the pedals or the ability to control the
vehicle.
- Never place or install floor mats or other
floor coverings on top of already insta l
led floor mats . Additional floor mats and
other coverings will reduce the size of
the pedal area and interfere with the
pedals.
- Always property reinstall and secure floor
mats that have been taken out for clean
ing .
- Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the driver footwell wh ile the ve
hicle is moving. Objects can become
t rapped under t he brake pedal and accel
erator peda l causing a loss of veh icle
control.
Stowing Luggage
Loading the luggage compartment
All luggage and other objects must be prop
erly stowed and secured in the luggage com
portment.
F ig. 134 Safe load pos ition ing: place heavy objects as
low a nd as fa r forwa rd as possible .
-M N 0 u.
ill
Loose items in the luggage compartment can
shift suddenly, changing vehicle handling
characterist ics. Loose items can also increase
the risk of serious personal injury in a sudden
veh icle maneuver or in a collision .
.. Distribute the load evenly in the luggage
compartment.
.. Always place and properly secure heavy
items in the luggage compartment as low
and as far forward as poss ible
c::> fig . 134 .
Drivin g Sa fely 12 7
.. Secure luggage using the tie-downs provid
ed
c::> page 68.
.. Make sure that the rear seatback is securely
latched in place.
A WARNING
Improperly stored luggage or other items
can fly through the ve hicle causing ser ious
pe rsonal injury in the event of hard brak
ing or an accident . To help reduce the risk
of ser ious persona l injury:
- Always put objects, for example, luggage
or other heavy i tems in the luggage com
pa rtment.
- Always secure objects in the luggage
compa rtment using the t ie-down eyelets
a nd suitab le st raps.
A WARNING
Heavy loads w ill influence the way yo ur ve
hicle handles. To help reduce the risk of a
loss of contro l leading to serious personal
i nj ury :
-Always keep in mind w hen transporting
heavy objects, that a change in the cen
ter of gravity can a lso cause changes in
veh icle handling:
- Always distribute t he load as evenly as
possible.
- Place heavy objects as far forward in
the luggage compartment as possible .
- Never exceed the Gross Axle We ight Rat
ing or the G ross Vehicle We ight Rating
specified on the safety compliance stick
e r on the left door jamb. Exceeding per
miss ible weight standards can cause the
vehicle to slide and hand le different ly .
- Ple ase observe in format ion on sa fe dr iv
ing
<::> page 121.
A WARNING
To help prevent poisonous exhaus t gas
from being drawn into the vehicle, a lways
keep the rear lid closed while driving.
- Never transport objects larger than
those fitting comp letely into the l uggage _..
128 Driving Safely
area because the rear lid cannot be fully
closed.
- If you absolutely must drive with the rear
lid open, observe the following notes to
reduce the risk of poisoning:
- Close all windows,
- Close the power top,
- Open all air outlets in the instrument
panel,
- Switch off the air recirculation,
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest
speed.
A WARNING
Always make sure that the doors, all win
dows, the power top and the rear lid are
securely closed and locked to reduce the
risk of injury when the vehicle is not being
used .
-After closing the rear lid, always make
sure that it is properly closed and locked .
- Never leave your vehicle unattended es
pecially with the rear lid left open. A
child could crawl into the vehicle through
the luggage compartment and close the
rear lid becoming trapped and unable to
get out. Being trapped in a vehicle can
lead to serious personal injury.
- Never let children play in or around the
vehicle.
- Never let passengers ride in the luggage
compartment. Vehicle occupants must
always be properly restrained in one of
the vehicle's seating positions.
(D Tips
- Air circulation helps to reduce window
fogging. Stale air escapes to the outside
through vents in the trim panel. Be sure
to keep these slots free and open.
- The tire pressure must correspond to the
load. The tire pressure is shown on the
tire pressure label. The tire pressure la
bel is located on the driver's side B-pillar.
