2020 AUDI A8 ignition

Lights and Vision

message indicates the cause and possible solu-
tions. If one of the messages does not turn off,
drive immediately to an authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility to have the mal-
function repaired.
a Automatic wipers: malfunction! See owner's
manual
The light/rain sensor is malfunctioning. You can
still control all functions that are independent of
the rain sensor through the windshield wiper lev-
er. Drive immediately to an authorized Audi deal-
er or authorized Audi Service Facility to have the
malfunction repaired.
Digital compass
Switching the compass on and off
Applies to: vehicles with digital compass

BFV-0288

i
Fig. 58 Rearview mirror: digital compass is switched on

70
> To turn the compass on or off, press the button
@ until the compass display in the mirror turns
on or off.
The digital compass only works when the ignition
is turned on. The directions are indicated with ab-
breviations: N (north), NE (northeast), E (east),
SE (southeast), S (south), SW (southwest), W
(west), NW (northwest).
G) Tips
To prevent inaccurate compass readings, do
not bring any remote controls, electrical devi-
ces or metallic objects near the mirror.

Sitting correctly and safely

Adjusting the head restraints
> See > page 81
Adjusting the lumbar support
> To adjust the lumbar support, press the button
@ at the applicable location.
Massage function
Switch the massage function on or off @). Setting
the massage type and intensity > page 74.

Z\ WARNING
The power front seats can also be adjusted
when the ignition is switched off. To reduce
the risk of injury, children should never be left
unattended in the vehicle.

Adjusting the front seats in the MMI
You can adjust additional settings in the MMI.


Fig. 61 Upper display: seat setting
The settings and the number of menus and but-
tons depend on the vehicle equipment.
Operating
Applies to: MMI
> Select on the home screen: VEHICLE > Seats.
> To access the various menus (3), swipe to the
left or right.
> To display the various seats, press ) or (@.
The red color of the symbol (S) indicates which
seat is selected.
Seat adjustment
Applies to: MMI
> To select a seat setting, press @) if necessary.
> Press the respective arrow (2) until the desired
position is reached.
74

Massage
See > page 74
Seat ventilation balance
Using the seat temperature balance, you can heat
the backrest and seat surface to different tem-
peratures > A\ in Settings on page 107.
> To adjust the seat temperature balance, slide
the control upward or downward.
Additional seat settings
See > page 75
G) Tips
Applies to: reclining rear seats: Only the up-
per thigh support can be adjusted on the
front passenger's seat.
Front seat massage function
Applies to: vehicles with massage function
Operating
Applies to: MMI
> To access the Massage menu, press the J but-
ton @ © page 73, fig. 60. Or:
> Select on the home screen: VEHICLE > Seats >
Massage.
Switching the massage function on or off
Applies to: MMI
> To switch the massage function on or off, press
the J button @ © page 73, fig. 60. Or:
> Press Start/Stop on the MMI.
Setting the massage type and intensity
Applies to: MMI
> To adjust the massage type, press the desired
button on the MMI, for example Wave.
> To adjust the intensity of the massage, press
Intensity on the MMI repeatedly until the de-
sired level is reached.
G) Tips
The massage function switches off automati-
cally after approximately 10 minutes.

Sitting correctly and safely


vehicle interior during sudden driving or
braking maneuvers, which increases the risk
of an accident. Store objects securely while
driving.
— Applies to: vehicles with front center airbag:
The center armrest must be closed while
driving. Otherwise, the protective function
of the front center airbag could be impaired
because it deploys from the driver's seat
backrest. This increases the risk of injury.

Rear seats
(ee eels)
Z\ WARNING
— The power seats can also be adjusted when
the ignition is switched off. To reduce the
risk of injury, children should never be left
unattended in the vehicle for this reason.
— Be careful when adjusting the seat. Unsu-
pervised or careless seat adjustment could
cause parts of the body to get pinched,
which increases the risk of injury.
C) Note
Before adjusting the seat position, you must
remove the retainers for the LATCH child safe-
ty seat restraint system, if installed.
G) Tips
At the same time, only move the respective
seat using the controls.


