2016 AUDI Q5 airbag off

Airbag system
(D Tips
If the weight-sensing mat in the front passen­
ger seat detects an empty seat, the front air­
bag on the passenger side will be turned off,
and
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF will stay on.
Repair , care and disposal of the airbags
Parts of the airbag system are installed at many
different places on your Audi. Installing , remov­
ing, servicing or repairing a part in an area of the
vehicle can damage a part of an airbag system and prevent that system from working properly in a collision.
There are some important things you have to
know to make sure that the effectiveness of the
system will not be impaired and that discarded
components do not cause injury or pollute the
environment.
A WARNING
Improper care, servicing and repair proce­
dures can increase the risk of personal injury
and death by preventing an airbag from de­
ploying when needed or deploying an airbag
unexpectedly:
-
- Never cover, obstruct, or change the steer­
ing wheel horn pad or airbag cover or the in­
strument panel or modify them in any way .
- Never attach any objects such as cupholders
or telephone mountings to the surfaces cov­
ering the airbag units.
- For cleaning the horn pad or instrument panel, use only a soft, dry cloth or one mois­
tened with plain water. Solvents or cleaners could damage the airbag cover or change
the stiffness or strength of the material so
that the airbag cannot deploy and protect properly.
- Never repair, adjust , or change any parts of
the airbag system.
- All work on the steering wheel, instrument
panel, front seats or electrical system (in­
cluding the installation of audio equipment,
cellular telephones and CB radios, etc.)
must be performed by a qualified technician
164
who has the training and special equipment necessary.
- For any work on the airbag system, we
strongly recommend that you see your au­
thorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
- Never modify the front bumper or parts of
the vehicle body.
- Always make sure that the side airbag can
inflate without interference:
- Never install seat covers or replacement
upholstery over the front seatbacks that
have not been specifically approved by
Audi .
- Never use additional seat cushions that
cover the areas where the side airbags in­
flate.
- Damage to the original seat covers or to
the seam in the area of the side airbag
module must always be repaired immedi­
ately by an authorized Audi dealer .
- The airbag system can be activated only
once . After an airbag has inflated, it must
be replaced by an authorized Audi dealer or
qualified technician who has the technical
information, training and special equipment
necessary.
- The airbag system can be deployed only
once . After an airbag has been deployed, it
must be replaced with new replacement
parts designed and approved especially for
your Audi model version. Replacement of complete airbag systems or airbag compo­
nents must be performed by qualified work­
shops only. Make sure that any airbag serv­
ice action is entered in your Audi Warranty
& Maintenance booklet under AIRBAG RE­
PLACEMENT RECORD.
- In accidents when an airbag is deployed, the
vehicle battery separates the alternator and
the starter from the vehicle electrical sys­
tem for safety reasons with a pyrotechnic
circuit interrupter.
- Work on the pyrotechnic circuit interrupt­
er must only be performed by a qualified
dealer - risk of an accident!
- If the vehicle or the circuit interrupter is
scrapped, all applicable safety precautions
must be followed.
llll-

Airbag syste m
The side airbag system supplements the safety
belts 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 only 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 unit, the s ide a irbags wi ll not be tr ig­
gered, even tho ugh the car may be badly dam­
aged as a result of the collision. It is not possible
to define an airbag triggering range that will cov­
er every possible angle of impact, s ince the cir­
cumstances will vary cons iderably between one
coll is ion and another. Important factors include,
for example, the nature (hard or soft) of the im­ pacting object, the ang le of impact, vehicle
speed , etc.
r::;, page 167, 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 io n in the event of a s ide collision
so that the side a irbags can provide protection .
The airbag system is
not a subst itute for your
safety belt. Rathe r, it is part of the overa ll occu ­
pant restraint system in your vehicle . Always re­
member that the s ide airbag system can only
he lp to p rotect yo u if you are wea ring your safety
be lt and we aring it properly. This is ano ther rea­
son why you should always wear your safety
be lts, not just because the law requires you to do
so
r::;, page 143, 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 likelihood of serious injuries, other inju ­
ries , for example, swelling, bruising, and minor
abrasions can also be associated with deployed
side airbags . Remember too , side airbags will de­
ploy o nly once and only in certain kinds of acci­
dents -your safety belts are always there to offer
p rotection .
Veh icle damage, repa ir costs or even the lack of
veh icle damage are not necessarily an indication
of over -sensitive or failed airbag activation . In
some coll is ions, both front a nd side a irbags may
inflate. Remembe r too, that airbags will deploy
only once and only in ce rtain k inds of coll is ions -
166
your safety be lts are always there to offer protec­
tion in those accidents in which a irbags are not
supposed to deploy or when they have already
deployed .
The si de airbag system will not d eploy:
- when t he ign it ion is tu rned off
- in side co llisions whe n the accele ration meas-
ured by the sensor is too low
- in front-end collis ions
- in rear-end collisions
- in rollovers .
In some types of accidents the front airbags, side curtain airbags and side airbags may be triggered
together .
A WARNING
--Safety belts and the airbag system will only
provide protect ion when occupants are in
the prope r seat ing pos ition
r::;, page 167.
- If the a irbag ind icator light<=> page 16
comes w hen 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 i t is no t sup­
posed to, or wi ll not inf late when it sho uld .
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. 1 70 Infl ated s ide airbags on left side of vehicle
When the system is triggered, the airbag is filled
with propellant gas and breaks through a seam in
the seat s urface area marked "AIRBAG" .
It ex-
pands between the side trim panel a nd the .,..

