2021 AUDI A4 sensor

8W1012721BC
Lights and Vision



which increases the risk of an accident. They
can also cause wiper blade chatter.
— Properly functioning windshield wiper
blades are required for a clear view and safe
driving > page 59, Cleaning/changing wip-
er blades.

@) Note
— If there is frost, make sure the windshield
wiper blades are not frozen to the wind-
shield. Switching on the windshield wipers
when the blades are frozen to the wind-
shield can damage the wiper blades.
— Prior to using a car wash, the windshield
wiper system must be switched off (lever in
position @). This prevents the wipers from
switching on unintentionally and causing
damage to the windshield wiper system.
@) Tips
— The windshield wipers switch off when the
ignition is switched off. You can activate the
windshield wipers after the ignition is
switched on again by moving the windshield
wiper lever to any position. The single wipe
function (lever in position @)) also functions
when the ignition is switched off.
— Worn or dirty windshield wiper blades result
in streaking. This can affect the rain sensor
function. Check your windshield wiper
blades regularly.
— The washer fluid nozzles for the windshield
washer system are heated when the ignition
is on if the outside temperature is low.
— When stopping temporarily, such as at a
traffic light, the speed of the windshield
wipers automatically reduces by one level.
(eG ee a kes ce wiper blades
Fig. 52 Windshield wipers: changing the wiper blades

B8V-0696]

Wiper blade replacement position
> Switch off the ignition and hold the windshield
wiper lever in position @) > page 58, fig. 50 un-
til the windshield wiper moves into the wiper
blade replacement position.
> To bring the windshield wipers into the normal
position, switch the ignition on and hold the
windshield wiper lever in position @) until the
windshield wipers go back to the original posi-
tion, or drive faster than 8 mph (12 km/h).
You can also turn the wiper blade replacement
position on or off in the MMI:
> Switch the windshield wipers off (position @
=> page 58, fig. 50).
> Applies to MMI: Select on the home screen: VE-
HICLE > Settings & Service > Wiper change po-
sition.
Cleaning the wiper blades
Requirement: the windshield wipers must be in
the wiper blade replacement position.
> Fold the windshield wiper arm away from the
windshield.
> For information on cleaning, see > table on
page 256.
Replacing the wiper blades
Requirement: the windshield wipers must be in
the wiper blade replacement position.
> Fold the windshield wiper arm away from the
windshield.
> Press the locking knob () on the wiper blade.
Hold the wiper blade firmly.
59

Lights and Vision

> Remove the wiper blade from the windshield
wiper arm mount @).
> Insert the new wiper blade into the mount on
the wiper arm until it clicks into place.
> Place the wiper arm back on the windshield.
> Exit the wiper blade replacement position.

ZX WARNING
— For safety reasons, the windshield wiper
blades should be replaced once or twice
each year.
— Dirty windshield wiper blades can impair vi-
sion, which increases the risk of an accident.
©) Note
— The windshield wipers must only be lifted
up when in the wiper blade replacement po-
sition. Otherwise, you risk damaging the
paint on the hood or the windshield wiper
motor.


— You should not move your vehicle or press
the windshield wiper lever when the wiper
arms are folded up from the windshield. The
windshield wipers would move back into
their original position and could damage the
hood and windshield.
Gi) Tips
— You can also use the wiper blade replace-
ment position for other reasons, for exam-
ple if you want to protect the windshield
from icing by using a cover.
— You cannot activate the wiper blade replace-
ment position when the hood is open.
(aE Th} anging the rear wiper blade
Applies to: vehicles with rear window wiper

B8R-0380



Fig. 53 Rear window wiper: installing the wiper blade
60
Cleaning the wiper blades
> Fold the wiper arm away from the rear window.
>» For information on cleaning, see > table on
page 256.
Removing the wiper blade
> Fold the wiper arm away from the rear window.
> Remove the wiper blade from its holder.
Installing the wiper blade
> Press the wiper blade mount into the retainer.
> Fold the window wiper arm back onto the rear
window.

