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Whe n a person is detected on the front passenger seat, weighing
more than the to tal weight of a child t hat is about 1 year old
restrained in one of the rear-facing or forward -facing infant
restraints (listed in Federa l Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 with
which the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle was certified), the front airbag on the passenger side may or may not deploy .
The
PA SSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on when the e lectronic
control unit detects a total weight on the front passenger seat that
requires the front a irbag to be turned off . If the
PA SSENGER AIR BAG
O FF
light does not come on, the front airbag on the passenger side
has not been tu rned off by the contro l u nit and can dep loy if the
control unit senses an impact that meets the conditions stored in its
memory .
I f the total weight on the front passenger seat is more than that o f
a typical
1 year -old, but less than the we ight of a small adult, the
front airbag on the passenger side may dep loy (the
PA SS ENGER AIR
BAG OFF
l ight does not come on).
For example , the airbag may deploy if :
• a small ch ild that is heavier than a typ ical 1 year-o ld child is on
the front passenger seat (regardless of whether the child is in one
of the child sa fety seats listed ~ page
159),
• a child who has outgrown child res traints is on the front
passenger seat.
I f the front passenger airbag is turned off, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
O FF
light in the cen ter of the instrument panel wi ll co me on and stay
on .
T he front airbag on the passenge r side may
not deploy (the
PASS ENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not illuminate and stay lit) if:
• a small adult or teenager is on the front passenger seat
• a passenger who is not sitting upright with their back against a
non -reclined backrest with their feet on the vehicle floor in front of
the seat is on the front passenger seat.
I f the front passenger airbag dep loys, the Federal Standard requires
the airbag t o meet the "low risk" deployment criteria to help reduce
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation the risk of injury through interaction with the airbag
. "Low risk"
dep loyment occurs in those crashes that ta ke place at l ower decel
erations as defined in the electronic control unit~ page
146.
Alway s remembe r: Even though your vehicle is equipped with
Advanced Airbags, the safes t place for chi ldren is properly
restrained on the back seat. Please be sure to read the important
informat ion in t he sections tha t follow a nd be sure to heed a ll of the
WARNINGS.
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury when an airbag inflates , always wear
s afety belts prope rly.
• If you are unrestrained , leaning forward , sitt ing s ideways or out
of position in any w ay, your risk of injury i s mu ch higher .
• You will al so receive se riou s injurie s and could even be killed if
you are up against the airbag or too clo se t o it when it inflate s -
even with an Advanced Airbag => page 135 .
& WARNING
A child in a rearward -facing child safety seat in stalled on the front
pa ssenge r seat will be ser iou sly injured and can be killed if the
front airb ag inflate s -even with an Advanced Airbag System .
• Although the Advan ced Airbag S ystem in your vehicle is
de signed to turn off the front airbag when a rearward -fa cing child
restraint h as been in stalled on the front pa ssenger seat , nobod y
c an ab solutely guarantee that deployment i s impo ssible in all
c onceivable situations that may happen during the useful life of
your vehicle .
• The inflating airbag will hit the ch ild s afety seat or inf ant
c arrier with great force and will smash the chi ld safety seat and
c hild ag ains t the ba ckre st, door , or roof .
• Always in stall rearward -facing child re straint s in the back seat ....
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
__________________________________________________ A_ i _r_b _a...; g::-- s_ y =--- s_t _e _m __ ftllll
passeng er seat shou ld be turn ed off or not~ page 137, "Ch ild
restr aint s o n the fro nt seat - some impor tant thin gs to know".
• A sensor in the safety belt latch fo r the d rive r and for the front
s e at pass enger th at s enses wh ether th at safe ty belt i s la tch ed o r not
and transmits this information to the e lectronic contro l unit.
& WARNING
Damage to the front passenger seat can prevent the front airbag
from working properly .
• Improper repair or disassembly of the front passenger and
driver seat will prevent the Advanced Airbag System from func
tioning properly .
• Repairs to the front passenger seat must be performed by qual
ified and properly trained workshop personnel .
• Never remove the front passenger or driver seat from the
vehicle.
• Never remove the upholstery from the front passenger seat .
• Never disassemble or remove parts from the seat or disconnect
wires from it.
• Never carry sharp objects in your pockets or place them on the
seat . If the weight-sensing mat in the passenger seat is punctured
it cannot work properly.
• Never carry things on your lap or carry objects on the
passenger seat . Such items can increase the weight registered by
the weight-sensing mat and send the wrong information to the
airbag control unit .
