2009 AUDI S6 light

___ A_ ir_ b_ a-g _ s_y _s_ t_ e_ m _________________________________________________ _
The side curtain airbags inflate between the occupant and the
windows on the side of the vehic le that is struck in a side co llis ion
=> fig. 2 17.
When the system is triggered, the side curtain airbag is filled with propellant gas and brea ks through a seam above the fron t and rear
side windows identified by the A IRBAG label. In order to help
provide th is additiona l protection, the side curtain a irbag must
inflate within the b link of an eye at very high speed and with great
f orce . The side curtai n airbag could i njure you i f your seating pos i­
tion is not proper or upright or if items are located in the area where
t he supplementa l side cu rtai n airbag inflates . This applies espe ­
cia lly to children=>
page 238.
Although they a re not a soft pi llow, side curta in airbags can
"cus hion" the impact and in this way they can help to reduce the risk
of injury to the head and the upper part of the body .
A fine dust may develop wh en the airbag depl oys. Thi s is qu ite
normal and does not mean there is a fire in the veh ic le. •
Important safety instructions on the side
curtain airbag system
A irbags are on ly s upp le men ta l r estraints . Alwa ys prop ­
erly wea r saf ety belt s and ride in a proper seating po si­
ti on.
T here is a lo t tha t you and y our pa ssengers mus t kn ow and d o to
help the safety belts and airbags do their job to provide supple ­
men tal pro tection .
& WARNING
Improperly wearing safety belts and improper seating positions
increase the risk of serious personal injury and death whenever a
vehicle is being used.
& WARNING (continued )
• Never let occupants pla ce any parts of their bodies in the area
from wh ich the side curtain airbags inflate .
• Always make sure that the side curtain airbags can inflate
without interference . Unsuitable accessories fitted inside the
expansion range of a side curtain airbag can dangerously interfere
with it s function. A deploying head airbag develops enough for ce
to catapult any p ie ce of add-on component out of its path of infla­
tion and into the pas senger compartment. An occupant hit by
such a projectile can suffer serious injury or death =>
page 375,
"Techni cal Modifications" .
• Do not swivel the sun visors to the side if you have any objects
clipped onto them (for example pens) . If the airbag should deploy ,
you could be in jured by these objects .
• Use the built -in coat hooks only for lightweight clothing . Never
leave any heavy or sharp-edged ob je cts in the pocket s that may
interfere with airbag deployment and can cause personal injury in
an accident .
• Never use hanger s to hang c lothing from the hook s.
• Only use fa ctory -installed sun shades or , in the case of shades
installed after the vehicle leaves the factory , only Audi roll-up
s unscreens may be used =>
page 374, "Additional acce ssories and
part s replacement ".
• Always sit in proper seating position and wear safety belts
while traveling so that the side cu rtain airbags can help provide
protection .
• The ai rbag system can only be triggered on ce . If the airbag has
been triggered, the system must be replaced by an authori zed
Audi de aler 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 dealership. Otherwise the airbag
system may not work correctly.
ti,

-------------------------------------------~C:::.'. h~ i~ ld :::.....:: S~ a~ f~e ~t .!.y __ l!ftlll
& WA RNIN G (continu ed )
• Always install rear-facing child safety seat s on the rear seat.
• If you mu st in stall a re arw ard fa cing child safety sea t on the
front pa ssenger seat in exceptional cir cum stances and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light doe s not come on and stay on,
immediate ly in sta ll the re ar-facing child safety seat in a rear
s eating po sition and h ave the airbag sy stem inspected immedi ­
atel y by your Audi dea ler .
& WARNING
If, in exceptional circum stance s, you mu st install a forward -facing
c hild re st raint on the fro nt p ass enger's seat :
• Alway s make sure the forward -facing seat has been de signed
and cert ified by it s manufa cturer f or use on a front se at with a
p assenger front and side airbag .
• Always follow the manufacturer's instructions provided with
the child safety seat or carrier.
• Always mov e the passenger sea t into it s rea rmo st p osition in
the seat' s fore and aft adju stment r ange , as far away from the
airb ag as possible before in stalling the ch ild r estr aint . The b ack­
r es t must be adju sted to an upr ight po sition.
• Alway s ma ke sure th at the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF l ight
c ome s on and stay s on all the time whenever the ignition is
s witched on. •
Advanced front airbag system and children
Your vehicle is equipped with an "Advanced Airbag System" in
compliance with United States Federal Motor Veh icle Sa fety Stan ­
dard ( FMVSS) 208 as applicable at the time your vehicle was manu ­
f actured .
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation 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 small adu lts on the driver side. The low risk
deployment crite ria are intended to reduce the risk of injury th rough
interaction with the airbag that can occur, for example, by being too
close to the steering wheel and instrument panel when the airbag
inf lates . In addit ion, the system has been cert ified to comply with
the "suppression" requirements of the Safety Standard, to turn off
the front airbag for infants up to 12 months who are restrained on
the front passenger seat in child restraints that are listed in the
Standard.
Even though your vehic le is equipped with an Advanced Airbag
system, all children, especially those 12 years and younger, should
a lways ride in the back seat properly restrained for their age and
s ize . The airbag on the passenger side makes the front seat a poten­
tia lly dangerous p lace for a chi ld to ride. The front seat is not the
safest p lace for a child in a forward -facing child safety seat. It can be
a very dangerous place for an infant or a larger child in a rearward­
facing seat. •
Advanced Airbags and the weight-sensing
mat in the front seat
The Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle detects the presence
of an infant or child in a chi ld restraint on the front passenger seat
using the weight -sensing mat in the seat cushion and the sensor
below the safety belt latch on the front passenger seat that
measures the tension on the safety be lt .
The weight -sensing mat measures t otal weight of the child and the
child safety seat and a chi ld blanket on the front passenger seat. The
we ight o n the front passenger seat is related to the design of the
child restraint and its "footprint" , the size and shape of the bottom
of the child restraint as it sits on the seat. The weight of a child
restraint and its "footprint" vary for different kinds of child
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

