
___ A_ ir_ b_ a-g _ s_y _s_ t_ e_ m _________________________________________________ _
Airbag system
Important things to know
Importance of wearing safety belts and
sitting properly
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. For airbags to
do their job, occupants must always properly wear their
safety belts and be in a proper seating position.
For your safe ty a nd the safety of your passengers, before
driving o ff, a lways:
- Adjust the driver's seat and steering wheel properly
~ page 170,
-Adjust the front passenger's seat properly~ page 70,
- Wear safety belts properly~ page 182,
-Always properly use the proper child restraint to pro tect
children~
page 213 .
In a col lision airbags must inflate within the blink of an eye and with
considerable force. The supplemental airbags can cause injuries if
the driver or the front seat passenger is not seated properly. There
fore in order to help the airbag to do its job, it is important, both as
a driver and as a passenger to sit properly at a ll times.
By keep ing room between your body and the steering wheel and the
front of the passenger compartment, the airbag can inflate fu lly and
comp letely and prov ide supplementa l protection in certain frontal
collisions =>
page 170, "Proper occupant seating positions". For
detai ls on the operation of the seat adjustment controls=>
page 72.
It's especially important that children are properly restrained
=>
page 213 .
There is a lot that the driver and the passengers can and must do to
help the individual safety features installed in your Audi work
together as a system.
P roper seating position is important so that the front airbag on the
driver side can do its job. I f you have a physical impairment or
condition that prevents you from sitting properly on the driver seat
with the safety belt proper ly fastened and reaching the peda ls,
special modifications to your vehicle may be necessary.
Contact your authorized Audi dealer, or call Audi Customer Rela
tions at 1 -800-822-2834 .
When the airbag system deploys, a gas generator will fill the
airbags, break open the padded covers, and inflate between the
steering wheel and the driver and between the instrument panel
and the front passenger . The airbags will def late immediate ly after
deployment so that the front occupants can see through the wind
shield again without interruption.
All of this takes p lace in the b link of an eye, so fast that many people
don't even rea lize that the airbags have dep loyed. The airbags also
inflate with a great dea l of force and nothing shoul d be in their way
when they deploy . Front airbags in combination with properly worn
safe ty belts slow down and limi t the occupant's fo rward movement .
Together they help to prevent the driver and front seat passenger
from hitting parts of the inside the vehicle while reducing the forces
act ing on the occupant during the crash. In this way they help to
reduce the risk of injury to the head and upper body in the crash.
Airbags do not protect the arms or the lower parts of the body .
Both front airbags will not inflate in all frontal col lisions. The trig
gering of the a irbag system depends on the veh ic le dece leration
rate caused by the collision and registered by the electronic contro l
unit . If this rate is below the refe rence value programmed into the
control unit, the airbags will not be triggered, even though the car
may be bad ly damaged as a result of the collision . Vehicle damage, _,.

__________________________________________________ A_ i_ r _b _a...: g::::_ s_ y=--- s_t _e _m __ lllll
& W ARNING (continued )
• Even when they deploy, airbags provide only supplemental
p rotect ion .
• Airbag work most effectively when used with properly worn
safety belts .
• Therefore , always wear your safety belts and make sure that
everybody in your vehi cle is properly restrained .
& WARNING
A person on the front passenger seat , especially infants and small
children, will receive serious injuries and can even be killed by
being too close to the a irbag when it inflates .
• Although the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle is
designed to tu rn off the front passenger airbag if an infant or a
small child is on the front pa ssenger seat, nobody can absolutely
guarantee that deployment under these special cond itions is
impossible in all conceivable situations that may happen during
the useful life of your vehi cle .
• The Advanced Airbag System can deploy in accordance with
the "low risk" option under the U .S . Federal Standard if a child that
is heavier than the typical one -year old child is on the front
passenger seat and the other conditions for airbag deployment
are met.
• Accident statistics have shown that children are generally safer
in the rear seat area than in the front seating position .
