2020 AUDI A4 airbag off

8W1012721BB
Sitting correctly and safely


ZA\ WARNING
Have the malfunction in the safety systems in-
spected immediately. Otherwise, there is a

Pye foyaCoy a)

risk that the systems may not activate during
an accident, which increases the risk of seri-
ous or fatal injury.



Fig. 68 Airbag overview image (enlarged section: deployed airbags)
The locations of the airbags are labeled with
“AIRBAG”. The following airbags are installed in
your vehicle:
Driver's airbag
Front passenger's airbag
Front side airbags and rear, if applicable
Head curtain airbag with ejection mitigation
OOOO Knee airbags
Airbags offer the best possible protection in your
vehicle during an accident when they are used to-
gether with safety belts that are fastened cor-
rectly, and when passengers are sitting in the cor-
rect seating position. Airbags are a supplementa-
ry restraint system and do not replace safety
belts.

RAZ-0239

Airbags may deploy during front-impact, side-im-
pact, or rollover accidents.
The deployment area for the airbag system can-
not be defined for every situation, since the cir-
cumstances surrounding accidents can vary wide-
ly. Factors that play an important role include the
condition of the object that the vehicle hits (hard
or soft), the angle of impact, vehicle speed, etc.
The deciding factor for the deployment of the air-
bag system is the deceleration that occurs during
an accident. Sensors in the vehicle are designed
to detect the severity of an accident in conjunc-
tion with the control module, and to provide a
targeted and timely deployment of the restraint
system. If the vehicle deceleration that is meas-
ured during an accident is below the specified
reference values in the control module, then the
airbags will not deploy, even though the vehicle >
69

Sitting correctly and safely

may be severely damaged from the accident. In
these cases, the vehicle occupants will be pro-
tected by the safety belts if they are fastened and
worn correctly.
The deployment of the front passenger's airbag
will depend on the occupancy of the seat
=> page 70.
Each deployed airbag is filled with gas. When this
occurs, the airbag covers open and the airbags
unfold with great force into the deployment zone
within milliseconds. Inflated airbags reduce the
movement of passengers wearing safety belts in
the direction of the impact and thus help to re-
duce the risk of injury. They can help to protect
the head, upper body, and lap, for example. How-
ever, there is the possibility that airbag deploy-
ment can cause injuries.
The airbag system only works when the ignition
is turned on.
If you or other vehicle passengers have physical
limitations that prevent sitting in a correct posi-
tion, modifications to the vehicle may be neces-
sary. For more information, contact an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili-
ty, or call Audi customer support at
1-800-822-2834.
@ Tips
The side curtain airbags in your vehicle have
ejection mitigation functions. This reduces
the risk of being ejected from the vehicle inte-
rior during an accident, especially in the event
of a vehicle rollover.
Advanced a ea)

Fig. 69 Headliner: indicator light to display the status of
the front passenger's airbag
70
The Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle has
been certified to comply with the requirements
of the United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard (FMVSS) 208, as well as Canada Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 208 as applica-
ble at the time your vehicle was manufactured.
According to these requirements, the front Ad-
vanced Airbag System on the passenger’s side
has been certified for “suppression” for infants
approximately 12 months old and younger, and
for “low risk deployment” for children aged 3 to
6 years old (as defined in the standard).
The advanced airbag system will activate or deac-
tivate the front passenger's airbag based on the
occupancy of the seat. If a front airbag deploys
during an accident, the deployment force will
adapt to the passenger.
Components
The advanced airbag system consists of the fol-
lowing components:
— Front airbags in the steering wheel and in the
instrument panel on the front passenger's side:
these can protect the front passengers during
an accident
— Passenger occupant detection sensor in the
front passenger's seat: this detects if the front
passenger's seat is occupied (for example, by a
person or a small child in a child safety seat)
— Seat position sensors on the front seats: these
determine the distance between the seat and
the steering wheel or instrument panel
— Sensors in the front seat belt latch: these de-
tect if the safety belts are fastened
—The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #;, ON @
indicator light in the headliner: this indicates if
the front passenger's airbag is activated or de-
activated
- ka indicator light in the instrument cluster:
this monitors the function of the Advanced Air-
bag System components to ensure they are
functioning correctly
How the components function together
The passenger occupant detection sensor in the
front passenger's seat detects if the front pas-
senger's seat is occupied. The passenger

