Seats and storage
General recommendations
Why is your seat adjustment so important?
The safety belts and the airbag system can only provide
maximum protection if the front seats are correctly
adju sted.
Th ere a re various ways of adjusting t he front seats to provide safe and
comfortable support for the driver and the front passenger . Ad just
your seat properly so that :
• you can easily and quickly reach a ll the switc hes and contro ls in the
ins trumen t pa nel
• your body is properly supported thus reducing phys ica l stress and
fatigue
• the safety be lts and airbag system can offer maximum protection
=>
page 197 .
In the following sections, you w ill see exact ly how you can best ad just
your sea ts .
Th ere are special regulations a nd instr uctions for install ing a child
safety seat on the front passenger's sea t. Always follow the informa
tion regarding child safety p rovided in=>
page 219, "Child Safety ".
& WARNING
Incorrect seating posit ion of the dri ver and all other passengers
can result in seriou s personal injury.
• Always keep your feet on the floor when the vehicle is in
motion -never put your feet on top of the instrument panel, out
of the window o r on top of the seat cush ion. This applies especially
to the passengers.
If your seating po sition is incorrect, you
increase the ri sk of injury in the case of sudden braking or an acci-
Controls and equip
ment Safety first
Seats and storage
& WARNING
(con tinu ed)
dent . If the airbag inflates and the seating position is incorrect ,
this could result in per sonal injury or even death .
• It is important for both the dri ver and front passenger to keep
a distan ce of at least 10 inche s (25 cm) between themselves and
the steering wheel and /or instrument panel. If you 're sitting any
closer than this , the airbag system cannot protect you properly. In
addition, the front seats and head restraints must be adjusted to
your body height so that they can give you maximum protection .
• Always try to keep as much distance as possible between your
self and the steering wheel or instrument panel.
• Do not adjust the driver's or front passenger 's seat while the
vehicle is moving. You r seat may move unexpectedly , causing
sudden loss of vehicle control and personal injury . If you adjust
your seat while the vehicle is moving , you are out of position. •
Driver's seat
The correct seat position is important for saf e and
re lax ed driving.
W e recomme nd that you a djust the drive r's sea t in the
f ollowing man ner :
- Ad just the seat in fore and aft direction so that you can
easily pus h the pedals to the floor w hile keeping your
knees slightly bent=>
& in "Why is yo ur seat a djus tme nt
so importa nt?" .
- Adjust the seatback so that when yo u sit with yo ur back
agai nst t he seatback , you can st ill grasp t he top of the
steering w heel. ..,
Vehicle care Technical data
Seats and storage
Adjusting the head restraints
- To move the hea d restraint up, hold it at the sides and
slide it upwar d unt il it la tches .
- To move the head restra int down , press the button©
~ page 81, fig. 70 and slide the head restra int dow nward.
Removing the head restraints
- Slide t he head restrai nt all th e way up.
- Press the release butto n© and pu ll the h ead restraint out
and cl ear o f the se at.
Installing the head restraints
-Slide t he posts on the head restraint down into the gu ides
until the posts c lick into p lace. You s hou ld not be ab le to
pull the head restraint out of the backrest.
So that the driver can have a better view to the rear, the head
restra in ts should be pushed down comple tely when t he rea r seats are
not occupied .
& WARNING
• Only remove the rear seat head restraint s when necessary in
order to in stall a child seat . In stall the head restraint again imme
diately once the chi ld seat is removed. Driving w ithout head
restraint s or with head res traints that are not properly adjusted
increases the risk of serious or fatal neck injury dramatically .
• Read and heed all WARNINGS=>
page 181
(I) Tips
Correct ly adjus ted head restraints and safety belts are an ext reme ly
effective comb ination of safety features. •
Appli es to veh icles : w ith front a rm res t
Armrest
The armrest can be adjusted to s everal positions and
contains a storage compartment.
Adjusting the armrest
Fig. 71 Armre st
b etw een driver's and
pa ssenge r's se at
-To adjust the armrest angle, pivot the armrest fu lly dow n.
- Lift the a rmrest detent by de ten t until th e desi red posi-
tion is rea ched.
Opening storage compartment
- Press the release lever~ fig. 71.
Please note that the driver's arm movements may be restricted with
t he arm rest folded down. For th is reason, t he armrest s ho ul d not be
folded down when driving in city traff ic. •
• ....__D_ r_iv _i_ n_, g=-- S_ a _ f_e _,Ly _ ______________________________________________ _
Driving Safely
General notes
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safety first!
Th is chapter contains important information, t ips, instructions and
warnings that you need to read an d observe fo r you r own safe ty, the
safety of you r passengers and others . We have summarized here
w hat you need to know about sa fety belts, airbags, child restra ints as
we ll as child safety . You r safety is for us
priority number 1. Always
observe the information and warnings in this section -for your own
safety as well as t hat of your passengers.
