2021 AUDI A8 airbag

4N0012721BF
Sitting correctly and safely

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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.
— 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.
— Applies to: vehicles with screens in the rear:
If you secure a rear-facing child safety seat

on the rear seat, remove the screen from the
backrest on the front 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 78. Reinstall the head re-
straints immediately once the child safety
seat has been removed.
— 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 &; stays 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

89

Sitting correctly and safely


be thrown through the vehicle interior dur-
ing sudden braking maneuvers or an acci-
dent.
Correct positioning for children
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 than in
front seats. Always transport children in suitable
child safety seats secured on the rear seats.
In exceptional circumstances: transporting
children in the front passenger's seat
If exceptional circumstances require the child
safety seat to be placed on the front passenger's
seat, then the front passenger's airbag must be
deactivated. Please note the important informa-
tion for this > page 86, Advanced airbag system.
If you must secure a forward-facing child safety
seat, move the front passenger's 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.
Only switch to a larger child safety seat when
absolutely necessary
Switch to a larger child safety seat only when ab-
solutely necessary. Secure your child using a safe-
ty belt without a child safety seat only if all of the
following statements are true:
—The child is large enough to sit upright in the
seat
—The child is able to sit with his or her back rest-
ing completely on the seat backrest
90
— The child is able to sit with his or her knees
bent over the edge of the seat surface
—The child is able to sit with both of his or her
feet completely touching the floor in the foot-
well
—The lap portion of the safety belt lies flat and
securely over the hip area and never over the
stomach
—The shoulder portion of the safety belt lies flat
and securely over the center of the shoulder
and the chest, and never under the arm, behind
the back, or over the neck or face.
—The child is able to maintain this seating posi-
tion throughout the entire trip
Read and follow the important information and
warnings regarding the correct use of safety belts
=> page 80.
Gi) Tips
— Child safety seats can also be secured to
seats with side airbags. In the event of an
accident, children can also be protected by
the side airbags if the child is correctly se-
cured in a suitable child safety seat that is
attached correctly.
— The lower LATCH anchors as well as the
safety belt may be required to correctly in-
stall some child safety seats. Using both at
the same time is permitted, provided that
the fastening systems or safety belts do not
impair those in an adjacent seating position.
— All child safety seats are constructed so that
they can be secured using the lap safety belt
in the vehicle.
— Child safety seats with a load leg can only
be secured to the outer rear seats and to the
front passenger's seat.

4N0012721BF
Sitting correctly and safely

Yala e Maal Ce Mt iia att OM ame)
PV C@ Eliane)



Fig. 75 Rear bench seat: marker points and lower LATCH
anchors
Observe the safety precautions > page 88.
In the United States and Canada, child safety
seats can be secured without safety belts using
the LATCH system. LATCH stands for Lower An-
chors and Tethers for Children. In Canada, similar
systems are called UCRA, LUAS, or UAS.
The lower LATCH anchors in your vehicle are lo-
cated on the outer seats of the rear bench seat
between the seat surface and the backrest. These
seating locations each have two lower LATCH an-
chors that can be used to secure a LATCH child
safety seat. Marking points with a > fig. 75 sym-
bol are located on the backrest of the rear bench
seat. You can locate the LATCH anchors using the
marking points.
> Applies to: vehicles with power-adjustable rear
bench seat: Move the rear seat all the way back
and downward and position the backrest so it is
as upright as possible.
> Activate the child safety lock > page 51.
> If you secure a child safety seat to the rear seat,
secure any unused safety belts that are within
reach of the child > A\ in Securing child safety
seats with a safety belt on page 92.
> Secure the child safety seat according to the
child safety seat manufacturer instructions.
> Pull on the child safety seat to check if both
sides are engaged correctly in the LATCH an-
chors.
> If possible, also secure the child safety seat to
the respective top tether anchor on the seat
=> page 92.

