2020 AUDI R8 COUPE Owners Manual

4S1012721BA
Safety belts



— 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.
— 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 267.

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

|
B4H-0462



Fig. 153 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 properly > page 50, Front
seats.
> Pull the safety belt evenly across the chest and
pelvis > fig. 153, > 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 185. The func-
tion of the pretensioner is monitored by a warn-
ing light > page 17.
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
183
>

Safety belts

used to attach a child seat. Be sure to read the
important information about this feature
=> page 220.

ZA\ WARNING
Improperly positioned safety belts can cause
serious injury in an accident > page 184,
Safety belt position.
— Safety belts offer optimum protection only
when the seatback is upright and belts are
properly positioned on the body.
— 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 221.
G@) Tips
For information on safety belt pretensioners,
refer to > page 185.
Safety belt position
Correct belt position is the key to getting maxi-
mum protection from safety belts.


B4H-0751

Fig. 154 Safety belt position

Z\ WARNING
Improperly positioned safety belts can cause



serious personal injury in an accident.

184

— 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
snugly > fig. 154. 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 182.
cer aU aM Le Co lel acral a
ee Xe)
The best way to protect the fetus is to make sure
that expectant mothers always wear safety belts
correctly - throughout the pregnancy.

el
hs
Fig. 155 Safety belt position during pregnancy
To provide maximum protection, safety belts
must always be positioned correctly on the wear-
er's body > page 184.
> Adjust the front seat properly > page 50, 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. 155,> /\.
> Insert the tongue into the correct buckle of
your seat until you hear it latch securely
=> page 183, fig. 153.
> Pull on the belt to make sure that it is securely
latched in the buckle.

4S1012721BA

Safety belts


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 184.
eet Lime
Unbuckle the safety belt with the red release
button only after the vehicle has stopped.



B4H-0270

Fig. 156 Releasing the tongue from the buckle
> Push the red release button on the buckle
> fig. 156. 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.
Improperly worn safety belts
Incorrectly positioned safety belts can cause se-
vere injuries.


Wearing safety belts improperly can cause seri-
ous injury or death. Safety belts can only work
when they are correctly positioned on the body.
Improper seating positions reduce the effective-
ness of safety belts and will even increase the risk
of injury and death by moving the safety belt to
critical areas of the body. Improper seating posi-
tions also increase the risk of serious injury and
death when an airbag deploys and strikes an oc-
cupant who is not in the correct seating position.
A driver is responsible for the safety of all vehicle
occupants and especially for children. Therefore:
> Never permit anyone to assume an incorrect sit-
ting position in the vehicle while traveling
>.
ZA WARNING
Improperly worn safety belts increase the risk
of serious personal injury and death whenever
a vehicle is being used.
— Always make sure that all vehicle occupants
are correctly restrained and stay in a correct
seating position whenever the vehicle is be-
ing used.
— Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important information > page 182.



Safety belt tensioner
How safety belt pretensioners work
Pyrotechnic safety belt pretensioners
Seat belts with pyrotechnic safety belt preten-
sioners are tensioned automatically in severe col-
lisions, depending on the circumstances. This
helps to reduce the forward motion of the occu-
pants.

Z\ WARNING
—It is possible for the pretensioners to deploy
incorrectly.
— Any work on the tensioner system or remov-
al and installation of system components
for other repairs must be performed by a
qualified workshop.
— The pyrotechnic system can only provide
protection for one collision. If the pyrotech-
nic pretensioners deploy, the pretensioning
system must be replaced. >


185

Safety belts

@ Tips
—A fine dust is released when the pyrotechnic
safety belt pretensioners deploy. This is nor-
mal and is not caused by a fire in the vehi-
eles
— The relevant safety requirements must be
observed when the vehicle or components
of the system are scrapped. A qualified
dealership is familiar with these regulations
and will be pleased to pass on the informa-
tion to you.
Service and disposal of safety belt preten-
Serie
The safety belt pretensioners are parts of the
safety belts on your Audi. Installing, removing,
servicing or repairing of belt pretensioners can
damage the safety belt system and prevent it
from working correctly in a collision.
There are some important things you have to
know to make sure that the effectiveness of the
system will not be impaired and that discarded
components do not cause injury or pollute the
environment.

