2009 AUDI S3 airbag

& 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 modules and pretensioners might be classified
as Perchlorate Material -special handling may apply, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. 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 requirements 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 . 147 Side airbag
location in the driver 's
seat
The side airbags are located in the sides of the front seat backrests
~ fig . 147 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 impact 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 monitored electronically to make certain that
it is functioning properly at all times. Each time you turn on the igni ­
tion, the airbag system indicator light will come on for a few
seconds (self diagnostics) .
The side airbag system supplements the safety belts and can help
to reduce the risk of injury to the driver's , front and rear*
passenger's upper torso on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a
side collision . The airbag deploys only 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 165, "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 137,
"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 airbag sy stem will only prov id e prot ection
whe n occ upant s are in the prop er se ating posit io n=>
page 1 65 .
• 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 . 14 8 Inf late d sid e
a ir bags o n left side of
v ehi cle, rea r sid e
a ir bag opti on al eq uip-
m ent .,

__________________________________________________ A_ i_ r _b _a...; g::- s_ y=--- s_t _e _m __ lffllll
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 169 , "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
~ fig . 148.
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 m ake 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 holder s, telephone b rac ket s, or e ven l arge , bulky ob je 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

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& WARNING (continued)
-Never carry any objects or pets in the deployment space
between them and the airbags or allow children or other
passengers to travel in this position .
• Always use the built-in coat hooks only for lightweight
clothing. Never leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the
pockets that may interfere with side airbag deployment and can
cause personal injury in an accident .
• Always prevent the side airbags from being damaged by heavy
objects knocking against or hitting the sides of the seatbacks.
• The airbag system can only be triggered once . If the airbag has
been triggered, the system must be replaced by an authorized
Audi dealership .
• Damage (cracks, deep scratches etc.) to the original seat covers
or to the seam in the area of the side airbag module must always
be repaired immediately by an authorized Audi dealer.
• If chi ldren are seated improperly, their risk of injury increases
in the case of an accident:::::,
page 169, "Child Safety".
• Never attempt to modify any components of the airbag system
in any way.
• In a side collision , side airbags will not function properly if
sensors cannot correctly measure increasing air pressure inside
the doors when air escapes through larger, unclosed openings in
the door panel.
-Never drive with interior door trim panels removed.
- Never drive when parts have been removed from the inside
door panel and the openings they leave have not been properly
closed.
- Never drive when loudspeakers in the doors have been
removed unless the speaker holes have been properly closed .
- Always make certain that openings are covered or filled if
additional speakers or other equipment is installed in the
inside door panels .
& WARNING (continued)
-Always have work on the doors done by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop . •
Side curtain airbags
Description of curtain airbags
The curtain airbags can provide supplemental protection
to properly restrained occupants.
Fig. 149 Curtain
airbag, driver's side :
side curtain airbag
location
The side curtain airbags are located on both sides of the interior
above the front and rear side windows:::::, fig. 149. They are identi­
fied by the word "AIRBAG" on the windshield frame and the center
roof pillar.
The side curtain airbag system supplements the safety belts and can help to reduce the risk of injury for occupants' heads and upper
torso on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a side collision. The
side curtain airbag inflates only in side impacts and only when the
vehicle acceleration registered by the control unit is high enough. If
this rate is below the reference value programmed into the 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 will cover every possible ..,

