2015 AUDI S3 warning light

_& WARNING
-Safety belts and the airbag system will
only provide protection when occupants
are in the proper seating position
¢page 165.
-If the airbag indicator light¢ page 21
turns on when the vehicle is being used,
have the system inspected immediately
by your authorized Audi dealer.
It is pos­
sible that the airbag will inflate when it
is not supposed to, or will not inflate
when it should.
How supplemental side airbags work
Side airbags deploy instantly and can help re­
duce the risk of upper torso injuries for occu­
pants who are properly restrained.
Fig. 136 Side impac t protectio n: in flated side a irbags
When the system is triggered, the airbag is
filled with propellant gas and breaks through
a seam in the seat surface area marked "AIR­
BAG" . It expands between the side trim panel
and the passenger. In order to help provide
th is additional protection, the side airbag
must inflate within a fraction of a second at
very high speed and with great force. The sup­
plemental side airbag could injure you if your
seating position is not proper or upright or if
items are located in the area where the sup­
plemental side a irbag expands . This applies
especially to children ¢
page 170, Child Safe­
ty .
Supplemental side airbags inflate between
the occupant and the door panel on the side
~ of the vehicle that is struck in certain side col-o
iii lision ¢fig . 136.
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Airbag system 165
Although they are not a soft pillow, they can
"cushion" the impact and in this way they can
help to reduce the risk of injury to the upper
part of the body.
A fine dust may develop when the airbag de­ ploys . T his is normal and does not mean there
is a fire in the vehicle.
Important safety instructions on the
side 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 act accordingly to help the
safety belts and airbags do their job to pro­
vide supplemental protection .
_& WARNING
-An inflating side airbag can cause serious
or fatal injury. Improperly wearing safety
belts and improper seating positions in­
crease the risk of serious personal injury
and death whenever a vehicle is being used.
- In order to reduce the risk of injury when
the supplemental side airbag inflates:
- Always sit in an upright position and
never lean against the area where the
supplemental side airbag is located.
- Never let a child or anyone else rest
their head against the side trim panel in the area where the supplemental
side airbag inflates.
- Always make sure that safety belts are
worn correctly,
- Do not let anyone sitting in the front
seat put their hand or any other parts
of their body out of the window .
-Always make sure that the side airbag
can inflate without interference.
- Never install seat covers or replace­
ment upholstery over the front seat­
backs that have not been specifically
approved by Audi.

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The inflatable side curtain airbags are located
on both sides of the interior above th e front
and rear side windows . T hey are identified by
the word "AIRBAG" on the windsh ield frame
and the center roof pillar.
The side curtain airbags contain features that prov ide ejection m itigation to he lp prevent ve­
h icle oc cupant s or parts of their bodies from
being comple tely or partially ejected from the
vehicle interior in certain side impacts and ve ­
h icle rollovers .
The s ide curtain airbag system supp lements
the safety belts and can help to reduce the risk of injury for occupa nts ' heads and upper
torso on the side of the veh icle that is struck
i n a side collision . T he side curta in a irbag in­
flates in s ide impacts and on ly w hen the veh i­
cle acce le rat ion reg iste red by the cont ro l u nit
is high enough . If this rate is below the refer ­
ence value programmed into t he control unit,
the side c urtain airbag will not be t riggered,
even though the car may be badly damaged as
a result of the collision. It is not possible to
define an airbag triggering range tha t will
cover every possible angle of impact, since the
circumstances will vary considerably between
one co llision and another. Important factors
i nclude, for examp le, the natu re (hard o r soft)
of the impacting object, the ang le o f impact ,
ve hicl e speed, et c.
q page 168, How sid e cur ­
tain airbags work .
Besides their normal safety f unction, safety
be lts work to help keep the dr iver or front
passenger in position in the event of a frontal
collision so that the side curtain airbags can provide protection.
The airbag system is not a s ubst itute for yo ur
safety be lt . Rathe r, it is pa rt of the overall oc ­
cupant restraint system in your vehicle . Al­
ways rememb er that the airbag system can
only help to protect you if you are wearing
your safety belt and wear ing it properly. Th is
is another reason why you shou ld always wear
your safety belts, not just because the law re ­
q uir es you to do so
q page 135, General
~ notes .
