-Child Safety ---- ~---------------------------
and for the different models of the same kind of child restraint
offered by child restraint manufactu rers .
The weight ranges for the individual types, makes and models of ch ild
restraints that the NHTSA has specified in the Safety Standard
together with the weight ranges of typica l 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 chi ld, the Advanced Airbag System
compares the weight measured by the weight sens ing mat with the
information stored in the electronic control unit .
T he electronic control unit also registers the tension on the front
passenger safety be lt . The tension on the safety belt fo r the front
passenger seat will be different for an adult who is properly using the
safety belt as compared to the tension on the be lt 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 we ight to
"decide", whether there is a child restraint with a typical 1 yea r-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 child restraint is properly installed at
one of the rear seating positions. If in exceptional circumstances you
must use it on the front passenger seat, carefully read all of the infor
mation on chi ld 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 the
PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF
light. Many
types and models of child restra ints have been available over
the years, new mode ls are introduced regularly incorporating new
and improved designs and older models are taken out of production .
Chi ld restraints are not standardized. Child restraints of the same
type typically have different weights and sizes and different 'foot
prints,' the size and shape of the bottom of the chi ld restraint that
sits on the seat, whe n they are installed on a vehicle seat. These
differences make it virtually impossible to certify compliance with
the requirements for advanced airbags with each and every child
restraint that has ever been sold in the past or w ill be sold over the
course of the useful lif e of yo ur vehicle.
For this reason, the United States National H ighway Traffic Safety
Administration has published a list of specific type, makes and
mode ls of child restraints that must be used to cert ify comp liance of
the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle with the suppression
requirements of Fede ral Motor Vehicle Safety Standa rd 208. These
child restraints are:
A. Car beds, manufactured on or after September 1,
2004:
• Cosco Dream Ride 02-719
B. Rearward 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 w ith or w ithout 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 Infant 8457
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
& WARNING (continued)
-Always move the front passenger seat into the rearmost
position of the passenger seat's fore and aft adjustment range,
and as far away from the airbag as possible before installing
the child restraint.
- Always make sure that nothing prevents the front
passenger's seat from being moved to the rearmost position in
its fore and aft adjustment range.
- Always make sure that the backrest is in the upright posi
tion.
• Always buckle the child safety seat firmly in place even if a
child is not sitting in it. A loose child safety seat can fly around
during a sudden stop or in a collision.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used=>
page 190, "Safety belts",
~ page 200, "Airbag system" and~ page 222, "Child Safety".
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury, make sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF light comes on and stays on whenever a
child restraint is installed on the front passenger seat and the
ignit ion is switched on.
• Take the child restrain t 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.
& WARNING
A child in a child restraint installed with the LATCH lower anchor
ages or with the standard safety belt on the rear seat may play
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Child Safety
& WARNING (continued)
with unused rear seat safety belts and become entangled
resulting in serious personal injury and even death.
• Always buckle unused rear seat safety belts out of reach of chil
dren in child seats and properly activate the convertible locking
retractor so that the child cannot unreel the safety belt from the
retractor .•
Child safety seats
Infant seats
Babies and infants up to about one year old and 20 lbs. or
9 kg need special rearward-facing child restraints that
support the back, neck and head in a crash .
Fig. 205 Schematic
overview: rearward
facing infant seat, properly installed on
the rear
seat
- When using the vehicle safety belt to install a child safety
seat, you must first activate the convertible locking
retractor on the safety belt to prevent the child safety seat
from moving =>
page 232 or install the seat using the
LATCH attachments. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service Technical data
___ C_h _i_ld _ S_ a_ f_ e_ t_,, y'-----------------------------------------------
- Push the child safety seat down with your full weight to
get the safety belt really tight so that the seat cannot
move forward or sideways more than one inch (2.5 cm).
Infants up to about one year (20 lbs. or 9 kg) a re best protected in
special infant carriers and child safety seats designed for the ir age
group . Many exp erts believe that infants and small children should
r ide only in spec ial restraints in which the child faces the back of the
vehicle. These infant seats suppo rt the baby's back, neck and head in
a crash=> fig. 205.
