2008 AUDI A4 AVANT window

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Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody's job! Vehicle and occupant safety
always depends on the informed and careful driver.
For your safety and the safety of your passengers, before
driving always:
- Make sure that all lights and signals are operat ing
correctly.
- Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
- Make sure that all windows are clean and afford good
visibility to the outside.
- Secure all luggage and other items
carefully=> page 122.
-Make sure that nothing can interfere with the pedals.
- Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors correctly for your height .
- Instruct passengers to adjust the head restraints
according to their height.
- Make sure to use the right child restraint correctly to
protect
children => page 210, "Child Safety".
- Sit properly in your seat and make sure that your passen ­
gers do the
same => page 95, "General recommenda­
tions".
- Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly. Also instruct
your passengers to fasten their safety belts properly
=> page 176. •
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condition of the
vehicle, the driver as well as the driver's ability to concen­
trate on the road without being distracted.
The driver is responsible for the safety of the vehicle and all
of its occupants. If your ability to drive is impaired, safety
risks for everybody in the vehicle increase and you also
become a hazard to everyone else on the road
=>& .There ­
fore:
Do not let yourself be distracted by passengers or by
using a cellular telephone .
NEVER drive when your driving ability is impaired (by
medications, alcohol, drugs, etc.).
- Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road and speed limits
and plain common sense .
- ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic and weather
conditions.
- Take frequent breaks on long trips. Do not drive for more
than two hours at a stretch.
- Do NOT drive when you are tired, under pressure or when
you are stressed .
& WARNING
Impaired driving safety increases the risk of serious personal
injury and death whenever a vehicle is being used. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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&, WARNING (continued)
• Passengers must always sit in an upright position and never
lean against or place any part of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located.
• Passengers 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.
• Always make sure that there are at least 10 inches (25 cm)
between the front passenger's breastbone and the instrument
panel.
• Each passenger must always sit on a seat of their own and
properly fasten and wear the safety belt belonging to that seat.
• Before driving, always adjust the front passenger seat and
head restraint properly.
• Always keep your feet on the floor in front of the seat. Never
rest them on the seat, instrument panel, out of the window, etc.
The airbag system and safety belt will not be able to protect you properly and can even increase the risk of injury in a crash.
• Never drive with the backrest reclined or tilted far back! The
farther the backrests are tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper
seating position.
• Children must always ride in child safety
seats => page 210.
Special precautions apply when installing a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat
=> page 187. •
Proper seating positions for passengers in
rear seats
Rear seat passengers must sit upright with both feet on
the floor consistent with their physical size and be prop­
erly restrained whenever the vehicle is in use.
To reduce the risk of injury caused by an incorrect seating
position in the event of a sudden braking maneuver or an
accident , your passengers on the rear bench seat must
always observe the following :
- Make sure that the seatback is securely latched in the
upright position =>
page 104.
- Adjust the head restraint so that the upper edge is as
even with the top of your head as possible but no lower
than eye level =>
page 171.
-Keep both feet flat in the footwell in front of the rear seat.
- Fasten and wear safety belts properly =>
page 181.
-Make sure that children are always properly restrained in
a child restraint that is appropriate for their size and age
=>
page 210.
& WARNING
Passengers who are improperly seated on the rear seat can be
seriously injured in a crash.
• Each passenger must always sit on a seat of their own and
properly fasten and wear the safety belt belonging to that seat.
• Safety belts only offer maximum protection when the seatback
is securely latched in the upright position and the safety belts are
properly positioned on the body. By not sitting upright, a rear seat
passenger increases the risk of personal injury from improperly
positioned safety belts!
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position. A driver is responsible for the safety of all vehicle
occupants and especially for children. Therefore:
- Never allow anyone to assume an incorrect seating posi -
tion when the vehicle is being
used ~& .
The following bulletins list only some sample positions that will
increase the risk of serious injury and death. Our hope is that these
examples will make you more aware of seating positions that are
dangerous.
