inc lude, for example, the nature (hard or soft) of the impacting
object, the angle o f impact, vehicle speed,
etc .=> page 205, "I m por ­
tant safety instructions on the side airbag system".
Aside from their normal safety funct ion, safety be lts work to help
keep the driver or front passenger in posit ion in the event of a side
collision so t hat the side airbags can provide protection.
The airbag system is
not a substitute for your safety belt. Rather, it
is part of the overa ll occupant restraint system in your vehicle .
A lways re m ember that t he side airbag system can on ly he lp to
protect you if you are wearing your safety be lt and wearing it prop ­
e rly. This is a nother reason why yo u should a lways wear you r safety
belts, not just because the law requires you to do
so=> page 176,
"General notes".
It is important to re m em ber that while the supp lemental side airbag
system is designed to reduce the like lihood of serious injuries, other
injuries, for example, swel ling, bru is ing, and minor abrasions can
a lso be associated with deployed side airbags. Remember too, side
a irbags wil l deploy o nly once and on ly in certain kinds of accidents
- your safety belts are a lways there to offer protection.
Vehicle damage, repair costs or even the lack of vehic le damage are
not necessari ly an indication of over-sensitive or failed airbag acti ­
vation. In some collisions, both front and side airbags may inflate.
Reme mber too, that a irbags w ill dep loy on ly once and on ly in
certain kinds of col lisions -your safety belts are always there to
offer pro tec tion in those acc ide nts in whic h airbags are not
supposed to deploy or when they have already deployed. T
he s ide a irbag sys te m will not d eplo y:
• whe n the ign ition is turned off
• in side collisions when the acce leration measured by the sensor
is t oo low
• in front-end co llisions
• in rear-end co llisions
• in ro llovers .
I n some types of accidents the front airbags, side curta in airbags
and side airbags may be triggered together.
& WARNING
• Safety belt s and the airbag sy stem will only prov ide protection
when occupant s are in the proper se ating posit ion
=> page 2 05 .
• If the airbag indic ator light come s on when the vehicle i s being
u sed , ha ve the sy stem inspe cted immed iat ely by y our authorized
Audi d ealer . The airbag may not work properly when the vehicle
a cc eler ation in a side colli sion is high enough to acti vate the
airba g.•

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&, WARNING (continued )
-Never use additional seat cushions that cover the areas
where the side airbags deploy .
- Damage to the original seat covers or to the seam in the area
of the side airbag module must always be repaired immedi­
ately by an authorized Audi dealer.
• Objects between you and the airbag can in crease the risk of
injury in an accident by interfering with the way the airbag unfolds
or by being pu shed into you as the airbag inflates .
- Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as
cup holders , telephone brackets , or even large , bulky objects)
on the doors , over or near the area marked
"AIRBAG" on the
seat backrests .
- Such objects and accessories can become dangerous projec ­
tiles and cause injury when the supplemental side airbag
deploys.
- Never carry any objects or pets in the deployment space
between them and the airbags or allow children or other
passengers to travel in this position .
• Always use the built -in coat hooks only for lightweight
clothing . Never leave any heavy or sharp -edged objects in the
pockets that may interfere with side airbag deployment and can
cause per sonal injury in an accident.
• Alway s prevent the side airbags from being damaged by heavy
objects knocking against or hitting the sides of the seatba cks .
• The airbag system can only be triggered once. If the airbag has
been triggered , the system must be replaced by an authorized
Audi dealership .
• Damage (cracks , deep scratches etc .I to the original seat covers
or to the seam in the area of the side airbag module must always
be repaired immediately by an author ized Audi dealer.
• If children are seated improperly , their risk of injury increases
in the case of an
accident => page 210, "Child Safety".
&, WARNING (continued )
• Never attempt to modify any components of the airbag system
in any way.
• In a side collision, side airbags will not function properly if
sensors cannot correctly measure increasing air pressure inside
the doors when air escapes through larger, unclosed openings in
the door panel .
- Never drive with interior door trim panels removed.
- Never drive when parts have been removed from the inside
door panel and the openings they leave have not been properly
c losed.
- Never drive when loudspeakers in the doors have been removed unless the speaker holes have been properly closed .
- Always make certain that openings are covered or filled if additional speakers or other equipment is installed in the
inside door panels .
- Always have work on the doors done by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop .
•

Side curtain airbags (SIDEGUARD™)
Description of SIDEGUARD™ airbags
The SIDEGUARD™ airbag system can provide supple­
mental protection to properly restrained occupants.
