2020 AUDI A3 seats

Child safety

these children is not fully developed, and they
must not use the vehicle safety belts without a
suitable child restraint.
It is usually best to put these children in appro-
priate booster seats. Be sure the booster seat
meets all applicable safety standards.
Booster seats raise the seating position of the
child and reposition both the lap and shoulder
parts of the safety belt so that they pass across
the child's body in the right places. The routing of
the belt over the child's body is very important
for the child's protection, whether or not a boos-
ter seat is used. Children age 12 and under must
always ride in the rear seat.
Children who are at least 4 ft. 9 in. (57 inches/
1.45 meters) tall can generally use the vehicle's
three point lap and shoulder belts. Never use the
lap belt portion of the vehicle's safety belt alone
to restrain any child, regardless of how big the
child is. Always remember that children do not
have the pronounced pelvic structure required for
the proper function of lap belt portion of the ve-
hicle's three point lap and shoulder belts. The
child's safety absolutely requires that a lap belt
portion of the safety belt be fastened snugly and
as low as possible around the pelvis. Never let
the lap belt portion of the safety belt pass over
the
child's stomach or abdomen.
In a crash, airbags must inflate within a blink of
an eye and with considerable force. In order to do
its job, the airbag needs room to inflate so that it
will be there to protect the occupant as the occu-
pant moves forward into the airbag.
A vehicle occupant who is out of position and too
close to the airbag gets in the way of an inflating
airbag. When an occupant is too close, he or she
will be struck violently and will receive serious or
possibly even fatal injury. By keeping room be-
tween the child's body and the front of the pas-
senger compartment, the airbag can inflate com-
pletely and provide supplemental protection in
certain frontal collisions.

ZA\ WARNING
Not using a booster seat, using the booster
seat improperly, incorrectly installing a boos-

288


ter seat or using the vehicle safety belt im-
properly increases the risk of serious personal
injury and death in a collision or other emer-
gency situation. To help reduce the risk of se-
rious personal injury and/or death:
— The shoulder belt must lie as close to the
center of the child’s collar bone as possible
and must lie flat and snug on the upper
body. It must never lie across the throat or
neck. The lap belt must lie across the pelvis
and never across the stomach or abdomen.
Make sure that the belt lies flat and snug.
Pull on the belt to tighten if necessary.
— Failure to properly route safety belts over a
child's body will cause severe injuries in an
accident or other emergency situation
=> page 245.
— The rear side of the child safety seat should
be positioned as close as possible to the
backrest on the vehicle seat.
— For adjustable head restraints: adjust or re-
move the rear seat head restraint if it is dif-
ficult to install the child seat with the head
restraint in place > page 57. Install the
head restraint again immediately once the
child seat is removed. Driving without head
restraints or with head restraints that are
not properly adjusted increases the risk of
serious or fatal neck injury dramatically.
— Never let a child put the shoulder belt under
the arm or behind the back, because it could
cause severe injuries in a crash.
— Children on the front seat of any car, even
with Advanced Airbags, can be seriously in-
jured or even killed when an airbag inflates.
— Never let a child stand or kneel on any seat,
for example the front seat.
— Never let a child ride in the cargo area of
your vehicle.
— Always remember that a child leaning for-
ward, sitting sideways or out of position in
any way during an accident can be struck by
a deploying airbag. This will result in serious
personal injury or death.
— If you must install a booster seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional
circumstances the PASSENGER AIR BAG

8V2012721BK
Child safety


OFF light must come on and stay on, when-
ever the ignition is switched on.
— If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does
not come on and stay on, perform the
checks described > page 265, Monitoring
the Advanced Airbag System.
— Take the child restraint off the front passen-
ger seat and install it properly at one of the
rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF light does not stay on whenever
the ignition is switched on.
— Always read and heed all WARNINGS when-
ever using a child restrained in a vehicle is
being used > page 245, Safety belts,
=> page 253, Airbag system and > page 278,
Important information.

