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---------------------------------------------------=D..:.r..:..iv .:....:..: in..:. 9 ::!-- S .=..::a:..:f...:e :..: l~y ---
& WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can cause loss of vehicle control
and increase the risk of serious injury.
• Never place any objects in the driver's footwell . An object could
get into the pedal area and interfere with pedal function. In case
of sudden braking or an accident, you would not be able to brake
or accelerate!
• Always make sure that nothing can fall or move into the
driver's footwell. •
Floor mats on the driver side
Always use floor mats that can be securely attached to
the floor mat fasteners and do not interfere with the free
movement of the pedals.
- Make sure that the floor mats are properly secured and
cannot move and interfere with the pedals =>& .
Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area unobstructed and that
are firmly secured so that they cannot slip out of position . You can
obtain suitable floor mats from your authorized Audi dealer.
Floor mat fasteners are installed in your Audi.
Floor mats used in your vehicle must be attached to these fasteners .
Properly securing the floor mats will prevent them from sliding into
positions that could interfere with the pedals or impair safe opera
tion of your vehicle in other ways.
& WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can result in a loss of vehicle
control and increase the risk of serious personal injury.
• Always make sure that floor mats are properly secured.
Controls and equip ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WARNING (continued)
• Never place or install floor mats or other floor coverings in the
vehicle that cannot be properly secured in place to prevent them
from slipping and interfering with the pedals or the ability to
control the vehicle.
• Never place or install floor mats or other floor coverings on top
of already installed floor mats. Additional floor mats and other
coverings will reduce the size of the pedal area and interfere with
the pedals.
• Always properly reinstall and secure floor mats that have been
taken out for cleaning.
• Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the driver foot
well while the vehicle is moving. Objects can become trapped
under the brake pedal and accelerator pedal causing a loss of
vehicle control. •
Stowing luggage
Loading the luggage compartment
All luggage and other objects must be properly stowed
and secured in the luggage compartment.
Vehicle care
Fig. 183 Safe load
positioning: place
heavy objects as low
and as far forward as
possible. ...
Do-it-yourself service Technical data
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___ o_ r_iv _ i _n....; g::;_ S_ a_f _e _ly=-- -------------------------------------------------
Loose items in the luggage compartment can shift
suddenly, changing vehicle handling characteristics. Loose
items can also increase the risk of serious personal injury in
a sudden vehicle maneuver or in a collision.
- Distribute the load evenly in the luggage compartment.
- Always place and properly secure heavy items in the
luggage compartment as low and as far forward as
possible
~ fig. 183.
Secure luggage using the tie-downs provided~
page 79.
- Make sure that the rear seat back is securely latched in
place.
& WARNING
Improperly stored luggage or other items can fly through the
vehicle causing serious personal injury in the event of hard braking or an accident. To help reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
• Always put objects , for example, luggage or other heavy items
in the luggage compartment.
• Always secure objects in the luggage compartment using the
tie-down eyelets and suitable straps.
& WARNING
Heavy loads will influence the way your vehicle handles. To help
reduce the risk of a loss of control leading to serious personal
injury:
• Always keep in mind when transporting heavy objects, that a
change in the center of gravity can also cause changes in vehicle
handling:
-Always distribute the load as evenly as possible.
& WARNING (continued)
-Place heavy objects as far forward in the luggage compart
ment as possible.
• Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating or the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating specified on the safety compliance sticker on the left door jamb. Exceeding permissible weight standards
can cause the vehicle to slide and handle differently.
• Please observe information on safe driving~
page 168.
& WARNING
To help prevent poisonous exhaust gas from being drawn into the
vehicle, always keep the rear lid closed while driving.
• Never transport objects larger than those fitting completely
into the luggage area because the rear lid cannot be fully closed.
• If you absolutely must drive with the rear lid open, observe the
following notes to reduce the risk of poisoning:
-Close all windows,
- Close the panoramic tilting sunroof*,
- Open all air outlets in the instrument panel,
- Switch off the air recirculation,
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest speed.
& WARNING
Always make sure that the doors, all windows, the panoramic
tilting sunroof* and the rear lid are securely closed and locked to
reduce the risk of injury when the vehicle is not being used.
• After closing the rear lid, always make sure that it is properly
closed and locked.