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is moving:
• never stand up in the vehicle
• never stand on the seats
• never kneel on the seats
• never ride with the seatback reclined
• never lie down on the rear seat
• never lean up against the instrument panel
• never sit on the edge of the seat
• never sit sideways
• never lean out the window
• never put your feet out the window
• never put your feet on the instrument panel
• never rest your feet on the seat cushion or back of the seat
• never ride in the footwell
• never ride in the cargo area
& WARNING
Improper seating positions increase the risk of serious personal
injury and death whenever a vehicle is being used.
• Always make sure that all vehicle occupants stay in a proper
seating position and are properly restrained whenever the vehicle
is being used.
•
Pedal area
Pedals
The pedals must always be free to move and must never
be interfered with by a floor mat or any other object.
Make sure that all pedals move freely without interference and that
nothing prevents them from returning to their original positions.
Only use floor mats that leave the pedal area free and can be
secured with floor mat fasteners.
If a brake circuit fails, increased brake pedal travel is required to
bring the vehicle to a full stop.
& WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can cause loss of vehicle control
and increase the risk of serious injury.
• Never place any objects in the driver's footwell. An object could
get into the pedal area and interfere with pedal function. In case
of sudden braking or an accident, you would not be able to brake
or accelerate!
• Always make sure that nothing can fall or move into the
driver's footwell. •
Floor mats on the driver side
Always use floor mats that can be securely attached to
the floor mat fasteners and do not interfere with the free
movement of the pedals.
- Make sure that the floor mats are properly secured and
cannot move and interfere with the
pedals~& . ~

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& WARNING
Improperly stored luggage or other items can fly through the
vehicle causing serious personal injury in the event of hard braking
or an accident. To help reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
• Always put objects, for example, luggage or other heavy items
in the luggage compartment .
• Always secure objects in the luggage compartment using the
tie-down hooks and suitable straps .
& WARNING
Heavy loads will influence the way your vehicle handles. To help
reduce the risk of a loss of control leading to serious personal
injury :
• Always keep in mind when transporting heavy objects, that a
change in the center of gravity can also cause changes in vehicle
handling:
-Always distribute the load as evenly as possible.
- Place heavy objects as far forward in the luggage compart-
ment as possible.
• Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating or the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating specified on the safety compliance sticker on the left door jamb. Exceeding permissible weight standards
can cause the vehicle to slide and handle differently.
• Please observe information on safe
driving => page 166.
& WARNING
To help prevent poisonous exhaust gas from being drawn into the
vehicle, always keep the rear lid closed while driving.
• Never transport objects larger than those fitting completely
into the luggage area because the rear lid cannot be fully closed.
& WARNING (continued)
• If you absolutely must drive with the rear lid open, observe the
following notes to reduce the risk of poisoning :
- Close all windows,
- Close the power roof*,
- Open all air outlets in the instrument panel,
- Switch off the air recirculation,
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest speed.
& WARNING
Always make sure that the doors, all windows, the power roof*
and the read lid are securely closed and locked to reduce the risk
of injury when the vehicle is not being used.
• After closing the rear lid, always make sure that it is properly
closed and locked.
• Never leave your vehicle unattended especially with the rear lid
left open. A child could crawl into the vehicle through the luggage
compartment and close the rear lid becoming trapped and unable
to get out . Being trapped in a vehicle can lead to serious personal
injury.
• Never let children play in or around the vehicle.
• Never let passengers ride in the luggage compartment . Vehicle
occupants must always be properly restrained in one of the
vehicle's seating positions.
[ i] Tips
Air circulation helps to reduce window fogging. Stale air escapes to
the outside through vents in the trim panel, on the left side of the
luggage compartment. Be sure to keep these slots free and open. •

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increases the ability of the supplemental airbags to do their job in a
collision. For this reason, wearing a safety belt is legally required in
most countries including much of the United States and Canada .
Although your Audi is equipped with airbags, you still have to wear
the safety belts provided. Front airbags, for example, are activated
only in some frontal collisions. The front airbags are not activated in
all frontal collisions, in side and rear collisions, in roll overs or in
cases where there is not enough deceleration through impact to the
front of the vehicle. The same goes for the other airbag systems in
your Audi . So, always wear your safety belt and make sure every­
body in your vehicle is properly restrained!
