2008 AUDI S8 child seat

weight-sensing mat to measure more weight than is actually on the
seat .
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light still does not come on and does
not stay on continuously (when the ign ition is switched on) ,
• t ake the chil d re stra int off th e front passeng er seat and i nstall it
proper ly at one of the rear seat pos it ions . Have the a irbag system
i nspec ted by y our Audi d ealer im mediately.
• move the child to a rear seat position and make sure that the
c h ild is pro perl y restrai ned i n a c hild rest ra in t t ha t is ap prop ria te fo r
its s ize and age .
T he
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light s hou ld NOT come on when the
ignition is on and an adult is sittin g in a proper seating position on
the fro nt passenger seat . If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
co me s on a nd stays o n or flas hes fo r abou t 5 s econds whi le d rivin g,
under these ci rcumstances , ma ke su re that :
• th e adult on the front passeng er sea t is pro pe rly s eate d on the
cent er of the seat cushion with his or her back up again st th e back ­
res t and the bac kres t is no t recl ined => page 20 0, "Pr oper o ccupa nt
seating positions",
• the adult i s not ta king w eight off the se at b y ho ld in g on to the
passenger assist handle above the front passenger door or
su ppo rtin g th eir we ig ht on t he ar mrest,
• the safety belt is being p roper ly worn and that there is not a lot
o f slac k in th e safety bel t webb ing,
• accessory seat covers or c ushions or other things that may cause
an incorrect r ead ing o r impre ss io n on th e w eight-s en sin g m at
unde r the upho lste ry of the seat have been removed from the front
p ass enger sea t,
• a safety belt extender has not been left in t he safety be lt latc h for
the fr ont pass enge r se at.
I n addition to the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light in the center of th e
in stru men t p ane l, the message
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF o r
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON wi ll briefly appe ar in the instrum ent c luster
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Airbag system
d
isplay . This is to inform the driver of the current front passenger
a irb ag stat us.•
Important safety instructions on monitoring
the Advanced Airbag System
& 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.
& WARNING
If the front airbag inflates , a child without a child restraint , in a
rearward-facing child seat or in a forward-facing child restraint
that has not been properly installed will be seriously injured and can be killed.
• Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airbag
System , make certain that all children , especially 12 years and
younger, always ride on the back seat properly restrained for their
age and size .
• Always install forward or rear -facing child seats on the rear
seat -even with an Advanced Airbag System .
• If you must install a rearward-facing child seat on the front
passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not appear and stay on , imme ­
diately install the rear-facing child seat in a rear seating position
and have the airbag system inspected by your Audi dealer .
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

__ .....;.A..;.;.;. ir.;;b ;..; a;;;;. g=... s;;;.!. y.;;s ..;;t ..;;e ;.;.m.;..;... ________________________________________________ _
&, W ARNING (continued )
• A tight tether or other strap on a rearward-facing child restraint
attached to the front passenger seat can put too much pres sure
on the weight-sensing mat in the seat and reg ister more weight
than is actually on the seat. The heavier weight registered can
make the system work as though an adult were on the seat and
deploy the Advanced Airbag when it must be suppressed causing
serious or even fatal injury to the child .
• If, in exceptional circumstances, you must install a forward ­
facing child restraint on the front passenger seat , always move the
seat into its rearmost position in the seat's fore and aft adjust­
ment range , as far away from the a irbag as possible. The backrest
must be adjusted to an upright position. Make sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on all the time
whenever the ignition is switched on .
& WARNING
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not go out when an
adult is sitting on the front passenger seat after tak ing the steps
described above, make sure the adult i s properly seated and
restrained at one of the rear seating positions .
• Have the airbag system inspected by your Audi dealer before
transporting anyone on the front passenger seat .
[ i] Tips
If the we ight -sens ing mat in the front passenger seat detects an
e mp ty s eat, th e front air bag o n the pass enge r sid e wil l be tur ned
off, and PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF will stay on.•
Repair, care and disposal of the airbags
Parts of the airbag system are insta lled at many different places o n
yo ur Au di. In stal li n g, r emo vin g, s ervic ing or rep airi ng a part i n an area of the vehicle can damage a part of an airbag system and
p re vent that sys tem from wor king pr operly in a c ollis ion.
Th ere are some important th ings you hav e to know to ma ke sure
that t he effectivenes s of the system will not be impai red and that
discar ded co mponents do not ca use injury o r po llut e the enviro n­
ment .
& WARNING
Improper care , servicing and repair procedures can increase the
risk of personal injury and death by preventing an airbag from
deploying when needed or deploying an airbag unexpectedly:
• Never cover , obstruct , or change the steering wheel horn pad
or airbag cover or the instrument panel or modify them in any way .
• Never atta ch any objects su ch as cup holders or telephone
mountings to the surfaces covering the airbag units .
• For cleaning the horn pad or instrument panel, use only a soft,
dry cloth or one moistened with plain water. Solvents or cleaners
could damage the airbag cover or change the stiffness or strength
of the material so that the airbag cannot deploy and protect prop­
erly .
• Never repair , adjust, or change any parts of the airbag system .
• All work on the steering wheel, instrument panel , front seats or
electrical system (including the installation of audio equipment ,
cellular telephones and CB radios , etc .I must be performed by a
qualified technician who has the training and special equipment
necessary .
• For any work on the airbag system, we strongly recommend
that you see your authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
• Never modify the front bumper or parts of the vehicle body .
• Always make sure that the side airbag can inflate without inter-
ference :
~