The informat ion in this section applies to all mode l versions of yo ur
veh icle . Some of the fe atures des cribed in this se ctions m ay be st an
dard equ ipment on some models, or may be optional eq uipment on
others. If you a re not sure, ask your a uth o rized Audi dealer.
& WARNING
• Always make sure that you follow the instructions and heed
the WARNINGS in th is Manual. It is in your interest and in the
intere st of your passengers.
• Always keep the complete Owner's Literatu re in your Audi
when you lend or sell your vehicle so that this important informa
tion 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
s y stem and wor k together to he lp reduce the ris k of injury
in a wide variety of accident situations.
Your sa fety and t he safety o f yo ur passenge rs shou ld no t be left to
chance . Adva nces in technology have made a variety of features avai l
a b le to help re duce the risk of injury in an a cc ident . The fo llow ing is a
list of jus t a few of the safety features in your Audi:
• sophisticated safety belts for driver and a ll passenger seating
p osi tion s,
• safety belt pretensioners,
• safety belt fo rce lim iters for the fro nt sea ts,
• safety belt he igh t adju stmen t sys tems for the fro nt sea ts,
• automatic safety be lt height adjustment for the rear seats,
• front ai rbags,
• side air bags in the front sea ts a nd ou ter rear seats*,
• side curtain airbags,
• special LATCH an chorages fo r ch ild restra in ts,
• head restraints fo r eac h seating position,
• adjustable steering co lumn .
These individual safety feat ures, can work together as a system to
he lp protect you and yo ur passengers in a wide range of accide nts .
T hese feat ures ca nnot work as a system if they are not a lways
c o rre ctly adjusted and co rre ct ly u sed .
Safety is everybody's responsibility! •
Driving Safely ---------------------"~'----
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody's job! Vehicle and occupant safety
always depends on the informed and careful driver.
For your safety and the safety of your passengers, before
driving always:
- Make sure that all lights and signals are operating
correctly.
- Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
- Make sure that all windows are clean and afford good visi-
bility to the outside.
- Secure all luggage and other items carefully::::>
page 93.
-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 restraints according to their height.
- Make sure to use the right child restraint correctly to
protect children ::::,
page 219, "Child Safety".
- Sit properly in your seat and make sure that your passen gers do the same::::,
page 75, "General recommenda
tions".
- Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly. Also instruct
your passengers to fasten their safety belts properly
=:> page 187. •
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condition of the
vehicle, the driver as well as the driver's ability to concen
trate on the road 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::::,,& . There
fore:
Do not let yourself be distracted by passengers or by using
a cellular telephone.
NEVER drive when your driving ability is impaired (by
medications, alcohol, drugs, etc.).
- Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road and speed limits
and plain common sense .
- ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic and weather
conditions.
- 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 .
& WARNING
Impaired driving safety increases the risk of serious personal
injury and death whenever a vehicle is being used.•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
______________________________________________ D_ ri_v _ i_n _,,g ,c.._ S_a_ f_ e_ l..:: y __ _
& WARNING (continued)
to help reduce the risk of personal 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. Holding the steering wheel the wrong way can cause serious injuries to the hands, arms and head if the
driver's airbag deploys.
• Pointing the steering wheel toward your face decreases the
ability of the supplemental driver's airbag to protect you in a colli·
sion .
• Always sit in an upright position and never lean against or
place any part of your body too close to the area where the airbags
are located.
• Before driving, always adjust the front seats and head
restraints properly and make sure that all passengers are properly
restrained.
• Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is moving. Your seat
may move unexpectedly and you could lose control of the vehicle .
• Never drive with the backrest reclined or tilted far back! The
farther the backrests are tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper
seating position.
• Children must always ride in child safety seats =>
page 219.
Special precautions apply when installing a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat =>
page 197. •
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
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 recommend 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 when
ever the vehicle is moving.
- Adjust the head restraint so that the upper edge is as even
with the top of your head as possible but not lower than
eye level and so that it is as close to the back of your head
as possible=>
page 181.
- Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of the front
passenger seat.
- Fasten and wear safety belts correctly=>
page 191.
For detailed information on how to adjust the front passenger's seat,
see=>
page 75 .
& WARNING
Front seat passengers who are unbelted, out of position or too
close to the airbag can be seriously injured or killed by the airbag
as it unfolds. 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.
• Passengers who are unbelted, out of position or too close to
the airbag can be seriously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye. .,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
-Driving Safely 1---- ---:!....::..-=....:...'=.::,!.._ _______________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
• Always make sure that there are at least 10 inches (25 cm)
between the front passenger's breastbone and 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 properly.
• Always keep your feet on the floor
in front of the seat. Never
rest them on the seat, instrument panel, out of the window, etc.
The airbag system and safety belt will not be able to protect you properly and can even increase the risk of injury 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 injury
due to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper
seating position.