•
Important safety instructions about safety
belts
Safety belts must always be correctly positioned across the strongest bones of your body.
-Always wear safety belts as illustrated and described in
this chapter.
- Make sure that your safety belts are always ready for use
and are not damaged.
& WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or wearing them improperly increases
the risk of serious personal injury and death. Safety belts can work
only when used correctly.
• Always fasten your safety belts correctly before driving off and
make sure all passengers are correctly restrained.
• For maximum protection, safety belts must always be posi­
tioned properly on the body.
• Never strap more than one person, including small children,
into any belt.
& WARNING (continued)
• Never place a safety belt over a child sitting on your lap.
• Always keep feet in the footwell in front of the seat while the
vehicle is being driven.
• Never let any person ride with their feet on the instrument
panel or sticking out the window or on the seat.
• Never remove a safety belt while the vehicle is moving. Doing
so will increase your risk of being injured or killed.
• Never wear belts twisted.
• Never wear belts over rigid or breakable objects in or on your
clothing, such as eye glasses, pens, keys, etc., as these may cause
injury.
• Never allow safety belts to become damaged by being caught
in door or seat hardware.
• Do not wear the shoulder part of the belt under your arm or
otherwise out of position .
• Several layers of heavy clothing may interfere with correct posi­
tioning of belts and reduce the overall effectiveness of the system.
• Always keep belt buckles free of anything that may prevent the
buckle from latching securely.
• Never use comfort clips or devices that create slack in the
shoulder belt. However, special clips may be required for the
proper use of some child restraint systems.
• Torn or frayed safety belts can tear, and damaged belt hard­
ware can break in an accident. Inspect belts regularly. If webbing,
bindings, buckles, or retractors are damaged, have belts replaced
by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
• Safety belts that have been worn and loaded in an accident
must be replaced with the correct replacement safety belt by an
authorized Audi dealer . Replacement may be necessary even if
damage cannot be clearly seen. Anchorages that were loaded
must also be inspected.
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&, WARNING (continued )
airbag during braking or in a sudden maneuver . Objects near the
airbags can become projectiles and cause injury , particularly when
the seat is re clined .
& WARNING
The fine dust created when airbags deploy can cause breathing
problems for people with a history of asthma or other breathing
c ondit ions .
• To reduce the risk of breathing problems , those with asthma or
other respiratory conditions should get fresh air right away by
getting out of the vehicle or opening windows or doors .
• If you are in a collision 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. •
Monitoring the Advanced Airbag
System
Airbag monitoring indicator light t~
Two separate indicators monitor the func tion of the
Advanced A irba g System: th e airbag mon itoring ind ica tor
li g ht and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light.
T he Advanced Airbag System (inc luding the e lectronic control unit,
s en sor c ircuit s and s yste m wiri ng ) is moni tored con tin uou sly to
make sure that it is f unctioning properly whenever the ignition is o n.
E ac h time you t urn on the ignit ion , th e airb ag monito ring indic ator
light ~ will come on for a f ew s econds (s elf dia gnostics).
The system must be inspected when the indicator
light m:
• does not come on when the i gnition is switched on,
• d oes not go out a few sec onds after y ou h ave sw itch ed on th e
ignit ion, or
• comes on w hile d riv ing.
I f an airbag system malfunction is detected, the indicator li ght will
fir st sta rt fl ashing to ca tch the drive r's att ention a nd then s tay o n
cont inuously to serve as a cons tant rem inder to hav e the s yst em
in spec ted i mm ediatel y.
If a m alfu nctio n occ urs th at t urns the fron t airb ag on the pass eng er
s ide off, the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light will come on and stay on
w hen eve r th e ig niti on is on.
& WARNING
An airbag system that is not functioning properly cannot provide
supplemental protection in a frontal crash .
• If the airbag indicator light comes on , it means that there may
be something wrong with the Advanced Airbag System. It is
possible that the airbag will inflate when it is not supposed to , or
will not inflate when it should .
• Have the airbag system inspected immediately by your Audi
dealer .•

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