2020 AUDI A3 Owner´s Manual

8V2012721BK
Safety belts

bracing themselves. Without the benefit of safe-
ty restraint systems, the unrestrained occupant
will slam violently into the steering wheel, in-
strument panel, windshield, or whatever else is
in the way > fig. 206. This impact with the vehi-
cle interior has all the energy they had just before
the crash.
Never rely on airbags alone for protection. Even
when they deploy, airbags provide only additional
protection. Airbags are not supposed to deploy in
all kinds of accidents. Although your Audi is
equipped with airbags, all vehicle occupants, in-
cluding the driver, must wear safety belts cor-
rectly in order to minimize the risk of severe in-
jury or death in a crash.
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only once
and that your safety belts are always there to of-
fer protection in those accidents in which airbags
are not supposed to deploy or when they have al-
ready deployed. Unbelted occupants can also be
thrown out of the vehicle where even more severe
or fatal injuries can occur.
It is also important for the rear passengers to
wear safety belts correctly. Unbelted passengers
in the rear seats endanger not only themselves
but also the driver and other passengers
=> fig. 207. In a frontal collision they will be
thrown forward violently, where they can hit and
injure the driver and/or front seat passenger.
1-1 al LheM ogo) alas
People think it's possible to use the hands to
brace the body in a minor collision. It's simply
not true!

“=
a
8
x % 8

Fig. 208 Driver is correctly restrained in a sudden braking
maneuver
Safety belts used properly can make a big differ-
ence. Safety belts help to keep passengers in
their seats, gradually reduce energy levels ap-
plied to the body in an accident, and help prevent
the uncontrolled movement that can cause seri-
ous injuries. In addition, safety belts reduce the
danger of being thrown out of the vehicle.
Safety belts attach passengers to the car and give
them the benefit of being slowed down more
gently or “softly” through the “give” in the safety
belts, crush zones and other safety features engi-
neered into today's vehicles. By “absorbing” the
kinetic energy over a longer period of time, the
safety belts make the forces on the body more
“tolerable” and less likely to cause injury.
Although these examples are based on a frontal
collision, safety belts can also substantially re-
duce the risk of injury in other kinds of crashes.
So, whether you're on a long trip or just going to
the corner store, always buckle up and make sure
others do, too. Accident statistics show that vehi-
cle occupants properly wearing safety belts have
a lower risk of being injured and a much better
chance of surviving an accident. Properly using
safety belts also greatly increases the ability of
the supplemental airbags to do their job in a col-
lision. For this reason, wearing a safety belt is le-
gally required in most countries including much
of the United States and Canada.
Although your Audi is equipped with airbags, you
still have to wear the safety belts provided. Front
airbags,
for example, are activated only in some
frontal collisions. The front airbags are not acti-
vated in all frontal collisions, in side and rear col-
lisions, in roll overs or in cases where there is not
enough deceleration through impact to the front
of the vehicle. The same goes for the other airbag
systems in your Audi. So, always wear your safety
belt and make sure everybody in your vehicle is
properly restrained!
247

Safety belts

A tunlSelae eta mide aa (elare delet at Lila
ey lh ay
Safety belts must always be correctly positioned
across the strongest bones of your body.
> Always wear safety belts as illustrated and de-
scribed in this chapter.
> Make sure that your safety belts are always
ready for use and are not damaged.

ZA\ WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or wearing them im-
properly increases the risk of serious personal
injury and death. Safety belts can work only
when used correctly.
— Always fasten your safety belts correctly be-
fore driving off and make sure all passen-
gers are correctly restrained.
— For maximum protection, safety belts must
always be positioned properly on the body.
— Never strap more than one person, including
small children, into any belt.
— Never place a safety belt over a child sitting
on your lap.
— Always keep feet in the footwell in front of
the seat while the vehicle is being driven.
— Never let any person ride with their feet on
the instrument panel or sticking out the
window or on the seat.
— Never remove a safety belt while the vehicle
is moving. Doing so will increase your risk of
being injured or killed.
— Never wear belts twisted.
— Never wear belts over rigid or breakable ob-
jects in or on your clothing, such as eye
glasses, pens, keys, etc., as these may cause
injury.
— Never allow safety belts to become dam-
aged by being caught in door or seat hard-
ware.
— Do not wear the shoulder part of the belt
under your arm or otherwise out of position.
— Several layers of heavy clothing may inter-
fere with correct positioning of belts and re-


duce the overall effectiveness of the system.

