AUDI R8 SPYDER 2015 Owners Manual
Page 121 of 232
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The  side  airbag  system  supplements  the  safety be lts  and  can  he lp to  reduce  the risk  of  injury  to 
the  dr iver's  and  front  passenger's  upper  torso 
and  head  injuries  on  the  side  of  the  vehicle  that  is 
struck  in a  side  collision.  The  airbag  deploys  in 
side  impacts  and  only  when  the  vehicle  accelera 
tion  registered  by the  control  u nit  is  high  enough . 
If  th is  rate  is  below  the  reference  value  program
med  into  the  control  unit,  the  side  airbags  will 
n ot  be  triggered , even  though  the  car  may  be 
badly  damaged  as  a  result  of  the  co llision. 
It is 
not  possib le  to  define  an  airbag  triggering  range 
that  will  cover  every  possible  angle  of  impact,  since  the  c ircumstances  will  vary  considerab ly be 
tween  one collis ion  and  another.  Important  fac
tors  include,  for example,  the nature  (hard  or 
soft)  of  the  impact ing  object,  the  angle  of  im 
pact,  vehicle  speed,  etc. 
9 page  120 , Important 
safety  instructions  on the  side  airbag system. 
Aside  from  their normal  safety  function,  safety 
be lts  work  to  help  keep  the  driver  or  front  pas 
senger  in  pos it ion  in the  event  of  a s ide  collision 
so  that  the  s ide  a irbags  can  provide  protect ion. 
The  airbag  system is 
not a substitute  for  your 
safety  belt . Rather,  it  is  part  of  the  overall  occu 
pant  restrai nt  system  in your  vehicle . Always  re
member  that  th e side  airbag  system  can  only 
he lp  to  p rotect  you  if yo u are wear ing your  safety 
be lt  and  wearing  i t properly.  This  is  ano ther  rea
son  why you  shou ld  always  wear  your  sa fety 
be lts,  not  just  because  the  law  requires  you  to  do 
so 
9 page  95,  General notes . 
It is impor tan t to  remember  tha t while  the  sup 
p lemental  side  a irbag  sys tem  is designed  to  re
duce  the  likelihood  of  serious  inj uries,  other  inj u
ries,  for  examp le,  swe lling,  bruising,  and  minor 
abrasions  can  also  be  associated with  deployed 
side  airbags.  Remember  too,  side  airbags will  de
p loy only  once  and only  in certa in  kinds  of  acci
dents  -your  safety  belts  are  a lways  there  to  offer 
protection. 
Vehicle  damage,  repair  costs or  even  the lack  of 
ve hicle  damage  are  not  necessarily  an  indication 
of  over -sens itive  or  fa iled  a irbag  activa tion . In 
some  coll isions,  both  front  and  s ide  airbags  may 
i nflate.  Remember  too,  that  airbags  will  deploy 
only  once  and  only  in  ce rtain  kinds  of  collisions  -
Airb ag  system 
you r safety  belts  are  always  the re  to  offer  protec
tion  in those  accidents  in which  airbags  are  not 
s u pposed  to  deploy  or  when  they  have  a lready 
deployed. 
The side airbag  system w ill  not  deploy: 
- when  the  ignit io n  i s tu rned  off 
- in  side  co llisions  whe n the  a ccelera tion  meas-
ured  by  the  sensor  is too  low 
- in  re ar-end  collisions 
- in  rollovers . 
In  some  types  of  accidents  the front  airbags  and 
s ide  airbags  may  be  triggered together. 
A WARNING 
-- Safety  belts  and  the  airbag  system  will  only 
provide  p rotection  when  occupants  are  in 
the  proper  seating  position~ 
page  120. 
-If  the  ai rbag  ind icator  light  comes  on  when 
the  vehicle  is be ing  used,  have  the  system 
inspected  immed iate ly by yo ur autho riz ed 
Aud i dea le r.  T he  airbag  may  no t wo rk prop
erly  when  the  vehicle  acceleration  in a  side 
coll is ion  is  high  enough  to activate  the  air
bag . 
How  supplemental  side airbags  work 
Side  airbags  deploy  instantly  and  can help  re
duce  the  risk of  upper  torso  injuries for  occu
pants  who ore properly  restrained. 
Fi g.  122 In flated  s ide airbags  on  left  s ide of ve hicle 
When  the  system is triggered,  the  a irbag  is filled 
with  propellant  gas  and  breaks  through  a  seam  in 
the  seat  s urface  area  mark ed  "A IRBAG" . It  ex
pands  be tween  the  side  trim  panel  a nd  the  pas-
senger.  In  or der  to  help  provide  this  addi tional  .,. 
119  
Page 122 of 232
Airbag  syste m 
protection,  the  side airbag  must  inflate  within  a 
fraction  of  a second at very  high  speed and with 
great  force . T he supplemental  side airbag  cou ld 
injure you  if  your  seating  position  is not  proper  or 
upright  or  if  items  are located  in the  area where 
the  supplemental  side airbag  expands. This ap plies  especially  to  ch ildren 
~ page  122,  Child 
Safety. 
