2009 AUDI S8 warning light
[x] Cancel search: warning lightPage 235 of 408
Airbag syst em -----------------=~-
weight -sensing mat to measure more weight than is actually on the
seat .
If th e PA SSENGER AIR BAG OFF light still d oes not come on and does
not stay on continuously (when the ignition is switched on),
• t ake the child r estraint off the front passenger seat and install it
properly at one of the rear seat positions. Have the airbag system
inspected by your Audi dealer immediately.
• move the child to a rear seat position and make sure that the
child is proper ly restrained in a child restraint that is appropria te for
its size and age .
The
PA SSENGER AIR BAG OFF light shou ld NOT come on when the
ignition is on and an adult is sitting in a proper seating posi tion on
the front passenger seat . If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
comes on and stays on or flashes for about 5 seconds whi le driving,
under these circumstances, make sure that :
• the adu lt on the front passenger sea t is properly seated on the
center of the seat cushion w ith his or her back up against the back
res t and the backrest is not reclined => page 202, "Proper occupant
sea ting positions" ,
• the adult is not taking weight of f the sea t by holding on to the
passenger assist handle above the front passenger door or
supporting their we ight on the armrest,
• the safety belt is being proper ly worn and that there is not a lot
of slack in the safety belt webbing,
• accessory seat covers or cushions or other things that may cause
an incorrect reading or impression on the weight -sensing mat
under the upho lstery of the seat have been removed from the front
passenger sea t,
• a safety belt extender has not been left in the safety be lt latch for
t he front passenger seat .
In addition to the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light in the center of the
instrument pane l, the message
PASSENGER AIR BAG O FF o r
PAS SEN GER AIR BA G ON will briefly appear in the instrument c luster
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
display. This is to inform the driver of the current front passenger
a
irbag status .•
Important safety instructions on monitoring
the Advanced Airbag System
& WARNING
An airbag sy stem that is not functioning properly cannot provide
supplemental protection in a front al cra sh .
• If the airbag ind icator li ght come s on , it means that there may
be something wrong with the Advanced Airbag S ystem . It is
po ssible that the airbag will inflate when it is not suppo sed to , or
w ill not infl ate when it should .
• Have the airb ag system inspe cted immediatel y by you r Audi
dealer.
& WARNING
If the front airba g inflates , a child with out a child re straint , or in a
re arw ard -fa cing chi ld safety seat , or
in a forward-fa cing child
r e str aint that has not been properly installed will be seriously
inj ured and can be killed .
• Even though your vehicle i s equipped with an Adv anced Airbag
Sy stem , m ake cert ain that all children , e speci ally 12 year s and
younger , always ride on the bac k seat prope rly re strain ed for their
a ge and siz e .
• Alway s install forw ard or rear -facing child seat s on the rear
se at - ev en with an Ad vanced Airbag Sy stem .
• If you mu st install a rearward -fa cing child se at o n th e front
p ass enger sea t be cau se of e xceptional circumstan ce s and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light doe s not appear and stay on , imme
diately in stall the rear -fac ing child seat in a r ear sea ting pos itio n
and have the airbag system inspect ed b y your Audi dealer . .,,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 236 of 408
llffll,___A_ ir_ b_ a.::g <-- s--
• A tight tether or other strap on a rearward-facing child restraint
attached to the front passenger seat c an put too much p res su re
on the weight-sensing mat in the seat and reg ister more weight
than is 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 mu st be suppre ssed causing
serious or even fatal injury to the child .
• If, in exceptional circumstances , you must install a forward
f ac ing child restraint on the front passenger seat , always move the
seat into its rearmost position in the seat's fore and aft adjust
ment range , as far away from the airbag as possible . The ba ckrest
must be adju sted 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 .
& WARNING
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not go out when an
adult is sitting on the front passenger seat after tak ing the steps
described above, make sure the adult i s properly seated and
restrained at one of the rear seat ing positions .
• Have the airbag system inspected by your Audi dealer before
transporting anyone on the front passenger seat .
[ i ] Tips
If the we ight -sens ing mat in the front passenger seat detects an
e m pty s eat, th e front airbag on the passenge r side wil l be tur ned
off , and the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF li ght wil l stay on .•
Repair, care and disposal of the airbags
Parts of the airbag system are insta lled at many different places on
yo ur Audi. Ins tal li n g, r em oving, s ervicing o r rep airi ng a part in an area of the vehicle can damage a part of an airbag system and
p revent that sys tem from wo rking pr operly in a c ollisi on.
