2009 AUDI S3 steering wheel

-Airbag system ----------------
& W
ARN ING (continued )
• Airbag work most effectively when used with properly worn
safety belt s.
• Therefore , always wear your safety belts and make sure that
everybody in your vehicle is properly restra ined .
& WARNING
A person on the front passenger seat , espe cially infants and small
c hildren, 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 unde r these spe cial conditions is
impossible in all conce ivable 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 Standa rd if a child that
is heavier than the typical one -year old child is on the front
pas senger seat and the other cond itions 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 , espec ially 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
c ompl ia n ce wi th Un it ed Sta tes Federa l Motor Vehicle Safet y Sta n­
dard 208 as appl icab le at the time your vehicle was manufactured. T
he front Advanced Airbag System supplements the safety belts to
p rovide addit ional protecti on for the d river's a nd fro nt passenger's
heads and upper bodies in fronta l crashes . The ai rbags inflate only
in fron tal impac ts w hen the vehic le dece le ra tion is high en ough .
Th e fro nt Advanced A irbag System for t he fro nt seat occupa nts is
not a substitute for your safety belts . Rather, it is pa rt of the overall
occu pan t restra int system in your v ehicle. A lways remembe r that
the airbag system can only help to protect you, if you are sitting
uprigh t, weari ng you r sa fe ty bel t an d wea ring it proper ly . T hi s is w hy
you and your passengers must always be proper ly restrained, not
jus t beca use t he law requi res y ou t o be .
T he Advanced A irbag Syste m in your ve hicle has been cert ified to
meet the " lo w risk" requ irements fo r 3 an d 6 year -o ld chi ldren on the
passen ger side and ve ry small a dults on t he dr iver s ide. The low r isk
deployment criteria are intended to he lp reduce the risk of injury
th ro ugh in te ract io n with the front a irbag t hat ca n occur, fo r
example, by being too close to the steering wheel and instrument
p anel whe n the a irbag inflates.
I n addition, the syst em has been cert ified to comply with the
"su ppression" req uirem en ts of the Safe ty Standa rd, to turn off th e
fron t airbag for in fants 1 2 months o ld a nd youn ger who are
restrained on the front passenger seat in child restraints that are
li s ted in th e Stan dard=>
page 171 .
"Suppress ion" requires the front airbag on the passenger side to be
t urne d off if:
• a child up to about one year of a ge is restra in ed on the front
passenger seat in one of the rear -facing or forward -facing infant
re stra ints l is ted in Fed era l Motor V ehicle Safety Standard 208 w ith
whic h the Advanced Airbag System in your vehic le was ce rtified. For
a lis ting o f the child res traint s th at we re us ed to cer tify y our
vehic le 's compliance with the US Safety Standard =>
page 171,
• weight less t han a thr esho ld leve l sto red in th e contro l un it is
detected on the front passenger seat.
When a pers on is dete ct ed on th e fro nt pas senge r seat, weighi ng
more than the total weight of a ch ild that is about 1 year old ._