• For their own safety , all children , espec ially 12 years and
younger, should always ride in the back properly restrained for
their age and size . •
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Advanced front airbag system
Your vehicle is equipped with a front Advanced Airbag Syste
m in
compl ia nce w it h Un ited States Federal M oto r Ve hicle Sa fe ty S tan
dard 208 as appl icab le at the time your vehic le was manufactured.
The fro nt Advanced Ai rbag System supplemen ts the safety bel ts to
provide additional protection for the driver's and front passenger's
heads and upper bodies in fronta l cras hes. The ai rbags inflate o nly
i n fronta l im pac ts when the vehic le dece leratio n is h ig h enou gh.
T he front Advanced Airbag System for the front seat occupants is
n ot a su bstit ute fo r y ou r sa fety belts. Ra ther, i t is par t of th e overa ll
occupant restraint system in you r vehicle . A lways remember that
t he ai rbag sys te m can o nly h elp to pro tec t yo u, if y ou are sit ting
upright, wearing your safety be lt and wearing it properly. This is why
yo u an d your pas senge rs mu st always be p rope rly restrai ned, not
j us t because th e law requ ire s you to be.
T he Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle has been certified to
m ee t the " low r is k" requ ireme nts fo r 3 a nd 6 year -o ld c hildr en o n the
passenger s ide and very small adults on the driver side. The low risk
de ploym ent cr iteria a re inte nd ed t o he lp reduc e th e risk of in jury
through interaction with the front airbag that can occur, for
e xam ple, by be ing to o cl ose to the stee rin g wh eel and i nstru men t
panel w hen th e airbag inflates .
I n addition, the system has been certified to comply with the
"suppressio n" r eq uirem ents of t he Sa fety Standard , to tu rn off th e
front airbag for infants 12 months old and younger who a re
r es train ed o n th e fr ont p assenger sea t i n c hild re strai nts that a re
listed in the Standard ~
page 215, "Child restraints and Advanced
A irb ags" .
"Suppression" requires the front airba g on the passenger side to be
turned off if :
• a child up to abo ut on e year o f age is res traine d on the fr ont
passenger seat in one of the rear -facing or forward -facing infant
res traints l is te d in Federal Moto r Ve hicle Safe ty Standar d 208 wit h
which the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle was certifi ed . For ...
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

___ A_ ir_ b_ a-g _ s_y _ s_ t_ e_ m _________________________________________________ _
a listing of the child restraints that were used to certify your
vehicle's compliance with the US Safety Standard=>
page 215,
• weight less than a threshold level stored in the control unit is
detected on the front passenger seat.
When a person is detected on the front passenger seat, weighing more than the total weight of a child that is about 1 year old
restrained in one of the rear-facing or forward-facing infant
restraints (listed in Federal 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
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on when the electronic
control unit detects a total weight on the front passenger seat that
requires the front airbag to be turned off. If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF
light does not come on, the front airbag on the passenger side
has not been turned off by the control unit and can deploy if the
control unit senses an impact that meets the conditions stored in its
memory.
If the total weight on the front passenger seat is more than that of
a typical
1 year-old, but less than the weight of a small adult, the
front airbag on the passenger side may deploy (the
PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF
light does not come on).
For example, the airbag may deploy if:
• a small child that is heavier than a typical 1 year-old child is on
the front passenger seat (regardless of whether the child is in one
of the child safety seats listed=>
page 215!,
• a child who has outgrown child restraints is on the front
passenger seat.
If the front passenger airbag is turned off, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF
light in the center of the instrument panel will come on and stay
on.
The front airbag on the passenger side may
not deploy (the
PASSENGER 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.
If the front passenger airbag deploys, the Federal Standard requires
the airbag to meet the "low risk" deployment criteria to help reduce
the risk of injury through interaction with the airbag . "Low risk"
deployment occurs in those crashes that take place at lower decel
erations as defined in the electronic control unit.=>
page 199
Always remember:
Even though your vehicle is equipped with
Advanced Airbags, the safest place for children is properly
restrained on the back seat. Please be sure to read the important
information in the sections that follow and be sure to heed all of the
WARNINGS.