angle of impact, s inc e the ci rcumstanc es w ill vary considerably
bet ween one collisi on and another. Important factors include, for
example, the nature (hard or soft) of the impacting object, the ang le
of impact, vehicle speed, etc.=>
page 167.
Aside from the ir norma l safety func tion, sa fety be lts work to help
keep the driver or front passenger in position in the event of a colli ­
s ion so that the s ide curtain a irbags can provide protection.
T he airbag system is not a substitute for your safety belt. Rather, it
is part of the overall occupant restraint system in your veh icle .
A lways remember that the airbag system can only help to protect
you if you are wea ring your safety belt and wearing it proper ly . This
is another reason why you should a lways wear your safety belts, not
just because the law requires you to do so=>
page 137, "General
notes".
I t is important to remember that while the side curtain airbag
system is des igned to help reduce the likelihood of serious injuries,
other injuries, for examp le, swelling, bruising, and minor abrasions
can a lso be associated with these airbags upon de ployment .
Remember too, these airbags will dep loy only once and only in
certa in kinds of accidents -your safety be lts a re a lways there to
offer protection.
The side curtain airbag system basically consists of :
• The electronic control module and externa l side impact sensors
• The side curtain airbags above the fron t and rear s ide windows
• T he airbag indicator light in the instrument panel
The airbag system is moni tore d electronically to make c ertain it is
functioning properly at a ll times . Each time you turn on the ignition,
the ai rbag system indicator light w ill come on for a few seco nds
(self diagnostics).
The side curtain airbag is not activated :
• if the ignition is turned off,
• in side coll isions when the acce leration measured by the senso r
is too low,
Safety first
Airb ag sy ste m
• in front -end collisions,
• in rear-end co llisions,
• in ro llove rs.
& WARNING
• Safety belt s and the airbag sy stem will only prov ide protection
when oc cupant s are in the proper seating position
=> page 74 ,
"General recommendations".
• If the airbag indicator light comes on when the veh icle is being
u sed , have the system in spected immediately by your authori zed
Audi deale r. The side curt ain airbag may not work prope rly even
when the vehicle acceleration in a side coll ision is high enough to
act ivate the air b ag. •
How side curtain airbags work
S ide c urt ain air bags ca n work together with side air bags
to hel p redu ce the risk of he ad a nd up p er torso injuries for
occupants who are prope rly re stra ined.
Fig . 15 0 Ill ustra tio n of
pri nciple : In fl ated side
c u rt a in airb ag s on th e
left side
The side curtain airbags inflate between the occupant and the
wind ows on the side of the ve hicle that is struck in a side collis io n
=> fig . 150. jll-
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

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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 169.
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 curtain airbag can dangerously interfere with
its function . A deploying head airbag develop s enough force to
catapult any piece of add-on component out of its path of inflation
and into the pa ssenger compartment. An occupant hit by such a
projectile can suffer serious injury or death=>
page 306, "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 305 , "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 a qualified workshop . Otherwise the airbag
system may not work correctly.
• Never attempt to modify any components of the airbag system
in anyway. •

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Child Safety
Important things to know
Introduction
The rear seat is generally the safes t place in a collision.
The p hysica l pr inciples of what happens when you r veh ic le is in a
crash apply also to children=> page 139, "What happens to occu ­
p a nts not wearing safety bel ts?" . Bu t un like adults and teenagers,
their musc les and bones are not fu lly developed. In many respects
children a re a t greater ris k of serious inj ury in cras hes than a dults .
B ecause chi ldren 's bodies a re no t fully deve loped, they require
restraint systems especial ly designed for their size, weight, and
body structu re. Ma ny countries and al l sta tes of the U nited States
and provinces of Canada have laws requiring the use of approved
chil d restraint sys te m s for infa nts and smal l children .
I n a frontal crash at a speed of 20 -35 mph (30 -56 km/h) the forces
ac ting on a 13-pou nd (6 kg) infant wi ll be mo re than 20 times the
weight of the child. This means the weight of the child would
suddenly be more than 260 pounds ( 120 kg). Under these condi ­
t ions, only an appropriate child restraint proper ly used can reduce
the risk of serious in jury. Child restraints, like adult safety belts,
must be use d properly t o be eff ective. Use d impro perly, they can
increase the risk of serious injury in an accident .
Co nsul t the c hild safety seat man ufacture r's ins truc tions to be su re
the seat is right for your child's size=> page 172, "Important safety
instructions for using child safety seats" . Please be sure to read and
heed a ll of the important information and WARNI NGS about child
safety, Advanced Airbags, and the insta llation of child restraints in
this chapter.
T here is a lot you need to know about the Advanced Airbags in your
veh ic le and how they work whe n inf an ts and ch ild ren in c hild
restraints are on the front passenger seat. Because of the large
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation amoun
t of important informat ion, we cannot repeat it all here. We
urge you to read the detai led information in this owner's manua l
about a irbags and the Advanced Airbag Sys tem in your ve hic le and
the very important information about transporting children on the
fr ont passenger sea t. Please b e sure to hee d th e WAR NINGS -th ey
are extreme ly important for your safety and the safety of your
p asse ngers, es pecia lly inf ant s and s mall ch ildren .
& WARNING
• Accident statistics have shown that children are generally safer
in the rear seat area than in the front seating position . Always
restrain any child age 12 and under in the rear.
• All vehicle o ccupants and especially children must be
restrained properly whenever riding in a vehicle . An unrestrained
or improperly restrained child could be injured by striking the inte­
rior or by being ejected from the vehicle during a sudden
maneuver o r impact . An unrestrained or improperly restrained
c hild is also at greater risk of injury or death through conta ct with
an inflating a irbag .
• A suitable child restraint properly installed and used at one of
the rear seating positions provides the highest degree of protec­
tion for infants and small children in most accident situations .
& WARNING
Children on the front seat of any car even with Advanced Airb ags
c an be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag inflates . A
child in a rearward -fa cing child safety seat installed on the front
pas senger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if the
front airbag inflates.
• The inflating airbag will hit the ch ild safety seat or infant
carrier with great force and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the backrest , center arm rest , or door. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