Securing child safety
seats
Securing a child safety seat using a safety
ert
Safety belts for the rear seats and the front pas-
senger can be locked with the convertible locking
retractor to properly secure child safety seats.
The safety belts emergency locking retractors for
the rear seats safety belts and for the front pas-
senger’s seat safety belt have a convertible lock-
ing retractor for child restraints. The safety belt
must be locked so that belt webbing cannot un-
reel. The retractor can be activated to lock the
safety belt and prevent the safety belt webbing
from loosening up during normal driving. A child
safety seat can only be properly installed when
the safety belt is locked so that the child and
child safety seat will stay in place.
Always remember: Even though your vehicle is
equipped with an Advanced Airbag system, all
children, especially those 12 years and younger,
should always ride in the back seat properly re-
strained for their age and size.

ZA\ WARNING
Improperly installed child safety seats in-
crease the risk of serious personal injury and
death in a collision.


— Always make sure that the safety belt retrac-
tor is locked when installing a child safety
seat. An unlocked safety belt retractor can-
not hold the child safety seat in place during
normal driving or in a crash.
— Always buckle the child safety seat firmly in
place even if a child is not sitting init. A
loose child safety seat can fly around during
a sudden stop or in a collision.
— 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 to secure a
child restraint.
—If the backrest is not securely latched, the
child and the child restraint will be thrown
forward together with the backrest and will
strike parts of the vehicle interior. The child
can be seriously injured or killed.
— 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 inflates.
— The inflating airbag will hit the child safety
seat or infant carrier with great force and
will smash the child 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.
— Forward-facing child safety seats or infant
carriers installed on the front passenger's
seat may interfere with the deployment of
the airbag and cause serious injury to the
child.
—It is safer to install a forward-facing child
safety seat on the rear seat.
— Always read and heed all WARNINGS when-
ever using a child restrained in a vehicle is
being used > page 278. Special precautions
apply when installing a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat > page 254, Child
restraints on the front seat - some impor-
tant things to know.

289

8V2012721BK
Child safety

your vehicle. To activate the convertible locking
retractor:
> Place the child restraint on a seat, preferably on
the rear seat.
> Slowly pull the belt all the way out.
> Route it around or through the child restraint
belt path > A\.
» Push the child safety seat down with your full
weight to get the safety belt really tight.
> Insert the belt tongue into the buckle for that
seating position.
> Guide the safety belt back into the retractor un-
til the belt lies flat and snug on the child safety
seat.
> You should hear a “clicking” noise as the belt
winds back into the inertia reel. Test the con-
vertible locking retractor by pulling on the belt.
You should no longer be able to pull the belt
out of the retractor. The convertible locking re-
tractor is now activated.
> Make sure that the red release button is facing
away from the child restraint so that it can be
unbuckled quickly.
> Pull on the belt to make sure the safety belt is
properly tight and fastened so that the seat
cannot move forward or sideways more than
one inch (2.5 cm).

ZA WARNING
Using the wrong child restraint or an improp-
erly installed child restraint can cause serious
personal injury or death in a crash.
— Always make sure that the safety belt retrac-
tor is locked when installing a child safety
seat. An unlocked safety belt retractor can-
not hold the child safety seat in place during
normal driving or in a crash.
— 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 ina crash.
— Always make sure the seat backrest to which
the child restraint is installed is in an up-
right position and securely latched into
place and cannot fold forward. Otherwise,
the seatback with the child safety seat at-


tached to it could fly forward in the event of
an accident or other emergency situation.
— Always read and heed all WARNINGS when-
ever using a child restrained in a vehicle is
being used > page 278. Special precautions
apply when installing a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat > page 254, Child
restraints on the front seat - some impor-
tant things to know.
Deactivating the convertible locking
retractor
The convertible locking retractor for child re-
straints will be deactivated automatically when
the belt is wound all the way back into the re-
tractor.