Th ere are some important th ings you have to know to ma ke sure
that the effectiveness of the system will not be impai red and that
discarded co mponents do no t cause i njury or po llute the enviro n
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 atta ch any objects 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 moistened with plain water . Solvents or cleaners
could 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 ,
cellular telephones and CB radios , etc .I must be performed by a
qualified technician who has the train ing and special equipment
necessary .
• For any work on the airbag system, we strongly recommend
that you see your author ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
• Never modify the front bumper or parts of the vehicle body .
• Always make sure that the side airbag can inflate without inter-
ference :
~
Page 237 of 408
Airbag system -----------------=~-
& WARNING (continued )
-Never install seat covers or replacement upholstery over the
front seatbacks that ha ve not been specifically approved by
Audi .
- Never use additional seat cush ions that cover the areas
where the side airbags inflate.
- Damage to the or iginal seat covers or to the seam in the area
of the s ide airbag module must always be repaired immedi
ately by an authorized Audi dealer .
• The airbag system can be activated only once. After an airbag
has inflated , it must be replaced by an authorized Audi dealer or
qualified technician who has the technical information , training
and special equipment nece ssary .
• The airbag system can be deployed only once . After an airbag
has been deployed , it must be replaced with new replacement
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 you r Audi
Warranty
& Maintenance booklet under AIRBAG REPLACEMENT
RECORD .
• For safety reasons in severe accidents , the alternator and
starter are separated from the vehicle battery with a pyrotechnic
c ircuit interrupter .
- Work on the pyrotechnic circuit interrupter must only be
performed by a qualified dealer -risk of an accident!
- If the vehi cle or the circuit interrupter is scrapped , all appli
cable safety precautions must be followed .
For the sake of the environment
Undepl oyed airbag m odu les a nd preten sioners m ig ht b e class if ied
as Perchlorate Material -specia l handling may apply, see
www .dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. When the vehicle or
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
parts of the restraint system inc
luding a irbag modules and safety
be lts with p re tensione rs are sc rapped, a ll a ppl icable laws an d regu
lations must be observed . Your authorized Audi dea ler is fami liar
wi th the se requi rements and we recomme nd that you have y our
dea ler perform this service for you. •
Other things that can affect Advanced Airbag
performance
Changing the veh ic le 's suspens ion s ystem can change th e way that
t he Adva nced Air bag Sys tem perfo rm s in a crash. F or e xam ple,
using tire -r im combinations not approv ed by Audi, lower ing the
ve hic le, c hangi ng th e st iffne ss of the su spen sion , inclu ding the
springs, suspension struts, shock absorbers e tc . can change the
forc es that are measu re d b y th e a irbag sens ors and sent to the elec
t ron ic control u nit. Some sus pensio n chan ges can , for examp le ,
inc rea se the f orce le v els mea sured by the senso rs and make the
a irb ag sys te m de plo y in cras hes in whi ch it wo uld not de p loy i f the
changes had not been made . Other kinds of changes may reduce
t he force le v e ls measured by t he se nso rs a nd preve nt t he a irba g
from deploying when it should .
T he se nsor s in th e safe ty bel t buckl e f or th e d river a nd front
passen ger seat te ll the e lectronic control module if the safety belt is
l a tc h e d or n ot. If t he safety belt i s being use d, th e fr ont ai rbag w ill
dep loy at a s lightly h ig her rate of v eh ic le dec elerat ion t han if the
safet y belt is not being used . Ther efore, in a partic ular collision, it is
poss ible that an airba g w ill not deplo y at a seati ng pos itio n wh ere
the safety be lt is be ing used but wi ll inflate at the position where the
sa fe ty be lt is no t being used . It i s im porta nt that n othi ng i nterfe re
with the safety belt b uckles so that the sensors can send the correct
i n fo rm ati on about sa fety belt use t o th e el ectronic con trol unit. _..
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 239 of 408
is why you should always wear your safety belt, not just because the
l a w requ ire s you to do so =>
page 211, "Genera l notes" .
The safety belt buckle for the driver and front seat passenger have switches that tell the airbag control module if the safety belt is
being used or not. If the safety belt is being used , the knee airbag
will deploy at a s lightly higher rate of deceleration than if the belt is
not be ing used . Therefore, in a par ticular collision, it is possib le that
an airbag will not deploy a t a seating position where the safety belt
is be ing used but will inflate at the position where the safety belt is
not being used .
Remember too, airbags will deploy only once and only in ce rtain
kinds o f accidents - your safety be lts are always there to offer
protection in those accidents in wh ich airbags are not supposed to
deploy or when they have already deployed, for examp le when you r
vehicle strikes or is struck by another after the first collision.
