2009 AUDI S3 warning light

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& WARN ING (continued )
• Never recline the front passenger' s seat to transport obje cts.
Item s can als o move into the area of the side airbag or the front
airbag during br aki ng or in a sudden maneuver . Objects near the
airbags can become projectiles and cause injury , particularly when
the seat is re clined .
& WARNING
The fine dust created when airbags deploy can cause breathing
problems for people with a histo ry of asthma or other breathing
c onditions.
• To reduce the ri sk of breathing p roblems , tho se with asthma or
other respiratory conditions should get fresh air right away by
getting out of the veh icle or opening windows or door s.
• If you are in a collision in which airbags deploy , wash your
hands and face w ith mild soap and water before eat ing.
• Be careful not to get the dust into your eyes, or into any cuts or
s crat ches .
• If the residue should get into your eyes , flush them with
water .•
Monitoring the Advanced Airbag
System
Airbag monitoring indicator light t:Ji
Two sepa ra te indi cator s mon itor t he function of the
Ad vanc ed A irba g Sy stem: th e ai rbag moni to rin g in dicator
ligh t and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light .
The Advanced Airbag System (including the electronic control unit,
sensor c ircuits and system w irin g) is mon itored continuously to
make su re that it is functioning proper ly whenever the ignition is on. E
ach time you turn on the ignition, the airbag monitoring indicator
li ght
I wi ll c om e on fo r a few sec onds (sel f diag nos tics).
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 a fter you have switched on the
ignition, or
• comes on w hile driving.
I f an airbag system malfunction is detected, the indicator light will
fir st star t fl ashin g to catc h the drive r's at tention an d then stay o n
continuously to serve as a constant reminder to have the system
ins pec te d imm edi ately.
I f a malfunction occurs t hat 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 front al crash.
• If the a irbag 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. •

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the weight-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 c hild res traint off t he front passe ng er seat a nd ins tall it
properly at one of the rear seat pos it ions. Have the a irbag system
ins pect ed by y our aut horize d Au di d eale r im me dia te ly.
• move the chi ld to a rear seat position and make sure that the
c h ild is pro pe rly restrai ned in a c hild restraint that is app ropriat e for
its size and age.
The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF l igh t sho uld NOT come on when the
ignition is on and an adult is sitt ing in a proper seating position on
the front passenge r seat . If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
comes on a nd s tays o n or fl ashes for about 5 seco nds whi le d riving,
under these ci rcumstances, make sure that:
• the adu lt on the fron t pass enger sea t is pro perly seate d on the
cent er of the seat cushion with his or her back up against the back ­
rest an d the back res t is n ot recline d=> page 128, "Proper seati ng
position for the driver",
• t he ad ult is not ta king w eig ht o ff the sea t by hol ding o n to the
passenger assist hand le above the front passenger door or
su ppo rting their w eigh t on the arm res t,
• the safety be lt is being proper ly worn and that there is not a lot
o f sla c k in the sa fe ty b elt webbi ng,
• accessory seat covers or cushions or other things that may cause
an incorrect read ing o r impression on t he w eight -s e nsin g mat
under the upho lstery of the seat have been removed from the front
pass enger seat,
• a safety be lt extender has not been left in the safety be lt latc h for
th e fro nt passenger sea t.
In addition to the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF l ight in the center of the
instrument pane l, the mes sage
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF o r
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON will br iefly appear in the instrument cluster display. This is to inform the driver of the curren
t front passenger
air bag status .•
Important safety instructions on monitoring
the Advanced Airbag System
& WARNING
An airbag system that is not functioning properly cannot provide
supplemental protect ion in a frontal crash .
• If the airbag indicator l ight 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 , espec ially 12 years and
younger, always ride on the back seat properly restrained for their
age and si ze .
• Always install forward or rear -facing child safety seats on the
rear seat -even with an Advanced Airbag System .
• If you must install a rearward -facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat be cause of exceptional cir cumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG O FF light does not appear and stay on ,
immediately install the rear -facing child safety seat in a rear
~

__________________________________________________ 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

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& WARN ING (continued )
• Always make sure that the side airbag can inflate without inter­
fe rence :
- Never install seat covers or replacement upholstery over the
front seatback s that have not been spe cifically 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. After an airbag
ha s inflated , it must be replaced by an authorized Audi de aler or
qualified technician who has the technical information , training
and special equipment necessary .
• The airbag system 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
& Maintenance booklet under AIRBAG REPLACEMENT
RECORD .
• Applies to vehicles with 6 -cylinder engine : For safety reasons in
severe accidents , the alternator and starter are separated from the
vehicle battery with a pyrotechnic circuit interrupter .
- Work on the pyrotechni c circuit interrupter must only be
performed by a qualified dealer -risk of an accident!
- If the vehi cle or the circuit inte rrupter is scrapped , all appli ­
cable safety precautions must be followed. •
Other things that can affect Advanced Airbag
performance
Changing the vehic le 's suspens ion system can change the way that
th e Adva nced Air bag Syste m performs in a c rash. Fo r example,
using tire -ri m co mbinations not approved by Audi, lowering the
veh ic le, c hang in g the st if f ness o f th e suspe nsio n, incl uding th e
spr ings, suspension struts, shock absorbers etc. can change the
f o rces t hat a re m easured by the a irba g se nsors and se nt to the elec ­
tronic control unit. Some suspension changes can, for example,
i ncrease the fo rce level s meas ure d by the senso rs and make the
a irbag system dep loy in crashes in which it wou ld not d ep loy if the
changes ha d no t been made . O th er ki nds of changes may red uce
th e force levels measured by the sensors and preve nt the airbag
fro m deploying w hen it sh ould.
Th e senso rs in th e sa fety belt buc kle fo r the dr iver a nd fro nt
passenger seat te ll the e lectronic control modu le if the safety belt is
l a tc h ed or not . If th e sa fe ty belt is being use d, th e front airbag wi ll
deploy at a slightly higher rate of vehic le dece leration than if the
sa fe ty be lt is n ot b ein g use d. Th ere fore, i n a partic ula r co llisi on, i t is
possible that an airbag wi ll not deploy at a seating position where
th e sa fe ty be lt is bei ng us ed bu t wi ll infl ate at the position w here the
safety be lt is not being used . It is important that nothing interfere
with the safety belt buc kles so that the sensors can send the co rrect
i nformation about safety be lt use to t he electronic contro l unit.
& WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspension including use of unapproved
tire -rim combinations can change Advanced Airbag performance
and increase the risk of serious personal injury in a crash.
• Never install suspension components that do not have the
same pe rformance characteristics as the components originally
installed on your vehicle.
• Never use tire -rim combinations that have not been approved
by Audi. ..

& WARNING
Items stored between the safety belt buckle and the center
console can cause the sensors in the buckle to send the wrong
information to the electronic control module and prevent the
Advanced Airbag System from working properly.
• Always make sure that nothing can interfere with the safety
belt buckles and that they are not obstructed.
Undeployed airbag 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 .,

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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