>» Press the red button on the safety belt buckle.
The belt tongue will pop out of the buckle.
> Guide the safety belt all the way back into its
stowed position.
Always let the safety belt retract completely into
its stowed position. The safety belt can now be
used as an ordinary safety belt without the con-
vertible locking retractor for child restraints.
If the convertible locking retractor should be ac-
tivated inadvertently, the safety belt must be un-
fastened and guided completely back into its
stowed position to deactivate this feature. If the
convertible locking retractor is not deactivated,
the safety belt will gradually become tighter and
uncomfortable to wear.

ZA WARNING
Improperly installed child safety seats in-
crease the risk of serious personal injury and
death ina collision.
— Never unfasten the safety belt to deactivate
the convertible locking retractor for child re-
straints while the vehicle is moving. You
would not be restrained and could be seri-
ously injured in an accident.
— Always read and heed all WARNINGS when-
ever using a child restrained in a vehicle is
being used > page 278. Special precautions
apply when installing a child safety seaton |>


291

Child safety


the front passenger seat > page 254, Child
restraints on the front seat - some impor-
tant things to know.

LATCH system (lower
anchorages and tethers
for children)
Child Restraint System anchors and how
ETc Baa Va Cem eRe CMT Lia]
To provide a simpler and more practicable way to
attach the child restraint on the vehicle seat, Fed-
eral regulations require special lower anchorages
in vehicles and devices on new child restraints to
attach to the vehicle anchorages.
In the United States, the combination of the
tether anchorages and the lower anchorages is
now generally called the LATCH system for
“Lower Anchorages and Tethers for Children”. In
Canada, the terms “top tether” with “lower uni-
versal anchorages” (or “Lower universal anchor-
age bars”) are used to describe the system.
In other countries the term “ISOFIX” is used to
describe the lower anchorages.
Forward-facing child restraints manufactured af-
ter September 1, 1999, are required by U.S. fed-
eral regulations to comply with new child head
movement performance requirements. These
new performance requirements make a tether
necessary on most new child seats.
Installing a child restraint that requires a top
tether without one can seriously impair the per-
formance of the child restraint and its ability to
protect the child in a collision. Installing a child
restraint that requires a top tether without the
top tether may be a violation of state law.
Child restraint manufacturers offer LATCH lower
anchorages on their child seats with hook-on or
push-on connectors attached to adjustable
straps.
In addition to the LATCH lower anchorages, these
child restraint systems usually require the use of
tether straps to help keep the child restraint
firmly in place.
292
Some child restraints may require both the LATCH
lower anchorages as well as the vehicle safety
belt for proper installation. This concurrent use is
allowed as long as it does not interfere with ei-
ther attachment system or the adjoining seating
positions’ vehicle safety belts, if so applicable.

Z\ WARNING
Improper installation of child restraints will
increase the risk of injury and death in a crash.
— Always follow the instructions provided by
the manufacturer of the child restraint you
intend to install in your vehicle.
— Never install a child restraint without a
properly attached top tether strap if the
child restraint manufacturer's instructions
require the top tether strap to be used.
— Improper use of child restraint LATCH lower
anchorage points can lead to injury in a colli-
sion. The LATCH lower anchorage points are
designed to withstand only those loads im-
posed by correctly fitted child restraints.
— Never mount two child restraint systems on
one LATCH lower anchorage point.
— Never secure or attach any luggage or other
item to the LATCH lower anchorages.

Location


B8V-0406



Fig. 231 Schematic overview: LATCH anchorage point loca-
tions (example)
The illustration shows the seating locations in
your vehicle which are equipped with the lower
anchorages system.

8V2012721BK
Child safety

pred folacoy a)
The lower anchorage positions are marked for
quick locating.