T his is just one of the reasons why an ai rbag is not a substitute for
the safety be lt. The airbag system works most effectively when used
with the safety belts . Therefore, a lways wear your safety belts
correctly.
I t is important to remember that while the supplemental airbag
system is designed to reduce the like lihood of ser ious injuries, o ther
injuries, for example, swelling, bruising, and minor abrasions can
a lso be associated with airbags.
The kn ee airbag s ystem bas ically con sists of:
• The electronic control module
• Two inflatable airbags (ai rbag and gas generato r), one for the
driver and one for the front passenger
• T he airbag indicator light in the instrument panel
The kn ee airbag system w ill not deploy :
• whe n the ignit ion is turned off
• in front -end collisions when the deceleration measured by the
control uni t is too low
• in side collisions
Safety first
Airb ag sy ste m
• in rear -end co llisions
• in ro llovers
• in the event of a system malfunction (warning/indicator light illu
minated)=>
page 19 .
& WARNING
• Safety belt s and the airbag sy stem ca n only p rov ide protec tion
when o ccupants are in the proper seating po sition
=> page 229 .
• If the airbag indi cator light come s when the vehi cle is b eing
u sed , have the system in spected immediately by your authori zed
Audi deale r. Th e airbag may no t work prope rly when the vehicle
acceleration in a side colli sion is high enough to deploy the airbag.
See also =>
page 19. •
How knee airbags work
The risk of injury to the leg are a i s reduce d by fully
depl oyed knee airb ags .
Fig . 237 In fl ate d
ai rba gs prot ecting in a
frontal colli sio n
The knee airbag system has been designed so that the airbags for
the drive r and front passenger a re depl oyed in certain but not all
frontal col lisions.
ai,.
Vehicle care I I irechnical data
Page 241 of 408
Side airbags
Description of side airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental protecti on
to properly rest rained occupants.
Fi g. 238 Si de a ir b ag
lo ca tio n in th e driv er's
seat
The side airbags are located in the sides of the front seat backrests
=> fig. 238 and the rear backrest facing the doors . They are identified
by the word "AIRBAG" .
The sid e ai rbag sy stem b asica lly consis ts of :
• t he electronic control module and external side impact sen sors
• the two side airbags located in the sides of the front backrests
• two rear side airbags
• the a irbag 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 wi ll 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 colli
sion. The airbag deploys only in side impacts and on ly when the
vehicle acceleration registered by the control unit is high enough . If
Safety first
Airb ag sy ste m
this rate is below the reference value programmed into the control
unit, the side airbags w ill not be triggered, even though the car may
be badly damaged as a result of the col lision. It is not possible to
define an airbag triggering range that wi ll cover every possible
ang le of impact, since the circumstances will vary considerably
between one collision and another. Important factors include, for
examp le, the nature (hard or soft) of the impacting object, the angle
of impact, vehicle speed, etc.=>
page 240, "Important safety instruc
tions on the side airbag system".
Aside from their norma l safety function, safety belts work to he lp
keep the driver or front passenger in position in the even t of a side
collision so that the side airbags can provide protection .
The airbag system is
not a substitute for your safety belt. Rathe r, it
is part of the overall occupant restraint system in your vehicle.
Always remember that the side airbag system can only he lp to
pro tect you if you are wearing your safety belt and wear ing 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 211,
"General notes" .
I t is important to remember that while the supplementa l side airbag
system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries, other
injuries, for example, swelling, bruising, and minor abrasions can
a lso be associated with deployed s ide airbags . Remember too, side
airbags will deploy only once and only in certain kinds of accidents
- your safety belts are always there to offer pro tec tion .
Vehicle damage, repair costs or even the lack of vehicle damage are not necessarily 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 on ly once and only in
certain kinds of collisions -your safety belts are always there to
offer protection in those acc idents in which airbags are not
supposed to deploy or when they have already dep loyed.
The sid e airbag system w ill not deploy :
• when the igni tion is turned of f
•
Vehicle care I I irechnical data
Page 242 of 408
___ A_ ir_b _a_ g;:::;_ s--:.. y_s _t _e _m _________________________________________________ _
• in side collisions when the acceleration measured by the sensor
is too low
• in front -end collisions
• in rear -end collisions
• in rollovers.
In some types of accidents the front airbags, side curtain airbags
and side airbags may be triggered together.
& WARNING
• Safety belts and the airbag system will only provide protection
when occupants are in the proper seating position
~ page 240.
• If the airbag indicator light comes on when the vehicle is being
used , have the system inspected immediately by your authorized
Audi dealer . The airbag may not work properly when the vehicle
acceleration in a side collision is high enough to activate the
airbag .•
How supplemental side airbags work
Side airbags deploy instantly and can help reduce the risk
of upper torso injuries for occupants who are properly
restrained.