248

— Always keep belt buckles free of anything
that may prevent the buckle from latching
securely.
— Never use comfort clips or devices that cre-
ate slack in the shoulder belt. However, spe-
cial clips may be required for the proper use
of some child restraint systems.
—Torn or frayed safety belts can tear, and
damaged belt hardware can break in an acci-
dent. Inspect belts regularly. If webbing,
bindings, buckles, or retractors are dam-
aged, have belts replaced by an authorized
Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
— Safety belts that have been worn and loaded
in an accident must be replaced with the
correct replacement safety belt by an au-
thorized Audi dealer. Replacement may be
necessary even if damage cannot be clearly
seen. Anchorages that were loaded must al-
so be inspected.
— Never remove, modify, disassemble, or try
to repair the safety belts yourself.
— Always keep the belts clean. Dirty belts may
not work properly and can impair the func-
tion of the inertia reel > table Interior
cleaning on page 344.


Safety belts
Fastening safety belts
Safety first - everybody buckle up!




Fig. 209 Belt buckle and tongue on the driver's seat
To provide maximum protection, safety belts
must always be positioned correctly on the wear-
er's body.
> Adjust the front seat and head restraint proper-
ly > page 54, Front seats.

8V2012721BK
Safety belts

> Make sure the seatback of the rear seat bench is
in an upright position and securely latched in
place before using the belt > /\.
> Pull the safety belt evenly across the chest and
pelvis > fig. 209, > A\.
> Insert the tongue into the correct buckle of
your seat until you hear it latch securely.
> Pull on the belt to make sure that it is securely
latched in the buckle.
Automatic safety belt retractors
Every safety belt is equipped with an automatic
belt retractor on the shoulder belt. This feature
locks the belt when the belt is pulled out fast,
during hard braking and in an accident. The belt
may also lock when you drive up or down a steep
hill or through a sharp curve. During normal driv-
ing the belt lets you move freely.
Safety belt pretensioners
Safety belts with pretensioners help to tighten
the safety belt and remove slack when the pre-
tensioners are activated > page 252. The func-
tion of the pretensioner is monitored by a warn-
ing light > page 238.
Convertible locking retractor
Every safety belt except the one on the driver
seat is equipped with a convertible locking retrac-
tor that must be used when the safety belt is
used to attach a child seat. Be sure to read the
important information about this feature
=> page 289.

ZA WARNING
Improperly positioned safety belts can cause
serious injury in an accident > page 249,
Safety belt position.
— Safety belts offer optimum protection only
when the seatback is upright and belts are
properly positioned on the body.
— Always make sure that the rear seat backrest
to which the center rear safety belt* is at-
tached is securely latched whenever the rear
center safety belt is being used. If the back-
rest is not securely latched, the passenger
will move forward with the backrest during

sudden braking, in a sudden maneuver and
especially in a crash.
— Never attach the safety belt to the buckle
for another seat. Attaching the belt to the
wrong buckle will reduce safety belt effec-
tiveness and can cause serious personal in-
jury.
— A passenger who is not properly restrained
can be seriously injured by the safety belt it-
self when it moves from the stronger parts
of the body into critical areas like the abdo-
men.
— Always lock the convertible locking retractor
when you are securing a child seat in the ve-
hicle > page 290.
Safety belt position
Correct belt position is the key to getting maxi-
mum protection from safety belts.



B4H-0751



Fig. 210 Safety belt position
Standard features on your vehicle help you adjust
the position of the safety belt to match your body
size.
— belt height adjustment for the front seats*,
— height-adjustable front seats.

