2010 AUDI A5 COUPE Owners Manual

Side airbags
Description of side airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental protecti on
to properly rest rained occupants.
Fi g. 200 Si de a ir b ag
lo ca tio n in th e driv er's
seat
The side airbags are located in the sides of the front seat backrests
=> fig. 200. They are identified by the word "AIRBAG".
The side a irbag sy stem ba sic ally con sis ts of :
• the electronic contro l 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 moni tored electronically to make cer tain that
it is functioning properly at all times. Each time you turn on the igni­
tion, the airbag system indicator light wi ll come on for a few
seconds (self diagnostics).
T he 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 colli­
sion. The airbag deploys only in side impacts and on ly when the
vehicle acceleration registered by the control unit is high enough. If
t his rate is below the reference va lue programmed into the contro l
unit, the side airbags will not be triggered, even though the car may
Safety first
Airbag sy ste m
be badly damaged as a result of the collision. It is not possible to
define an airbag triggering range tha t wi ll cover every possible
ang le of impact, since the circumstances wi ll 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 208, "Important safety
instructions on the side airbag system".
Aside from their norma l safety function, safety belts work to help
keep the driver or front passenger in posi tion in the event o f a side
collision so that the side airbags can provide protection.
The airbag system is
not a substitute for your safety belt. Rathe r, it
is part of the overall occupant restraint system in your vehicle.
Always remember that the side airbag system can only he lp to
protect you if you are wearing your safety belt and wear ing it prop­
erly. This is another reason why you should always wear your safety
belts, not just because the law requires you to do so=>
page 179,
"General notes".
It is important to remember that while the supp lementa l side airbag
system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries, other
inju ries, for e xample, swell ing, bruising, and minor abras ions can
also be associated with deployed side airbags. Remember too, side
airbags will deploy only once and on ly in certain kinds of accidents
- your safety be lts are a lways there to offer protection.
Vehicle damage, repair costs or even the lack of vehicle damage are not necessarily an indication of ove r-sensitive or fa iled airbag acti­
vation. In some collisions, both front and side airbags may inflate.
Remember too, tha t airbags w ill deploy only once and on ly in
certain kinds of collisions -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.
The side airbag system will not deploy :
• when the ignition is turned off
• in side collisions when the accele ration measured by the sens or
is too low
~
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

___ A_ ir_b _a_ g;:::;_ s--:.. y_s _t _e _m _________________________________________________ _
• in front-end collisions
• in rear-end collisions
• in rollovers.
In some types of accidents the front airbags, side curtain airbags
and side airbags may be triggered together.
& WARNING
• Safety belts and the airbag system will only provide protection
when occupants are in the proper seating position
=> page 208.
• If the airbag indicator light comes on 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 activate the
airbag. •
How supplemental side airbags work
Side airbags deploy instantly and can help reduce the risk
of upper torso injuries for occupants who are properly
restrained.
Fig . 201 Inflated side
airbags on left side of
vehicle
When the system is triggered, the airbag is filled with propellant gas
and breaks through a seam in the seat surface area marked "
AIRBAG ". It expands between the side trim panel and the
passenger. In order to help provide this additional protection, the
side airbag must inflate within a fraction of a second a t very high
speed and with great force. The supplemental side airbag could
injure you if your seating position is not proper or upright or if items
are located in the area where the supplemental side airbag expands.
This applies especially to children=>
page 213, "Child Safety".
Supplemental side airbags inflate between the occupant and the
door panel on the side of the vehicle that is struck in certain side
collision => fig. 201.
Although they are not a soft pillow, they can "cushion" the impact
and in this way they can help to reduce the risk of injury to the upper
part of the body.
A fine dust may develop when the airbag deploys. This is normal
and does not m ean there is a fire in the vehicle .•
Important safety instructions on the side
airbag system
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. Always prop­
erly wear safety belts and ride in a proper seating posi­
tion.
There is a lot that you and your passengers must know and act
accordingly to help the saf ety bel ts and airbags do their job to
provide supplemental protection.
& WARNING
An inflating side airbag can cause serious or fatal injury. Improp ­
erly wearing safety belts and improper seating positions increase
the risk of serious personal injury and death whenever a vehicle is
being used.
• In order to reduce the risk of injury when the supplemental side
airbag inflates:
~

