2014 AUDI Q5 warning light

172 Airbag system
dealer is familiar with these requirements
and we recommend that you have your
dealer perform this service for you.
Other things that can affect Advanced
Airbag performance
Changing the vehicle's suspension system can
change the way that the Advanced Airbag Sys­
tem performs in a crash. For example, using
tire-rim combinations not approved by Audi, lowering the vehicle, changing the stiffness of
the suspension, including the springs, suspen­
sion struts, shock absorbers etc. can change
the forces that are measured by the airbag
sensors and sent to the electronic control
unit. Some suspension changes can, for exam­ ple, increase the force levels measured by the
sensors and make the airbag system deploy in
crashes in which it would not deploy if the
changes had not been made . Other kinds of
changes may reduce the force levels meas­
ured by the sensors and prevent the airbag
from deploying when it should.
The sensors in the safety belt buckle for the
driver and front passenger seat tell the elec­
tronic control module if the safety belt is
latched or not.
If the safety belt is being used,
the front airbag will deploy at a slightly high­
er rate of vehicle deceleration than if the safe­
ty belt is not being used. Therefore, in a par­
ticular collision, it is possible that an airbag
will not deploy at a seating position where the
safety belt is being used but will inflate at the
position where the safety belt is not being
used. It is important that nothing interfere
with the safety belt buckles so that the sen­
sors can send the correct information about
safety belt use to the electronic control unit.
A WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspension includ­
ing use of unapproved tire-rim combina­
tions can change Advanced Airbag per­
formance and increase the risk of serious
personal injury in a crash.
- Never install suspension components
that do not have the same performance characteristics as the components origi­
nally installed on your vehicle.
- Never use tire-rim combinations that
have not been approved by Audi.
A WARNING
= -
Items stored between the safety belt
buckle and the center console can cause
the sensors in the buckle to send the
wrong information to the electronic con­
trol module and prevent the Advanced Air­
bag System from working properly.
- Always make sure that nothing can inter­
fere with the safety belt buckles and that
they are not obstructed.
Side airbags
Description of side airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental
protection to properly restrained occupants.
Fig. 169 Side a irbag location in the driver's seat
The side airbags are located in the sides of the
front seat backrests¢
fig. 169 and the rear
backrest* facing the doors. They are identified
by the word "AIRBAG".
The side airbag system basically consists of:
-the electronic control module and external
side impact sensors
- the two airbags located in the sides of the
front backrests and the two airbags* located
in the rear backrest
- the airbag warning light in the instrument
cluster.
The airbag system is monitored electronically
to make certain that it is functioning properly ..,.

at all times. Each time you turn on the igni­
tion, the airbag system indicator light will
come on for a few seconds (self diagnostics).
The s ide a irbag sys tem supp lements the safe­
ty belts and can help to reduce the risk of in ­
jury to the driver's and front passenge r's up­
per torso on the side of the vehicle that is
struck in a side co llision. The airbag deploys
only in s ide impacts and on ly when the veh icle
acceleration registered by the control u nit is
h igh enough . If this rate is below the refer­
ence va lue programmed into the control un it,
the side airbags will not be triggered, even
though the ca r may be badly damaged as a re ­
sult of the collision .
It is not possible to de­
fine an ai rbag triggering range that will cover
every possible angle of impact, since the cir­
cumstances wi ll vary considerably between
one co llision and another. Important factors
include, for examp le, the nat ure (hard or soft)
of the impacting object, the ang le of impact,
veh icle speed, etc. c::>
page 174, Important
safety instructions on the side airbag system.
Aside from the ir norma l safety function, safe­
ty belts work to he lp keep the driver or front
passenger in posit ion in the event of a side
coll is ion so that the side a irbags can provide
p rotection.
The airbag system is
not a substitute for your
safety bel t. Rathe r, it is pa rt of the overall oc­
cupant restraint system i n your veh icle . Al­
ways remember that the side airbag sys tem
can only he lp to p rotec t you if yo u are wear ing
your safety belt and wear ing it properly. This
is another reason w hy you sho uld a lways wear
your safety belts, not just beca use the law re­
q uir es you to do soc::>
page 149, General
notes.
