Page 129 of 236

00
00
......
"' ,....
"' ...... 0 0 :::,
00
against the backrest, cen ter armrest, door
or r oof.
- 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 be
cause of exceptional circumstances and the
PASSEN GER A IR BAG OFF light does not
come on and stay on, immed iate ly install
the rear-fac ing ch ild safety seat in a rear
seating pos it ion and have the airbag system
inspected by you r authorized Audi dea le r.
A WARNING
Objects between you and the a irbag will in
crease the risk of in jury in a crash by inte rfer
ing w ith the way the airbag unfolds or by be
ing pushed into you as the airbag inflates.
- Never hold th ings in your hands or on your
lap when the vehicle is in use .
- Never transport items on o r in the area of
the fron t passenger seat . Objec ts could
move into the area of the front airbags dur
ing brak ing or other sudden maneuver and
become dangerous projectiles that can
cause serious pe rsonal injury if the airbags
inflate.
- Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as cupholders, telephone
brackets, large, heavy or bulky objects) on
the doors, over or near the area marked
"AIRBAG" on the steering wheel, instru
ment pane l, seat bac krests or between
those areas and you rself. These objects
cou ld cause injury in a c rash, especially
when the airbags infla te.
- Never recline the front passenge r's seat to
transport objects . Items can also move into
the area o f the side airbag or the front air
bag dur ing braking or in a sudden maneu
ver. Objects near the airbags can become
projectiles and cause in ju ry, particularly
when the seat is reclined.
A WARNING
The fine dust created when airbags deploy can
cause breathing problems for peop le w ith a
Airb ag sys tem
history of asthma or othe r breath ing cond i
tions .
- To reduce the r is k of breathing problems,
those with asthma or other respiratory con
ditions should get fresh a ir right away by
getting out of the vehicle or open ing win
dows or doors .
-If you are in a co llision in wh ich airbags de
p loy, wash your hands and face w ith m ild
soap and water be fore eating .
- Be carefu l not to get the dust into your eyes,
or into any cuts or scratches .
- If the residue sho uld get into your eyes,
f lush them w ith wate r.
Monitoring the
Advanced Airbag System
!I.' Airbag monitoring indicator light
Two separate indicators monitor the function of
the Advanced Airbag System: the airbag moni
toring indicator light and the
PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF
light.
T he Advanced Airbag System as well as the side
airbags and side curtain airbags with ejection
mitigation features (including the electronic con
trol unit, sensors and system wiring) are all monitored cont inuously to make sure that they
are functioning properly w henever the ignition is
on . Each t ime you turn on t he ignition, the airbag
monitoring indicator light
El will come on fo r a
few seconds (se lf d iagnost ics) .
The system must be inspected when the
indicator light
E,I:
- does not come on when the ignition is sw itched
on,
- does not go out a few seconds afte r you have
sw itched on the ignition, or
- comes on while driv ing .
If an airbag system malfunction is detected, the
indicator light will come on to serve as a constant
rem inder to have the system inspected immedi
ately.
If a malfunction occurs that turns the front air-
bag on the passenger side off, the
PASSENGER IJl,
127
Page 130 of 236

Airbag system
AIR BAG OFF light will come on and stay on
whenever the ignition is on.
A WARNING
An airbag system that is not functioning prop er ly cannot provide supplemental protection
in a frontal crash.
- If the airbag indicator light
c::> page 14
comes when the vehicle is being used, have
the system inspected immediately by your
authorized Audi dealer . It is possible that
the airbag will inf late when it is not sup
posed to, or will not inflate when it should.
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
Fig . 118 Sect ion from the inst rument panel: PASSENGER
AIR BAG O FF light
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light is located in
the center of the instrument panel
c::>fig. 118.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light will come on
and stay on to tell you when the front Advanced
Ai rba g on the passenger side has been turned off
by the electronic control unit. Each time you turn
on the ignition, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light will flash for a few seconds and:
- will stay on if the front passenger seat is not
occupied,
-will stay on if there is a small child or child re
straint on the front passenger seat,
- will go out if the front passenger seat is occu
pied by an adult as reg istered by the weight
sensing mat.
The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light must come
on and stay on
if the igni tion is on and
- a car bed has been installed on the front seat,
or
128
- a rearward-facing child restraint has been in
stalled on the front passenger seat, or
- a forward-facing child restraint has been instal
led on the front passenger seat, or
- the weight registered on the front passenger
seat is equal to or less than the combined
weight of a typical 1 year-old restrained in one
of the rear -facing or forward-facing infant re
straints listed in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard
208 with which the Advanced Airbag
System in your vehicle was cert ified .
If the front passenger seat is not occupied, the
front airbag will not deploy, and the
PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF
light will stay on. Never install a
rearward-facing child restraint on the front pas
senger seat, the safest place for a ch ild in any
kind of child restraint is at one of the seating po
s itions on the rear seat
c::> page 118, Child re
straints on the front seat -some important
things to know
and c::> page 13 7, Child safety.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on
when one of the conditions listed above is met,
be sure to check the light regularly to make cer
tain that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
stays on continuously whenever the ignition is
on . If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does
not appear and not stay on all the time, stop as
soon as it is safe to do so and
- reactivate the system by turning the ignition
off and then turning it on again;
- remove and reinstall the chi ld restraint. Make
sure that the child restraint is properly instal
led and that the safety belt for the front pas
senger seat has been correctly routed around
the child restraint as described in the child re
straint manufacturer's instructions;
- make sure that the convertible locking retrac
tor on the safety belt for the front passenger
seat has been activated and that the safety belt
has been pulled tight. The belt must not be
loose or have loops of slack so that the sensor
below the safety belt latch on the seat can do
its job
c::> page 147 .
-make sure that things that may increase the
weight of the child and child safety seat are not
be ing transported on the front passenger seat; .,.
Page 131 of 236