Supplemental  side airbags  inflate  be
tween  the  occupant  and the  door  panel  on the 
side of  the  vehi cle that  is struck  in certain  s ide 
collision 
~ fig.  122. 
A lthough  they  are not  a soft  pi llow,  they  can 
"cushion"  the  impact  and  in th is way they  can 
he lp to  reduce the  r isk of  inj ury to  the  upper  part 
of  the  body. 
A fine  dust  may develop  when  the  airbag  deploys . 
This  is normal  and does  not  mean there  is a fire 
in the  vehicle . 
Important  safety  instructions  on  the  side 
airbag system 
Airbags  are only supplemental  restraints . Always 
properly  wear safety  belts  and ride  in a proper 
seating  position . 
There is a lot that you  and your  passenger  must 
know and act accordingly  to  help  the  safety  belts 
and a irbags do the ir job  to  provide  supplementa l 
protection. 
A WARNING 
An inflating  side airbag  can cause ser ious or 
fatal  injury.  Improperly  wearing  safety  belts  and improper  seating  positions  increase the 
r isk of  serious  personal  injury  and death 
whenever  a vehicle  is being  used . 
- In  order  to  reduce the  risk  of  injury  when  the  supplemental  s ide airbag  inflates: 
- Always sit  in an upright  position  and never  lean against  the  area where  the  supple
mental  side airbag  is  located. 
- Never let  a chi ld or  anyone else rest their 
head against  the  side trim  panel  in the 
area where  the  supplementa l side airbag 
inflates . 
- Always make sure that  safety  belts  are 
worn  correct ly, 
120 
-
- Do not  let  anyone sitting  in the  front  seat 
put  their  hand or  any other  parts  of  their 
body out  of  the  window. 
- Always  make sure that  the  s ide a irbag  can 
inflate  w ithout  interference . 
- Never install  seat covers or  rep lacement 
upholste ry over the  front  seatbacks that 
have not  been specifically  approved  by 
A udi. 
- Never use additional  seat  c ushions that 
cover the  areas where  the  side a irbags de
ploy . 
- Damage to  the  orig inal seat  covers or  to 
the  seam in the  area of  the  side airbag  module  must  a lways be repaired  immedi
ate ly by an authorized  Audi  dealer. 
- Objects  between  you  and the  airbag  can in crease the  risk of  inju ry in  an accident  by in
terfer ing with  the  way the  airbag  unfolds  or 
by being  p ushed  into  you as the  airbag  in
flates. 
- Never place or  attach  a ccessor ies or  other 
obje cts  (such as cup holders,  telephone 
brackets,  or even  large,  bulky objects)  on 
the  doors,  over or  near the  area marked  "AIRBAG" on the  seat  backrests. 
- Such objects  and accessories can become  dangerous  projectiles  and cause injury 
when  the  supplementa l side airbag  de
ploys . 
- Never carry any objects  or  pets  in the  de
ployment  space between  them  and the 
airbags  or  allow  children  or other  passen
gers to  travel  in this  posit ion. 
- Always prevent  the  side airbags from  being 
damaged  by heavy objects  knocking  against 
or  hitting  the  sides of  the  seatbacks . 
- The a irbag  system  can only  be triggered 
once . If  the  airbag  has been triggered,  the 
system  must  be replaced  by an authorized 
Aud i deale rship. 
- Damage (cracks, deep scratches etc .) to  the 
or iginal  seat  covers or  to  the  seam  in the 
area of  the  s ide a irbag  mod ule  must  always 
be repaired  immediately  by an authorized 
Aud i dea le r.  
Page 123 of 232
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- If  children  are seated  improper ly, their  risk 
of  injury  increases in the  case of  an acc ident 
Q page  122,  Child Safety. 
- Never attempt  to  modify  any components  of 
the  a irbag  system  in  any way. 
- In  a side collision,  side airbags  will  not  func
t ion  properly  if  sensors cannot  correctly 
measure  increasing  air pressure inside  the 
doors when  air escapes through  large r, un
closed openings  in the  doo r panel. 
- Never drive  w ith  inter io r door  trim  pane ls 
removed. 
- Never drive  when  parts  have been re
moved from  the  ins ide door  panel and the 
openings  they  leave have not  been  proper
ly closed. 
- Never drive  when  loudspeakers  in the 
doors  have been removed  unless the 
speaker holes have been properly  closed. 
- Always  make certain  that  openings  are 
covered or filled  if  additional  speakers or 
other  equ ipment  is  insta lled in the  inside 
door  panels . 
- Always have work  on the  doors  done  by an 
author ized Audi  dealer  or  qualif ied work
shop . 
