2020 AUDI A3 ECU

8V2012721BK
Driving safety

Driving safety
Basics
SER Nails mali
Please remember - safety first!
The individual safety features of your vehicle can
work together as a system to help protect you
and
your passengers in a wide range of accidents.
These features cannot work as a system if they
are not always correctly adjusted and correctly
used.
This chapter contains important information,
tips, instructions and warnings that you need to
read and observe for your own safety, the safety
of your passengers and others. We have summar-
ized here what you need to know about safety
belts, airbags, child restraints as well as child
safety. Your safety is for us priority number 1. Al-
ways observe the information and warnings in
this section - for your own safety as well as that
of your passengers.
The information in this section applies to all
model versions of your vehicle. Some of the fea-
tures described in this sections may be standard
equipment on some models, or may be optional
equipment on others. If you are not sure, ask
your authorized Audi dealer.

ZA WARNING
— Always make sure that you follow the in-
structions and heed the WARNINGS in this
Manual. It is in your interest and in the in-
terest of your passengers.
— Always keep the complete Owner's Litera-
ture in your Audi when you lend or sell your
vehicle so that this important information
will always be available to the driver and
passengers.
— Always keep the Owner's literature handy so
that you can find it easily if you have ques-
tions.

Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody's job! Vehicle and occupant
safety always depends on the informed and care-
ful driver.
For
your safety and the safety of your passen-
gers, before driving always:
> Make sure that all lights and signals are operat-
ing correctly.
> Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
> Make sure that all windows are clean and afford
good visibility to the outside.
> Secure all luggage and other items carefully
= page 60, > page 60.
> Make sure that nothing can interfere with the
pedals.
> Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors
correctly for your height.
> Instruct passengers to adjust the head re-
straints according to their height.
> Make sure to use the right child restraint cor-
rectly to protect children > page 278, Child
safety.
» Sit properly in your seat and make sure that
your passengers do the same > page 54, Front
seats.
> Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly. Al-
so instruct your passengers to fasten their safe-
ty belts properly > page 245.
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condition of
the vehicle, the driver as well as the driver’s abili-
ty to concentrate on the road without being dis-
tracted.
The driver is responsible for the safety of the ve-
hicle and all of its occupants. If your ability to
drive is impaired, safety risks for everybody in the
vehicle increase and you also become a hazard to
everyone else on the road > /\. Therefore:
> Do not let yourself be distracted by passengers
or by using a cellular telephone.
> NEVER drive when your driving ability is im-
paired (by medications, alcohol, drugs, etc.).
> Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road and
speed limits and plain common sense.
237

Driving safety


— Passengers who are unbelted, out of posi-
tion or too close to the airbag can be seri-
ously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye.
— Always make sure that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between the front pas-
senger‘s breastbone and the instrument
panel.
— Always make sure that there are at least
4 inches (10 cm) between the front passen-
ger‘s knees and the lower part of the instru-
ment panel.
— Each passenger must always sit on a seat of
their own and properly fasten and wear the
safety belt belonging to that seat.
— Before driving, always adjust the front pas-
senger seat properly.
— For adjustable head restraints: before driv-
ing, always also adjust the head restraints
properly.
— Always keep your feet on the floor in front of
the seat. Never rest them on the seat, in-
strument panel, out of the window, etc. The
airbag system and safety belt will not be
able to protect you properly and can even in-
crease the risk of injury in a crash.
— Never drive with the backrest reclined or tilt-
ed far back! The farther the backrests are
tilted
back, the greater the risk of injury due
to incorrect positioning of the safety belt
and improper seating position.
— Children must always ride in child seats
= page 278. Special precautions apply when
installing a child seat on the front passenger
seat > page 253.

Proper seating positions for passengers in
israel -r- 1}
Rear seat passengers must sit upright with both
feet on the floor consistent with their physical
size and be properly restrained whenever the ve-
hicle is in use.
To reduce the risk of injury caused by an incorrect
seating position in the event of a sudden braking
maneuver or an accident, your passengers on the
rear bench seat must always observe the follow-
ing:
240
> For adjustable head restraints: adjust the head
restraint so the upper edge is as even as possi-
ble with the top of your head. If that is not pos-
sible, try to adjust the head restraint so that it
is as close to this position as possible
=> page 57.
> Keep both feet flat in the footwell in front of
the rear seat.
> Fasten and wear safety belts properly
=> page 248.
> Make sure that children are always properly re-
strained in a child restraint that is appropriate
for their size and age > page 278.