_________________________________________________ .:.A ..:. i :..:.r..::b :...:a:..:. g~ s::.. y .!....::. s..:t ..:e :..:.m.:....:.... ___
& WARNING (continued)
-Always sit in an upright position and never lean against the
area where the supplemental side airbag is located.
- Never let a child or anyone else rest their head against the
side trim panel in the area where the supplemental side airbag
inflates.
- Always make sure that safety belts are worn correctly,
- Do not let anyone sitting in the front seat put their hand or
any other parts of their body out of the window.
• Always make sure that the side airbag can inflate without inter ­
ference .
- Never install seat covers or replacement upholstery over the
front seat backs that have not been specifically approved by
Audi.
- Never use additional seat cushions that cover the areas
where the side airbags deploy.
- Damage to the original seat covers or to the seam in the area
of the side airbag module must always be repaired immedi­
ately by an authorized Audi dealer .
• Objects between you and the airbag can increase the risk of
injury in an accident by interfering with the way the airbag unfolds
or by being pushed into you as the airbag inflates .
- Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as
cupholders, telephone brackets, or even large, bulky objects)
on the doors, over or near the area marked "AIRBAG" on the
seat backrests .
- Such objects and accessories can become dangerous projec­
tiles and cause injury when the supplemental side airbag
deploys.
- Never carry any objects or pets in the deployment space
between them and the airbags or allow children or other
passengers to travel in this position .
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WARNING (continued)
• Always use the built-in coat hooks only for lightweight
clothing. Never leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the
pockets that may interfere with side airbag deployment and can
cause personal injury in an accident.
• Always prevent the side airbags from being damaged by heavy
objects knocking against or hitting the sides of the seatbacks.
• The airbag system can only be triggered once. If the airbag has
been triggered, the system must be replaced by an authorized
Audi dealership.
• Damage (cracks, deep scratches etc.I to the original seat covers
or to the seam in the area of the side airbag module must always
be repaired immediately by an authorized Audi dealer .
• If children are seated improperly, their risk of injury increases
in the case of an accident
~ page 213 , "Child Safety" .
• Never attempt to modify any components of the airbag system
in any way .
• In a side collision, side airbags will not function properly if
sensors cannot correctly measure increasing air pressure inside
the doors when air escapes through larger, unclosed openings in
the door panel.
- Never drive with interior door trim panels removed.
-Never drive when parts have been removed from the inside
door panel and the openings they leave have not been properly
closed.
- Never drive when loudspeakers in the doors have been
removed unless the speaker holes have been properly closed.
- Always make certain that openings are covered or filled if
additional speakers or other equipment is installed in the
inside door panels .
- Always have work on the doors done by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop . •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