• Never leave your vehicle unattended especially with the rear lid
left open. A child could crawl into the vehicle through the luggage
compartment and close the rear lid becoming trapped and unable .,_
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________________________________________________ D_r_iv _ i _n_ g~ S_ a_ fe_ ly __ !II
& WA RNIN G (continu ed )
to get out . Being tr apped in a vehi cle can lead to serious personal
injury.
• Never let children play in or around the vehicle .
• Never let pa ssengers ride in the lugg age compartment . Vehicle
occupants must always be properly restrained in one of the
vehicle 's seating po sitions.
[ i ] Tips
• Air circu lation helps to reduce window fogging . Stale air escapes
to the outside through vents in the tr im panel. Be sure to keep these
s lots free a nd ope n.
• T he tire pressure must correspond to the load. The ti re pressure
is shown on th e tire pressure label. On USA vehicles, the tire pres
sure label is located on the driver 's side 8 -pillar. On Canada vehicles,
t he t ire pressure la bel is located e ither on the driver's s ide 8 -p illar
or ins ide the fuel fil ler flap. The tire pressu re labe l lists the recom
m en ded c old tire in flati on press ures for the vehicle at i ts m axim um
capacity weight and the tires that were on your vehicle at the time
i t w as manu factur ed. F or rec ommend ed tire pressu res for normal
load conditions, p lease see chapter=>
page 291 . •
Tie-downs
T h e lu gga ge compart ment is equipped with four tie
do wns t o sec ure lu gg ag e and oth er item s.
Use the tie -downs to secure your cargo properly=> page 175,
"Lo adi ng th e luggag e compartm ent".
I n a co llis ion, the laws of physics mean that even smaller items that
are l oose i n t he vehic le wi ll become heavy mis siles that can ca use
serious injur y. It e ms in the vehicle possess energy which vary with
veh ic le speed and the weight of the item . Vehic le speed is the most
s ign ificant factor.
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
F
or example, in a frontal co llision at a speed of 30 mph ( 48 km/h),
t he forces acting on a 10 -lb (4. 5 kg) o bjec t are abo ut 20 times the
normal weight of the item . This means that the we ight of the item
wo uld sudden ly be about 200 lbs . (90 kg) . Yo u can imagine the inj u
ries that a 200 lbs . (90 kg) item flying free ly through the passenger
compa rtment cou ld cause in a coll ision like this .
& WARNING
Weak, damaged or improper straps used to secure items to tie
downs can fail dur ing hard braking or in a collision and cause
serious personal injury.
• Always use suitable mounting straps and properly secure
items to the tie -downs in the luggage compartment to help
prevent items from shifting or flying forward as dangerous
missiles .
• When the rear seat ba ckrest is folded down , always use suit
able mounting straps and properly secure items to the tie -downs
in the luggage compartment to help prevent items from flying
forward as dangerous missiles into the passenger compartment .
• Never atta ch a ch ild safety seat tether strap to a tie -down . •
Reporting Safety Defects
Applicable to U.S.A. If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause injury or death , you should immediately inform
the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis
tration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying Audi of
America, In c. _,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
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111111 Driving Safely
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a
safety defects exist s in a group of vehicles, it
may order a recall and remedy campaign.
However, NHTSA cannot become involved in
individual problems between you, your dealer,
or Audi of America, Inc.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at:
Tel.: 1-888-327-4236 (TIY: 1-800-424-9153)
or write to:
Administrator NHTSA 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
You can also obtain other information about
motor vehicle safety from:
http://www.safercar.gov
Applicable to Canada
Canadian customers who wish to report a
safety-related defect to Transport Canada,
Defect Investigat ions and Recalls, may tele
phone the toll free hotline:
Tel.: 1-800-333 -0371 or Tel.:
1-613-998 -8616 if you are in Ottawa area
TIY for hearing impaired: 1 -888-675-6863
email comments/questions to: roadsafetyweb [email protected]
or contact Transport Canada by mail at:
Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation
Di recto rate
Transport Canada
Tower C, Place de Ville,
330 Sparks Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N5
For additional road safety information, please
visit the Road Safety website at
http://www. tc.gc.ca/roadsafe ty/index.htm •
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_______________________________________________ S_a _f _e _t -=-y _ b_ e_lt _s __ __
Safety belts
General notes
Always wear safety belts!
Wearing safety belts correctly saves lives!