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


186

4S1012721BA
Airbag system

Airbag system
Important information
area e eo MIT a a Lee)
sitting properly
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. For
airbags to do their job, occupants must always
properly wear their safety belts and be in a prop-
er seating position.
For your safety and the safety of your passen-
gers, before driving off, always:
> Adjust the driver's seat and steering wheel
properly > page 174,
> Adjust the front passenger's seat properly
=>page 175,
> Wear safety belts properly > page 182,
> Always properly use the proper child restraint
to protect children > page 211.
In a collision airbags must inflate within the blink
of an eye and with considerable force. The sup-
plemental airbags can cause injuries if the driver
or the front seat passenger is not seated proper-
ly. Therefore in order to help the airbag to do its
job, it is important, both as a driver and as a pas-
senger to sit properly at all times.
By keeping room between your body and the
steering wheel and the front of the passenger
compartment, the airbag can inflate fully and
completely and provide supplemental protection
in certain frontal collisions > page 174, Correct
passenger seating positions. For details on the
operation of the seat adjustment controls
=> page 50.
It's especially important that children are proper-
ly restrained > page 211.
There is a lot that the driver and the passenger
can and must do to help the individual safety fea-
tures installed in your Audi work together as a
system.
Proper seating position is important so that the
front airbag on the driver side can do its job. If
you have a physical impairment or condition that
prevents you from sitting properly on the driver
seat with the safety belt properly fastened and
reaching the pedals, or if you have concerns with
regard to the function or operation of the Ad-
vanced Airbag System, please contact your au-
thorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop, or
call Audi Customer Relations at 1-800-822-2834
for possible modifications to your vehicle.
When the airbag system deploys, a gas generator
will fill the airbags, break open the padded cov-
ers, and inflate between the steering wheel and
the driver and between the instrument panel and
the front passenger. The airbags will deflate im-
mediately after deployment so that the front oc-
cupants can see through the windshield again
without interruption.
All of this takes place in the blink of an eye, so
fast that many people don't even realize that the
airbags have deployed. The airbags also inflate
with a great deal of force and nothing should be
in their way when they deploy. Front airbags in
combination with properly worn safety belts slow
down and limit the occupant's forward move-
ment. Together they help to prevent the driver
and passenger from hitting parts of the inside
the vehicle while reducing the forces acting on
the occupant during the crash. In this way they
help to reduce the risk of injury to the head and
upper body in the crash. Airbags do not protect
the arms or the lower parts of the body.
Both front airbags will not inflate in all frontal
collisions. The triggering of the airbag system de-
pends on the vehicle deceleration rate caused by
the collision and registered by the electronic con-
trol unit. If this rate is below the reference value
programmed into the control unit, the airbags
will not be triggered, even though the car may be
badly damaged as a result of the collision. Vehi-
cle damage, repair costs or even the lack of vehi-
cle damage is not necessarily an indication of
whether an airbag should inflate or not.
Since the circumstances will vary considerably
between one collision and another, it is not possi-
ble to define a range of vehicle speeds that will
cover every possible kind and angle of impact
that will always trigger the airbags. Important
factors include, for example, the nature (hard or
soft) of the object which the car hits, the angle of
impact, vehicle speed, etc. The front airbags will >
187

Airbag system

also not inflate in side or rear collisions, or in roll-
overs.
Always remember: Airbags will deploy only once,
and only in certain kinds of collisions. Your safety
belts are always there to offer protection in those
situations in which airbags are not supposed to
deploy, or when they have already deployed; for
example, when your vehicle strikes or is struck by
another vehicle after the first collision.
This is just one of the reasons why an airbag is a
supplementary restraint and is not a substitute
for a safety belt. The airbag system works most
effectively when used with the safety belts.
Therefore, always properly wear your safety belts
=> page 180.