The tire pressure label lists the recom
mended cold tire inflation pressures for
the vehicle at its maximum capacity
-
'
weight and the tires that were on your
vehicle at the time it was manufactured.
For recommended tire pressures for nor
mal load conditions, please see chapter
r::::>page 231.
Tie-downs
Applies to vehicles: with tie-downs
The luggage compartment is equipped with
four tie-downs to secure luggage and o ther
items.
Use the tie-downs to secure your cargo prop
erly
r::::> page 12 7, Loading the luggage com
par tmen t.
In a collision, the laws of physics mean that
even smaller items that are loose in the vehi
cle will become heavy missiles that can cause
serious injury. Items in the vehicle possess en
ergy which vary with vehicle speed and the
weight of the item . Vehicle speed is the most
significant factor.
For example, in a frontal collision at a speed
of 30 mph (48 km/h), the forces acting on a 10-lb (4 .S kg) object are about 20 times the
normal weight of the item . This means that
the weight of the item would suddenly be about 200 lbs. (90 kg). You can imagine the
injuries that a 200 lbs. (90 kg) item flying
freely through the passenger compartment could cause in a collision like this.
A WARNING
Weak, damaged or improper straps used
to secure items to tie-downs can fail dur ing hard braking or in a collision and cause
serious personal injury.
- Always use suitable mounting straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
the luggage compartment to help pre
vent items from shifting or flying for
ward as dangerous missiles.
- When the rear seat backrest is folded
down, always use suitable mounting
straps and properly secure items to the
tie-downs in the luggage compartment
to help prevent items from flying
For safety reasons, rollover protection a lso de
p loys during front, side and rear collisions
above a certa in level of severity.
Retracting rollover protection
Fig . 137 Dep loyed rollbar with release loop.
Fig. 138 Deployed rollba r w ith power top frame facing
upward.
If the rollbars deployed but the vehicle was
not involved in a collision or rollover, you can
retract them without special tools. The sys
tem is ready for use again once they are re
tracted .
With the p owe r top ope n
"' Pull the loop upward in the direction of the
arrow and hold it in p lace
r=.> fig. 13 7.
"' Slide the rollbar down .
"' Release the loop just before the rollbar
reaches its end position by approximately 1-2 in. (3-5 cm).
"' Press the rollbar dow n until it stops.
"' Make sure the rollbar is secure before re-
leasing it .
"' Close the cover@i::>
fig. 138.
"' Repeat the procedure on the other rollbar.
With the power top closed
"' Swi tch the ignition on.
Dr ivin g Sa fely 131
"' Press the convertible switch to adjust the
convertible frame until it is vertical
r=.>fig. 138.
"' Pull the loop upward in the direction of the
arrow and hold it in placer=.>
fig. 137 .
"' Slide the rollbar down .
"' Release the loop just before the rollbar
reaches its end position (3-5 cm) .
"' Press the ro llbar down unti l it stops.
"' Make s ure the rollbar is sec ure before re-
leasing it.
"' Close the cover@~
fig. 138.
"' Repeat the procedure on the other rollbar .
"' You can now close the power top again.
A WARNING
-Have the rollover protection system
checked by your author ized Audi dealer if
it is fa ulty. Otherwise, the system may
not deploy correctly in a coll is ion.
- Modifying the rollover protection system
or ind ividual components is not perm it
ted.
- Work on the rollover protection system
should only be performed by your au
thorized Audi dealer. Otherwise the sys
tem may not f unction correctly in a co lli
sion or it co uld deploy unexpec tedly.
- Have the system inspected at service in
tervals. This ensures the system w ill al
ways be ready for use . Have your author
ized Audi dealer check the rollover pro
tection system every two years at the lat
est.
Important safety instructions about
safety belts
Safety belts must always be correctly posi
tioned across the strongest bones of your
body.
~ Always wear safety belts as illustrated and
described in this chapter.
~ Make sure that your safety belts are always
ready for use and are not damaged.
A WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or wearing them
improperly increases the risk of serious
personal injury and death. Safety belts can
work only when used correctly.