F ig . 18 3 S IDEGUARD ™
sys tem , driver's s id e:
s id e cu rtain air b a g
l oca tio n
The side curtain airbags are located on both sides of the interior
above the front and rear side
windows => fig. 183 . They are identi ­
fied by the word "AIRBAG" on the windshield frame and the center
roof pillar.
The side curtain airbag system supplements the safety belts and can help to reduce the risk of injury for occupants' heads and upper
torso on the s ide of the vehicle that is struck in a side collision . The
side curtain airbag inflates only in side impacts and only when the
vehicle accele ra tion reg istered by the contro l unit is high enough. If
this rate is below the reference va lue programmed into the contro l
unit, the side airbags w ill not be triggered, even though the car may
be badly damaged as a result of the co llision . It is not possible to
define an airbag triggering range that will cover every possible
angle of impact, since the circumstances will vary considerably
between one collision and ano the r. Important factors include, for
example, the nature (hard or soft) of the impacting object, the angle
Safety first
Airb ag syst em
of impact, vehicle speed, etc .=> page 208, "How side curtain airbags
work".
Aside from their norma l safety function, safety belts work to help
keep the driver or front passenger in position in the event of a colli ­
s ion so that the side curtain airbags can provide protection .
The airbag system is not a substitute for your safety belt . Rather, it
is part of the overall occupant restrain t system in your veh icle.
Always remember that the airbag system can only he lp to protect
you if you are wear ing your safety belt and wear ing it properly . This
is another reason why you should always wear your safety belts, not
just because the law requires you to do so
=> page 176, "General
notes".
It is important to remember that while the side curtain airbag
system is designed to help reduce the likelihood of serious injuries,
other injuries, for examp le, swelling, bruising, and minor abrasions
can a lso be associa ted with these a irbags . Remembe r too, these
airbags will deploy only once and on ly in certain kinds of accidents
- your safety belts are always there to offer protection .
The side curta in air b ag system b asi cally consists of :
• The elec tronic co ntrol mod ule and external side impact sensors
• The side curtain airbags above the front and rear side windows
• The airbag indicator light in the instrument panel
The airbag system is monitored electronica lly to make certain it is
f u n ction ing properly at all times. Each time you turn on the ignition,
the airbag system indicator light wi ll come on for a few seconds
(se lf diagnostics).
The s ide curt ain ai rbag is not acti vated :
• if the ignition is turned off,
• in side collisions when the acceleration measured by the sensor
is too low,
• in front -end collisions,
• in rear -end collisions,
.,
irechnical data

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• in rollovers.
& WARNING
• Safety belts and the airbag system will only provide protection
when occupants are
in the proper seating position ~ page 95,
"General recommendations".
• If the airbag indicator light comes on when the vehicle is being
used, have the system inspected immediately by your authorized
Audi dealer. The side curtain airbag may not work properly even
when the vehicle acceleration in a side collision is high enough to
activate the airbag.
•
How side curtain a irbags work
Side curtain airbags con work together with side airbags
to help reduce the risk of head and upper torso injuries for
occupants who ore properly restrained.
Fig . 184 Illustration of
principle: Inflated side
curtain airbags on the
left side
The side curtain airbags inflate between the occupant and the
windows on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a side collision
~ fig . 184. When the system is triggered, the side curtain airbag is filled with
propellant gas and breaks through a seam above the front and rear
side windows identified by the AIRBAG label. In order to help
provide this additional protection, the side curtain airbag must
inflate within the blink of an eye at very high speed and with great
force. The side curtain airbag could injure you if your seating posi ­
tion is not proper or upright or if items are located in the area where
the supplemental side curtain airbag inflates. This applies espe ­
cially to
children~ page 210.
Although they are not a soft pillow, side curtain airbags can
"cushion" the impact and in this way they can help to reduce the risk
of injury to the head and the upper part of the body .
A fine dust may develop when the airbag deploys. This is quite normal and does not mean there is a fire in the vehicle .•
Important safety instructions on the side
curtain airbag system
Airbags ore only supplemental restraints. Always prop ­
erly wear safety belts and ride in a proper seating posi­
tion.
There is a lot that you and your passengers must know and do to
help the safety belts and airbags do their job to provide supple­
mental protection.
& WARNING
Improperly wearing safety belts and improper seating positions
increase the risk of serious personal injury and death whenever a
vehicle is being used .
• Never let occupants place any parts of their bodies in the area
from which the side curtain airbags inflate.