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury when an airbag inflates, always wear
safety belts properly.
• If you are unrestrained, leaning forward, sitting sideways or out
of position in any way, your risk of injury is much higher.
• You will also receive serious injuries and could even be killed if
you are up against the airbag or too close to it when it inflates -
even with an Advanced Airbag=>
page 188.
& 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 with an Advanced Airbag System.
• Although the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle is
designed to turn off the front airbag when a rearward -facing child
restraint has been installed on the front passenger seat, nobody
can absolutely guarantee that deployment is impossible in all
conceivable situations that may happen during the useful life of
your vehicle.
~

_,.___A_ i_r _b _a __, g::,_ s_ y,:__ s_t _e _m ___________________________________________________ _
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF light
Fig. 197 Sec tio n fr om
th e i nstrument panel:
PAS SENGER AIR BAG
OFF light
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light is located in the center of the
instrument panel=> fig.
197 .
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light will come on and stay on to tel l
you when the front Advanced Airbag on the passenger side has
been turned off by the electronic contro l unit . Each time you turn on
the ignition, the
PAS SENGER AIR BAG OFF light wi ll flash for a few
seconds and :
• will stay on if the front passenger seat is not occupied,
• will stay on if there is a small chi ld or chi ld restraint on the front
passenger seat ,
• will go out if the front passenger seat is occupied by an adult as
registered by the weight -sensing mat .
The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light must come on and stay on if the
ignition is on and
• a car bed has been installed on the front seat, or
• a rearward-facing child restraint has been installed on the front
passenger seat, or
• a forward-facing child restraint has been insta lled on the front
passenger seat, or
• the weight registered on the front passenger seat is equal to or
less than the combined weight of a typical 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 .
I f the front passenger seat is not occupied, the front airbag wil l not
deploy, and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF li ght wi ll stay on. Never
install a rearward -facing child restraint on the front passenger seat,
the safest place for a child in any kind of child restraint is at one o f
the seating posi tions on the rear seat=>
page 190, "Child restraints
o n the front seat -some important things to know" and=>
page 213,
"Chi ld Safety".
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on when one of the
conditions listed above is met , be sure to check the light regularly
to make certain that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light stays on
continuously whenever the ignition is on. If the
PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF
light does not appear and not stay on all the time, stop as
soon as it is safe to do so and
• reactivate the system by turning the ignition off and then turning
it on again;
• remove and reinstal l the child restraint. Make sure that the child
restraint is properly insta lled and that the safety belt for the front
passenger seat has been correctly routed around the child restraint
as described in the child restraint manufacturer's instructions;
• make sure that the convertible locking feature on the safety belt
for the front passenger seat has been activated and that the safety
belt has been pulled tight . The belt must not be loose or have loops
of slack so that the sensor below the safety belt latch on the seat can
do its job =>
page 223.
• make sure that things that may increase the weight of the child
and child safety seat are not being transported on the front
passenger seat;
• make sure that the safety belt tension sensor is not blocked .
Shake the safety belt latch on the front passenger seat back and
forth;
• 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 -.,

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Intelligent technology
Notice about data recorded by
vehicle control modules
Your vehicle is not equipped with an Event Data Recorder (EDR),
installed by some manufacturers for the express purpose of
capturing data for retrieval after an accident or crash event . EDR's
are sometimes called "crash recorders".
Some state laws restrict the retrieval or downloading of data stored
by EDR's that were insta lled in a vehicle for the express purpose of
retrieving data after an accident or crash event without the owner's
consent .
Although your vehicle is not equipped with an EDR, it is equipped
with a number of electronic control modules for various vehicle systems such as, for example, eng ine function, emission control, as
well as for the airbags and safety belts.
These electronic control modules also record vehic le -related data
during norma l vehicle operation for diagnostic and repair purposes .
The recording capacity of the electronic cont rol modules is limited
to data (no sound is recorded) and only a small amount of data is
actually recorded over a very limited period of time and stored when
a system fault or other condition is sensed by a control unit . Some
of the data then stored may relate to vehic le speed, direction,
braking as we ll as restraint system use and performance in the
event of a crash or other condition. Stored data can only be read and
downloaded with special equip men t.