8W1012721BB
Sitting correctly and safely

occupant detection sensor measures the electri-
cal capacity on the front passenger’s seat. The
passenger's airbag is activated or deactivated de-
pending on the electrical capacity that is meas-
ured.
The passenger's airbag is activated if:
— The electrical capacity is higher than the
threshold stored in the control module
— The electrical capacity is the same as or greater
than the electrical capacity of a typical adult
The passenger's airbag is deactivated if:
— The electrical capacity is lower than the thresh-
old stored in the control module
— The electrical capacity is the same as or less
than the electrical capacity of a typical one-
year-old child in a child safety seat that has
been used for certification in accordance with
FMVSS 208
If the front passenger's airbag is activated, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON @ indicator light
will turn on. If the front passenger's airbag is de-
activated, the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #;
indicator light will turn on.
The deployment force of the front airbags adapts
based on whether or not the safety belt is used
and the distance between the seat and the steer-
ing wheel/instrument panel. For example, if a
person is too close to the front airbag, the front
airbag will deploy with less force to help reduce
the risk of injury.
Meaning of PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 3; ON
® indicator light
When the ignition is switched on, the system de-
tects whether the front passenger's seat is occu-
pied. PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #;, ON @
will turn on for several seconds during this proc-
ess. Then it will indicate whether the front pas-
senger's airbag is activated or deactivated.
— PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 8¥;: the front
passenger's airbag is deactivated and will not
deploy in the event of an accident.
— PASSENGER AIR BAG ON @®: the front pas-
senger's airbag is activated and could deploy in
the event of an accident.
If a change to the occupancy status of the front
passenger's seat is detected,
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #, ON @ will
flash for several seconds and will then display the
status of the front passenger's airbag.
Always make sure the indicator light corresponds
to the occupancy of the front passenger's seat.
— An adult or individual of similar size in the
front passenger's seat: the front passenger's
airbag must be activated, so
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON ® must remain
on.
— An individual of smaller size (for example, an
adolescent or small adult) in the front pas-
senger's seat: the front passenger's airbag
must be activated, so
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON @ must remain
on.
— Child in a child safety seat on the front pas-
senger's seat: the front passenger's airbag
must be deactivated, so
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #%; must remain
on.
— Front passenger's seat not occupied: the front
passenger's airbag must be deactivated, so
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF ®, must remain
on.

ZA\ WARNING
— An adult or a person with a small stature
(such as a young person or small adult) seat-
ed on the front passenger's seat will not be
protected by the passenger's airbag in the
event of a collision if the passenger's airbag
is deactivated. This increases the risk of in-
jury and death. Always make sure that
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON ® remains on
while driving. If
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON @ does not
turn on, make sure the front passenger is
sitting correctly in the seat > page 59 and
that there are no objects covering the front
passenger's seat (such as blankets or pil-
lows). If PASSENGER AIR BAG ON ®
still does not turn on, the front passenger's
seat must not be used. Drive to an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service

71

Sitting correctly and safely



Facility and have the airbag system inspect-
ed.
—Achild ina child safety seat on the front
passenger's seat - especially in a rear-facing
child safety seat - can receive a severe im-
pact if the front passenger's airbag deploys,
which increases the risk of serious or fatal
injury. Always secure child safety seats on
the rear seats. If special circumstances re-
quire the use of a child safety seat on the
front passenger's seat, always make sure
that PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 3%; re-
mains on while driving. If
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #, does not
turn on, remove the child safety seat and in-
stall it again according to the child safety
seat manufacturer instructions. If
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF &%; still does
not turn on, the front passenger's seat must
not be used. Drive to an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility
and have the airbag system inspected.
Fluids, electronic devices, or mechanical
damage on the front passenger's seat may
cause the front passenger seat occupant de-
tection to malfunction. The system may
then incorrectly detect if the front passeng-
er's seat is occupied. As a result, it could de-
ploy the front passenger’s airbag incorrectly
or fail to deploy it, which increases the risk
of serious or fatal injury. Make sure that no
wet objects (such as a wet hand towel) and
no fluids come into contact with the front
passenger's seat cushion. If the front pas-
senger's seat becomes wet, dry it immedi-
ately. Make sure no electronic devices (such
as a laptop or a retrofitted seat heater) are
on the front passenger's seat. Do not trans-
port any objects on or under the front pas-
senger's seat.
Seat covers or protective covers may prevent
the advanced airbag system from correctly
detecting child safety seats or passengers in
the front passenger's seat. You must not use
seat covers or protective covers on the front
passenger's seat that are not specifically ap-
proved for use on Audi seats with an ad-
vanced airbag system.

