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
1111....__0_ n_ t_h_ e_ r_ o_ a _ d _________________________________________________ _
On the road
Steering
Applies to vehicles : w ith manua lly ad justab le stee ring whee l
Manually adjustable steering wheel
The height and reach o f the steering wheel can be
adjusted.
First, adjust t he driv er's seat correctly.
- Pull the lever~ fig. 98 -arrow-~ &.
Fig. 98 L ever under
the stee ring colum n
-Move the steering w heel to t he desired position.
- Push t he leve r against the s teering colum n unti l it locks .
The re m ust be at leas t 10 inc hes (25 cm) be tween yo ur chest and the
center of the steering wheel. If you cannot sit more than 10 inches
(25 cm) from the steering wheel, see if adaptive equ ipment is avail
able to help you reach the pedals and increase the d istance from the
steering wheel.
For detailed info rmation on how to adjust the dr ive r's seat, see
=> page 76.
& WARNING
Improp er use of steering wh eel adjustment and improper seating
position can cause serious personal injury .
• Adjust th e steering wheel column only when the v ehicle i s not
moving to p revent loss of vehicle control.
• Adjust the driver's seat or steering wheel so that th ere is a
minimum of 10 inches (25 cm ) between your chest and the
steering wheel=>
page 178 , fig. 166 . If you cannot maintain this
minimum distance , the airbag sy stem cannot protect you prop
erl y.
• If physical limitat ions p revent you from sitting 10 in ches (25
cm ) or more from the steering wheel, check with your authorized
Audi dealer to see if adaptive equipment is available.
• If the steering wheel is aligned with your face , the supple
mental driver' s airbag cannot provide a s much p rote ction in an
accident . Always make sure that the steer ing wheel i s aligned with
your che st.
• Always hold the ste ering wheel with your hands at th e 9 o'clock
and 3 o 'clock positions to reduce the risk of per sonal injury if the
driver' s airbag deploy s.
• Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o 'clock position o r w ith
your hands inside the steering wh eel rim or on the steering wh eel
hub. Holding the stee ring wheel the wrong way can cause seriou s
injuries to the hands, arms and head if the driver' s airbag
deploy s. •
_________________________________________________ O_ n_ t_ h_ e_ r _o_ a_d _ __.fflll
App lies to veh icles : w ith electrically adju stab le steer ing wheel
Electrically adjustable steering wheel
The height and reach of the stee ring wheel ca n be ele ctri
c ally adj usted to sui t th e d river.
Firs t, a djust t he dr iver's se at correct ly.
Height adjustment
Fig . 99 Switch for
s teering whee l ad ju st
ment
- Push t he s witch © up or down=> fig. 99 . T he st ee rin g
w he el heig ht chang es f or as long as you press t he swi tch .
Reach adjustment
- Push t he switc h© forward or backward=> fig. 99 . T he
ste ering w hee l reac h changes for as long as yo u press the
swi tch .
The re m ust be at leas t 10 inches (25 cm) between you r chest and the
cen ter of the steering whee l. If you cannot sit more than 10 inches
(25 cm) from the steer ing wheel, see if adapt ive equ ipment is ava il
able to h elp you reach the pedals and increase the distance from the
steeri ng wheel.
For detailed information on how to adjust the dr iver 's seat , see
~ page 76.
Cont rols a nd e quip
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
The steering wheel ca n be adjusted even when the ign ition is turned
O ff. For veh icles with sea t memory, the individu al pos it io ns for the
steer ing wheel can be sto red along with t he seat pos it ion.
& WARNING
Improper use of steering wheel adjustment and imprope r seating
position can cau se seriou s per sonal injury.
• Adjust the steering wheel column only when the vehicle i s not
moving to prevent loss of vehicle control.
• Adjust the driver 's seat or steering wheel so that there is a
minimum of 10 in ches (25 cm) between your chest and the
steering wheel~
page 178, fig. 166. If you cannot maintain this
minimum distance , the airbag system cannot prote ct you prop
erly.
• If phy sical limitations prevent you from sitting 10 inches (25
cm ) or more from the steering wheel, check with you r authorized
Audi dealer to see if adaptive equipment is available .
• If the steering wheel is aligned with your face , the supple·
mental driver 's airbag cannot provide as much protection in an
accident. Always make sure that the steering wheel is aligned with
your che st.