The airbag on the passenge r side makes the front seat a potentially
dangerous place for a chi ld to ride. The front seat is not the safest
place for a ch ild in a forward-facing child seat. It is a very dangerous
place for an infant or a large r child in a rearward -fac ing seat.
& WARNING
Not using a child safety seat, using the wrong child safety seat or
improperly installing a
child restraint increases the risk of serious
personal injury and death
in a crash.
• Never install rear-facing child safety seats
or infant carriers on
the front passenger seat -even with an Advanced Airbag System.
A child will be seriously injured and can be killed when the
inflating airbag hits the child safety seat or infant carrier with
great force and smashes the
child safety seat and child against the
backrest, center arm rest,
door or roof => page 202, "Child
restraints on the front seat- some important things to know".
• Always install rearward-facing child safety seats
or infant
carriers on the rear seat.
• Never install a rearward-facing child restraint in the forward
facing direction. Such restraints are designed for the special needs
of infants and very small children and cannot protect them
prop·
erly if the seat is forward-facing.
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay on,
& WARNING (continued)
immediately install the rearward-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
authorized Audi dealer.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained
in a vehicle is being used => page 190, "Safety belts",
=> page 200, "Airbag system" and => page 222, "Important
things to know" .•
Convertib le child safety seats
Properly used convertible child safety seats can help
protect toddlers and children over age one who weigh between 20 and 40 lbs. (9 and 18 kg) in a crash .
Fig. 206 Schematic
overview: installation
of the attachments
applicable to a LATC H
seat ...
Fig. 20 7 S chem atic
o verview : in stallati on
o f the seat usi ng t he
v e h icl e's s afety belt
system
- Whe n usi ng th e v ehicle safety belt to ins tall a c hild safety
seat , you mus t first activ ate the convert ible locking
f ea ture on the s afe ty b elt to preve nt the child s afe ty seat
fro m moving==>
page 232 or install t he seat usi ng t he
L A T CH a ttac hments .
- P ush the child saf ety s eat dow n with yo ur full weight to
get the safety be lt rea lly t ight so that the se at ca nnot
mov e fo rward o r sideways more than o ne i nch ( 2.5 cm)
=> page 232.
A tod dler or ch ild is usu a lly too large for a n in fant rest raint if it is
more tha n on e year old and weig hs mo re than 20 lbs. (9 kg).
Todd le rs and children who are older than one year up to about 4 years
old and weig h m or e th an 20 l bs ( 9 kg) up t o 40 l bs. (1 8 kg) mus t
always be properly restrained in a chi ld safety seat certif ied for the ir
si ze and weig ht =>
p age 2 28, fi g. 206 and => page 229, fig . 207 .
Th e a irbag on the passenger side makes the front seat a pot entia lly
dange rous p lace for a child to ride . The front seat is not t he safest
pla ce fo r a child in a forwa rd-f acin g ch ild sa fe ty seat . It is a very
dange rous p lace for an infant or a large r chi ld in a rearward -facing
se at.
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Child Safety
& WARNING
Not using a child safety seat, using the wrong child safety seat or
improperly installing a child restraint increases the risk of serious
personal injury and death in a collision or other emergency situa
tion .
• Children on the front seat of any car, even with Advanced
Airbags, can be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag inflates. A child in a rearward-facing child safety seat installed on
the front passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed
if the front airbag inflates - even with an Advanced Airbag
System .
• The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant
c arrier with great force and will sma sh the child safety seat and
child against the backrest, center arm rest, door or roof.
• Always install rearward-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 rearward-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
authorized Audi dealer .
• 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, "Important
things to know ".
& WARNING
If exceptional cir cumstances require the use of a forward-facing
c hild restraint on the front passenger's seat, the child' s safety and
well-being require that the following special precautions be
taken:
9J,,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical 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