ZX WARNING
Improperly positioned safety belts can cause
serious personal injury in an accident.
—The shoulder belt should lie as close to the
center of the collar bone as possible and
should fit well on the body. Hold the belt
above the latch tongue and pull it evenly
across the chest so that it sits as low as pos-
sible on the pelvis and there is no pressure
on the abdomen. The belt should always fit


249

Safety belts


snugly > fig. 210. Pull on the belt to tighten
if necessary.
— The lap belt portion of the safety belt must
be positioned as low as possible across pel-
vis and never over the abdomen. Make sure
the belt lies flat and snug > fig. 210. Pull on
the belt to tighten if necessary.
—A loose-fitting safety belt can cause serious
injuries by shifting its position on your body
from the strong bones to more vulnerable,
soft tissue and cause serious injury.
— Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important information > page 248.
Pregnant women must also be correctly
restrained
The best way to protect the fetus is to make sure
that expectant mothers always wear safety belts
correctly - throughout the pregnancy.




To provide maximum protection, safety belts
must always be positioned correctly on the wear-
er's body > page 249.
> Adjust the front seat and adjustable head re-
straint®* correctly > page 54, Front seats.
> Pull the safety belt evenly across the chest so
that it sits as low as possible on the pelvis and
there is no pressure on the abdomen
> fig. 211, > /\.
> Insert the tongue into the correct buckle of
your seat until you hear it latch securely.
> Pull on the belt to make sure that it is securely
latched in the buckle.
250
ZA WARNING
Improperly positioned safety belts can cause
serious personal injury in an accident.
— Expectant mothers must always wear the
lap portion of the safety belt as low as pos-
sible across the pelvis and below the round-
ing of the abdomen.
— Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important information > A\ in Fasten-
ing safety belts on page 249.
eRe mei lley
Unbuckle the safety belt with the red release
button only after the vehicle has stopped.


B4H-0270



Fig. 212 Releasing the tongue from the buckle
» Push the red release button on the buckle
> fig. 212. The belt tongue will spring out of
the buckle > A\.
> Let the belt wind up on the retractor as you
guide the belt tongue to its stowed position.

ZA WARNING
Never unfasten safety belt while the vehicle is
moving. Doing so will increase your risk of be-
ing injured or killed.

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Safety belts

Adjusting the safety belt latch tongue
Applies to: vehicles with adjustable latch tongue
& Ss
g = & 3

Fig. 213 Safety belt: latch tongue clip (example)
> Slide the clip so that you can easily reach the
belt latch when putting the safety belt on.
ONT Leia aia tell
Applies to: vehicles with safety belt height adjustment
With the aid of the safety belt height adjust-
ment, the three point safety belt strap routing
can be fitted to the shoulder area, according to
body size.

B4G-0004)



Fig. 214 Safety belt height adjustment for the front seats
- loop-around fittings
The shoulder belt should lie as close to the center
of the collar bone as possible and should fit well
on the body > A\ in Safety belt position on
page 249.
> Push the loop-around fittings up > fig. 214@,
or
> squeeze together the (@) button, and push the
loop-around fittings down (2).
> Pull the belt to make sure that the upper at-
tachment is properly engaged.

ZA WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and oth-
er important information > page 248.
(i) Tips
With the front seats, the height adjustment
of the seat can also be used to adjust the po-
sition of the safety belts.
Improperly worn safety belts
Incorrectly positioned safety belts can cause se-
vere injuries.

Wearing safety belts improperly can cause seri-
ous injury or death. Safety belts can only work
when they are correctly positioned on the body.
Improper seating positions reduce the effective-
ness of safety belts and will even increase the risk
of injury and death by moving the safety belt to
critical areas of the body. Improper seating posi-
tions also increase the risk of serious injury and
death when an airbag deploys and strikes an oc-
cupant who is not in the correct seating position.
A driver is responsible for the safety of all vehicle
occupants and especially for children. Therefore:
> Never permit anyone to assume an incorrect sit-
ting position in the vehicle while traveling
of.

ZA\ WARNING
Improperly worn safety belts increase the risk
of serious personal injury and death whenever
a vehicle is being used.
— Always make sure that all vehicle occupants
are correctly restrained and stay in a correct
seating position whenever the vehicle is be-
ing used.
— Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important information > page 248.