ZX WARNING
The LATCH anchors in the vehicle are only de-
signed for child safety seats with the LATCH
system. To reduce the risk of serious or fatal
injury, never secure other child restraint sys-
tems, belts, or objects to the anchors.
@ Tips
The LATCH anchors are designed for a total
weight (child and child safety seat combined)
up to 65 lbs (29 kg). If the total weight is
greater than this, the child safety seat must
be secured with the vehicle safety belt.
Securing child safety seats with a safety
Prt
Observe the safety precautions > page 88. The
front passenger’s seat is a dangerous location for
a child, even with an advanced airbag system. If
exceptional circumstances require the child safe-
ty seat to be placed on the front passenger's
seat, then the front passenger's airbag must be
deactivated. Please note the important informa-
tion for this > page 90, Correct positioning for
children and > page 86, Advanced airbag sys-
tem.

Securing child safety seats
> Applies to: vehicles with power-adjustable rear
bench seat: If you secure a child safety seat to
the rear seat, move the rear seat all the way
back and downward and adjust the backrest to
be as upright as possible.
> Activate the child safety lock > page 51.
> If you secure a child safety seat to the rear seat,
secure any unused safety belts that are within
reach of the child > A\, > page 93.
> If you secure a child safety seat to the front
passenger's seat, adjust the front passenger's
seat to the highest position.
>» Secure the child safety seat according to the
child safety seat manufacturer instructions.
> If necessary, activate the belt retractor lock
=> page 92, Activating the belt retractor lock.
> If the child safety seat is secured on the front
passenger's seat, adjust the front passenger's
seat backrest until it rests flat against the child >
91

Sitting correctly and safely

safety seat. Also make sure that the upper safe-
ty belt fixture is behind the child safety seat.
> If you secure a child safety seat on the rear
seat, also secure it to the correct top tether an-
chor if possible > page 92.
Activating the belt retractor lock
If you secure a child safety seat using the vehicle
safety belt, you must activate the belt retractor
lock. Follow the child safety seat manufacturer
instructions.
The belt retractor lock prevents the safety belt
from becoming loose while driving, which could
result in the child safety seat no longer being ad-
equately secured.
> Secure the child safety seat according to the
child safety seat manufacturer instructions.
While doing so, pull out the safety belt. Insert
the safety belt into the belt latch that belongs
to that seat until it audibly locks.
> Pull the upper belt out completely and then al-
low it to retract. You will hear a clicking sound
while the belt is retracting. It will not be possi-
ble to pull the safety belt out any farther.
> Push the child safety seat into the seat and al-
low the belt to retract more.
> Make sure that the child safety seat cannot
move more than 1 inch (2.5 cm).
Deactivating the belt retractor lock
> Unbuckle the safety belt from the belt latch.
> Remove the child safety seat according to the
manufacturer instructions.
> Allow the safety belt to retract completely. The
belt retractor lock is deactivated.


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.



Additionally secu
the top tether an
ig a child safety seat to


RAZ-0091

Fig. 76 Rear shelf: top tether anchors to secure a child
safety seat with an upper belt

RAZ-0092




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

92
Fig. 77 Rear shelf: securing the upper belt to the top teth-
er anchor
Observe the safety precautions > page 88.
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. Depending on the
vehicle equipment, there may be two or three top
tether anchors.
» Applies to: head restraints on the outer rear
seats: Adjust the head restraints behind the
child safety seat upward.

Storage and convenience

> To switch the refrigeration function off, turn
the knob clockwise until the symbols indicate
that refrigeration is switched off 2).
@) Tips
The glove compartment cooling mode only
functions when the vehicle A/C system is
switched on.
Folding tray tables
Applies to: vehicles with folding tray tables






Fig. 83 Rear center console*: extending and adjusting the
folding tray table
Opening and closing the folding tray table
> Press the button forward on the center armrest
and fold the center armrest upward.
> Fold the tray table arm upright and all the way
forward @).
> Tilt the tray table toward the seat (2) and fold
the tray table to the side in the horizontal direc-
tion®.
> Slide the tray table outward @).
> Unfold the tray table. If necessary, the horizon-
tal angle of the tray table can be adjusted. To
do this, press the lever G) on the side of the
tray upward.
96
> To fold the table in, perform all of the steps in
reverse order.

