2011 AUDI R8 SPYDER airbag

68 Seats and st o ra ge
_&. WARNING
- Ne ver adj ust t he d river's or front passen ­
ger seat whi le the vehicle is mov ing . If
you do this while the vehicle is moving,
you will be out of posit ion. Always adjust
the driver's or front passenger seat when
the vehicle is not moving.
- Be careful when adjusting the seat
height. Check to see that no one is in the
way, or serious injury could result!
- Because the seats can be electrically ad­
justed with the ignit ion key removed,
never leave children unattended in the
vehicle. Unsupervised use of the e lectr ic
sea t ad justments may cause serious in­
Jury.
- To reduce the r isk of injury in the case of
sudden bra king or accide nt, front pas­
senge rs must never ride in a moving
ve ­
hicle wi th the seatback recl ined. Safety
belts and the airbag system offer maxi­
mum p rotection on ly when the seatback
is upright and the safety belts are prop­
er ly posit ioned on the body . The more
the seatback is recli ned, the greater the
r isk of personal injury from an incorrect
seating pos it ion and improperly posi­
t ioned safety be lts!
- Always make su re the front seatbac ks are
in the up right posit ion when dr iv ing .
Head restraints
Adjusting head restraints
Fig . 77 Ad just ing head rest ra in ts
The head rest raints can be ad justed to p rovide
safe support to head und neck at t he opti­
m um heig ht. When optimally ad justed, the top o
f th e restraint should be leve l w ith the
top of the head. If that is not possible, try to adjust the head restraint so that it is as close
to this position as possible
c::> page 102.
.. Grasp the s ides of the head restraint wi th
both hands and slide it upward/downward
until you fee l it click into place ¢
fig. 77 .
A WARNING
--
-Driving without head restraints or with
head restra ints that a re not properly ad­
justed increases the risk of ser ious or fa­
tal nec k inju ry dramatically.
- Read and heed all WARNI NGS
¢page 102.
(D Tips
Correct ly adjusted head restraints and
safety be lts are an ext reme ly effect ive
combination of safety features.
Cup holder
F ig . 7 8 Cup ho lder
A WARNING
--
Spilled hot liqu id can cause an accident
and personal injury.
- Never carry any beverage conta iners with
hot liq uids, such as hot coffee o r hot tea,
i n the vehicle while it is moving. In case
of an acc ident, sudden braking or other
veh icle movement, hot liquid could spill,
causing scalding burns. Spilled hot liquid
can also cau se an a cciden t and personal
i njur y.

On the road
Steering
Adjusting the steering wheel column
The steering wheel position can be continu­
ously adjusted in height and distance.
Fig. 84 Lever under the stee ring column
• Push the lever ¢ fig. 84 down ¢ &.
• Move the steer ing whee l to the desired posi­
tion.
• Push the lever against the steering column
until it locks.
There must be at least 10 inches (25 cm) be­
tween your chest and the center of the steer­
ing wheel. If you cannot sit more than 10 in­
ches (25 cm) from the steering wheel, see if
adaptive equipment is available to help you
reach the pedals and increase the distance
from the steering wheel.
A WARNING
Improper use of steering wheel adjust­
ment and improper seating position can
cause serious personal injury .
- Adjust the steering whee l column only
when the veh icle is not moving to pre­
vent loss of veh icle control.
-
-Adjust the driver's seat or steering wheel
so that there is a minimum of 10 inches
(25 cm) between your chest and the
steering wheel
¢ page 100, fig. 106. If
you cannot maintain this minimum dis ­
tance, the airbag system cannot protect
you properly.
- If physica l limitations prevent you from
sitting 10 inches (25 cm) or more from
On the road 77
the steering wheel, check with your au­
thorized Audi dealer to see if adaptive
equipment is available.
- If the steering wheel is aligned with your
face, the supplemental driver's airbag cannot provide as much protection in an
accident . Always make sure that the
steer ing wheel is aligned with your
chest.
- Always hold the steer ing wheel w ith your
hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock posi­
tions to reduce the risk of personal injury
if the driver's airbag deploys.
- Never hold the steering wheel at the 12
o'clock position or with your hands inside
the steering wheel rim or on the steering
wheel hub . Holding the steering wheel
the wrong way can cause serious injuries
to the hands, arms and head if the driv­
er's airbag deploys.
Ignition lock and ignition switch
Ignition lock
The ignition key starts or stops the engine.
Fig. 85 Igniti on lock posit ions
Ignition off©
In position ¢ fig. 85@ both the ignition and
engine are
off, and the steering is locked .
To
lock the steering after you have removed
the ignition key, turn the steer ing wheel in ei­
ther direction until you hear it lock into place.
You should always lock the steering whenever
you leave your vehicle. This makes vehicle
theft even more difficult
c::> .&. .