___ A_ ir_b _ a_ g=- s-a. y_s _t _e _m _________________________________________________ _
If the front airbags deploy, the knee airbags also dep loy in frontal
c oll is ions above a ce rtain sever ity.
When the system is deployed, the airbags start to fi ll with a prope l­
lant gas, and inflate between the lower part of the inst rument pane l
and t he dr iver a nd t he lowe r part o f th e instrument pane l and t he
front
passenge r=> page 227 , fig. 232 .
Al tho ug h t hey a re not a soft p illow, t hey ca n "cushion" th e im pact
and in th is way they can he lp to r educe th e ris k of injury to the lower
e xtr em it ie s.
A ll thi s takes place insta nta ne ous ly, so fast t hat m any peop le do n't
even rea lize that t he ai rbags have deployed. The ai rbags a ls o inflate
wi th a gre at de al o f fo rc e an d it is impo rta nt for occu pant safet y th at
not hing s hou ld be in t heir wa y when they dep lo y.
Fu lly in flate d ai rb ags in co mbin ati on w ith p ro perly w orn s afety b elt s
s low down and limit the occupant's for ward mov eme nt and he lp to
r e duc e th e risk .•
Important safety instructions on the knee
airbag system
A irbags a re only s uppl emen tal rest raints. A lway s w ear
safety belts co rrectly and rid e in a p rope r seat ing po sition .
There i s a lo t th at you and yo ur pass eng ers m ust kno w and do t o
he lp th e safet y be lts and ai rbags to p rovide supp lemental protec­
ti on.
& WARNING
An inflating knee airbag can cause serious injury. Wearing safety
belts incorrectly and improper seating positions increase the risk
of serious personal injury and death whenever a vehicle is being
used .
• The airbag system cannot protect you properly if you are
seated too close to any of the airbag locations . When adjusting
& WARNING (continued)
their seat positions, it is important that both the driver and the
front passenger keep their upper bodies and knees at the
following minimum safe distances :
- 1
O inches (25 cm) between the chest and the steering
wheel/instrument panel .
- 4 inches (10 cm) between the knees and the lower part of the instrument panel.
• The risk of personal injury increases if you lean forward or to
the side, or if the seat is improperly positioned and you are not
wearing your safety belt . The risk increases even more should the
airbag deploy .
• Always make sure that the knee airbag can inflate without
interference . Objects between yourself and the airbag can
increase the risk of injury in an accident by interfering with the
way the airbag deploys or by being pushed into you as the airbag
deploys.
- No persons (children) or animals should ride in the footwell
in front of the passenger seat . If the airbag deploys, this can
result in serious or fatal injuries .
- No objects of any kind should be carried in the footwell area
in front of the driver's or passenger's seat. Bulky objects (shop­
ping bags , for example) can hamper or prevent proper deploy­
ment of the airbag . Small objects can be thrown through the
vehicle if the airbag deploys and injure you or your passengers .
• Make sure there are no cracks , deep scratches or other damage
in the area of the instrument panel where the knee airbags are
located.
• If children are incorrectly seated , their risk of injury increases in
the case of an accident
=> page 243 , "Child Safety". •

