2009 AUDI Q7 ESP

& WARNING !continued)
• 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 -
even with an Advanced Airbag System.
• 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. •
Front airbags
Description of front airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental protection
to properly restrained front seat occupants.
Safety first
Fig . 250 Location of
driver airbag: in
steering wheel
(
J
Airbag system
Fig. 251 Location of
front passenger's
airbag: in the instru­
ment panel
Your vehicle is equipped with an "Advanced Airbag System" in
compliance with United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan­
dard (FMVSS) 208 as applicable at the time your vehicle was manu­
factured. The safety belts for the seats have "pretensioners" that
help to take slack out of the belt system . The pretensioners are also
activated by the electronic control unit for the airbag system .
The front safety belts also have load limiters to help reduce the
forces applied to the body in a crash.
The airbag for the driver is in the steering wheel hub~ fig. 250 and
the airbag for the front passenger is in the instrument panel
~ fig. 251. The general location of the airbags is marked "AIRBAG".
There is a lot you need to know about the airbags in your vehicle. We
urg e you to read the detailed information about airbags, safety belts
and child safety in this and the other chapters that make up the
owner's literature. Please be sure to heed the WARNINGS -they are
extremely important for your safety and the safety of your passen­
gers, especially infants and small children.
& WARNING
Never rely on airbags alone for protection .
• Even when they deploy, airbags provide only supplemental
protection.
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

___ A_ ir_ b_ a-g _ s_y _ s_ t_ e_ m _________________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
• Airbag work most effectively when used with properly worn
safety belts .
• Therefore, always wear your safety belts and make sure that
everybody in your vehicle is properly restrained .
& WARNING
A person on the front passenger seat, especially infants and small
children, will receive serious injuries and can even be killed by
being too close to the airbag when it inflates .
• Although the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle is
designed to turn off the front passenger airbag if an infant or a
small child is on the front passenger seat, nobody can absolutely
guarantee that deployment under these special conditions is
impossible in all conceivable situations that may happen during
the useful life of your vehicle.
• The Advanced Airbag System can deploy in accordance with
the "low risk" option under the U.S. Federal Standard if a child that
is heavier than the typical one-year old child is on the front
passenger seat and the other conditions for airbag deployment
are met.
• Accident statistics have shown that children are generally safer
in the rear seat area than in the front seating position.
• For their own safety, all children, especially 12 years and
younger, should always ride in the back properly restrained for
their age and size . •
Advanced front airbag system
Your vehicle is equipped with a front Advanced Airbag System in
compliance with United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan ­
dard 208 as applicable at the time your vehicle was manufactured. The
front Advanced Airbag System supplements the safety belts to
provide additional protection for the driver's and front passenger's
heads and upper bodies in frontal crashes . The airbags inflate only
in frontal impacts when the vehicle deceleration is high enough.
The front Advanced Airbag System for the front seat occupants is
not a substitute for your safety belts . Rather, it is part of the overall
occupant restraint system in your vehicle. Always remember that
the airbag system can only help to protect you, if you are sitting
upright, wearing your safety belt and wearing it properly. This is why
you and your passengers must always be properly restrained, not
just because the law requires you to be.
The Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle has been certified to
meet the "low risk" requirements for 3 and 6 year -old children on the
passenger side and very small adults on the driver side. The low risk
deployment criteria are intended to help reduce the risk of injury
through interaction with the front 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 12 months old and younger who are
restrained on the front passenger seat in child restraints that are
listed in the Standard=>
page 265, "Child restraints and Advanced
Airbags" .
"Suppression" requires the front airbag on the passenger side to be
turned off if:
• a child up to about one year of age is restrained on the front
passenger seat in one of the rear-facing or forward-facing infant
restraints listed in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 with
which the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle was certified. For
a listing of the child restraints that were used to certify your
vehicle's compliance with the US Safety Standard=>
page 265,
• weight less than a threshold level stored in the control unit is
detected on the front passenger seat. .,