-make sure that the safety belt tension sensor is
not blocked. Shake the safety be lt latch on the
front passenger seatback and forth;
- If a strap or tether is being used to tie the child
safety seat to the front passenger seat, make
sure that it is not so tight that it causes the
weight-sensing mat to measure more weight
than is actually on the seat.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF li ght still d oes
not come on
and does not stay on continuously
(when the ignition is switched on),
- take the child restraint off the front passenger
seat and install it properly at one of the rear
seat positions. Have the airbag system inspect
ed by your authori zed Audi dealer immediately.
- move the child to a rear seat position and make
sure that the child is properly restra ined in a
child restraint that is appropriate for its size
and age .
The
PAS SENGER AIR BAG O FF light shou ld NOT
come on when the ignition is on and an adult is
sitting in a proper seating position on the front
passenger seat. If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light comes on and stays on or flashes for about
5 seconds while driving, under these circ umstan
ces, make su re that:
- the adult on the front passenger seat is proper
ly seated on the center of the seat cushion with
his or her back up aga inst the backrest and the
back rest is not recl ined
<=? page 101, Correct
passenger seating positions,
- the adult is not taking weig ht off the seat by
hold ing on to the passenger assist handle
above the fron t passenger door o r su pporting
their weight on the armres t,
- the safety be lt is be ing p roperly wo rn and that
there is not a lo t of slack in the safe ty be lt web
bing,
- accessory seat cove rs or cushions or othe r
t h ings t hat may cause an inco rrect read ing or
impression on the weight-sensing mat under
the upho lstery of the seat have been removed
from the front passenger seat,
~ - a safety be lt extender has not been left in the ......
~ safety belt latch for the front passenger seat . N ...... 0 0
:::,
00
Airb ag sys tem
In add ition to the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
li ght in the center of the instrument panel, the
message
PAS SENGER AIR BAG OF F or PASSEN ·
G ER AIR BAG ON
will briefly appear in the instru
ment cluster d isp lay. This is to inform the driver
of the current front passenger airbag status.
Important safety instructions on
monitoring the Advanced Airbag System
A WARNING
-An a irbag system that is not functioning prop-
erly cannot prov ide supplemental protect ion
i n a fronta l crash.
- If the ai rbag ind icator light
c:> page 14
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 w ill not inflate w hen it should.
A WARNING
If the fron t airbag i nflates, a chi ld without a
chi ld restraint, in a rearward-facing ch ild safe
ty seat or in a forward-facing chi ld restraint
that has not been properly installed will be
seriously in jured and can be ki lled .
- Even tho ugh yo ur vehicle is equipped with
an Advanced A irbag System, make certain
that all children, especia lly 12 years and
younger, always ride on the back seat prop
erly restrained for the ir age and s ize .
- Always install fo rward or rear-facing child
safety seats on the rear seat -even with an
Advanced Airbag System.
- If you must install a rearward-facing child
safety seat on the front passenger seat be
cause of exceptional circumstances and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not
appear and stay on, immediately install the rear-facing chi ld safety seat in a rea r seat ing
position and have the a irbag sys tem in
spected by your autho rized Aud i dea ler.
- A t igh t tether or other strap on a rearward
facing chi ld restraint attached to the front
passenger sea t can put too much pressure
129
Page 132 of 236

