Airbag system
Airbag system
Description of airbag
system
General notes on airbag system
The airbag is an integral part of the car's passive
safety system.
In conjunction with the three-point seat belts,
the airbag system gives the front occupants
addi
tional protection for the head and chest in the
event of a severe frontal collision.
In a severe side collision the side airbags and the
head-protection airbags reduce the risk of injury
to the occupants
•=>
A-
In addition to their normal function of protecting
the occupants in a collision, the seat belts also
hold them in a position where the airbags can in
flate properly and provide maximum protection.
The airbag system will only work with the
igni
tion on. The airbag system is monitored electron
ically; the airbag warning lamp indicates whether
the system is functioning properly.
The main parts of the airbag system are:
-The electronic monitoring system (control unit
and sensors)
- The two front airbags
- The front side airbags
-The head-protection airbags
- The indicator Lamp
Q
in the instrument cluster
There is a fault in the airbag system if the
warning lamp
- does not come on when the ignition is switched
on.
- does not go out about 4 seconds after the
igni
tion is switched on.
- goes out and then comes on again after the ig
nition is switched on.
- comes on or flickers while the car is moving.
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A WARNING
- The airbags are not a substitute for the seat
belts;
they are an integral part of the car's
overall passive safety system. The airbags
can only offer effective protection if the oc
cupants are wearing their seat belts. For
this reason it is very important to wear the
seat belts at all times
^>page
275, Why is it
so important to use seat belts?.
The seat belts and airbags can only provide
maximum protection if the occupants are
seated correctly
^>page
58, Front seats.
•
If you do not wear a seat belt, if you lean
forward,
or are not seated correctly while
the vehicle is in motion, you are at greater
risk of injury should the airbag system be
triggered in an accident.
Components of the airbag system are loca
ted in various parts of the vehicLe. If repairs
to other vehicle components make it neces
sary to perform work on the airbag system
or to remove or install parts of the airbag
system,
this may cause damage to the air-
bag system. As a result, the airbags may not
inflate correctly or may not be triggered at
all in an accident situation. For this reason,
you should always have the work carried out
by a qualified workshop.
If a fault should occur in the airbag system,
have the system checked immediately by a
qualified workshop. Otherwise the system
may fail to trigger in an accident.
Do not attempt to modify components of
the airbag system in
anyway.
Never make any alterations to the front
bumper
or
the body.
Do not remove the front seats.
The airbag system can only be activated
once;
if the airbag has been triggered, the
system must be replaced. Should the airbag
system or airbag modules have to be re
placed,
the qualified workshop carrying out
the replacement will document all details.
•
If any repair work is required
or
the airbag
and restraint systems have to be replaced,
have the work carried out by your authorised
Audi dealer or a qualified workshop which
adheres to the Audi factory standards. This
will minimise the risk of injury.
If you sell the vehicle, remember to pass on
the complete Service Wallet to the new
owner. If any of the airbags have been
281
Airbag system
Important safety notes on the front airbag
system
There are a number of safety points concerning
the airbag system which you should remember.
This will help to reduce the risk of injury in an ac
cident.
25cm
Fig.
231 Minimum distance from steering wheel
A WARNING
- It is important for the driver and front pas
senger to maintain a distance of at least
25 cm from the steering wheel or dash
board
oFig.
231. The airbag system will not
be able to give the required protection if you
sit too close to the steering wheel or dash
board.
There is also a risk of injury if the air-
bags are inflated. The front seats and head
restraints must always be positioned cor
rectly for the height of the occupant.
- If you do not wear a seat belt, if you lean
forward or to the side, or are not seated cor
rectly while the vehicle is in motion, you are
at greater risk of injury. Should the airbag
system be triggered in an accident there is
an even greater risk of injury.
- Never let a child travel on the front seat
without an appropriate restraint system. If
the airbag is triggered in an accident, the
child could sustain serious or fatal injuries
^>page
267, Child seats.
- Child seats in which the child faces the rear
of the car are located directly in the path of
the front passenger's airbag if it inflates. In
this case, the child could sustain serious or
fatal injuries if the airbag were to be de
ployed.