Airbag  syste m 
121  
Page 124 of 232
Child  Safety 
Child  Safety 
Important  things  to 
know 
Introduction 
The  physical  principles  of  what  happens  when 
your  vehicle  is  in a  crash  apply  also  to  children 
c::> page 96, What  happens  to  occupants  not 
wearing safety  belts? . 
But  unlike  adults  and 
teenagers,  the ir muscles  and  bones  are  not  fully 
developed . In  many  respects  children  are  at 
greater  risk  of  serious  injury  in  crashes  than 
adu lts. 
Because  children 's  bod ies  are  not  fully  developed, 
they  require  restra int  systems  especially  de 
signed  for  their  size,  weight,  and  body  structure.  Many countr ies  and  all  states  of  the  United 
S ta tes  and  p rov inces  of  Canada  have  laws  requi r
ing  the  use  of  app roved  ch ild  restra int  systems 
for  in fan ts and  small  children . 
I n a fronta l crash  at  a  speed  of  20-35  mph 
(30-56  km/ h) the  fo rces  acting  on  a  13-pound 
(6  kg)  infant  w ill be  more  than  20  t imes  the 
weight  of  the  child.  This means  the  weight  of  the 
chi ld would  sudden ly be  more  than  260  po unds 
(120  kg) . Under  these  conditions,  only  an  appro
priate  ch ild  restraint  properly  used  can  reduce 
the  risk  of  serious  injury.  Ch ild  restraints,  like 
adu lt  safety  be lts,  must  be  used  p roperly  to  be 
effective . Used  improperly,  they  can  increase  the 
ris k of  serious  injury  in an  accident. 
Consult  the  child  safety  seat  manufacturer's  in
structions  in order  to  be  sure  the  seat  is  r ight  for 
your  child's  size 
c::> page  125,  Important  safety 
instructions  for using  child safety  seats . 
Please 
be  sure  to  read  a nd  heed  all  of  t he  importa nt  in
formation  and  WARNI NGS about  c hild  safety,  Ad
vanced  Ai rbags,  and  the  installa tion  of  child  re
s traints  in this  chapter . 
There  is a  lot  you  need  to  know  about  the  Ad
vanced  A irbags  in yo ur vehicle  and  how  t hey work 
when  infants  and  children  in  child  rest rain ts are 
on  the  fron t passenger  seat . Because  of  the  large 
amo unt  of  important  informat ion,  we  cannot  re
peat  it  a ll here.  We  urge  you  to  read  the  detai led 
122 
i nformation  in this  owner 's  man ua l about  airbags 
and  the  Advanced  Airbag  System  in your  vehicle 
and  the  very  important  information  about  trans 
porting  children  on  the  front  passenger  seat. 
Please  be  sure  to  heed  the  WARNINGS - they  are 
extremely  important  for  your  safety  and  the  safe 
ty  of  your  passengers,  especially  infants  and 
small  chi ld ren . 
&_ WARNING 
All vehicle  occupants  and  especially  chi ld ren 
must  be  res trained  p roperly  whenever  r iding 
in  a vehicle.  An unres trained  or  imprope rly re
strained  chi ld  could  be  inj ured  by strik ing  the 
inte rior  or  by being  ejected  from  the  vehicle 
during  a  sudden  maneuver  or  impact.  An un restra ined  or  improperly  restrained  child  is  al
so  at  greater  risk of  injury  or  death  through 
contact  w ith  an  inf lating  a irbag. 
&_ WARNING 
Children  on  the  front  seat  of  any  car  even  with 
Advanced  Airbags  can  be  ser iously  injured  or 
even  killed  when  an  a irbag  inflates . A child  in 
a  re arwa rd-facing  child  safety  seat  installed 
on  the  front  passenger  seat  will  be  serio usly 
injured  and  can  be  kil led  if  the  front  air bag  in
f lates. 
- The  infla ting  airbag  will  h it  the  ch ild  safety 
seat  or  in fant  ca rrier  with  great  force  and 
w ill smash  the  child  safety  seat  and  child 
aga inst  the  backrest,  door  or  roof. 
- Never  install  a  rearward  facin g child  safety 
seat  on  the  front  passenger  seat  unless  the 
PASSENGER AIR  BAG OFF light  comes  on 
and  stays  on.  If  the 
PASSENGER AIR  BAG 
OFF 
li ght  does  not  come  on  and  stay  on, 
have  the  airbag  system  inspected  immed i
ately  by your  Au di dealer . 
&_ WARNING 
If,  in exceptiona l circumstances , you  must  in
stall  a forwa rd-fac ing  c hild  restra int  on  the 
front  p assenger's  seat:  
Page 125 of 232
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- Always  make sure the  forward-facing  seat 
has been designed  and certified  by its  man
ufacturer  for  use on a front  seat with  a 
passenger front  and side airbag. 
-Always  follow  the  manufacturer's  instruc
t ions provided  with  the  child  safety  seat  or 
carrier. 