-Child Safety -----<------------------------------
restraints and for the different models of the same kind of child
restraint offered by child restraint manufacturers.
The weight ranges for the individual types, makes and models of
child restraints that the NHTSA has specified in the Safety Standard
together with the weight ranges of typical infants and typical 1 year­ old child have been stored in the control unit of the Advanced
Airbag System. When a child restraint is being used on the front passenger seat with a typical 1 year-old child, the Advanced Airbag
System compares the weight measured by the weight sensing mat
with the information stored in the electronic control unit.
The electronic control unit also registers the tension on the front
passenger safety belt. The tension on the safety belt for the front
passenger seat will be different for an adult who is properly using
the safety belt as compared to the tension on the belt when it is
used to attach a child restraint to the seat. The sensor below the
latch for the safety belt for the front seat passenger measures the
tension on the belt . Th e input from this sensor is then used with the
weight to "decide" , whether there is a chi ld restraint with a typica l 1
year-old child on the front passenger seat and whether or not the
airbag must be turned off.•
Child restraints and Advanced Airbags
Regard less of the child restraint that you use, make sure that it has
been certified to meet United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards and has been certified by its manufacturer for use with
an airbag. Always be sure that the child restraint is properly
installed at one of the rear seating positions. If in exceptional
circumstances you must use it on the front passenger seat, carefully read all of the information on child safety and Advanced Airbags
and heed all of the applicable WARNINGS. Make certain that the
child restraint is correctly recognized by the weight -sensing mat
inside the front passenger seat, that the front passenger airbag is
turned off and that the airbag status is always correctly signaled by
the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light . Many
types and models of child restraints have been available over
the years, new mode ls are introduced regularly incorporating new
and improved designs and older models are taken out of produc­
tion. Child restraints are not standardized. Child restraints of the
same type typically have different weights and sizes and different
'footprints,' the size and shape of the bottom of the child restraint
that sits on the seat, when they are installed on a vehicle seat. These
differences make it virtually impossible to certify compliance with
the requirements for advanced airbags with each and every child
restraint that has ever been sold in the past or will be sold over the
course of the usefu l life of your vehicle.
For this reason, the United States National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration has pub lished a list of specific type, makes and
models of child restraints that must be used to certify compliance
of the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle with the suppression
requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208. These
child restraints are:
A. Car beds, manufactured on or after September 1,
2004:
• Cosco Dream Ride 02-719
B. Rear facing child restraint systems, manufactured
on or after September 1, 2004:
(When the restraint system comes equipped with a removable base,
compliance has to be certified with or without the basel.
• Britax Handle with Care 191
• Century Assura 4553
• Century Smart Fit 4543
• Cosco Arriva 02727
• Evenflo Discovery Adjust Right 212
• Evenflo First Choice 204
• Graco Infant 8457

