2010 AUDI S8 Owners Manual

should always wear your safety belt, not just because the law requires
you to do so=>
page 197 , "General notes".
The safety belt buckle for the driver and front seat passenger have
switches that tell the airbag control module if the safety be lt is being
used or not.
If the safety belt is being used, the knee airbag will
dep loy at a s lightly higher rate of deceleration than if the be lt is not
being used. Therefore, in a particular collision, it is possible that an
airbag will not deploy at a seating position where the safety be lt is
being used but will inflate at the position where the safety belt is not
being used.
Remember too, airbags will deploy only once and only in certain kinds
of accidents -your safety belts are always there to offer protection in
those accidents in which airbags are not supposed to deploy or when
t hey have already deployed, for example when you r vehicle strikes or
is struck by another after the first collision.
Thi s is just one of the reasons why an airbag is not a substitute for the
safety belt . The airbag system works most effectively when used with
the safety belts. Therefore, always wear your safety belts correctly.
It is im portant to remembe r th at while the supplemental airbag
system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injur ies, other
injuries, for example, swe lling, bruis ing, and minor abrasions can
also be assoc iated with airbags.
The knee airbag system basically consists of:
• The electronic contro l module
• Two inflatable airbags (airbag and gas gene rator), one for the
driver and one for the front passenger
• The airbag indicator light in the instrument panel
The knee airbag system will not deploy:
• when the ignition is turned off
• in front-end collisions when the deceleration measured by the
control unit is too low
• in s ide collisions
• in rear-end collisions
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Airbag system
• in rollovers
• in the even t of a system ma lfunction (warning/ indicator lig ht ill u­
minated) =>
page 17.
& WARNING
• Safety belts and the airbag system can only provide protection
when occupants are in the proper seating position =>
page 215.
• If the airbag indicator light comes 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 deploy the airbag.
See also =>
page 17. •
How knee airbags work
The risk of injury to the leg area is reduced by fully
deployed knee airbags.
Fig. 217 Inflated
airbags protecting in a
frontal collision
The knee airbag system has been designed so that the airbags for the
dr iver and front passenger are dep loyed in certa in but not all frontal
collisions.
If the front airbags deploy, the knee airbags also deploy in frontal
collisions above a certain sever ity.
jll-
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service Technical data

ffl..,___A_ ir_ b_ a-=g :..- s.:o.y _s _t _e_ m _______________________________________________ _
When the system is dep loyed , the a irbags sta rt to fill with a propel­
lan t gas, and infla te be twee n the lower p art of th e ins tru men t pan el
and the driver and the lowe r part of the instrumen t panel a nd the
front passenge r=>
page 215, fig . 21 4.
Alt hough t hey are no t a soft pi llow, they can "cushi on" th e im pact
and in t his way they can he lp to reduce the risk of in jury to the lower
ext rem ities.
All this takes place i nstantaneously, so fast that many people don't
even rea lize that t he a irbags have deployed. The airbags also inflate
w ith a great dea l of force a nd it is importa nt fo r occupant safe ty tha t
nothing should be i n their way when they deploy .
Fully inf lated air bag s in co mbination with prope rly wo rn sa fety bel ts
slow down and limit the occupant's forward movement and help to
re duc e the ris k. •
Important safety instructions on the knee
airbag system
Air bags are on ly su pp le m en ta l r es tra ints. Always wea r
s af ety be lts c orre ctly and ride in a p rop er seating pos i­
tion.
The re is a lot that you and your passenge rs must know and do to help
t he sa fe ty be lts and a irbag s to prov ide s uppl em ent al p rot ectio n.
& WARNING
An inflating knee airbag can cause serious injury. Wearing safety
belts incorrectly and improper seating positions increase the risk
of seriou s personal injury and death whenever a vehicle is being
used.
• The airbag system cannot protect you properly if you are seated
too close to any of the airbag locations . When adjusting their seat
positions, it is important that both the driver and the front
& WARNING (co ntinued )
passenger keep their upper bodies and knees at the following
minimum safe di stances:
- 10 inches (25 cm) between the chest and the steering
wheel/instrument panel.
- 4 inches (10 cm) between the knees and the lower part of
the instrument panel.
• The risk of personal injury increases if you lean forward or to
the side, or if the seat is improperly positioned and you are not
wearing your safety belt. The risk increases even more should the
airbag deploy.
• Always make sure that the knee airbag can inflate without
interference. Objects between yourself and the airbag can increase
the risk of injury in an accident by interfering with the way the
airbag deploys or by being pushed into you as the airbag deploys .
- No persons (children ) or animals should ride in the footwell
in front of the passenger seat . If the airbag deploys, this can
result in serious or fatal injuries.
- No objects of any k ind should be carried in the footwell area
in front of the driver's or passenger 's seat. Bulky objects (shop­
ping bags, for example ) can hamper or prevent proper deploy­
ment of the airbag. Small objects can be thrown through the
vehicle if the airbag deploy s and injure you or your passengers.
• Make sure there are no cracks , deep scratches or other damage
in the area of the instrument panel where the knee airbags are
located.
• If children are incorrectly seated, their risk of injury increases
in the case of an accident =>
page 231, "Child Safety". •