___ A_ ir_b _a_ g;:::;_ s--:.. y_s _t _e _m _________________________________________________ _
Side curtain airbags
Description of side curtain airbags
The side curtain airbag system can provide supplemental
protection to p roperly restrained occup ants.
Fig. 202 Si de cu rtai n
sys te m , d riv er' s s ide:
s ide curtai n airb ag
l oca tio n
The side curtain airbags are located on both sides of the interior
above the front and rear side windows=:> fig . 202 . They are identi ­
fied by the word "AIRBAG" on the windshield frame and the center
roof pillar.
The side curtain airbag system supplements the sa fety be lts and
can help to reduce the risk of injury for occupants' heads and upper
t orso on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a side collision . The
side curtain airbag inflates only in side impacts and on ly when the
vehic le acceleration 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 damaged as a result of the collision. It is not possib le to
define an airbag triggering range that will cover every possible
angle of impact, since the circums tances will vary considerab ly
between one col lision and another. Important factors include, for
examp le, the nature (hard or soft) of the impacting object, the angle
of impact, vehicle speed, etc.=:>
page 211, "How side curtain airbags
work" . Aside from their normal safety function, safety belts work
to help
keep the driver or fron t passenger in position in the event of a colli ­
sion so that the side curtain 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 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 179, "General
notes".
I t is important to remember that while the s ide curtain airbag
system is designed to he lp reduce the like lihood of ser ious injuries,
other injuries, for examp le, swelling, bruising, and minor ab rasions
can a lso be associated wi th t hese airbags. Remember too, these
airbags will deploy only once and only in certain kinds of accidents
- your safety belts are a lways there to offer protection.
The sid e curtain airbag system b asically con sist s of :
• The electronic control module and externa l s ide impact sensors
• The side curtain airbags above the front and rear side windows
• The airbag indicator light in the instrument panel
The airbag system is monitored e lectronically to make certain it is
funct ioning proper ly at all t imes. Each time you turn on the ignition,
the airbag system indicator light will come on for a few seconds (self diagnostics) .
The sid e curtain airb ag i s not activated:
• if the ignition is turned off,
• in side collisions when the acceleratio n measured by the sensor
is too low,
• in front -end co llisions,
• in rear -end collisions.

Airbag system -----------------=~-
& WARNING
• Safety belts and the airbag system will only provide protection
when occupants are in the proper seating position
~ page 69,
"General recommendations" .
• If the airbag indicator light comes on when the vehicle is being
used, have the system inspected immediately by your authorized
Audi dealer. The side curtain airbag may not work properly even
when the vehicle acceleration in a side collision is high enough to
activate the airbag. •
How side curtain airbags work
Side curtain airbags can work together with side airbags
to help reduce the risk of head and upper torso injuries for
occupants who are properly restrained.
..
Fig . 203 Illustration of
principle: Inflated side
curtain airbags on the
left side
The side curtain airbags inflate between the occupant and the
windows on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a side collision
~ fig. 203.
When the system is triggered, the side curtain airbag is filled with propellant gas and breaks through a seam above the front and rear
side windows identified by the AIRBAG label. In order to help
provide this additional protection, the side curtain airbag must
inflate within the blink of an eye at very high speed and with great
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation force. The side curtain airbag could injure you if your seating posi­
tion
is not proper or upright or if items are located in the area where
the supplemental side curtain airbag inflates. This applies espe­
cially to children ~ page 213.
Although they are not a soft pillow, side curtain airbags can
"cushion" the impact and in this way they can help to reduce the risk
of injury to the head and the upper part of the body.
A fine dust may develop when the airbag deploys. This is quite
normal and does not mean there is a fire in the vehicle. •
Important safety instructions on the side
curtain airbag system
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. Always prop­
erly wear safety belts and ride in a proper seating posi ­
tion.
ihere is a lot that you and your passengers must know and do to
help the safety belts and airbags do their job to provide supple­
mental protection .
& WARNING
Improperly wearing safety belts and improper seating positions
increase the risk of serious personal injury and death whenever a
vehicle is being used.
• Never let occupants place any parts of their bodies in the area
from which the side curtain airbags inflate.
• Always make sure that the side curtain airbags can inflate
without interference. Unsuitable accessories fitted inside the
expansion range of a head airbag can dangerously interfere with
its function. A deploying head airbag develops enough force to
catapult any piece of add-on component out of its path of inflation
and into the passenger compartment. An occupant hit by such a _,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

-Airbag system Ptrf _______________ _
& WARNING (continued)
projectile can suffer serious injury or death:::, page 342, "Technical
Modifications" .
• Do not swivel the sun visors to the side if you have any objects
clipped onto them (for example pens). If the airbag should deploy ,
you could be injured by these objects .
• Use the built -in coat hooks only for lightweight clothing. Never
leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets that may
interfere with airbag deployment and can cause personal injury in
an accident .
• Never use hangers to hang clothing from the hooks.
• Only use factory -installed sun shades or, in the case of shades
installed after the vehicle leaves the factory , only Audi roll-up
sunscreens may be used:::,
page 341, "Additional accessories and
parts replacement" .
• Always sit in proper seating position and wear safety belts
while traveling so that the side curtain airbags can help provide protection .
• The airbag system can only be triggered once . If the airbag has
been triggered, the system must be replaced by an authorized
Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
• Always have work involving the side curtain airbag system,
removal and installation of the airbag components , or other
repairs performed by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified work ­
shop. Otherwise the airbag system may not work correctly .
• Never attempt to modify any components of the airbag system
in any way .•

