2020 AUDI R8 COUPE Owners Manual

4S1012721BA
Airbag system



have not been specifically approved by Au-
di.
— Never use additional seat cushions that
cover the areas where the side airbags de-
ploy.
— Damage to the original seat covers or to
the seam in the area of the side airbag
module must always be repaired immedi-
ately by an authorized Audi dealer.
— Objects between you and the airbag can in-
crease the risk of injury in an accident by in-
terfering with the way the airbag unfolds or
by being pushed into you as the airbag in-
flates.
— Never place or attach accessories or other
objects (such as cup holders, telephone
brackets, or even large, bulky objects) on
the doors, over or near the area marked
“AIRBAG” on the seat backrests.
— Such objects and accessories can become
dangerous projectiles and cause injury
when the supplemental side airbag de-
ploys.
— Never carry any objects or pets in the de-
ployment space between them and the air-
bags or allow children or other passengers
to travel in this position.
— Always use the built-in coat hooks only for
lightweight clothing. Never leave any heavy
or sharp-edged objects in the pockets that
may interfere with side airbag deployment
and can cause personal injury in an accident.
— Always prevent the side airbags from being
damaged by heavy objects knocking against
or hitting the sides of the seatbacks.
— The airbag system can only be triggered
once. If the airbag has been triggered, the
system must be replaced by an authorized
Audi dealership.
— Damage (cracks, deep scratches etc.) to the
original seat covers or to the seam in the
area of the side airbag module must always
be repaired immediately by an authorized
Audi dealer.
— If children are seated improperly, their risk
of injury increases in the case of an accident
= page 211, Child safety.

— Never attempt to modify any components of
the airbag system in any way.
—Ina side collision, side airbags will not func-
tion properly if sensors cannot correctly
measure increasing air pressure inside the
doors when air escapes through larger, un-
closed openings in the door panel.
— Never drive with interior door trim panels
removed.
— Never drive when parts have been removed
from the inside door panel and the open-
ings they leave have not been properly
closed.
— Never drive when loudspeakers in the
doors have been removed unless the
speaker holes have been properly closed.
— Always make certain that openings are
covered or filled if additional speakers or
other equipment is installed in the inside
door panels.
— Always have work on the doors done by an
authorized Audi dealer or qualified work-
shop.


Side curtain airbags
Description of side curtain airbags
Applies to: vehicles with side curtain airbags
The side curtain airbag system can provide sup-
plemental protection to properly restrained oc-
cupants.

Fig. 166 Side curtain airbags, driver's side: side curtain air-
bag location
The side curtain airbags are located on both sides
of the interior above the front and rear side win-
dows > fig. 166. They are identified by the word >
207

Airbag system

“AIRBAG” on the windshield frame and the cen-
ter roof pillar.
The side curtain airbags contain features that
provide ejection mitigation to help prevent vehi-
cle occupants or parts of their bodies from being
completely or partially ejected from the vehicle
interior in certain side impacts and vehicle roll-
overs.
The side curtain airbag system supplements the
safety belts and can help to reduce the risk of in-
jury for occupants’ heads and upper torso. The
side curtain airbag inflates in side impacts and
only when the vehicle acceleration registered by
the control unit is high enough. If this rate is be-
low the reference value programmed into the
control unit, the side curtain airbag will not be
triggered, even though the car may be badly
damaged as a result of the collision. It is not pos-
sible to define an airbag triggering range that
will cover every possible angle of impact, since
the circumstances will vary considerably between
one collision and another. Important factors in-
clude, for example, the nature (hard or soft) of
the impacting object, the angle of impact, vehicle
speed, etc. > page 209, How side curtain airbags
work.
Aside from their normal safety function, safety
belts work to help keep the driver or front pas-
senger in position in the event of a collision so
that the side curtain airbags can provide protec-
tion.
The airbag system is not a substitute for your
safety belt. Rather, it is part of the overall occu-
pant restraint system in your vehicle. Always re-
member that the airbag system can only help to
protect you if you are wearing your safety belt
and wearing it properly. This is another reason
why you should always wear your safety belts,
not just because the law requires you to do so
=> page 180, General notes.
It is important to remember that while the side
curtain airbag system is designed to help reduce
the likelihood of serious injuries, other injuries,
for example, swelling, bruising, friction burns
and minor abrasions can also be associated with
these airbags upon deployment. Remember too,
208
these airbags will deploy only once and only in
certain kinds of accidents - your safety belts are
always there to offer protection.
The side curtain airbag system basically
consists of:
— The electronic control module and external side
impact sensors
— The side curtain airbags above the front and
rear side windows with ejection mitigation fea-
tures
— The airbag indicator light in the instrument
panel
The airbag system is monitored electronically to
make certain it is functioning properly at all
times. Each time you switch on the ignition, the
airbag system indicator light will come on for a
few seconds (self diagnostics).
The side curtain airbag is not activated:
— if the ignition is switched off,
— in side collisions when the acceleration meas-
ured by the sensor is too low,
—in rear-end collisions.

