2011 AUDI A5 COUPE ignition

Side airbags
Description of side airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental protection
to properly restrained occupants.
Fig. 183 Side airbag
location in the driver's
seat
The side airbags are located in the sides of the front seat backrests
=>
page 209, fig. 183. They are identified by the word "AIRBAG" .
The side airbag system basically consists of:
• the electronic control 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 monitored electronically to make certain that it
is functioning properly at all times. Each time you turn on the igni­
tion, the airbag system indicator light will 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 and front passenger's upper
torso on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a side collision. The
airbag deploys only in side impacts and only when the vehicle acceler­
ation 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
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Airbag system
damaged as a result of the collision. It is not possible 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 210, "Important safety instructions on the side
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
collision 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 vehicle. Always
remember that the side 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 181, "General notes".
It is important to remember that while the supplemental 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 deploy 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 airbag activa­
tion. In some collisions, both front and side airbags may inflate.
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only once and only in certain
kinds of collisions -your safety belts are always there to offer protec­
tion 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 acceleration measured by the sensor is
too low
• in front-end collisions
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

-Airbag system -
--=---=----------------
Side curtain airbags
Description of side curtain airbags
The side curtain airbag system can provide supplemental
protection to properly restrained occupants .
Fig . 18 5 Side c urta in
sys tem, drive r's side:
s ide cu rtain ai rba g
loc atio n
The side curtain airbags are located on both sides of the interio r
above the front and rear side windows=> fig. 185. They are identified
by t he word "AIRBAG" on the w indshield frame and t he center roof
pillar.
T he side curta in airbag system s upplements t he safety belts and can
help to reduce the risk of inju ry for occupa nts' heads a nd upper torso
on t he side of the vehicle th at is struck i n a sid e collision . The s ide
cu rtain airbag inflates i n side im pacts and o nly when the vehicle
acceleration reg istered by the contro l unit is high enoug h. If this rate
is below the reference va lue programmed into the cont rol unit, the
side airbags wi ll not be triggere d, even though t he car may be bad ly
damaged as a resul t of the co llis ion .
It is not possib le to define an
airbag triggering range that w ill cover every possible angle of impact,
s in ce the circumstance s will vary conside rably between one colli sion
and another. Important factors include, for example, the nature
(h ard o r soft) of t he impa cti ng obje ct, t he a ngle of impa ct, vehicle
speed, etc.=>
page 213, "H ow side curta in airbags work" . Aside from the
ir normal safety fu nction, safety belts work to he lp
keep the driver or fron t passen ger in posit io n in t he even t of a co lli­
sion so that the s ide cu rta in a irbags can provide protection .
T he airbag system is not a substitute for your safety belt . Rathe r, it is
pa rt of the ove rall oc cupant rest ra int system in your veh icle. Alway s
remember that the airbag system can on ly help to protect you if yo u
a re wear ing you r safety be lt and we aring it p ro perly. Thi s is anothe r
reason why you s hou ld always wear your safety be lts, not just because
t he law requi res you to do so=>
page 181, "Gene ral no tes" .
It is important to remember that while the s ide curta in airbag system
is designed to he lp reduce the like lihood of ser io us injur ies, other
in ju ries, fo r example, swe lling, br uis ing, and minor abras ions can
also be assoc iate d with these airbags. Remember too, these a irbags
w ill deploy on ly on ce a nd on ly in ce rtain kinds of acci den ts -yo ur
safety belts are always there to offer p rotect ion .
The side curtain airbag system basically consists of:
• T he electron ic control mo dule and e xternal side impact sensors
• The sid e curtain airbags above the front and rea r side windows
• Th e air bag indic ator ligh t in the ins tru men t panel
T he a irbag system is mo nitored e lectro nica lly to make certain it is
functioning prope rly at a ll times . Each time you turn on t he ignitio n,
t he a irbag system indica to r light w ill come on for a few secon ds (self
diagnostics) .
The side curtain airbag is not activated:
• if the ignition is turned of f,
• in side co llisions when the accelerat io n measured by the sensor is
t oo low,
• in rear-end co llisions ,
• in rollovers. _,.