76

Adjusting seats with buttons
Applies to: vehicles with power adjustable rear seats
You can adjust the basic settings using the but-
tons.
©
S|
Ss x a
oo
Fig. 64 Rear center armrest/full-length center console:
seat adjustment buttons
The settings depend on the vehicle equipment.
Adjusting the lumbar support
> To adjust the curvature of the lumbar support,
press the left or right button @.
> To adjust the height of the lumbar support,
press the upper or lower button (@).
Adjusting the backrests
> To move the backrest forward or backward,
press the button (2) to the left or right.
Adjusting the head restraints
> See > page 81
Adjusting the seat position
> To adjust the seat forward or backward, press
the button @) to the left or right. The backrest
will automatically adjust with it.
>
To move the seat upward or downward, press
the button @) upward or downward.
Adjusting the front passenger's seat
See > page 77
Adjusting the comfort position
See > page 78

Sitting correctly and safely

Full-Length center console
Applies to: vehicles with full-length center console

Fig. 68 Rear: full-length center console
The functions depend on the vehicle equipment.
@AC socket > page 97
@ 12 volt socket > page 97
@® Cup holder > page 98
@ Folding tray table page 99
© Rear Seat Remote holder > page 25
© Center armrest with storage compartment:
press the button on the center armrest and fold
the armrest upward.
Steering wheel
(ee eles)
Make sure that:
— The distance between your upper body and the
steering wheel is at least 10 in (25 cm)
— Your arms are bent slightly at the elbows
— You have a sufficient view of the area around
the vehicle and you have a clear view of the in-
strument cluster and head-up display*.
— You are always holding the steering wheel with
both hands on the outer edge at the sides (9:00
and 3:00 position) when driving

protection, which increases the risk of injury
or fatality.
— Never hold the steering wheel in the 12:00
position or in any other way, such as holding
the center of the steering wheel. Otherwise,
your arms, hands, and head could be injured


in the event that the driver's airbag deploys.



\, WARNING
—To reduce the risk of an accident, make sure
the steering wheel is adjusted correctly and
cannot be moved out of position before you
start to drive.
— If you are too close to the steering wheel,


the driver's airbag cannot provide optimal

80
Adjusting the steering wheel position
The steering wheel position can be adjusted elec-
trically
up/down and forward/back.
2
e S a
a
Fig. 69 Steering column: switch for adjusting the steering
wheel position
> To move the steering wheel upward or down-
ward, press the switch upward or downward.
> To move the steering wheel forward or back-
ward, press the switch forward or backward.
The steering wheel can also be adjusted when the
ignition is switched off.
In vehicles with memory function, the steering
column settings are stored together with the
seat position.
@ Tips
Entry assistance makes it easier to enter or
exit the vehicle by moving the steering wheel
= page 75, Driver seat entry assistance/
Front passenger seat entry assistance.

Sitting correctly and safely

— Outer rear seats*: seat
Storing and recalling a seat profile
Applies to: vehicles with memory function
The memory function buttons are located in the
door trim panel.
Storing a seat profile

> Press the [SET] button. If the LED in the button
turns on, a seat profile can be stored.
> Push one of the numbered memory buttons. A
tone confirms that the settings were stored.

Accessing a seat profile
> When the a door is open and the ignition is
switched off, press the memory button once
briefly. The seat will be fully adjusted to the
settings in the seat profile.
> If the door is closed or the ignition is switched
on, press and hold the memory button until the
seat is fully adjusted to the settings in the seat
profile.

Z\ WARNING
—To reduce the risk of an accident, the seat
setting can only be recalled when the vehicle
is stationary.
— In an emergency, the recall process can be
canceled by pressing the seat adjustment
button on that seat.
@) Tips
Certain settings are stored automatically in
the active personal profile.

Airbag system
ZA\ WARNING
— If you have not fastened your safety belt,
you are in an incorrect seating position, or
you are too close to the airbag system, the
airbag system will not be able to protect
you. This increases the risk of serious or fa-
tal injuries. Make sure that every vehicle
passenger has his or her safety belt correctly