Z\ WARNING
— Safety belts and the airbag system will only
provide protection when occupants are in
the proper seating position > page 50,
Front seats.
— If the airbag indicator light > page 17
comes when the vehicle is being used, have
the system inspected immediately by your
authorized Audi dealer. It is possible that
the airbag will inflate when it is not sup-
posed to, or will not inflate when it should.

4S1012721BA
Airbag system

How side curtain airbags work
Applies to: vehicles with side curtain airbags
Side curtain airbags can work together with side
airbags to help reduce the risk of head and upper
torso injuries for occupants who are properly re-
strained.

B4S-0115

Fig. 167 Illustration of principle: Inflated side curtain air-
bags on the left side
The side curtain airbags inflate between the oc-
cupant and the windows on the side of the vehi-
cle that is struck in a side collision > fig. 167.
When the system is triggered, the side curtain
airbag is filled with propellant gas and breaks
through a seam above the front and rear side
windows identified by the AIRBAG label. In order
to help provide this additional protection, the
side curtain airbag must inflate within the blink
of an eye at very high speed and with great force.
The side curtain airbag could injure you if your
seating position is not proper or upright or if
items are located in the area where the supple-
mental side curtain airbag inflates. This applies
especially to children > page 211.
Although they are not a soft pillow, side curtain
airbags can “cushion” the impact and in this way
they can help to reduce the risk of injury to the
head and the upper part of the body.
A fine dust may develop when the airbag deploys.
This is quite normal and does not mean there is a
fire in the vehicle.

Important safety instructions on the side
ty le S)i)
Applies to: vehicles with side curtain airbags
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. Always
properly wear safety belts and ride in a proper
seating position.
There is a lot that you and your passenger must
know and do to help the safety belts and airbags
do their job to provide supplemental protection.

ZA WARNING
Improperly wearing safety belts and improper
seating positions increase the risk of serious
personal injury and death whenever a vehicle
is being used.
— Never let occupants place any parts of their
bodies in the area from which the side cur-
tain airbag inflate.
— Always make sure that the side curtain air-
bags can inflate without interference.
— Use the built-in coat hooks only for light-
weight clothing. Never leave any heavy or
sharp-edged objects in the pockets that may
interfere with airbag deployment and can
cause personal injury in a collision.
— Never use hangers to hang clothes on the
hooks.
— Only use factory-installed sun shades or, if
shades installed after the vehicle leaves the
factory, use only genuine Audi sun shades.
—A deploying airbag inflates in a fraction of a
second and with great force.
— Never attach objects to the cover or in the
deployment zone of a side curtain airbag.
— The airbag deployment zones must be kept
clear at all times. Make sure there are no ob-
jects, pets, or other persons in the space be-
tween any vehicle occupant and any airbag
at any time.
— Do not attach any accessories to the doors.