_______________________________________________ C_h _ i_ld _ S_ a_ f_ e_ t..,:c y __ __
C. Forward-facing convertible child restraint systems,
manufactured on or after September 1, 2004:
• Britax Roundabout 161
• Britax Expressway
• Century Encore 4612
• Century STE 1000 4416
• Cosco Olympian 02803
• Cosco Touriva 02519
• Evenflo Horizon V 425
• Evenflo Medallion 254
• Safety First Comfort Ride 22-400
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury, make sure that the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on whenever a child
restraint is installed on the front passenger seat and the ignition
is switched on.
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on.
• Have the airbag system inspected by your authorized Audi
dealer immediately.
[ i] Tips
The child seats listed in categories A to C have been tested by Audi
only for the Advanced Airbag function. •
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Important safety instructions for using child
safety seats
Correct use of child safety seats substantially reduces the
risk of injury in an accident!
As the driver, you are responsible for the safety of every
­
body in the vehicle, especially children:
- Always use the right child safety seat for each child and
always use it properly~
page 243.
-Always carefully follow the child safety seat manufac­
turer's instructions on how to route the safety belt prop­
erly through the child safety seat.
- When using the vehicle safety belt to install a child safety
seat , you must first activate the convertible locking
retractor on the safety belt to prevent the child safety
seat from moving~
page 248.
-Push the child safety seat down with your full weight to
get the safety belt really tight so that the seat cannot move forward or sideways more than one inch (2.5 cm).
- If a strap or tether is being used to tie the child safety
seat to the front passenger seat, make sure that it is not
so tight that it causes the weight-sensing mat to
measure more weight than is actually on the seat.
Always remember: Even though your vehicle is equipped with an
Advanced Airbag system, all children, especially those 12 years and
younger, should always ride in the back seat properly restrained for
their age and size. ..,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

& WARNING !continued)
-Always move the front passenger seat into the rearmost
position of the passenger seat's fore and aft adjustment range,
and as far away from the airbag as possible before installing
the child restraint.
- Always make sure that nothing prevents the front
passenger's seat from being moved to the rearmost position in
its fore and aft adjustment range.
- Always make sure that the backrest is in the upright posi­
tion.
• Always buckle the child safety seat firmly in place even if a
child is not sitting in it. A loose child safety seat can fly around
during a sudden stop or in a collision.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used
=> page 205, "Safety belts",
~ page 215, "Airbag system" and~ page 238, "Child Safety".
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury, make sure that the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on whenever a child
restraint is installed on the front passenger seat and the ignition
is switched on.
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on.
• Have the airbag system inspected by your authorized Audi
dealer immediately. •
Safety first
Child Safety
Child safety seats
tnfant seats
Babies and infants up to about one year old and 22 lbs or
10 kg need special rearward-facing child restraints that
support the back, neck and head in a crash.
Fig . 218 Rearward­
facing infant seat,
properly installed on
the rear seat
-When using the vehicle safety belt to install a child safety
seat, you must first activate the convertible locking retractor on the safety belt to prevent the child safety
seat from moving
~ page 248 or install the seat using
the LATCH attachments.
- Push the child safety seat down with your full weight to
get the safety belt really tight so that the seat cannot
move forward or sideways more than one inch (2.5 cm).
Infants up to about one year (22 lbs. or 10 kg) are best protected in
special infant carriers and child safety sea ts designed for their age
group. Many experts believe that infants and small children should
ride only in special restraints in which the child faces the back of the
vehicle. These infant seats support the baby's back, neck and head
in a crash. These child safety seats must never be used in the front
seat because of the risk of serious injury or death should the airbag
deploy in a crash
=> fig. 218. ._
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

___ C_h_ i_ ld _ S_ a_ f_ e_ t--= y'------------------------------------------------
& WARNING
Not using a child safety seat, using the wrong child safety seat or
improperly installing a child restraint increases the risk of serious
personal injury and death in a crash.
• Never install rear-facing child safety seats or infant carriers on
the front passenger seat -even with an Advanced Airbag System.
A child will be seriously injured and can be killed when the
inflating airbag hits the child safety seat or infant carrier with
great force and smashes the child safety seat and child against the
backrest, center arm rest, or door=>
page 217, "Child restraints on
the front seat -some important things to know".
• Always install rear-facing child safety seats or infant carriers on
the rear seat.
• Never install a rear-facing child restraint
in the forward-facing
direction. Such restraints are designed for the special needs of
infants and very small children and cannot protect them properly
if the seat is forward-facing.
• 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
Audi dealer.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used =>
page 205, "Safety belts",
=> page 215, "Airbag system" and=> page 238, "Important things
to know". •
Convertible chi ld safety seats
Properly used convertible child safety seats can help
protect toddlers and children over age one who weigh between 20 and 40 lbs. (10 and 20 kg) in a crash.
Fig . 219 Rear seat:
smaller child
in a prop ­
erly installed forward­
facing convertible chi Id
safety seat
- When using the vehicle safety belt to install a child safety
seat, you must first activate the convertible locking
feature on the safety belt to prevent the child safety seat
from moving =>
page 248 or insta ll the seat using the
LATC H attachment.
- Push the child safety seat down with your full weight to
get the safety belt really tight so that the seat cannot
move forward or sideways more than one inch (2.5 cm)
=> page 248.
-If the child safety seat is equipped with a tether strap,
attach it to the tether anchors =>
page 257.
A toddler or chi ld is usually too large for an infant restraint if it is
more than one year old and weighs more than 22 lbs. (10 kg).
Toddlers and children who are older than one year up to about 4
years old and weigh more than 22 lbs (10 kg) up to 40 lbs . (18 kg)
should be properly restrained in a child safety seat certified for their
size and weight=> fig. 219 . ..,_