ZA WARNING
Passengers who are improperly seated on the
rear seat can be seriously injured in a crash.
— Each passenger must always sit on a seat of
their own and properly fasten and wear the
safety belt belonging to that seat.
— Safety belts only offer maximum protection
when the safety belts are properly posi-
tioned on the body and securely latched. By
not sitting upright, a rear seat passenger in-
creases the risk of personal injury from im-
properly positioned safety belts!
— For adjustable head restraints: always adjust
the head restraint properly so that it can

give maximum protection.
Examples of improper seating positions
The occupant restraint system can only reduce
the risk of injury if vehicle occupants are properly
seated.

Improper seating positions can cause serious in-
jury or death. Safety belts can only work when
they are properly positioned on the body. Im-
proper seating positions reduce the effectiveness
of safety belts and will even increase the risk of
injury and death by moving the safety belt to crit-
ical areas of the body. Improper seating positions
also increase the risk of serious injury and death
when an airbag deploys and strikes an occupant
who is not in the proper seating position. A driver
is responsible for the safety of all vehicle occu-
pants and especially for children. Therefore: >

8V2012721BK
Driving safety

> Never allow anyone to assume an incorrect
seating position when the vehicle is being used
>.
The following bulletins list only some sample po-
sitions that will increase the risk of serious injury
and death. Our hope is that these examples will
make you more aware of seating positions that
are dangerous.
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is moving:
— never stand up in the vehicle
— never stand on the seats
— never kneel on the seats
— never ride with the seatback reclined
— never lie down on the seats
— never lean up against the instrument panel
— never sit on the edge of the seat
— never sit sideways
— never lean out the window
— never put your feet out the window
— never put your feet on the instrument panel
— never rest your feet on the seat cushion or back
of the seat
— never ride in the footwell
— never ride in the cargo area

ZA WARNING
Improper seating positions increase the risk
of serious personal injury and death whenever
a vehicle is being used.
— Always make sure that all vehicle occupants
stay in a proper seating position and are
properly restrained whenever the vehicle is
being used.

Driver's and front
passenger's footwell
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Applies to: vehicles with knee airbags

ZA WARNING
Always make sure that the knee airbag can in-
flate without interference. Objects between
yourself and the airbag can increase the risk
of injury in an accident by interfering with the

way the airbag deploys or by being pushed in-
to you as the airbag deploys.
— No persons or animals should ride in the
footwell in front of the passenger seat. If
the airbag deploys, this can result in serious
or fatal injuries.
— No objects of any kind should be carried in
the footwell area in front of the driver's or
passenger's seat. Bulky objects (shopping
bags, for example) can hamper or prevent
proper deployment of the airbag. Small ob-
jects can be thrown through the vehicle if
the airbag deploys and injure you or your
passengers.


Pedal area
The pedals must always be free to move and
must never be interfered with by a floor mat or
any other object.
Make sure that all pedals move freely without in-
terference and that nothing prevents them from
returning to their original positions.
Only use floor mats that leave the pedal area free
and can be secured with floor mat fasteners.
If a brake circuit fails, increased brake pedal trav-
el is required to bring the vehicle to a full stop.

ZA WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can cause loss
of vehicle control and increase the risk of seri-
ous injury.
— Never place any objects in the driver's foot-
well. An object could get into the pedal area
and interfere with pedal function. In case of
sudden braking or an accident, you would
not be able to brake or accelerate!
— Always make sure that nothing can fall or
move into the driver's footwell.

241

Driving safety

1 Coley maar Mela Mealy -aed (el)
Always use floor mats that can be securely at-
tached to the floor mat fasteners and do not in-
terfere with the free movement of the pedals.
> Make sure that the floor mats are properly se-
cured and cannot move and interfere with the
pedals > A\.
Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area un-
obstructed and that are firmly secured so that
they cannot slip out of position. You can obtain
suitable floor mats from your authorized Audi
Dealer.
Floor mat fasteners are installed in your Audi.
Floor mats used in your vehicle must be attached
to these fasteners. Properly securing the floor
mats will prevent them from sliding into posi-
tions that could interfere with the pedals or im-
pair safe operation of your vehicle in other ways.

