2009 AUDI Q7 warning light

__________________________________________________ A_ i _r_b _a...; g::-- s_ y =--- s_t _e _m __ ffllll
passeng er seat shou ld be turn ed off or not~ page 243 , "Ch ild
restr aint s o n the fro nt seat - some impor tant thin gs to know".
• A sensor in the safety belt latch fo r the d rive r and for the front
s e at pass enger th at s enses wh ether th at safe ty belt i s la tch ed o r not
and transmits this information to the e lectronic contro l unit.
& WARNING
Damage to the front passenger seat can prevent the front airbag
from working properly .
• Improper repair or disassembly of the front passenger and
driver seat will prevent the Advanced Airbag System from func ­
tioning properly .
• Repairs to the front passenger seat must be performed by qual ­
ified and properly trained workshop personnel .
• Never remove the front passenger or driver seat from the
vehicle.
• Never remove the upholstery from the front passenger seat .
• Never disassemble or remove parts from the seat or disconnect
wires from it.
• Never carry sharp objects in your pockets or place them on the
seat . If the weight-sensing mat in the passenger seat is punctured
it cannot work properly.
• Never carry things on your lap or carry objects on the
passenger seat . Such items can increase the weight registered by
the weight-sensing mat and send the wrong information to the
airbag control unit .
• Never store items under the front passenger seat . Parts of the
Advanced Airbag System under the passenger seat could be damaged , preventing them and the airbag system from working
properly.
• Never place seat covers or replacement upholstery that have
not been specifically approved by Audi on the front seats.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WARNING (continued)
• Seat covers can prevent the Advanced Airbag System from
recognizing child restraints or occupants on the front passenger
seat and prevent the side airbag in the seat backrest from
deploying properly.
• Never use cushions, pillows, blankets or similar items on the
front passenger seat. The additional padding will prevent the
weight-sensing mat in the seat from accurately registering the
child restraint or person on the seat and prevent the Advanced
Airbag System from functioning properly .
• If you must use a child restraint on the front passenger seat
and the child restraint manufa cturer's instructions require the use
of a towel , foam cushion or something else to properly position
the child restraint, make certain that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light comes on and stays on whenever the child restraint is
installed on the front passenger seat.
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay
on , immediately install child restraint in a rear seating position
and have the airbag system inspected by your authorized Audi
dealer .•
How the Advanced Airbag System
components work together
T he front Advance d Airbag System and the si de ai rbags s upple m ent
the p rotection offe red by the front thre e-point safety belts with
p retensioner s and load limiters and the adjustable head restraints
to hel p re d uc e th e ris k o f inj ury i n a w ide ra nge o f accid ent a nd
crash situations. Be s ure to read the important info rmation about
saf ety an d hee d the WARNI NGS in thi s c hap ter.
De ployment of th e Advanc ed Airbag System and the activation of
t he sa fe ty be lt pretensi oners de pend on the de ce lerat io n m easur ed
by the crash sensors and registered by the el ectronic control unit. _,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

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Crash severity depends on speed and deceleration as well as the
mass and stiffness of the vehicle or object involved in the crash.
When the electronic control unit registers a low severity crash and
the safety belt is being used, the airbag will not deploy. If the safety belt is not being used, the first stage deploys, followed by the
second stage after a much later time in the crash sequence.
If the electronic con tro l uni t regis ters a crash of medium severity,
the first stage of the airbag deploys followed by the second stage at
a much later time in the crash sequence -regardless of whether the
safety be lt is being used or not . In higher severity crashes as regis­
tered by the e lectronic contro l unit, both the first and second stages
deploy almost at the same time.
On the passenger side, regardless of safety belt use, the airbag will
be turned off if the weight on the passenger seat is less than the
amount programmed in the electronic contro l unit. The front airbag
on the passenger side will also be turned off if one of the child
safety seats that has been certified under Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard 208 has been recognized on the seat . The
PA SSE NGE R AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on to tel l you
when the front Advanced Airbag on the passenger s ide has been
turned off=>
page 243, "Child restraints on the front seat - some
important things to know".
& WARNING
To reduce the ri sk of injur y when an airb ag infla tes, always wear
saf ety bel ts prop er ly .
• If you are unre str ained , leani ng for ward, sittin g sidew ays or out
o f po sit io n in any wa y, your ri sk of injur y is mu ch hig her.
• You will als o receive seriou s injuries and could even b e kill ed if
y ou are up ag ain st t he a irbag or too clo se to it when it infl ates -
e ven with an Adv anced Airbag =>
page 241 . •
More important things to knovv about front
airbags
Fig . 252 Inf la te d fron t
a ir bags
Safety belts are important to he lp keep front seat occupants in the
proper seated posi tion so that airbags can unfo ld properly and
provide supp lemental protection in a fronta l collision.
The front airbags are designed to provide additional protection for
the chest and face of the driver and the front seat passenger when: • safety be lts are worn proper ly
• the seats have been positioned so that the occupant is properly
seated as far as possible from the airbag
• and the head restraints have been properly adjusted
Because airbags inflate in the blink of an eye with great force, things
you have on your lap or have placed on the seat cou ld become
dangerous projectiles, and be pushed into you if the airbag inflates .
When an airbag deploys, fine dust is released. This is normal and is not caused by a fire in the vehic le. This dust is made up most ly of a
powder used to lubricate the airbags as they deploy. It cou ld irritate
skin.
It is important to remember that while the supplementa l airbag
system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries, other
injuries, for example swelling, bruising and minor abrasions, can
also happen when airbags inflate . Airbags do not protect the arms ._,