ZA WARNING
Sitting too close to the steering wheel or in-
strument panel will decrease the effective-
ness of the airbags and will increase the risk
of personal injury in a collision.
— Never sit closer than 10 in (25 cm) to the
steering wheel or instrument panel.
— If you cannot sit more than 10 in (25 cm)
from the steering wheel, investigate wheth-
er adaptive equipment may be available to
held you reach the pedals and increase your
seating distance from the steering wheel.
— If you are unrestrained, leaning forward, sit-
ting sideways or out of position in any way,
your risk of injury is much higher.
— You will also receive serious injuries and
could even be killed if you are up against the
airbag or too close to it when it inflates -
even with an Advanced Airbag.
— To reduce the risk of injury when an airbag
inflates, always wear safety belts properly
=> page 183, Safety belts.
— If children are not properly restrained, they
may be severely injured or killed when an
airbag inflates.
— Never let children ride unrestrained or im-
properly restrained in the vehicle. Adjust the
front seats properly.
— Never ride with the backrest reclined.

188

— Always sit as far as possible from the steer-
ing wheel or the instrument panel
=> page 174.
— Always sit upright with your back against
the backrest of your seat.
— Never place your feet on the instrument
panel or on the seat. Always keep both feet
on the floor in front of the seat to help pre-
vent serious injuries to the legs and hips if
the airbag inflates.

ZA WARNING
Airbags that have deployed in a crash must be
replaced.
— Use only original equipment airbags ap-
proved by Audi and installed by a trained
technician who has the necessary tools and
diagnostic equipment to properly replace
any airbag in your vehicle and assure system
effectiveness ina crash.
— Never permit salvaged or recycled airbags to
be installed in your vehicle.
Child restraints on the front seat - some
aa) ela emaemken ale
> Be sure to read the important information and
head the WARNINGS for important details
about children and Advanced Airbags
> page 211.


The airbag on the passenger side makes the front
seat a potentially dangerous place for a child to
ride. The front seat is not the safest place for a
child in a forward-facing child safety seat. It can
be a very dangerous place for an infant or a child
in a rearward-facing seat.
The Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle has
been certified to comply with the requirements
of 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 requirements, the front Advanced
Airbag System on the passenger side has been
certified for “suppression” for infants of about >

4S1012721BA
Airbag system

12 month old and younger and for “low risk de-
ployment” for children aged 3 to 6 years old (as
defined in the standard).
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 3; light in the
headliner tells you when the front Advanced Air-
bag on the passenger side has been turned off by
the electronic control unit.
Each time you turn on the ignition, the PASSEN-
GER AIR BAG OFF 3; ON @ light will come on
for a few seconds and:
— PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 3; will come on if
the front passenger seat is not occupied,
— PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 3; will come on if
the electrical capacitance measured by the ca-
pacitive passenger detection system for the
front passenger seat equals the combined ca-
pacitance of an infant up to about one year of
age and one of the rearward-facing or forward-
facing child restraints listed in Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard 208 with which the Ad-
vanced Airbag System in your vehicle was certi-
fied. For a listing of the child restraints that
were used to certify your vehicle's compliance
with the U.S. Safety Standard > page 213.
— PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #; will come on if
there is a small child or child restraint on the
front passenger seat,
— PASSENGER AIR BAG ON @ will go off if the
front passenger seat is occupied by an adult as
registered by the capacitive passenger detec-
tion system > page 198, Monitoring the Ad-
vanced Airbag System.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 3; light comes on
when electrical capacitance registered on the
front passenger seat is equal to or less than the
combined capacitance of a typical 1 year-old in-
fant and one of the rearward-facing or forward-
facing child restraints listed in Federal Motor Ve-
hicle Safety Standard 208 with which the Ad-
vanced Airbag System in your vehicle was certi-
fied.
If the total electrical capacitance registered on
the front passenger seat is more than that of a
typical 1 year-old child but less than the weight
of a small adult, the front airbag on the passen-
ger side can deploy (the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF 3¥; light does not come on).
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 3%; light does
not come on, the front airbag on the passenger
side has not been turned off by the electronic
control unit and can deploy if the control unit
senses an impact that meets the conditions stor-
ed in its memory.
For example, the airbag may deploy if:
—asmall child that is heavier than a typical 1
year-old child is on the front passenger seat (re-
gardless of whether the child is in one of the
child safety seats listed > page 213), or
—a child who has outgrown child restraints is on
the front passenger seat.
If the front passenger airbag is turned off, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #; light comes on in
the headliner and stays on.
If the front passenger airbag deploys, the Federal
Standard requires the airbag to meet the “low
risk” deployment criteria to reduce the risk of in-
jury through interaction with the airbag. “Low
risk” deployment occurs in those crashes that
take place at lower decelerations as defined in
the electronic control unit > page 199, PASSEN-
GER AIR BAG OFF $¥; ON ® light.
Always remember, a child seat or infant carrier
installed on the front seat may be struck and
knocked out of position by the rapidly inflating
passenger's airbag in a frontal collision. The air-
bag could greatly reduce the effectiveness of the
child restraint and even seriously injure the child
during inflation.