Electronic stabilization Program (ESP)
Gc,neral ;nformation
The ESP improves the veh icle s tabili ty.
F ig. 2 14 ESP but ton
F ig . 21 5 Ce nte r
cons ole w ith ESP
swi tch
ESP is designed to help you maintain vehic le control in situations
where the car approaches the limits of "grip", especially when
accelerating and cornering. ESP reduces the risk of skidding and
improves stability under al l road conditions.
liJ>,

ll}Jl __ ln_t _e_ ll-'"ig ...,_ e_ n_t _t_ e_ c_h _ n_o _ l_o _,.g= y,_ __________________________________________ _
Low brake fluid level
Ma lfu ncti ons can occ ur in th e brake system if the bra ke flu id leve l is
too low. The brake fluid leve l is monitored e lectronically.
Brake lining wear status Bra ke lining wear may be checked by visual inspection of the condi
t ion of the brake pa ds through the o pen in g s in t he wheel. If neces
sary, the wheel may be removed for this inspection=>
page 312,
" C hanging a whee l" .
& WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuver s for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system only if road cond itions permit . Other
road u sers must not be put at risk -you may cause an accident !
• Before des cending a steep grade , reduce speed and shift trans
mission into a lower gear or lower driving range. Do not ride the
brake s or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could
c ause the brakes to get hot and diminish braking efficiency.
• Do not "ride the brakes " by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to brake. This may cause the brakes to overheat, p rem ature wear and in creased stopping distance .
• Under certain climatic and operating conditions such as
passing through water , driv ing in heavy rain or after washing the
vehicle , the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In winter ,
ice can accumulate on the brake pads , linings , discs and drums.
Carefully apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coatings
will be cleaned off afte r a few careful b rake appli cations .
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt -covered roads
without using your brakes can also affe ct braking effic ien cy. Clean
off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and pads with a few
careful brake applications .
• If you damage the front spoiler , or if you install a different
spoiler , be sure the air flow to the front brakes is not obstru cted .
Otherwise the brake system could overheat reducing the effe ctive
ness of the entire brake system .
& WARNING (continued )
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping distance . Avoid driv ing the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or
qu alified workshop. •
Brake booster
The bra ke boos ter adds e xtra bra king pow er.
Th e brake boost er wo rks wit h vacuum p ressu re wh ich is created
only when the engine is running=>& .
& WARNING
• Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the engine shut off.
• If the brake booster is not working , for e xample when towing
your vehicle, or because the brake booster has somehow been damaged , the brake pedal must be pressed considerably harder to
make up for the lack of booster assistance . •
Functioning of Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS}
A BS p revents t he wheels from lockin g up unde r braking.
The ABS co ntrib utes effectively to ve hic le c ont ro l since it preven ts
the whee ls from locking when the bra kes are app lied. Th is means
that the vehicle remains stee rable and is less l ikely to skid .
With ABS you do not need to
pump the brake. Just hold the brake
pedal down .
Ho wever , do not e xpect the AB S to sho rten braking d istance under
all circumstances. When driving o n grave l or on newly fallen snow
o n t op of icy su rfaces, b raking distance may be even lo nger, there
f ore, unde r these circumsta nces, it is especially impo rtan t th at you
drive slow ly and with great ca re. ._

-Neve r run the tank down a ll the way to empty .
- Never put too much motor oil in your engine=>
page 275,
"Adding engine oil 'l:::r.".
-Never try to push- or tow-start your vehic le .
The catalytic converter is an efficient "clean -up" device built into the
exhaust system of the vehicle. The cata lytic converter burns many
of the po llutants in the exhaust gas before they are released into the
atmosphere.
The exclusive use of un leaded fuel is critica lly important for the life
of the catalytic converter and proper functioning of the engine .
& WARNING
• Do not par k or operat e the vehicle in areas w here the ho t
ex haust sys te m m ay come in conta ct w ith d ry grass, bru sh , fu el
s pill or other mater ial which can cause a fire.