It is important to remember that while the
supp lemental side a irbag system is designed
to reduce the like lihood of serious injur ies,
other in juries, for example, swell ing, bruising,
and minor abras ions can also be associated
w ith deployed s ide a irbags. Remember too,
side a irbags w ill deploy on ly once and o nly in
certain kinds of accidents - you r safety belts
are a lways there to offer prote ction.
A irbag system 173
Vehicle damage, repair costs o r even t he lack
of ve hicle damage are not necessarily a n indi­
cation o f ove r-sensitive or failed airbag activa­
tion. In some coll is ions, both front and side
airbags may i nflate. Remember too, that air­
bags will deploy only o nce a nd only in certain
ki nds of coll is ions -your safety belts are al­
ways t he re to offe r protection in those acc i­
den ts in which a irbags a re no t supposed to
deploy or when they have already deployed .
The side airbag system will not deploy:
-when the ignit io n is turned off
- in side co llisions whe n the acceleration
measured by the sensor is too low
- in front-end collisions
- in rear -end co llisions
- in rollove rs .
In some types of ac cidents the front airbags,
s ide cu rtain air bags and s ide air bags may be
trigge red togethe r.
&_ WARNING ~
- Safety belts and the airbag system wi ll
only provide protection when occupants
are in the proper seating position
c::>page 174.
-If the airbag ind icator light c::> page 16
comes when the veh icle is being used,
have the system inspected immediate ly
by your authorized Audi dealer. It is pos­
sible t hat the airbag will inflate when it
is not supposed to, or will not infla te
when it should.
•
•

17 6 Airbag syst em
in a side collision. The side curtain airbag in­
f lates in side impacts and on ly when the vehi­
cle acce lerat ion reg istered by the contro l unit
is high enough. If this rate is below the refer­
ence value programmed into the control unit,
the side airbags will not be triggered, even
though the car may be badly damaged as a re­
sult of the collision.
It is not possible to de­
fine an a irbag tr igger ing range that will cover
every possible angle of impact, since the c ir­
cumstances w ill vary considerably between
one co llision and another . Important factors
include, for examp le, the nat ure (hard or soft)
of the impacting object, the ang le of impact,
vehicle speed, etc.
c:> page 176, How side cur­
tain airbags work.
Aside from their normal safety function, safe­
ty belts work to he lp keep the driver or front
passenger in position in the event of a co lli­
sion so that the side curtain airbags can pro­
vide p rotection.
The airbag system is not a subst itute for your
safety belt. Rather, it is part of the overall oc­
cupant restraint system in your veh icle. Al­
ways remember that the airbag system can
only help to protect you if you are wea ring
your safety be lt and wear ing it prope rly. This
i s ano ther reason why you shou ld always wear
your safety be lts, not jus t be ca use the law re­
qu ires you to do soc;,
page 149, General
notes.
It
is important to remember that whi le the
side curtain a irbag sys tem is designed to he lp
reduce the like lihood o f serious injuries, other
inj uries, for example, swelling, bruising, and
minor abrasions can also be associated with
these airbags. Remember too, these airbags
will dep loy only once and only in certain k inds
of acc idents - your safety belts are always
there to offer protection.
The side curtain airb ag system b asic all y
consists of:
- The electronic control module and externa l
s ide impact sensors
- The side curtai n airbags above the front and
rear side w indows -
The airbag indicator light in the instrument
panel
T he airbag system is mo nitore d elec tronically
to make certain i t is func tioning properly at all
t imes . Each t ime yo u turn on the ignition, the
airbag system indicator light will come on for
a few seconds (sel f diagnostics).
The side curtain airbag is not activated:
- if the ignition is tur ned off,
- in side co llisions whe n the accele ration
mea sured by the sensor is too low,
- in rear-end col lisions.
A WARNING
- Safety belts and the airbag system will
only provide pro te ction when occupant s
are i n the proper seating posi tion
c:>page 61, General recommendations.
- If th e airbag ind ic a tor light c:>page 16
comes when the veh icle is being used,
have the system ins pected immediately
by your authorized A udi dealer. It is pos­
sible that the airbag will inflate when it
is not supposed to, or will not inflate
when it should.
