2009 AUDI S8 ECU

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Lower anchorages and tether for
children (LATCH)
Location
LATCH is the acronym for Lower Anchor and Tethers for
Children and designates a special child safety seat
restraint system. In Canada, the terms "top tether " with
"lower universal anchorages" (or "lower universal
anchorage bars") are used to describe the system.
Fig . 246 Schematic
overview: LATCH
anchorage point loca­
tions
The illustration ~ fig. 246 shows the seating locations in your
vehicle which are equipped wi th the lower universal anchorages
system.
Description
The lower anchorage positions are marked for quick
locating.
Fig . 247 Rear seat­
backs : locator buttons
for lower anchorages
Fig. 248 Rear seats:
lower anchorage
bracket locations
Attachment locator markers for lower anchorages
C ircular locator buttons on the rear seatback indicate the lower
anchorage locations on the rear seating positions~ fig. 247 .
Lower anchorages
The lower anchorage attachment points are located between the
rear seatback and rear seat cushion~ fig. 248.
Lower anchorages secure the child restraint in the seat without
using the vehicle 's safety belts . Anchorages provide a secure and
~

easy-to-use attachment and minimize the possibility of improper
child restraint installation.
All child restraints manufactured after September 1, 2002, must
have lower anchorage attachments for the LATCH system.
Please remember that the lower anchorage points are only intended
for installat ion and attachment of child restraints specifically certi­
fied for use with LATCH lower anchorages. Child restraints that are
not equipped with the lower anchorage attachments can still be
installed in compliance with the child restraint manufacturer's
instructions on using vehicle safety belts.
& WARNING
Improper installation of child restraints will increase the risk of
injury in a crash.
• Always carefully follow the child restraints manufacturer's
instructions for proper installation of the child restraint and
proper use of the lower anchorages or safety belts in your vehicle.
• Never secure or attach any luggage or other items to the
LATCH
lower anchorages.
• Always read and heed the important information about child
restraints in this chapter and WARNINGS
=> page 245, "Child
Safety". •
Safety first
Child Safety
Guidance fixtures for lower anchorages Special guidance fixtures increase the convenience of the
lower anchorages and are available from your authorized
Audi dealer.
Fig . 249 Outer rear
seats : installing the
guidance fixtures
Fig . 250 Close-up:
fitting the guidance
fixture over the lower anchorage bracket
The lower anchorage attachment points are located on the
rear seats between the seatback and the seat cushion.
Special guidance fixtures increase the convenience of the
lower anchorages and help protect the seat material from
possible damage when installing child restraints that have
rigid lower anchorages and not straps with hooks. _,.
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

Installing a child restraint using the lower
anchorages of the LATC H system
Child safety seats equipped with the LATCH system can
quickly and easily be secured to the rear
seats.
0 N ;;; t1. ;g
Fig . 251 LATCH-type
seat with both latch
bars extended
Fig. 252 Installation of
child safety seat with
rigid latches on bars
Whenever you install a child restraint always refer to the
child restraint manufacturer's instructions.
- Make sure the seat back of the rear seat bench is in the
upright position and securely latched in place.
- Install the guidance fixtures=:>
page 261 .
-Insert the latches onto the lower anchorages==> fig. 252.
Safety first
Child Safety
- Make sure you hear the child restraint click securely into
place. This indicates that the seat is securely mounted on
the anchors.
- Pull on the child restraint once you have mounted it to
make sure it is secure.
& WARNING
Improper use of the LATCH system can increase the risk of serious
personal injury and death in an accident.
• These anchors were developed solely for child safety seats
using the "LATCH" system.
• Never attach other child safety seats, belts or other objects to
these anchors.
• Always make sure that you hear a click when latching the seat
in place . If you do not hear a click the seat is not secure and could
fly forward and hit the interior of the vehicle, or be ejected from
the vehicle .
& WARNING
Improper installation of child restraints will increase the risk of
injury in an accident .
• Always follow the child restraint system manufacturer's
instructions for proper installation of the child restraint system
and proper use of tether straps as well as the lower anchorages or
safety belts in your vehicle .
• Always read and heed the important information and WARN ­
INGS about child safety and the installation of child restraint
systems ~
page 245, "Child Safety". ...
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Vehicle care I • irechnical data