ZA WARNING
For safety reasons, the windshield wiper
blades should be replaced once or twice each
year.
Messages
If the & indicator light turns on, then there is a
windshield wiper malfunction. The message that
is also displayed indicates the cause and possible
solutions. If one of the messages does not turn
off, drive immediately to an authorized Audi deal-
er or authorized Audi Service Facility to have the
malfunction repaired.


a Automatic wipers: malfunction! See owner's
manual
The light/rain sensor is malfunctioning. You can
still control all functions that are not controlled
by the rain sensor using the windshield wiper lev-
er. Drive immediately to an authorized Audi deal-
er or authorized Audi Service Facility to have the
malfunction repaired.

Sitting correctly and safely


of whether the seat is equipped with an air-
bag 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, or in the footwell.
— 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.
— Damage to the original seat covers in the
side airbag deployment area must always be
repaired by an authorized Audi dealer or au-
thorized 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

72
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 76.
Safety systems monitoring
The ka indicator light in the instrument cluster
monitors the safety systems such as the airbags
(including the control modules, sensor, and wir-
ing) and the belt tensioners. It turns on when you
switch the ignition on and turns off after several
seconds.


If the indicator light does not turn on when the
ignition is switched on, does not turn off after
several seconds, or turns on or flashes while driv-
ing, 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.

8W1012721BC
Sitting correctly and safely

Description




RAZ-0239

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.
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
Fig. 68 Airbag overview image (enlarged section: deployed airbags)
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
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 74.
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 >
73

Sitting correctly and safely

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. 69 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
74
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 asmall 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
— PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF ; ON ® indi-
cator light in the headliner:this indicates if the
front passenger's airbag is activated or deacti-
vated
- 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 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:
— The electrical capacity is higher than the
threshold stored in the control module

8W1012721BC
Assist systems

Assist systems
General information
Sra eel delay

ZA\ WARNING
— As the driver, you are always completely re-
sponsible for all driving tasks. The assist
systems cannot replace the driver's atten-
tion. Give your full attention to driving the
vehicle, and be ready to intervene in the
traffic situation at all times.
— Activate the assist systems only if the sur-
rounding conditions permit it. Always adapt
your driving style to the current visual,
weather, road, and traffic conditions.
— 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.
— For the assist systems to be able to react
correctly, the function of the sensors and
cameras must not be restricted. Note the in-
formation on sensors and cameras
=>page 118.


@ Tips
— Pay attention to applicable local regulations
relating to driving tasks, leaving space for
emergency vehicles, vehicle distance, speed,
parking location, wheel placement, etc. The
driver is always responsible for following
the laws that are applicable in the location
where the vehicle is being operated.
— You can cancel a steering or braking inter-
vention by the system, by braking or accel-
erating noticeably, steering, or deactivating
the respective assist system.
— Always check the assist systems settings be-
fore driving. The settings could have been
changed, for example by other drivers.
System limitations
ZA\ WARNING
—The use of an assist system cannot over-
come the natural laws of physics. A collision
cannot be prevented in certain circumstan-
ces.
— Warnings, messages, or indicator lights may
not be displayed or initiated on time or cor-
rectly, for example, if vehicles are approach-
ing very fast.
— Corrective interventions by the assist sys-
tems, such as steering or braking interven-
tions, may not be sufficient or they may not
occur. Always be ready to intervene.
@) Tips
— Due to the system limitations when detect-
ing the surrounding area, the systems may
warn or intervene unexpectedly or too late
in certain situations. The assist systems may
also interpret a driving maneuver incorrectly
and then warn the driver unexpectedly.
— The systems may not function as expected
in unusual driving situations, such as driving
offroad, on unpaved roads, on loose ground,
on inclines, or on grooves in the road.
— The systems may not function correctly in
unclear traffic situations, such as turning
lanes, exit ramps, construction zones, rises
or dips that obstruct visibility, intersections,
toll stations, or city traffic.
— The detection of the surrounding area can
be limited, for example by vehicles driving
ahead or by rain, snow, heavy spray, or light
shining into the camera.
— The steering wheel touch recognition may
be limited when you wear gloves. Steering
intervention requests from the steering as-
sist systems may occur more frequently.
— If accessories have been mounted on the
steering wheel, the steering assist systems
may
be limited. The frequency of steering
intervention requests from the steering as-
sist systems may vary as well.