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..... I.Cl U"I
..... I.Cl ..... The airbag system is not a s
ubstitute for your
safety belt. Rather, it is part of the overall occu­
pant restraint system in your veh icle. Always re­
member that the airbag system can only help to
protect you if you are wearing your safety belt
and wearing it properly . This is another reason
why you should always wear your safety belts ,
not j ust because the law requires you to do so
¢ page 143 , General information .
It is important to remember that while the side
curtain a irbag system is des igned to help reduce
the likelihood of ser ious injuries, other injuries,
for example , swel ling , bruising, and m inor abra­
sions can a lso be associated with these airbags.
Remember too, these a irbags wi ll dep loy only
once and only in certain kinds of accidents -your
safety belts are always there to offer protection.
The side curtain airbag system basicall y
consi sts of:
- The electron ic contro l module and external side
impact sensors
- The side curtain airbags above the front and
rear side windows
- T he airbag indicator light in the instrument
panel
The airbag system is monitored electronically to make certain it is f unct ion ing properly at all
times. Ea ch time you t urn on the ign it ion , the air­
bag system indicator light will come on for a few
seconds (self d iagnostics).
The side curtain airbag is not activated:
- if the igni tion is turned off,
- in s ide collisions when the accelerat ion meas-
u red by the senso r is too low,
- i n rear-end collisions.
A WARNING
-Safety belts and the a irbag system w ill only
provide p rotection when occupants a re in
the proper seating position ¢
page 63, Gen­
eral information .
-If the airbag indica to r ligh t¢ page 16
cumes when the vehicle is be ing used, have
the system inspected immediate ly by your
authorized Audi dealer. It is possible that
Airb ag sys tem
the airbag will inflate when it is not sup­
posed to, or w ill not inf late when it should.
How side curtain airbags work
Side curtain airbags con work together with side
airbags to help reduce the risk of head and upper
torso injuries for occupants who are properly re ­
strained.
Fi g. 172 Illust ratio n of p rinciple: Inflated s ide cur tain air­
bag s on t he left s ide
The side cu rtain airbags inflate between the oc­
cupant and the windows on the side of the vehi­
cle that is struck in a side collision
~ fig. 172 .
N 0 ..... 0 ct (X) m
When the system is triggered, the s ide cu rtain
airbag is filled w ith propell ant gas and breaks
through a seam above the front and rear side
windows identified by th e AIRBAG label. In order
to help provide this additional protection, the
s ide curtain airbag must in flate w ithin the blink
of an eye at very high speed and with great force .
The side curtain airbag could injure you if your
seat ing pos ition is not prope r or upright or if
items are located in the area where the supple­
menta l s ide cu rtain a irbag inflates. This applies
especially to ch ild ren
~ page 171 .
Although they are not a soft pillow , side curtain
airbags can "cush io n" the impact and in this way
they can help to reduce the r isk of injury to the
head and the upper pa rt of the body.
A fine dust may develop when the a irbag deploys .
T his is q uite normal and does not mean there is a
fire in the vehicle.
169

Child safety
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 airbag system inspected immediately by your Audi dealer .
A 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.
The low risk deployment criteria are intended to
172
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
NH TSA has specified in the Safety Standard to­
gether with the weight ranges of typical infants
and typical 1 year -old child have been stored in ..,.

