ESP AUDI A6 2014 Owner's Guide
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: AUDI, Model Year: 2014, Model line: A6, Model: AUDI A6 2014Pages: 304, PDF Size: 76.32 MB
Page 127 of 304

Error  messages 
Applies  to vehicles:  with  parking  system  plus/rear  view 
camera/per ipheral  cameras 
There is an e rror  in the  system  if the  LED  in 
the 
p, qA button  is blinking  and you  hear a con
tinuous  alarm  for  a few  seconds afte r switch
ing  on the  parking  system  or when  the  park 
ing system  is already  activated.  If  the  error  is 
not  corrected  before you  switch  off  the  igni
tion,  the  LED  in the 
Pw.6. button  will  blink  the 
next  time  you switch  on  the  parking  system  by 
shifting  into  reverse. 
Parking  system plus 
If  a sensor  is faulty,  the~ symbol  will  appear 
in front  of/behind  the  vehicle  in the  Infotain
ment  display.  If  a rear sensor  is fau lty,  only 
obstacles  that  are  in areas @ and @ are 
shown ¢ 
page 115, fig. 118. If  a front  sensor 
i s faulty,  only  obstacles  that  are in  areas © 
and @are shown . 
Peripheral  cameras* 
There is also  a system  error  if: 
- the 
'(:8:)• • symbol  appears  in the  display and 
the  corresponding  display  area is shown  in 
blue.  The camera  is not  working  in  this  area. 
- all  segments  around  the  vehicles  are  red or 
if  no segments  are  displayed. 
Drive to  your  authorized  Aud i dea ler o r au
thorized  repair  fac ility  immediately  to  have 
the  ma lfunction  corrected. 
Trailer  hitch 
Appl ies  to vehicles:  with  parking  system  plus/rear  view 
camera/per ipheral cameras  and  trailer  hitch 
For vehicles  using  the  tra iler  socket,  the park
ing system  rear senso rs  do  not  turn  on when 
you  shift  into  reverse gear or when  yo u press 
the  P
01A button.  This results  in  the following  re
strictions: 
Parking  system plus* 
There is  no distance  wa rning  for  the  rear.  The 
front  sensors rema in activated.  The visual  dis
play switches  to the  traile r tow ing mode. 
Parking  systems  125 
Parking system plus and  rear view 
camera*  /Peripheral  cameras* 
There is no distance  warning  for  the  rear.  The 
front  sensors  remain  activated.  The visual  dis
play sw itches  to  the  trailer  towing  mode.  The 
rear view  camera  image  will  not  show  the  ori
entation  lines  and  the blue  surfaces . 
{D Tips 
Trailer  hitches  that  are not  installed at  the 
factory  may cause the  park ing system  to 
malfunction  or  they  may restr ict  its  func
tion.  
Page 130 of 304

128  Driving  Safely 
Driving  Safely 
General  notes 
Safe  driving  habits 
Please  remember  -safety  first! 
This chapter  contains  important  information, 
tips,  instructions  and  warnings  that  you  need 
to  read  and  observe  for  your  own  safety,  the 
safety  of your  passengers  and  others . We  have 
summarized  here  what  you  need  to  know 
about  safety  belts,  airbags,  child  restraints  as 
well  as  child  safety.  Your safety  is for  us 
priori
ty  number  1. 
Always  observe  the  information 
and  warnings  in this  section  - for your  own 
safety  as  well  as  that  of your  passengers. 
The  information  in this  section  applies  to  all 
model  versions  of your  vehicle . Some  of  the 
features  described  in  this sections  may  be 
standard  equipment  on  some  models,  or  may 
be  optional  equipment  on  others.  If you  are 
not  sure,  ask  your  authorized  Audi dealer. 
A WARNING 
- Always  make  sure  that  you follow  the  in
structions  and  heed  the  WARNINGS in 
this  Manual.  It  is in your  interest  and  in 
the  interest  of your  passengers. 
- Always  keep  the  complete  Owner's  Liter
ature  in your  Audi when  you  lend or  sell 
your  vehicle  so  that  this  important infor
mation  will always  be  available  to  the 
driver  and  passengers. 
- Always  keep  the  Owner's  literature  handy 
so  that  you can find  it  easily  if you  have 
questions. 