lllffl __ A_ ir_b _a_ g;::;_ s-=-- y_s _t _e _m _________________________________________________ _
• in side collisions when the acceleration measured by the sensor
is too low
• in front -end collisions
• in rear-end collisions
• in rollovers.
In some types of accidents the front airbags, side curtain airbags
and side airbags may be triggered together.
& WARNING
• Safety belts and the airbag system will only provide protection
when occupants are in the proper seating position
~ page 238.
• If the airbag indicator light comes on when the vehicle is being
used , have the system inspected immediately by your authorized
Audi dealer . The airbag may not work properly when the vehicle
acceleration in a side collision is high enough to activate the
airbag .•
How supplemental side airbags work
Side airbags deploy instantly and can help reduce the risk
of upper torso injuries for occupants who are properly
restrained.
Fig . 237 Inflated side
airbags on left side of
vehicle, rear s ide
airbag
When the system is triggered, the airbag is fi lled with propellant gas
and breaks through a seam in the seat surface area marked
"AI RBAG ". I t 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 of a second at very high
speed and with great force . The supplemental side airbag could
injure you if your seating position is not proper or upright or if items
are located in the area where the supplemental side airbag expands.
This applies especially to
children~ page 243, "Ch ild Safety" .
Supplem ental side airbags inflate between the occupant and the
door panel on the side of the vehic le that is struck in certain side
collision~ fig. 237.
Although they are not a soft pi llow, 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.
A fine dust may develop when the airbag deploys. This is normal
and does not mean there is a fire in the vehicle. •
Important safety instructions on the side
airbag system
Airbags are 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 act
accordingly to help the safety belts and airbags do their job to
provide supplementa l protection.
& WARNING
An inflating side airbag can cause serious or fatal injury. Improp ­
erly wearing safety belts and improper seating positions increase
the risk of serious personal injury and death whenever a vehicle is
being used .
~

---------------------------------------------~A~ ir'..!b!: a:! g~ s~ yr_; s::!. t~ e~ m~ _lffllll
& WARNING (continued)
• In order to reduce the risk of injury when the supplemental side
airbag inflates:
-Always sit in an upright position and never lean against the
area where the supplemental side airbag is located.
- Never let a child or anyone else rest their head against the
side trim panel in the area where the supplemental side airbag
inflates.
- Always make sure that safety belts are worn correctly,
- Do not let anyone sitting in the front seat put their hand or any other parts of their body out of the window.
• Always make sure that the side airbag can inflate without inter­
ference.
-Never install seat covers or replacement upholstery over the
front seat backs that have not been specifically approved by
Audi.
- 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 increase the risk of
injury in an accident by interfering with the way the airbag unfolds
or by being pushed 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.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WARNING (continued)
-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 personal injury in an accident.
• Always prevent the side airbags from being damaged by heavy
objects knocking against or hitting the sides of the seatbacks.
• 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.} to the original seat covers
or to the seam in the area of the side airbag module must always
be repaired immediately by an authorized Audi dealer.
• If children are seated improperly, their risk of injury increases
in the case of an
accident => page 243, "Child Safety".
• 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
closed.
- 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 .
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

• in front -end collisions,
• in rear-end collisions,
• in rollovers.
& WARNING
• Safety belts and the airbag system will only provide protection
when occupants are in the proper seating position
=> page 86,
"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 airbags work
Side curtain airbags can work together with side airbags
to help reduce the risk of head and upper torso injuries for
occupants who are properly restrained.
Fig. 239 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 coll ision
=>fig. 239 .
Airbag system
When the system is triggered, the side curtain airbag is filled with
propellant gas and breaks through a seam above the front and rear
s ide 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 supplementa l side curtain airbag inflates . This applies espe ­
cially to
children=> page 243.
Although they are not a soft pillow, side curtain airbags can
"cushion" the imp act 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 vehic le. •
Important safety Instructions on the side
curtain airbag system
Airbags are 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
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