• Always hold the steering wheel with your hands at the 9 o'clock
and 3 o'clock po sition s to reduce the risk of personal injury if the
drive r's airbag deploys.
• Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock po sition 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 driver's airbag
deploy s.•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data
_______________________________________________ A_ ir_ b_ a_,,,g '--- s.:.y _s _t_ e _ m ___ ffl'II
Airbag system
Important things to know
Importance of wearing safety belts and
sitting properly
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. For airbags to
do their job, occupants must always properly wear their
safety belts and be in a proper seating position.
For your safety and the safety of your passengers, before
driving off, always:
- Adjust the driver's seat and steering wheel properly
=>
page 178,
- Adjust the front passenger's seat properly=> page 76,
- Wear safety belts properly=>
page 190,
-Always properly use the proper child restraint to protect
children=>
page 219.
In a collision, airbags must inflate within the blink of an eye and with
considerable force. The supplemental airbags can cause injuries if the
driver or the front seat passenger is not seated properly. Therefore in
order to help the airbag to do its job, it is important, both as a driver
and as a passenger to sit properly at all times.
By keeping room between your body and the steering wheel and the
front of the passenger compartment, the airbag can inflate fully and
completely and provide supplemental protection in certain frontal
collisions =:,
page 178, "Proper occupant seating positions" . For
details on the operation of the seat adjustment controls=>
page 76.
It 's especially important that children are properly restrained
=:,
page 219.
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation
There
is a lot that the driver and the passengers can and must do to
help the individual safety features installed in your Audi work
together as a system .
Proper seating position is important so that the front airbag on the
driver side can do its job. If you have a physical impairment or condi
tion that prevents you from sitting properly on the driver seat with
the safety belt properly fastened and reaching the pedals, or if you
have concerns with regard to the function or operation of the
Advanced Airbag System, please contact your authorized Audi dealer
or qualified workshop, or call Audi Customer CARE at 1-800-822-
2834 for possible modifications to your vehicle.
When the airbag system deploys, a gas generator will fill the airbags,
break open the padded covers, and inflate between the steering
wheel and the driver and between the instrument panel and the front
passenger . The airbags will deflate immediately after deployment so
that the front occupants can see through the windshield again
without interruption.
All of this takes place in the blink of an eye, so fast that many people don't even realize that the airbags have deployed . The airbags also
inflate with a great deal of force and nothing should be in their way
when they deploy . Front airbags in combination with properly worn
safety belts slow down and limit the occupant's forward movement .
Together they help to prevent the driver and front seat passenger
from hitting parts of the inside of the vehicle while reducing the
forces acting on the occupant during the crash. In this way they help to reduce the risk of injury to the head and upper body in the crash .
Airbags do not protect the arms or the lower parts of the body.
Both front airbags will not inflate in all frontal collisions . The trig
gering of the airbag system depends on the vehicle deceleration rate
caused by the collision and registered by the electronic control unit.
If this rate is below the reference value programmed into the control
unit, the airbags will not be triggered, even though the car may be
badly damaged as a result of the collision . Vehicle damage, repair
9J),
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
-L_!F~U:!_:S~ e~ s ~ a~ n~ d~b~ u~l~b ~s ~-------------------------------------------
Fuse assignment, cockpit driver's side
Fig. 234 Cockpit
driver's side: fuse
panel layout
No. Consume r
3 Engine management
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
12
13
Oil level sensor
Climate control, tire pressure monitoring sys
tem Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP), clutch
sensor
Diagnostic connector
Homelink control unit
Automatic dimming interior mirror
Adaptive Cruise Control Diagnostic connector
Switch module steering column
15 Instrument cluster, control module Gateway
16 Telephone, cell phone
17 Electronic Stabili zation Program (ESP)
