2016 AUDI A5 COUPE warning light

Airbag syste m
-the e lectronic contro l modu le and external side
impact sensors
- the two side airbags located in the sides of the
front backrests
- the a irbag warning light in the inst rument cl us-
ter.
The airbag system is monito red elect ronically to
make certa in that it is functioning properly at all
times. Each time you t urn on the ignit ion, the air­
bag system ind icator light will come on for a few
seconds (self diagnostics).
The s ide a irbag system supplements the safety
be lts and can help to reduce the risk of injury to
the driver's and front passenger's upper torso on
the side of the vehicle that is struck in a side col­
lision. The airbag deploys on ly in side impacts
and only when the vehicle acceleration registered
by the control unit is high enough. If this rate is
below the reference value programmed into the
control u nit, the s ide a irbags will not be tr ig­
gered, even though the car may be badly dam­
aged as a result of the collision.
It is not possib le
to define an airbag triggering range that w ill cov­
er every poss ible angle of impact, since the cir ­
cumstances will vary considerably between one
collision and another. Important factors include,
for examp le, the nature (hard or soft) of the im­
pacting object, the ang le of impact, vehicle
speed, etc. ¢
page 147, Important safety in­
structions on the side airbag system .
Aside from their normal safety function, safety
belts work to help keep the driver or front pas­
senger in pos it ion in the event of a s ide collision
so that the side a irbags can provide protection .
The airbag system is
not a substitute for your
safety belt. Rather, it is part of the overall occu­
pant restraint system in your vehicle . Always re­
member that the s ide airbag system can only
he lp to protect you if you are wearing your safety
be lt and wearing it properly. This is another rea­
son why you should always wear yo ur safety
be lts, not just because the law req uires you to do
so ¢
page 121, General information.
It is important to remember that whi le the sup­
p lemental side a irbag system is des igned to re­
duce the likelih ood of se rious injuries, other inju-
146 ries, for example, swelling, bruis
ing, and minor
abrasions can also be associated with deployed s ide a irbags . Remember too, s ide a irbags wi ll de­
ploy only once and only in certain k inds of acci­
dents - your safety belts are always there to offer
protect ion.
Vehicle damage, repair costs or even the lack of
vehicle damage are not necessar ily an ind ication
of over-sens itive or fa iled airbag activat ion. In
some collisions, both front and side airbags may i nflate . Remember too, that a irbags w ill deploy
o nl y once and only in certai n kinds of collisions -
you r safety be lts are always there to offe r protec­
tion in those accidents in wh ich airbags are no t
supposed to deploy or when they have a lready
deployed .
The side airbag system will not deploy:
-when the ign it io n is tu rned off
- in side collisions whe n the acceleration meas-
ured by the sensor is too low
- in front -end coll is ions
- in rear-end co llisions
- in rollovers .
In some types of ac cidents the front ai rbags, side
curtain airbags and side a irbags may be triggered
together.
A WARNING
- Safety belts and the airbag system will only
provide protect ion when occupants are in
the proper seat ing pos ition¢
page 147.
- If the airbag ind icator light¢ page 19
comes when the veh icle is being used, have
the system inspected immediately by your
author ized Audi dealer . It is possible that
the airbag will inflate when it is not sup­
posed to, or will not inflate when it should.

.... N
0 I-­co .... .... the circumstances will vary considerably between
one co llision and another. Important factors in­
clude, for example, the nature (hard or soft) of
the impacting object, the angle of impact, vehicle
speed, etc.
¢ page 149 , How side curtain air­
bags work .
Aside from their normal safety function, safety
be lts work to help keep the driver or front pas­
senger in posit ion in the event of a collision so
that the side curtain airbags can provide protec­
tion .
The airbag system is not a subst itute for your
safety belt. Rather, it is part of the overa ll occu­
pant restraint system in your veh icle . Always re ­
member that the airbag system can only help to
p rotect you if you a re wea ring your safety belt
and wear ing it properly. Th is is anot he r reason
why you should always wea r your s afety be lts ,
not just because the law requires you to do so
¢ page 121, General information.
It is important to remember that wh ile the s ide
curta in a irbag system is des igned to he lp red uce
the likelihood of ser ious injuries, other in juries,
for example, swelling, bruising, and minor abra ­
sions can a lso be associated with these airbags .