- Applies to vehicles on which the front pas
senger's airbag cannot be deactivated: Do
NOT use a rearward-facing child seat on
the front passenger's seat.
- Applies to vehicles with key-operated
switch for deactivating the front passeng
er's airbag: Do NOT use a rearward-facing
child seat on the front passenger's seat
while the front passenger's airbag is ac
tive.
If you have no alternative but to use a
rearward-facing child seat on the front
passenger's seat, the front passenger's
airbag must be deactivated beforehand via
the key-operated switch*
^>page
288.
Make sure that the front passenger's air-
bag is reactivated by means of the key-op
erated switch* as soon as the child seat is
no longer needed on the front passenger's
seat.
- Occupants sitting in the front of the car
must never carry any objects or pets in the
space between them and the airbags, or al
low children or other passengers to travel in
this position.
- Do not cover or stick anything on the steer
ing wheel hub or the soft plastic surface of
the airbag unit on the passenger's side of
the dashboard, and do not obstruct or modi
fy them in any way. These parts should only
be cleaned with a dry cloth (or with a cloth
moistened with plain water). It is also im
portant not to attach any objects such as
cup holders or telephone mountings to the
surfaces covering the airbag units.
- Any work on the airbag system or removal
and installation of the airbag components
for other repairs (such as repairs to the
steering wheel or removal of seats) must be
performed by a qualified workshop.
284
Airbag system
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Side airbags
Description of side airbags
The
airbag system is not a substitute for the seat
belts.
Fig.
232 Side airbags: Location in driver's seat (example)
The side airbags are located in the backrest
pad
ding of the front seats.
In conjunction with the three-point seat belts,
the side airbags give the occupants additional
protection for the whole upper part of the body
(i.e.
the chest, stomach and pelvis) in the event
of
a
severe side collision
•=> A
in Important safety
notes on the side airbag system on page 285.
In a side collision the side airbags reduce the risk
of injury to the areas of the body facing the im
pact.
How the side airbags work
When fully inflated, the side airbags reduce the
risk of injuries to the upper part of the
body.
Fig.
233 Side airbags in inflated condition
In certain types of side collision, the side airbag
(front) is triggered on the impact side of the
vehi
cle
^Fig.
233. Further airbag systems may also
be triggered, depending on the circumstances.
When the system is triggered, the airbag is filled
with propellant gas.
In order to provide the desired extra protection in
an accident, the airbags have to inflate extremely
rapidly (within fractions of
a
second).
The fully deployed airbags cushion the impact for
the occupants and help to reduce the risk of in
jury to the upper part of the body on the side fac
ing the door.
Important safety notes on the side airbag
system
There
are a number of safety points concerning
the airbag system which you should remember.
This will help to reduce the risk of injury in an ac
cident.
WARNING
-If
you
do
not
wear
a
seat belt, if
you
Lean
forward,
or are not seated correctly while
the vehicle is in motion, you are at greater
risk of injury should the side airbags be
trig
gered in an accident. This applies particular
ly to children if they are not properly protec
ted by
a
child restraint system.
- If children are not seated correctly, they are
at greater risk of injury should the airbag
system be triggered in an accident. This is
particularly the case if the child is travelling
on the front passenger's seat and the airbag
system is triggered in an accident. This
could result in serious or potentially fatal in
jury
^>page
267, Child seats.
- It is important not to attach any accessories
(such as cup holders) to the doors. This
would impair the protection offered by the
front side airbags.
- The sensors for the airbags are located in
the front doors. You must therefore not
make any modifications to the doors or door
trim (e.g. retrofitting loudspeakers),
as
this
could impair the function of the side air-
bags.
Any damage to the front doors could
285
Airbag system
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The head-protection airbag system is triggered in
certain types of side collision
^>Fig.
235. Further
airbag systems may also be triggered, depending
on the circumstances.
