2010 AUDI A5 COUPE warning light

you if you are wearing your safety belt and wearing it properly. This
is why you should always wear your safety belt, not just because the
law requires you to do so=>
page 179, "General notes" .
The safety belt buckle for the driver and front seat passenger have switches that tell the airbag control module if the safety belt is
being used or not. If the safety belt is being used, the knee airbag
wi ll deploy at a sl ightly higher rate of dece leration than if the belt is
not being used . The refore, in a particular col lision , it is possible that
an airbag will not deploy at a seating position where the safety belt
is being used but wil l inflate at the position where the safety belt is
not being used.
Remember too , airbags w ill deploy only once and only in certain
kinds of accidents -your safety be lts are always there to offer
protection in those accidents in wh ich airbags are not supposed to
deploy or when they have already deployed, for exampl e when your
vehicle strikes or is struck by another after the first collision.
This is just one of the reasons why an airbag is not a substitute for
the safety be lt. The airbag system works most effectively when used
with the safety belts . Therefore, always wear your safety belts
correctly.
It is impo rtant to remember that while the supplemental airbag
system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries, other
injuries , for example, swelling, bruising, a nd minor abrasions can
also be associated with airbags .
The k nee airb ag sys tem ba sically con sists of:
• The electronic control module
• Two inflatable airbags (airbag and gas generator), one for the
driver and one for the front passenger
• The airbag indicator ligh t in the instrumen t panel
T he kn ee airbag system will not deploy:
• when the ignition is turned off
• in front -e n d collisions when the deceleration measured by the
control unit is too low
Safety first
Airb ag sy ste m
• in side collisions
• in rear-end co llisions
• in ro llovers
• in the event of a system malfunction (warning/indicator light illu­
minated) =>
page 14.
& WARNING
• Saf ety bel ts and the airb ag sy ste m can only pro vide pr ote cti on
w hen occu pants are in th e pr op er se ating position =>
page 19 7.
• If th e airbag indi cat or light come s when th e veh ic le i s being
used , hav e the s ystem in spe cted im medi atel y by yo ur aut hori zed
Audi deal er. The a irbag m ay n ot w ork properly wh en the v ehicle
ac celer atio n in a side collisio n is high eno ugh to deploy th e airbag .
See als o =>
pag e 14. •
Ap plies to vehic les : w ith kn ee ai rb ag s
How knee airbags work
The risk of injury to the leg area is reduce d by fully
deployed knee airbags.
Fig . 19 9 Inf late d
air bags prote cti ng in a
fron tal co llision
The knee airbag system has been designed so that the airbags for
the driver and front passenger are deployed in certain but not all
frontal collisions . ._
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

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

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 ------=---------------------------------
& 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 ..,.

-------------------------------------------~C::._! h~ i~ ld ~ S~ a~ f~e :_!t tY ~--
restraints and for the different models of the same kind of child
restraint offered by child restraint manufacturers.
The weight ranges for the individual types, makes and models of
child restraints that the NHTSA has specified in the Safety Standard
together with the weight ranges of typ ical 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 child, the Advanced Airbag
System compares the weight measured by the weight sensing mat
with the information stored in the electronic control unit.
The electronic control unit also registers the tension on the front
passenger safety belt. The tension on the safety belt for the front
passenger seat will be different for an adult who is properly using
the safety belt as compared to the tension on the belt 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
weight to "decide" , whether there is a child restraint with a typical 1
year-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 chi ld restraint is properly
installed at one of the rear seating positions. If in exceptiona l
circumstances you must use it on the front passenger seat, carefully
read all of the information on child 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
th e
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Many
types and models of child restraints have been available over
the years, new mode ls are introduced regularly incorporating new
and improved designs and older mode ls are taken out of produc­
tion. Child restraints are not standardized . Child restraints of the
same type typically have different weights and sizes and different
'footprints,' the size and shape of the bottom of the chi ld restraint
that sits on the seat, when they are installed on a vehicle sea t. These
differences make it virtual ly impossible to certify comp liance with
the requirements for advanced airbags with each and every child
restraint that has ever been sold in the past or will be sold over the
course of the usefu l life of your vehic le.
For this reason, the United States National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration has pub lished a list of specific type, makes and
models of child restraints that must be used to certify compliance
of the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle with the suppression
requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 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 with or without 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 lnfant8457
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data