Safety  equipment 
The safety  features  are part  of  the  occupant 
restraint  system  and  work  together  to  help 
reduce  the  risk of  injury in a  wide  variety  of 
accident  situations. 
Your safety  and  the  safety  of your  passengers 
should  not  be  left  to chance.  Advances  in 
technology  have  made a variety  of features 
available  to  help reduce  the  risk  of  injury  in an  accident. 
The following  is a  list  of just  a few  of 
the  safety  features  in your  Audi: 
- sophisticated  safety  belts  for  driver and  all 
passenger  seating  positions, 
- safety  belt  pretensioners , 
- safety  belt  force  limiters  for  the  front  seats, 
- safety  belt  height  adjustment  systems  for 
the  front  seats, 
- front  airbags, 
- knee  airbags  for  the  front  seats* 
- side  airbags  in the  front  seats  and  outer  rear 
seats*, 
- side  curtain  airbags , 
- special  LATCH anchorages  for  child  re-
straints, 
- head  restraints  for  each  seating  position, 
- adjustable  steering  column. 
These  individual  safety  features,  can  work  to gether  as  a system  to  help protect  you  and 
your  passengers  in a wide  range of accidents . 
These  features  cannot work  as  a  system  if 
they  are  not  always  correctly  adjusted and  cor
rectly  used. 
Safety  is everybody's  responsibility! 
Important  things  to  do  before  driving 
Safety  is everybody 's job!  Vehicle and  occu 
pant  safety  always  depends  on  the  informed  and  careful  driver . 
For your  safety  and  the  safety  of your  passen 
gers, 
before  driving always: 
..  Make sure  that  all  lights  and  signals  are  op
erating  correctly. 
..  Make sure  that  the  tire  pressure  is correct  . 
..  Make sure  that  all windows  are  clean  and  af
ford  good  visibility  to  the  outside . 
..  Secure  all  luggage  and  other  items carefully 
q page 63, q page  60 . 
.. Make sure  that  nothing  can  interfere with 
the  pedals. 
..  Adjust  front  seat,  head  restraint  and  mirrors 
correctly  for  your  height. 
..  Instruct  passengers  to  adjust  the  head  re-
straints  according  to  their  height . .,..  
Page 131 of 304

.. Make sure  to  use  the  right  child  rest raint 
correct ly to  protect  children 
Q page  173, 
Child Safety . 
.. Sit  properly  in your  seat  and  make  sure  that 
your  passengers  do  the  same¢ 
page  52, 
General recommendations . 
.. Fasten  your  safety  belt  and  wear  it  properly. 
Also  instruct  your  passengers  to  fasten  their 
safety  belts properly ¢ 
page  138. 
What  impairs  driving  safety? 
Safe  driving is directly  related  to  the  condi
tion  of  the vehicle,  the  driver as  well as  the 
driver 's  ability  to  concentrate  on the  road 
without  being  distracted. 
The driver  is  respons ible  for  the  safety  of the 
veh icle  and  all  of  its  occupants. 
If your  ability 
to  drive  is impai red,  safety  r isks  for  everybody 
in  the  vehicle  increase  and  you  also  become a 
hazard  to  everyone  else  on  the road  ¢ 
A. 
Therefore: 
..  Do  not  let  yourself  be distracted  by passen
gers  or  by  using a  cellular  telephone. 
..  NEVER drive  when  your  driving  ability  is im
paired  (by medications,  alcohol,  drugs,  etc .). 
..  Observe  all  traffic  laws,  rules  of the  road 
and  speed  limits  and  plain common  sense  . 
..  ALWAYS adjust  your  speed  to  road,  traff ic 
and  weather  conditions  . 
.,.  Take  frequent  breaks  on  long  trips.  Do not 
drive  for  more  than  two  hours  at  a  stretch. 
..  Do NOT  drive  when  you  are  t ired,  under 
pressure  or when  you  are stressed. 
A WARNING 
Impaired  driving safety  increases  the  risk 
of serious  personal injury  and  death  when
ever  a vehicle  is  being used. 
Driving  Safely  129 
Proper  occupant 
seating  positions 
Proper seating  position  for  the  driver 
The  proper  driver seating  position  is impor
tant  for safe,  relaxed  driving . 