- Always fasten your safety be lts correctly
before driving off and make sure all pas
sengers are correctly restrained.
- For maximum protection, safety belts must always be positioned properly on
the body .
- Never strap more than one person, in
cluding small children, into any belt.
- Never place a safety belt over a child sit ting on your lap.
- Always keep feet in the footwell in front
of the seat while the vehicle is being d riv
en .
- Never let any person ride with their feet
on the instrument panel or sticking out
the window or on the seat.
- Never remove a safety belt while the ve
hicle is moving. Doing so will increase
your risk of be ing injured or killed.
- Never wear belts twisted.
- Never wear belts over rigid or breakable
objects in or on your clothing, such as
eye glasses, pens, keys, etc., as these may cause injury.
- Never allow safety belts to become dam
aged by being caught in door or seat
hardware .
- Do not wear the shoulder part of the belt
under your arm or otherwise out of posi
tion . Safety belts
135
- Several layers of heavy clothing may in
terfere with correct positioning of belts and reduce the overall effectiveness of
the system .
- Always keep belt buckles free of anything
that may prevent the buckle from latch
ing securely .
- Never use comfort clips or devices that
create slack in the shoulder belt . Howev
er, special clips may be requ ired for the
proper use of some child restraint sys
tems .
- Torn or frayed safety belts can tear, and
damaged belt hardware can break in an
accident. Inspect belts regularly.
If web
bing , bindings, buckles, or retractors are
damaged, have belts replaced by an au
thorized Audi dealer or qualified work
shop.
- Safety belts that have been worn and
loaded in an accident must be replaced
with the correct replacement safety belt
by an authorized Audi dealer. Replace
ment may be necessary even if damage
cannot be clearly seen . Anchorages that
were loaded must also be inspected.
- Never remove, modify, disassemble, or
try to repair the safety belts yourself.
- Always keep the belts clean. Dirty belts
may not work properly and can impair
the function of the inertia reel
c::> page 205, Safety belts .
Safety belts
Belt positioner
The driver and front passenger seats are
equipped with belt positioners.
Fig. 145 Driv er's se at: Be lt pos itio ner
136 Safet y belt s
The front seats are equipped with belt posi
tioners so it is easier to fasten the safety
be lts . T he belt positioners automatically ex
tend when the door closes and the ignition
switches on
¢ fig . 145.
The belt positioner returns to its starting posi
tion again when
- the tongue in the belt latch engages or the
belt was not fastened within 60 seconds .
- yo u sw itch the igni tion off .
- you open the doo r.
&_ WARNING
- Only yo ur autho rized Aud i dea le r shou ld
wor k on the sys tem or remove and insta l
ling system com ponents when per form
ing other work .
- T he be lt positione rs could cause injury or
damage if they p inch peop le or objects
when extending or retracting .
Fastening safety belts
Safety first -everybody buckle up!
Fig. 146 Belt buckle a nd tong ue o n th e dr iver's seat
To prov ide maximum protection, sa fety belts
must always be posit ioned correctly on the
wearer's body .
.. Adjust the front seat an d head restra int
properly ¢
page 61, Seats and storage .
.. Make sure the seatback of the rear seat
bench is in an upright pos ition and securely
latched in place before using the belt¢,& .
.. Hold the belt by the tongue and pull it
ev enly ac ross th e chest and pe lvis ¢
..&,.
.. Insert the tongue into the correct buck le o f
your seat unti l you hear it latch securely
¢ fig . 146.
.. Pull on the belt to make sure that it is se-
curely latched in the buckle.
Automatic safety belt retractors
Every safety belt is equipped with an a utomat
ic be lt retractor on t he shou lder belt. This fea
ture locks the belt when the be lt is pulled out
fast, during hard braking and in an accide nt.
The belt may a lso lock when you drive up or
down a steep h ill or through a sha rp curve.
D uring normal driv ing the be lt lets you move
freely .