ZA WARNING
— Do not open the folding tray table while
driving. In the event of an accident or sud-
den braking or swerving, passengers could
collide with the tray tables, and objects
placed on the tables could be thrown
through the vehicle interior, increasing the
risk of injury.
—To reduce the risk of pinching, open the
folding tray table carefully.
— Be careful when adjusting the front seats. To
reduce the risk of pinching, pay attention to
the rear passengers when the folding tray
tables are open.
@) Note
Be very careful when adjusting the front seats
to avoid damaging the folding tray tables or
seats.
Storage area behind the rear head
ary
Applies to: vehicles without rear center airbag:
The storage area can be used to carry light pieces
of clothing.



ZA WARNING
The storage compartment must not be used
to transport heavy objects, hard objects, or
animals. Such objects endanger vehicle occu-
pants and increase the risk of injury during
sudden driving or braking maneuvers or in an
accident.
C@) Note
Make sure that the heating grid strips for the
rear window defogger are not damaged by
abrasive objects.
G) Tips
To ensure the ventilation functions correctly,
the ventilation slots between the rear window
and the storage area must not be covered.

4N0012721BF
Storage and convenience

Additional storage
Depending on vehicle equipment, there are a va-
riety of storage areas, compartments, and retain-
ers, such as the glove compartment, for safely
storing and securing objects.

Z\ WARNING
—To reduce the risk of injury, make sure all
storage compartments are always closed
while driving.
— 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.
— Only use the storage compartments in the
door trim panels to store small objects that
will not stick out of the compartment and
impair the function of the side airbags.
— 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.
— Make sure your view toward the rear is not
blocked, for example by hanging clothing or
objects in the vehicle.

Luggage compartment
General information
All pieces of luggage or objects must be securely
fastened in the luggage compartment. Note the
following to maintain good vehicle handling:
> Distribute the load evenly in the luggage com-
partment.
> Stow heavy luggage as far forward in the lug-
gage compartment as possible.
> Use non-elastic cords attached to the tie-downs
to secure objects.

ZA WARNING
— Loose objects can be thrown around the ve-
hicle interior during sudden driving or brak-



ing maneuvers, which increases the risk of
an accident. Always stow objects securely in
the luggage compartment and secure them
at the tie-downs. Use straps suitable for
heavy objects.
— If pieces of luggage or objects are secured
to the tie-downs with unsuitable or dam-
aged straps, this can increase the risk of in-
jury during braking maneuvers or accidents.
— When transporting heavy objects, the vehi-
cle characteristics will change due to the
shift in the center of gravity, which increases
the risk of an accident. You may need to
adapt your driving style and speed to the
current conditions.
— The cargo net* is only strong enough to se-
cure light objects. Heavy objects are not ade-
quately secured. Attempting to secure heavy
objects increases the risk of injury.
— Never exceed the permitted axle and load
and vehicle weight > page 344.
— Never secure a child safety seat to the tie-
downs.
— Never leave your vehicle unattended, espe-
cially if the luggage compartment lid is
open. Children could enter the luggage com-
partment and close the luggage compart-
ment lid from the inside. This creates the
risk of fatal injury, since the children would
be locked in and may not be able to escape
by themselves.
— Do not allow children to play in or on the ve-
hicle. Close and lock the luggage compart-
ment lid as well as all other doors when you
leave the vehicle.
— Never transport passengers in the luggage
compartment. Every passenger must be cor-
rectly secured with the safety belts in the
vehicle > page 80.

® Note
— Make sure that the heating grid strips for
the rear window defogger are not damaged
by abrasive objects.
— Plug-in hybrid drive: Never exceed the maxi-
mum cargo weight for the cargo floor that is
specified on the sticker. Otherwise, the
high-voltage battery that is located
97

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Driving

This message appears when specific conditions
are not met during a Stop phase. The Start/Stop
system will not be able to restart the engine. The
engine must be started with the
START ENGINE STOP] button.