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Airbag system 167
It is important to remembe r that wh ile the
side curtain airbag system is designed to help
reduce the likelihood of ser ious injuries, other
injur ies, for example, swelling, bru is ing, fric­
tion burns and minor abras ions can also be as­
sociated w ith these airbags upon deployment .
Remember too , these airbags will deploy only
once a nd only in ce rtain kinds of accide nts -
you r safety be lts a re a lways the re to offer p ro­
tection .
The side curtain airbag system basically
consists of:
-The e lectronic control module and external
side impact sensors
- The side curta in a irbags above the front and
rear s ide windows w it h ejection mitigation
featu res
- The a irbag indicator light in the instr ument
p ane l
The airbag system is mon itored e lectronically
to make ce rtain it is func tioning prope rly at all
times. Each time you sw itch on the ig nition,
the air bag system indicator light will come on
f o r a few se conds (sel f diagnos tic s) .
The side curtain airbag is not activat ed:
- if the ignition is sw itched off,
- in side collisions whe n the acceleration
measured by the sensor is too low,
- in rear-end collisions.
A WARNING
-Safety belts and the airbag system will
only provide pro tection when occupa nts
are in the proper seating position
q page 57, Front seats .
-If the ai rbag ind icator light q page 21
comes when the veh icle is being used,
have the system inspected imme diately
by your au thori zed A udi dealer.
It is pos­
sible tha t the airbag will inflate when i t
is not supposed to , or will not inflate
when it should .
•
•
•

168 Airbag system
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.
Fig. 138 Illustration of p rincipl e: In flated s ide curt ain
airbags on th e Left side
The side curtain airbags inflate between the
occupant and the windows on the side of the
vehicle that is struck in a side collision
c::> fig. 138.
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 pro tection,
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 170.
Although they are not a soft pillow, side cur­
tain airbags can "cushion" the impact and in
this way they can he lp 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 norma l 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 o
proper seating position.
There is a lot that you and your passengers
must know and do to he lp the safety belts and
airbags do their job to provide supp lemental
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 airbag inflate.
- Always make sure that the side curtain
airbags can inflate without interference.
- 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 a colli­
sion.
- Never use hangers to hang clothes on
the hooks .
- Only use factory-installed sun shades or,
if shades installed after the vehicle
leaves the factory, use only genuine Aud i
sun shades.
- Never swing the sun visors over to the
side windows if things such as pens, ga­ rage door openers , hands-free speakers,
etc. are attached to the sun visors. They
could come loose and cause serious in­
jury if the side curtain airbag inflates .
- A deploying airbag inflates in a fraction
of a second and with great force .
- Never attach objects to the cover or in
the deployment zone of a side curtain
airbag.
- The airbag deployment zones must be
kept clear at all times. Make sure there
are no objects, pets, or other persons in
-

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-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
- Forward-facing child safety seats instal­
led on the front passenger's seat may in­
terfere with the deployment of the air­
bag and cause serious injury to the child.
- If exceptional circumstances require the
use of a forward-facing child restraint on
the front passenger's seat, the child's
safety and well-being require the follow­ ing special precautions to be taken:
- Always make sure that the forward-fac­
ing seat has been designed and certi­
fied by its manufacturer for use on a
front passenger seat with a front and
side airbag.
- Always carefully follow the manufac­
turer's instructions provided with the
child seat or infant carrier.
- Never install a child restraint without a
properly attached top tether strap if
the child restraint manufacturer's in­
structions require the top tether strap
to be used.
- Never put the forward-facing child re­
straint up against or very near the in­
strument panel.
- Always set the safety belt upper an­
chorage to the adjustment position
that permits proper installation in ac ­
cordance with the child restraint manu­
facturer's instructions.
- 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 in-
Child Safety 1 71
stalling the child restraint. The back­
rest must be adjusted to an upright po­
sition.
- Always make sure that nothing pre­
vents the front passenger's seat from
being moved to the rearmost position
in its fore and aft adjustment range.