-Child Safety ------=---------------------------------
& WARNING (continued )
• Always install rear-facing child safety seats on the rear seat .
• If you must install a rearw ard fa cing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat in 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 posit ion and have the airbag system inspected immedi ­
ately 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.
• Always follow the manufacturer's instructions provided with
the child safety seat or carrier.
• Always move the passenger seat into its rearmost position in
the seat's fore and aft adjustment range , as far away from the
a irbag as possible before installing the child restraint . The back­
rest must be adjusted to an upright position.
• Always make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
comes on and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is
switched on . •
Advanced front airbag system and children
Y our vehicle is equipped with an " Advanced Airbag Syste m" in
co mplia n ce wi th Unit ed States F edera l Moto r Veh icle Saf ety S tan­
dard ( FMVSS) 208 as appl icable at the time your vehicle was manu ­
f actu re d . T
he Advanced Airbag system in your vehicle has been certified to
m eet the " lo w -ris k" req uiremen ts for 3 and 6 year -ol d c hildren on
the passenger side a nd smal l adults on the driver side . The low risk
de ploymen t criteria a re i ntended to reduce the risk of i nju ry t hroug h
interaction with the airbag that can occur, for example, by bei ng too
close to the s tee rin g w heel and instrume nt panel whe n the ai rbag
i n fl ates. In add it ion, t he sys tem has been cer tified to co mply wi th
the "suppre ssion" req uirement s of the Safety Standa rd, to turn off
the front a irbag f or infants up to 12 month s who ar e restrai ned on
the front passenger seat in child restraints that are listed in the
S tan dard.
E ven though your vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airbag
sy stem , a ll ch ildr en, especia lly those 12 yea rs and yo unge r, should
a lways ride i n the back seat prop erly re stra ined for t heir a ge and
s ize . The ai rbag on the pas se nger side make s th e fr on t sea t a poten­
t ia lly dangero us p lace for a c hild to r ide. The front seat is no t the
safest p lace for a child in a forward -facing child safety seat. It can be
a ve ry da nger ous place for a n inf ant or a la rg er c hild i n a rea rward ­
facing seat. •
Advanced Airbags and the weight-sensing
mat in the front seat
Th e Ad vanced Ai rbag Sys te m in your vehic le de tec ts the prese nce
o f an inf ant or c hild in a chi ld rest raint on the front pass eng er s eat
us ing the weight -sensing mat in the seat cushion and the senso r
b elow t he safety be lt latch on t he front pass enger s eat that
measures the tension on the safety belt.
T he weig ht-se nsin g m at m easu res total weig ht of th e chi ld an d th e
c h ild safety s eat and a ch ild bl anket on the front passen ger seat . T he
w eig ht on th e front p assenge r seat is re la te d to th e des ig n of t he
c h ild re straint and its "footpr int", t he size and shap e of the bottom
of t he child restraint a s it sits on the seat . Th e w eight of a child
r e stra int and its "footprint" vary for diff ere nt k inds of c hild ..,.