ZA WARNING
—The airbag system can deploy only once. If
the airbag has been triggered, the system
must be replaced by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop.


209

Airbag system

— Always have work involving the side curtain
airbag system, removal and installation of
the airbag components, or other repairs per-
formed by a qualified dealership. Otherwise
the airbag system may not work correctly.
— Never attempt to modify any components of
the airbag system in any way.

210

4S1012721BA
Child safety

Child safety
Important information
Introduction
The physical principles of what happens when
your vehicle is in a crash apply also to children
= page 181, What happens to occupants not
wearing safety belts?. But unlike adults and
teenagers, their muscles and bones are not fully
developed. In many respects children are at
greater risk of serious injury in crashes than
adults.
Because children's bodies are not fully developed,
they require restraint systems especially de-
signed for their size, weight, and body structure.
Many countries and all states of the United
States and provinces of Canada have laws requir-
ing the use of approved child restraint systems
for infants and small children.
Ina frontal crash at a speed of 20-35 mph
(30-56 km/h) the forces acting on a 13 Lbs (6 kg)
infant will be more than 20 times the weight of
the child. This means the weight of the child
would suddenly be more than 260 lbs (120 kg).
Under these conditions, only an appropriate child
restraint properly used can reduce the risk of seri-
ous injury. Child restraints, like adult safety belts,
must be used properly to be effective. Used im-
properly, they can increase the risk of serious in-
jury in an accident.
If you must install a child restraint on the front
passenger seat in exceptional circumstances, be
sure to read and heed the important information
and warnings > page 188. Infants and other chil-
dren who are properly restrained in an appropri-
ate child restraint that is for their size and age
can benefit from the protection that supplemen-
tal side airbags provide in some kinds of crashes.
For more information please see information pro-
vided by the:
— National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), currently at : http://www.safercar.gov
(for the USA)
— Transport Canada Information Centre, currently
at: http://www.tc.gc.ca (for Canada)
Consult the child safety seat manufacturer's in-
structions in order to be sure the seat is right for
your child's size > page 214, Important safety
instructions for using child safety seats. Please
be sure to read and heed all of the important in-
formation and WARNINGS about child safety, Ad-
vanced Airbags, and the installation of child re-
straints in this chapter.
There is a lot you need to know about the Ad-
vanced Airbags in your vehicle and how they work
when infants and children in child restraints are
on the front passenger seat. Because of the large
amount of important information, we cannot re-
peat it all here. We urge you to read the detailed
information in this owner's manual about airbags
and the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle
and the very important information about trans-
porting children on the front passenger seat.
Please be sure to heed the WARNINGS - they are
extremely important for your safety and the safe-
ty of your passengers, especially infants and
small children.

ZA\ WARNING
All vehicle occupants and especially children
must be restrained properly whenever riding
in a vehicle. An unrestrained or improperly re-
strained child could be injured by striking the
interior or by being ejected from the vehicle
during a sudden maneuver or impact. An un-
restrained or improperly restrained child is al-
so at greater risk of injury or death through
contact with an inflating airbag.

Z\ WARNING
Children on the front seat of any car even with
Advanced Airbags can be seriously injured or
even killed when an airbag inflates. 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 in-
flates.
— 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.

211

Child safety


— Never install a rearward facing child safety
seat on the front passenger seat if the PAS-
SENGER AIR BAG OFF 3; light does not
turn on and stay on. Have the system in-
spected immediately by an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility.