_______________________________________________ C_h _ i_ld _ S_ a_ f_ e_ t..,:c y __ lftlll
T he airbag on th e passe nger s id e makes th e front seat a pot entially
d a ngerou s place for a child to ride. The fr ont sea t is n ot the safest
p lace for a chi ld in a forward -facin g child safety seat . It is a v ery
da ngero us place f or an infa nt or a la rge r child i n a rearwa rd -facing
seat.
& WARNING
Not using a child safety seat , using the wrong child safety seat or
improperly installing a child restraint increases the risk of serious
personal injury and death in a collision or other emergency situa­
tion .
• Children on the front seat of any car, even with Advanced
Airbags, can be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag inflates . 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 , or door .
• 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
Audi dealer .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used
=> page 205 , "Safety belts ",
=> page 215, "Airbag system" and => page 238 , "Important things
to know ".
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WARNING
If exceptional circumstances require the use of a forward -facing
child restraint on the front passenger's seat , the child's safety and
well -being require that the following special precautions be taken :
• Make sure the forward-facing seat has been designed and certi ­
fied by its manufacturer for use on a front seat with a passenger
front and side airbag.
• Always follow the manufacturer's instructions prov ided with
the child safety seat or carrier .
• Always move the front passenger seat into the rearmost posi­
tion of the passenger seat's fore and aft adjustment range, and as
far away from the airbag as poss ible before installing the child
restraint.
• Always make sure that nothing prevents the front passenger's
seat from being moved to the rearmost position in its fore and aft
adjustment range .
• Always make sure the backrest is in 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.
• If the light does not stay on, perform the checks
=> page 226 ,
"Monitoring the Advanced Airbag System ".
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on whenever the ignition is switched
on .•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

& WARNING
Not using a booster seat , us ing the booster seat improperly , in cor ­
rectly installing a booster seat or u sing the vehicle safety belt
improperly increa ses the risk of serious personal injury and death
in a collision or other emergency situation . To help reduce the risk
of serious personal injury and /or death :
• Always make sure to position the shoulder portion of the three ­
po int belt over the middle of ch ild's shoulder .
• Never let the shoulder portion of the belt rest against or across
the neck , face , chin , or throat of the child .
• Alway s make sure the lap belt portion of the three -point belt is
worn snug and passes as low as possible across the child's pelvis .
Never let the belt pas s over the soft abdomen.
• Failure to properly route safety belts over a child's body will
cause severe injuries in an accident or other emergency situation
=> page
205.
• Children on the front seat of any car , even with Advanced
Airbags, can be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag
inflates . 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.
• Never let a child stand or kneel on any seat , for example the
front seat.
• Never let a child ride in the cargo area of your vehicle .
• Always remember that a child leaning forward , sitting side ­
ways or out of position in any way during an accident can be
struck by a deploying airbag. This will re sult in seriou s per sonal
injury or death .
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light must come on and stay on , when­
ever the ignition is swit ched on .
Safety first
Child Safety
& WARNING !continued )
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay
on , perform the checks described => page
226, "Monitoring the
Adv anced Airbag System ".
• Take the child restraint off the front pa ssenger se at and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on whenever the ignition is switched
on .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used => page
205, "Safety belts ",
=> page
215 , "Airbag system " and => page 238 , "Important things
to know" .•
Safety belts and older children
P ro perly worn three p oin t lap and s houl der belt can help
protect chi ldren w eighing more than 8 0 lbs. ( 36 kg) an d
w ho are at l eas t 4
ft. 9 in. ta ll.
Fig . 221 Child taller
th an 4
ft . 9 in . properly
re strained on the rear
s e at
Ch ildr en w ho weig h more tha n ab o ut 80 l bs (36 kg) and are a t leas t
4 ft . 9 in . ta ll can genera lly use the vehicle's three point lap and
shoulder belts . Child ren sh ould u se a la p belt only in very e xce p­
tiona l situat ions and on ly if no child restrain t syste m for t he chi ld 's
s ize and weight or safer alternat ive means of transportation of the •
Vehicle care
I I irechnical data