........ _A_ i_rb _ a_,g,:;._ s_, y'- s_ t_e _m ________________________________________________ _
& WARNING (conti nued)
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
authorized Audi dealer .
• A tight tether or othe r strap on a rearward-facing child
restraint attached to the front passenger seat can put too much
pressure on the weight-sensing mat in the seat and register more
weight than i s actually on the seat. The heav ier 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 .
• If, in ex ceptional circumstances, you must install a forward·
facing child restraint on the front passenger seat, always move
the seat into i ts rearmo st po sition in the seat's fore and aft adjust ·
ment range, as far away from the airbag as possible . The backrest
must be adjusted to an upright position. Make sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on all the time
whenever the ignition is switched on.
& WARNING
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light do es not go out when an
adult is sitting on the front passenger seat after taking the steps
de scribed above, make sure the adult i s properly seated and
restrained at one of the rear seating positions.
• Have the airbag system inspected by your authorized Audi
dealer before transporting anyone on the front passenger seat.
[ i ] Tips
If the we ight-sens ing mat in the front passenger seat detects an
empty seat, the front a irbag on the passenger side w ill be t urne d off,
and PASS ENGER AIR BAG OFF will stay on.•
Repair, care and disposal of the airbags
Parts of the a irbag system a re installed at many different p laces on
your Audi. Inst all in g, remov ing, servic ing or repa iring a part in an
area of the ve hicle can damage a part of an airbag system and preve nt
t ha t system from working pro perl y in a coll is ion.
T here are some important thi ngs you have to know to make sure that
the effectiveness of the system will not be impa ired an d that
discarded components do no t cause injury or poll ute 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 attach any objects such as cupholders or telephone
mountings to the surfaces covering the airbag unit s.
• For cleaning the horn pad or instrument panel, use only a soft,
dry cloth or one moistened with plain water. Solvent s 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 part s of the airbag system .
• All work on the steering wheel, instrument panel , front seats
or electrical sy stem (including the installation of audio equip·
ment , cellular telephones and CB radios, etc .) must be performed
by a qualified technician who ha s the training and special equip ·
ment necessary .
• For any work on the airbag system, we strongly re commend
that you see your autho rized Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
• Never modify the front bumper or parts of the vehicle body.
liJ,,
are wearing your safety belt and wear ing it properly . This is why you
should always wear your safety belt, not just because the law requires
you to do so::::>
page 190, "General 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
dep loy at a slightly higher rate of deceleration than if the belt is not
being used. Therefore, in a particular collision, it is poss ible that an
airbag will not deploy at a seating position where the safety belt is
being used but will inflate at the position whe re the safety be lt is not
being used.
Remember too, airbags w ill deploy only once and only in certa in kinds
of accidents -your safety belts are always there to offer protection in
t hose accidents in which airbags are not supposed to deploy or when
they have already deployed, for example when your vehicle strikes or
is struck by another after the first collision.
This is just one of the reasons why an airbag is not a substitute for the
safety belt. The airbag system wo rks most effective ly when used with
the safety belts. Therefore, always wear your safety belts correctly .
It is important to remember that while the supplemental airbag
system is desig ned to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries, other
injuries, for example, swe lling, bruis ing, and minor abrasions can
also be associated with airbags.
The knee airbag system basically consists of:
• Th e electronic control module
• T wo inflatable airbags (airbag and gas generator), one for the
driver and one for the front passenger
• The airbag indicator light in the instrument panel
The knee airbag system will not deploy:
• when the ignition is turned off
• in front-end collis ions when the decelerat ion measured by the
control unit is too low
• in s ide collisions
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Airbag system
• in rear-end collisions
• in rollovers
• in the event of a system ma lfunction (warning/indicator light illu
minated)
=> page 14 .
& WARNING
• Safety belts and the airbag system can only provide protection
when occupants are in the proper seating position =>
page 209.
• If the airbag indicator light comes 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 deploy the airbag.
See also =>
page 14. •
A pp lies to vehi cles: w ith K nee airb ags
How knee airbags work
The risk of injury to the leg area is reduced by fully
deployed knee airbags.
Fig . 202 Inflated
airbags protecting
in a
frontal collision
The knee air bag system has been designed so that the airbags for the
dr iver and front passenger are deployed in certa in but not all frontal
co llisions .
ti-
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data
Side airbags
Description of side airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental protection
to properly restrained occupants.
Fig. 203 Side airbag
location in the driver's
seat
The side airbags are located in the sides of the front seat backrests
=>
page 219, fig. 203. They are identified by the word "AIRBAG" .
The side airbag system basically consists of:
• the electronic control module and external side impact sensors
• the two side airbags located in the sides of the front backrests
• the airbag warning light in the instrument cluster.