1111 Child Safety
---------..!...--------------------------------------
0 Note
On vehicles with power individual rear seats* some criteria must be
observed when attaching the child restraint using the
LATCH
system :
• To attach the child restraint securely, the seat must be moved to
the farthest rear position, the seat height set to the lowest position
and the head restraint must be adjusted to the ver tical position
~ page 97.
• If a child safety seat is attached to one of the rear seats, this seat
must not be adjusted using the power controls under any circum­
stances. The easy entry function for this seat must also be deacti ­
vated in the
MMI ~ page 700. The child safety seat as well as the
rear seat can be damaged by the adjustment process .•
Mounting and releasing the anchorage hook
If you use a child restraint system with hooks or other
latches attached to adjustable straps.
Mounting
-Press the anchorage hook with the spring catch release
onto the lower anchorage so that the anchorage hook
locks into place .
- Pull on the anchorage hook to make sure that it has
securely engaged the lower anchorage.
- Tighten the strap following the child restraint manufac­
turer's instructions.
Releasing
- Loosen the tension on the strap following the child
restraint manufacturer's instructions .
- Depress the spring catch on the hook. -
Hold the spring catch in depressed position.
- Move the hook in the direction of the vehicle floor so that
there is enough space to release the anchorage hook
from the lower anchorage.
& WARNING
• Improper installation of child restraints will increase the risk of
injuries in a crash.
• Always refer to the child restraints manufacturer's instructions
for proper installation of the child restraint and proper use of the
lower anchorages or safety belts
in your vehicle. •
Tether anchors
Fig. 253 Tether
anchors: recess flaps
behind the rear seat­
backs
Beginning wi th model year 2000 , the rear seating positions are
equipped with three tether anchors .
The tether anchors for the three rear seating positions are located
in recesses in the rear window shelf~ fig. 253 . Vehicles with power
individual rear seats* are equipped with two tether anchors. .,.

& WARNING
Improper installation of child restraints will increa se the r is k of
injury and death in a crash .
• Improper use of child restraint anchors (tether anchors) could
lead to injury in a colli sion. The anchor s are designed to withstand
only tho se load s impo sed by correctly fitted child restraints .
• Never mount two child restraint systems on one LATCH lower
anchor point .
• Never attach two child restraint sy stems to one tether strap or
tether anchorage .
• Always follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of
the child restraint you intend to install in your Audi .
• Never use child restraint tether anchorages to secure safety
belts or other kinds of occupant restraint s.
• Never atta ch a tether strap to a tie -down hook in the luggage
compartment.
• Never secure or attach any luggage or other items to the LATCH
lower anchorages or to the tether anchors .
• If a tether or other strap is used to attach a child restraint to the
front passenger seat , make sure that it is not so tight , that it
c auses the weight -sensing mat to measure 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 must be suppressed causing serious or even fatal injury to
the child. •
Safety first
Child Safety
Tether strap
A tethe r is a straight or V-sh aped s trap t hat at taches the
top part of a chil d re str aint to s peci al anc ho ra ge poin ts in
t h e vehicle.
Fig . 254 Tether strap:
prope r routing and
mounting
The p urpose of the tether is to reduce the forward movement of the
c hi ld r estraint in a crash, in orde r to he lp redu ce th e risk o f head
injury that could be caused by striking the vehicle interior.
F o rw ard facing c hild res train ts manufact ure d after Sep te mb er 1,
1999, are required by U.S . federal re gulations to comply with child
head m ovement performance requ iremen ts . These new pe rfo r­
mance requirements make a tether necessary on most new child
safety seats .
& WARNING
Improper installation of child restraints will increase the risk of
injury in a crash .
• Never attach a child safety seat tether strap to a tie -down hook
in the luggage compartment .
• Never secure or attach any luggage or other items to the LATCH
lower anchorages or to the tether .
• If a tether or other strap is used to attach a child restraint to the
front passenger seat, m ake sure that it is not so tight , that it •
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Vehicle care I I irechnical data