Driving Safely
General notes
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safety first!
This chapter contains important information,
tips, instructions and warnings that you need
to read and observe for your own safety, the
safety of your passengers and others . We have
summarized here what you need to know
about safety belts, airbags, child restraints as
well as child safety. Your safety is for us
priori­
ty number 1.
Always observe the information
and warnings in this section - for your own
safety as well as for that of your passengers.
The information in this section applies to all
model versions of your vehicle . Some of the
features described in this sections may be
standard equipment on some models, or may
be optional equipment on others. If you are
not sure, ask your authorized Audi dealer.
A WARNING
- Make certain that you follow the instruc­
tions and heed the WARNINGS in this
Manual. It is in your interest and in the
interest of your passengers.
- Always keep the complete owner's litera­
ture in your Audi when you lend or sell
your vehicle so that this important infor­
mation will always be available to the
driver and passengers.
- Always keep the owner's literature handy
so that you can find it easily if you have
questions.
Safety equipment
The safety features are part of the occupant
restraint system and work together to help
reduce the risk of injury in a wide variety of
accident situations .
Your safety and the safety of your passengers
should not be left to chance. Advances in
technology have made a variety of features
available to help reduce the risk of injury in an
Driving Safely 99
accident. The following is a listing of just a
few of the safety features in your Audi:
- sophisticated safety belts for driver and all
passenger seating positions,
- safety belt pretensioners ,
- front airbags,
- knee airbags,
- side airbags in the seats
- adjustable head restraints,
- adjustable steering column.
These individual safety features can work to­
gether as a system to help protect you and
your passengers in a wide range of accidents.
These features cannot work as a system if
they are not always properly adjusted and
properly used!
Safety is everybody's responsibility!
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody's job! Vehicle and occu­
pant safety always depends on the informed and careful driver.
For your safety and the safety of your passen­
gers,
before driving always:
~ Make sure that all lights and signals are op­
erating correctly .
~ Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
~ Make sure that all windows are clean and af­
ford good visibility to the outside.
~ Secure all luggage and other items carefully
r=:> page 70.
~ Make sure that nothing can interfere with
the pedals.
~ Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors
correctly for your height .
~ Instruct passengers to adjust the head re­
straints according to their height .
~ Make sure to use the right child restraint
correctly to protect children¢
page 138,
Child Safety.
~ Sit properly in your seat and make sure that
your passengers do the same¢
page 66,
Seats and storage. .,..
•
•

100 Driving S afel y
• Fasten your safety be lt and wear it properly .
Also instruct your passengers to fasten their
safety belts properly ¢
page 109.
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condi­
tion of the vehicle, the driver as well as the
driver 's ability to concentrate on the rood
without being distracted.
The driver is responsible for the safety of the
vehicle and all of its occupants. If your ability
to drive is impaired, safety risks for everybody
in the vehicle increase and you also become a
hazard to everyone else on the road ¢
.&,.
Therefore:
• Do not let yourself be distracted by passen­
gers or by using a cellular telephone .
• NEVER dr ive when your dr iving ability is im­
paired (by medicat ions, alcohol, drugs, etc.) .
• Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road
and speed limits and plain common sense.
• ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traff ic
and weathe r condit ions.
• Take frequent breaks on long trips. Do not
drive for more than two hours at a stretch .
• Do NOT drive when you are tired , under
pressure or when you are stressed.
A WARNING , .
Impaired driving safety increases the risk
of serious personal injury and death when­
ever a vehicle is being used.
Proper occupant
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is impor­
tant for safe, relaxed driving.
Fig. 106 Correc t seat ing posit ion
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom­
mend that you adjust the driver's seat to the
following position:
• Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a
distance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) be­
tween the steering wheel and your breast
bone ¢
fig. 106 .
• Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easi­
ly push the pedals all the way to the floor
while keeping your knee(s) slightly bent
¢.&_ .
• Grasp the top o f the steer ing whee l w ith
your elbow(s) slightly bent.
• Adjust the head restraint so the upper edge
is as even as possible with the top of your
head. If that is not possible, try to adjust
the head restraint so that it is as close to
this position as possible .
• Adjust the steering wheel so that the steer­
ing wheel and airbag cover points at your
chest and not at your face.
• Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is
in an upright position so that your back
comes in full contact with it when yo u drive.
• Fasten and wear safety be lts correctly
¢ page 110.
• Always keep both feet in the footwell so
that you are in control of the vehicle a t all
times .