When the system is triggered, the airbag fills
with a propellant gas and covers the entire area
in front of the side windows, including the door
pillars. The head-protection airbag inflates to
soften the impact if an occupant strikes parts of
the interior or objects outside the vehicLe with
their head. By reducing the head impact and re
straining uncontrolled movement of the head,
the airbag also reduces the forces acting on the
neck.
In order to provide the desired extra protection in
an accident, the airbags have to inflate extremely
rapidly (within fractions of
a
second).
Important safety notes on the head-
protection airbags
There
are a number of safety points concerning
the airbag system which you should remember.
This will help to reduce the risk of injury in an ac
cident.
A WARNING
- It is important to ensure that the area
around the openings for the head-protec
tion airbags remains unobstructed at all
times,
so that the airbags can infLate prop
erly if needed.
- The built-in coat hooks should only be used
for lightweight clothing. Do not leave any
heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets.
When using the coat hooks, do not hang the
clothes on coat hangers.
- The space between the passengers and the
head-protection airbags must never be oc
cupied by children, other passengers or
pets.
Passengers should never lean out or
put
a
hand
or
arm out of the window while
the vehicle is in motion.
- Do not move the sun visors out to cover the
side windows if there is anything attached
to them (such as pens or
a
garage door
opener). These objects could cause injury if
the head-protection airbag is triggered.
The sensors for the airbags are Located in
the front doors. You must therefore not
make any modifications to the doors or door
trim (e.g. retrofitting loudspeakers),
as
this
could impair the function of the side air-
bags.
Any damage to the front doors could
Lead to faults in the system. Repairs or any
other work on the front doors must there
fore always be carried out by
a
qualified
workshop.
Sun blinds fitted on the rear doors must not
obstruct or impair the airbags in any way.
If unsuitable accessories are installed near
the head-protection airbag, the protection
afforded by the airbag can be seriously im
paired if the system is triggered. When the
head-protection airbag opens, parts of
these accessories could be thrown into the
vehicle and injure passengers
^>page
340.
Any work involving the head-protection air-
bags,
or removal and installation of the air-
bag components for other repairs (such as
repairs to the roof liner), must always be
performed by
a
qualified workshop. Other
wise the airbag system may fail to work
properly.
287
Airbag system
Deactivating the front
passenger's airbag
Applies to: vehicles with key-operated switch for front pas
senger's airbag
If
an
airbag has been deactivated, it should be
reactivated as soon as possible so that it can
continue to give the required protection.
••
-,
CG
^
Fig.
236 Glove box: Key-operated switch for deactivating
front passenger's airbag
r
;•••;
:
m
^
hu
ON®
Fig.
237 Headliner: Warning lamp lights up when pas
senger's airbag is deactivated
If
you
have no alternative but to install
a
rear
ward-facing child seat on the front passenger's
seat you must deactivate the front passenger's
airbag beforehand.
We recommend that child seats should be fitted
on the rear seat so that the front passenger's air-
bag can remain functional and provide protection
in an accident
^>page
267.
•
To deactivate the front passenger's airbag, use
the key to turn the key-operated switch to OFF
=*
Fig.
236.
•
The front passenger's airbag can be reactivated
by turning the key to position ON.
Monitoring of airbag system
The indicator Lamp
Q ^>page
31 will light up for
a few seconds every time the ignition is switched
on.
If the front passenger's airbag has been deactiva
ted,
the indicator Lamp "PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF ft" or
"9K
AIR BAG
OFF ^"
will light up
constantly as a reminder
^>Fig.
237.
A WARNING
- If
you
have no alternative but to install a
rearward-facing child seat on the front pas
senger's seat, the front passenger's airbag
must be deactivated beforehand. Potential
ly fatal injuries to the child can result if the
front passenger's airbag is not deactivated
•=>
page 267
- If
you
have deactivated the front passeng
er's airbag, reactivate it as soon as the child
seat is no longer needed so that the airbag
can continue to give the required protec
tion.
- It is the driver's responsibility to ensure that
the key-operated switch is set to the correct
position.
288
Checking and topping up fluids
months so that you can continue to operate your
vehicle reliably. Ask at your filling station wheth
er the diesel fuel available there is suitable for
the current conditions and for the temperatures
which could potentially occur.