Airbag system -----------------=---=---
or the lower parts of the body. Front airbags suppl em ent the three ­
poi nt s afet y be lts o nly in s ome fro ntal c oll isi ons i n whi ch the v ehicl e
deceleration is hi gh enough to d eploy the airbags .
Front airbags will not deploy:
• if the ignition is switched off when a crash occurs
• i n sid e collisi ons
• i n rea r- e nd collisi ons
• in ro llovers
• when the cras h de celer ation me asured b y th e a ir bag sy ste m i s
less than the minimum threshold nee ded for airbag dep loyment as
r egi stere d by t he ele ctronic control un it
The front passenger airbag also will not deploy :
• when the front p assenger s eat i s not o cc up ied
• whe n the weig ht on th e front pass enger seat as se nsed by t he
Adva nced A irb ag System indi cate s that the fr ont airba g on the
p as se n ge r side h as to be turned off b y the e lectronic cont rol unit
(the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF l ig ht co me s on and stays on )
& WARNING
Sitting in the wrong position can increase the risk of serious injury
in crashes .
• To reduce the risk of injury when the airbags inflate , the driver
and passengers must always sit in an upright position , must not
lean against or place any part of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located .
• Occupants who are unbelted , out of position or too close to the
airbag can be seriously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye
~ page 243.
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WARNING
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 - even with an Advanced Airbag System .
• 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 , door or roof.
• Always install rear-facing child safety seats on the rear seat .
• If you must install a rearward -facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay on, immediately install the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
authorized Audi dealer .
& WARNING
Objects between you and the airbag will in crease the risk of injury
in a crash by interfering with the way the airbag unfolds or by
being pushed into you as the airbag inflates .
• Never hold things in your hands or on your lap when the vehicle
is in use.
• Never transport items on or in the area of the front passenger
seat. Objects could move into the area of the front airbags during
braking or other sudden maneuvers and become dangerous
projectiles that can cause serious personal injury if the airbags
inflate .
• Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as
cupholders , telephone brackets, large, heavy or bulky objects) on
the doors, over or near the area marked "AIRBAG" on the steering
wheel , instrument panel , seat backrests or between those areas
and yourself . These objects could cause injury in a crash , espe-
cially when the airbags inflate . ...
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

-Airbag system ----------------
& WARNING
(continued)
• Never recline the front passenger's seat to transport objects.
Items can also move into the area of the side airbag or the front
airbag during braking or in a sudden maneuver . Objects near the
airbags can become projectiles and cause injury, particularly when
the seat is reclined .
• Never tilt the front passenger seat backrest forward when the
vehicle is moving . An inflating airbag will force the backrest back­
ward and can injure rear seat occupants .
& WARNING
The fine dust created when airbags deploy can cause breathing
problems for people with a history of asthma or other breathing
conditions.
• 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 ~
Two separate indicators monitor the function of the
Advanced Airbag System: the airbag monitoring indicator
light and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light.
The Advanced Airbag System (including the electronic control unit,
sensor circuits and system wiring) is monitored continuously to
make sure that it is functioning properly whenever the ignition is on.
Each time you turn on the ignition, the airbag monitoring indicator
light
ffl. will come on for a few seconds (self diagnostics).
The system must be inspected when the indicator light ~:
• does not come on when the ignition is switched on
• does not go out a few seconds after you have switched on the
ignition, or
• comes on while driving
If an airbag system malfunction is detected, the indicator light will
first start flashing to catch the driver's attention and then stay on
continuously to serve as a constant reminder to have the system
inspected immediately .
If a malfunction occurs that turns the front airbag on the passenger
side off, the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light will come on and stay on
whenever the ignition 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 .,._