Fig. 239 Inflated side
airbags on left side of
vehicle, rear s ide
airbag
When the system is triggered, the airbag is filled with propellant gas
and breaks through 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 fraction of a second at very high
speed and with great force . The supplemental side airbag could
injure you if your seating position is not proper or upright or if items
are located in the area where the supplemental side airbag expands.
This applies especially to children~
page 245, "Child Safety".
Supplem ental side airbags inflate between the occupant and the
door panel on the side of the vehic le that is struck in certain side
collision~ fig. 239.
Although they are not a soft pillow, they can "cushion" 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 mean 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 lot that you and your passengers must know and act
accordingly to help the safety belts and airbags do their job to
provide supplementa l protection.
& WARNING
An inflating side airbag can cause serious or fatal injury. Improp
erly wearing safety belts and improper seating positions increase
the risk of serious personal injury and death whenever a vehicle is
being used . _.,
Page 243 of 408
_______________________________________________ .=_A ::_ i :.:.r ~b ~a:=.; 9!:!...: S~ y[: s~ t~ e:::_ m ~ ----
& WARNING (continued)
• In order to reduce the risk of injury when the supplemental side
airbag inflates:
-Always sit in an upright position and never lean against the
area where the supplemental side airbag is located .
- Never let a child or anyone else rest their head against the
side trim panel in the area where the supplemental side airbag
inflates.
- Always make sure that safety belts are worn correctly,
- Do not let anyone sitting in the front seat put their hand or any other parts of their body out of the window.
• Always make sure that the side airbag can inflate without inter
ference.
-Never install seat covers or replacement upholstery over the
front seat backs that have not been specifically approved by
Audi.
- Never use additional seat cushions that cover the areas
where the side airbags deploy .
- 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 .
• Objects between you and the airbag can increase the risk of
injury in an accident by interfering with the way the airbag unfolds
or by being pushed into you as the airbag inflates .
- Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as
cup holders, telephone brackets, or even large, bulky objects)
on the doors, over or near the area marked "AIRBAG" on the
seat backrests .
- Such objects and accessories can become dangerous projec
tiles and cause injury when the supplemental side airbag deploys.
Controls and equip ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& 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.I 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 children are seated improperly, their risk of injury increases
in the case of an accident=>
page 245, "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.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 244 of 408
___ A_ ir_b _a_ g;:::;_ s--=- y_s _t _e _m _________________________________________________ _
& WARNING (c ont in ued)
- Alwa ys ha ve work on th e doo rs done by an auth ori ze d Aud i
d ea le r or q ualified works hop . •
Side curtain airbags
Description of side curtain airbags
The side curtain airbag system can provide supplemental
protection to pr operly restrained occupants .
Fig. 240 Side cu rtai n
ai rb ags, drive r's side:
s ide c urt a in airb ag
l oca tion
The side curtain airbags are located on both sides of the interior
above the front and rear side windows~ fig. 240. 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 on ly when the
vehic le acceleration registered by the control unit is high enough . If
t his rate is below the re ference 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 possib le to
define an airbag triggering range that will cover every possible angle of
impact, since the circumstances will vary considerably
be tween one collision 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 243, "How side curtain airbags
work" .
Aside from their normal safety function, safety belts work to help
keep the dr iver or front passenger in position in the event of a colli
sion so that the side curtain airbags can prov ide protection .
The airbag system is not a substitute for your safety belt. Rathe r, it
is part of the overall occupant restraint system in your vehicle .
A lways remember that the airbag system can on ly help to protect
you if you are wearing your safety belt and wearing it properly. This
is another reason why you should always wear your safety belts, not
just because the law requires you to do so~
page 211, "General
notes".
It is important to remember that while the side curtain airbag
system is designed to he lp reduce the like lihood of serious injuries,
other injuries, for example, swelling, bruising, and minor abrasions
can a lso be associated with these airbags upon deployment.
Remember too, these airbags wi ll dep loy only once and only in
certain kinds of accidents -your safety belts are always there to
offer protection.
Th e s ide cu rtai n air ba g sys te m b asi ca lly co nsis ts of:
• The electronic control modu le and external side impact sensors
• T he side curtain airbags above the front and rear side windows
• The airbag indicator light in the instrument panel
The airbag system is monitored electronically to make certain it is
funct ion ing proper ly at all times . Each time you turn on the ignition,
the airbag system indicator light will come on for a few seconds (self diagnostics).
The s ide c urtain a irbag is no t activa te d:
• if the ignition is tu rned off,