© CAUTION
- Never use FAME fuels (biodiesel), petrol,
heating oil, thinners or any other fuels or
additives, as these could cause serious dam
age to the fuel system and the engine.
- Never start the engine if
you
fill up with the
wrong type of
fuel,
as this could damage
the fuel system and the engine. Obtain pro
fessional assistance.
Filling the tank
Procedure for filling the tank
Fig.
238 Vehicle as seen from the rear right: Opening the
fuel tank
flap
fe
Fig.
239 Fuel tank flap with tank cap attached
The fuel tank flap is unlocked and locked auto
matically by the central locking system.
Unscrewing the tank cap
•
Press the left side of the flap to open
it
-arrow
ed
Fig.
238.
•
Unscrew the tank cap anti-clockwise.
•
Hook the cap onto the open flap
•=>
Fig.
239.
Closing the tank cap
•
Screw on the tank cap clockwise until
it
clicks
audibly.
•
Close the tank flap. Make sure you hear
it
click
into place.
When the automatic filler nozzle is operated cor
rectly
it
will switch itself off
as
soon as the tank
is
fulL.
Do not try to put in more fuel after the
nozzle cuts out, as this will fill the expansion
chamber in the fuel tank.
The correct fuel grade for your vehicle is given on
a sticker on the inside of the tank flap. Further
notes on fuel
^>page
289.
The tank capacity of your vehicLe is given in the
Technical data section
^>page
343.
A WARNING
Fuel is highly inflammable and can cause
seri
ous burns and other injuries.
- For safety reasons we do not recommend
carrying a spare fuel canister in the vehicle.
The canister could become damaged in an
accident and Leak.
- Observe all relevant statutory regulations
on using, storing and transporting spare
fuel canisters.
- When filling your tank or
a
spare fuel canis
ter with
fuel,
do not smoke and keep away
from naked flames
-
risk of explosion!
- If, in exceptional circumstances, you have
to
carry
a
spare fuel canister, please observe
the following warnings:
- Never
filL
fuel into the spare fuel canister
with the canister placed in or on top of the
vehicLe. An electrostatic charge could
build up during filling, causing the fuel va
pour to ignite
-
risk of explosion! Always
place the canister on the ground to fill
it.
- Insert the filler nozzle as far as possibLe
into the spare fuel canister.
-
If
the spare fuel canister is made of metal,
the filler nozzle must be in contact with
the canister during filling. This helps pre
vent an electrostatic charge building up.
290
Checking and topping up fluids
Preparations
Applies to: vehicles with selective catalytic reduction
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Fig.
241 Vehicle as seen from the rear right: Unscrewing
the AdBlue cap
The AdBlue filler neck is located immediately be
side the diesel filler neck. Add at least the
amount of AdBlue displayed in the instrument
cluster. If
you
do not refill this amount of
fluid,
the system may not detect that the tank has
been refilled and it may not be possible to restart
the engine. You can refill with a maximum of 12
litres.
Important: A message in the instrument cluster
display informs you if
you
need to refill AdBlue.
•
Park the vehicle on a level surface.
•
Switch off the ignition.
• Open the tank flap
<^>page
290.
•
Unscrew the cap on the filler neck
anti-clock
wise
^>Fig.
241.
*•
Refill AdBlue from a filler nozzle
^>page
293,
canister
^>page
294 or bottle
^>page
294.
A WARNING
AdBlue can cause irritation to the
skin,
eyes,
and respiratory organs. Wash thoroughly with
clean water should you come into contact
with this
fluid.
Seek medical assistance if nee
ded.
© CAUTION
- Use only
AdBLue
that complies with the ISO
22241-1 standard. Do not mix AdBlue with
additives and do not dilute it with water.
- AdBlue must not be added to the diesel
tank, and diesel must not be added to the
AdBlue tank. Never start the engine if you
fill up with the wrong type of
fuel,
as this
could damage the tank system and the en
gine.
Obtain professional assistance.