_______________________________________________ C_h _ i_ld _ S_ a_ f_ e_ t..a y __ ffllll
Child Safety
Important things to know
Introduction
The rear seat is generally the safest place in a collision.
The physical principles of what happens when your vehicle is in a
crash apply also to children
=> page 211, "What happens to occu­
pants not wearing safety belts?". But unlike adults and teenagers,
their muscles and bones are not fully developed. In many respects
children are at greater risk of serious injury in crashes than adults.
Because children's bodies are not fully developed, they require
restraint systems especially designed for their size, weight, and
body structure. Many countries and all states of the United States
and provinces of Canada have laws requiring the use of approved
child restraint systems for infants and small children.
In a frontal crash at a speed of 20-35 mph (30-56 km/h) the forces
acting on a 13-pound (6 kg) infant will be more than 20 times the
weight of the child. This means the weight of the child would
suddenly be more than 260 pounds (120 kg). Under these condi ­
tions , only an appropriate child restraint properly used can reduce
the risk of serious injury. Child restraints, like adult safety belts,
must be used properly to be effective. Used improperly, they can
increase the risk of serious injury in an accident.
Consult the child safety seat manufacturer's instructions to be sure
the seat is right for your child's
size=> page 246, " Important safety
instructions for using child safety seats". Please be sure to read and
heed all of the important information and WARNINGS about child
safety, Advanced Airbags, and the installation of child restraints in
this chapter.
There is a lot you need to know about the Advanced Airbags in your
vehicle and how they work when infants and children in child
restraints are on the front passenger seat. Because of the large
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
amount of
important information, we cannot repeat it all here. We
urg e you to read the detailed information in this owner's manual
about airbags and the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle and
the very important information about transporting children on the
front passenger seat. Please be sure to heed the WARNINGS -they
are extreme ly important for your safety and the safety of your
passengers, especially infants and small children.
& WARNING
• Accident statistics have shown that children are generally safer
in the rear seat area than in the front seating position. Always
restrain any child age 12 and under in the rear.
• All vehicle occupants 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 impact . 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 provides the highest degree of protec­
tion for infants and small children in most accident situations.
& WARNING
Children on the front seat of any car even with Advanced Airbags
can be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag inflates . A
child in a rearward-facing child safety seat installed 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
child against the backrest, center arm rest, or door. ..,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

11111 Child Safety
------!....------------------------------
&, W ARNING (continued )
• Alway s inst all rear-facing child safety seats on the rear seat .
• If you mu st in sta ll a rear ward f acing child safet y seat on the
front pa ssenger seat in exceptional circum stan ces and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light doe s not come on and stay on,
immediately inst all the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
s eating po sition and ha ve the airbag sy stem inspe cted immedi ­
atel y by your Audi de aler .
& WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstance s, you mu st in stall a forward -facing
c hild re straint o n the fr ont p assenger 's seat:
• Alway s make sure the forward -fa cing s eat ha s been de signed
a nd cert ified by it s m anufa cturer for use on a front seat w ith a
pa ssenger front and side airbag.
• Always follow the manufacturer's instruct ions provided with
the child safety seat or carrier.
• Alway s move the pa ssenger seat into it s re armost position in
the seat' s fore and aft adju stment range , as far aw ay from the
ai rbag as possibl e befo re installing the ch ild restr aint . The ba ck­
rest mu st be adjusted to an upright po sition.
• Alway s m ake sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF l ight
c ome s on and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is
sw it c hed on . •
Advanced front airbag system and children
Your vehicle is equipped with an "Advanced Airbag System" in
compl iance with U nited States Federa l Motor Vehicle Safety Stan­
dard { FMVSSl 208 as applicable at the time your vehicle was manu ­
factured. T
he Advanced Airbag system in your vehicle has been certified to
meet the " low -risk" requirements for 3 and 6 year -old chi ldre n on
the passenger side and smal l adults on the driver side . The low risk
deployment criteria are intended to reduce the risk of injury through
interaction with the airbag that can occur, for example, by being too
close to the steering wheel and instrument panel when the airbag
inflates. In addition, the system has been certified to comply with
the "suppression" requirements of the Safety Standard, to turn off
the front airbag for infants up to 12 months who are restra ined on
the front passenger seat in child restraints that are listed in the
Standard.
Even though your vehic le is equipped with an Advanced Airbag
system, al l ch ildren, especially those 12 years and you nger, should
a lways ride in the back seat properly restrained for their age and
size . The airbag on the passenger side makes the front seat a poten­
tia lly dangerous p lace for a ch ild to ride. The front seat is not the
safest p lace for a child in a forward -facing child safety seat . It can be
a very dangerous p lace for an infant or a larger ch ild in a rearward ­
facing seat. •
Advanced Airbags and the weight-sensing
mat in the front seat
The Advanced Airbag Sys tem in your vehicle detects the presence
of an infant or child in a chi ld restra int 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.
T he weigh t-sensing mat measures total weight o f the chi ld and the
child safety seat and a child blanket on the front passenger seat . T he
weig ht o n the fr ont passenger seat is rela ted to the desig n of the
chi ld 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 child
~