• Always make sure that the side curtain airbags can inflate
without interference. Unsuitable accessories fitted inside the

__________________________________________________ A_ i_ r _b _a-' g=- s_ y=-- s_t _e _m ______ lJfflll
& WARNING (continued)
expansion range of a SIDEGUARD head airbag can dangerously
interfere with its function. A deploying head airbag develops
enough force to catapult any piece of add-on component out of its
path of inflation and into the passenger compartment. An occu­
pant hit by such a projectile can suffer serious injury or death
=> page 349, "Technical Modifications".
• Do not swivel the sun visors to the side if you have any objects
clipped onto them (for example
pens!. If the airbag should deploy,
you could be injured by these objects.
• Use the built-in coat hooks only for lightweight clothing. Never
leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets that may
interfere with airbag deployment and can cause personal injury in
an accident.
• Never use hangers to hang clothing from the hooks.
• Only use factory-installed sun shades or, in the case of shades
installed after the vehicle leaves the factory, only Audi roll-up
sunscreens may be used => page 348, "Additional accessories and
parts replacement".
• Always sit in proper seating position and wear safety belts
while traveling so that the side curtain airbags can help provide protection .
• The airbag system can only be triggered once. If the airbag has
been triggered, the system must be replaced by an authorized
Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
• Always have work involving the side curtain airbag system,
removal and installation of the airbag components, or other
repairs performed by a qualified dealership. Otherwise the airbag
system may not work correctly.
• Never attempt to modify any components of the airbag system
in any way. •
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first
Vehicle operation Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

& WARNING (conti nued )
• Alw ays install r ear-facing child saf ety s eats on the r ear seat.
• If you mu st in sta ll a re arwa rd f acing child safe ty s eat on the
front pas senger seat in exc eptional cir cum stances and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light doe s not come on and stay on,
immediat ely install th e rear-fa cing child safety s eat in a rear
s e ating po sit ion and h ave the airb ag sys tem in spe cted immedi ­
a tel y by y our Audi dealer .
& WARNING
If, in exceptional circum stance s, you must in stall a forward -fac ing
c hild re st ra int on the fr ont p assenge r's s eat:
• Alway s make sure the forward -facing seat ha s been de signed
and cert ified by it s m anuf acturer for u se on a front se at with a
pa ssenger front and side airbag .
• Always follow the m anufacturer's instruct ions provided w ith
the child safet y seat or c arrier.
• Alway s m ov e th e passeng er sea t into it s re arm ost p osit ion in
the seat' s fore and aft adju stment range , as far away from the
a irb ag as possible before installin g the ch ild r estr aint . The b ack­
rest must be adjusted to an upright po sition.
• Alway s ma ke sure th at the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
come s on and stay s on all the time wheneve r the ignition i s
s wit ched on . •
Advanced front airbag system and children
Your vehicle is equipped with a dual -stage front "Advanced Airbag
System" in comp liance with United States Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard ( FMVSS) 208 as applicab le at the time your vehic le
was manufactured .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Chi
ld Sa fe ty
The Advanced Airbag system in your vehic le has been certified to
meet the " low -risk" require ments for 3 and 6 yea r- old c hild ren on
the passenger side and small adu lts on the driver side . The low risk
deployment c rite ria are intended to reduce the risk of inju ry th rough
interaction with the airbag that can occur, for example, by being too
close to the steering whee l and instrument panel when the airbag
in flates . In add it ion, the system has been cert ified to comply with
the "suppression" requirements of the Safety Standard, to turn off
the front airbag for in fants up to 12 months who are restrained on
the front passeng er seat in child restraints that are listed in the
Standard.
Even though your vehic le is equipped with an Advanced Airbag
system, all ch ildren, especially those 12 years and younger, sho uld
a lways ride in the back seat proper ly restra ined for the ir age and
size . The airbag on the passenger side makes the front seat a poten ­
tially dangerous p lace for a chi ld to r ide. The front seat is not the
safest p lace for a chi ld in a forward -facing child safety seat. It can be
a very dangerous place for an infant or a larger chi ld in a rearward ­
facing seat. •
Advanced Airbags and the weight-sensing
mat in the front seat
The Advanced A irbag System in your ve hicle detects the p resence
of an infant or chi ld in a child restraint on the front passenger seat
using the weight -sensing mat in the seat cushion and the sensor
below the safety belt latch on the front passenger seat that
measures the tension on the safety belt .
The weight -sensing mat meas ures total we ig ht of the ch ild and the
child safety seat and a chi ld blanket on the front passenger seat. The
weight o n the fr ont passenge r seat is related to the desig n of the
child restraint and its "footprint" , the size and shape of the bottom
of the child restraint as it sits on the seat. The weight of a child
restraint and its "footprint" vary for different kinds of chi ld
_..