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,...., the control unit of the Advanced A irbag 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 un it 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 different for an adult who is properly
using the safety belt as compared to the tension
on the belt when it is used to attach a ch ild re­
stra int to the seat. The senso r below the latch for
the safety belt for the front seat passenger
measures the tens ion on the belt. The input from
this sensor is then used with the weight to "de ­
cide", whether there is a child restraint wit h 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. Always be sure
that the child restraint is properly installed at
one of the rear seating positions . If in exception­
a l circumstances you must use it on the front
passenger seat, carefully read all of the informa­
tion on child safety and Advanced Airbags and heed all of the appl icable WARNINGS. Make cer­
tain that the child restra int is correctly recog­
nized by the weight-sensing mat inside the front
passenger seat, that the front passenger airbag
i s turned off and that the airba g status is always
correct ly signa led by the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF lig ht.
Many types and models of child restraints have
been available over the years, new models are in­
troduced regular ly incorporat ing new and im­
proved designs and older mode ls are taken out o f
production . Chi ld restraints a re not standardized .
Child restraints of the same type typica lly have
different weights and sizes and different 'foot­
prints, ' the s ize and shape of the bottom of the
child restraint that sits on the seat, when they
Child safety
are installed on a vehicle seat . These differences
make it virtua lly impossib le to certify compliance
with the requirements for advanced a irbags w ith
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.
For t his reason, the United States National High­
way Traffic Safety Admin istration has published a
list of spec ific type, makes and models of ch ild
restra ints that must be used to certify compli­
ance of the Advanced Airbag System in your vehi­
cle with the su ppress ion requirements of Federa l
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208. These child
restraints are:
Subpart A -Car bed child restraints
Model Manufactured on or
after
A ngel Guard Angel September 2S, 2007
Ride AA2403FOF
Subpart B - Rear-facing child restraints
Model Manufactured on or
after
Century SmartFit 4543 December 1,
1999
Cosco Arriva September 25, 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 8457 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
173

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 176.
174 ...
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 180.
... 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 176.
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). ...

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,...., -When buying a child restraint, select 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 requirements per­ taining to the installation and use of child
safety seats and carefully follow the in­
structions provided by the manufacturer
of the seat you are using.
- Never allow children under 57 inches
(1.45 meters) to wear a normal safety belt.
They must always be restrained by a proper
child restraint system. Otherwise, they
could sustain injuries to the abdomen and
neck areas during sudden braking maneu­
vers or accidents.
- 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.
- Holding a child in your arms is never a sub­
stitute for a child restraint system.
- The strongest person could not hold the
child with the forces that exist in an acci­
dent. The child will strike the interior of
the vehicle and can also be struck by the
passenger.
- The child and the passenger can also in­
jure each other in an accident.
- Never install rear-facing child safety seats
or infant carriers on the front passenger
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 hit the child safety
seat or infant carrier with great force and
will smash the ch ild safety seat and child
against the backrest, center armrest, door
or roof.
- Always install rear-facing child safety seats
or infant carriers on the rear seat .
Child safety
-Forward- facing child safety seats installed
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 child safety seats on the rear seat.
- 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 that the following
special precautions be taken:
- 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
instructions provided with the child safety
seat or carrier.
- Always move the front passenger seat into
the rearmost position of the passenger
seat's fore and aft adjustment range, and
as far away from the airbag as possible be­
fore installing the child restraint.
- Always make sure that nothing prevents
the front passenger's seat from being
moved to the rearmost position in its fore
and aft adjustment range.
- Always make sure that the backrest is in
the upright position.
- Always buckle the child safety seat firmly in
place even if a child is not sitting in it. A
loose child safety seat can fly around during
a sudden stop or in a collision.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS when­
ever using a child restrained in a vehicle is
being used¢
page 143, Safety belts,
¢ page 151, Airbag system and
¢ page 171, 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
straint is installed on the front passenger seat
and the ignition is switched on.
~
175

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
l8
,h- --lJ ;g
--- 0
Fig . 173 Schematic overv iew: keep unused safety be lts
away from chi ld ren i n chil d safety seats.@-oute r rear
safety belt, @ - center rear safety be lt
~
If 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 webbings @and @ be­
hind the head restraint of the seat where the
child restraint is installed
¢fig. 173. When do­
ing so, do not engage the convertib le locking
retractor! You should not hear a "clicking"
sound when w inding up the safety be lt .
- 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 wit h 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
176
head restraint of the seat where the child
restraint is installed .
- Never activate t he convertible locking re­
tractor when routing the safety belts around
the head restraints.
- Never let anyone s it at the center rear seat­
ing position if the center rear safety belt has
been routed around a rear head restraint.
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. 1 74 Sc hema tic ove rview : rearward -facing infa nt sea t,
p rope rly installed on th e rear sea t
.. When using the veh icle safe ty belt to install a
c hild safe ty seat, yo u must first a ct ivate the
convertib le locking re tractor on the safe ty belt
to prevent the child safety seat from moving
¢
page 180 or insta ll the seat using the LATCH
attachments .
.. Push the child 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 bel ts on the rear seat
¢ page 176.
Infants up to about one year (20 lbs . or 9 kg) are
bes t protected in special infant carr iers and child
safe ty seats designed for the ir age group. Many
expe rts be lieve that inf ants and small ch ildren
sho uld r ide o nly in special res tra ints in wh ic h t he
ch ild faces the back of the vehicle. These infant
II>