72
Child safety seats
General information
When installing and using child safety seats, fol-
low the information in this Owner's Manual, the
applicable state and federal regulations, and the
manufacturer instructions for the child safety
seat.
You can also obtain useful and current informa-
tion from the following sources:
U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-
tration
http://www.nhtsa.gov
http://www.safercar.gov
National SAFE KIDS Campaign
http://www.safekids.org
SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A.
http://www.carseat.org
Transport Canada Information Centre
http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety
Audi Customer Experience Center
https://www.audiusa.com/help/contact-us
https://www.audi.ca/ca/web/en/models/layer/
contact.html

ZA WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries,
children must always be secured in the vehicle
with a child safety seat that is appropriate for
their body size, weight, and age.
— Children ages 12 and under must be trans-
ported using the appropriate child safety
seat. Note differences in regulations be-
tween states and countries.
— Child safety seats secured incorrectly in the
vehicle may cause serious or fatal injuries in
the event of an accident. Always secure the
child safety seat according to the manufac-
turer instructions.
— Children or babies must not under any cir-
cumstances be held on the lap of the driver
or other passengers while driving.
— Do not secure more than one child in a child
safety seat.

8W1012721BB
Sitting correctly and safely



— Never allow a child to sit in a child safety
seat unsupervised.
— Never allow children to ride unsecured in the
vehicle or to stand or kneel on the seats
while driving. In the event of an accident, a
child could be propelled through the vehicle.
This can cause serious or fatal injuries for
the child and passengers.
— If children use an incorrect seating position
while driving, they have a higher risk of in-
jury during a sudden braking maneuver or
accident. This especially applies to children
in the front passenger's seat or children who
have their head near the side airbag deploy-
ment area, if the airbag system is deployed
during an accident. This incorrect seating
position can cause severe or even fatal inju-
ries.
— Make sure there is enough space in front of
the child in the child safety seat. If necessa-
ry, adjust the angle and position of the seat
in front of the child safety seat.
— The rear side of a forward-facing child safety
seat should be positioned as close as possi-
ble to the backrest on the vehicle seat. If the
head restraints make it difficult to install a
child safety seat, adjust or remove them if
necessary > page 63. Reinstall the head re-
straints immediately once the child safety
seat has been removed.
— Always make sure that the backrest on the
seat where the child safety seat is installed
is securely locked in place and cannot move
forward. Otherwise, the backrest where the
child safety seat is secured could move for-
ward in the event of an accident or other
emergency situation.
— NEVER use a rear-facing child safety seat on
a seat with an ACTIVATED FRONT AIRBAG;
this could cause DEATH or SERIOUS INJU-
RIES to a CHILD.
— Always secure child safety seats on the
rear seats. If exceptional circumstances re-
quire the child safety seat to be placed on
the front passenger's seat, then the front
passenger's airbag must be deactivated.
Always make sure that
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #; remains

on while driving. If
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #%; does not
turn on, remove the child safety seat and
install it again according to the child safe-
ty seat manufacturer instructions. If
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 2; still
does not turn on, the front passenger's
seat must not be used. Drive to an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility and have the airbag system in-
spected.
— If you must use a forward-facing child safety
seat on the front passenger's seat, move the
seat as far back as possible so that it is as
far as possible from the front passenger's
airbag. While doing this, make sure the seat
can be adjusted all the way. A child in a child
safety seat on the front passenger's seat can
receive a severe impact if the front passeng-
er's airbag deploys, which increases the risk
of serious or fatal injury.
— Replace the child safety seat after an acci-
dent because there could be damage that is
not visible.
— Even if a child is not sitting in the child safe-
ty seat, the child safety seat must be se-
cured. An unsecured child safety seat may
be thrown through the vehicle interior dur-
ing sudden braking maneuvers or an acci-
dent.
(eyicram Ledisi mi lmaalicu)
Always secure children in a child safety seat de-
signed for the body size, weight, and age of the
child.