Fig. 144 Correct seat ing pos it ion 
For your  own  safety  and  to  reduce the  risk of 
injury  in  the  event  of an  accident,  we  recom
mend  that  you  adjust  the  driver's seat  to  the 
follow ing  pos ition: 
..  Adjust  the  driver's seat  so  that  you  can  easi 
ly push  the  pedals  all  the  way to  the  floor 
wh ile  keeping  your  knee(s)  slightly  bent 
¢.&_  . 
.. Adjust  the  angle  of  the seatback  so  that  it  is 
in  an  upr ight  position  so that  your  back 
comes  in full  contact  with  it  when  you  drive. 
..  Adjust  the  steering  wheel  so  that th ere  is  a 
distance  of at  least  10 inches  (25  cm)  be
tween  the steering  wheel  and  yo ur breast 
bone 
Q fig.  144. If  not  possible,  see  your  au 
thorized  Audi dealership  about  adaptive 
equipment  . 
..  Adjust  the  steering  wheel  so  that  the  steer
ing  wheel  and  airbag  cover  points  at  your 
chest  and  not  at  your  face. 
.,.  Grasp  the top  of the  steering wheel with 
your  elbow(s)  slightly  bent. 
..  App lies  to veh icles  with  adjustable  head  re
s tra ints:  Ad just  the head  restraint  so  the  up
per  edge  is as  even  as  possible with  the  top 
of your  head.  If that  is not  possible,  try  to 
adjust  the  head  restraint so  that  it  is as 
close  to  this  pos it ion  as  possible.  Move the 
head  restra int  so  that  it  is as  close  to  the 
back  of  the  head  as  poss ible.  .,.  
Page 134 of 304

132  Driving  Safel y 
Proper adjustment  of  head restraints 
Correctly adjusted  head  restraints are  an im
portant  part  of your  vehicle's  occupant  re
straint  system  and  can help  to reduce  the  risk 
of  injuries in accident  situations. 
Fig . 145 H ead restraint:  viewed from  the  front 
The  head  restraints  must  be  correctly  adjust
ed  to  achieve  the  best  protection. 
i,.. For  adjustable  head  restraints:  adjust  the 
head  restraint  so  the  upper  edge is as  even 
as  possible  with  the  top  of your  head.  If  that 
is  not  possible,  try  to adjust  the  head  re
stra int  so  that  it  is as  close  to  this  position 
as  possible  ¢ 
fig.  145. Move the head  re
stra int  so  that  it  is as  close  to  the  back  of 
the  head  as possible . 
i,.. If there  is a  passenger  on  the  rear  center 
seat ing  pos ition,  slide  the  center head re
stra int  upward  at  least  to  the  next  notch. 
Adjust ing  head  restraints¢ 
page  55. 
A WARNING 
All seats  are  equipped  with  head  re
straints.  Dr iv ing  without  head  restraints  or 
w ith  head  restra ints  tha t are  not  properly 
adjusted  increases  the  risk of  ser io us  or  fa
tal  neck  injury dramatically.  To help  reduce 
the  risk of  injury: 
- Always  drive  with  the  head  restraints  in 
place  and  proper ly adjusted. 
- Every pe rson  in the  vehicle  must  have  a 
properly  ad justed  head  restra int . 
- Always  make  su re  each  pe rson  in the  ve
hicle  proper ly adjusts  the ir head  re
straint . Ad just  the  head  restraint  so  the 
upper  edge  is  as even  as  possib le with  the  top  of yo
ur head.  If  that  is  not  possi
ble,  t ry to  ad just  the  head  restraint  so 
that  it  is as  close to  this  position  as pos
sible.  Move the  head  rest raint  so  that  it 
is as  close  to  the  back  of the  head  as  pos
sible. 
- Never  attempt  to  adjust  head  restraint 
while  driving.  If you  have  driven  off  and  m ust  adjust  the  driver  headrest  for  any 
reason,  first  stop  the  vehicle  safely  be
fore  at tempting  to  a djust  the  head  re
straint. 
- Ch ild ren  mus t  always  be  prope rly  re
s trained  in a  child  rest rain t that  is appro
p ria te fo r their  age  and  size  ¢ 
page  173. 
Examples of  improper  seating  positions 
The occupant  restraint  system  can only re 
duce  the  risk of  injury if  vehicle o ccupants  are 
properly  seated. 