-AdBlue attacks surfaces such as paintwork,
plastic veneer and carpets. Remove spilt
flu
id as soon as possible with a damp cloth and
plenty of water. If the AdBlue has already
solidified,
use warm water and a sponge.
Residues of AdBlue solidify after
a
while if
they are not removed and can damage the
affected surface.
- Do not keep refill bottles or canisters in the
vehicle, as AdBlue can leak and damage the
vehicle interior.
- Keep AdBlue away from clothing. Wash
thoroughly with clean water should you
come into contact with this
fluid.
\J
Note
Please follow the AdBlue manufacturer's in
structions for storage and use.
Refilling AdBlue from a filler nozzle
Applies to: vehicles with selective catalytic reduction
•
Open the tank flap
^>page
290.
*•
Unscrew the cap on the filler neck
anti-clock
wise
^>page
293, Fig. 241.
*•
Fill up with AdBlue until the first time the filler
nozzle cuts off the supply
•=>(]}.
•
Put the tank cap back on
opage
294, After re
filling.
CAUTION
- The handle of the filler nozzle must point
downwards when filling the tank. Otherwise
the filler nozzle will not cut off the supply
automatically
^0
in Preparations on
page 293.
- You should stop refilling the first time the
filler nozzle automatically cuts off the sup
ply. Otherwise the level of AdBlue in the
tank may be too high and AdBlue could
overflow
<=>©
in Preparations on page 293.
293
Checking and topping up fluids
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Emission controL
systems
Catalytic converter
Applies to: vehicles with petrol engine
The vehicle must only be used with unleaded pet
rol,
otherwise the catalytic converter will be ir
reparably damaged.
Never allow the fuel tank to run completely dry,
as the irregular supply of fuel can cause misfir
ing.
This allows unburnt fuel to enter the exhaust
system,
which can cause overheating and dam
age to the catalytic converter.
Diesel particulate filter
Applies to: vehicles with diesel engine
The diesel particulate filter can filter out almost
all soot particles contained in the exhaust gas. In
normal driving conditions the filter is self-clean
ing.
Should the self-cleaning function of the filter
not be able to operate, e.g. when the vehicle is
continuously used only for short trips, the filter
becomes obstructed with soot and the indicator
lampnf°r
the
diesel particulate filter Lights up
cépage
34.
A WARNING
The exhaust system is very hot when the
vehi
cle is being driven and after the engine has
been switched off.
- Never touch the tailpipes when they are hot
- risk of burns!
- Because of the high temperatures which can
occur in the emission controL system, do not
park the vehicle where the exhaust can
come into contact with flammable materials
under the car (e.g. on grass or at the forest
edge) - risk of fire!
- Do not apply any underseal agents in the
area around the exhaust system - risk of
fire!
Engine compartment
Working on components in the engine
compartment
Extra caution is necessary when working on com
ponents in the engine compartment.
Always be aware of the danger of injury and
scalding as well as the risk of accident or fire
when working in the engine compartment (e.g.
when checking and refilling fluids). Always ob
serve the warnings listed below and follow all
normal safety precautions. The engine compart
ment of any motor vehicle is a potentially haz
ardous area
oA-
A WARNING
- Switch off the engine.
-Switch off the ignition.
-Applythe
parking brake.
- On vehicles with manual gearbox place the
gear lever in neutral, on vehicles with auto
matic gearbox move the selector lever to
position P.
- To avoid the risk of being scalded, never
open the bonnet if
you
see steam or coolant
escaping from the engine compartment.
Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen
before opening the bonnet.
- Wait for the engine to cool down.
- Keep children away from engine compart
ment.
- Never spill fluids on a hot engine. These
flu
ids can cause a fire (e.g. radiator
anti
freeze).
- Take care not to cause short circuits in the
electrical system.
- When working in the engine compartment
be aware that the radiator fan may start
running suddenly, even if the ignition is
switched off - risk of injury!
- Do not unscrew the cap on the expansion
tank when the engine is hot. The cooling
system is under pressure.
- Protect face, hands and arms by covering
the cap with a large, thick rag to protect
against escaping coolant and steam.
295