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. .,,_

-L~A:::..:,: ir:....: b:!..::: a~g L.:: s:1y :...:s::..: t~ e:.: m:...:...:.. ________________________________________________ _
& WARN ING (continued )
cellular telephones and CB radios , et c.) must be performed by a
qualified technician who has the training and spec ial equipment
ne cessary .
• For any work on the airbag system , we strongly recommend
that you see your author ized Audi dealer or qual ified workshop .
• Never modify the front bumper or parts of the vehicle body.
• Always make sure that the side airbag can inflate without inter ­
ference :
- Never install seat covers or replacement upholstery over the
front seatba cks that have not been spe cific ally approved by
Audi.
- Never use additional seat cushions that cover the areas
where the side airbags inflate.
- 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 .
• The airbag system can be activated only once. Afte r an airbag
has inflated , it must be replaced by an authorized Audi dealer or
qualified technician who has the te chnical information , training
and spe cial equipment necessary.
• The airbag sy stem can be deployed only once. After an airbag
has been deployed , it must be repla ced with new repla cement
parts designed and approved especially for your Audi model
version . Replacement of complete airbag systems or airbag
components must be performed by qualified workshops only .
Make sure that any airbag service action is entered in your Audi
Warranty
& Maintenan ce booklet under AIRBAG REPLACEMENT
RECORD .
• For safety reasons in severe accidents , the alternator and
starter are separated from the vehicle battery with a pyrotechni c
c ircuit interrupter.
- Work on the pyrotechni c circuit interrupter must only be
performed by a qualified dealer -risk of an accident!
& WAR NING (continued )
-If the vehicle or the circuit interrupter is s crapped , all appli­
cable safety precautions must be followed.
ffi For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and pretensioners might be c lassified
as Pe rchlorate Material -special handling may apply, see
www .dtsc.ca .gov/hazardouswaste/perc hlo ra te . When t he veh icle or
parts of the restraint system inc luding airbag mod ules and safety
be lts wi th pre tensio ners are sc rapp ed, all ap plicab le laws a nd regu ­
l ations must be observed . Your authorized Audi dealer is fam iliar
wit h these requir ements an d we re co mmen d t hat yo u have your
dea ler perform this service for you. •
Other things that can affect Advanced Airbag
performance
Changing the veh ic le 's su spension system can change the way that
th e Advanced Air bag Syste m performs in a c rash. Fo r example,
using tire-rim combinations not approved by Audi, lowering the
v eh ic le, c hang ing the stif fness of th e suspe nsio n, in cl ud in g the
springs, suspension struts, shoc k absorbers etc . can change the
fo rces that a re m eas ure d b y the air bag senso rs and se nt to the elec ­
tronic control unit. Some suspension changes can, for example,
increa se the fo rce level s measured by the sen so rs and ma ke the
a irbag syste m dep loy in crash es in which it wou ld not dep loy if the
changes ha d not been made . Othe r kinds of change s may red uce
t he fo rce lev els measu red by the se nso rs a nd preve nt the airba g
from deploying when it should.
T he sens ors i n th e safe ty bel t buc kle for th e driver a nd fr ont
passenger seat tell the electronic control modu le if the safety belt is
l a tc h ed or not. I f th e safe ty belt is being used, the fron t airbag wi ll
deploy at a slight ly h igher rate of vehic le dece leration than if the
sa fe ty be lt is n ot b ein g use d. Therefore, i n a partic ular c ollisi on, it i s -.,