-Always  move the  passenger seat  into  its 
rearmost  position  in the  seat's fore  and aft 
adjustment  range,  as far  away from  the  air
bag as possib le befo re installing  the  child 
restraint.  The backrest  must  be ad justed to 
an upr ight  position. 
- Always  make sure that  the 
PASSENGER AIR 
BAG OFF 
lig ht  comes on and stays on all  the 
t ime whe never the  ignition  is switched  on. 
(D Tips 
Always rep lace child  rest raints  that  were  in
stalled  in a vehicle  dur ing a crash. Damage to 
a  child  rest rain t that  is not  v is ible could  cause 
it  to  fail  in  another  collision  situ ation. 
Advanced front  airbag  system  and  children 
Your veh icle is equipped  with  an "Advanced Air 
bag System"  in compliance  with  U nited  States 
Federal Motor  Vehicle Safety  Standard  (FMVSS) 
208  as applicable  at  the time  your  vehicle  was 
manufactured. 
The Advanced Airbag  system  in your  ve hicle has 
been ce rtified  to  meet  the  " low-risk"  requ ire
ments  for  3 -and  6-year-o ld children  on the  pas
senger  side and  small  adults on the  driver  side. 
The  low  risk deployment  criteria  are intended  to 
reduce the  r isk of  injury  throug h interaction  with 
the  airbag  t hat  can occur, for  examp le, by being 
too  close to  the  s teer ing wheel  and instrumen t 
p a nel when  the a irbag  inflates.  In  ad di tion,  the 
sys tem has been cert ified  to  comply  with  the 
"s uppression"  requirements  of  the  Safety  Stand 
ard,  to  turn  off  the  front  airbag  for  infa nts  up to 
12  months  who  are restra ined on the  front  pas
se nger  seat  in chi ld restraints  that  are listed  in 
the  Standard. 
Even tho ugh yo ur vehicle  is equi pped with  an Ad
vanced A irbag  system,  a ch ild should  always  ride 
Child  Sa fet y 
in the  seat  properly  restrained  fo r its  age and 
size.  The airbag  on the  passenger side makes the 
f ront  seat  a potent ia lly dange ro us place for  a 
c h ild  to  ride.  The front  seat  is not  the  safest  place 
for  a ch ild  in a forward-fac ing ch ild safety  seat.  It 
can be a very  dangerous  place for  an  infant  or  a 
la rger child  in  a  rearward-fac ing seat. 
Advanced Airbags  and  the  weight-sensing 
mat  in the  front  seat 
T he Advance d Airbag  System  in you r vehicle  de
tects  the  presence of  an infant  or  child  in a child 
rest raint  on the  front  passenger seat  using the 
weight-sensing  mat  in the  seat  c ushion  and the 
sensor  below  the  safety  belt  latch  o n the  front 
passenger seat  that  measures the  tension on the 
safety  belt. 
The we ight-sensing  mat  measures total  weight  of 
the  child  and the  child  safety  seat and a ch ild 
blanket  on the  front  passenger seat.  The we ight 
o n  the  front  passenger seat  is related  to  the  de
s ign of  the  child  rest raint  a nd  its  "footpr int",  t he 
s iz e and  s hape of  the  bottom  of  the  c hild  re
str aint  as i t si ts on  the seat.  The weight  of  a ch ild 
restrain t  and  its  "foo tpr in t"  vary fo r different 
ki nds of  child  res traints  and fo r th e d iffe rent 
models  of  the  same kind  of  chi ld restraint  offered 
by chi ld  restraint  man ufact urers. 
T he we igh t  ranges  for the  individu al types,  ma kes 
and mode ls of  chi ld res traints  t hat  the  NHT SA 
has spec ified  in the  Safety  Standard  toget her 
with  t he weig ht  ranges of  typica l infants  and typ 
ica l 1 year-old  child  have been stored  in the  con
trol  unit  of  the  Advanced Airbag  System. When  a 
c h ild  restra int  is being  used on the  front  passen
ger seat with  a typical  1 year-old  ch ild , the  Ad
vanced Airbag  Syste m compa res the  we ight 
measu red by the  we ight  sens ing  mat  with  the  in
f o rmat io n  sto red  in the  e lec tronic con trol  un it. 
T he elec tronic cont ro l unit  also reg iste rs the  ten
s io n  on the  front  passenger safety  belt.  The ten
s io n  on the  safety  be lt  fo r th e front  passe nger 
sea t w ill  be di fferent  for  an adul t who  is properly 
u sing  the safety  be lt  as compare d to  the  tension 
o n  the  bel t when  it  is used to  attach  a child  re 
stra int  to  the  seat . The sensor be low the  latch  for 
1iJ11-
123  
Page 126 of 232
Child  Safety 
the  safety  belt  for  the  front  seat  passenge r 
measures  the  tension  on  the  be lt . T he  inp ut  from 
this  sensor  is then  used  w ith  the  weight  to  "de
cide",  whether  there  is a  child  restra int  w ith  a 
t ypical  1 year-old  child  on  the  front  passenger 
seat  and  whether  or  not  the  airbag  must  be 
turned  off . 