• Children must always ride in child safety seats=>
page 219.
Special precautions apply when installing a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat=>
page 197. •
Proper seating positions for passengers in
rear seats
Rear seat passengers must sit upright with both feet on
the floor consistent with their physical size and be prop
erly restrained whenever the vehicle is in use.
To reduce the risk of injury caused by an incorrect seating
position in the event of a sudden braking maneuver or an
accident , your passengers on the rear bench seat must
always observe the following :
- Make sure that the seatback is securely latched in the
upright position ~
page 83.
-The rear head restraints must be raised fully upward when
passengers ride in the rear seats~
page 181.
- Keep both feet flat in the footwell in front of the rear seat.
- Fasten and wear safety belts properly~
page 191.
-Make sure that children are always properly restrained in a
child restraint that is appropriate for their size and age
~ page 219.
& WARNING
Passengers who are improperly seated on the rear seat can be seri
ously injured in a crash.
• Each passenger must always sit on a seat of their own and
properly fasten and wear the safety belt belonging to that seat.
• Safety belts only offer maximum protection when the seatback
is securely latched in the upright position and the safety belts are
properly positioned on the body. By not sitting upright, a rear seat
passenger increases the risk of personal injury from improperly
positioned safety belts!
• Always adjust the head restraint properly so that it can give
maximum protection. •
________________________________________________ D_ r_ i_ v _i_ n ""'g "-- S_a_ f_ e_ l _,,y'-- __
Proper adjustment of head restraints
Correctly adjusted head restraints are an important part
of your vehicle's occupant restraint system and can help to reduce the risk of injuries in accident situations.
Fig . 168 Correctly
adjusted head
restraint viewed from
the side
The head restraints must be correctly adjusted to achieve the
best protection.
- Adjust the front head restraint so that the upper edge of
the restraint is level with the top of your head, but no
lower than eye level and so it is as close to the back of your
head as possible =>
page 181, fig. 168.
- The rear head restraints must be raised fully upward when
passengers ride in the rear seats.
Adjusting head restraints=> page 81.
& WARNING
Driving without head restraints or with head restraints that are
not properly adjusted increases the risk of serious or fatal neck
injury dramatically. To help reduce the risk of injury:
• Always drive with the head restraints in place and properly
adjusted.
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation
& WARNING (continued)
•
Every person in the vehicle must have a properly adjusted head
restraint.
• Always make sure each person in the vehicle properly adjusts
their head restraint. Each head restraint must be adjusted
according to occupants' size so that the upper edge is as even with
the top of the person's head, but no lower than eye level and so it
is as close to the back of to the head as possible.
• 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 before attempting to adjust the head
restraint.
• Children must always be properly restrained in a child restraint
that is appropriate for their age and size=>
page 219. •
Examples of improper seating positions
The occupant restraint system can only reduce 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 positioned
on the body . Improper seating positions reduce the effective
ness of safety belts and will even increase 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 airbag deploys and strikes
an occupant who is not in the proper seating position. A
driver is responsible for the safety of all vehicle occupants
and especially for children. Therefore:
- Never allow anyone to assume an incorrect seating posi-
tion when the vehicle is being used=>& . _,,,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
_____________________________________________ S_a _f _e _t _y _b_ e_lt _ s __ __
Safety belts
General notes
Always wear safety belts!
Wearing safety belts correctly saves lives!
This chapter explains why safety belts are necessary, how
they work and how to adjust and wear them correctly.
- Read all the information that follows and heed all of the
instructions and WARNINGS.
& WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or wearing them improperly increases
the risk of serious personal injury and death.
• Safety belts are the single most effective means available to
reduce the risk of serious injury and death in automobile acci
dents. For your protection and that of your passengers, always
correctly wear safety belts when the vehicle is moving.
• Pregnant women, injured, or physically impaired persons must
also use safety belts. Like all vehicle occupants, they are more
likely to be seriously injured if they do not wear safety belts. The
best way to protect a fetus is to protect the mother - throughout
the entire pregnancy. •
Number of seats
Your Audi has a total of five seating positions: two in the front and
three in the rear . Each seating position has a safety belt .
Controls and equip
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
& WARNING
Not wearing
safety belts or wearing them improperly increases
the risk of serious personal injury and death.
• Never strap more than one person, including small children,
into any belt. It is especially dangerous to place a safety belt over
a child sitting on your lap.
• Never let more people ride in the vehicle than there are safety
belts available.
• Be sure everyone riding in the vehicle is properly restrained
with a separate safety belt or child restraint. •
Safety belt warning light t
Your vehicle has a warning system for the driver and front
seat passenger ( on USA models only) to remind you about
the importance of buckling-up.
Before driving off, always:
Fig. 170 Safety belt
warning light in the
instrument cluster -
enlarged
- Fasten your safety belt and make sure you are wearing it
properly .
IJ,,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data