ZA WARNING
— Forward-facing child seats installed on the
front passenger seat may interfere with the
deployment of the airbag and cause serious
personal injury to the child.
— If exceptional circumstances require the use
of a forward-facing child restraint on the
front passenger's seat, the child's safety and
well-being require the following special pre-
cautions to be taken:
— Always make sure that the forward-facing
seat has been designed and certified by its
manufacturer for use on a front passenger
seat with a front and side airbag.
— Always carefully follow the manufacturer's
instructions provided with the child seat or
infant carrier.
— Never put the forward-facing child re-
straint up against or very near the instru-
ment panel.
— Always move the front passenger seat to
the highest position in the up and down
adjustment range and move it back to the
rearmost position in the seat's fore and aft
adjustment range, as far away from the
airbag as possible, before installing the
forward-facing child restraint.
— Always make sure that the safety belt up-
per
anchorage is behind the child restraint
and not next to or in front of the child re-
straint so that the safety belt will be prop-
erly positioned.
— Always make sure that nothing prevents
the front passenger's seat from being
moved to the rearmost position in its fore
and aft adjustment range.
— Never place objects on the seat (such as a
laptop, CD player, electronic games device,
power inverter or seat heater for child
seats). These may influence the electrical


capacitance measured by the capacitive
passenger detection system and can also
fly around in an accident and cause serious
personal injury.
— Never place or use any electrical device
(such as a laptop, CD player, electronic
games device, power inverter or seat heat-
er for child seats) on the front passenger
seat if the device is connected to the 12-
volt socket or the cigarette lighter socket.
— Ifa seat heater has been retrofitted or
otherwise added to the front passenger
seat, never install any child restraint sys-
tem on this seat.
— Make sure that there are no wet objects
(such as a wet towel) and no water or oth-
er liquids on the front passenger seat
cushion.
— Always make sure that the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF %; light comes on and stays
on all the time whenever the ignition is
switched on.
— Never install a forward-facing child safety
seat on the front passenger seat if the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF %; light does
not turn on and stay on. Have the system
inspected immediately by an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fa-
cility.
— Always buckle the child seat firmly in place
even if a child is not sitting in it. A loose
child seat can fly around during a sudden
stop or in a collision.
— Always read and heed all WARNINGS
whenever using a child restraint in a vehi-
cle S page 180, Safety belts, > page 187,
Airbag system and > page 211, Important
information.


212
G) Tips
Always replace child restraints that were in-
stalled in a vehicle during a crash. Damage to
a child restraint that is not visible could cause
it to fail in another collision situation.

4S1012721BA
Child safety

NeW icelai eel ias-le meee Maal Cele)
Your vehicle is equipped with a front “Advanced
Airbag System” in compliance with United States
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS)
208, as well as Canada Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard (CMVSS) 208 as applicable at the time
your vehicle was manufactured.
The Advanced Airbag system in your vehicle has
been certified to meet the “low-risk” require-
ments for 3- and 6-year old children on the pas-
senger side and small adults on the driver side.
The low risk deployment criteria are intended to
reduce the risk of injury through interaction with
the airbag that can occur, for example, by being
too close to the steering wheel and instrument
panel when the airbag inflates. In addition, the
system has been certified to comply with the
“suppression” requirements of the Safety Stand-
ard, to turn off the front airbag for infants up to
12 months who are restrained on the front pas-
senger seat in child restraints that are listed in
the Standard.
Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Ad-
vanced Airbag system, a child should always ride
in the seat properly restrained for its age and
size. 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
larger child in a rearward-facing seat.
The vehicle's Advanced Airbag System has a ca-
pacitive passenger detection system in the front
passenger seat cushion that can detect the pres-
ence of a baby or a child ina child restraint sys-
tem on this seat.
The capacitive passenger detection system regis-
ters the changes that result in an electrical field
when a child, a child restraint, and a baby blanket
are on the front passenger seat. The change in
the measured capacitance due to the presence of
a child, a child restraint, and a baby blanket on
the front passenger seat is related to the child re-
straint system resting on the seat. The measured
capacitance of a child restraint system varies de-
pending on the type of system and specific make
and model.
The electrical capacitance of the various types,
makes, and models of child restraints specified
by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Ad-
ministration (NHTSA) in the relevant safety
standard are stored in the Advanced Airbag Sys-
tem control unit together with the capacitances
typical of infants and a 1-year old child. When a
child restraint is used on the front passenger seat
with a typical 1 year-old infant, the Advanced Air-
bag System compares the capacitance measured
by the capacitive passenger detection system
with the data stored in the electronic control
unit.
Ce CMe ee aha acl a Tig ey- le)
system
Regardless of the child restraint that you use,
make sure that it has been certified to meet Safe-
ty Standards and has been certified by its manu-
facturer for use with an airbag. If in exceptional
circumstances you must use it on the front pas-
senger seat, carefully read all of the information
on child safety and Advanced Airbags and heed
all of the applicable WARNINGS. Make certain
that the child and child restraint are correctly rec-
ognized by the capacitive passenger detection
system in the front passenger seat, that the front
passenger airbag is turned off, and that the air-
bag status is always correctly signaled by the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #; light.
Many types and models of child restraints have
been available over the years, new models are in-
troduced regularly incorporating new and im-
proved designs and older models are taken out of
production. Child restraints are not standardized.
Child restraints of the same type typically have
different
weights and sizes and different “foot-
prints”, the size and shape of the bottom of the
child restraint that sits on the seat, when they
are installed on a vehicle seat. These differences
make it virtually impossible to certify compliance
with the requirements for advanced airbags with
each and every child restraint that has ever been
sold in the past or will be sold over the course of
the useful life of your vehicle.
213