Airbag system
on the weight-sensing mat in the seat and
register more weight than is actually on the
seat. The heavier weight registered can
make the system work as though an adult
were on the seat and deploy the Advanced
Airbag when it must be suppressed causing
serious or even fatal injury to the child.
- If, in exceptional circumstances, you must
install a forward-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat, always move the
seat into its rearmost position in the seat's
fore and aft adjustment range, as far away
from the airbag as possible. The backrest
must be adjusted to an upright position.
Make sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF
light comes on and stays on all the time
whenever the ignition is switched on.
A WARNING
- If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does
not go out when an adult is sitting on the
front passenger seat after taking the steps
described above, make sure the adult is
properly seated and restrained at one of the
rear seating positions.
- Have the airbag system inspected by your
authorized Audi dealer before transporting
anyone on the front passenger seat.
{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
130
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
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
Page 133 of 236

a:,
a:,
...... N r--. N .-< 0 0 ::, a:,
module must always be repaired immediately 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.
@) For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and pretension
ers might be classified as Perchlorate Materi
al -special handling may apply, see
www.dtsc .ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlo
rate . When the vehicle or parts of the re
straint system including airbag modules safe
ty belts with pretensioners are scrapped, all
applicable laws and regulations must be ob
served. Your authorized Audi 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 System
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, suspension 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 example, increase the force levels meas
ured by the sensors and make the airbag system
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 measured by
the sensors and prevent the airbag from deploy
ing when it should.
A WARNING
-Changing the vehicle 's suspension including
use of unapproved tire-rim combinations can
change Advanced Airbag performance and in
crease the risk of serious personal injury in a
crash.
- Never install suspension components that
do not have the same performance charac
teristics as the components originally instal
led 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 control module and prevent
the Advanced Airbag System from working properly.
-Always make sure that nothing can interfere
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. 119 S ide a irbag locatio n in the driver's seat
131
Page 134 of 236

Airbag syste m
The side airbags are located in the sides of the
front seat backrests
c:> fig . 119 facing the doors.
They are identif ied by the word "AIRBAG".
T he s ide a irbag syste m basicall y consis ts of:
-the electronic control modu le and external side
impact senso rs
- the two airbags located in the sides of the front
backrests
- the a irbag warn ing light in the instrument clus -
ter .
The airb ag sys tem is monitored electronically to
make certa in that it is functioning properly at all
times. Each time you turn on the ign it ion, the air
bag system ind icator light will come on for a few
seconds (self d iagnost ics).
The s ide a irbag system supplements the safety
belts and can help to reduce the risk of injury to
the dr iver's and front passenger's upper torso on
the s ide of the veh icle that is struck in a s ide col
lision . The airbag deploys on ly in s ide impacts
and only when the veh icle acce leration registered
by the contro l unit is high enough. If this rate is
be low the reference value programmed into the
control unit, th e sid e airbags wi ll not be trig
gered, even though the car may be badly dam
aged as a result of the collision. It is not possible
to define an airbag triggering range that w ill cov
er every poss ible angle of impact, since the cir
cumstances w ill vary cons iderably between one
coll is ion and another. Important factors include,
for example, the nat ure (hard or soft) of the im
pacting object, the ang le of impact , vehicle
speed, etc.
c:> page 133, Important safety in
structions on the side airbag system.
Aside from their normal safety function, safety
be lts work to help keep the driver or front pas
senger in position in the event of a side collision
so that th e sid e airbags can provide protection.
The a irbag system is
not a subst itute for your
safety belt . Rather, it is part of the overa ll occu
pant restraint system in your vehicle. Always re
m ember that the side 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 your safety
132
belts, not just because the law requires you to do
so
c:> pag e 109, General information .
It is impo rtan t to remembe r that w hile the sup
plementa l side airbag system is designed to re
duce the likelihood of ser ious injuries, other inju
ries, for example, swelling, bruising , and minor
abras ions can also be associated w ith deployed
s ide a irbags. Remember too, s ide airbags will 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 d amage 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 dep loy
o nl y once and on ly in certain kinds of collisions -
you r safety be lts are always there to offe r protec
tion in those accidents in which airbags are not supposed to deploy or when they have a lready
deployed.
The side airbag system will not deploy:
- when the ignit io n is tu rned off
- in side co llisions when the acceleration meas-
ured by the sensor is too low
- in front-end coll is ions
- in rear-end collisions
- in rollovers .
In some types of accidents the front ai rbags, side
curtain airbags and sid e airbags may be trigg ered
together .
A WARNING
-Safety belts and the airbag system will only
provide protect ion when occupants are in
the proper seat ing pos ition
c:> page 133.
-If the airbag ind icator light c:> page 14
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 i nflate when i t is not sup
posed to, or will not inflate when it sho uld.
Page 135 of 236