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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d _S __ a;;.;. f;..; e ;..;t ;,!,.y _________________________________________ _
restraints and for the different models of the same kind of child
restraint offered by child restraint manufacturers.
The weight ranges for the individual types, makes and models of child restraints that the NHTSA has specified in the Safety Standard
together with the weight ranges of typical infants and typical 1 year­
old child have been stored in the control unit of the Advanced
Airbag System. When a child restraint is being used on the front passenger seat with a typical 1 year-old child, the Advanced Airbag
System compares the weight measured by the weight sensing mat
with the information stored in the electronic control unit.
The electronic control unit also registers the tension on the front
passenger safety belt. The tension on the safety belt for the front
passenger seat will be different for an adult who is properly using
the safety belt as compared to the tension on the belt when it is
used to attach a child restraint to the seat. The sensor below the
latch for the safety belt for the front seat passenger measures the
tension on the belt . The input from this sensor is then used with the
weight to "decide", whether there is a child restraint with a typical 1
year-old child on the front passenger seat and whether or not the airbag must be turned off.•
Child restraints and Advanced Airbags
Regardless of the child restraint that you use, make sure that it has
been certified to meet United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards and has been certified by its manufacturer for use with
an airbag. Always be sure that the child restraint is properly
installed at one of the rear seating positions. If in exceptional
circumstances you must use it on the front passenger seat, carefully read all of the information on child safety and Advanced Airbags
and heed all of the applicable WARNINGS. Make certain that the
child restraint is correctly recognized by the weight -sensing mat
inside the front passenger seat, that the front passenger airbag is
turned off and that the airbag status is always correctly signaled by
the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light. Many types and models of child restraints have been available over
the years, new models are introduced regularly incorporating new
and improved designs and older models are taken out of produc­
tion. Child restraints are not standardized. Child restraints of the
same type typically have different weights and sizes and different
'footprints,' the size and shape of the bottom of the child restraint
that sits on the seat, when they are installed on a vehicle seat. These
differences make it virtually impossible to certify compliance with
the requirements for advanced airbags with each and every child restraint that has ever been sold in the past or will be sold over the
course of the useful life of your vehicle.
For this reason, the United States National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration has published a list of specific type, makes and
models of child restraints that must be used to certify compliance
of the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle with the suppression
requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208. These
child restraints are:
A. Car beds, manufactured on or after September 1,
2004:
• Cosco Dream Ride 02-719
B. Rear facing child restraint systems, manufactured
on or after September 1, 2004:
(When the restraint system comes equipped with a removable base,
compliance has to be certified with or without the base).
• Britax Handle with Care 191
• Century Assura 4553
• Century Smart Fit 4543
• Cosco Arriva 02727
• Evenflo Discovery Adjust Right 212
• Evenflo First Choice 204
• Graco Infant 8457

Child Safety -
---------------''------'
C. Forward-facing convertible child restraint systems,
manufactured on or after September 1, 2004:
• Britax Roundabo ut 161
• Brit ax Expressway
• Century Encor e 4612
• Century STE 1000 4416
• Cosco Olympian 02803
• Cosco Touriva 02519
• Evenflo Horizon V 425
• Evenflo M edallion 254
• Safety First Comfor t Ride 22-400
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury, make sure that the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on whenever a child restraint is installed on the front passenger seat and the ignition
is switched on.
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on.
• Have the airbag system inspected by your authorized Audi
dealer immediately.
[ i] Tips
Th e child s eats lis ted in cat egori es A to C have been tes ted by Audi
only for the Advanced Airbag function. •
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Important safety instructions for using child
safety seats
Correct use of child safety seats substantially reduces the
risk of injury in an accident!
As the driver, you are responsible for the safety of every ­
body in the vehicle, especially children:
- Always use the right child safety seat for each child and
always use it properly :::>
page 215.
-Always carefully follow the child safety seat manufac­
turer's instructions on how to route the safety belt prop­
erly through the child safety seat.
- When using the vehicle safety belt to install a child safety
seat , you must first activate the convertible locking
retractor on the safety belt to prevent the child safety
seat from
moving => page 220.
- Push the child safety seat down with your full weight to
get the safety belt really tight so that the seat cannot
move forward or sideways more than one inch (2.5 cm).
- If a strap or tether is being used to tie the child safety
seat to the front passenger seat, make sure that it is not
so tight that it causes the weight-sensing mat to
measure more weight than is actually on the seat.
Always remember: Even though your vehicle is equipped with an
Advanced Airbag system, all children, especially those 12 years and
younger, should always ride in the back seat properly restrained for
their age and size .
..,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data