____ C_ h_ i _l_d _S_ a_f _e _ty ~ --------------------------------------------
- Always make sure that the child can properly wear the lap
portion of the belt low across the thighs or pelvis and
never over the stomach or abdomen.
Children up to at least 8 years old (over 40 lbs. or 18 kg) are best
protected in child safety seats designed for their age and we ight.
Experts say that the skeletal structure, particularly the pelvis, of
these children is not fully developed , and they must not use the
vehicle safety belts without a suitable child restraint .
It is usually best to put these children in appropriate booster seats.
Be sure the booster seat meets all appl icable safety standards.
Booster seats raise the seating position of the child and reposition
both the lap and shoulder parts of the safety belt so that they pass
across the child's body in the right places. The routing of the belt over
the child's body is very important for the child's protection, whether
or not a booster seat is used . Children age 12 and under must always
ride in the rear seat.
Chi ldren who are at least 4 ft. 9 in . (57 inches/1.45 meters) tall can
generally use the vehi cle's three point lap and shoulder belts. Never
use the lap belt portion of the vehicle's safety belt alone to restra in
any child, regardless of how big the child is. Always remember that
children do not have the pronounced pelvic structure required for the
proper function of lap belt portion of the vehicle 's three point lap and
shoulder belts . The chi ld's safety absolutely requires that a lap belt
portion of the safety belt be fastened snugly and as low as possible
around the pelvis . Never let the lap belt portion of the safety belt
pass over the child's stomach or abdomen.
In a crash , airbags must inflate within a blink of an eye and with
cons iderable force . In order to do its job, the airbag needs room to
inflate so that it will be there to protect the occupa nt as the occupant
moves forward into the a irbag .
A vehicle occupant who is out of position and too close to the airbag
ge ts in the way of an inflat ing airbag . When an occupant is too close,
he or she will be struck violently and will receive serious or possibly
even fatal injury. In order
for the airbag to offer protection, it is important t hat all
vehicle occupants, especially any children, who must be in the front
seat because of exceptional c ircumstances, be properly restrained
and as far away from the airbag as possible. By keeping room
between the child's body and the front of the passenger compart
ment, the airbag can inflate completely and provide supplemental
protection in certain frontal collisions.
& WARNING
Not using a booster seat, using the booster seat improperly, incor
rectly installing a booster seat or using the vehicle safety belt
improperly increases the risk of serious personal injury and death
in a collision or other emergency situation. To help reduce the risk
of serious personal injury and/or death:
• Always make sure to position the shoulder portion of the three
point belt over the middle of child's shoulder.
• Never let the shoulder portion of the belt rest against or across
the neck, face, chin, or throat of the child.
• Always make sure the lap belt portion of the three-point belt is
worn snug and passes as low as possible across the child's pelvis.
Never let the belt pass over the soft abdomen.
• Failure to properly route safety belts over a child's body will
cause severe injuries in an accident or other emergency situation
~page 187.
• The rear side of the booster seat should be positioned as close
as possible to the backrest on the vehicle seat. Adjust or 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 immediately once the child seat is removed.
Driving without head restraints or with head restraints that are
not properly adjusted increases the risk of serious or fatal neck
injury dramatically.
• Children on the front seat of any car, even with Advanced
Airbags, can be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag
inflates.
_____________________________________________ C _h_i_ld _ S_ a_ f_ e_ t__. y'--- __
& WA RNING (c on tinued )
• Never let a child stand or kneel on an y seat , for e xample the
front seat.
• Never let a child ride in the cargo area of your vehicle .
• Always remember that a child leaning forward , sitting s ide
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 exceptional circumstance s the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF light must come on and stay on , whenever the ign ition is
switched on.
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF l ight does not come on and
s tay on , perform the checks described =>
page 208, "Monitoring
the Advanced Airbag System ".
• Take the child re straint off the front pa ssenger seat and in stall
it properly at one o f the rea r seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on whenever the ignition i s swit ched
on.
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS whenever u sing a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used=>
page 187, "Safety belts",
=>
page 197 , "Airbag sy stem " and => page 219, "Important
things to know ".•
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation
lnstalli ng a child safety seat
Securing a child safety seat using a safety
belt
S
afety belts for the rear sea ts and the fron t passen ger
can be l ocke d with th e co nverti ble lo cki ng retract or to
p ro p erly secur e child saf ety seats.