251

Safety belts

Belt tensioners
How safety belt pretensioners work
Reversible safety belt tensioners
The following functions are available when safety
belts with reversible safety belt tensioners are
fastened:
—Incertain driving situations, the safety belts
may tighten with a reversible tensioning func-
tion > page 125.
— The safety belts may also tighten with this re-
versible tensioning function in minor collisions.
Pyrotechnic safety belt pretensioners
Seat belts with pyrotechnic safety belt preten-
sioners are tensioned automatically in severe col-
lisions, depending on the circumstances. This
helps to reduce the forward motion of the occu-
pants.

ZA\ WARNING
— It is possible for the pretensioners to deploy
incorrectly.
— The pyrotechnic system can only provide
protection for one collision. If the pyrotech-
nic pretensioners deploy, the pretensioning
system must be replaced.

@) Tips
—A fine dust is released when the pyrotechnic
safety belt pretensioners deploy. This is nor-
mal and is not caused by a fire in the vehi-
cle.
— The relevant safety requirements must be
observed when the vehicle or components
of the system are scrapped. A qualified
dealership is familiar with these regulations
and will be pleased to pass on the informa-
tion to you.
Service and disposal of safety belt preten-
CTs
The safety belt pretensioners are parts of the
safety belts on your Audi. Installing, removing,
servicing or repairing of belt pretensioners can
252
damage the safety belt system and prevent it
from working correctly 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.

ZA WARNING
Improper care, servicing and repair proce-
dures can increase the risk of personal injury
and death by preventing a safety belt preten-
sioner from activating when needed or acti-
vating it unexpectedly:
— The belt pretensioner system can be activat-
ed only once. If belt pretensioners have
been activated, the system must be re-
placed.
— Never repair, adjust, or change any parts of
the safety belt system.
— Safety belt systems including safety belt
pretensioners cannot be repaired. Special
procedures are required for removal, instal-
lation and disposal of this system.
— For any work on the safety belt system, we
strongly recommend that you see your au-
thorized Audi dealer or qualified technician
who has an Audi approved repair manual,
training and special equipment necessary.

8V2012721BK
Airbag system

Airbag system
Important information
area e eo MIT a a Lee)
sitting properly
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. For
airbags to do their job, occupants must always
properly wear their safety belts and be in a prop-
er seating position.
For your safety and the safety of your passen-
gers, before driving off, always:
> Adjust the driver's seat and steering wheel
properly > page 238,
> Adjust the front passenger's seat properly
=> page 239,
> Wear safety belts properly > page 248,
> Always properly use the proper child restraint
to protect children > page 278.
Ina collision, airbags must inflate within the
blink of an eye and with considerable force. The
supplemental airbags can cause injuries if the
driver or the front seat passenger is not seated
properly. Therefore in order to help the airbag to
do its job, it is important, both as a driver and as
a passenger to sit properly at all times.
By keeping room between your body and the
steering wheel and the front of the passenger
compartment, the airbag can inflate fully and
completely and provide supplemental protection
in certain frontal collisions > page 238, Correct
passenger seating positions. For details on the
operation of the seat adjustment controls
=> page 54.
It's especially important that children are proper-
ly restrained > page 278.
There is a lot that the driver and the passengers
can and must do to help the individual safety fea-
tures installed in your Audi work together as a
system.
Proper seating position is important so that the
front airbag on the driver side can do its job. If
you have a physical impairment or condition that
prevents you from sitting properly on the driver
seat with the safety belt properly fastened and
reaching the pedals, or if you have concerns with
regard to the function or operation of the Ad-
vanced Airbag System, please contact your au-
thorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop, or
call Audi Customer Relations at 1-800-822-2834
for possible modifications to your vehicle.
When the airbag system deploys, a gas generator
will fill the airbags, break open the padded cov-
ers, and inflate between the steering wheel and
the driver and between the instrument panel and
the front passenger. The airbags will deflate im-
mediately after deployment so that the front oc-
cupants can see through the windshield again
without interruption.
All of this takes place in the blink of an eye, so
fast that many people don't even realize that the
airbags have deployed. The airbags also inflate
with a great deal of force and nothing should be
in their way when they deploy. Front airbags in
combination with properly worn safety belts slow
down and limit the occupant's forward move-
ment. Together they help to prevent the driver
and front seat passenger from hitting parts of
the inside of the vehicle while reducing the forces
acting on the occupant during the crash. In this
way they help to reduce the risk of injury to the
head and upper body in the crash. Airbags do not
protect the arms or the lower parts of the body.
Both front airbags will not inflate in all frontal
collisions. The triggering of the airbag system de-
pends on the vehicle deceleration rate caused by
the collision and registered by the electronic con-
trol unit. If this rate is below the reference value
programmed into the control unit, the airbags
will not be triggered, even though the car may be
badly damaged as a result of the collision. Vehi-
cle damage, repair costs or even the lack of vehi-
cle damage is not necessarily an indication of
whether an airbag should inflate or not.
Since the circumstances will vary considerably
between one collision and another, it is not possi-
ble to define a range of vehicle speeds that will
cover every possible kind and angle of impact
that will always trigger the airbags. Important
factors include, for example, the nature (hard or
soft) of the object which the car hits, the angle of
impact, vehicle speed, etc. The front airbags will >
253