86


fastened and is sitting in a correct seating
position = page 72. This is necessary regard-
less of whether the seat is equipped with an
airbag or not.
Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, out of the window, or on the seat sur-
faces. To help ensure that the airbag system
can deploy correctly, never bend forward or
lean on the door or the side window. Other-
wise, serious and possibly fatal injuries can
occur if the airbags deploy.
People, animals, or objects between the
passengers and the airbag system can inter-
fere with the correct deployment of the air-
bag or can be thrown through the vehicle in-
terior, increasing the risk of serious or fatal
injuries. Make sure that nothing is located
between the vehicle occupants and the air-
bag system. Do not secure or transport any
objects within the deployment zone of the
airbag systems, especially on the steering
wheel, on the instrument panel, on the
doors, on the windows, in the footwell, or
on the rear shelf.
Never put stickers on the airbag system cov-
ers or cover them with any objects.
Only lightweight clothing should be hung
from the garment hooks in the vehicle. Do
not use clothes hangers to hang clothing.
The pockets of the clothing must not con-
tain any heavy, breakable, or sharp-edged
objects. This could impair the effectiveness
of the side curtain airbags.
You must not use seat or protective covers
that are not specifically approved for use on
Audi seats with side airbags. Since the side
airbags deploy from the seat backrest, such
covers could impair the protective function
of the side airbags.
Applies to: vehicles with front center airbag:
You must not use seat or protective covers
that are not specifically approved for use on
Audi seats with center airbags. The center
armrest must be closed while driving. Since
the front center airbag deploys from the
driver's seat backrest, such covers could im-
pair the protective function of the center air-
bag.

4N0012721BD
Sitting correctly and safely



— Damage to the original seat covers in the
side airbag and front center airbag deploy-
ment area must always be repaired by an au-
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility.
— Airbag system components are installed at
various locations in your vehicle. Incorrect
work or repairs on the vehicle could damage
the airbag system components or impair
their functionality. This may prevent the air-
bags from deploying or cause them to de-
ploy incorrectly in the event of an accident,
which increases the risk of serious or fatal
injuries. Only have an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility make re-
pairs or modifications to a vehicle.
— The airbag system can only provide protec-
tion during one collision. If there is another
collision, the airbag system will not deploy
again. If the airbag system has deployed,
have it replaced immediately by an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
— Fine dust may appear if the airbags deploy.
This is completely normal and does not indi-
cate a fire in the vehicle. The fine dust can ir-
ritate the skin and mucous membranes in
the eyes and can cause difficulty breathing,
particularly for individuals who have or have
had asthma or other health issues that af-

fect breathing. Exit the vehicle or open the
windows or doors to get access to fresh air.
(i) Tips
If you are transporting children in the vehicle,
read
the information and follow the safety
precautions > page 91.
Safety systems monitoring
The 2] indicator light in the instrument cluster
monitors the safety systems such as the airbags
(including the control modules, sensors, and wir-
ing) and the belt tensioners. It turns on when you
switch the ignition on and turns off after several
seconds.

If the ka indicator light does not turn on when
the ignition is switched on, does not turn off af-
ter several seconds, or turns on or flashes while
driving, there may be a malfunction in one of the
safety systems. Drive to an authorized Audi deal-
er or authorized Audi Service Facility immediately
to have the malfunction corrected.

ZA\ WARNING
Have the malfunction in the safety systems in-
spected immediately. Otherwise, there is a
risk that the systems may not activate during
an accident, which increases the risk of seri-
ous or fatal injury.

87

4N0012721BD
Sitting correctly and safely

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 airbag system

Fig. 79 Headliner: indicator light to display the status of
the front passenger's airbag
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
- Ea 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 occu-
pant detection sensor measures the electrical ca-
pacity on the front passenger’s seat. The pas-
senger's airbag is activated or deactivated de-
pending on the electrical capacity that is meas-
ured.
The passenger's airbag is activated if:
89

Sitting correctly and safely

— 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 #4, 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.
90
Always make sure the indicator light corresponds
to the occupancy of the front passenger's seat.
— Adults or individuals with a similar stature sit-
ting in the front passenger seat: The front pas-
senger's airbag must be activated.
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON @ must remain
on.
— Individuals with a smaller stature (for exam-
ple, adolescents or smaller adults) sitting in
the front passenger seat: The front passeng-
er's airbag must be activated.
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON ® must remain
on.
— Child in a child safety seat secured on the
front passenger seat: The front passenger's air-
bag must be deactivated.
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF ®, must remain
on.
— Front passenger seat is not occupied: The front
passenger's airbag must be deactivated.
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 3, must remain
on.

Z\ 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 72 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
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,