___ A_ ir_ b_ a-g _ s_y _ s_ t_ e_ m _________________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
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
If, in exceptional circumstances, you must install a forward-facing
child restraint on the front passenger's seat:
• 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. •
Advanced Airbag System components
The front passenger seat in your vehicle has a lot of very important
parts of the Advanced Airbag System in it. These parts include the
weight-sensing mat, sensors, wiring, brackets, and more. The func­
tion of the system in the front passenger seat is checked by the elec ­
tronic control unit when the ignition is on. The control unit monitors
the Advanced Airbag System and turns the airbag indicator light on
when a malfunction in the system components is detected. The
function of the airbag indicator light is described in greater detail
below. Because the front passenger seat contains important parts
of the Advanced Airbag System, you must take care to prevent it from being damaged.
Damage to the seat may prevent the
Advanced Airbag for the front passenger seat from doing its job in
a crash .
The front Advanced Airbag System consists of the
following: • Crash sensors in the front of the vehicle that measure vehicle
acceleration/deceleration to provide information to the Advanced
Airbag System about the severity of the crash.
• An electronic control unit, with integrated crash sensors for front
and side impacts. The control unit "decides" whether to fire the
front airbags based on the informa tion received from the crash
sensors. The control unit also "decides" whether the safety belt
pretensioners should be activated.
• An Advanced Airbag with gas generator for the driver inside the
steering wheel hub .
• An Advanced Airbag with gas generator inside the instrument
panel for the front passenger.
• A weight-sensing mat under the upholstery padding of the front
passenger seat cushion that measures the total weight on the seat.
The information registered is sent continuously to the electronic
control unit to regulate deployment of the front Advanced Airbag on
the passenger side.
• An airbag monitoring system and indicator light in the instru ­
ment cluster => page 158.
• Th e PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on in the
center of the instrument panel=> page 159, fig. 146 and tells you
when the front Advanced Airbag on the passenger side has been
turned off.
• A sensor below the safety belt latch for the front seat passenger
to measure the tension on the safety belt . The tension on the safety
belt and the weight registered by the weight -sensing mat help the
control unit "decide" whether the front airbag for the front
passenger seat should be turned off or not=> page 149, "Child
restraints on the front seat -some important things to know". .,_

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,
• in r ear- e nd collisions ,
• in ro llovers,
• when the cras h de celer ation me asured b y th e a ir bag sy stem i s
l ess 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 pa ssen ger s eat i s not o cc up ied,
• wh en the weig ht on th e front pass enger seat as se nsed by t he
Advan ced A irb ag System indi cate s that the fr ont air b ag on the
p as se n ge r sid e 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 sta y s 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
149 .
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 cup
holders, 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

__________________________________________________ A_ i_ r _b _a...; g::- s_ y=--- s_t _e _m __ lflll
& W ARNING (continued )
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
authorized Audi dealer.
• A tight tether or other str ap on a rearward-fac ing child restr aint
attached to the front pas senger seat can put too much pressure
on the weight-sensing mat in the seat and reg ister more weight
than i s 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
s erious or even fatal injury to the child .
• If, in exceptional circumstances , you mu st in stall a forward ­
fac ing child restra int on the front passenger seat , always move the
seat into its rearmost position in the seat's fore and aft ad just ­
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 stay s 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 system inspected by your authorized Audi
dealer before transporting anyone on the front passenger seat .
[ i ] Tips
If the weight -sensing mat in the front passenger seat detects an
e mp ty seat, the fro nt air b ag on the pa ssenge r sid e will be t urned
off, and the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF l ight will stay on .
a
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
Repair, care and disposal of the airbags
Parts of the airbag system are insta lled at many different places on
your Au di. In stal lin g, re moving, ser vic in g or re pair in g a part in an
area of the vehicle can damage a part of an a irbag system and
pre ven t that system from wo rki ng p rope rly in a co llision .
There are some important things you have to know to make sure
that the effectiveness of the system will not be impai red an d that
d iscarded co mponents do not cause inju ry or po llute t he e nv iron ­
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 attach any obje cts 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 moi stened with plain water . Solvents or cleaners
c ould 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 ,
c ellular 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 .
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