-Child Safety _____ ____;_..:::.:!.----------------------------
& WA RNING (conti nued)
• Alway s in stall rearwa rd-facing child safety seats on the rear
seat.
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat in exceptional circumstance s and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay on ,
immed iately install the rearward-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected immedi ­
ately by your authorized Audi dealer .
& WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstances, you must install a forward-facing
child res traint on the front pas senger's seat:
• Always make sure the forward-facing seat has been designed
and certified by it s manufacturer for use on a front seat with a
passenger front and side airbag.
• Always follow the manufacturer 's instruction s provided with
the child safety seat or carrier.
• Always move the passenger seat into it s rearmost position in
the seat 's fore and aft adjustment range, as far away from the
airbag as possible before installing the child restraint. The back­ rest must be adjusted to an upright position.
• Always make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
comes on and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is
switched on .•
Advanced front airbag system and children
Your vehicle is equi pped wi th a fron t "Advanced Airbag System" in
compliance with United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
( F MVSS) 2 08 as appli ca ble at t he time your ve hicle was manufa c­
tured. The Advanced A
irbag system in yo ur vehicle has been certif ied to
mee t the "low -r is k" requiremen ts fo r 3-and 6-ye ar old ch ildre n on
t he passenger side and small adults on the dr iver side . The low risk
dep loyment criteria are inten ded to reduce the risk of injury through
interaction with the a irbag t hat can occur, for example, by being too
close to the stee ring wheel an d instr ument panel when the airbag
inflates. In addi tion, the system has been certified to comp ly with t he
"suppression" requirements of the Safety Standa rd, to t urn off the
fron t air bag for infan ts up to 1 2 months who a re res train ed on the
front passenger seat in child restrai nts that are listed in the Stan­
d ar d.
Even thoug h your vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airbag
system , a ll ch ildren, especially those 12 years and yo unger, should
always r ide in t he back seat p roperly restrained for t heir ag e and si ze .
Th e ai rbag on the passenge r si de makes the front seat a potentia lly
dange rous p lace for a child to r ide. Th e front seat is not th e safest
place fo r a child in a forward-facing c hild safety seat. It can be a very
d an ge rous p lace for a n infan t or a large r chil d i n a rea rwa rd-facing
seat. •
Advanced Airbags and the weight-sensing
mat in the front seat
Th e Advanced A irbag System i n your ve hicle de tects t he p resence o f
an infa nt o r ch ild in a child rest rai nt on the fro nt passenger sea t using
the we ight-sens ing mat in the seat cushion and the senso r be low the
saf ety belt la tch o n th e front passenge r seat tha t measur es t he
tension on the safety belt.
Th e weigh t-sens ing ma t me asures tot al we ight of the child and the
child safety seat and a child blanket on the fro nt passe nger seat . The
we ight on the fro nt passenger se at is re lated to t he design of the
child res traint and i ts "footpri nt", the size and shape of t he bottom
of the ch ild restraint as it sits o n the seat . The weight of a child
restrain t an d its "foo tpr int" vary for differe nt k inds of child res tra ints .,_

____ C_ h_ il_d _ S_a_ f_ e_ t-= y;....._ ____________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
• If exceptional circumstances require the use of a forward­
facing child restraint on the front passenger's seat, the child's safety and well-being require that the following special precau­
tions be taken:
-Make sure the forward-facing seat has been designed and
certified by its manufacturer for use on a front seat with a passenger front and side airbag.
- Always carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions
provided with the child safety seat or carrier.
- Always move the front passenger seat into the rearmost
position of the passenger seat's fore and aft adjustment range ,
and as far away from the airbag as possible before installing
the child restraint.
- Always make sure that nothing prevents the front
passenger's seat from being moved to the rearmost position in
its fore and aft adjustment range .
-Always make sure that the backrest is in the upright posi­
tion .
• Always buckle the child safety seat firmly in place even if a
child is not sitting in it. A loose child safety seat can fly around
during a sudden stop or in a collision.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used~
page 181, "Safety belts ",
~ page 190 , "Airbag system " and ~ page 215, "Child Safety".
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury, make sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on whenever a
child restraint is installed on the front passenger seat and the
ignition is switched on.
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not
stay on.
• Have the airbag system inspected by your authorized Audi
dealer immediately.
& WARNING
• A child in a child restraint installed with the LATCH lower
anchorages or with the standard safety belt on the rear seat may
play with unused rear seat safety belts and become entangled
resulting in serious personal injury and even death.
• Always buckle unused rear seat safety belts out of reach of chil­
dren in child seats and properly activate the convertible locking
retractor so that the child cannot unreel the safety belt from the
retractor. •