__________________________________________________ A_ i_ r _b _a...; g::- s_ y=--- s_t _e _m __ lJ!III
When the system is triggered , the airbag is f ill ed with propel lant gas
and br eaks t hroug h 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 frac tion of a second at very high
speed and w ith great force . The supplemental side airbag could
injure you i f your seating position is not proper or upright or i f items
are located in the area where the supplemental side airbag expands .
This app lies especia lly to children ~ page 263 , "Child Safety".
Suppl em ental sid e airbags inflate betw een the occupant and the
door panel on the s ide of the veh ic le that is struck in certain side
collision
~ page 258, fig. 255 .
A lthough they are not a soft pi llow, they can "cus hion" 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 m ean 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 lo t t ha t you and you r passengers mus t know a nd act
according ly to he lp th e sa fety belts and airbags do th eir job to
prov ide supp lemental pro tec tion .
& WARNING
An inflating side airbag can cause seriou s or fatal injury. Improp ­
erly wearing safety belts and improper seating posit ions increa se
the ri sk of serious personal injury and death whenever a vehicle is
being u sed .
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WAR N ING (continued )
• In order to redu ce the risk of injury when the supplement al s ide
airbag infl ates :
- Alway s sit in an upright position and never lean against the
a rea where the supplement al s ide airbag is lo cated .
- Never let a child or anyone else rest their head against the
side t rim panel i n the area where the supplemental side airb ag
inflates.
- Always make sure that safety belts are worn corre ctly ,
- Do not let anyone sitting in the front seat put their hand or
any other parts of their bod y out of the window.
• Alway s make sure that the side airbag can inflate without inter ­
ference .
- Ne ver in stall se at cover s or repla cement upholste ry o ver the
front seat back s that have not been specifically approved by
Audi .
- Never use additional seat cushion s that cover the areas
where the side airbag s deploy .
- Dama ge to the original seat covers or to the seam in the a rea
of the side airb ag module must always be repaired immedi ­
ately by an authori zed Audi dealer .
• Obje cts bet ween you and the airbag can in crease the ri sk of
injury in an accident by interfering wi th the way the a irbag unfolds
or by be ing pu shed int o yo u as the airb ag inflat es.
- Never place or atta ch acce ssorie s or other object s (such as
c up holders , telephone bra ckets , or even lar ge, bul ky obje cts )
on the doors , over or near the area marked "AIRBAG" on the
se at backre sts .
- Su ch ob ject s and acces sories can be come dangerou s projec ­
tile s and cau se injury when the supplemental side airbag
deploys. _.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

lffl) __ A_ ir_ b_ a-g _ s_y _s_ t_ e_ m _________________________________________________ _
When the system is triggered, the side curtain airbag is filled with
p ropel lan t gas and b rea ks th roug h a sea m above the fron t and rear
side windows identified by the A IR BAG labe l. In order to help
provide th is additi ona l protec tion, the side curtain ai rbag must
inflate within the b link of an eye at very high speed and with great
force . The side cu rtain ai rbag could inju re you if yo ur seating posi ­
t ion is not p roper or upright or if items are located i n the a rea w here
the supplementa l side curtain airbag inflates . This applies espe ­
cia lly to child re n :::::,
page 263.
Although they are not a soft pi llow, side curtain airbags can
"cus hion" the im pac t and in this way they can hel p 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 q uite
n orma l and does no t mean t he re is a fi re i n th e ve hicle .•
Important safety instructions on the side
curtain airbag system
A irb ags are only suppl emen ta l res tr a int s. A lways prop ­
erl y wear safety b elts and ride in a proper s ea ti ng posi ­
t io n.
T here is a lot that you and your passengers must know and do to
he lp th e sa fety belts and ai rbags do their j ob to prov ide su pple­
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
& WARNING (continued)
expansion range of a side curtain a irbag can dangerously interfere
with its function. A deploying head airbag develops enough force
to catapult any p iece of add-on component out of its path of infla­
tion and into the passenger compartment. An occupant hit by such a projectile can suffer serious inju ry or death
=> page 404 ,
"Technical Modifications" .
• Do not sw ivel the sun visors to the s ide if you have any objects
clipped onto them (for example pensl.
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 u se hangers to hang clothing from the hooks.
• Only use fa ctory-installed sun shades or , in the case of shades
installed after the vehicle leaves the factory , only Audi roll -up
suns creens m ay be used => page 403 , "Additional a ccessories and
parts replacement ".
• Always sit in proper seating position and wear safety belts
while traveling so that the side curtain airbags can help provide protect ion .
• The airbag system can only be triggered once.
If the airbag has
been triggered, the system must be replaced by an author ized
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 an authorized Audi dealer or qu alified wor k­
shop . Otherwise the airbag sy stem may not work correctly.
• Never attempt to modify any components of the airbag system
in anyway. •