How side curtain airbags work
Side curtain airbags can work together with
side airbags to help reduce the risk of head
and upper torso injuries for occupants who
are properly restrained.
Fi g. 172 Illustration of p rinciple: I nflated side curtai n
a irbags on the left side
The side c urtain airbags inflate be tween the
occupant and the windows on the s ide of the
Ill-

vehicle that is struck in a side collision
~fig. 172.
When the system is triggered , the side curtain
airbag is filled with propellant gas and breaks
through a seam above the front and rear side
windows identified by the AIRBAG label. In or­
der to help provide this additional protection,
the side curtain airbag must inflate within the
blink of an eye at very high speed and with
great force. The side curtain airbag could in ­
jure you if your seating position is not proper
or upright or if items are located in the area
where the supplemental side curtain airbag
inflates . This applies especially to children
~page 178.
Although they are not a soft pillow, side cur­
tain airbags can "cushion" the impact and in
this way they can help to reduce the risk of in­
jury to the head and the upper part of the
body.
A fine dust may develop when the airbag de­
ploys. This is quite normal and does not mean
there is a fire in the vehicle.
Important safety instructions on the
side curtain airbag system
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. Al­
ways properly wear safety belts and ride in a
proper seating position.
There is a lot that you and your passengers
must know and do to help the safety belts and
airbags do their job to provide supplemental
protection.
A WARNING
Improperly wearing safety belts and im­
proper seating positions increase the risk
of serious personal injury and death when­
ever a vehicle is being used.
- Never let occupants place any parts of
their bodies in the area from which the
side curtain airbags inflate.
-Always make sure that the side curtain
airbags can inflate without interference.
Unsuitable accessories fitted inside the
Airbag system 177
expansion range of a head airbag can
dangerously interfere with its function. A
deploying head airbag develops enough
force to catapult any piece of add-on
component out of its path of inflation
and into the passenger compartment. An
occupant hit by such a projectile can suf­
fer serious injury or death~
page 296,
Technical Modifications.
-Do not swivel the sun visors to the side if
you have any objects clipped onto them
(for example pens). If the airbag should
deploy, you could be injured by these ob­
jects.
- Use the built-in coat hooks only for light­
weight clothing. Never leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets that
may interfere with airbag deployment
and can cause personal injury in an acci­
dent.
- Never use hangers to hang clothing from
the hooks.
- Only use factory-installed sun shades or,
in the case of shades installed after the
vehicle leaves the factory, only Audi roll­ up sunscreens may be used
~ page 295,
Additional accessories and parts re­
placement.
- Always sit in proper seating position and
wear safety belts while traveling so that
the side curtain airbags can help provide
protection.
- The airbag system can only be triggered
once . If the airbag has been triggered,
the system must be replaced by an au­
thorized Audi dealer or qualified work­
shop.
-Always have work involving the side cur­
tain airbag system, removal and installa­
tion of the airbag components, or other repairs performed by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop. Otherwise
the airbag system may not work correct­
ly.
- Never attempt to modify any compo­
nents of the airbag system in any way.
•
•

-Always install rear-facing child safety
seats on the rear seat.
- If you must install a rearward facing
child safety seat on the front passenger
seat in exceptional circumstances and
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 air­
bag system inspected immediately by
your Audi dealer.
_& WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstances, you must
install a forward-facing child restraint on
the front passenger's seat:
- 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.
- Always follow the manufacturer's in­
structions provided with the child safety
seat or carrier.
- 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 child restraint. The backrest must be
adjusted to an upright position .
- Always make sure that the
PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF
light comes on and stays
on all the time whenever the ignition is
switched on.
(D Tips
Always replace child restraints that were
installed in a vehicle during a crash. Dam­
age to a child restraint that is not visible
could cause it to fail in another collision
situation.
Advanced front airbag system and children
Your vehicle is equipped with a front "Ad­
vanced Airbag System" in compliance with United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Child Safety 1 79
Standard (FMVSS) 208 as applicable at the
time your vehicle was manufactured.