- Never place objects on the seat (such
as a laptop, CO player, electronic games device, power inverter or seat
heater for child seats) . These may in­
fluence the electrical capacitance
measured by the capacitive passenger
detection system and can also fly
around in an accident and cause serious personal injury.
- Never place or use any electrical device
(such as a laptop, CO player, electronic
games device, power inverter or seat
heater for child seats) on the front pas­
senger seat if the device is connected
to the 12-volt socket or the cigarette lighter socket.
- If a seat heater has been retrofitted or
otherwise added to the front passen­ ger seat, never install any child re­
straint system on this seat.
- Make sure that there are no wet objects (such as a wet towel) and no water or
other liquids on the front passenger
seat cushion .
- Always 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, immedi­
ately install the rearward-facing child
safety seat in a rear seating position
and have the airbag system inspected by your authorized Audi dealer.
- Always buckle the child seat firmly in
place even if a child is not sitting in it.
A loose child seat can fly around during
a sudden stop or in a collision.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS
whenever using a child restraint in ave-
hicle
¢ page 135, Safety belts, ..,
•
•
•

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passenger seat, that the front passenger air­
bag is turned off, and that the airbag status is
always correctly signaled by the
PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF
li ght.
Many types and models of child restraints
have been avai lable over the years, new mod­
e ls are introduced regular ly incorporating new
and improved designs and older models are
taken out of production. Child restraints are
not standardized. Ch ild restra ints of the same
type typically have different we ights and s izes
and d ifferent "footprints", the size and shape
of the bottom of the child restraint that sits
on the seat, when they are installed on a veh i­
cle seat . These differences make it virtually
imposs ible to certify compliance with the re ­
quirements for advanced airbags with each
and every child restraint that has ever been
sold in the past or will be sold over the course
of the useful life of your vehicle.
F or this reason, the United States National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration has
published a list of specific type, makes and
models of child restraints that must be used
to certify compliance of the Advanced Airbag
System in you r vehicle with the supp ress io n
requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standa rd 208. These child rest raints are:
These c hild restr aints are:
Subpart A -Car bed child rest raints
Model Manufactured on or
after
Angel G uard Ange l September 25, 200 7
Ride AA2403 FOF
Subpart B -Rear -facing child restraints
Model Manufactured on or
after
Century SmartFit December 1, 1999
4543
Cosco Arriva September 25, 2007
2 2-0 13PAW a nd base
22-999WHO
Evenflo Discovery Ad- December 1, 1999
just Right 212
Child Sa fet y 173
Model Manufactured on or
after
Evenflo First Choice December 1, 1999
204
Gr aco Infant 8457 December 1, 1999
Graco Snug ride September 25, 2007 P eg Perego Pr imo Vi-
September 2 5, 2007
aggio SIP IMUNOOUS
Subpart C -Forward-facing and
convertible child re straint s
Model Manufactured on or
after
Br itax Roundabout September 25, 2007
E9L02xx
Cosco Touriva 025 19
December 1, 1999
Cosco Summit Deluxe September 25, 2007 H igh Back Booster
22- 262
Cosco High Back September 25, 2007
Booster 22-209
E venflo T ribute V September 2 5, 2007
379xxxx
Evenflo Medallion December 1, 1999
254
Evenf lo Generations
September 25, 2007
352xxxx
Graco ComfortSport September 2 5, 200 7
Graco Toddler Safety September 25, 2007
Seat Step 2
Gr aco P lat inum Cargo September 25, 2007
_& WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury, make
sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light comes on and stays on whenever a
chi ld restraint is installed on the front pas­
senger seat and the ignit ion is switched
on.
- Take the chi ld restraint off the front pas­
senger seat and install it prope rly at one
of the rear seat positions if the
PASSEN -
GER AIR BAG OFF
li ght does not stay on. ~
•
•
•

Child Safety 175
-The child and the passenger can also heater for child seats) on the front pas-
injure each other in an accident . senger seat if the device is connected
- Never install rear-facing child safety to the 12-volt socket or the cigarette
seats or infant carriers on the front pas- lighter
socket.
senger seat. A child will be seriously in- -If a seat heater has been retrofitted or
jured and can be killed when the passen- otherwise added to the front passen-
ger airbag inflates - even with an Ad -ger seat, never install any child re-
•
vanced Airbag System. straint system on this seat.
