Page 273 of 426

Booster seats
Properly used booster seats can help protect children
weighing between about 40 lbs. and 80 lbs. (18 kg and 36
kg) who are less than
4 ft. 9 in. tall.
Fig. 260 Rear seat :
child properly
restrained in a booster
seat
The vehicle's safety belts alone will not fit most children
until they are at least 4 ft. 9 in. tall and weigh about 80 lbs.
(36 kg). Booster seats raise these children up so that the
safety belt will pass properly over the stronger parts of their
bodies and the safety belt can help protect them in a crash.
- Do not use the convertible locking retractor when using
the vehicle's safety belt to restrain a child on a booster
seat.
- Always position the shoulder portion of the safety belt
midway over the child's shoulder.
- Always make sure that the shoulder portion of the safety
belt never rests against or across the child's neck.
- Always make sure that the child can properly wear the
lap portion of the belt low across the thighs or pelvis and
never over the stomach or abdomen.
Safety first
Child Safety
Children up to about 40 lbs (18 kg) are best protected in child safety
seats designed for their age and weight. Experts say that the skel
etal structure, particularly the pelvis, of these children is not fully
developed, and they should not use the vehicle safety belts
=> page 271, fig. 260.
Children who weigh more than 40 lbs. (18 kg) may generally use the
available three point combination lap and shoulder belts when they
sit on an appropriate booster seat . Be sure the booster seat meets
all applicable safety standards.
Booster seats raise the seating position of the child and reposition
both the lap and shoulder parts of the safety belt so that they pass
across the child's body in the right places. The routing of the belt
over the child's body is very important for the child's protection.
This applies whenever a child uses the vehicle's safety belts, even
when the child is big enough to use them without a booster seat.
Children age 12 and under should
always ride in the rear seat .
Children should not ride in the front seat unless no other seating
position is available because crash statistics show that children are
better protected in the rear seat.
In a crash, airbags must inflate within a blink of an eye and with
considerable force . In order to do its job, the airbag needs room to
inflate so that it will be there to protect the occupant as the occu
pant moves forward into the airbag.
A vehicle occupant including a child who is out of position and too
close to the airbag gets in the way of an inflating airbag. When an
occupant is too close, he or she will be struck violently and will
receive serious or possibly even fatal injury.
In order for the airbag to offer protection, it is important that all
vehicle occupants, especially any children, who must be in the front
seat in exceptional circumstances, be properly restrained and as far
away from the airbag as possible. By keeping room between the
child's or other occupant's body and the front of the passenger
compartment, the airbag can inflate fully and completely and
provide supplemental protection in certain frontal crashes. _.,
Vehicle care I I irechnical data
Page 274 of 426

___ C_h _i_ld _ S_a_ f_e _t .:..y ____________________________________________ _
& WARNING
Not using a booster seat, using the booster seat improperly , incor
rectly installing a booster seat or using the vehicle safety belt
improperly increases the risk of serious personal injury and death
in a collision or other emergency situation. To help reduce the risk
of serious personal injury and /or death :
• Always make sure to position the shoulder portion of the three
point belt ove r the middle of child's shoulder .
• Never let the shoulder portion of the belt rest against or across
the nec k, face, chin , or throat of the child .
• Alway s make sure the lap belt portion of the three -point belt is
worn snug and passes as low as possible across the child's pelvis.
Never let the belt pass over the soft abdomen.
• Failure to properly route safety belts over a child's body will
c ause severe injuries in an accident or other emergency situation
=> page 231.
• Children on the front seat of any car , even with Advanced
Airbags, can be ser iously injured or even killed when an airbag
inflates . A child in a rearward -facing child safety seat in stalled on
the front passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed
if the front airbag inflates.
• Never let a ch ild stand or kneel on any seat , for example the
front seat.
• Never let a child ride in the cargo area of your vehicle .
• Always remember th at a child leaning forward , sitting side
ways or out of position in any way during an accident can be
struck by a deploying airbag . This will result in serious personal
injury or death .
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light must come on and stay on , when
ever the ignition is switched on .
& WARNING (continued)
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay
on , perform the checks descr ibed ::>
page 252, "Monitoring the
Advanced Airbag System ".