This chapter explains why safety belts are necessary, how
they work and how to adjust and wear them correctly.
- Read all the information that follows and heed all of the
instruct ions and WARNINGS.
& WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or wearing them improperly increases
the risk of serious personal injury and death.
• Safety belts are the single most effective means available to
reduce the risk of serious injury and death in automobile acci
dents . For your protection and that of your passengers , always
correctly wear safety belts when the vehicle is moving.
• Pregnant women, injured, or physically impaired persons must
also use safety belts . Like all vehicle occupants, they are more
likely to be seriously injured if they do not wear safety belts . The
best way to protect a fetus is to protect the mother -throughout
the entire pregnancy. •
Number of seats
Your Audi has a total of four seating positions: two in the front and
two in the rear. Each seating position has a safety belt .
Controls and equip ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or wearing them improperly increases
the risk of serious personal injury and death .
• Never strap more than one person, including small children,
into any belt. It is especially dangerous to place a safety belt over
a child sitting on your lap.
• Never let more people ride in the vehicle than there are safety
belts available.
• Be sure everyone riding in the vehicle is properly restrained
with a separate safety belt or child restraint. •
Safety belt warning light ~
Your vehicle has a warning system for the driver and (on
USA models only) front seat passenger to remind you
about the importance of buckling-up.
Before driving off, always:
Fig . 184 Safety belt
warning light in the
instrument cluster -
enlarged
- Fasten your safety belt and make sure you are wearing it
properly.
1J,,
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___ S_a_ f_ e_ t-= y_ b_e_ l_ t _s _______________________________________________ _
- Make sure that your passengers also b uckle up and prop
erly wea r th eir sa fety belts.
Protect your childre n with a child restraint system appro
priate for t he size and age of the children.
The warning light i in the instrument cluster lights up when the
ignition is switched on as a reminder to fasten the safety belts. In
addition, you will hear a warning sound.
After the ignition is switched on, the warning tone will come on for about 6 seconds along w ith a ,!,-warning light in the ins trument
cluster if either the driver or (on USA models on ly) front seat
passenger has not fastened their safe ty belt. As soon as the driver
and front seat passenger have fastened the safety belt, the warning
tone wi ll stop and the warning light will go out.
If both the driver and front seat passenger have not buck led-up
within about 24 seconds after the warning tone has stopped, the
warning tone wi ll sound aga in for about 6 seconds . The warning
tone wi ll sound repeatedly for about 6 seconds at 24 second inter
va ls unti l both the driver and front passenger have buckled-up . The
safety belt warning system is active for about 5 minutes and during
t his time the wa rn ing light in the instrument c luster w ill stay on.
Fa sten your safety belt now and make sure th at your pa ssenger s
a lso proper ly put on the ir saf ety belt s. •
Why safety belts?
Frontal co11isions and the law of physics
Front al crashes create very strong forces for pe ople rid ing
in vehicles.
Fi g. 185 U nbel ted
o cc up ants in a ve hicle
he ading for a wa ll
F ig . 18 6 The vehi cle
c ras hes in to the wa ll
The physical principles are simple. Both the vehicle and the passen
gers possess energy which varies with vehicle speed and body
we ight. Engineers cal l this energy "kinetic energy ."
T he higher the speed of the vehicle and the greater the vehic le's
we ight, the more energy that has to be "absorbed" in the crash .
Vehicle speed is the most significan t factor. If the speed doubles
from 15 to 30 mph (25 to 50 km/h), the energy increases 4 times! .,
Page 183 of 360

Because the passengers of this vehicle are not using safety belts
=:> page 180, fig. 185, they will keep moving at the same speed the
vehicle was moving just before the crash, until something stops
them -here, the wall
=:> page 180, fig. 186.
The same principles apply to people sitting in a vehicle that is involved in a frontal collision. Even at city speeds of 20 to 30 mph
(30 to 50 km/h), the forces acting on the body can reach one ton
(2,000 lbs. or 1,000 kg) or more . At greater speeds, these forces are
even higher.
People who do not use safety belts are also not attached to their
vehicle. In a frontal collision they will also keep moving forward at
the speed their vehicle was travelling just before the crash. Of course, the laws of physics don't just apply to frontal collisions, they
determine what happens in all kinds of accidents and collisions. •
What happens to occupants not wearing
safety belts?