& WARNING (continued)
• Always install rearward-facing child safety seats on the rear
seat.
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF light does not come on and stay on,
immediately install the rearward-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
authorized Audi dealer.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used~
page 181, "Safety belts",
~ page 190, "Airbag system" and~ page 215, "Important
things to know".
& WARNING
If exceptional circumstances require the use of a forward-facing
child restraint on the front passenger's seat, the child's safety and
well-being require that the following special precautions be
taken:
• Make sure the forward-facing seat has been designed and certi­
fied by its manufacturer for use on a front seat with a passenger
front and side airbag.
• Always follow the manufacturer's instructions provided with
the child safety seat or infant carrier.
• Always move the front passenger seat into the rearmost posi­
tion of the passenger seat's fore and aft adjustment range, and as
far away from the airbag as possible before installing the child
restraint.
• Always make sure that nothing prevents the front passenger's
seat from being moved to the rearmost position in its fore and aft
adjustment range.
• Always make sure the backrest is in an upright position.
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Child Safety
& WARNING (continued)
• Make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on
and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is switched on.
• If the light does not stay on, perform the checks~
page 201,
"Monitoring the Advanced Airbag System".
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG
OFF light does not stay on whenever the ignition is switched
on.a
Booster seats and safety belts
Properly used booster seats can help protect children
weighing between about 40 lbs. and 80 lbs. (18 kg and
36 kg) who are less than 4 ft. 9 in.
(57 inches/1.45 meters) tall.
Fig. 190 Rear seat:
child properly
restrained in a booster
seat
The vehicle's safety belts alone will not fit most children until
they are at least 4 ft. 9 in. (57 inches/1.45 meters) tall and
weigh about 80 lbs. (36 kg). Booster seats raise these chil­
dren up so that the safety belt will pass properly over the
stronger parts of their bodies and the safety belt can help
protect them in a crash.
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

__________________________________________ ___:C~ h~il ~d ~ S~a ~f ~e ~t z._y __ _
& WARNING (c on tinued )
• Failure to properly route safety belt s ov e r a child' s body will
cause severe injurie s in an accident or oth er emergency situation
~ page 181 .
• The r ear side of the booster seat should be positioned as clo se
as possible to the backrest on the vehicle seat. Adjust o r remove
the rear seat head restraint if it is difficult to install the child seat
with the head restraint in place~
page 81. Install the head
restraint again immediatel y once the child seat is removed .
Driving without head restraints or with head restraints that are
not properly adju sted increases the risk of seriou s or fatal neck
injury dramat ically.
• Children on the front seat of any car, even with Advanced
Airbags , can be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag
inflates.
• Never let a child stand or kneel on any se at.
• Never let a child ride in the cargo area of your vehicle. • Alway s remember that a child leaning forward , sitting side­
ways or out of position in any way during an accident can be struck by a deploying airbag. This will result in se rious personal injury or
death .
• If you must install a booster seat on the front passenger seat
because of e xceptional circumstances the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF light must come on and stay on, whenever the ignition is
switched on.
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and
stay on, perform the checks described
~ page 201, " Monitoring
the Advanced Airbag System ".
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not stay on whenever the ignition is sw itched
on.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used
~ page 181 , "Safety belts",
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
& WARNING
(co ntinued )
~ page 190, "Airbag system " and ~ page 215, "Important
things to know ".•
Installing a child safety seat
Securing a child safety seat using a safety
belt
Sa fety belts for the r ear seats and th e front passenger 's
seat c an be locked with the convertible locking retractor
t o pr operly secu re c hild safety se ats.
Th e safety bel ts emergency lock ing re trac to rs for the rear seats
safety belts and for the front passenger's seat safety belt have a
c onve rtible locking retractor for child res traints. The saf ety belt m ust
be locked so that belt webbing cannot un reel. The retractor can be
act ivate d to loc k the safety belt and prevent the safety belt webb ing
from loosening up during normal dr iv ing. A child safety seat can on ly
be pro pe rly in stall ed when the sa fety belt is locke d so th at th e child
and child safety seat will stay in place.
Always remembe r: E ven tho ugh yo ur vehicle is equippe d with an
Advanced Airbag system, all ch ild ren, espec ially those 12 yea rs and
younger, should a lways ride in t he back seat properly restrained for
their age and we ight.
& WARNING
Improperly installed child safety seats increase the risk of serious
personal injury and death in a collision.
• Always make sure that the safety belt retractor is locked when
installing a child safety seat . An unlocked safety belt retractor
cannot hold the child safety seat in place during normal driving or
in a cra sh. .,,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