Child  restraints  and  Advanced  Airbags 
Regardless  of  the  chi ld  restraint  that  you  use, 
make  sure  that  it  has  been  ce rtified  to  meet  Un it 
ed  States  Federal  Motor  Vehicle  Safety  Standards 
and  has  been  certified  by its  manufact urer  for 
use  with  an  airbag.  If  in  exceptional  circ umstan
ces  yo u must  use  it  on  the  front  passenger  seat, 
caref ully read  all  of  the  information  on  child  safe
ty  and  Advanced  Airbags  and  heed  all  of  the  ap
plicable  WARNINGS . Make  certain  that  the  child 
restraint  is correctly  recognized  by the  we ight
sensing  mat  ins ide  the  front  passenger  seat,  that 
the  front  passenger  a irbag  is tu rned  off  and  that 
the  airbag  status  is a lways  correctly  signaled  by 
the 
PASSENGER  AIR  BAG OFF light . 
Many types  and  models  of  c hild  restra ints  have 
been  ava ilable  ove r the  years,  new  models  a re  in
troduced  regu larly  incorporat ing  new  and  im 
p roved  des igns  and  o lder  models  are  taken  out  o f 
p rod uction.  Child  rest raints  are  not  standardized. 
Chi ld  restraints  of  the  same  type  typically  have 
d ifferent  weights  and  sizes  and  different  'foot
prints,'  the  si ze  and  shape  of  the  bottom  of  the 
child  restraint  that  sits  on  the  seat,  when  they 
are  installed  on  a veh icle  seat . These  differences 
make  it  v irtually  impossible  to  certify  compliance 
with  the  requ irements  for  advanced  ai rbags  with 
each  and  eve ry  child  rest raint  that  has  ever  been 
sold  in the  past  or  will  be  sold  ove r the  course  of 
the  useful  life  of  your  vehicle. 
For this  reason,  the  United  States  Nat iona l H igh
way  Traffic  Safety  Admin istration  has  p ublished  a 
lis t of  specific  type , makes  and  models  o f chi ld 
restraints  that  m ust  be  used  to  certify  comp li
ance  of  the  Advanced  Airbag  System  in your  vehi
cle  with  the  suppression  requirements  of  Federal  Motor  Vehicle  Safety  Standard  208.  These  chi ld 
restraints  are: 
124 
Subpart  A - Car b ed child  restra ints 
Model  Manufactured on or 
after 
Angel  Guard  Angel  September  25,  2007  Ride AA2403FOF 
Subpart  B  -Rear -facing  child  restraint s 
Model  Manufactured  on or 
after 
Century  SmartFit  4543  December  1,  1999 
Cosco Arriva  September  25,  2007 
22 -013PAW  and  base 
22-999WHO 
Evenflo  Discovery  Adjust  December  1,  1999 
Right  2 12 
E venf lo  First  Choice  204  December  1,  1999 
Graco  Infant  8457  December  1, 1999 
Graco  Snug ride  September  25,  2007 
Peg  Perego  Pr imo  Viag- September  25,  2007 
gio  SIP  I MUNOOUS 
Subpart  C - Forward-facing  and  convertible 
child  re straint s 
Model  Manufactured  on or 
after 
Britax  Roundabout  September  25,  2007 
E9L02xx 
Cosco Tou riva 025 19  December  1,  1999 
Cosco  Summit  Deluxe  September  25,  2007  H igh  Back Booster 
22 -262 
Cosco  High  Back Booster  September  25,  2007 
22-209 
Evenflo  Tribute  V  September  25,  2007 
379xxxx 
Evenflo  Meda llion  254  December  1,  1999 
E venflo  Generations  September  25,  2007 
352xxxx 
Graco  ComfortSport  September  25,  2007 
Graco  Todd ler  Safety 
September  25,  200 7 
Seat  Step  2 
Graco  Platinum  Cargo  September  25,  2007  
Page 127 of 232
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A WARNING ,~ 
To  reduce  the  risk  of serious  injury,  make  sure 
that  the 
PASSENGER  AIR  BAG OFF light 
comes  on  and stays  on whenever  a child  re
straint  is installed  on  the  front  passenger  seat 
and  the  ignition  is switched  on. 
- Never  install  a  rearward  facing  child  safety 
seat  on  the  front  passenger  seat  unless  the 
PASSENGER  AIR  BAG OFF light  comes  on 
and  stays  on.  If the 
PASSENGER  AIR  BAG 
OFF 
light  does  not  come  on  and  stay  on  the 
inflating  airbag  will  hit  the  child  safety  seat 
or  infant  carrier  with  great  force  and  will 
smash  the  child  safety  seat  and  child  against  the  backrest,  door  or  roof.  Have the 
airbag  system  inspected  immediately  by 
your  authorized  Audi dealer. 
