2021 AUDI Q7 service

4M1012721BC
Sitting correctly and safely

Sitting correctly and
safely
Correct passenger
seating position
General information
As the driver, you are responsible for making sure
every passenger is sitting correctly in their seat
and maintaining this seating position while driv-
ing. Make sure that:
— Every passenger in the vehicle has adjusted his
or her seat correctly > page 63
— The steering wheel is adjusted correctly
=> page 69
— The mirrors are adjusted so that there is a suffi-
cient view of the area around the vehicle
=> page 56
— Every passenger in the vehicle has his or her
head restraint adjusted correctly > page 69
— Every passenger in the vehicle has his or her
safety belt fastened correctly > page 71
— The activation status of the front passenger's
airbag is suitable for the passenger in the front
passenger's seat > page 78
— Children are secured in suitable child safety
seats that are secured to appropriate vehicle
seats > page 80. Read and observe the impor-
tant safety information pertaining to the use of
child safety seats on the front passenger's seat
= A in General information on page 80.
Examples of incorrect seating positions
Safety belts can only provide its optimal protec-
tion when they are routed correctly. Incorrect
seating positions significantly reduce the protec-
tive functions of the safety belts and increase the
risk of injury due to incorrect belt routing.
The following list includes examples of seating
positions that could be dangerous for all vehicle
occupants. This is not a complete list. Audi would
simply like to increase your awareness of the top-
ic. The following points apply when the vehicle is
in motion:
— Never stand inside the vehicle.
— Never stand on the seats.
— Never kneel on the seats.
— Never tilt your backrest too far back.
— Never lean against the instrument panel.
— Never lie down on the rear bench seat.
— Never sit only on the front section of the seat.
— Never sit sideways on the seat.
— Never lean against the window.
— Never place your feet out of the window.
— Never place your feet on the instrument panel.
— Never place your feet on the seat cushion.
— Never ride in the footwell.
— Never sit on the armrests.
— Never drive or ride in a seat without fastening
your safety belt.
— Never ride in the luggage compartment.

ZA\ WARNING
Incorrect seating positions, failure to wear a
safety belt, or being too close to an airbag in-
crease the risk of serious or fatal injury to ve-
hicle occupants, especially if the airbags de-
ploy and come into contact with occupants
who are not seated correctly. Note the impor-
tant information and warnings in the chapters
for the topics given above.
Gi) Tips
— Save your seat profile* > page 75. This al-
lows you to access your personal seat profile
quickly and easily at any time.
— If you or other vehicle passengers have
physical limitations that prevent sitting ina
correct position, modifications to the vehi-
cle may be necessary. For more information,
contact an authorized Audi dealer or author-
ized Audi Service Facility, or call Audi cus-
tomer support at 1-800-822-2834.

Front seats
General information
Make sure that:
— You can press the pedals down completely
while your legs are slightly bent
63

4M1012721BC
Sitting correctly and safely

> Slide the posts on the head restraint down into
the guides until the posts click into place.
> Press the button @) and slide the head restraint
all the way down. It should not be possible to
remove the head restraint from the backrest
without pressing the button.
Safety belts
Each seat is equipped with a three-point safety
belt. Safety belts that are worn correctly are the
most effective way to reduce the risk of serious or
fatal injuries in a collision. Therefore, wear your
safety belt correctly and make sure that all vehi-
cle passengers are also wearing their safety belts
correctly when the vehicle is moving.
Even though your vehicle is equipped with an air-
bag system, every vehicle passenger must still al-
ways wear the appropriate safety belt. In addi-
tion to their normal protective function, safety
belts also hold vehicle occupants in the correct
seating position in the event of a collision so that
the airbags can deploy correctly and provide addi-
tional protection. Safety belts provide protection
during collisions when the airbags do not deploy
or if they have already deployed.

ZA WARNING
The risk of serious or fatal injury increases if
the safety belt is not fastened, if it is worn in-
correctly, or if it is damaged.
— All vehicle occupants, including the driver,
must fasten their safety belts correctly be-
fore every trip and must always keep their
safety belts fastened during the trip, regard-
less of whether the seat is equipped with an
airbag or not. This also applies to children
that are seated in a child safety seat that is
appropriate for their weight and age and
that is secured with a safety belt.
— In the event of a collision, vehicle occupants
that are not wearing safety belts could be
propelled through the vehicle interior and
collide with vehicle components, such as the
steering wheel, instrument panel, wind-
shield, or doors. In some situations, vehicle