•
-The inflating airbag will hit the child -Make sure that there are no wet objects
safety seat or infant carrier with great (such as a wet towel) and no water or
force and will smash the child safety seat other liquids on the front passenger
and child against the backrest, center seat cushion.
armrest, door or roof. -Never place objects on the seat (such
- Always install rear-facing child safety as a laptop, CD player, electronic
seats or infant carriers on the rear seat. games device, power inverter or seat
- Forward-facing child safety seats instal- heater for child seats). These may
in-
led on the front passenger's seat can in- fluence the electrical capacitance
terfere with the airbag when it inflates measured by the capacitive passenger
and cause serious injury to the child. Al- detection system and can also fly
ways install forward-facing child safety around in an accident and cause serious
seats on the rear seat. personal injury.
- If exceptional circumstances require the -
Always buckle the child safety seat firmly
use of a forward-facing child restraint on in place even if a child is not sitting
in it.
the front passenger's seat, the child's A loose child safety seat can fly around
safety and well-being require that the during a sudden stop or in a collision
.
following special precautions be taken: -Always read and heed all WARNINGS
- Make sure the forward-facing seat has whenever using a child restrained in ave-
been designed and certified by its man- hide is being used
c> page 135, Safety
ufacturer for
use on a front seat with a belts, ¢ page 144, Airbag system and
passenger front and side airbag.
¢ page 170, Child Safety .
-Always carefully follow the manufac-
A WARNING turer's instructions provided with the
child safety seat or carrier. To reduce the risk of serious injury, make
- Always move the front passenger seat
sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
into the rearmost position of the pas-
light comes on and stays on whenever a
senger seat's fore and aft adjustment child restraint is installed on the front pas-
range, and as far away from the airbag senger seat and the ignition is switched
as possible before installing the child on.
restraint. - Take the child restraint off the front pas-
- Always make sure that nothing pre-
senger seat and install it properly at one
vents the front passenger's seat from of the rear seat positions if the
PASS EN-
being moved to the rearmost position GER AIR BAG OFF light does not stay on.
in its fore and aft adjustment range .
-Have the airbag system inspected by
- Always make sure that the backrest is
your authorized Audi dealer immediate-
M • N in the upright position. ly. 0 > - Never place or use any electrical device co ,....,
(such as a laptop, CD player, electronic \!) 1.1"1
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It is a very dangerous place for an infant or a
la rger child in a rearward-facing seat.
A WARNING
Not using a child safety seat, using the
wrong child safety seat or improperly in­ stalling a child restraint increases the risk
of serious personal injury and death in a
crash.
- Never install rear-facing child safety
seats or infant carriers on the front pas­
senger seat -even with an Advanced Air­
bag System. A child will be seriously in­
jured and can be killed when the inflat­
ing airbag 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
c::> page 146, Child restraints on the
front seat -some important things to
know.
- Always install rear-facing child safety
seats or infant carriers on the rear seat.
- Never install a rear-facing child restraint in the forward-facing direction. Such re­
straints are designed for the special
needs of infants and very small children
and cannot protect them properly if the
seat is forward-facing .
-If you must install a rearward facing
child safety seat on the front passenger
seat because of exceptional circumstan­
ces and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light does not come on and stay on, im­
mediately install the rear-facing child
safety seat in a rear seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
Audi dealer.
- Never place or use any electrical device
(such as a laptop, CD player, electronic
games device, power inverter or seat
heater for child seats) on the front pas­
senger seat if the device is connected to
the 12-volt socket or the cigarette light­
er socket .
- If a seat heater has been retrofitted or
otherwise added to the front passenger
Child Safety 177
seat, never install any child restraint sys­
tem on this seat.
- Make sure that there are no wet objects
(such as a wet towel) and no water or
other liquids on the front passenger seat
cushion.