The Advanced Airbag system in your vehicle
has been certified to meet the "low-risk" re­
quirements for 3- and 6-year old children on
the passenger side and small adults on the driver side. The low risk deployment criteria
are intended to reduce the risk of injury
through interaction with the airbag that can
occur, for example, by being too close to the
steering wheel and instrument panel when
the airbag inflates . In addition, the system
has been certified to comply with the "sup­
pression" requirements of the Safety Stand­
ard, to turn off the front airbag for infants up
to 12 months who are restrained on the front
passenger seat in child restraints that are list­
ed in the Standard.
Even though your vehicle is equipped with an
Advanced Airbag system, all children, espe­ cially those 12 years and younger, should al­
ways ride in the back seat properly restrained
for their age and size. The airbag on the pas­
senger side makes the front seat a potentially dangerous place for a child to ride . The front
seat is not the safest place for a child in a for­
ward-facing child safety seat. It can be a very
dangerous place for an infant or a larger child
in a rearward-facing seat .
Advanced Airbags and the weight­
sensing mat in the front seat
The Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle
detects the presence of an infant or child in a
child restraint on the front passenger seat us­
ing the weight -sensing mat in the seat cush­
ion and the sensor below the safety belt latch
on the front passenger seat that measures the
tension on the safety belt.
The weight -sensing mat measures total
weight of the child and the child safety seat
and a child blanket on the front passenger seat. The weight on the front passenger seat
is related to the design of the child restraint
and its "footprint", the size and shape of the
bottom of the child restraint as it sits on the ..,.
•
•

Model Manufactured on or
after
Evenflo First Choice December 1, 1999
204
Graco Infant 8457 December 1, 1999
Graco Snugride September 25, 2007
Peg Perego Primo Vi -September 25, 200 7
aggio SIP IMUN00US
Subpart C - Forward -fa cing and
c on vert ible child restraint s
Model Manufactured on or
after
Britax Roundabout September 25, 2007
E9L02xx
Cosco Touriva 02519 December 1, 1999
Cosco Summit Deluxe September 25, 2007
H igh Back Booster
22-262
Cosco High Back September 25, 2007
Booster 22-209
Evenflo Tribute V September 25, 200 7
379xxxx
Evenflo Medallion December 1, 1999
254
Evenflo Generations September 25, 2007
352xxxx
Graco Comfo rtSport September 25, 2007
Graco Toddler Safety September 25, 2007
Seat Step 2
Graco Platinum Ca rgo September 25, 200 7
A WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury, make
sure that the
P ASSENGER AIR BAG O FF
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 posi tions if the
PASSEN­
GER AIR BAG OFF
light does not stay on.
Child Sa fet y 181
-Have the airbag system inspected by
your author ized Audi dealer immediate­
ly.
(D Tips
The child seats listed in categories A to C have been statically tested by A udi 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 chil­
dren:
... Always use the right child safety seat for
each child and always use it properly
¢page 184.
... Always carefully follow the child safety seat
manufacturer's instruct ions on how to route
the safety belt properly through the child
safety seat .
... When using the vehicle safety belt to install
a child safety seat, you m ust first activate
the convertible locking retractor on the
safety belt to prevent the child safety seat
from moving
¢page 188.
... Push the child safety seat down with yo ur
full weight to get the safety belt really tight
so that the seat cannot move forward or
sideways more than one inch (2 .5 cm) .
... If a strap or tether is be ing used to tie the
child safety seat to the front passenger
seat, make sure tha t it is not so tight that it
causes the weight-sens ing ma t to measure
more weight than is act ually on the seat.
... Secure unused safety belts on the rear seat
¢page 183.
Always remember: Even tho ugh you r vehicle is
equipped with an Advanced Airbag system, all
c h ildren, especially those 12 years and young ­
er, shou ld always r ide in the back seat proper-
ly restrained for the ir age and size. ..,. •
•

as possible before installing the child
restraint.
- 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 upr ight position.
- Always buck le the child safety seat firmly
in place even if a child is not sitting in it.
A loose ch ild safety seat can fly around
dur ing a sudden stop or in a col lision .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS
whenever using a child restrained in ave­
hicle is being used
c::> page 149, Safety
belts,
c::> page 157, Airbag system and
c::> page 178, Child Safety.
A WARNING
T o reduce t he ris k of serious injury, make
sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light comes on and stays on whenever a
child rest raint is installed on the front pas ­
senger seat and the ignition is switc hed
on.