Safety belt pretensioners
The safety belts are equipped with a belt pre
tensio ner that he lps to tighten the safety belt
and remove slack when t he pretensioner is ac
t ivated . T he function of the pretensione r is
monitored by a war ning light ¢
page 20.
Switchable locking feature
Every safety belt except the one on the driver
seat is equipped with a sw itchable lock ing fea
ture that
must be used when the safety be lt is
u sed to attach a c hild safety s eat. Be sure to
read the important information abou t this
feature
¢page 171.
&_ WARNING
Imp roperly posit ioned s afety be lts c an
cause ser ious injury in an accident
¢ page 137, Safety belt position .
-Safety belts offer opt imum p rotection
only when the seat back is u pright and
be lts are proper ly posit ioned o n the
body.
-
- Never attach t he safety belt to the buck
le for another seat. Attaching the belt to
the wrong buckle will reduce safety be lt
effectiveness and can cause serious per
sonal injury .
- A passenge r who is not proper ly restrain-
ed can be seriously injured by the safety ..,.
belt itself when it moves from the stron
ger parts of the body into critical areas
like the abdomen.
- Always lock the convertible locking re
tractor when you are securing a child safety seat in the vehicle ¢
page 173.
Safety belt position
Correct belt position is the key to getting
maximum protection from safety belts .
Fig. 147 Safety belt pos it io n
"' ,-. 0 ±
just the position of the safety belt to match your body size .
- height -adjustable front seats.
A WARNING
Improperly positioned safety belts can
cause serious personal injury in an acci
dent .
- The shoulder belt should lie as close to
the center of the collar bone as possible
and should fit well on the body. Hold the
belt above the latch tongue and pull it
evenly across the chest so that it sits as
low as possible on the pelvis and there is
no pressure on the abdomen. The belt
should always fit snugly
¢ fig. 147. Pull
on the belt to tighten if necessary.
- The lap belt portion of the safety belt
must be positioned as Low as possible
across pelvis and never over the abdo
men. Make sure the belt lies flat and
snug
¢ fig . 147 . Pull on the belt to tight
en if necessary.
Safety belts 13 7
-A loose-fitting safety belt can cause seri
ous injuries by shifting its position on
your body from the strong bones to more
vulnerable, soft tissue and cause serious injury.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important information
¢page 135.
Pregnant women must also be correctly
restrained
The best way to protect the fetus is to make
sure that expectant mothers always wear
safety belts correctly -throughout the preg
nancy.
Fig. 148 Safety bel t position during pregnancy
To provide maximum protect ion, safety belts
must always be positioned correctly on the
wearer's body¢
page 13 7.
.,. Adjust the front seat and head restraint cor
rectly ¢
page 61 , Seats and storage.
.,. Make sure the seatback of the rear seat
bench is in an upright position and securely
latched in place before using the belt .
.,. Hold the belt by the tongue and pull it
evenly across the chest and pelvis
¢ fig. 148, ¢ &_.
.,. Insert the tongue into the correct buckle of
your seat until you hear it latch securely
¢fig. 146.
.,. Pull on the belt to make sure that it is se
curely latched in the buckle.
164 Child Saf ety
-Model Manufactured on or
a fter
Graco Snugride September 25, 2007
Peg Perego Primo V i- September 25, 2007
aggio SIP IMUN00US
Subpart C -Forward -facing and
con vertibl e child r estra in ts
Model Manufactured on or
after
Britax Roundabout September 25, 2007
E9L02xx
Cosco Touriva 02519 December 1, 1999
Cosco Summit Deluxe September 25, 2007
High Back Booster
22-262
Cosco High Back September 25, 2007
Booster 22-209
Evenflo Tribute V September 25, 2007
379xxxx
Evenflo Medallion December 1, 1999
254
Evenflo Generations September 25, 200 7
352xxxx
Graco ComfortSport September 25, 2007
Graco Toddler Safety September 25, 2007
Seat Step 2
Graco Platinum Cargo September 25, 2007
_&. WARNING
T o 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 pas
senger seat and the ignition is switched
on.