- Never place objects on the seat (such as
a laptop, CD player, electronic games de­
vice, power inverter or seat heater for
child seats). These may influence the
electrical capacitance measured by the
capacitive passenger detection system
and can also fly around in an accident
and cause serious personal injury.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS
whenever using a child restrained in ave­
hicle is being used
c::> page 135, Safety
belts,
c::> page 144, Airbag system and
c::> page 170, Important things to know.
Convertible child safety seats
Properly used convertible child safety seats
can help protect toddlers and children over
age one who weigh between 20 and 40 lbs. (9
and 18 kg) in a crash.
Fig. 141 Schematic overview: installat ion of the at­
tachments applicable to a LATCH seat
Fig. 142 Schematic overview: installation of the seat
using the vehicle 's safety be lt system
I),,

178 Child Saf ety
• When using the vehicle safety be lt to insta ll
a chi ld safety seat, you must first activate
the convertible locking retractor on the
safety belt to prevent the child safety seat
from moving ¢
page 181 or install the seat
using the LATCH attachments .
• Push the child safety seat dow n with your
full weight to get the safety belt rea lly t ight
so that the sea t ca nnot move forward or
s ideways more than one inch ( 2.5 cm)
¢page 181.
• If the child safety seat is eq uipped with a
tether strap, attach it to the tether anchors
¢ page 187.
• Secure unused safety belts on the rear seat
¢ page 176.
A toddler or child is usually too large for an in ­
fant restraint if it is more than one year o ld
and weighs more than 20 lbs. (9 kg) .
Todd lers and c hildren who are o lder than one
yea r up to abo ut 4 years o ld and weigh more
than 20 lbs (9 kg) up to 40 lbs . (18 kg) must
a lways be properly restrained in a ch ild safety
seat certified for the ir s ize and weight
¢
fig . 141 and ¢ fig. 142.
The airbag on the passenger side makes the
front seat a potentially dangerous place for a child to r ide . The fro nt seat is not the safest
p lace for a child in a forwa rd-facing child safe­
ty seat.
It is a very dange rous p lace for an in­
fant or a la rger chi ld in a rearwa rd-fa cing seat.
A WARNING
Not u sing a ch ild safety se at, using the
wrong ch ild safety sea t or improper ly in­
stal ling a child restraint increases the risk
of serious personal injury and death in a
co llision or other emergency s ituation.
- Children on t he front seat of any car,
even w ith Advanced A irbags, can be seri­
o usly injured or even killed when an a ir­
bag inf lates. A child in a rearward-facing
child safety seat installed on the front
passenge r seat w ill be seriously injured
and can be kil led if the front ai rbag in-
-
f lates -even with an Advanced Airbag
System .
- The inflating air bag will h it the ch ild
safety seat or infant carrier with great
force and will smash the child safety seat
and child aga inst the backrest , center
arm rest, door or roof .
- Always install rear-fac ing ch ild safety
seats on the rear seat .
- If you must install a rearward fac ing
child safety seat on the front passenger
seat because of exceptiona l circumstan ­
ces and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light does not come on and stay on, im­
mediately insta ll t he rear-fac ing c hild
s a fety se at in a re ar seating positi on and
have the air bag system ins pected by your
Aud i deale r.
- T he rear side o f the child safety seat
should be pos itioned as close as possi ble
to the backrest on the vehicle seat .
- For a djustable head restra ints: adjust or
remove the rea r seat hea d restra int if it
is difficult to install the c hild seat w ith
the head restraint in place¢
page 59. In­
stall the head restraint again immed iate­
ly once the child seat is removed. Dr iv ing
without head restraints o r with head re­
s traints that are not properly adjus ted
increases the risk of serious or fatal neck
in jur y drama tically.
- Always read and heed all WAR NIN GS
wheneve r using a child restraine d in ave­
h icle is being u sed
¢ page 135, Safe ty
bel ts,
¢ page 1 44, Airbag system and
¢ page 170, Important things to know .
A WARNING
-
If exceptional circums tances require the
use of a fo rward-facing child restraint on
the front passenger 's seat, the child's safe­
ty and well -being require that the follow­
i ng spec ial precautions be taken:
- Make sure the forward- facing seat has
been designed and cert ified by its man u­
facturer fo r use on a front seat with a
passenger front and side airbag.