For detailed information on how to adjust the
driver's seat, see ¢
page 66, Seats and stor­
age.
A WARNING
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the airbag can be seriously
injured by an airbag as it deploys. To help
reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between your breast­
bone and the steering wheel.
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least
4 inches (10 cm) between the knees and
the lower part of the instrument panel.
- Always hold the steering wheel on the
outside of the steering wheel rim with
your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to help reduce the risk of per­
sonal injury if the driver's airbag inflates.
- Never hold the steering wheel at the
12 o'clock position or with your hands at
other positions inside the steering wheel
rim or on the steering wheel hub. Hold­
ing the steering wheel the wrong way
can cause serious injuries to the hands,
arms and head if the driver's airbag in­
flates
- Pointing the steering wheel toward your
face decreases the ability of the supple­ mental driver's airbag to protect you in a
collision.
- Always sit in an upright position and nev­
er lean against or place any part of your
body too close to the area where the air­
bags are located.
- Before driving, always adjust the front
seats and head restraints properly and
make sure that all passengers are prop­
erly restrained.
- Never adjust the seats while the vehicle
is moving. Your seat may move unexpect­
edly and you could lose control of the ve­
hicle.
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests
Driving Safely 101
are tilted back, the greater the risk of in­
jury due to incorrect positioning of the
safety belt and improper seating posi­
tion .
- Children must always ride in child seats
¢
page 138 . Special precautions apply
when installing a child seat on the front
passenger seat¢
page 117.
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position
is important for safe, relaxed driving.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom­
mend that you adjust the seat for the front
passenger to the following position :
"'Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is
in an upright position and your back comes
in full contact with it whenever the vehicle is
moving.
"'Adjust the head restraint so the upper edge
is as even as possible with the top of your
head. If that is not possible, try to adjust
the head restraint so that it is as close to
this position as possible
¢ page 102.
"' Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of
the front passenger seat .
"'Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
¢page 112.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
front passenger's seat, see ¢
page 66, Seats
and storage.
A WARNING
Front seat passengers who are unbelted,
out of position or too close to the airbag
can be seriously injured or killed by the air­
bag as it deploys. To help reduce the risk of
serious personal injury:
- Passengers must always sit in an upright
position and never lean against or place
any part of their body too close to the
area where the airbags are located.
•
•

102 Driving Safely
-Passengers who are unbelted, out of po­
sition or too close to the airbag can be
seriously injured by an airbag as it de­
ploys with great force in the blink of an
eye .
- Always make sure that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between the front
passenger's breastbone and the instru­
ment panel.
-Always make sure that there are at least 4 inches (10 cm) between the front pas­
senger's knees and the lower part of the
instrument panel.
- Each passenger must always sit on a seat
of their own and properly fasten and
wear the safety belt belonging to that seat.
- Before driving, always adjust the front
passenger seat and head restraint prop­
erly.
- Always keep your feet on the floor in
front of the seat. Never rest them on the
seat, instrument panel, out of the win­
dow, etc. The airbag system and safety
belt will not be able to protect you prop­
erly and can even increase the risk of in­
jury in a crash.
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or tilted far back! The farther the backrests are tilted back, the greater the risk of in­
jury due to incorrect positioning of the
safety belt and improper seating posi­
tion.
- Children must always ride in child seats
¢ page 138. Special precautions apply
when installing a child seat on the front
passenger seat
¢ page 117.
Proper adjustment of head restraints
Fig. 107 Head restra int: v iewed from the front
The head restraints must be correctly adjust­
ed to achieve the best protection.
.,. Adjust the head restraints so the upper edge
is as even as possible with the top of your
head. If that is not possible, try to adjust
the head restraint so that it is as close to
this position as possible
c:;, fig . 10 7.
Adjusting head restraints¢ page 68.
A WARNING
Driving without head restraints or with im­
properly adjusted head restraints increases
the risk of serious injuries in a collision. To
help reduce the risk of injury:
- Always drive with the head restraints in
place and properly adjusted.
- Every person in the vehicle must have a
properly adjusted head restraint.
- Always make sure each person in the ve­
hicle properly adjusts their head re­
straint . Adjust the head restraints so the
upper edge is as even as possible with
the top of your head. If that is not possi­
ble, try to adjust the head restraint so
that it is as close to this position as pos­
sible,
- Never attempt to adjust head restraint
while driving. If you have driven off and
must adjust the driver headrest for any reason, first stop the vehicle safely be­
fore attempting to adjust the head re­
straint.
- Children must always be properly re­
strained in a child restraint that is appro­
priate for their age and size
c:;, page 138.