ZA\ WARNING
Pedals that cannot move freely can result ina
loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of
serious personal injury.
— Always make sure that floor mats are prop-
erly secured.
— Never place or install floor mats or other
floor coverings in the vehicle that cannot be
properly secured in place to prevent them
from slipping and interfering with the ped-
als or the ability to control the vehicle.
— Never place or install floor mats or other
floor coverings on top of already installed
floor mats. Additional floor mats and other
coverings will reduce the size of the pedal
area and interfere with the pedals.
— Always properly reinstall and secure floor
mats that have been taken out for cleaning.
— Always make sure that objects cannot fall in-
to the driver footwell while the vehicle is
moving. Objects can become trapped under
the brake pedal and accelerator pedal caus-
ing a loss of vehicle control.



242
Active rollover
protection system
Applies to: vehicles with power top
The rollover protection system protects vehicle
occupants in the event of a rollover.

B8V-0333

Fig. 199 Rear seats: rollbar deployment range

B8V-0334


Fig. 200 Rear seats: deployed rollbar
The active rollover protection system consists of:
— two rollbars
— the safety belts with belt tensioners
— the windshield frame
—the rollover sensors
The active rollover protection system provides
additional safety in the event of a rollover. Within
milliseconds, sensors deploy two rollbars located
behind the head restraints in the rear seats
© fig. 200.
The rollbars, reinforced windshield frame and
belt tensioners help protect front and rear pas-
sengers in the event of a rollover.
The rollover protection system functions when
the power top is both open and closed.

8V2012721BK
Driving safety


AN WARNING
Do not use the area behind the rear seat head
restraints > fig. 199 as a seat or storage area.
This is the area where the rollbars deploy. If
the rollover protection system is triggered,
objects placed there can be propelled through
the vehicle and make it more difficult for the
rollbars to deploy. This increases the risk for
serious or life-threatening injuries.
When is rollover protection deployed?
Applies to: vehicles with power top

Rollover protection deploys in a collision or roll-
over.
Depending on the collision, sensors throughout
the vehicle and the control module trigger the
rollover system to deploy.
For safety reasons, rollover protection also de-
ploys during front, side and rear collisions above
a certain level of severity.
Retracting rollover protection
Applies to: vehicles with power top

B8V-0335


B8V-0336

Fig. 202 Deployed rollbar with power top frame facing up-
ward.
If the rollover protection has triggered but the
vehicle was not involved in an accident, you can
retract the rollover protection yourself in an
emergency. Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility immediately to
have the malfunction corrected.
With the power top open
> Pull the loop upward in the direction of the ar-
row and hold it in place > fig. 201.
> Slide the rollbar down.
> Release the loop just before the rollbar reaches
its end position (1-2 in. / 3-5 cm).
> Press the rollbar down until it stops.
> Make sure the rollbar is secure before releasing
its
> Close the cover (@) > fig. 202.
> Repeat the procedure on the other rollbar.
With the power top closed
> Switch the ignition on.
> Press the power top switch to adjust the power
top frame until it is vertical > fig. 202.
> Pull the loop upward in the direction of the ar-
row and hold it in place > fig. 201.
> Slide the rollbar down.
> Release the loop just before the rollbar reaches
its end position (1-2 in. / 3-5 cm).
> Press the rollbar down until it stops.
> Make sure the rollbar is secure before releasing
it.
> Close the cover (@) > fig. 202.
> Repeat the procedure on the other rollbar.
> You can now close the power top again.

Z\ WARNING
— Make sure your head or other parts of your
body are not located in the area above the
rollbar
when pressing the rollbar down. If
the rollbar is not secured correctly, it could
deploy again as soon as you release it and
cause injuries.
— Have the rollover protection system checked
by and authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility if it malfunctions. Oth-
erwise the system may not deploy correctly
in a collision.

243

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.