• Never store items under the front passenger seat . Parts of the
Advanced Airbag System under the passenger seat could be damaged , preventing them and the airbag system from working
properly.
• Never place seat covers or replacement upholstery that have
not been specifically approved by Audi on the front seats.
Controls and equip ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WARNING (continued)
• Seat covers can prevent the Advanced Airbag System from
recognizing child restraints or occupants on the front passenger
seat and prevent the side airbag in the seat backrest from
deploying properly.
• Never use cushions, pillows, blankets or similar items on the
front passenger seat. The additional padding will prevent the
weight-sensing mat in the seat from accurately registering the
child restraint or person on the seat and prevent the Advanced
Airbag System from functioning properly .
• If you must use a child restraint on the front passenger seat
and the child restraint manufa cturer's instructions require the use
of a towel , foam cushion or something else to properly position
the child restraint, make certain that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light comes on and stays on whenever the child restraint is
installed on the front passenger seat.
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay
on , immediately install child restraint in a rear seating position
and have the airbag system inspected by your Audi dealer. •
How the Advanced Airbag System
components
work together
The front Advanced Airbag System and the side airbags suppl ement
the protection offe red by t he front t hree -point safety bel ts with
pretens ioners and load limiters and the ad justable head restraints
to help reduce the risk of in jury in a wide range of accident and
c ras h situati ons. Be sure to read t he impo rtant inf ormatio n abou t
safety and heed the WARNI NGS in th is chapter.
D ep loym ent of the A dva nce d Ai rbag Sy stem and the activati on of
th e safety be lt pretension ers depend on the decel eration measur ed
b y the c ra s h sens ors and regis te re d by th e electr onic control unit.
C rash severity depends on speed and decel eration as we ll as t he
mass and s tiff ness of the veh ic le or object in vo lved in the crash.
9J.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Airbag system 111111
---------------------------------------------=---='------
or the low er parts of the body. Front airba gs only suppl eme nt the
th ree point safe ty belt s i n so me frontal co lli sio ns in which t he
veh ic le dece lerat ion is h igh enou gh to deploy th e airbags.
Front airbags will not deploy:
• if the ignition is switched off when a crash occurs,
• in s ide collisions ,
• i n rea r- e nd c ollisions ,
• in ro llovers,
• when th e cras h d eceler ation m easured b y th e a irba g sys te m i s
less than the minimum threshold needed for airbag dep loyment as
r egi stere d by the ele ctronic control u nit.
The front passenger airbag will also not deploy :
• when the fron t passenger s eat i s not o ccupied,
• when the weight o n th e front pass enger seat as se nsed by the
Ad vanced Ai rbag S ystem indi cates tha t th e front airba g on the
pas senger side has to be tu rned off b y the e lectronic cont ro l unit
(th e PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF l ig ht co me s on and sta y s on ).
& WARNING
Sitting in the wrong position can increase the risk of ser ious injury
in crashes .
• To reduce the risk of injury when the airbags inflate , the driver
and passengers must always sit in an upright position , must not
lean against or place any part of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located .
• Occupants who are unbelted , out of position or too close to the
airbag can be seriously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye~ page 137.
Controls and equip ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WARNING
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 w ith 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 , door or roof.
• 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 .
& WARNING
Objects between you and the airbag will in crease the risk of injury
in a crash by interfering with the way the airbag unfolds or by
being pushed into you as the airbag inflates .
• Never hold things in your hands or on your lap when the vehicle
is in use .
• Never transport items on or in the area of the front passenger
seat. Objects could move into the area of the front airbags during
braking or other sudden maneuver and become dangerous projec
tiles that can cause serious personal injury if the airbags inflate .
• Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as cup
holders , telephone brackets , large , heavy or bulky objects ) on the
doors , over or near the area marked "AIRBAG " on the steering
wheel , instrument panel , seat backrests or between those areas
and yourself . These objects could cause injury in a crash , espe
cially when the airbags inflate .
• Never recline the front passenger's seat to transport objects.
Items can also move into the area of the side airbag or the front
IIJ,,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
__________________________________________________ A_ i_ r _b _a...; g::- s_ y=--- s_t _e _m __ lllll
& W ARNING (continued )
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
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 circumstance s, 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 a s 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 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 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF will stay on.•
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 sta ll in 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 fro m 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 components 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
Airbag system -----------------=~-
If the fr ont airba gs deploy, t he kne e airbags also deploy in fro ntal
c o lli sion s above a ce rt a in s ev e rity.
W hen th e syst em is dep loy ed, the airbags start to f ill with a prope l
lant gas, and inflate between the lower part of the inst rument pane l
and the dri ver an d the l ower pa rt of t he in strument panel a nd the
front passenger =>
page 144, fig. 112.