Remember too, these a irbags w ill dep loy only
once and only in certa in kinds of acc idents -your
safety be lts are always there to offer protection.
The side curtain airbag sy stem ba sically
consists of :
-The electronic contro l module and external s ide
impact sensors
- The side curtain airbags above the front and rear s ide windows
- The airbag indicator light in the instrument
panel
The airbag system is monitored e lectronically to
make certain it is f unctioning properly at all
times. Each time you turn on the ignit ion, the air­
bag system ind icator light will come on for a few
seconds (self d iagnost ics).
The side curtain a irbag is not activated:
- if t he ignition is turned off,
- in s ide collisions when the acce lerat io n meas -
ur ed by the senso r is too low,
Airb ag sys tem
-in rea r-end col lisions,
- in rollover s.
A WARNING
-- Safety belts and the airbag system will only
provide protection when occupants are in
the proper seating posit ion
¢ page 54,
Seats and storage.
- If the ai rbag in dicator light¢ page 19
comes when the veh icle is being used, have
the system inspected immediately by your
author ized Audi dealer. It is possib le that
the airbag will inflate when it is not sup ­
posed to, or w ill not inflate w hen 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 re ­
strained .
E
Fig. 140 Ill us tratio n of prin cip le: Inflated s ide c urtain a ir ­
bags o n the left s ide
The side curtain airbags inflate between the oc ­
cupant a nd the w indows on the side of the ve hi­
cl e that is st ruck i n a side collision ¢
fig. 140.
When the system is t riggered, the s ide curta in
airbag is filled w ith propellant gas and breaks
th rough a seam above the front a nd rear side
windows iden tified by the AIR BAG label. In o rder
to help provide this addition al pro te ct ion, the
s ide cu rtain a irb ag m ust infl ate w ith in the blink
of a n eye a t ve ry high spee d and with g reat fo rce.
The side c urtain airbag cou ld injure you if yo ur
seating position is not prope r or upright or if
items are located in the area where the supple ­
mental s ide curtain a irbag inflates. This applies
especially to ch ildren
¢ page 151. ..,.
149

Airbag system
Although they are not a soft pillow, side curtain
airbags can "cushion" the impact and in this way
they can help to reduce the risk of injury to the
head and the upper part of the body.
A fine dust may develop when the airbag deploys.
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. Always
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 improper
seating positions increase the risk of serious
personal injury and death whenever a vehicle
is being used.
- Never let occupants place any parts of their
bodies in the area from which the side cur­
tain airbags inflate.
- Always make sure that the side curtain air­
bags can inflate without interference. Un­
suitable accessories fitted inside the expan­
sion 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 suffer serious injury or death
¢ page 246, 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 objects.
- 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 accident.
150
- 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 246, Addi­
tional accessories and parts replacement.
- Always sit in proper seating position and
wear safety belts while traveling so that the side curtain airbags can help provide protec­
tion .
- The airbag system can only be triggered
once . If the airbag has been triggered, the
system must be replaced by an authorized
Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
-Always have work involving the side curtain
airbag system, removal and installation of
the airbag components, or other repairs performed by an authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop. Otherwise the airbag
system may not work correctly.
- Never attempt to modify any components of
the airbag system in any way.

Child safety
exceptional circumstances and the PASSEN·
GER AIR BAG OFF
light does not come on
and stay on, immediately install the rear­
ward-facing child safety seat in a rear seat­
ing position and have the airbag system in­
spected immediately by your authorized
Audi dealer.
_& WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstances, you must in­
stall 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 man­
ufacturer for use on a front seat with a pas­
senger front and side airbag.
- Always follow the manufacturer's instruc­
tions 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 air­
bag 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 in­
stalled in a vehicle during a crash. Damage 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 "Advanced
Airbag System" in compliance with United States
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS)
208, as well as Canada Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard (CMVSS) 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" require­
ments for 3- and 6-year old children on the pas­
senger side and small adults on the driver side.
152 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 "suppression" requirements of the Safety Stand­
ard, to turn off the front airbag for infants up to
12 months who are restrained on the front pas­
senger seat in child restraints that are listed in
the Standard.
Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Ad­
vanced Airbag system, all children, especially
those 12 years and younger, should always ride
in the back seat properly restrained for their age
and size. The airbag on the passenger 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 forward-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 de­
tects the presence of an infant or child in a child
restraint on the front passenger seat using the
weight-sensing mat in the seat cushion 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 de­
sign of the child restraint and its ' 'footprint", the
size and shape of the bottom of the child re- straint as it sits on the seat. The weight of a child
restraint and its "footprint" vary for different
kinds of child restraints and for the different
models of the same kind of child restraint of-
fered by child restraint manufacturers.
The weight ranges for the individual types,
makes and models of child restraints that the
NHTSA has specified in the Safety Standard to­
gether with the weight ranges of typical infants .,.

.... N
0 I­co .... .... and typical 1 year-o ld child have been stored in
the control unit of the Advanced Airbag System .
When a child restraint is being used on the front
passenger seat with a typical 1 year-old child, the
Advanced Airbag System compares the weight measured by the weight sensing mat with the in­
formation stored in the electronic control unit .
The electronic control unit also registers the ten­
sion on the front passenger safety belt. The ten­
sion on the safety belt for the front passenger
seat will be d ifferent fo r an adult who is properly
using the safety belt as compared to the tension
on the belt when it is used to attach a child re­
straint to the seat. The senso r below the latch for
the safety belt for the front seat passenger
measures the tension on the belt. The input from
this sensor is then used with the weight to "de ­
cide", whether there is a child restraint with a
typical 1 year-old child on the front passenger
seat and whether or not the airbag must be
turned off .
Child restraints and Advanced Airbags
Regardless of the child restra int that you use,
make sure that it has been cert ified to meet Safe­
ty Standards and has been certified by its manu­
facturer for use wi th an airbag. A lways be sure
that the child restraint is properly insta lled at
one of the rear seating positions . If in exception­
al circumstances you must use it on the front
passenger seat, carefully read all of the informa­
tion on chi ld safety and Advanced Airbags and
heed all of the applicable WARNINGS. Make cer­
tain that the child restra int is correctly recog­
n iz ed by the weight-sensing mat inside the front
passenger seat, that the front passenger air bag
is t urned off and that the airbag status is always
corre ct ly signaled by the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF light.
Many types and models of child rest raints have
been available over the yea rs, new mode ls are in­
troduced regularly incorporating new and im­
proved designs and older mode ls are taken o ut of
production . Chi ld restraints are not standardized .
Ch ild restraints of the same type typically have
d ifferent weights and s izes and different 'foot­
prints,' the s ize and shape of the bottom of the
Child safety
child restraint that sits on the seat, when they
are installed on a vehicle seat . These differences
make it virtua lly impossib le to certify comp liance
with the requirements for advanced a irbags w ith
each and every child restraint that has ever been
sold in the past or wi ll be sold over the course of
the useful life of your vehicle.
For this reason, the United States Nationa l High­
way Traffic Safety Admin istrat ion has published a
list of spec ific type, makes and mode ls of ch ild
restraints that must be used to certify compli­
ance of the Advanced Airbag System in your veh i­
cl e w ith the suppress ion requirements of Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208. These chi ld
restra ints are:
Subpart A - Car bed child restraints
Model Manufactured on or
after
Angel Guard Angel September 2S , 2007
Ride AA2403FOF
Subpart B - Rear-facing child restraints
Model Manufactured on or
after
Century SmartFit 4S43 December 1, 1999
Cosco Arriva September 2S, 2007
22-013PAW and base
22-999WHO
Evenflo Discovery Ad- December 1, 1999
just Right 212
E venflo First Choice December 1, 1999
204
Graco Infant 84S7 December 1, 1999
Graco Snugride September 25, 2007
Peg Perego Primo Viag- September 25, 2007
g io SIP IMUNOOUS
Subpart C - Forward-facing and convertible
child restraints
Model Manufactured on or
after
Britax Roundabout September 25, 2007
E9L02xx
Cosco Touriva 02519 December 1, 1999
153

Child safet y
Model Manufactured on or
after
Cosco Summit Deluxe September 25, 2007
High Back Booster
22-262
Cosco High Back Boos -
September 25, 200 7
ter 22-209
Evenflo Tribute V September 25, 2007
379xxxx
Evenflo Medallion 254 December 1, 1999
E venflo Generations September 25, 200 7
352xxxx
Graco ComfortSport September 25, 2007
Graco Toddler Safety Sep tember 25, 200 7
Seat Step 2
Graco P latinum Cargo September 25, 2007
,& WARNING
T o red uce the risk of serio us i njur y, m ake s ure
t ha t the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF lig ht
comes o n and stays on wheneve r a child re ­
straint is installed on the front passenger seat
and the ignition is sw itche d on.