You can secure child safety seats in your vehicle
using the lower LATCH anchors or the safety
belts. You can also secure child safety seats to
the top tether anchor. Depending on the child
safety seat, it may also be necessary to secure it
to the top tether anchor. In Canada, securing for-
ward-facing child safety seats to the top tether
anchors is required by law.
Always transport children in the rear seats
Accident statistics show that children that are se-
cured correctly in the rear seats are safer thanin D>
73

Sitting correctly and safely


ZA WARNING
— A safety belt that is not locked by the belt
retractor lock or a locking device cannot se-
cure a child safety seat while driving or in
the event of an accident, which increases the
risk of fatal injury. Always make sure the
belt retractor lock on the safety belt is acti-
vated if the child safety seat manufacturer
instructions require it.
— Due to the risk of fatal injury, never place a
rear-facing child safety seat on the front
passenger's seat when the front passenger's
airbag is switched on.
— For the child safety seat to offer the maxi-
mum protection, it is especially important
to route the vehicle safety belt correctly. Al-
ways follow the instructions from the child
safety seat manufacturer for routing the
safety belt correctly. Incorrectly fastened
safety belts can cause injuries, even during
minor accidents.
RAZ-0093


Additionally securing a child safety seat to
the top tethe


RAZ-0325)

Fig. 71 Version (@) rear shelf / Version @) rear backrest: top
tether anchors for securing a child safety seat with an up-
per strap
76




Fig. 72 Version @ rear shelf / Version @ rear backrest: se-
curing the upper strap on the top tether anchor
Follow the safety precautions > page 72.
There is a top tether anchor behind every seat in
the rear bench seat to additionally secure a child
safety seat with an upper belt.
> Move the head restraint behind the child safety
seat upward.
> Applies to: version 1: Fold the cover for the top
tether anchor upward.
> Guide the upper belt on the child safety seat
under the head restraint or along both sides of
it and toward the rear (depending on the child
safety seat model).
> Fasten the belt to the top tether anchor
=> fig. 72. While doing this, make sure the belt
is not twisted and is not running over any sharp
edges.
> Secure the child safety seat according to the
child safety seat manufacturer instructions.
> Pull the belt tightly so that the child safety seat
rests at the top of the seat backrest.
» If necessary, move the head restraint behind
the child safety seat downward.

8W1012721BB
Driving dynamic

Electronic Stabilization
Control
Electronic Stabilization Control (ESC) supports
driver safety. It reduces the risk of slipping and
improves driving stability. ESC detects critical sit-
uations, such as if the vehicle is oversteering or
understeering, or if the wheels are spinning. The
brakes are applied or the engine torque is re-
duced in order to stabilize the vehicle.
If the BB indicator light blinks while driving, the
ESC is actively regulating.
If the BB indicator light turns on, the system has
switched the ESC off. In this case, you can switch
the ignition off and then on to switch the ESC on
again. The indicator light turns off when the sys-
tem is fully functional.
If the B indicator light turns on, ESC was limit-
ed or switched off manually > page 110.
The following systems are integrated in the ESC:
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking when brak-
ing. The vehicle can still be steered even during
hard braking. Apply steady pressure to the brake
pedal. Do not pump the pedal.
A pulsing in the brake pedal indicates that the
system is acting to stabilize the vehicle.
Brake assist
The brake assist system can decrease braking dis-
tance. It increases braking power when the driver
presses the brake pedal quickly in emergency sit-
uations. You must press and hold the brake pedal
until the dangerous situation is over. Depending
on the activated driver assistance systems, the
brake assist system may react with increased sen-
sitivity.
Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR)
ASR reduces drive power when the wheels begin
spinning and adapts the power to the road condi-
tions. This will increase the driving stability.
Electronic Differential Lock (EDL)
The EDL applies the brakes to wheels that are
slipping and transfers the drive power to the oth-
er wheels. This function is not available at higher
speeds.
In extreme cases, EDL automatically switches off
to keep the brake on the braked wheel from over-
heating. The vehicle is still functioning correctly.
EDL will switch on again automatically when con-
ditions have returned to normal.
Power steering
The ESC can also support vehicle stability
through steering.
Selective wheel torque control
Selective wheel torque control is used when driv-
ing on curves. Braking is targeted toward the
wheels on the inside of the curve as needed. This
allows more precise driving in curves.
Automatic post-collision braking system
The automatic post-collision braking system can
help to reduce the risk of sliding and of addition-
al collisions after an accident. If the airbag con-
trol module detects a collision, the vehicle is
braked by the ESC.
The vehicle does not brake automatically if one of
the following occurs:
— The driver presses the accelerator pedal, or
— The braking force generated by the pressed
brake pedal is greater than the braking force
that would be initiated by the system
— The ESC, the brake system, or the vehicle elec-
trical system is not functioning