Examples of improper seating positions
The occupant restraint system can only re­
duce the risk of injury if vehicle occupants are
properly seated.
Improper seating positions can cause serious
injury or death. Safety belts can only work
when they are properly posit ioned on the
body. Improper seating positions reduce the
effectiveness of safety belts and will even in­
crease the risk of injury and death by moving
the safety belt to critical areas of the body.
Improper seating positions also increase the
risk of serious injury and death when an air­
bag deploys and strikes an occupant who is
not in the proper seating position. A driver is
responsible for the safety of all vehicle occu­
pants and especially for children . Therefore :
... Never allow anyone to assume an incorrect
seating position when the vehicle is being used
c> _& .
The following bullets list only some sample
positions that will increase the risk of serious
injury and death. Our hope is that these exam­
ples will make you more aware of seating po ­
sitions that are dangerous .
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is
moving:
- never stand up in the vehicle
- never stand on the seats
- never kneel on the seats
- never ride with the seatback reclined
- never lean up against the instrument panel
- never sit on the edge of the seat
- never sit sideways
- never lean out the window
- never put your feet out the window
- never put your feet on the instrument panel
- never rest your feet on the seat cushion or
back of the seat
- never ride in the footwell
- never ride in the cargo area
Driving Safely
A WARNING
Improper seating positions increase the
risk of serious personal injury and death
whenever a vehicle is being used.
- Sitting incorrectly places occupants at
risk of being critically injured if the air ­
bags deploy and strike them .
- Before you start driving, seat yourself
properly and always maintain this seat­
ing position during the trip . Before each
trip, instruct your passengers to seat
themselves properly and to maintain this
seating position during the trip
c> page 66, Seats and storage .
Driver and passenger
side footwell
Important safety instructions
A WARNING
Always make sure that the knee airbag can
inflate without interference. Objects be­
tween yourself and the airbag can increase
the risk of injury in an accident by interfer­
ing with the way the airbag deploys or by
being pushed into you as the airbag de­
ploys.
- No persons (children) or animals should
ride in the footwell in front of the pas­
senger seat. If the airbag deploys, this
can result in serious or fatal injuries.
- No objects of any kind should be carried
in the footwell area in front of the driv­
er's or passenger's seat. Bulky objects
(shopping bags, for example) can ham­
per or prevent proper deployment of the
airbag. Small objects can be thrown
through the vehicle if the airbag deploys
and injure you or your passengers.
-
103
•
•

110 Safety belts
-Failure to pay attention to the warning
light that comes on could lead to person­
al injury.
Why safety belts?
Safety belts protect
People think it's possible to use the hands to
brace the body in a minor collision. It's simply
not true!
Fig. 113 D river is proper ly restrai ned in a sudden brak­
ing maneuver .
Safety belts used properly can make a big dif­
ference. Safety belts help to keep passengers
in their seats, gradually reduce energy levels
applied to the body in an accident, and help prevent the uncontrolled movement that can
cause serious injuries. In addit ion, safety belts
reduce the danger of being thrown out of the
vehicle.
Safety belts attach passengers to the car and
give them the benefit of being slowed down
more gently or "softly" through the "give" in
the safety belts, crush zones and other safety
features engineered into today's vehicles. By
"absorb ing" the kine tic energy over a longer
period of time, the safety belts make the
forces on the body more "tolerable" and less
likely to cause injury.
A lthough these examples are based on a fron­
tal collision, safety belts can also substantial­
ly reduce the risk of injury in other kinds of
crashes. So, whether you're on a long trip or
just going to the corner store, always buckle up and make sure others do, too. Accident sta­
tistics show that vehicle occupants properly
wear ing safety be lts have a lower risk of being injured and a much better chance of surviving
an accident . Prope rly using safety be lts a lso
greatly increases the ability of the supplemen­
ta l airbags to do their job in a collision. For
th is reason, wearing a safety belt is legally re­
quired in most countries including much of
the Un ited States and Canada.
Although your Audi is equipped with a irbags,
you still have to wear the safety belts provid­ ed. Front airbags, for example, are activated
only in some frontal collisions . The front air­
bags are not act ivated in all frontal coll is ions,
in sid e and rear collisions , in roll overs or in
cases where there is not enough deceleration
through impact to the front of the vehicle.
T he same goes for the other airbag systems in
your Audi. So, always wear yo ur safety belt
and make sure everybody in your veh icle is
proper ly restrained!
Important safety instructions about
safety belts
Safety belts must always be properly posi­
tioned across the strongest bones of your
body .
.,. Always wear safety belts as illustrated and
descr ibed in th is chapter .
.,. Make sure that your safety belts are always
ready for use and are not damaged .
_&. WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or wearing them
imprope rly increases the risk of serious
personal injury and death. Safety belts can
work only when used correctly.
- Always fasten your safety belts correctly
before driving off and make sure all pas­
sengers are properly restrained.
- For maximum protection, safety belts
must always be positioned correctly on
the body.
- Never strap more than one person, in­
cluding sma ll children, into a ny sing le
safety belt.
- Never place a safety belt over a child sit­
ting on your lap.