actual vehicle behavior. If the two do not match, for example when
th e vehicle begins to skid, ESP brakes the appropriate wheel auto­
matical ly .
The vehicle is stabilized again by the forces acting on the wheel
during braking. With an oversteering vehicle (tendency for the rear
end to skid out of the curve), the brake application is mainly at the
front wheel on the outside of the curve, with an
understeering
vehicle (tendency to run wide in the curve) at the rear wheel on the
inside of the curve or additionally at the other wheels as needed.
This brake application is accompanied by noises.
ESP works in conjunction with ABS=>
page 194. If there is malfunc ­
tion in the ABS, ESP is also inoperative.
Activating
The ESP is automatica lly activated when the engine is started, and
it performs a self-test. As soon as the test is completed, the system
is in normal operating mode. With ASR deactivated, or with ESP/ASR
deactivated, pressing the button=>
page 190, fig. 163 returns the
system to normal operation.
Deactivating
ESP should normally be activated at all times because this ensures
optimum vehicle stability. Only in certain exceptional cases it does
make sense to deactivate Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) or the Elec­
tronic Stability Program (ESP) by pressing the button =>
page 190,
fig. 163. Both deactivation stages can only be activated from normal
mode .
Deactivating ASR
Tap the switch . Deactivation is indicated by slow flashing of the ESP
lamp in the instrument cluster. In certain situations (e .g. driving
with snow chains, in deep snow or on loose ground, or when
rocking the car free), it may be necessary to deactivate ASR.
Deactivating ESP/ASR
Press the button for more than 3 seconds. Deactivation is indicated
by the ESP lamp in the ins trument cluster staying on permanently .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
This
deactivates the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) in addition to
ASR. No Elec tronic Stability System operation and no Anti -Slip
Regulation is available across the entire speed range; ASR and ESP
are activated only when the brakes are used for the duration of the
braking action and remain active until a stable vehicle condition has
been reached. There is no driving situation which requires ESP to be
deactivated, so this should only be done if the driver's skill and the
traffic situation permit.
& WARNING
• The limits of physics cannot be suspended by ESP. Even in vehi­
cles with ESP. you should always adapt your driving to road and
traffic conditions. This is particularly true on a slippery and wet
road . Do not be tempted by the increased safety provided to take
risks -danger of an accident!
• Please note that when ASR or ESP /ASR is deactivated , the drive
wheels can spin on icy and slippery roads and the vehicle can
break away -danger of skidding!
[ i ] Tips
In the event of a defect in Audi magnetic ride, it can happen that
ASR and ASR/ESP cannot be deactivated, or they are activated auto ­
matically in the deactivated state.
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
The electronic differential lock monitors the rotational
speed of the drive wheels.
General notes
The electronic differential lock (EDU helps the car to start moving,
accelerate and c limb a gradient on surfaces providing poor or
a lmost no grip . Without EDL , this would be difficult, if not impos ­
sib le.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

How the ABS system works
An aut omatic check is made whe n a speed of ab out 4 mph (6 km/h)
is reached. When this happens, a pumping noise can be heard.
I f an individua l wheel begins to rotate too slowly in relation to
ve hicle speed and ten ds to lock, the A BS automatical ly reduces
brake pressure to prevent that wheel from locking.
T his auto matic adjust ment p rocess wil l cause a
slight vibration o f
the brake peda l and some noises to alert you that veh ic le speed
must be ada pted to e xisting roa d and traff ic c onditions.
& WARNING
Although the ABS is very effective , always remember that braking
c apability is limited by tire tra ction . Always adjust your driving
speed according to the road and traffic conditions. Do not let the
extra safety afforded by the ABS tempt you into taking e xtra risks .
The ABS cannot overcome the laws of physics.
[ i ) Tips
• I f ABS is not functioning properly, a warning light wil l come on.
See
=> page 16.
• I f a fau lt occurs in the ABS, the E DL is als o not fu ncti onin g. This
is indicated by the ABS warning light. •
Brake assistant
The brake a ssi st ant is de sig ned to a chieve th e opti mum
b ra kin g eff ec t.
The brake assistant helps to increase the effective braking power
and thus to ac hieve a s horte r stop ping dis tance. If the drive r
presses the brake pedal very quick ly, the brake assistant automati ­
ca lly b oosts the braki ng force to the maximu m level, up to th e point
where the anti -loc k brake function (A BS) intervenes to stop the
whee ls from loc king. You should then keep the brake pedal pressed
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
until
the vehicle has braked to the required speed . The brake assis ­
t an t swi tc h es itse lf o ff as s oon as you r eleas e the b rake pe dal.
The brake assistant wi ll not be operative if there is a malfunction in
the ABS .
& WARNING
Please remember that the accident risk always increases if you
drive too fast , espe cially in corners or on a slippery road , or if you
follow the vehicle ahead of you too closely . An increased accident
risk cannot be compensated even by the brake assistant , so
always maintain a safe speed. •
ciectro-mechanical power assist
Th e e le ctr o-me ch anic al pow er assis t helps the driv e r
w hen steerin g.
The degree of powe r ass ist is electronically matched to veh icle
speed .
The power steering system assists the driver so that he can steer the
ve hicle with re d uced p hysi ca l eff ort.
Power steering w ill not work if the eng ine is off . As a result, the
stee ring whee l wi ll be ha rd to turn .
& WARNING
If the system develops a problem , you must seek qualified profe s­
sional assistance .
0 Note
If there is an electronic ma lfunction, servotronic will still function
like a conventi onal power s teer ing sy stem , pr ovi din g a constant
steerin g support force that is no longer proportionate to the vehicle
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