IIIIIL..__:A:....:..:.; ir:....: b=-= a~g !....:: s:.!y :....:s:..: t:..: e:..: m:...:....:... ________________________________________________ _
• make sur e th at th ings that ma y increase th e weigh t of th e child
a nd child saf ety sea t are not b eing tran spo rted on the fr ont
passen ger seat;
• m ake su re t hat th e sa fet y belt ten sio n se ns or is not block ed.
Sha ke the safety belt latch on th e front pass enger seat bac k and
fo rth;
• If a stra p or tether is being used to t ie the chi ld safety seat to the
fr ont passe ng er se at, m ake sure th at it i s not s o tigh t th at it causes
the weig ht-sensing mat to measure more weight than is actual ly on
th e seat .
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light still does not come on and does
not stay on continuous ly (when the ignition is switched on),
• t ake the child r estr aint off the fr ont passe ng er seat a nd ins ta ll it
properly at one of the r ear seat pos it ions . Have th e airbag syst em
ins pect ed by y our au thorized Audi d ea ler im med iatel y.
• move the chi ld to a rear seat position and make sure that the
c hild is pro pe rly r estrai ned in a c hild restrai nt th at i s app rop riat e fo r
its size and age .
The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF l igh t sho uld NOT co me o n whe n the
ignition is on and an adult is sitt ing in a proper seating position on
t h e front pa ssenge r seat . If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
co me s on and stays o n or fl ash es for about 5 seco nds whi le d riving,
under these ci rcumstances, make sure that:
• the adult on the front pass enger s eat i s pro perly s eate d o n the
center of the seat cushion with his or her back up against the back ­
r e st and the backrest is not rec lined => page
222, "Prope r occup ant
seating positions",
• t he ad ult i s not t aki ng w eight off t he seat b y ho ldi ng on to the
passenger assist hand le above the front passenger door or
s up porting their w eigh t on the arm res t,
• the safety be lt is be ing proper ly worn and that there is not a lot
o f sla c k in th e sa fet y belt webbin g,
• accessory seat covers or cushions or other things that ma y cause
an incorr ect rea ding o r impressi on on the w eig ht-s en sing mat under the upho
lstery of the seat have been removed from the front
p assenge r sea t,
• a safety belt extende r has not been left in the safety belt latch for
th e fro nt passenger s eat.
I n addition to the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light in the center of the
instr ument pane l, the message
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF or
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON will briefly appear in the inst rument c luster
display . Thi s is to info rm the driver of t he cur rent front passenge r
airbag status. •
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 autho ­
rized Audi dealer.
& WARNING
If the front airbag inflates, a child without a child restraint, or in a
rearward-facing child safety 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. .,,_

Airbag system -----------------=~-
& WARNING (continued )
• Always install forward or rear-facing child safety seats on the
rear seat -even with an Advanced Airbag Sy stem.
• If you must install a rearward -facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not appear and stay on,
immediately inst all the rear -facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
authorized Audi dealer.
• A tight tether or other strap on a rearward-facing child restraint
attached to the front pas senger seat can put too much pressure
on the weight-sensing mat in the se at 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 ch ild .
• If, in exceptional circumstance s, 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 airbag 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 taking the steps
described above, make sure the adult is properly seated and
restrained at one of the rear seating positions .
• Have the airbag sy stem inspected by your authorized Audi
dealer before transporting anyone on the front passenger seat .
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
[ i ] Tips
If th e we ight-se nsing mat in t he front passenger seat detects an
e m pty seat, the front airbag on the passenger si de wil l be turned
o ff , a nd t he
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF lig ht will stay on. a
Repair, care and disposal of the airbags
Pa rts o f the airba g syste m are in sta lled a t many d ifferent places on
your Audi. Insta lling, removing, servicing or repa ir ing a part in an
ar ea of the ve hicle ca n dama ge a par t of a n airbag sys te m and
prevent that system from wor king properly in a co llision.
There are so me i mpor ta nt thi ngs you have to know to make sure
that the effectiveness of the system w ill not be impaired and that
d iscarded components do no t cause inju ry o r po llute the e nvir on­
m ent.
& WARNING
Improper care , servicing and repair pro cedures 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 attach any objects such as cupholders 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 pla in 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 ,
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