Airbag system

also not inflate in side or rear collisions, or in roll-
overs.
Always remember: Airbags will deploy only once,
and only in certain kinds of collisions. Your safety
belts are always there to offer protection in those
situations in which airbags are not supposed to
deploy, or when they have already deployed; for
example, when your vehicle strikes or is struck by
another vehicle after the first collision.
This is just one of the reasons why an airbag is a
supplementary restraint and is not a substitute
for a safety belt. The airbag system works most
effectively when used with the safety belts.
Therefore, always properly wear your safety belts
=> page 245.


ZA WARNING
Sitting too close to the steering wheel or in-
strument panel will decrease the effective-
ness of the airbags and will increase the risk
of personal injury in a collision.
— Never sit closer than 10 inches (25 cm) to
the steering wheel or instrument panel.
— If you cannot sit more than 10 inches
(25 cm) from the steering wheel, investi-
gate whether adaptive equipment may be
available to help you reach the pedals and
increase your seating distance from the
steering wheel.
— All vehicle occupants and especially children
must be restrained properly whenever riding
in a vehicle. An unrestrained or improperly
restrained child could be injured by striking
the interior or by being ejected from the ve-
hicle during a sudden maneuver or impact.
An unrestrained or improperly restrained
child is also at greater risk of injury or death
through contact with an inflating airbag.
— If you are unrestrained, leaning forward, sit-
ting sideways or out of position in any way,
your risk of injury is much higher.
— You will also receive serious injuries and
could even be killed if you are up against the
airbag or too close to it when it inflates -
—To reduce the risk of injury when an airbag
inflates, always wear safety belts properly
=> page 248, Safety belts.
— Always make certain that children age 12 or
younger always ride in the rear seat. If chil-
dren are not properly restrained, they may
be severely injured or killed when an airbag
inflates.
— Never let children ride unrestrained or im-
properly restrained in the vehicle. Adjust the
front seats properly.
— Never ride with the backrest reclined.
— Always sit as far as possible from the steer-
ing wheel or the instrument panel
> page 238.
— Always sit upright with your back against
the backrest of your seat.
— Never place your feet on the instrument
panel or on the seat. Always keep both feet
on the floor in front of the seat to help pre-
vent serious injuries to the legs and hips if
the airbag inflates.
— Never recline the front passenger's seat to
transport objects. Items can also move into
the area of the side airbag or the front air-
bag during braking or in a sudden maneuver.
Objects near the airbags can become projec-
tiles and cause injury when an airbag in-
flates.

ZA WARNING
Airbags that have deployed in a crash must be
replaced.
— Use only original equipment airbags ap-
proved by Audi and installed by a trained
technician who has the necessary tools and
diagnostic equipment to properly replace
any airbag in your vehicle and assure system
effectiveness ina crash.
— Never permit salvaged or recycled airbags to
be installed in your vehicle.



even with an Advanced Airbag.

254
Child restraints on the front seat - some

important things to know
> Be sure to read the important information and
heed the WARNINGS for important details >