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on whenever the ignition is switched
on .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used ::>
page 231, "Safety belts",
=> page 241, "Airbag system " and ::> page 263, "Important things
to know ".•
Safety belts and older chi ldren
Prop erly worn three poin t lap a nd shoulder belt can help
prote ct chi ldren weighing more t han 8 0 lb s. (36 kg) and
w ho ore at leas t 4
ft. 9 in. tall.
F ig . 261 Child taller
than 4
ft . 9 in . properly
re strained on the rear
s e at
Chil dren wh o weig h mo re tha n abou t 80 lbs (36 kg) and are a t leas t
4 ft. 9 in. tal l can generally use the vehicle's three point lap and
shoulder bel ts . Chil dren s houl d use a lap belt only in ve ry excep
t iona l situat io ns and on ly if no chi ld restraint syste m for t he c hild's
size and weight or safer a lternative means of transportation of the ...
Page 275 of 426

Child Safety -
--------------------''---
child is available. In these exceptional situations, the use of a lap
belt is better than perm it t ing the chi ld to remain totally unre
strained . But remember: a lap be lt cannot provide the same level of
protection as a proper child restraint or a three -point lap and
shoulder belt if the child is big enough . Also, using a lap belt for
younger child ren, who should be using a chi ld restraint, may vio late
laws in your state o r Province .
Never use a lap belt a lone to res train a chi ld tha t weighs less than
abou t 80 lbs (36 kg) and who is less than 4'9? tall. A lways remember
that children do not have the pronounced pelvic structure required
for the pro per func tion of lap belts . If a lap bel t is only restrain t
system available, then the chi ld's safety absolutely requires that the
lap be lt be fas tened snugly a nd as low as possible arou nd the pe lvis
let a lap belt pass over the chi ld's stomach or abdomen .
& WARNING
Using wrong child rest raints or improperly installed child
restr aint s can cau se seriou s personal injury or death in a crash.
• Fa ilu re to properly ro ute safety belts over a child's body will
c au se severe injuries in a cra sh. The lap belt portion of the three
point belt a s well a s an y lap belt alone mu st always pas s as low a s
possible acros s the pelvi s, never over the stomach or abdomen .
• An improperly worn safet y belt will not pro vide the best protec
tion in a cra sh and may cause seriou s personal injury . Always
ma ke sure that children and other vehi cle occupants p rope rly
wear available restraint systems . C arefully follow the instructions
provided by the manufacturers of child re straints . •
Controls and equip ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
Installing a child safety seat
Securing a child safety seat using a safety
belt
Sa fety belts for the r ear seats an d the fr ont passenger con
be locked with the convertible locking retractor to prop
erly secure child safety seats .
The safety belts eme rgency locking retractors for the rear seats
safety belts and for the front passenger's seat safety belt have a
convertible locking ret ractor for child rest raints . The safety belt
must be locked so that belt webbing cannot unreel. T he ret ractor
can be activated to lock the safety be lt and prevent the safety be lt
webbi ng fro m loosen ing up dur ing norma l driving . A child sa fety
seat can on ly be properly installed when the safety belt is locked so
that the child a nd ch ild safety seat will s tay i n place .
A lways remember: Even though your vehic le is equipped with an
Advanced A irbag system, all child ren, espec ially those 12 years and
younger , should a lways ride in the back seat properly restrained for
their age and size.
& WARNING
Improperly installed child safety seat s increase the risk of serious
pe rsonal injury and death i n a collision.
• Always make sure that the safety belt retractor i s locked when
in stalling a child safety seat. An unlocked safety b elt retracto r
cannot hold the child safety seat in pla ce during normal driving or
in a cr ash.
• Always buckle the child safety seat firmly in place even if a
c hild i s not sitting in it . A loo se ch ild safety seat can fly around
durin g a sudden stop or in a collision
• Always make su re that the re ar se at ba ckrest to which the
center rear safety belt is atta ched is se curely latched wh enever
the re ar center safety belt is being u sed to se cur e a child re stra int .
9)1,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 276 of 426

___ C_h_ i_ ld _ S_ a_ f_ e_ t_y ____________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
• If the backrest is not securely latched, the child and the child
restraint will be thrown forward together with the backrest and
will strike parts of the vehicle interior . The child can be seriously
injured or killed.
• Never install rear-facing child safety seats or infant carriers on
the front passenger seat. A child will be seriously injured and can be killed when the passenger 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, door or roof.
• Always install rear-facing child safety seats or infant carriers on
the rear seat.