Vehicle starting system: malfunction! Please
contact Service
There is a malfunction in the Start/Stop system.
Drive the vehicle to an authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Service Facility as soon as possible to
have the malfunction corrected.
Brakes
General information
You can apply the vehicle's brakes using the brake
pedal.
Operating noise
Noises may occur when braking depending on the
speed, braking force, and outside conditions such
as temperature and humidity.
Braking effect
The response time from the brakes depends on
the weather and environmental conditions. To
ensure the optimal braking effect, the brake sys-
tem is cleaned at regular intervals. This is done
by applying the brake pads to the brake rotors for
a short period of time when driving at high
speeds when the windshield wipers are switched
on.
If the brake system becomes damp, for example
after driving in heavy rain, the braking effect may
be delayed. Other factors that could temporarily
increase the response time of the brakes include:
— Wet conditions
— Low temperatures, ice, and snow
— Roads covered in salt
— Dirty brake pads
Corrosion
Corrosion may form on the brake rotors if there is
no heavy braking, if the vehicle is not driven for
long periods of time, or if the vehicle is not driv-
en
frequently or for long distances. In this case,
braking heavily several times while driving at
high speeds can clean the brake rotors > A\.
Applies to: vehicles with plug-in hybrid drive: Se-
lect the “N” gear so that recuperation is not used
for braking.
Brake pads
New brake pads do not achieve their full braking
effect during the first 250 miles (400 km). They
must be “broken in” first. However, you can com-
pensate for the slightly reduced braking force by
pressing firmly on the brake pedal. Avoid heavy
braking during the break-in period.
Applies to: vehicles with plug-in hybrid drive: Be-
cause recuperation is also used for braking, the
break-in period for new brake pads is 500 miles
(800 km).
Brake pad wear depends largely on the way the
vehicle is driven and on operating conditions.
Brake pad wear increases when driving frequently
in the city or short distances or when using a very
sporty driving style.
Ceramic brakes
Applies to: vehicles with ceramic brakes
Ceramic brakes provide excellent deceleration
rates.
The break-in period for new ceramic brakes may
be significantly longer than for standard brake
rotors. Due to the properties of the material,
they may cause noises at lower speeds. Ceramic
brakes also absorb more moisture in wet condi-
tions. Therefore, there will temporarily be less
braking force than when the brakes are dry. You
can compensate for this by pressing the brake
pedal harder.
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 >
119

4N0012721BF
Driver assistance

Audi pre sense preemptive safety measures
Applies to: vehicles with Audi pre sense
Depending on the vehicle speed and the vehicle
equipment, the following functions may be initi-
ated in certain situations:
— Visual and audio warnings
— Reversible tensioning of safety belts
— Closing the windows and panoramic glass roof
— Adjusting the seats
— Other preemptive safety measures by individual
systems

ZA WARNING
Observe the safety precautions and note the
limits of the assist systems, sensors, and
cameras > page 150.
@ Tips
— Depending on the risk situation that is de-
tected and the selected Audi drive select*
mode, not all preemptive safety measures
may be initiated under certain circumstan-
ces. Certain functions can be adjusted or
skipped if necessary.
— Audi pre sense may be restricted or unavail-
able under certain circumstances, for exam-
ple if:

— There are passengers with unfastened
safety belts
— After turning on the ignition, as long as
the 8 indicator light is on.
— When driving in reverse.
— 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.
PAU eed
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. Audi pre sense basic can trigger preemp-
tive safety measures during emergency braking
and dangerous braking maneuvers as well as in
unstable driving situations, such as oversteering
or understeering > page 179, Audi pre sense pre-
emptive safety measures.
The message Audi pre sense © will warn you
about the danger.

ZX WARNING
Observe the safety precautions and note the
limits of the assist systems, sensors, and
cameras > page 150.
Audi pre sense front
Applies to: vehicles with Audi pre sense front


Within the limits of the system, Audi pre sense
front can warn about an impending front end col-
lision and brake the vehicle strongly, if necessary.
The system uses the camera behind the wind-
shield and is available at speeds above approxi-
mately 6 mph (10 km/h).
Driving situations
The situations to which the system reacts de-
pends on the vehicle speed.
Up to speeds of approximately 50 mph
(85 km/h), the system may react to the following
situations:
— Pedestrians and cyclists in your lane
Up to speeds of approximately 155 mph
(250 km/h), the system may react to the follow-
ing situations:
—Avehicle driving ahead clearly applies the
brakes
— When approaching a vehicle ahead that is clear-
ly traveling more slowly
— When approaching a stationary vehicle
Prewarning
To warn about detected dangers, Audi pre
sense [@ will appear in the instrument cluster
and an audio signal will sound.
A brief application of the brakes
If a collision is imminent, there may be an acute
warning using a brief application of the brakes.
You
will also be warned about the danger by an
indicator in the instrument cluster display. You >
179