{!) Tips 
The  child  seats  listed  in  categories  A to  C have  been  statically  tested  by Audi only  for  the  Ad
vanced  Airbag  function. 
Important  safety  instructions  for  using 
child safety  seats 
Correct use  of  child safety  seats  substantially  re
duces  the  risk of  injury in an accident! 
As the  driver,  you  are  responsible  for  the  safety  of 
everybody  in the  vehicle,  especially  children: 
..  Always  use the  right  child  safety  seat  for  each 
child  and  always  use  it  properly 
c;, page 127. 
.. Always  carefully  follow  the  child  safety  seat 
manufacturer's  instructions  on  how  to  route 
the  safety  belt  properly  through  the  child  safe
ty  seat. 
..  When  using  the vehicle  safety  belt  to  install a 
child  safety  seat,  you  must  first  activate  the 
convertible  locking  retractor  on  the  safety  belt 
to  prevent  the  child  safety  seat  from  moving 
c;, poge 130. 
.. Push  the  child  safety  seat  down  with  your  full 
weight  to  get  the  safety  belt  really  tight  so  that 
the  seat  cannot  move  forward  or sideways  more 
than  one  inch  (2 .5  cm) . 
..  If  a  strap  or  tether  is being  used  to  tie  the  child 
safety  seat  to  the  front  passenger  seat,  make 
Child  Safety 
sure  that  it  is  not  so  tight  that  it  causes  the 
weight-sensing  mat  to  measure  more  weight  than  is actually  on  the  seat. 
Always  remember:  Even though  your  vehicle  is 
equipped  with  an  Advanced  Airbag  system,  a 
child  should  always  ride  in the  seat  properly  re
strained  for  its  age  and  size. 
A WARNING 
-Not  using  a  child  safety  seat,  using  the  wrong 
child  safety  seat  or  improperly  installing  a 
child  restraint  increases  the  risk of  serious  personal  injury and  death. 
- All vehicle  occupants  and  especially  children  must  always  be  restrained  properly  whenev
er  riding  in a vehicle. 
- An  unrestrained  or  improperly  restrained 
child  can  be  injured  or  killed  by being 
thrown  against  the  inside  of  the  vehicle  or 
by being  ejected  from  it  during  a  sudden 
maneuver  or  impact. 
- An  unrestrained  or  improperly  restrained 
child  is at  much  greater  risk  of  injury or 
death  by being  struck  by an  inflating  air bag . 
- Commercially  available  child  safety  seats 
are  required  to  comply  with  U.S. Federal  Mo
tor  Vehicle  Safety  Standard  (FMVSS) 213  (in 
Canada  CMVSS 213). 
- When  buying  a  child  restraint,  select  one 
that  fits  your  child  and  the  vehicle . 
- Only  use child  restraint  systems  that  fully 
contact  the  flat  portion  of  the  seat  cush
ion.  The  child  restraint  must  not  tip  or 
lean  to  either  side.  Audi  does  not  recom
mend  using  child  safety  seats  that  rest  on 
legs  or  tube-like  frames.  They  do  not  pro
vide  adequate  contact  with  the  seat. 
- Always  heed  all  legal  requirements  per
taining  to  the  installation and  use  of  child 
safety  seats  and  carefully  follow  the  in
structions  provided  by  the manufacturer 
of  the  seat you  are  using. 
- Never  let  more  than  one  child  occupy  a  child 
safety  seat. 
~ 
125  
Page 128 of 232
Child  Safety 
-Never  let  babies  or  older  children  ride  in  a 
vehicle  while  sitting  on  the  lap of  another 
passenger. 
- Holding  a  child  in your  arms  is never  a  sub
stitute  for  a  child  restraint  system. 
- The  strongest  person  could  not hold  the 
child  with  the forces  that  exist  in an  acci
dent.  The  child will strike  the  interior  of 
the  vehicle  and  can  also  be  struck  by the  passenger. 
- The  child and the  passenger  can  also  in
jure  each  another  in an  accident. 
- Never  install  a rearward  facing  child safety 
seat  on  the  front  passenger  seat  unless  the 
PASSENGER AIR  BAG OFF light  comes  on 
and  stays  on.  If  the 
PASSENGER AIR  BAG 
OFF 
light  does  not  come  on  and  stay  on  the 
inflating  airbag  will  hit  the  child  safety  seat 
or  infant  carrier  with  great  force and  will 
smash  the  child  safety  seat  and  child 
against  the  backrest,  door  or  roof . Have the 
airbag  system  inspected  immediately  by 
your  authorized  Audi dealer. 
- Forward-facing  child  safety  seats installed 
on  the  front  passenger's  seat  can  interfere 
with  the  airbag  when  it  inflates  and cause 
serious  injury  to  the  child. 
- If exceptional  circumstances  require  the  use 
of  a forward-facing  child  restraint on  the 
front  passenger's  seat,  the child's  safety 
and  well-being  require  that  the  following 
special  precautions  be  taken: 
- Make sure  the  forward-facing  seat  has 
been  designed  and  certified  by  its manu
facturer  for  use  on  a  front  seat  with  a  pas senger  front  and  side  airbag. 