• Forward-facing child safety seats or infant carriers installed on
the front passenger's seat may interfere with the deployment of
the airbag and cause serious injury to the child.
• It is safer to install a forward-facing child safety seat on the rear
seat. • Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used
~ page 263. Special precau
tions apply when installing a child safety seat on the front
passenger seat
~ page 243, "Child restraints on the front seat -
some important things to know ".
L1}. WARNING
Always take special precautions if you must install a forward or
rearward -facing child restraint on the front passenger's seat in
exceptional situations:
• Whenever a forward or rearward -facing child restraint is
installed on the front passenger seat, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF light must come on and stay on whenever the ignition is
switched on .
& WARNING (continued)
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay
on, perform the checks described
~ page 252, "Monitoring the
Advanced Airbag System" .
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on whenever the ignition is switched
on .
• Improper installation of child restraints can reduce their effec
tiveness or even prevent them from providing any protection.
• An improperly installed child restraint can interfere with the
airbag as it deploys and seriously injure or even kill the child.
• Always carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions
provided with the child safety seat or carrier.
• Never place additional items on the seat that can increase the
total weight registered by the weight-sensing mat and can cause injury in a crash.
L1}. WARNING
Forward-facing child restraints:
• Always make sure the forward -facing seat has been designed
and certified by its manufacturer for use on a front seat with a
passenger front and side airbag.
• Never put the forward-facing child restraint up , against or very
near the instrument panel .
• Always move the passenger seat into its rearmost position in
the seat's fore and aft adjustment range, as far away from the airbag as possible before installing the forward-facing child
restraint . 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 . _.
Page 277 of 426

Child Safety -
--------------------''---
& WARNING
Rearward-facing child restraints:
• 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 be especially careful if you must install a rearward
facing child safety seat on the front passenger seat in exceptional
circumstances.
• A tight tether strap on a rearward-facing child restraint
attached to the front passenger seat can put too much pressure
on the weight-mat in the seat and register a heavier weight in the
Advanced Airbag System. 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.
• Make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on
and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is switched on.
• If 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. •
Activating the convertible locking retractor
Use the convertible locking retractor to secure a child
restraint.
Always heed the child safety seat manufacturer's instruc
tions when installing a child restraint in your vehicle. To
activate the convertible locking retractor:
Controls and equip ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
-Place the child restraint on a seat, preferably on the rear
seat.
- Slowly pull the belt
all the way out.
- Route it around or through the child restraint belt path
~& -
- Push the child safety seat down with your full weight to
get the safety belt really tight .
- Insert the belt tongue into the buckle for that seating
position.
- Guide the safety belt back into the retractor until the belt
lies flat and snug on the child safety seat.
- You should hear a "clicking" noise as the belt winds back
into the inertia reel. Test the convertible locking retractor
by pulling on the belt. You should no longer be able to
pull the belt out of the retractor. The convertible locking
retractor is now activated.
- Make sure that the red release button is facing away from
the child restraint so that it can be unbuckled quickly.
- Pull on the belt to make sure the safety belt is proper ly
tight and fastened so that the seat cannot move forward
or sideways more than one inch (2.5 cm).
& WARNING
Using the wrong child restraint or an improperly installed child
restraint can cause serious personal injury or death in a crash.
• Always make sure that the safety belt retractor is locked when
installing a child safety seat. An unlocked safety belt retractor
cannot hold the child safety seat in place during normal driving or
in a crash. ..
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 278 of 426

-L~C~h~ i~ ld ~ S~ a~ f~ e~ t:1Y :._ ___________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
• Always buckle the child safety seat firmly in place even if a
child is not sitting in it. A loose child safety seat can fly around
during a sudden stop or in a crash .
• Always make sure the seat backrest to which the child restraint
is installed is in an upright position and securely latched into place
and cannot fold forward. Otherwise, the seat back with the child
safety seat attached to it could fly forward in the event of an acci
dent or other emergency situation.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used
=> page 263. Special precau
tions apply when installing a child safety seat on the front
passenger seat
=> page 243, "Child restraints on the front seat -
some important things to know" .•
Deactivating the convertible locking retractor
The convertible locking retractor for child restraints will
be deactivated automatically when the belt is wound all the way back into the retractor.
-Press the red button on the safety belt buckle. The belt
tongue will pop out of the buckle.