possible that an airbag will not deploy at a seating position where
the safety belt is being used but will inflate at the position where the
safety belt is not being used . It is important that nothing interfere
with the safety belt buckles so that the sensors can send the correct
information about safety belt use to the electronic control unit .
& WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspension including use of unapproved
tire -rim combinations can change Advanced Airbag performance
and increase the risk of serious personal injury in a crash.
• Never install suspension components that do not have the
same performance characteristics as the components originally
installed on your vehicle.
• Never use tire-rim combinations that have not been approved
by Audi.
& WARNING
Items stored between the safety belt buckle and the center
console can cause the sensors in the buckle to send the wrong
information to the electronic control module and prevent the
Advanced Airbag System from working properly.
• Always make sure that nothing can interfere with the safety
belt buckles and that they are not obstructed.
Undeployed airbag modu les and pretensioners might be classified
as Perchlorate Material -special handling may apply, see
www.dtsc .ca.gov/ha zardouswaste/perchlorat e. When the vehicle or
parts of the restraint system including airbag modules and safety
belts with pretensioners are scrapped, all applicable laws and regu­
lations must be observed. Your authorized Audi dealer is familiar
with these requiremen ts and we recommend that you have your
dealer perform this service for you.•
Safety first
Side airbags
Description of side airbags Airbag
system
The airbag system
can provide supplemental protection
to properly restrained occupants.
Fig . 254 Side airbag
location in the driver's
sea t
The side airbags are located in the sides of the front seat backrests
~ fig. 254 and the rear backrest * facing the doors . They are identi ­
fied by the word "AIRBAG" .
The side airbag system basically consists of:
• the electronic control module and external side i mpact sensors
• the two side airbags located in the sides of the front backrests
• two rear side airbags (as an ordered
option)
• the airbag warning light in the instrument cluster.
The airbag system is mon itored e lectronica lly to make certain that
it is functioning prop erly at all times. Each time you turn on the igni ­
tion, the airbag system indicator light will come on for a few
seconds (se lf diagnostics) .
The side airbag system supplements the safety belts and can help
to reduce the risk of injury to the driver's , front and rea r*
passenger's upper torso on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a
s ide collision . The airbag dep loys on ly in side impacts and only
when the vehicle acceleration registered by the control unit is high
~
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

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enough. If this rate is below the reference value programmed into
t he control unit, the side airbags will not be triggered, even though
the car may be badly damaged as a result of the collision . It is not
possible to define an airbag triggering range that wi ll cover every
possible angle of impact, since the circumstances will vary consid­
erably between one collision and another . Important factors
include, for example, the nature (hard or soft) of the impacting
object, the angle of impact, vehicle speed, etc.=>
page 259, "Impor ­
tant safety instructions on the side airbag system".
Aside from their normal safety function, safety belts work to help keep the driver or front passenger in position in the event of a side
collision so that 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 .
Always remember that the side airbag system can on ly help to
protect you if you are wearing your safety be lt and wearing it prop­
erly . This is another reason why you should always wear your safety
belts, not just because the law requires you to do so=>
page 231,
"General notes" .
It is important to remember that while the supplemental side airbag
system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries, other
injuries, for example, swel ling, bruising, and minor abrasions can
a lso be associated with deployed s ide airbags. Remember too, side
airbags wil l deploy only once and only in certain kinds of accidents
- your safety belts are always there to offer protection.
Vehicle damage, repair costs or even the lack of vehicle 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.
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only once and only in
certain kinds of collis ions - your safety belts are always there to
offer protection in those accidents in which airbags are not
supposed to deploy or when they have already dep loyed.
The sid e a irba g sy stem w ill not deploy :
• when 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 co llisions
• in ro llovers .
In some types of accidents the front airbags, side curtain airbags
and side airbags may be triggered together .
& WARNING
• Safety b elt s and the airb ag sy ste m will only prov id e pr ote ction
whe n occ upant s are in the prop er se ating po sit io n
=> pag e 259.
• If the airb ag indic ator light come s on w hen the v ehicl e is bei ng
u sed , h av e the syste m inspe cte d immedi ate ly by y our authoriz ed
Audi de aler . Th e ai rbag m ay not w ork properly when the vehicle
a ccel erat ion in a side collision is high e nough to ac tivate th e
a ir bag .•
Hovv supplemental side airbags vvork
Side airbags deploy instantly and can help reduce the risk of upper torso injuries for occupants who are properly
restrained.
F ig . 255 Inf late d sid e
a ir bags o n left side of
v ehi cle, rea r si de
a ir bag opti on al eq uip-
m ent .,