- Always carefully  follow  the  manufacturer's 
instructions  provided  with  the child  safety 
seat  or  carrier. 
- Always move  the  front  passenger  seat  into 
the  rearmost  position  of  the passenger 
seat's  fore  and aft  adjustment  range,  and 
as  far  away  from  the  airbag  as  possible be
fore  installing  the  child  restraint. 
- Always  make  sure  that  nothing  prevents 
the  front  passenger's  seat  from  being 
moved  to  the  rearmost  position in  its  fore 
and  aft  adjustment  range. 
126 
- Always  make  sure  that  the  backrest  is in 
the  upright  position. 
- Always buckle  the  child  safety  seat  firmly  in 
place  even  if a child  is not  sitting  in  it. A 
loose  child  safety  seat  can  fly around  during 
a sudden  stop  or  in a  collision . 
- Always read  and  heed  all  WARNINGS when ever  using  a  child  restrained  in a vehicle  is 
being  used 
c> page  95,  Safety  belts, 
c;:, page  102,  Airbag  system and 
c;:, page  122,  Child Safety . 
A WARNING 
To reduce  the risk of  serious  injury,  make  sure 
that  the 
PASSENGER AIR  BAG OFF light 
comes  on  and  stays  on whenever  a child  re
straint  is  installed on  the front passenger  seat 
and  the  ignition  is switched  on. 
- Never  install  a  rearward  facing  child  safety 
seat  on  the  front  passenger seat  unless  the 
PASSENGER AIR  BAG OFF light  comes  on 
and  stays  on. 
If the PASSENGER AIR  BAG 
OFF 
light  does  not  come  on  and  stay  on  the 
inflating  airbag will  hit  the  child safety  seat 
or infant  carrier  with  great  force  and  will 
smash  the  child  safety  seat  and  child 
against  the  backrest,  door  or  roof.  Have the 
airbag  system  inspected  immediately by 
your  authorized  Audi dealer.  
Page 129 of 232
..... N 
l'
N "1: ..... I.O 
"' N 
"' ..... 
Child safety  seats 
Infant  seats 
Babies and  infants  up to  about  one year  old and 
20  lbs. or  9  kg need  special  rearward -facing 
child restraints  that support  the  back, neck  and 
head  in  a crash. 
Fig. 123 Rearward-facing  infa nt  seat,  prope rly installed  on 
the  passenger  seat 
"'W hen  using  the vehicle  safety  belt  to  install a 
child  safety  seat,  you  must  first  activate  the 
convertible  locking  retractor  on  the  safety belt 
to  prevent  the child  safety  seat  from  moving 
¢page  130. 
"'Push  the  child  safety  seat  down  with  your  fu ll 
weight  to  get  the  safety  be lt  really  tight  so  that 
the  seat  cannot  move  forward  or  sideways  more 
than  one  inch  (2.5  cm) . 
Infants  up  to  about  one  year  (20  lbs. or  9  kg) are 
best  protected  in special  infant carriers  and  child 
safety  seats  designed for  their  age  group . Many 
experts  believe  that  infants and  small  children 
should  ride  only  in spec ial  restra ints  in wh ich  the 
child  faces  the  back  of the  vehicle. These  infant 
seats  support  the  baby's  back , neck  and  head  in a 
crash 
¢ fig.  123 . 
A WARNING 
Not  using  a  child  safety  seat,  using  the wrong 
child  safety  seat  or  improperly  installing  a 
child  rest raint  increases  the  risk  of serious 
personal  injury and  death  in a crash. 
- Never  install  a  rear -facing  child  restraint  in 
the  forward-facing  direction.  Such restraints 
are  designed  for  the  special  needs  of  infants 
and  very  small  children  and  cannot  protect 
them  properly  if the  seat  is forward-facing. 
Child  Safety 
- Never  install  a  rearward  facing  child  safety 
seat  on  the  front  passenger seat  unless  the 
PASSENGER  AIR BAG OFF light  comes  on 
and  stays  on. 
If the PASSENGER  AIR BAG 
OFF 
light  does  not  come  on  and  stay  on  the 
inflating  a irbag  will hit  the child  safety  seat 
or  infant  carrier  with  great  force  and will 
smash  the  child  safety seat  and  child 
against  the  backrest, door or  roof . Have the 
airbag  system  inspected  immediately  by 
your  authorized  Audi dealer. 
- Always  read  and  heed all WARNINGS  when
ever  using  a  child  restrained  in a vehicle  is 
being  used ¢ 
page 95, Safety  belts, 
¢ page  102,  Airbag system and 
¢ page  122,  Important  things  to  know. 
Convertible  child  safety  seats 
Properly used  convertible  child safety  seats  can 
help protect  toddlers  and  children over age  on e 
who weigh between  20  and  40  lbs. 