The airbag system is monitored electronically to make certain that it
is functioning properly at all times. Each time you turn on the igni
tion, the airbag system indicator light will come on for a few seconds
(self diagnostics) .
The side airbag system supplements the safety belts and can help to reduce the risk of injury to the driver's and front passenger's upper
torso on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a side collision. The
airbag deploys only in side impacts and only when the vehicle acceler
ation registered by the control unit is high enough . If this rate is
below the reference value programmed into the control unit, the side
airbags will not be triggered, even though the car may be badly
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Airbag system
damaged as a result of the collision. It is not possible to define an
airbag triggering range that will cover every possible angle of impact,
since the circumstances will vary considerably between one collision
and another. Important factors include, for example, the nature
(hard or soft) of the impacting object, the angle of impact, vehicle
speed, etc.
=> page 220, "Important safety instructions on the side
airbag system" .
Aside from their normal safety function, safety belts work to help keep the driver or front passenger in position in the event of a side
collision so that the side airbags can provide protection.
The airbag system is
not a substitute for your safety belt. Rather, it is
part of the overall occupant restraint system in your vehicle. Always
remember that the side airbag system can only 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 190, "General notes".
It is important to remember that while the supplemental side airbag
system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries, other
injuries, for example, swelling, bruising, and minor abrasions can
also be associated with deployed side airbags. Remember too, side
airbags will deploy only once and only in certain kinds of accidents -
your safety belts are always there to offer protection .
Vehicle damage, repair costs or even the lack of vehicle damage are
not necessarily an indication of over-sensitive or failed airbag activa
tion. In some collisions, both front and side airbags may inflate.
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only once and only in certain
kinds of collisions -your safety belts are always there to offer protec
tion in those accidents in which airbags are not supposed to deploy or
when they have already deployed.
The side airbag system will not deploy:
• when the ignition is turned off
• in side collisions when the acceleration measured by the sensor is
too low
• in front-end collisions
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data
Child Safety Ill
-------------------"'---
C. Forward-facing convertible child restraint
systems, manufactured on or after September 1,
2004:
• Britax Roundabout 161
• 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 everybody
in the vehicle, especially children:
- Always use the right child safety seat for each child and
always use it properly::::>
page 227.
- 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 232.
-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
___ C_ h_il ..:....d _ S...:.....:.. a..:....fe -=- t~ y~ -----------------------------------------
& WARNING (continued)
• 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 provided with
the child safety seat or infant 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 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 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 211,
"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.a
Booster seats and safety belts
Properly used booster seats can help protect children
weighing between about40 lbs. and 80 lbs. (18 kg and
36 kg) who are less than 4
ft. 9 in.
(57 inches/1.45 meters) tall.
Fig. 208 Rear seat:
child properly
restrained in a booster
seat
The vehicle's safety belts alone will not fit most children until
they are at least 4 ft . 9 in . (57 inches/1.45 meters) tall and
weigh about 80 lbs. (36 kg). Booster seats raise these chil
dren up so that the safety belt will pass properly
over the
stronger parts of their bodies and the safety belt can help protect them in a crash.
- Do not use the convertible locking retractor when using
the vehicle's safety belt to restrain a child on a booster
seat .
- Always position the shoulder portion of the safety belt
midway
over the child's shoulder .
- Always make sure that the shoulder portion of the safety
belt never rests against or across the child's neck.
~
lffllL___:C:..:h..:.. i:..: l .=d ~S=-= a..:..f .= e ~ty ~ --------------------------------------------
& WA RNING (conti nued)
• Never let a child stand or kneel on an y seat, for example the
front seat.
• Never let a child ride in the cargo area of your vehicle.
• Alwa ys remember that a child leaning forward , sitting s ide·
ways or out of po sition in an y way during an accident can be struck
by a deploying airbag. Th is will result in serious personal injury or
death.
• If you must install a booster seat on the front passenger seat
because of e xceptional circumstance s the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF light must come on and stay on, whenever the ignit ion is
switched on.
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and
s tay on, perform the checks described =>
page 211, "Monitoring
the Advanced Airbag System ".
• Take the child re straint off the front pa ssenger seat and install
it prope rly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on whenever the ignition i s swit ched
on.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever u sing a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used=>
page 190, "Safety belts ",
=> page 200, "Airbag system " and => page 222, "Impo rtant
th ings to know ". •
Installing a child safety seat
Securing a child safety seat using a safety
belt
S afet y belts for the re ar seats a nd the front passenger's
seat c an be locked with the c onvertible locking retract or
to pro perly secure child safety seats.