•L_---=C:..:h..:.. i:..: l .=d ~S=-= a..:..f .= e ~ty ~ --------------------------------------------
& WARNING (cont inued)
• Always buckle the child safety seat firmly in place even if a
child is not sitting in it. A loose child safety seat can fly around
during a sudden stop or in a collision.
• Always make sure that the rear seat backrest to which the
center rear safety belt is attached is securely latched whenever the
rear center safety belt is being used to secure a child restraint.
• If the backrest is not securely latched, the child and the child restraint will be thrown forward together with the backrest and
will strike parts of the vehicle interior. The child can be seriously
injured or killed.
• Never install rearward-facing child safety seats or infant
carriers on the front passenger seat. A child will be seriously injured and can be killed when the passenger airbag inflates .
• The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant
carrier with great force and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the backrest, center armrest , door or roof.
• Always install rearward-facing child safety seats or infant
carriers on the rear seat.
• Forward-facing child safety seats or infant carriers installed on
the front passenger's seat may interfere with the deployment of
the airbag and cause serious injury to the child.
• It is safer to install a forward-facing child safety seat on the
rear seat.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used=>
page 215. Special precau­
tions apply when installing a child safety seat on the front
passenger seat=>
page 192, "Child restraints on the front seat -
some important things to know".
& WARNING
Always take special precautions if you must install a forward or
rearward-facing child restraint on the front passenger's seat in
exceptional situations :
• Whenever a forward or rearward-facing child restraint is
installed on the front passenger seat, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF light must come on and stay on whenever the ignition is
switched on.
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and
stay on, perform the checks described =>
page 201, "Monitoring
the Advanced Airbag System".
• Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install
it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on whenever the ignition is switched
on .
• Improper installation of child restraints can reduce their effec­
tiveness or even prevent them from providing any protection.
• An improperly installed child restraint can interfere with the
airbag as it deploys and seriously injure or even kill the child.
• Always carefully follow the manufacturer 's instructions
provided with the child safety seat or carrier.
• Never place additional items on the seat that can increase the
total weight registered by the weight-sensing mat and can cause
injury in a crash .
& WARNING
Forward-facing child restraints:
• Always make sure the forward-facing seat has been designed
and certified by its manufacturer for use on a front seat with a
passenger front and side airbag .
• Never put the forward-facing child restraint up, against or very
near the instrument panel. .,_

Child Safety --------------------"'----
& WARNING (continued)
• Always move the passenger seat into its rearmost position in
the seat's fore and aft adjustment range, as far away from the airbag as possible before installing the forward-facing child
restraint. The backrest must be adjusted to an upright position.
• Make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on
and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is switched on.
& WARNING
Rearward-facing child restraints:
• 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.
• The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant
carrier with great force and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the backrest, center armrest, door or roof.
• Always be especially careful if you must install a rearward
facing child safety seat on the front passenger seat in exceptional
circumstances.
• A tight tether strap on a rearward-facing child restraint
attached to the front passenger seat can put too much pressure on
the weight-mat in the seat and register a heavier weight in the
Advanced Airbag System. The heavier weight registered can make
the system work as though an adult were on the seat and deploy the Advanced Airbag when it must be suppressed causing serious
or even fatal injury to the child.
• Make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on
and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is switched on.
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and
stay on, immediately install the rearward-facing child safety seat
in a rear seating position and have the airbag system inspected by
your authorized Audi dealer. •
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Activating the convertible Locking retractor
Use the convertible locking retractor to secure
a child
restraint.
Always heed the child safety seat manufacturer's instruc­
tions when installing a child restraint in your vehicle. To acti­
vate the convertible locking retractor:
- Place the child restraint on a seat, preferably on the rear
seat .
- Slowly pull the belt
all the way out.
- Route it around or through the child restraint belt path
::::>& .
- Push the child safety seat down with your full weight to
get the safety belt really tight.
- Insert the belt tongue into the buckle for that seating
position.
- Guide the safety belt back into the retractor until the belt
lies flat and snug on the child safety seat .
- You should hear a "clicking" noise as the belt winds back
into the inertia reel. Test the convertible locking retractor
by pulling on the belt. You should no longer be able to pull
the belt out of the retractor. The convertible locking
retractor is now activated.
- Make sure that the red release button is facing away from
the child restraint so that it can be unbuckled quickly.
- Pull on the belt to make sure the safety belt is properly
tight and fastened so that the seat cannot move forward
or sideways more than one inch (2.5 cm) . .,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data