Fig. 233 Rear seats: lower anchorage bracket locations
Lower anchorages
The circular markings on the rear seat help you to
identify the location of lower anchorages for the
two outboard seating positions > fig. 232. The
LATCH lower universal anchorage attachment
points are between the rear seatback and rear
seat cushion.
Remove the covers > fig. 232 to access the lower
anchorage attachment points.
The lower anchorage attachment points are visi-
ble > fig. 233.
Lower anchorages secure the child restraint in
the seat without using the vehicle's safety belts.
Anchorages provide a secure and easy-to-use at-
tachment and minimize the possibility of improp-
er child restraint installation.
All child restraints manufactured after Septem-
ber 1, 2002, must have lower anchorage attach-
ments for the LATCH system.
Please remember that the lower anchorage
points are only intended for installation and at-
tachment of child restraints specifically certified
for use with LATCH lower anchorages. Child re-
straints that are not equipped with the lower an-
chorage attachments can still be installed in
compliance with the child restraint manufactur-
er's instructions on using vehicle safety belts.

Improper use of LATCH lower anchorages can
cause serious personal injury in an accident.
— Always carefully follow the child restraints
manufacturer's instructions for proper in-
stallation of the child restraint and proper
use of the lower anchorages or safety belts
in your vehicle.
— Never secure or attach any luggage or other
items to the LATCH lower anchorages.
— Always read and heed the important infor-
mation about child restraints in this chapter
and WARNINGS & page 278, Child safety.
Installing a child restraint with LATCH
lower anchorages
Applies to: vehicles with Top Tether

Whenever you install a child restraint always fol-
low the child restraint manufacturer's instruc-
tions.

B4L-1434


Fig. 234 Lower anchorages: proper mounting
Mounting
> Make sure the seatback of the rear seat bench is
in the upright position and securely latched in
place.
> Attach both hook-on connectors with the spring
catch release on the child safety seat onto the
293

Child safety

LATCH lower anchorage so that the connectors
lock into place > fig. 234.
>» Pull on the connector attachments to make
sure they are properly attached to the LATCH
lower anchorage.
> Pull straps tight following the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions.
Releasing
> Loosen the tension on the straps following the
child restraint manufacturer's instructions.
> Depress the spring catches to release the an-
chorage hooks from the lower anchorages.
Remember: Use tether straps to help keep the
child restraint firmly in place.


ZA WARNING
Improper use of the LATCH system can in-
crease the risk of serious personal injury and
death in an accident.
— These anchors were developed only for child
safety seats using the “LATCH” system.
— Never attach other child safety seats, belts
or other objects to these anchors.
— Always make sure that you hear a click when
latching the seat in place. If you do not hear
a click the seat is not secure and could fly
forward and hit the interior of the vehicle, or
be ejected from the vehicle.


ZA WARNING
Improper installation of child restraints will
increase the risk of injury in an accident.
— Always follow the child restraint system
manufacturer's instructions for proper in-
stallation of the child restraint system and
proper use of tether straps as well as the
lower anchorages or safety belts in your ve-
hicle.
— Always read and heed the important infor-
mation and WARNINGS about child safety
and the installation of child restraint sys-
tems > page 278, Child safety.

294
Tether anchors and tether straps
5 S
zt 6
= o a
Applies to: Sedan
Fig. 235 Tether anchors: recess flaps behind the rear seat-
backs

B8V-0562

Applies to: Cabriolet/Sportback
Fig. 236 Tether anchors: recess flaps behind the rear seat-
backs
Applies to: Sedan: The tether anchors for the rear
seating positions are located in recesses in the
rear window shelf > fig. 235
Applies to: Cabriolet/Sportback: The tether an-
chors for the rear seating positions are located on
the backside of the rear seatbacks > fig. 236.
A tether is a straight or V-shaped strap that at-
taches the top part of a child restraint to special
anchorage points in the vehicle.
The purpose of the tether is to reduce the for-
ward movement of the child restraint in a crash,
in order to help reduce the risk of head injury that
could be caused by striking the vehicle interior.
Forward facing child restraints manufactured af-
ter September 1, 1999, are required by U.S. fed-
eral regulations to comply with new child head
movement performance requirements. These
new performance requirements make a tether
necessary on most new child safety seats.