occupants could also be ejected from the ve-
hicle. Vehicle occupants in the rear seats
who do not wear safety belts not only en-
danger themselves, but also other people in
the vehicle.
— Only one person may be fastened with a
safety belt at a time. Never secure more
than one person, including children, with a
single safety belt.
— Never allow children or infants to ride on an-
other person's lap and be belted into the
safety belt with them.
— Insert the belt buckle only in the belt latch
belonging to the corresponding seat, so that
the protective function is not impaired.
—To ensure the maximum protective function
of the safety belts, all vehicle passengers
must sit in the correct seating position
=> page 63.
— Check the condition of your vehicle’s safety
belts regularly > page 281. If you find dam-
age to the belt webbing, the belt connec-
tions, the retractor, or the buckle, have the
damaged safety belt replaced by an author-
ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
— The safety belts must not be removed or
modified in any way. Do not attempt to re-
pair the safety belts yourself.
— Safety belts that are strained during an acci-
dent must be replaced by an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili-
ty.

71

Sitting correctly and safely

Safety belt monitoring system
eB - If the indicator light turns on or flashes, a
safety belt is not fastened or it has been unbuck-
led while driving. Above certain speeds, addition-
al warning tones will sound.
sting the height of the safety belt
é B 2
= + a

Fig. 67 Belt height adjustment for the front seats - safety
belt relay
> To move the belt higher, slide the safety belt re-
lay @ upward.
> To move the belt lower, press the release but-
ton @ and slide the safety belt relay (2) down-
ward.
> To check if the safety belt relay is securely
locked in place, pull firmly on the belt.
@ Tips
You can also adjust the height of the front
seats to change the position of the safety
belts.
Pelee Cea era imately
Belt retractor lock

The safety belts on the rear seats and on the
front passenger seat are equipped with a belt re-
tractor lock.
> If you secure a child safety seat with a safety
belt, the belt retractor lock on the safety belt
may need to be activated. Follow the instruc-
tions from the child safety seat manufacturer.
> When a vehicle passenger has fastened a safety
belt, the belt retractor lock should not be acti-
vated. If the belt retractor lock has been acti-
vated unexpectedly, deactivate it.
74
Deactivating or activating the belt retractor lock
=> page 83.
Safety belt retractor
The safety belts are equipped with an automatic
belt retractor. This automatic retractor allows the
safety belt to be pulled all the way out when the
belt is pulled slowly. However, the automatic re-
tractor locks during sudden braking maneuvers.
It also locks the belts when accelerating, driving
uphill, and driving around curves.
Belt force limiter
Safety belts with belt force limiters reduce the
force placed on the body by the safety belts dur-
ing a collision.
Safety belt pretensioners
Safety belts may be tightened with reversible
belt tensioners when you start driving and in cer-
tain driving situations. If the safety belt is too
loose, it will be tightened so that the belt will
rest closer to the body.
> To switch belt tensioners on or off at the begin-
ning of a trip, select on the home screen: VEHI-
CLE > Seats.
> To access Additional seat settings, swipe left
or
right.
> Switch the Driver seat automatic belt tension-
er or Front passenger seat automatic belt ten-
sioner functions on or off.
In some collisions, pyrotechnic belt tensioners
may secure the safety belts so that they cannot
loosen. This reduces forward movement by the
vehicle passengers.

Z\ WARNING
The pyrotechnic system can only provide pro-
tection during one collision. If the pyrotechnic
belt tensioners deploy, the pretensioning sys-
tem must be replaced by an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility.
@ Tips
Smoke may be released when pyrotechnic belt
tensioners deploy. This is not a sign of a vehi-
cle fire.

Sitting correctly and safely


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
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-

76
fect breathing. Exit the vehicle or open the
windows or doors to get access to fresh air.
@) Tips
If you are transporting children in the vehicle,
read the information and follow the safety
precautions > page 80.
Safety systems itoring
The 2] 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.

Sitting correctly and safely

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
78
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