- Take the child restraint off t he fro nt pas­
senger seat and install it properly 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 Aud i dealer immediate­
ly.
Secure unused safety belts on the rear
seat
F ig. 173 Schematic overv iew: keep un used safety belts
away from children in child safety seats.@-oute r rear
safety belt,
@ -center rear safety belt
Child S afety 183
If a child safety seat is used on the rea r 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 webbings @and @
beh ind the head restraint of the seat where
the child restra int is insta lled
c::> fig. 173.
When doing so, do not engage the switcha­
ble locking retractor! You should not hear a
"cl icking" sound when w inding up the safety
be lt .
- Let the belt retractor wind up the safety belt
webbing.
A WARNING
A child in a chi ld safety seat i nstalled with
the LA TCH lower ancho rages or with the
standard s afety be lt or a child in a boos ter
seat on the rea r seat co uld p lay with un­
use d rea r seat safety belts and become en­
tang led . This could cause t he chi ld ser ious
personal injury and even death.
- Always secure unused rear seat safety
be lts out of reach of children in child
seats such as by proper ly rout ing them
around the head restrai nt of the seat
where the ch ild restraint is installed.
- Never activate t he switchable l ock ing re­
tracto r when routing the safety be lts
around the head restraints.
- Never let anyone s it at the center rear
seating position if the center rea r safety
be lt has been routed around a rear head
restraint.

184 Child Safet y
Child safety seats
Infant seats
Babies and infants up to about one year old
and 20 lbs. or 9 kg need special rearward-fac ­
ing child restraints that support the back,
neck and head in a crash.
-- /
Fig . 174 Sche matic overview: rearward- facing infant
seat, properly installed o n the rear seat
> When using the vehicle safety belt to install
a ch ild safety seat, you must first activate
the convertible locking retractor on the
safety belt to prevent the child safety seat
from moving ¢
page 188 or install the seat
using the LATCH attachments.
> Push the child safety seat down with your
full weight to get the safety belt rea lly tight
so that the seat cannot move forward or
sideways more than one inch (2.5 cm).
> Secure unused safety belts on the rear seat
¢page 183.
Infants up to about one year (20 lbs. or 9 kg)
are best protected in special infant carriers
and child safety seats designed for their age
group . Many experts believe that infants and
small children should ride only in spec ial re­
straints in which the ch ild faces the back of
the vehicle . These infant seats support the ba­
by's back, neck and head in a crash ¢
fig. 174.
The airbag on the passenger side makes the
fro nt seat a potentially dangerous place for a
child to r ide . The front seat is not the safest
p lace for a child in a forwa rd-facing child seat.
I t is a very dangerous p lace for an infant or a
larger child in a rearward-facing seat.
A WARNING
-Not using a child safety seat, using the
wrong child safety seat o r improperly in ­
stalling a ch ild restra int increases the risk
of ser ious personal in ju ry and death in a
crash.
- Never install rear-facing child safety
seats or infant ca rr ie rs o n the front pas­
senger sea t -even with an Advanced Air­
bag Sys tem. A c hild will be ser iously in­
jured and can be killed whe n the inflat ­
ing ai rbag hits the child safety seat or in­
fant carrier with great force and smashes the child safety seat and child against
the backrest, center armrest, door or
roof ¢
page 158, Child restraints on the
front seat -some important things to
know.
- Always install rear-facing ch ild safety
seats or infant ca rr ie rs on the rear seat .
- Never install a rear-fac ing ch ild restra int
in th e forward-fac ing direct ion. Such re­
straints are designed for the special needs of infants and very small ch ild ren
an d cannot protect them prope rly if the
seat is forward- facing.
- If you m ust insta ll a rearwa rd fa cing
child safety seat on the fro nt passenger
seat be cause of exceptiona l circumstan­
ces and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light does not come o n and stay on, im­
mediately insta ll the rear-fac ing child
safety seat in a rear seating position and
have the airbag system inspected by your
Aud i deale r.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS
whenever us ing a child restrained in ave­
h icle is being used
¢ page 149, Safety
belts, ~page 157, Airbag system
and
c::> page 178, Importan t things to know.