A lth ough they ar e not a so ft pil low, the y ca n "c ush io n" the impac t
an d in this way they can h elp to reduce the risk of in jury to th e low er
e xtr emiti es.
A ll thi s takes place insta nt ane ous ly, so f ast th at many p eople don't
eve n realize that the a irbags ha ve deploye d. T he ai rb ag s als o i nflate
wi th a great dea l of force and it is im portant f or occ up ant saf ety that
no thi ng s ho ul d be in t he ir wa y when the y dep lo y.
Fu lly infl ate d airb ags in combin ation with pr operl y worn s afe ty b elt s
s lo w dow n and limi t the occu pant's fo rward moveme nt and h elp to
r e duc e th e risk. •
Important safety instructions on the knee
airbag system
A irbags are only s upplem enta l restra ints. Alwa ys wea r
safe ty belts corr ectly and ride in a prop er seating position .
There is a lo t th at you an d your p assenger s m us t kn ow and d o to
he lp the safety be lts an d air ba gs to p ro v ide supp leme nta l p ro tec
ti on.
& WARNING
An inflating knee airbag can cause serious injury. Wearing safety
belts incorrectly and improper seating positions increase the risk
of serious personal injury and death whenever a vehicle is being
used .
• The airbag system cannot protect you properly if you are
seated too close to any of the airbag locations. When adjusting
Controls and equip ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WARNING (continued)
their seat positions, it is important that both the driver and the
front passenger keep their upper bodies and knees at the
following minimum safe distances:
- 1
O inches (25 cm) between the chest and the steering
wheel /instrument panel .
- 4 inches (10 cm) between the knees and the lower part of the instrument panel .
• The risk of personal injury increases if you lean forward or to
the side, or if the seat is improperly positioned and you are not
wearing your safety belt . The risk increases even more should the
airbag deploy .
• Always make sure that the knee airbag can inflate without
interference . Objects between yourself and the airbag can
increase the risk of injury in an accident by interfering with the
way the airbag deploys or by being pushed into you as the airbag
deploys .
- No persons (children) or animals should ride in the footwell
in front of the passenger seat . If the airbag deploys , this can
result in serious or fatal injuries .
- No objects of any kind should be carried in the footwell area
in front of the driver's or passenger's seat . Bulky objects (shop
ping bags , for example) can hamper or prevent proper deploy
ment of the airbag . Small objects can be thrown through the
vehicle if the airbag deploys and injure you or your passengers .
• Make sure there are no cracks, deep scratches or other damage
in the area of the instrument panel where the knee airbags are
located .
• If children are incorrectly seated, their risk of injury increases in
the case of an accident=>
page 157, "Child Safety". •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Child Safety -
--------------------''---
Child Safety
Important things to know
Introduction
The rear seat is generally the safes t place in a collision.
The p hysica l pr inciples of what happens when you r veh ic le is in a
crash apply also to children=>
page 127, "What happens to occu
p a nts not wearing safety bel ts?" . Bu t un like adults and teenagers,
their musc les and bones are not fully developed. In many respects
children a re a t greater ris k of serious inj ury in cras hes than a dults .
B ecause chi ldren's bodies a re no t fully deve loped, they require
restraint systems especial ly designed for their size, weight, and
body structu re. Ma ny countries and al l sta tes of the U nited States
and provinces of Canada have laws requiring the use of approved
chil d restraint sys te m s for infa nts and smal l children .
I n a frontal crash at a speed of 20 -35 mph (30 -56 km/h) the forces
ac ting on a 13-pou nd (6 kg) infant wi ll be mo re than 20 times the
weight of the child. This means the weight of the child would
suddenly be more than 260 pounds ( 120 kg). Under these condi
t ions, only an appropriate child restraint proper ly used can reduce
the risk of serious injury. Child restraints, like adult safety belts,
must be use d properly t o be eff ective. Use d impro perly, they can
increase the risk of serious injury in an accident.
Co nsul t the c hild safety seat man ufacture r's ins truc tions to be su re
the seat is right for your child's size=>
page 160, "Important safety
instructions for using child safety seats" . Please be sure to read and
heed a ll of the important information and WARNI NGS about child
safety, Advanced Airbags, and the insta llation of child restraints in
this chapter.