T he safety belts emergency loc king retractors for the rear seats
saf ety belts and fo r the front passe nger's seat safety be lt have a
convertib le locking retractor for child restraints. The safety be lt m ust
be loc ked so that belt webbing ca n not u nreel. The re tractor can be
activated to lock the safety belt and prevent the safety belt webbing
from loosening up d uring norm al driving. A chi ld safety seat can only
be properly installed when the safety belt is locked so that the child
and child safe ty seat will stay in p lace .
Always remembe r: Even though your vehicle is equipped with an
Advanced Airbag system, all chi ld ren, especially those 12 yea rs and
younger, should always ride in th e bac k seat p roperly restra ined for
their age and size.
& WARNING
Improperl y in stalled child safety se ats increase the risk of serious
per sonal injury and death in a collision.
• Always make sure that the safety belt retractor is locked when
i nstalling a child safety seat . An unlocked safety belt retractor
cannot hold the child safety seat in place during normal driving or
in a crash.
• Always buckle the child safety seat firmly in place even if a
child is not s itting in it. A loose child safety seat can fly around
during a sudden stop or in a collision.
• If the back rest is not securely latched , the child and the child
restraint will be thrown forward together with the backre st and ._
Child Safety Ill
------------------=------
& WARNING (continued)
will strike parts of the vehicle interior. The child can be seriously injured or killed.
• Never install rearward-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 .
• 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 rearward-facing child safety seats or infant
carriers on the rear seat.
• Forward-facing child safety seats or infant carriers installed on
the front passenger's seat may interfere with the deployment of
the airbag and cause serious injury to the child.
• It is safer to install a forward-facing child safety seat on the
rear seat.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used:::::>
page 222. Special precau
tions apply when installing a child safety seat on the front
passenger seat:::::>
page 202, "Child restraints on the front seat -
some important things to know ".
& WARNING
Always take special precautions if you must install a forward or
rearward-facing child restraint on the front passenger's seat in
exceptional situations:
• Whenever a forward or rearward-facing child restraint is
installed on the front passenger seat, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF light must come on and stay on whenever the ignition is
switched on.
• If the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and
stay on, perform the checks described:::::>
page 211, "Monitoring
the Advanced Airbag System".
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation
& WARNING
(continued)
• 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.
• Improper installation of child restraints can reduce their effec
tiveness or even prevent them from providing any protection.
• An improperly installed child restraint can interfere with the
airbag as it deploys and seriously injure or even kill the child.
• Always carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions
provided with the child safety seat or carrier.
• Never place additional items on the seat that can increase the
total weight registered by the weight-sensing mat and can cause
injury in a crash.
& WARNING
Forward-facing child restraints:
• Always 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. • Never put the forward-facing child restraint up, against or very
near the instrument panel.
• Always move the passenger seat into its rearmost position in
the seat's fore and aft adjustment range, as far away from the
airbag as possible before installing the forward-facing child
restraint. The backrest must be adjusted 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
Rearward-facing child restraints:
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
ffl.___C_ h_ il_d _ S_a _ f_ e _ t--= y '------------------------------------------------
& WARNING (continued)
• 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, door or roof.
• Always be especially careful if you must install a rearward
facing child safety seat on the front passenger seat in exceptional
circumstances.
• A tight tether 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 causing serious
or even fatal injury to the child.
• 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 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and
stay on, immediately install the rearward-facing child safety seat
in a rear seating position and have the airbag system inspected by
your authorized Audi dealer. •
Activating the convertible locking retractor
Use the convertible locking retractor to secure a child
restraint.
Always heed the child safety seat manufacturer's instruc
tions when installing a child restraint in your vehicle. To acti
vate the convertible locking retractor:
- Place the child restraint on a seat, preferably on the rear
seat. -
Slowly pull the belt
all the way out.
- Route it around or through the child restraint belt path
=>& .
- Push the child safety seat down with your full weight to
get the safety belt really tight.
- Insert the belt tongue into the buckle for that seating
position.
- Guide the safety belt back into the retractor until the belt
lies flat and snug on the child safety seat.
- You should hear a "clicking" noise as the belt winds back
into the inertia reel. Test the convertible locking retractor
by pulling on the belt. You should no longer be able to pull
the belt out of the retractor. The convertible locking
retractor is now activated.
- Make sure that the red release button is facing away from
the child restraint so that it can be unbuckled quickly.
- Pull on the belt to make sure the safety belt is properly
tight and fastened so that the seat cannot move forward
or sideways more than one inch (2.5 cm).
& WARNING
Using the wrong child restraint or an improperly installed child
restraint can cause serious personal injury or death in a crash.
• Always make sure that the safety belt retractor is locked when
installing a child safety seat. An unlocked safety belt retractor
cannot hold the child safety seat in place during normal driving or
in a crash.
• 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 crash.