2008 AUDI A4 AVANT airbag

How supplemental side airbags work
Side airbags deploy instantly and can help reduce the risk
of upper torso injuries for occupants wh o are properly
restrained.
i w CD
"'
F ig . 18 2 Infl ate d side
airba gs on l eft sid e o f
v eh icle, rear s ide
air bag o ptional
equ ip­
ment
When the system is triggered, the airbag is fi lled with propel lant gas
and breaks through a seam in the seat surface area marked
"AIRBAG" . It expands between the side trim panel and the
passenger. In order to he lp provide this additional protection, the
side airbag must inflate within a fraction o f a second a t very high
speed and with great force. The supplemental side airbag could
injure you if your seating pos it ion is not proper or upright or if items
are located in the area where the supplemental side airbag expands.
This app lies especially to
children => page 210, "Child Safety" .
Supplemental side airbags inflate between the occupant and the
door pane l on the side of the vehicle that is struck in certain side
coll ision
=> fi g. 182 .
A lthough they are not a soft pillow, they can "cushion" the impact
and in this way they can he lp to reduce the risk of injury to the upper
part of the body .
Safety first
Airbag syst em
A fine dust may develop when the airbag deploys . This is normal
and does not mean there is a fire in the vehic le .•
Important safety instructions on the side
airbag system
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. Al ways prop­
erly wea r s afet y belts and ride in a pro per seati ng posi­
tion.
There is a lot that you and your passengers must know and act
accordingly to help the safety belts and ai rbags do their job to
provide supplementa l protection.
& WARNING
An inflating s ide airbag can cau se seriou s or f ata l injury . Imp rop ­
erly wear ing safety belts and improper seating pos ition s increase
the r isk of ser iou s per sonal injury and death whenever a vehicle i s
being used .
• In order to reduce the ri sk of injury when the suppleme nta l si de
airbag inflate s:
- Always sit in an upright po sition and never lean against the
area where the supplemental side airbag i s located .
- Never let a child or anyone else re st the ir head against the
s ide trim panel in the area where the supplement al side airbag
i nflate s.
- Alway s make sure that safety belt s are w orn correctly ,
-Do not let anyone sitting in the front seat put their h and or
any other part s of th eir body out of the windo w.
• Alway s make sure that the side airbag c an inflate without inter ­
feren ce .
- Never install seat covers or replac ement uphol ste ry ov er the
fr on t seat b acks that have not been spe cifi ca lly approved by
Audi .
...
irechnical data

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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

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& 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

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Child Safety
Important things to know
Introduction
The rear sea t is generally the safest place in a collision.
The physica l princ iples of what happe ns w hen your ve hicle is in a
crash app ly also to children
=> page 178, "What happens to occu ­
p a nts no t wearing safe ty belts?" . But un lik e adu lts and teenagers,
their musc les and bones are not fu lly developed. In many respects
children are at greate r risk of ser ious injury in cras hes than adul ts .
Because c hildren 's bodies are not ful ly deve loped, they require
restraint systems esp ecially designed for their size, weight, and
body st ructure. Many countr ies a nd al l states of the U nited States
and provinces of Canada have laws requiring the use of approved
ch ild restrai nt sys te m s for infant s and smal l chil dren.
I n a fronta l crash at a speed of 20 -35 mph (30 -56 km/h) the forces
ac tin g on a 13 -p o un d (6 kg) infant wil l be m ore tha n 20 times the
weight of t he child . T his means the weight of the c hild would
suddenly be more than 260 pounds (120 kg). Under these condi ­
tions, on ly an appropriate child restraint properly used can reduce
the risk of serious injury. Child restraints, like adult safety belts,
m ust be use d properly t o be eff ec tive. Use d imp ro perly, they ca n
increase the risk of serious injury in an accident .
Co nsu lt t he c hild sa fe ty seat manu fac ture r's ins truc tions to be su re
the seat is r ight for your child's
size=> page 213, "Important safety
instructions for using child safety seats" . Please be sure to read and
heed a ll of the important information and WARN INGS about child
safety , Advanced Airbags, and the installation of child restraints in
th is chapter.
T here is a lot you need to know about the Advanced Airbags in your
ve hicle and how they work whe n infan ts and c hildr en in child
restra ints are on the front passenger seat . Because of the large a
m ount of i mportant in formation, we cannot repeat it a ll here. We
urge you to read the detai led information in this owner's manua l
about a irbags and the Advanced Airba g Sys te m in your ve hicle an d
the very i mportant information about transporting chi ldren on the
fr on t passe nger seat . P lease be su re to hee d t he WAR NINGS
-they
are extreme ly important for your safety and the safety of your
p assengers, es pec ial ly in fa nt s and s mall chil dren .
& WARNING
• Accident statistics have shown that children are generally safer
in the rear seat area than in the front seat ing position. Always
restrain any child age 12 and under in the rear.
• All vehicle o ccupants and especially children must be
restrained properly whenever riding in a vehicle . An unrestrained
or improperly restrained child could be injured by striking the inte­
rior or by being ejected from the vehicle during a sudden
maneuver or impa ct. An unrestrained or improperly restrained
child is also at greater risk of injury or death through contact with
an inflating airbag .
• A suitable child restraint properly installed and used at one of
the rear seating positions prov ides the highest degree of protec­
tion for infants and small children in most accident situations.
& WARNING
Children on the front se at of any car even with Advanced Airbags
can be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag inflates . A
child in a rearward -fa cing child safety seat in stalled on the front
passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if the
front airbag inflates .
• The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant
carrier with great force and will smash the child safety seat and
c hild against the backrest , center arm rest , or door . ..,_

& 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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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