• Do not ap ply ad diti ona l u nd erc o ati ng or ru stpro ofing on o r
n ea r th e ex haust m an ifold, exhau st pipe s, ca talytic convert er or
h eat s hield s. Dur ing drivin g, the sub sta nce use d for und ercoa ting
c ould o verh eat and cause a fir e.
0 Note
• Be aware that just one tank filling with le aded fue l wil l a lready
seriously degrade the performance of the catalytic converter.
• Do not exceed the correct engine oil level
~ page 275.
• Do not drive until the fuel tank becomes completely empty. The
engine could misf ire. Unburned fuel could also get into the exhaust
system and this could cause the catalytic converter to overheat.
• Do not turn off the ignit ion whi le the vehicle is moving.
• Do not continue to operate your vehicle under these conditions,
as otherwise fuel can reach the cata lytic converter. This could result
in overheating of the converter, requiring its rep lacement .
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Dri
ving and environm ent
• To assure efficient operation of the Emission Control System:
- Have your vehic le maintained properly and i n accordance w ith
the service recommendations in your Warranty
& Maintenance
booklet .
- Lack of proper maintenance as wel l as improper use of the
vehic le wi ll impair the function of the em ission control system
and could lead to damage .
Even when the Emission Control System is operating properly, the
exhaust gas can have a sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under some
operating states . This depends on the su lfur content of the fuel
bei ng used. Using a different brand of fue l may help, or fil ling the
tank with lead-free super grade gasoline .
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine the economy
of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and noise levels .
Fuel economy, environmental impact, and wear on your engine,
brakes and tires largely depend on three factors:
• your persona l driving style
• operating conditions
• technica l limitations
If you anticipate what you need to do next and drive economica lly,
you can easily cut your fuel consumpt ion by 10-15 percent . This
section wil l give you some tips on how you can help the environ-
ment and your pocketbook . ...
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

___ T_ r _a_ il_e _r_ t_ o_ vv_ in__... g,_ __________________________________________________ _
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for vehicles towing
trailers are lower than for regular vehicles.
Always apply brakes early. When driving downhill, shift into a lower gear to use the engine braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes a lone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge=> page 8 must be observed care
ful ly . If the needle moves close to the upper end of the scale, reduce
speed immediately and/or turn off the air conditioner .
If the coolant temperature warning light in the instrument cluster
starts flashing
-F- , pul l off the road, stop and let the engine idle for
about two minutes to prevent heat build-up .
& WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving vehicle is at a much
greater risk in an accident. Never let anyone ride in your car who
is not properly wearing the restraints provided by Audi . •
Trailer towing tips
Important to know
----------------
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a trailer because of
the additional weight and different weight distribution. Safety,
performance and economy will great ly depend on how careful ly you
load your trailer and operate your rig.
Before you actual ly tow your trailer, pract ice turning, stopping and
backing up in an area away from traffic. Keep practicing unti l you
have become completely familiar with the way your vehicle -trailer
combination behaves and responds . Backing
up is difficult and requires practice . Backing up with a
t rai ler genera lly requires steering action opposite to that when
backing up your vehicle without a trailer .
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle and the one in
front of you. You will need more room to stop . To compensate for
the trai ler, you wi ll need a larger than norma l turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accelerate as fast as you
normally would because of the added load. Make sure you have
enough room to pass. After passing, al low plenty of room for your
trai ler before changing lanes again .
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rapid lane changes.
[ i ] Tips
• Do not tow a trailer during the break -in period of your vehicle.
• If you tow a trailer, your Audi may require more frequent mainte
nance due to the extra load=>
page 339. •
Parking on a s•ope
Do not pork on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot be
avoided, do so only ofter doing the following:
When parking:
Apply the foot brake.
- Have someone p lace chocks under both the vehicle and
the trailer wheels.
With chocks in place, slow ly release the brakes until the
wheel chocks absorb the load.
- Turn the wheels towards the curb.
- Apply the parking brake.