117

Assist systems

Surrounding area
detection
Senso d camera coverage areas

B8V-0687

Fig. 100 Rearview camera coverage area
The assist systems analyze the data from various
sensors and cameras installed in the vehicle. Do
not use any assist systems if there is damage in
there area of the sensors and cameras or on the
vehicle underbody. Damage can impair the func-
tion of the sensors and cameras or cause mal-
functions. Have an authorized Audi dealer or au-
thorized Audi Service Facility check their func-
tion.
118

Radar sensors
Depending on the vehicle equipment, the area
surrounding the entire vehicle may be detected
> fig. 99 ©.
The wheel sensors on the rear corners of the vehi-
cle are positioned so that the adjacent lanes to
the left and right are detected on roads with a
normal lane width.
Ultrasonic sensors
Depending on vehicle equipment, various areas
may be displayed in the MMI using the ultrasonic
sensors > fig. 99.
The range of the displays depends on the location
of the ultrasonic sensors:
@ Approximately 4 feet (1.20 m)
@® Approximately 3 feet (0.90 m)
@® Approximately 5.2 feet (1.60 m)
©® Approximately 3 feet (0.90 m)
© Approximately 3 feet (0.90 m)
The side area ©) is detected and evaluated when
passing. There may have been changes to the sur-
rounding area after switching the ignition off and
on again, after opening the doors, or if the vehi-
cle is left stationary for a period of time. In this
case, the area will appear black until the area has
been detected and evaluated.
Cameras
Use the camera image on the display to assist you
only if it shows a good, clear picture. Keep in
mind that the image in the display is enlarged
and distorted. Under certain circumstances, ob-
jects may appear different and unclear on the dis-
play.
The rearview camera can only detect the area
marked in red > fig. 100. Only this area is dis-
played on the center display. > A\.
ZX WARNING
Sensors and cameras have spots in which the
surrounding area cannot be detected. Objects,
animals, and people may only be detected
with limitations may not be detected at all.
Always monitor the traffic and the vehicle's >

8W1012721BC
Assist systems



surroundings directly and do not become dis-
tracted.

() Note
— Obstacles may disappear from the measure-
ment range when approaching them, even if
they were already detected.
—Insome situations, the ability of the sen-
sors and cameras to detect and display cer-
tain objects may be limited.
— Objects located above the coverage area,
such as bumpers on parked cars, garage
doors that are partially open, or objects
that are hanging
— Low obstacles
— Narrow objects, such as barrier chains, fo-
liage, poles, or fences
— Projecting objects, such as trailer draw
bars
— Objects with certain surfaces and struc-
tures,
such as fabric
@) Tips
— The sensors and cameras and the areas
around them must not be obstructed be-
cause this can impair the function of the
systems that depend on them. Make sure
that the sensors and cameras are free of
snow, ice, and other deposits. Do not use
any accessories, stickers, or other objects
that extend into the range of the sensors
and cameras.
— On vehicles that have factory-installed li-
cense plate brackets on the front of the ve-
hicle, the brackets may only be replaced
with ones that are the same size and made
of the same material. Do not install any li-
cense plate brackets on the front of vehicles
that do not have factory-installed brackets.
Otherwise, the function of the system could
be impaired.
— The function of the sensors and cameras
may be limited when light and visibility con-
ditions are poor, for example when driving
into
a tunnel, when there is glare, or when
there are reflective objects.
— External ultrasonic sensors, such as those in
other vehicles, can interfere with the sen-
sors.
— The coverage areas of the sensors > fig. 99
and cameras > fig. 100 are diagrams and do
not represent a true-to-scale image of the
sensor ranges.
— The system complies with United States FCC
regulations and ISED regulations
=> page 284.
Locations of the sensors and cameras


[RAZ-0820

Fig. 101 Front area: sensors and cameras





Fig. 102 Rear area: sensors and cameras
Front area
Depending on the vehicle equipment, the follow-
ing sensors and cameras may be installed:
— Camera behind the windshield
— Peripheral cameras on the exterior mirrors
— Front peripheral camera in the radiator grille
— Front and side ultrasonic sensors
— Front radar sensors at the corners of the bump-
er >
119