18 Headlight electronics, left-side
Amps
5
5
5
5
5
5
s
5
10
10
10
5
10
5
No. Con sum er
19 Rain sensor
20 Heated washer nozzles
21 Seat adjustment (driver)
22 MMI display
23 Electromechanical park ing brake
31
32
33
34
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
Back-up light switch, transmission, engine com
ponents
I ntelligent power module driver (footwell light
and front headlights , horn, wiper system, elec
trically adjustable steering wheel)
Intelligent power module driver (lights left-side)
I ntelligent power module driver
(lights right-side)
Headlight washer system
Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP)
Wiper system Door control module left-side
Horn
Heater fan
Control module electronic ignition lock/elec tri
cally adjustable steering wheel
Rear windshield wiper (Avant)
44 Power window opener (left-side)
Amps
5
5
10
5
5
15
30
25
25
30
25
30
15
25
40
30
15
35
-
•
-Alphabetical inde x ------',.__ ___________________________________ _
Seat adjustment
Adjusting the seatback . .. .......... 77
Adjusting upper thigh support ....... 78
Dr iver's seat .. ...... .......... .... 75
Dr ive r's seat memory .............. 79
Front passenger's sea t ... .. .. .... .. 76
Front seats ............. ......... 75
Head restraints ... .. .. .. .. .... 81, 181
L u mba r support . ... .. .. ..... ..... 78
Seat be lts
See Safety be lts ................. 187
Seat memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Sea ting capacity ... .. .. .. .. ...... ... 1 87
Seating pos ition
Dr ive r .. ............... ... ...... 178
Front passenger .. .. .. .. .. ... .... 179
How to adjust the fron t seats .. ..... 179
In co rrect seat posi tion ... ......... 181
Occ upan ts . ..................... 178
Re ar passengers
Seats Number of seats 18
0
1 87
Selective unlock feature ............... 44 Side a
irbags
Descript ion ..................... 213
How they wo rk .................. 214
Side assist Activating and deact ivat ing . .. ..... 137
Description . .. .... ......... .... . 137
Informational and a lert stage s ignals 139
Messages in instrume nt cluster d isp lay . .
144
Ope ration . ... ..... ..... ... .. .. . 139
Safety t ips ...................... 144
Sensor detect ion area ...... .. ..... 138
Settings ....... .. .. .. .. .... ..... 142
Side curtain airbags ... .............. 216
Description ... .. ..... ..... ... .. . 216
How they wo rk .. ... .. .. . ... .... . 217
Safety instructions . ... .... .. .. .. . 218
S ide marke r ligh ts ...... ....... .. .. .. 58
Sk i sack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Snow chains ....... ... ...... .. .. .. . 312
Sockets ......................... 92, 93
Sound system disp lay
Dr iver information display .......... 20
Sele ctor lever ... .... ............... 147 So urces of informat ion about child rest raints
Selector lever multitronic ® ... .. ... ... 154 and their use ................... 239
Service and disposal Spare wheel ....... ... .. .. .. .. .... . 319
Safety belt pretensioner .. ......... 196 Speed control system
Service interva l display ................ 22
See Adaptive C ruise Cont rol . .. .. .. . 119
Service pos ition Speed rating letter code ............. 309
Windshield wipers ................ 68 Speed w arning sys tem ................ 32
Servotronic Speedometer .................... ... 10
Power steering ....... .. ... .... .. 24 7 Starting off w ith a t rai ler . ... .. .. .. .. . ll S
Shift bu tto ns ... .... ........... 151, 158 Sta
rting the engine .. .. ...... ... 108, 109
What should I do if the eng ine does not
sta rt? ... .. ... .. ... ..... .. .. .. 109
Steering . .. .... ............ ...... . 106
E asy e ntry fea ture ................ 108
El ectr ica lly adjusting t he steer ing whee l ..
107
Locking the steering ..... ....... .. 108
Ma lfunct ion .... .. .. ... .......... . 28
Ma nually adjusting the steer ing whee l
106
Steering wheel column Adjusti ng elect rically ...... ... .. .. 10 7
Adjusting m anually ............... 106
Steering wheel heat ing ...... .. .. .... 104
Steps for determining co rrect load limit 304
Stopp ing the e ngine ................. 110
Storage .. .. .... ...... ...... ........ 93
(upholder . .. .. .................. 89
(upholder rear center armrest ....... 90
Glove compartment ............... 94
L u ggage compartment ... .. ..... ... 86
S ki sack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Storage compartment
Expanding ... .... .. .... .......... 83
S un shade .. ................. .. .. .. . 6S
S un v iso rs ....... ............ .. ..... 64
Suspension
See Adaptive A ir Suspens ion ..... .. 168
Switches Emergency flashers .. .. .. .... .. .. . 61
P owe r sun roo f .. .. .. .. ... .. .. . ... . 53
Rear window defogger . ... .. .. .. .. 10 1