Child safety

» Applies to: Sportback: Unlock the backrest and
fold it slightly forward > page 62, Increasing
the cargo area and locate the tether anchor be-
hind the rear seat backrest.
» Applies to: Cabriolet: Unlock the backrest and
fold it slightly forward > page 63, Pass-
through and locate the tether anchor behind
the rear seat backrest.
> Guide the upper tether strap under the rear
head restraint (raise the head restraint if neces-
sary) > fig. 238. For child restraints with V-
tether straps, always make sure that the head
restraint guide rods do not interfere with any
part of the top tether strap.
> Attach the tether strap anchorage hook into the
opening of the tether anchorage.
> Pull on the tether strap hook so that the spring
catch of the hook is engaged.
> Straighten the backrest back up into its upright
position and press it firmly into the locking
mechanism.
>» Tighten the tether strap firmly following the
child restraint manufacturer's instructions.
Releasing the tether strap
> Loosen the tension on the straps following the
child restraint manufacturer's instructions.
> Depress the spring catch on the hook and re-
lease it from the anchorage.
Remember: Use tether straps to help keep the
child restraint firmly in place.

ZA WARNING
Improper use of the LATCH system can in-
crease the risk of serious personal injury and
death in an accident.
— These anchors were developed only for child
safety seats using the “LATCH” system.
— Never attach other child safety seats, belts
or other objects to these anchors.
— Always make sure that you hear a click when
latching the seat in place. If you do not hear
a click the seat is not secure and could fly
forward and hit the interior of the vehicle, or
be ejected from the vehicle.


Z\ WARNING
Improper installation of child restraints will
increase the risk of injury in an accident.
— Always follow the child restraint system
manufacturer's instructions for proper in-
stallation of the child restraint system and
proper use of tether straps as well as the
lower anchorages or safety belts in your ve-
hicle.
— Always read and heed the important infor-
mation and WARNINGS about child safety
and the installation of child restraint sys-
tems > page 278, Child safety.

Using tether straps on rearward-facing
child restraints

Currently, few rear-facing child restraint systems
come with a tether. Please read and heed the
child restraint system manufacturer's instruc-
tions carefully to determine how to properly in-
stall the tether.

Z\ WARNING
A child in a rearward-facing child safety seat
installed on the front passenger seat will be
seriously injured and can be killed if the front
airbag inflates - even with an Advanced Airbag
System.
— The inflating airbag will hit the child safety
seat or infant carrier with great force and
will smash the child safety seat and child
against the backrest, center armrest, or
door.
— 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
come on and stay on, immediately install
the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system

inspected by your Audi dealer.


296

Wheels

Glossary of tire and loading
terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in
excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of auto-
matic transmission, power steer-
ing, power brakes, power win-
dows, power seats, radio, and
heater, to the extent that these
items are available as factory-in-
stalled equipment (whether in-
stalled or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the height to
the width of the tire in percent.
Numbers of 55 or lower indicate a
low sidewall for improved steer-
ing response and better overall
handling on dry pavement.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is
made of steel wires, wrapped or
reinforced by ply cords and that is
shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond
between components in the bead.
322
Cord
means the strands forming the
plies in the tire.
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufac-
turer for a tire of a designated
size that has not been driven for
more than a couple of miles (kilo-
meters) at low speeds in the three
hour period before the tire pres-
sure is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor ve-
hicle with standard equipment in-
cluding the maximum capacity of
fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi-
tioning and additional weight of
optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire designed to operate
at higher loads and at higher in-
flation pressures than the corre-
sponding standard tire. Extra load
tires may be identified as “XL”,
“xl”, “EXTRA LOAD”, or “RF” on
the sidewall.