Child safety

For this reason, the United States National High-
way Traffic Safety Administration has published a
list of specific type, makes and models of child
restraints that must be used to certify compli-
ance of the Advanced Airbag System in your vehi-
cle with the suppression requirements of Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208. These child
restraints are:
Subpart A - Car bed child restraints

Model Manufactured on or
after

Evenflo Medallion 254 |December 1, 1999

Evenflo Generations
352xxxx
September 25, 2007

Graco ComfortSport September 25, 2007


Model Manufactured on or
after

Angel Guard Angel September 25, 2007
Ride AA2403FOF

Subpart B - Rear-facing child restraints

Model Manufactured on or
after

Century SmartFit 4543 | December 1, 1999

Cosco Arriva
22-013PAW and base
22-999WHO
September 25, 2007

Evenflo Discovery Ad- |December 1, 1999
just Right 212
Graco Toddler Safety
Seat Step 2
Graco Platinum Cargo
September 25, 2007


September 25, 2007


Z\ WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury, make sure
that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #; light
comes on and stays on whenever a child re-
straint is installed on the front passenger seat
and the ignition is switched on.
— Never install a reward facing child safety
seat on the front passenger seat if the PAS-
SENGER AIR BAG OFF 3%; light does not
turn on and stay on.
— Have the airbag system inspected by your
authorized Audi dealer immediately.


Evenflo First Choice
204
December 1, 1999

Graco Infant 8457 December 1, 1999

Graco Snugride September 25, 2007

Peg Perego Primo Viag- | September 25, 2007
gio SIP IMUNOOUS

Subpart C - Forward-facing and convertible
child restraints

Model Manufactured on or
after

Britax Roundabout
E9QLO2xx
September 25, 2007

Cosco Touriva 02519 December 1, 1999

Cosco Summit Deluxe
High Back Booster
September 25, 2007



22-262
Cosco High Back Boos- | September 25, 2007
ter 22-209
Evenflo Tribute V September 25, 2007
37 9XXxx

214

@) Tips
The child seats listed in categories A to C have
been statically tested by Audi only for the Ad-
vanced Airbag function.
acetamide mCi iis)
nema aT)
Correct use of child safety seats substantially re-
duces the risk of injury in an accident!
As the driver, you are responsible for the safety of
everybody in the vehicle, especially children:
> Always use the right child safety seat for each
child and always use it properly > page 216.
> Always carefully follow the child safety seat
manufacturer's instructions on how to route
the safety belt properly through the child safe-
ty seat.
> When using the vehicle safety belt to install a
child safety seat, you must first activate the
convertible locking retractor on the safety belt
to prevent the child safety seat from moving
=> page 220.