4M1012721BC
Sitting correctly and safely

— The electrical capacity is the same as or greater
than the electrical capacity of a typical adult
The passenger's airbag is deactivated if:
— The electrical capacity is lower than the thresh-
old stored in the control module
— The electrical capacity is the same as or less
than the electrical capacity of a typical one-
year-old child in a child safety seat that has
been used for certification in accordance with
FMVSS 208
If the front passenger's airbag is activated, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON @ indicator light
will turn on. If the front passenger's airbag is de-
activated, the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #;
indicator light will turn on.
The deployment force of the front airbags adapts
based on whether or not the safety belt is used
and the distance between the seat and the steer-
ing wheel/instrument panel. For example, if a
person is too close to the front airbag, the front
airbag will deploy with less force to help reduce
the risk of injury.
Meaning of PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 3; ON
® indicator light
When the ignition is switched on, the system de-
tects whether the front passenger's seat is occu-
pied. PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #; ON @
will turn on for several seconds during this proc-
ess. Then it will indicate whether the front pas-
senger's airbag is activated or deactivated.
— PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #%%;: the front
passenger's airbag is deactivated and will not
deploy in the event of an accident.
— PASSENGER AIR BAG ON ®:: the front pas-
senger's airbag is activated and could deploy in
the event of an accident.
If a change to the occupancy status of the front
passenger's seat is detected
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #, ON @ will
flash for several seconds and will then display the
status of the front passenger's airbag.
Always make sure the indicator light corresponds
to the occupancy of the front passenger's seat.
— An adult or individual of similar size in the
front passenger's seat: the front passenger's
airbag must be activated, therefore
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON @ must remain
turned on.
— An individual of smaller size (for example, an
adolescent or small adult) in the front pas-
senger's seat: the front passenger's airbag
must be activated, so
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON @ must stay on.
— Child in a child safety seat on the front pas-
senger's seat: the front passenger's airbag
must be deactivated, so
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #¥; must stay on.
— Front passenger's seat not occupied: the front
passenger's airbag must be deactivated, so
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF %; must stay on.

Z\ WARNING
— An adult or a person with a small stature
(such as a young person or small adult) seat-
ed on the front passenger's seat will not be
protected by the passenger's airbag in the
event of a collision if the passenger's airbag
is deactivated. This increases the risk of in-
jury and death. Always make sure that
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON @ remains on
while driving. If
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON @ does not
turn on, make sure the front passenger is
sitting correctly in the seat > page 63 and
that there is nothing covering the front pas-
senger's seat (such as blankets or pillows).
If PASSENGER AIR BAG ON ®@ still does
not turn on, the front passenger's seat must
not be used. Drive to an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility
and have the airbag system inspected.
—Achild ina child safety seat on the front
passenger's seat - especially in a rear-facing
child safety seat - can receive a severe im-
pact if the front passenger's airbag deploys,
which increases the risk of serious or fatal
injury. Always secure child safety seats on
the rear seats. If special circumstances re-
quire the use of a child safety seat on the
front passenger's seat, always make sure

79

Sitting correctly and safely


that PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #; stays
on while driving. If
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF #¥; does not
turn on, remove the child safety seat and in-
stall it again according to the child safety
seat manufacturer instructions. If
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF &%; still does
not turn on, the front passenger's seat must
not be used. Drive to an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility
and have the airbag system inspected.
— Fluids, electronic devices, or mechanical
damage on the front passenger's seat may
cause the front passenger seat occupant de-
tection to malfunction. The system may
then incorrectly detect if the front passeng-
er's seat is occupied. As a result, it could de-
ploy the front passenger’s airbag incorrectly
or fail to deploy it, which increases the risk
of serious or fatal injury. Make sure that no
wet objects (such as a wet hand towel) and
no fluids come into contact with the front
passenger's seat cushion. If the front pas-
senger's seat becomes wet, dry it immedi-
ately. Make sure no electronic devices (such
as a laptop or a retrofitted seat heater) are
on the front passenger's seat. Do not trans-
port any objects on or under the front pas-
senger's seat.
— Seat covers or protective covers may prevent
the advanced airbag system from correctly
detecting child safety seats or passengers in
the front passenger's seat. You must not use
seat covers or protective covers on the front
passenger's seat that are not specifically ap-
proved for use on Audi seats with an ad-

vanced airbag system.

Child safety seats
General information
When installing and using child safety seats, fol-
low the information in this Owner's Manual, the
applicable state and federal regulations, and the
manufacturer instructions for the child safety
seat.
80
You can also obtain useful and current informa-
tion from the following sources:
U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-
tration
http://www.nhtsa.gov
http://www.safercar.gov
National SAFE KIDS Campaign
http://www.safekids.org
SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A.
http://www.carseat.org
Transport Canada Information Centre
http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety
Audi Customer Experience Center
https://www.audiusa.com/help/contact-us
https://www.audi.ca/ca/web/en/models/layer/
contact.html

Z\ 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

4M1012721BC
Sitting correctly and safely



injury 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.
If you are transporting a child in a rear-fac-
ing child safety seat in the rear of the vehi-
cle, remove the Audi Entertainment mobile
device from the backrest on the front seat to
reduce the risk of injury.
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 69. Reinstall the head re-
straints immediately once the child safety
seat has been removed.
Always make sure that the backrest on the
seat where the child safety seat is installed
is securely locked in place and cannot move
forward. Otherwise, the backrest where the
child safety seat is secured could move for-
ward in the event of an accident or other
emergency situation.
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 #; 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
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.
81
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