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 181, "What happens to occu ­
pa nts not wearing safety bel ts?" . But un like adults their muscles
and bones are not ful ly developed. In many respects children are at
greater ris k of ser iou s injury in c rashes than adu lts .
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 s mall 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 in jury. Child restraints must be used proper ly to
b e e ffec tive. Use d improper ly, th ey can inc rease th e risk o f ser ious
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 216, "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 -they
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 contact 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
passenger 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 , center armrest or door. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

-Child Safety ------=---------------------------------
& WAR NIN G (co ntinued )
• Alw ays inst all r ear ward-f acing child safet y sea ts on the r ear
s eat.
• If you must in stall a r earward facing child saf ety seat on the
front p assenger seat in e xcept ion al circum sta nce s and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light doe s not come on and stay on ,
imm edi atel y ins ta ll the re arw ard -fa cin g child safety seat in a re ar
s eating po sit ion and have the airb ag s ystem inspe cted immedi­
a tely by your autho rized Audi dealer .
& WARNING
If, in e xce ptional cir cum sta nces, you mu st in stall a fo rward-fa cing
c hild restraint on the front p asseng er's seat :
• Alway s m ake s ure the forw ard -fa cing seat h as been de signed
and cert ified by its manufacturer for use on a front seat with a
passenger front and side airbag.
• Alway s follow the m anufacturer's instructi on s provided with
the child s afety seat or carrier .
• Alway s move the p assenger seat into it s rearmo st position in
the seat's fo re and aft adju stment range , as far a way from the
airbag a s po ssible b efore in stalling the child restraint. The ba ck­
rest must be adjusted t o an up rig ht position .
• Alway s m ake sure that the PA SSENG ER AIR BAG OFF light
c ome s on and stays on all the time whenever the ign iti on is
switched on. •
Advanced front airbag system and children
Your vehicle is equipped with a front "Advanced Airbag System" in
compliance with United States Federa l Motor Vehicle Safety Stan ­
dard (FMVSS) 208 as applicable at the time your vehicle was manu ­
factured . T
he Advanced Airbag system in your vehicle has been certified to
meet the " low -risk" requiremen ts for 3 -and 6 -year o ld children on
the passenger side and smal l adults on the driver side . The low risk
deployment criteria are intended to reduce the risk of injury through
interaction with the airbag that can occur , for example, by being too
close to the steering wheel and instrument panel when the airbag
inflates. In addition, the system has been certified to comply with
the "suppression" requirements of the Safety Standard, to turn off
the front airbag for infants up to 12 months who are restrained on
the front passenger seat in child restraints that are listed in the
S tandard.
Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airbag
system, all ch ildren, especially those 12 years and younge r, should
always ride in the back seat properly restrained for their age and
size . The airbag on the passenger side makes the front seat a poten ­
tially dangerous p lace for a child to ride. The front seat is not the
safest p lace for a child in a forward -facing child safety seat . It can be
a very dangerous p lace for an infant or a larger ch ild in a rearward­
facing seat. •
Advanced Airbags and the weight-sensing
mat in the front seat
The Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle detects the presence
of an infant or child in a chi ld restraint on the front passenger seat
using the weight -sensing mat in the seat cushion and the sensor
below the safety belt latch on the front passenger seat that
measures the tension on the safety belt.
The weight -sensing mat measures total weight of the chi ld and the
child safety seat and a child blanket on the front passenger seat . The
weight on the front passenger seat is related to the design of the
child restraint and its "footprint", the size and shape of the bottom
of the child restraint as it sits on the seat . The weight of a child
restraint and its "footprint" vary for different kinds of child ..,.