T he safety belts emergency locking retractors for the rear seats
safety belts and for the front passenge r's se at safety belt have a
convertible locking retractor for child restrai nts. The safety belt must
be locked so that belt webbing canno t unreel. The retra ctor can be
act ivated to lock the safety belt and prevent the safety belt webb ing
fr om loosen ing up du ring normal dr iv ing. A child sa fe ty sea t can on ly
be properly installed when the safety belt is locked so that the child
and child safety sea t will s tay in place .
Always remembe r: Even tho ugh yo ur vehicle is equipped w ith a n
Advanced Airbag system, all ch ildren, espec ia lly those 12 yea rs and
younge r, should a lways ride in t he back seat properly res tra ined for
their age and size.
& WARNING
Improperly in stalled 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 chi ld safety seat . An unlocked safety belt retractor
cannot hold the child safety seat in place during normal driving or
in a crash .
• Always buckle the child safet y 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 colli sion.
• 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.
9JI,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
• .___C_ h_ il_d _ S_a _ f_ e _ t--= y '------------------------------------------------
& WARNING (cont inued)
• 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 rear-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 rear-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 219. Special precau
tions apply when installing a child safety seat on the front
passenger seat~
page 199, "Child restraints on the front seat -
some important things to know".
L1}. 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.
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and
stay on, perform the checks described
~ page 208, "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.
L1}. 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.
• 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 . _.
Child Safety -
-------------------"'---
& 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 rear-facing child safety seat in a
rear seating position and have the airbag system inspected by
your Audi dealer. •
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:
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
-
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
i nto 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.S cm).
& WARNING
Using the wrong child restraint or an improperly installed child
restraint can cause serious personal injury or death in a crash.
• 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 crash. ._
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
-Child Safety P:fM..,____ ______________ _
& WARNING (conti nued)
• Always bu ckle the child safety seat firmly in place even if a
child i s not sitting in it . A loo se child safety seat can fly around
during a sudden stop or in a crash.
• Always make sure the seat backre st to which the child restraint
is installed is in an up right position and securely latched into place
and cannot fold forward . Otherwise, the seat back with the child
safety seat attached to it could fly forward in the event of an acci
dent or other emergency situation.
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS wheneve r using a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used=>
page 219. Special precau
tions apply when installing a ch ild safety seat on the front
passenger seat =>
page 199, "Child restraints on the front seat -
some important things to know ".•
Deactivating the convertible Locking
retractor
The convertible l ocking retrac tor for child restraints will
be d eactivated automatically when the belt is wound all
the way back into the retractor.
- P ress the red butto n on t he safety be lt buckle . T he belt
to ngue will pop out o f the buckle.
- G uid e the s afety belt all the way back in to its stowed posi-
t ion .
Always le t the safety be lt retract comple tely i nto i ts s towed position.
T he safety bel t can now be used as an ord inary safety belt without the
convertib le locking ret ractor for ch ild rest raints.
If th e convertible locking r etractor should be activated inadve rtently,
the safety be lt must be unfastened and guided comp letely back into
i t s s towe d position to de activa te th is fe ature. If th e convert ible locking retractor is
not deact ivated, the safety belt w ill gradua lly
become tigh ter and uncomfo rtable to we ar.
& WARNING
Improperly in stalled child safety seats increase the risk of serious
personal injury and death in a collision.
• Never unfasten the safety belt to deactivate the convertible
lo cking retractor for child restraints while the vehicle is moving.
You would not be restrained and could be seriou sly injured in an
a ccident .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever u sing a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used
=> page 219. Special precau
tions apply when in stalling a child safety seat on the front
passenger seat =>
page 199, "Child restraints on the front seat -
s ome important things to know ".•
LATCH Lower anchorages and
tethers for children
Child Restraint System anchors and how
are they related to child safety
T o prov ide a simp le r a nd more practic able way to a ttach the child
restraint on the vehicle seat, Federal regulat ions require special
lowe r anch orages in ve hicl es and devi ces on new ch ild re st rain ts to
attac h to the veh icle anchorages.
Th e combination of the tether anchorages and the lower anchorages
is now gene rally called the
LATCH sys tem fo r "Lowe r Anch orages and
T ethers for Children ."
Forw ard -fa cing child res train ts manuf actured aft e r September 1,
1999, are required by U.S. federa l regu lat ions to comp ly with new
c hild head moveme nt performan ce requirements. These new per for -
~
mance requirements make a tether necessary on most new ch ild
seats.
Installing a child restra int that requires a top tether w ithout one can
seriously impair the performance of the chi ld restrai nt and its ability
to prote ct the child in a collision. Insta lling a child restraint tha t
requires a top tether without the top tether may be a violation of
state law.