- Take the ch ild rest raint off the front passen ­
ger seat and insta ll it p roperly at one of the
rear seat positions if the
PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF
light does not stay on.
- Have the airbag system inspecte d by your
autho rized Aud i dealer immediately.
(D Tips
The ch ild seats listed in catego ries A to C have
been statica lly tested by Au di only for the Ad­
vanced Airbag function.
Important safety instructions for using
child safety seats
Correct use of child safety seats substantially re­
duces the risk of injury in on occident!
As the driver, you are respons ible for the safety
of everybody in the vehicle, especially chi ldren:
... Always use the r ight chi ld safety seat for each
c h ild and a lways use it properly
¢ page 156.
154 ...
Always carefully follow the chi ld safety seat
manufact urer 's instructions on how to route
the sa fety be lt properly thro ugh the ch ild safe­
ty seat.
... When using the vehicle safety belt to install a
child safety seat, you must first act ivate the
convertib le lock ing retracto r o n the safety belt
to prevent the chi ld safety seat from moving
¢ page 160.
... Push the ch ild sa fety sea t down wi th yo ur fu ll
weigh t to get the safety belt rea lly tight so tha t
the seat cannot move forward or sideways
more than one inch (2 .5 cm).
... If a strap or tether is being used to tie the child
safety seat to the front passenge r seat, make
sure that it is not so tight t hat it causes the
weight -sensing mat to measure more weight
t han is actually o n the seat .
... Secu re unused safety belts on the rear s eat
¢ page 156.
Always remember : Even though your veh icle is
equipped wi th an Advanced Airbag system, all
c hi ld ren, especially those 12 yea rs and you nger,
s h ould always ride in th e back sea t proper ly re­
strained for their age and s ize.
,& WARNING
-
Not usin g a child sa fe ty seat, us ing t he wrong
c h ild safety seat or imprope rly installing a
chi ld restraint inc reases t he risk of serious
personal injury and death.
- All vehicle occupants and es pecially children
m ust always be restra ined properly whenev­
er riding in a vehicle.
- An unrestra ined o r imprope rly restrained
c h ild ca n be injured or killed by bei ng
t h rown ag ai nst the inside of the vehicle or
b y being ejected from it durin g a sudden
maneuver o r impact.
- An unrestra ine d or i mprope rly restrained
ch ild is at much g reater risk of injury or
death by being struck by an inflating air­
bag .
- Commerc ia lly available child safety seats
are required to comply with U.S. Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 213
(in Canada C MVSS 213). ...

.... N
0 I-­co .... .... -When buying a child restraint, se lect one
that fits your child and the vehicle.
- Only use child restraint systems that fully
contact the flat portion of the seat cush­
ion. The child restraint must not tip or
lean to either side. Audi does not recom­
mend using child safety seats that rest on
legs or tube-like frames. They do not pro­
vide adequate contact with the seat.
- Always heed all legal requ irements per­
taining to the installation and use of child
safety seats and carefully follow the in­
structions p rovided by the manufacturer
of the seat you are using.
- Never allow ch ildren under 57 inches
(1.45 meters) to wear a no rmal safety belt.
T hey must always be restrained by a proper
child restraint system. Otherwise, they
cou ld sustain injuries to the abdomen and
neck areas during sudden braking maneu­
vers or acc idents.
- Never let more than one child occupy a child
safety seat.
- Never let babies or older children ride in a
vehicle while sitting on the lap of another
passenger.
- H old ing a chi ld in your arms is neve r a sub­
stit ute for a child restra int system.
- The strongest pe rson could not hold the
child w ith the forces that ex ist in an acci­
dent. The chi ld w ill strike the interior of
the vehicle and can a lso be struck by the
passenger .
- The ch ild and the passenger can also in­
jure each other in an accident.
- Never install rearward-fac ing ch ild safety
seats or infant carriers on the front passen­
ger seat. A child will be seriously injured and
can be killed when the passenger airbag in­
flates -even with an Advanced Airbag Sys­
tem.