- Take the child restraint off the front pas senger seat and install it properly at one
of the rear seat positions if the
PASSEN
G ER AIR BAG OFF
light does not stay on.
- Have the airbag system inspected by
your authorized Aud i dealer immediate
ly.
(!) Tips
The child seats listed in categories A to C have been statically tested by Audi on ly for
the Advanced A irbag function.
Important safety instructions for using
child safety seats
Correct use of child safety seats substantially
reduces the risk of injury in an accident!
As the driver, you are responsib le for the safe
ty of everybody in the veh icle, especially ch il
dren:
... Always use the right chi ld safety seat for
each child and always use it properly
c::;,page 167 .
... Always carefully fo llow the child safety seat
manufacturer's instruct ions on how to route
the safety belt properly through the child
safety seat.
... When using the veh icle safety belt to install
a child safety seat, you m ust first activate
the convertib le locking retractor on the
safety belt to prevent the child safety seat
from moving
¢ page 171.
... Push the ch ild safety seat down with your
full weight to get the safety be lt really tight
so that the seat cannot move forwa rd or
sideways mo re than one inch (2.5 cm) .
... If a strap o r tether is be ing used to tie the
child safety seat to the front passenger
seat, make sure tha t it i s n ot so tight th at i t
causes the weight -sensing mat to measure
more weight than is act ually on the seat.
... Secure unused safety be lts on the rear seat
c::;, page 166 .
Always remember : Even tho ugh yo ur vehicle is
equipped with an Advanced Airbag system, all
chi ldren, especially those 12 years and young
er, shou ld always r ide in the back seat proper-
ly restrained for their age and size. .,.
166 Child Safet y
range, and as far away from the airbag
as possible before installing the child
restra int.
- Always make sure that nothing pre
vents the front passenger's seat from be ing moved to the rearmost position
in its fore and aft adjustment range.
- Always make sure that the backrest is
in the upright position .
- Always buck le the child safety seat firmly
in place even if a child is not s itting in it.
A loose ch ild safety seat can fly around
dur ing a sudden stop or in a coll is ion.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS
whenever using a child restrained in ave
hicle is being used
c::> page 132, Safety
belts,
c::> page 140, Airbag system and
c::> page 161, Child Safety.
.,&. WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury, make
sure that the
PAS SENGER AIR B AG OFF
light comes on and stays on whenever a
child restraint is installed on the front pas
senger seat and the ignition is switched
on.
- Take the child rest raint off the front pas
senger seat and install it proper ly at one
of the rear seat positions if the
PASSEN
GER AIR BAG OFF
light does not stay on.
- Have the airbag system inspected by
your authorized Audi dealer immediate
ly.
Secure unused safety belts on the rear
seat
Fig. 158 Schematic overview: keep unused safety belts
away from chil dren in child safety seats. @· outer rear
sa fety be lt
.
If a child safety seat is used on the rear bench,
especially with LATCH universal lower ancho
rages, the unused safety belts
must be se
cured so that the child in the child restraint
cannot reach them
c::> &.
-Guide the safety belt webbing @ behind the
head restra int of the seat where the child re
straint is installed
c::> fig . 158. When doing
so, do not engage the switchable locking re
tractor! You should not hear a "clicking"
sound when winding up the safety belt.
- Let the belt retractor wind up the safety belt
webbing.
.,&. WARNING
-A child in a chi ld safety seat installed with
the LA TCH lower a nchorages or with the
standard safety be lt or a child in a boos ter
seat on the rear seat co uld p lay with un
used rear seat safety belts and become en
tang led . This co uld cause the chi ld ser ious
personal injury and even death.
-Always secure unused rear seat sa fety
be lts out of reach of children in child
seats such as by proper ly routing them
around the head restraint of the seat
where the ch ild restraint is installed.
- Never activate the switchable locking re
tractor when routing the safety belts
around the head restraints.