In crashes unbelted occupants cannot stop themselves
from flying forward and being injured or killed. Always
wear your safety belts!
Safety first
Fig . 187 A driver not
wearing a safety belt is
violently thrown
forward
Safety belts
Fig . 188 A rear
passenger not wearing
a safety belt will fly
forward and strike the
driver
Unbelted occupants are not able to resist the tremendous forces of
impact by holding tight or bracing themselves. Without the benefit
of safety restraint systems, the unrestrained occupant will slam
violently into the steering wheel, instrument panel, windshield, or
whatever else is in the way=:> fig. 187. This impact with the vehicle
interior has all the energy they had just before the crash.
Never rely on airbags alone for protection. Even when they deploy,
airbags provide only additional protection. Airbags are not
supposed to deploy in all kinds of accidents. Although your Audi is
equipped with airbags, all vehicle occupants, including the driver,
must wear safety belts correctly in order to minimize the risk of
severe injury or death in a crash.
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only once and that your
safety belts are always there to offer protection in those accidents
in which airbags are not supposed to deploy or when they have
already deployed. Unbelted occupants can also be thrown out of the
vehicle where even more severe or fatal injuries can occur.
It is also important for the rear passengers to wear safety belts
correctly . Unbelted passengers in the rear seats endanger not only
themselves but also the driver and other passengers=:> fig. 188. In a
frontal collision they will be thrown forward violently, where they can hit and injure the driver and/or front seat passenger. •
Vehicle care I I Technical data
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__ __::S~a ~f ~e ~ty ~ b~ e~ l~ t ~s ____________________________________________ _
Safety belts protect
People think it's possible to use the hands to brace the
body in a minor collision. It's simply not true!
Fi g. 189 Driver is
co rrec tly res trai ned in
a sudden braking
m an euver
Safety belts used properly can make a big difference . Safety belts
help to keep passengers in their seats, gradually reduce energy
levels applied to the body in an accident , and help prevent the
uncontrolled
movement that can cause serious injuries. In addition,
safety be lts reduce the danger of being thrown out of the vehic le.
Safety belts attach passengers to the car and g ive them the benefit
of being s lowed down more gently or "softly" through the "give" in
the safety belts, crush zones and other safety features engineered
into today's vehicles . By "absorbing" the kinetic energy
over a
longer period of time, the safety belts make the forces on the body
more "tolerable" and less like ly to cause injury.
Although these examples are based on a frontal collision , safety
belts can also substantially reduce the risk of injury in other kinds
of crashes. So, whether you're on a long trip or just going to the
corner store, always buckle up and make sure others do, too. Acci
dent statistics show that vehicle occupants proper ly wearing safety
bel ts have a lower risk of being injured and a much better chance o f
surviving an accident . Proper ly using safety belts also greatly
increases the abi lity of the supplementa l airbags to do their job in a
collision. For this reason, wearing a safety be lt is legally required in
most countries including much of the United States and Canada . Although your Audi is equipped with airbags, you sti
ll have to wear
the safety belts provided . Fron t airbags, for example, are activated
only in some frontal collisions . T he front airbags are not activated in
all frontal col lisions, in side and rear collisions, in roll overs or in
cases where there is not enough dece leration through impact to the
front of the vehicle . The same goes for the other airbag systems in
your Audi . So, always wear your safety belt and make sure
every
body in your vehic le is properly restrained! •
Important safety instructions about safety
belts
Safety belts must always be correctly positioned across
t he strongest bones of your body.
Always wear safety belts as illustrated and described in
this chapter.
Make sure tha t your safe ty belts are a lways ready for use
and are not damaged .
& WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or w earing them improperl y increas es
the ri sk of s eriou s pers onal inj ury an d death . S afe ty belt s can work
onl y w hen used corre ctl y.
• Alway s fas te n yo ur sa fe ty belt s corre ctl y befo re dri ving off and
mak e sure all p assenger s ar e correctly re strain ed.
• For m aximum protect ion , safet y belt s mu st alway s be p osi
ti oned properly on the body .
• Never strap more th an one person , includi ng sm all child ren ,
into any belt.
• Never pla ce a sa fety belt ove r a child sitting on your l ap .
• Alway s keep feet in t he foot well
in front of the seat while t he
vehi cle is being dri ven .
~