- The inflating airbag will h it the ch ild safe­
ty seat or infant car rier with g reat fo rce
and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the back rest, center arm
rest, door or roof.
- Always install rearward-facing child safety
seats or in fant carr iers on the rear seat .
Child safety
-Forward-facing child safety seats insta lled
on the front passenger 's seat can interfere
with the airbag when it inflates and cause
serious injury to the child. Always install for­
ward-facing ch ild safety seats on the rear
seat.
- If exceptional c ircumstances requ ire the use
of a fo rward-facing child restraint on the
front passenger's seat, the ch ild's safety
and well-being requ ire that the following
specia l preca utions be ta ken:
- Make sure the forward-facing seat has
been designed and certified by its manu­
facturer for use on a front seat with a pas­
senger front and side airbag.
- Always carefully follow the manufacturer's
instruct ions provided with the ch ild safety
seat or carrier.
- Always move the front passenger seat into
the rearmost posit ion of the passenger
seat's fo re and aft adjustment range, and
as fa r away from the ai rbag as possib le be­
fore ins tall ing the child restraint.
- Always make sure that nothing p revents
the front passenger's seat from being
moved to the re a rmos t position in its fore
and aft adjustment range .
- Always make sure that the backrest is in
the up right posit ion.
- Always buckle the child safety seat fi rm ly in
p lace even if a ch ild is not si tting in it. A
loose child safety seat can fly around dur ing
a sudden stop or in a co llision.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS when­
ever using a child restrained in a vehicle is
being used
¢page 121, Safety belts,
¢ page 129, Airbag system and
¢ page 151, Child safety.
A WARNING
-To reduce the risk of serious injury, make sure
that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
comes on and stays on whenever a child re­
stra int is installed on the front passenger seat
and the ign it ion is switched on .
~
155

Child safety
- Take the child restraint off the front passen­
ger seat and install it proper ly at one of the
rear seat positions if the
PASSEN GER AIR
BA G OF F
light does not stay on.
- Have the airbag system inspected by your
authorized Aud i dealer immediately.
Secure unused safety belts on the rear seat
F ig . 14 1 Schematic overv iew: keep unused safety be lts
away from c hildren i n chil d safety seats.@-oute r rear
safety belt
I f a chi ld safety seat is used on the rear bench,
especially with LA TCH universal lower anchorag­
es, the unused safety be lts
mu st be secured so
that the child in the child restraint cannot reach
them ¢,& .
- Gu ide the safety belt webbing @beh ind the
head restraint of the seat where the child re­
straint is installed ¢
fig. 141. When doing so,
do not engage the convertible locking retrac­
tor! You should not hear a "clicking" sound
when winding up the safety belt.
- Let the belt retractor wind up the safety belt webb ing .
_& WARNING
A ch ild in a child safety seat installed with the
LATC H lowe r anchorages or w ith the standard
safety belt or a child in a booste r seat on the
rear seat could p lay with unused rear seat
safety belts and become entangled. This
cou ld cause t he chi ld ser ious personal injury
and even death.
- Always sec ure unused rear seat safety belts
o ut of reach of ch ild ren in child seats such
as by proper ly routing them aro und the
156 head restraint of the seat where the child
restraint
is installed .
- Never activate the convertible locking re­
tractor when routing the safety belts around
the head restraints.
Child seats
Infant seats
Babies and infants up to about one year old and
20 lbs . or
9 kg need special rearward-facing
child restraints that support the back, neck and
head in a crash.
Fig . 14 2 Schema tic overv iew : rearward -facing infa nt seat,
p rope rly insta lled on the rea r seat
..,. When usi ng the vehicle safety belt to install a
child safe ty seat, yo u must first act ivate the
convertib le locking retractor on the safety belt
to prevent the chi ld safety seat from moving
¢ page 160 or insta ll the seat using the LATCH
attachments.
..,. Push the ch ild safety seat down with your 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) .
..,. Secure unused safety belts on the rear seat
¢ page 156.
Infants up to about one year (20 lbs. or 9 kg) are
best protected in special infant carr ie rs and child
safe ty seats designed for the ir age group . Many
expe rts be lieve that infants and small ch ild ren
sho uld r ide o nly in special res tra ints in wh ich the
ch ild faces the back of the vehicle . These in fant
seats support the baby's back, neck and head in a
crash
r=> fig. 142 . ..,.