Z\ WARNING
— The ESC and its integrated systems cannot
overcome the limits imposed by natural
physical laws. This is especially important on
slippery or wet roads. If the systems begin
acting to stabilize your vehicle, you should
immediately alter your speed to match the


109

Driver assistance

— It has only been several seconds since the
ignition was switched on Th indicator
light turns on.
— When driving in reverse
— The front passenger's airbag is switched
off
— There is an airbag control module mal-
function

— System functions may not be available if
the ESC is limited or switched off, or if
there is a malfunction.
PN eye
Applies to: vehicles with Audi pre sense basic
Audi pre sense basic is automatically active at
speeds of approximately 20 mph (30 km/h) and
higher. The system can trigger the Audi pre sense
preemptive safety measures during emergency
braking and dangerous braking maneuvers as
well as in unstable driving situations, such as
oversteering or understeering.

ZA WARNING
Follow the safety precautions and note the
limits of the assist systems, sensors, and
cameras > page 114.
Audi pre sense front
Applies to: vehicles with Audi pre sense front

The Audi pre sense front system uses the data
from the radar sensors and calculates the proba-
bility of a rear-end collision. Within the limits of
the system, an impending collision with the front
of the vehicle can be detected in both urban and
rural speed ranges.
Early warning/acute warning
The system can recognize various dangerous sit-
uations. The early warning occurs if:
— Avehicle driving ahead brakes suddenly
— Your own vehicle approaches a significantly
slower vehicle or stationary vehicle in the direc-
tion of travel
The message Audi pre sense [@) or Audi pre
sense wa and a warning tone will warn you about
the danger.
140
If there is an impending collision with vehicles,
there may also be an acute warning in the form
of sharp braking. You will also be warned by an
indicator in the instrument cluster display. When
this warning occurs, it may only be possible to
avoid a collision by swerving or braking strongly.
Automatic deceleration
If you do not react to the acute warning, Audi pre
sense can brake the vehicle to a full stop within
the limits of the system if the vehicle is traveling
at low speeds. This reduces the vehicle speed in
the event of a collision.
Automatic braking force increase
If Audi pre sense determines that you are not
braking strongly enough when a collision is immi-
nent, it can increase the braking force based on
the situation.

Z\ WARNING
— Follow the safety precautions and note the
limits of the assist systems, sensors, and
cameras > page 114.
— Audi pre sense front cannot overcome natu-
ral physical laws. It is a system designed to
assist and it cannot prevent a collision in ev-
ery circumstance. The driver must always in-
tervene. The driver is always responsible for
braking at the correct time. Do not let the
increased safety provided tempt you into
taking risks. This could increase your risk of
a collision.
— Audi pre sense front does not react to cer-
tain objects, such as people/cyclists, ani-
mals, crossing or oncoming vehicles, bars,
railings, or railcars.
— Audi pre sense front may be limited or un-
available when driving in curves.
— Loose objects can be thrown around the ve-
hicle interior during sudden driving or brak-
ing maneuvers, which increases the risk of
an accident. Store objects securely while
driving.

G) Tips
Certain pre sense front functions will switch
off when the ESC is restricted or switched off >