(9 and  18 kg) 
in a crash . 
.,, 0 
~ -', a, m 
Fig. 124 Schemat ic overv iew:  instal lat io n  of t he sea t usi ng 
t he ve hicle's  sa fety  belt  system 
.,.  When  using  the  vehicle  safety  belt  to  install  a 
child  safety  seat,  you  must  first  activate  the 
convertible  locking retractor  on  the  safety  be lt 
to  prevent  the  child  safety  seat  from  mov ing 
¢ page  130. 
"' Push  the  child  safety  seat  down with  your  full 
weight  to  get  the  safety  belt really  tight  so  that 
the  seat  cannot  move  forward  or  sideways  more 
than  one  inch (2.5 cm)¢ 
page  130. 
A toddler  or  child  is  usually  too  large  for  an  in
fant  restraint  if  it  is  more  tha n one  year  old  and 
weighs  mo re  than  20 lbs.  (9 kg).  .,. 
127  
Page 130 of 232
Child  Safety 
Toddlers  and  children  who  are  older  than  one 
year  up  to  about  4  years  old  and  weigh  more  than  20  lbs.  (9  kg)  up  to  40  lbs.  (18  kg) must  always 
be  properly  restrained  in a child  safety  seat  certi
fied  for  their  size  and  weight¢ 
fig.  124 . 
A WARNING 
Not  using  a  child  safety  seat,  using  the  wrong 
child  safety  seat  or  improperly  installing a 
child  restraint  increases  the  risk of  serious 
personal  injury  and  death  in a collision  or  oth
er  emergency  situation. 
- Children  on  the  front  seat  of  any  car,  even 
with  Advanced  Airbags,  can  be  seriously  in
jured  or  even  killed  when  an  airbag  inflates. 
A child  in a  rearward-facing  child  safety  seat 
installed  on  the  front  passenger  seat  will  be 
seriously  injured and  can  be  killed  if the 
front  airbag  inflates  -even  with  an  Ad
vanced  Airbag  System. 
- The  inflating  airbag  will  hit  the  child  safety 
seat  or  infant  carrier  with  great  force  and 
will smash  the  child  safety  seat  and  child 
against  the  backrest,  door  or  roof. 
- Never  install  a  rearward  facing  child  safety 
seat  on  the  front  passenger  seat  unless  the 
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light  comes  on 
and  stays  on.  If  the 
PASSENGER AIR BAG 
OFF 
light  does  not  come  on  and  stay on 
have  the  airbag  system  inspected  immedi
ately  by your  authorized  Audi dealer. 
- Always  read and  heed  all WARNINGS when
ever  using  a child  restrained  in a  vehicle  is 
being  used  ¢ 
page 95, Safety  belts, 
¢ page  102,  Airbag system 
and 
¢ page  122 , Important  things  to know. 
A WARNING 
If  exceptional  circumstances  require  the  use 
of a forward-facing  child  restraint  on  the  front 
passenger's  seat,  the  child's  safety  and  well
being  require  that  the  following  special  pre
cautions  be  taken: 
- Make sure  the  forward-facing  seat  has  been 
designed  and  certified  by its  manufacturer 
for  use  on  a front  seat  with  a  passenger 
front  and  side  airbag. 
128 
- Always follow  the  manufacturer's  instruc
tions  provided  with  the  child  safety  seat  or  infant  carrier. 
- Always  move  the  front  passenger  seat  into 
the  rearmost  position  of the  passenger  seat's  fore  and  aft  adjustment  range,  and  as 
far  away  from  the  airbag  as  possible  before  installing  the  child  restraint. 
- Always  make  sure  that  nothing  prevents  the 
front  passenger's  seat  from  being  moved  to 
the  rearmost  position  in its  fore  and  aft  ad
justment  range. 
- Always make  sure  the  backrest  is in an  up
right  position . 
- Make sure  that  the 
PASSENGER AIR BAG 
OFF 
light  comes  on  and  stays  on  all  the  time 
whenever  the  ignition  is switched  on. 
- If  the  light  does  not  stay  on,  perform  the 
checks. 
- If  the 
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light  does 
not  come  on  and  stay  on  have  the  airbag 
system  inspected  immediately  by your  Audi 
dealer. 
Booster  seats  and safety  belts 
Properly used  booster  seats  can help protect 
children weighing  between  about  40  lbs . and  80 
lbs.  (18 kg and  36  kg) who are less  than  4 ft.  9 
in.  (57 inches/1.45  meters)  tall. 
Fig.  125  Passenger  seat : chil d properly  restrained  in a 
boo ste r seat 
The vehicle's  safety belts  alone  will  not  fit  most 
children  until they  are  at  least 4  ft.  9  in. (57  in
ches/1.45  meters)  tall and  weigh  about  80  lbs. 
(36  kg).  Booster  seats  raise these  children  up  so 
that  the  safety  belt  will  pass  properly  over  the  ..,.