a:,
a:,
...... N r--. N .-< 0 0 ::, a:,
How supplemental side airbags work
Side airbags deploy instantly and can help reduce the risk of upper torso injuries for occu
pants who are properly restrained.
F ig . 120 In fla ted side airbags o n left s ide of v ehicle
When the system is triggered, the airbag is filled
with propellant gas and breaks through a seam in
the seat surface area marked "AIRBAG". It ex
pands between the side trim panel and the pas
senger . In order to help provide this add itiona l
protection, the side airbag must inflate within a
fract ion of a second at very high speed and with
great force. The s upplemental side airbag cou ld
injure you if your seating position is not p roper or
upright or if items are located in the area where
the supplemental side airbag expands. This ap
plies especially to childre n
¢ page 13 7, Child
safety.
Supplemental side airbags inf late be
tween the occupant and the door panel on the side of the vehicle that is struck in certa in side
collis ion
¢ fig . 120 .
Although they are not a soft pillow, they can
"cushion" the impact and in th is 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 deploys .
This is normal and does not mean there is a fire in the vehicle .
Airbag sys tem
Important safety instructions on the side
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 yo ur passengers must
know and act according ly to he lp the safety belts
and airbags do their job to prov ide supplementa l
pro tect ion .
A WARNING
An inflating side airbag can cause serious or
fatal injury. Improperly wearing safety be lts
and improper seating posit ions increase the
risk of ser ious 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 s it in an upr ight posi tion and never
lean against the area where the supp le
mental s ide airbag is located .
- Neve r let a child or anyone e lse rest their
head against the side tr im panel in the
area where the s upplementa l side airbag
inflates.
- Always make s ure tha t safety belts are
worn correctly,
- Do no t let anyone s itting 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 replacement
upholste ry over the front seatbacks that
have not been specif ically approved by
Audi.
- Never use additional seat c ushions that
cover the areas where the side airbags de ploy.
- Damage to the orig inal seat covers or to
the seam in the area of the s ide airbag
module must a lways be repaired immedi
ate ly by an authorized Audi dealer .
-
-Objects between you and the a irbag can in
crease the r is k of injury in an a cciden t by in
terfering with the way the airbag unfolds o r _,.
133
Page 136 of 236

Airbag syste m
by being pushed into you as the airbag in
flates.
- Never p lace or attach accessories or other
objects (such as cupho lders, te lephone
brackets, or even large, bulky objects) on
the doors, over or near the area marked
"AIRBAG" on the seat backrests.
- Such objects and accessories can become
dangerous projectiles and cause in ju ry
when the supplemental side airbag de ploys.
- Never carry any objects or pets in the de ployment space between them and the
airbags or allow children or other passen
gers to travel in this posit ion.
- Always use the built-in coat hooks only for
lightweight clothing. Never leave any heavy
or sharp-edged objects in the pockets that
may interfere w it h side airbag deployment
and can cause personal i njury in an accident.
- Always prevent the side airbags from being
damaged by heavy objects knocking against
or hitting the sides of the seatbacks.
- The airbag system can only be triggered
once. If the airbag has been triggered, the
system must be replaced by an author ized
Audi dealership.
- Damage (cracks, deep scratches etc.) to the
orig inal seat covers or to the seam in the
area of the side a irbag mod ule m ust always
be repa ired immed iate ly by an authorized
Audi dealer .
- If children are sea ted improperly, their r is k
of injury increases in the ca se of an ac ciden t
~ page 13 7, Child safety .
-Never attempt to modify any components of
the a irbag sys tem in any way.
- In a side collision, side a irbags w il l not fu nc
t ion properly if sensors cannot correct ly
measure increasi ng air pressure ins ide the
doo rs when air escapes through larger, un
closed openings in the door panel.
- Never drive w ith inter io r door tr im panels
removed .
- Never drive when parts have been re
moved from the inside doo r panel and the
open ings they leave have not been proper
ly closed.
134
- Never drive when loudspeakers in the
doors have been removed unless the
speaker holes have been properly closed.
- Always make certain that openings are
covered or filled if additional speakers or
other equipment is installed i n the inside
door panels.
- Always have work on the doors done by an
authorized Aud i dealer or q ualified work
shop.
Side curtain airbags
Description of side curtain airbags
The side curtain airbag system can provide sup
plemental protection to properly restrained oc
cupants.
Fig. 121 S id e curt ain system, drive r's s ide : side curtain air
bag locatio n
The side curtain airbags are located on both sides
of the inter ior above the fro nt and rear side win
dows~
fig. 121. T hey are identified by the word
"AIRBAG" on the windshie ld frame and the cen
ter roof p illar .
The side curtain airbags contain features that provide ejection mitigation to help prevent veh i
cle occupants or parts of their bodies from being
completely or part ially ejected from the vehicle
interior in certain side impacts and vehicle roll
overs .
The side c urtain airbag system supplements the
safety belts and can help to reduce the risk of in
jury for occupants' heads and upper torso on the
side of the vehicle that is struck in a side coll i
sion. The side curta in a irbag inflates in side im-
pacts and only whe n the vehicle acce lerat ion .,.