Z\ WARNING
A child in a rearward-facing child seat instal-
led on the front passenger seat will be seri-
ously injured and can be killed if the front air-
bag inflates - even with an Advanced Airbag
System.
— The inflating airbag will hit the child seat or
infant carrier with great force and will
smash the child seat and child against the
backrest, center armrest, door or roof. >

189

Airbag system


— Forward-facing child seats installed on the
front passenger's seat may interfere with
the deployment of the airbag and cause seri-
ous personal injury to the child.

ZA WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstances, you must in-
stall a forward-facing child restraint on the
front passenger's seat:
— Always make sure the forward-facing seat
has been designed and certified by its manu-
facturer for use on a front seat with a pas-
senger front and side airbag.
— Never put the forward-facing child restraint
up against or very near the instrument pan-
el.
— Always move the front passenger seat to the
highest position in the up and down adjust-
ment range and move it back to the rear-
most position in the seat's fore and aft ad-
justment range, as far away from the airbag
as possible, before installing the forward-
facing child restraint.
— Always make sure that the safety belt upper
anchorage is behind the child restraint and
not next to or in front of the child restraint
so that the safety belt will be properly posi-
tioned.
— Make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF 7%; light comes on and stays on all the
time whenever the ignition is switched on.

Z\ WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstances, you must in-
stall a forward or rearward-facing child re-
straint on the front passenger's seat:
— Improper installation of child restraints can
reduce their effectiveness or even prevent
them from providing any protection.
— An improperly installed child restraint can
interfere with the airbag as it deploys and
seriously
injure or even kill the child - even
with an Advanced Airbag System.
— Always carefully follow the manufacturer's
instructions provided with the child seat or
carrier.
— Always make sure that there is nothing on
the front passenger seat that will cause the
capacitive passenger detection system in
the seat to signal to the Airbag System that
the seat is occupied by a person when it is
not, or to signal that it is occupied by some-
one who is heavier than the person actually
sitting on the seat. The presence of addi-
tional objects could cause the passenger
front airbag to be turned on when it should
be off, or could cause the airbag to work ina
way that is different from the way it would
have worked without the object on the seat.


ZA WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury, make sure
that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 3; light
will be displayed whenever a child restraint is
installed on the front passenger seat and the
ignition is switched on.
— If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 3; light
does not stay on, perform the checks descri-
bed > page 198, Monitoring the Advanced
Airbag System.
— Have the airbag system inspected by your
Audi dealer immediately.
— Always carefully follow instructions from
child restraint manufacturers when instal-
ling child restraints.

190