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& W ARNING (continued )
causes the weight-sensing mat to measure 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 must be suppressed causing serious or even fatal injury to
the child .•
Using tethers on rear-facing child restraint
systems
Currently, few rear -facing child restraint systems come with a tether.
Please read and heed the child rest raint sy stem manufactu rer's
instruct ions ca reful ly to determine how to properly insta ll the
tether .
& WARNING
A child in a rearward -facing child safety seat installed on the front
passenger seat will be ser iously 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 .
• A tight tether or other strap on a rearward -facing child restraint
attached to the front passenger seat can put too much pressure
on the weight -mat in the seat and register a heavier weight in the
Advanced Airbag System. 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 caus ing serious
or even fatal injury to the child .
• 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 l ight does not come on and stay on,
& WARNING (continued)
immediately install the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating po sition and have the airbag system inspected by your
Audi dealer . •
Secur ing the upper tether strap to the anchor
bracket
F ig . 255 Tether strap:
proper routing and
mounting
Securing the child restraint tether strap to the
tether anchor
Re lease or dep loy the tether strap o n the chil d restraint
acco rdin g to th e ch ild restraint manufacturer 's usage
inst ructio ns.
Gu ide th e u pper tether stra p
under th e r ear he ad
rest rai nt=> fig. 255 (r ais e t he hea d rest raint if nece ssa ry).
- Tilt th e re cess flap -detail view- => fig . 255 up to exp ose
t he anch or b rack et.
Slide t he tet her strap h ook ove r th e an ch o r br acket .
Pull on the te the r st ra p h ook so that the sp rin g ca tc h of
th e ho o k e ngag es . .,.

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Trailer towing
Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger transpor­
tation.
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that the additional load
wi ll affect durability, economy and performance.
Trai ler towing not on ly p laces more stress on the vehicle, it a lso ca lls
for more concentration from the driver.
For this reason, always fol low the operating and driving instructions
provided and use common sense.
0 Note
If you are going to tow a trai ler, you must activate the trailer opera­
tion mode =>
page 192, "Towing a Trailer".
Technical requirements
Tra iler hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the gross trailer weight .
The hitch must be suitable for your vehicle and trailer and must be
mounted secure ly on the ve hicle's chass is at a
technically sound
location. Use only a trailer hitch with a removable ball mount.
Always check with the trai ler hitch manufacturer to make sure that
you are using the correct hitch .
Do not use a bump er hit ch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way tha t it does not interfere
with the impact-absorbing bumper system. No modifications should be made to the vehic le exhaust and brake systems. From time to time, check that all hitch mounting bolts remain securely
fastened.
When you are no
t towing a trailer, remove the traile r hitch ball
mount. This prevents the hitch from causing damage shou ld your
vehic le be struck from behind=>& .
Traile r br akes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system, check to be sure
that it conforms to al l regu lations .
The trai ler hydraulic brake system must no t be direct ly connected to
the vehicle's hydraulic brake system.
S afet y c hains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle and the trailer.
Trailer light s
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Be sure to check with your
Audi dealer for correc t wiring, swi tches and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traf fic behind you using the regu lar
outside mirrors, then you
must install extended mirrors. It is impor­
tant that you
always have c lear vision to the rear.
& WARNING
After rem oving the tr aile r hitch , do not store it in your vehi cle. In
ca se of sudde n braking , the hit ch co uld fl y for ward and injure you
or your p asseng ers. a

Operating instructions
Max im um tra iler weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical class 1 or class 2
trailer.
T ra ile r l oa d di stributio n
Be sure the load in the trailer is he ld securely in place to prevent it
from shifting forward, backward or sideways .
Never allo w a passe nger to r ide in a tr aile r~ & in "Driving instruc­
tions" .
Engin e c oolin g sys te m
Towing a trailer makes the eng ine work harder. It is important that
the cooling system's performance is up to the additiona l load. Make
sure that the coo ling system has enough fluid .
Tire pr ess ure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the co ld tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the labe l located either on the
driver's side B -pil lar (visible when the door is open) or inside the fuel
filler flap . Inflate trai ler tires to trai ler and tire manufacturers' spec­
ifications.
L ig ht s
The head light settings should be checked wit h the trai ler attached
before driving off. Check to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly .
Safe ty c ha in s
Be sure traile r safety chains are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to
perm it turning corners . When you i nsta ll safety chains, make sure
they will not drag on the road when you are driving.
T he chains should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent it from
dropping in case of separat ion from the hitch.
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Tr
aile r t owing
0 Note
If you are going to tow a trai ler, you must activate the trailer opera­
tion mode ~
page 192, "Towing a Trailer". •
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of veh icle and trailer,
please note t he following :
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
Be espec ia lly careful whe n passing other vehicles.
- Observe s peed limits .
Do not drive at the maximum permiss ible speed .
Always apply brakes ear ly.
Moni tor t he temperature ga uge.
Weight distr ibution
Towing a loaded trailer with an empty car results in a highly
unstable distr ibution of weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at
very low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control. This means that
the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and perm is ­
s ib le, while keeping the trailer as light as possib le under the circum ­
stances . Whenever possible, transfe r so me cargo to t he luggage
compartment of the tow vehicle whi le observing tongue load
requirements and vehicle loading considera tions . .,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data