Child restraint manufacturers offer LATCH lower anchorages on the ir
child seats with hook -on or push-on connectors attached to adjust
able straps .
In addition to the LATCH lower anchorages, these child restraint
systems usually require the use of tet he r straps to he lp keep the child
restra int firm ly in place.
& WARNING
Improper installation of child restraints will increase the risk of
injury and death in a crash.
• Always follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer
of the child restraint you intend to install in your vehicle.
• Never install a child restraint without a properly attached top
tether strap if the child restraint manufacturer 's instructions
require the top tether strap to be used.
• Improper use of child restraint LATCH lower anchorage points
can lead to injury in a collision . The LATCH lower anchorage points
are designed to withstand only those loads imposed by correctly
fitted child restraints .
• Never mount two child restraint systems on one LATCH lower
anchorage point .
• Never secure or attach any luggage or other item to the LATCH
lower anchorages .
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Child Safety
(I) Tips
• In Canada, the terms "top tether" with "lower universal anchor
ages" (or " lower universal anchorage bars") are used to describe the
system.
• In other countries the term "ISOFIX" is used to describe the lower
anchorages. •
Location
Fig. 193 Schematic
overview: LATCH
a nchorage point loca-
tions
Th e illustrat io n shows the seat ing locat ions in your vehicle whic h are
equipped with the lower anchorages system. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data
Ill Child Safety __ .,.___ ____________ _
Description
The lower anchorage positions are marked for quick
locating.
Fig. 194 Rear seat
backs: locator buttons
fo r lower anchorages
Fig . 195 Rear seats:
lower anchorage
bracket locations
Attachment locator markers for lower anchorages
Circu lar locator buttons on the rear seatback indicate the lower
anchorage locations on the rear seating positions:::;, fig. 194 .
Lower anchorages
The lower anchorage attachment points are located between the rear
seatback and rear seat cushion:::;, fig . 195.
Lower anchorages secure the child restraint in the seat without using
the vehicle's safety belts. Anchorages prov ide a secure and easy-to- use attachme
nt and minimize the possibility of improper child
restrain t installat ion.
All ch ild restraints manufactured after September 1, 2002, must
have lower anchorage attachments for the
LATCH system.
Remember that the lower anchorage points are only intended for
installat ion and attachment of ch ild restraints specifically certif ied
for use with
LATCH lower anchorages . Child restraints that are not
equ ipped with the lower anchorage attachments can st ill be installed
in compliance with the ch ild restraint manufact urer's instructions on
using vehicle safety belts .
& WARNING
Improper use of LATCH lower anchorages can cause serious
per sonal injury in an accident.
• Always carefully follow the child restraints manufacturer 's
instructions for proper installation of the child restraint and
proper use of the lower anchorages or safety belts in your vehicle.
• Never secure or attach any luggage or other items to the
LATCH
lower anchorages.
• Always read and heed the important information about child
restraints in this chapter and WARNINGS :::;,
page 219, "Child
Safety". •
Guidance fixtures for Lower anchorages
Special guidance fixtures increase the convenience of the lower anchorages and are available from your authorized
Audi dealer .
Fig. 196 Outer rear
seats: installing the
guidance fixtures
Fig. 197 Close-up:
fitting the guidance
fixture over the lower
anchorage bracket
The lower anchorage attachment points are located on the
rear seats between the seatback and the seat cushion.
Special guidance fixtures increase the convenience of the lower anchorages and help protect the seat material from
possible damage when installing child restraints.
Safety first Vehicle OP-eration
Child Safety
Installing the guidance fixtures
- Push down on the seat cushion so that the lower anchor
ages are visible .
- Hold the guidance fixture with the part number facing
downward and push it in the direction of the arrow onto
the anchorage ~ fig . 197 .
- Make sure that each of the two guidance fixtures per seat
snaps into place .
Removing the guidance fixtures
-Remove the child restraint according the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions.
- Push down on the seat cushion so that the lower anchor
ages are visible.
- Pull off the guidance fixtures from the lower anchorages .
- Always remove the guidance fixtures and keep them in a
safe place when not in use.
You may find it easier to install child restraints equipped with hooks
attached to straps without the guidance fixtures in place.
If this is the
case, remove the guidance fixtures by pulling them off the anchor
ages . However, the guidance fixtures can help you to locate the
LATCH anchorages.
& WARNING
Improper use of tether anchorages or lower anchorages can cause
serious personal injury in a crash.
• Always carefully follow the child restraint manufacturer's
instructions for proper installation and use of child restraint
systems.
II>
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data