Side airbags
Description of side airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental protection
to properly restrained occupants .
Fig. 218 Side airbag
locat ion in the driver's
seat
The side airbags are located in the sides of the front seat backrests
=> fig. 218 and the rear backrest facing the doors. They are identified
by the word "AIRBAG" .
The side airbag system basically consists of:
• the electronic control module and external s ide impact sensors
• the two side airbags located in the sides of the front backrests
• two rear side airbags
• the airbag warning light in the instrument cluster.
Th e airbag system is mo nitored electronically to make certain that it
is funct ion ing 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).
The side airbag system supplements the safety belts and can help to
reduce the risk of injury to the driver's, front and rear passenger's
upper torso on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a side collision.
The air bag deploys on ly in s ide impacts and only when the vehicle
acceleration registered by the contro l unit is high enough. If this rate
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Airbag system
is below the reference value programmed into the control unit, the
side airbags will no t be triggered, even though the car may be badly
damaged as a result of the collision . It is not poss ible to define an
airbag triggering range that wi ll cover every possib le angle of impact,
since the circumstances will 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 226, "Important safety instructions on the s ide
airbag system".
Aside from their normal safety function, safety belts work to help keep the driver or front passenger in position in the event of a side
co llision so that the side 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 veh icle. Always
remember that the side airbag system can only help to protect you if
you are wearing yo ur 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 197, "Genera l notes".
It is important to remember that while the supp lemental side airbag
system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries, other
injuries, for example, swelling, bruising, and minor abrasions can
also be associated with deployed side airbags. Remember too, side
airbags will dep loy only once and only in certain kinds of accidents -
your safety belts are always there to offer protection.
Vehicle damage, repair costs or even the lack of vehicle damage are
not necessarily an indication of over-sensitive or failed a irbag activa­
tion. In some collisions, both front and side airbags may inflate .
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only once and on ly in certain
kinds of collisions -your safety belts are always there to offer protec­
tion in those accidents in wh ich airbags are not supposed to deploy o r
when they have already deployed.
The side airbag system will not deploy:
• when the ignition is turned off
• in side collisions when the acceleration measured by the sensor is
toolow
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

-Airbag
system
-
--=---=----------------
• in front-end collisions
• in rea r-end collisions
• in rollovers.
In some types of accidents the front a irbags, side c urtain airbags and
side airbags may be triggered together.
& WARNING
• Safety belts and the airbag system will onl y provide protection
when occupants are in the pro per seating position ~
page 22 6.
• If th e ai rb ag indicator light comes on when the vehicle is being
us ed, have the system ins pected immediately by your authorized
Audi dealer. The airbag ma y not work properl y when the vehicle
accelerat ion in a side collision is high enough to activate the
a irbag .•
How supplemental side airbags work
S ide airbags deploy instantly and can help reduce the risk
of upper torso injuries for occupants who are properly
restrained.
F ig . 2 19 Inflated side
a irb ag s o n left s ide o f
v e hicl e, re ar sid e
a irb ag
When t he system is triggered, the airbag is filled with p ropellant gas
and breaks through a seam in the seat s urface area marked "AIRBAG"
. It expands between the side trim panel and the passenger.
In order to he lp provide t his add it ion al protec tion, the side airbag
must inf late with in a fract io n of a second at very hig h speed and with
great force . The supp lemental side airbag cou ld injure you if your
seating position is not proper or upr ight or if items are located in the
area where the supplemental side airbag expands. This applies espe­
cially to children~
page 231, "Child Safe ty". Suppleme nta l side
airbags inflate between the occupant and the door panel on the side
of the vehicle that is s truck in certa in side collision~ fig. 219.
Although they are not a soft pillow, they can "cus hion" the impact
and in th is way t hey can hel p to reduce the risk of injury to the upper
part of the body .
A fine d ust may develop when the airbag dep loys. This is normal and
does not mean the re is a fire in the vehicle. •
Important safety instructions on the side
airbag system
Airbags are only supplemental res traints. 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 acco rd­
ing ly to he lp the safety be lts and a irbags do the ir job to prov ide
supplementa l protection .
& WARNING
An inflating side ai rbag can c au se se rious or fatal inju ry. Improp­
erly wearing safety belts and improper seating position s increase
the risk of serious personal injury and death whenever a veh icle is
being used.
• In order to redu ce the ri sk of injury when the supplemental
side airbag inflates:

_____________________________________________ A :...:..:i.:.r =b ~a :.;9 z....: S::!Y :.:S:.: t:.: e :.: m...:....:.... _l!ft'I
& 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
interference.
- 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
cup holders, 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 (cont
inued)
• 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.) 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 231, "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_ i_ r_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 properly restrained occupants .
Fig. 220 Side curtain
airbags, driver's side:
s ide curtain airbag
location
The side curtain airbags are located on both sides of the interior
above the front and rear side windows=> fig. 220. They are identified
by the word "AIRBAG" on the windshield frame and the center roof
pillar.
The side curta in airbag system s upplements the safety belts and can
help to reduce the risk of injury for occupants' heads and upper torso
on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a sid e collision . The s ide
curtain a irbag inflates only in side impacts and only when the vehicle
acceleration registered by the contro l 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 bad ly
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 circumstances will 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 229, "How side curtain airbags work" . Aside from their normal safety function, safety belts work to help
keep the driver or front passenger in position in the event of a co lli­
sion so that the s ide curta in a irbags 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 veh icle. Always
remember that the airbag system can on ly help to protect you if you
are wear ing your safety belt and wearing it p rop erly . This is another
reason why you should always wear your safety belts , not just because
the law requires you to do so=>
page 197, "Gene ral notes".
It is important to remember that while the side curta in airbag system
is designed to he lp reduce the like lihood of serious injuries, other
injuries , for example, swell ing, bruis ing, and minor abrasions can
also be assoc iated with these airbags upon deployment. Remember
t oo, these airbags wi ll dep loy only once and only in certain kinds of
accidents - your safety belts are always there to offer protection .
The side curtain airbag system basically consists of:
• The electronic control module and external side impact sensors
• The side curtain airbags above the front and rear s ide windows
• Th e airbag indicator light in the instrument panel
The airbag system is mon itored electron ically to make certain it is
functioning properly at all times . Each time you turn on the ignition,
the air bag system indicator light will come on for a few seconds (self
diagnostics).
The side curtain airbag is not activated:
• if the ignition is turned off,
• in side co llisions when the acceleration measured by the sensor is
too low,
• in front-end collisions,
• in rea r-end co llisions,
• in rollovers .

& WARNING
• Safety be lts and the airbag system will only provide protection
when o ccupant s are in the proper seating position =>
page 76,
" G eneral re commendations ".
• If the airbag indicator light comes on when the vehicle i s being
used , have th e system inspected immediately by your authorized
Audi dealer . The side curt ain airbag may not work properly even
when the vehicle acce leration in a side collision is high enough to
activate the airbag. •
How side curtain airbags work
Side curtain airbags can work together with sid e airbags
to help r educe the risk of head and upper torso injuries for
occupants who are properly restra ined.
F ig . 2 21 Illu stratio n
o f pr incip le : In fla ted
s ide curt ain airb ag s on
the left s ide
Th e side c urta in airbag s inflate between the oc cup ant and t he
w indows on the side of the veh icle that is struck in a side coll is ion
=> fi g. 2 21.
When the system is tr iggered, the side curta in a irbag is filled with
pro pellant gas and breaks through a seam above the front and rear
side w indows identifie d by t he A IRBAG label. In o rder to he lp prov ide
this additional protection, the s ide curtain airbag must inflate within
t he blink of an eye at very high spee d and with g re at force. The side
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Airbag system
cu rtain a irbag co uld injure you if your seating posit io n is not proper or
upr igh t or if items are located in the area where the s uppleme ntal
side cu rtain airbag inflates . T hi s app lies especially to ch ild ren
=> page 2 3 1.
Altho ugh they a re not a so ft pill ow, side curt ain airbags can "cushion"
the impact and in this way they can help to reduce the risk of injury to
t he head and t he upper part of t he b ody.
A fine dust may develop when the airbag deploys. This is quite norma l
and does not mean there is a fire in the vehicle .•
Important safety instructions on the side
curta in airbag system
Airbags are only supplemental r estraints. Always prop ­
erly wear safe ty belts and ride in a proper s eat ing posi­
tion.
T he re is a lot that yo u and your passenge rs must know and do to help
the safety belts a nd airba gs do their job to provide supplemental
protec tion.
& WARNING
Improperly wearing safety belts and improper seating pos itions
increa se the risk of serious personal injury and death whene ver a
vehicle is be ing used .
• Never let oc cupants place any parts of their bodie s in the area
from which the side curtain airbags inflate.
• Always make sure that the side curtain airbags can inflate
without interference . Unsu itable accessories fitted inside the
expansion range of a side curtain airbag can dangerously interfere
with its funct ion. A deploy ing head airbag develops enough force
to catapult any pie ce of add-on component out of its path of infla-
tion and into the passenger compa rtment . An occupant hit by •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

........ _A_ i_rb _ a_,g,:;._ s_, y'- s_ t_e _m ________________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
such a projectile can suffer serious injury or death~ page 364,
"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 363, "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 a qualified dealership. Otherwise the airbag
system may not work correctly.
• Never attempt to modify any components of the airbag system
in anyway. •