T here is a lot you need to know about the Advanced Airbags in your
veh ic le and how they work whe n inf an ts and ch ild ren in c hild
restraints are on the front passenger seat. Because of the large
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation
amoun
t of important informat ion, we cannot repeat it all here. We
urge you to read the detai led information in this owner's manua l
about a irbags and the Advanced Airbag Sys tem in your ve hic le and
the very important information about transporting children on the
fr ont passenger sea t. Please b e sure to hee d th e WAR NINGS -th ey
are extreme ly important for your safety and the safety of your
p asse ngers, es pecia lly inf ant s and s mall ch ildren .
& WARNING
• Accident statistics have shown that children are generally safer
in the rear seat area than in the front seating position . Always
restrain any child age 12 and under in the rear.
• All vehicle o ccupants and especially children must be
restrained properly whenever riding in a vehicle . An unrestrained
or improperly restrained child could be injured by striking the inte
rior or by being ejected from the vehicle during a sudden
maneuver o r impact . An unrestrained or improperly restrained
c hild is also at greater risk of injury or death through conta ct with
an inflating a irbag .
• A suitable child restraint properly installed and used at one of
the rear seating positions provides the highest degree of protec
tion for infants and small children in most accident situations .
& WARNING
Children on the front seat of any car even with Advanced Airb ags
c an be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag inflates . A
child in a rearward -fa cing child safety seat installed on the front
pas senger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if the
front airbag inflates.
• The inflating airbag will hit the ch ild safety seat or infant
carrier with great force and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the backrest or door. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
-----------------------------------------~C::_! h~ i~ ld ~ S~a !_!f ~e _!;tY L _lffl!III
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 typ ical 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 . The input from this sensor is then used with the
weight to "decide" , whether there is a child restraint with a typical 1
year-old child on the front passenger seat and whether or not the airbag must be turned off.•
Child restraints and Advanced Airbags
Regardless 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 chi ld restraint is properly
installed at one of the rear seating positions. If in exceptiona l
circumstances you must use it on the front passenger seat, carefully
read all of the information on child safety and Advanced Airbags
and heed a ll 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
th e
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light .
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
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 mode ls 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 chi ld restraint
that sits on the seat, when they are installed on a vehicle sea t. These
differences make it virtual ly impossible to certify comp liance 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 vehic le.
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 base) .
• 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 lnfant8457
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
_______________________________________________ C_h _ i_ld _ S_ a_ f_ e_ t..,:c y __ lflll
& 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 .
• All vehicle occupants and especially children must always be
restrained properly whenever riding in a vehicle .
- An unrestrained or improperly restrained child can be injured or killed by being thrown against the inside of the vehicle or by
being ejected from it during a sudden maneuver or impact.
- An unrestrained or improperly restrained child is at much
greater risk of injury or death by being struck by an inflating
airbag.
• Commercially available child safety seats are required to
comply with U .S . Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSSl
213 (in Canada CMVSS 2131.
-When buying a child restraint, select one that fits your child
and the vehicle.
- Only use child restraint systems that fully contact the flat
portion of the seat cushion. The child restraint must not tip or
lean to either side . Audi does not recommend using child safety
seats that rest on legs or tube-like frames. They do not provide
adequate contact with the seat .
- Always heed all legal requirements pertaining to the installa
tion and use of child safety seats and carefully follow the
instructions provided by the manufacturer of the seat you are
using .
• Never allow children under 4
ft. 9 in. (1.4 ml to wear a normal
safety belt on rear seat under 4
ft . 3 in. (1 .3 m l=> page 166. They
must always be restrained by a proper child restraint system .
Otherwise, they could sustain injuries to the abdomen and neck
areas during sudden braking maneuvers or accidents.
• Never let more than one child occupy a child safety seat .
Controls and equip ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WARNING (continued)
• Never let babies or older children ride in a vehicle while sitting
on the lap of another passenger .
- Holding a child in your arms is never a substitute for a child
restraint system .
- The strongest person could not hold the child with the forces
that exist in an accident. The child will strike the interior of the
vehicle and can also be struck by the passenger.
- The child and the passenger can also injure each another in
an accident.
• Never install rear-facing child safety seats or infant carriers on
the front passenger seat. A child will be seriously injured and can be killed when the passenger 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 , door or roof .
• Always install rear-facing child safety seats or infant carriers on
the rear seat.
• Forward -facing child safety seats installed on the front
passenger's seat can interfere with the airbag when it inflates and
cause serious injury to the child. Always install forward -facing
child safety seats on the rear seat .
• 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 precau
tions be taken :
- Make sure the forward -facing seat has been designed and
certified by its manufacturer for use on a front seat with a
passenger front and side airbag.
- Always carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions
provided with the child safety seat or carrier.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data