- Guide the belt all the way back into its stowed position.
Always let the safety belt retract completely into its stowed position.
The safety belt can now be used as an ordinary safety belt without
the convertible locking retractor for child restraints.
If the convertible locking retractor should be activated inadvert
ently, the safety belt must be unfastened and guided completely
back into its stowed position to deactivate this feature. If the
convertible locking retractor is not deactivated, the safety belt will
gradually become tighter and uncomfortable to wear.
& WARNING
Improperly installed child safety seats increase the risk of serious
personal injury and death in a collision.
• Never unfasten the safety belt to deactivate the convertible
locking retractor for child restraints while the vehicle is moving.
You would not be restrained and could be seriously injured in an
accident.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used
=> page 263. Special precau
tions apply when installing a child safety seat on the front
passenger seat
=> page 243 , "Child restraints on the front seat -
some important things to know" .•
Additional Information
What types of child restraint anchors are
available and how are they related to child
safety?
For years, child restraints have been installed using the safety belts
already present in every vehicle.
Since September 1, 1999, child restraint manufacturers have been
providing tether straps that attach the top of the child restraint to
the vehicles structure, on most of their forward-facing systems in order to comply with U .S . Federal regulations for child restraint
performance in a crash. Vehicle manufacturers are required to
phase -in tether anchorages for attachment of the tether strap in
their U.S. vehicles beginning September 1, 1999.
The combination of the tether anchorages and the lower anchor
ages is now generally called the
LATCH system for "Lower Anchor
and Tether for Children".
~
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Child Safety -
--------------------''---
(The term "ISOFIX" regarding lower anchorages had been used by
Audi and other manufacturers in the past, but LATCH is now the
standard name for the new child restraint anchorage system.)
Some child restraint system manufacturers have been providing
tether straps on certain models of their child restraint systems, either as standard equipment or as a retrofit, for several years .
Check with the manufacturer of the child restraint system for tether
strap availability .
To provide a simpler and more practicable way to attach the child
restraint system on the vehicle seat, U.S. Federal regulations require
the phase -in of lower anchorages in vehicles and devices on new
child restraint systems to attach to the vehicle anchorages.
Child restraint system manufacturers will probably offer two kinds
of lower anchorages on their child safety seats
They could come with:
• hooks or other latches attached to adjustable straps or
• rigid latches on bars that extend out the back of the child
restraint and are released with release buttons at the bottom of the
child restraint.
In addition to the LATCH lower anchorages, both of these child
restraint systems use tether straps to help keep the child restraint
system firmly in place .•
Where can I get additional information about
child restraint application and usage?
There are a number of sources of additional information about child
restraint selection, installation and usage :
NHTSA advises that the best child safety seat is the one that fits
your child and fits in your vehicle, and that you will use correctly and
consistently.
Try before you buy!
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Tel.: (888) DASH -2 -DOT
www.nhtsa .dot .gov
National SAFE KIDS Campaign
Tel.: (202) 662 -0600
www.safekids.org
Safety BeltSafe U.S.A
Tel.: (800) 745-SAFE (English)
Tel.: (800) 747 -SANO (Spanish)
www.carseat .org
Transport Canada
Tel.: (800) 333-0371
www.tc.gc.ca
Audi Client Relations
Tel.: (800) 822-2834 •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
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___ C_h_ i_ld _ S_ a_ f_ e_ t-= y'------------------------------------------------
Lower anchorages and tether for
children (LATCH)
Location
LATCH is the acronym for Lower Anchor and Tethers for
Children and designates a special child safety seat
restraint system. In Canada, the terms "top tether" with
"lower universal anchorages" (or "lower universal
anchorage bars") are used to describe the system.
Fig . 262 Schematic
overview: LATCH
anchorage point loca-
tions
The illustration => fig. 262 shows the seating locations in your
vehicle which are equipped with the lower universal anchorages
system.
Description
The lower anchorage positions are marked for quick
locating.
Fig. 263 Second row
of seats: lower
anchorage bracket
locations
Fig. 264 Third row of
seats: locator buttons
for lower anchorages
Attachment locator markers for lower anchorages
The lower anchorage locations in the second row of seats are indi
cated by the attachment locator markers of the lower anchorage
brackets => fig. 263. Circular locator buttons on the third row of
seats* indicate the lower anchorage locations on the third row of
seats
=> fig . 264. ~