__ _:_:ln..:..t::.: e::.: l~ li :.;:g t:e::..: n..:.. t:...::. te::::..:: c~h :.:.n .:..: o:::.: l:.: o :.;g~ yL- ________________________________________ _
speed. This is most noticeable when turning the steering wheel at
low speeds (for example when parking), -more effort will be
required than usual.
• Be aware of the different than usual steering response and
adjust your steering force accordingly.
• Have the problem checked and set right by an authorized Audi
dealer as soon as possible.
• If a steering malfunction occurs, this is signaled with the or.
@ indicator lights and a warning tone, see.
[ i) Tips
• If the power steering system should fail, or if the engine is not
running (for example, while being towed), you will still be able to
steer the vehicle. However, more effort will be required to do so.
• If the power steering system is not functioning properly, contact
your authorized Audi dealer immediately.
Applies to vehicles: with All Wheel Drive
Driving with your quattro®
With All Wheel Drive, all four wheels are driven.
General information
With All Wheel Drive, power is distributed to all four wheels. This
happens automatically depending on your driving style and the
road conditions at the time. See also::::,
page 191, "Electronic differ­
ential lock (EDU".
Winter tires
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with All Wheel Drive has an
advantage, even with regular tires. In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all -season tires) for improved
driveability and braking: these tires must be mounted on
all four
wheels.
See also ::::, page 260, "Winter ti res".
Snow chains
Where snow chains are mandatory on certain roads, this normally
also applies to vehicles with all-wheel drive:::::,
page 261, "Snow
chains".
Replacing wheels/tires
Vehicles with All Wheel Drive must always have tires of the same
size. Also avoid tires with different tread depths. For details see
page ::::,
page 255, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels".
Off-Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough ground clearance to be used as an
off-road vehicle. It is therefore best to avoid rough tracks and
uneven terrain as much as possible. Also refer to::::,
page 199.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traffic conditions. Do not
let the extra safety afforded by the all-wheel drive tempt you into
taking extra risks.
• Although the quattro ®all-wheel drive is very effective, always
remember that braking capacity is limited by tire traction. You
should therefore not drive at excessive speeds on icy or slippery
road surfaces.
• On wet road surfaces, be careful not to drive too fast because
the front wheels could begin to slide on top of the water (hydro­ planing). If this should occur, you will have no warning from a
sudden increase in engine speed as with a front-wheel drive
vehicle. Always drive at speeds which are adjusted to the road
conditions -risk of crash!
n

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
crashes and serious personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
low speed.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to
the extent that these items are available as factory-installed equip­
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio means the ratio of the height to the width of the tire in percent.
Numb ers of 55 or lower indicate a low sidewall for improved
steering response and better overall handling on dry pavement.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is made of steel wires, wrapped or reinforced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation means a breakdown of the bond between components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the tire.
& WARNING (continued)
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history." Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
• If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driving, always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage . •
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
for a tire of a designated size that has not been driven for more than
a couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in the three hour period
before the tire pressure is measured or adjusted .
Curb weight means the weight of a motor vehicle with standard equipment
including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi­
tioning and additional weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher infla ­
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire . Extra load tires
my be identified as "XL",
"xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the side ­
wall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capacity of a single axle system, measured
at the tire -ground interfaces .
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR"l
means the maximum total loaded weight of the vehicle.