Improper  seating  positions  ca n cause  serious 
injury  or  death.  Safety  belts  can  only  wo rk 
whe n they are properly positioned on the 
body.  Improper  seating  positions  reduce  the 
effectiveness  of  safety  belts  and will even  in
crease  the risk  of injury  and death  by moving 
the  safety  belt to  crit ica l areas  of the  body. 
Improper  seating  positions also  increase  the 
risk of  serious  injury and  death  when  an air
bag  deploys  and  str ikes  an  occupant  who  is 
not  in the  p roper  s eating  position.  A dr iver  is 
r esponsible  fo r the  safety  of  all veh icle  occu
pants  and  espe cially for  child ren.  The re fore: 
i,.. Never  allow  anyone  to  assume  an  incorrect 
seating  position  when  the  vehicle  is  being 
used ¢& . 
The following  bullet ins  list  o nly some  sample 
pos itions  that  will  increase  the  r isk of  serious 
injury  and  death.  Our hope  is that  t hese  exam
ples  will make  yo u more  aware  o f seat ing  po 
s it ions  tha t are  dangerous. 
Therefore , whenever  the  vehicle  is 
moving: 
- neve r stand  u p in  the  vehicle 
- neve r stand  on  the  seats  
Page 137 of 304

A WARNING 
To help  prevent  poisonous  exhaust  gas 
from  being  drawn  into  the  vehicle,  always keep  the  rear  lid closed  while  driving . 
- Never  transport  objects  larger  than 
those  fitting  completely  into the luggage 
area  because  the  rear lid cannot  be  fully 
closed. 
- If you  absolutely  must  drive  with  the rear 
lid open,  observe  the following  notes  to 
reduce  the  risk of  poisoning: 
- Close  all  windows, 
- Close  the  power  roof*, 
- Open  all  air outlets  in the  instrument 
panel, 
- Switch  off the  air  recirculation, 
- Set  the  fresh  air  fan  to  the  highest 
speed. 
A WARNING 
Always  make  sure  that  the  doors,  all win dows,  the  power  roof*  and  the rear  lid  are 
securely  closed  and  locked  to  reduce  the 
risk  of  injury when the vehicle  is not  being 
used. 
- After  closing  the  rear  lid,  always  make 
sure  that  it  is properly  closed  and  locked. 
- Never  leave  your  vehicle  unattended  es
pecially  with  the  rear  lid left  open.  A 
child  could  crawl  into the  vehicle  through 
the  luggage  compartment  and  close  the 
rear  lid becoming  trapped  and  unable  to 
get  out.  Being  trapped  in  a vehicle  can 
lead  to  serious  personal  injury. 
- Never  let  children  play  in  or  around  the 
vehicle . 
- Never  let  passengers  ride  in the  luggage 
compartment.  Vehicle  occupants  must 
always  be  properly  restrained  in one  of 
the  vehicle's  seating  positions. 
Gj) Tips 
-Air  circulation  helps  to  reduce  window  fogging.  Stale  air  escapes  to  the  outside 
through  vents  in the  trim  panel.  Be sure 
to  keep  these  slots  free  and  open . 
-
Driving  Safely  135 
-The  tire  pressure  must  correspond  to  the 
load.  The  tire  pressure  is  shown  on  the 
tire  pressure  label.  The  tire  pressure  la
bel  is  located  on  the  driver's  side  B-pillar. 
The  tire  pressure  label  lists  the  recom
mended  cold  tire  inflation  pressures  for 
the  vehicle  at  its  maximum  capacity 
weight  and  the  tires  that  were  on  your 
vehicle  at  the  time  it  was  manufactured.  For  recommended  tire  pressures  for  nor
mal  load  conditions,  please see  chapter 
~page  244. 
Tie-downs 
The luggage  compartment  is equipped  with 
four  tie-downs  to  secure  luggage  and  other 
items. 
Use  the  tie-downs  to secure  your  cargo  prop
erly<> 
page  134,  Loading the  luggage com
partment. 
In a collision,  the  laws  of  physics mean  that 
even  smaller  items  that are loose  in the  vehi
cle  will  become  heavy  missiles  that  can  cause 
serious  injury.  Items in the  vehicle  possess  en
ergy  which  vary  with  vehicle  speed  and  the 
weight  of  the  item.  Vehicle  speed  is the  most 
significant  factor. 
For  example , in  a frontal  collision  at  a  speed 
of  30  mph  (48  km/h),  the  forces  acting  on  a  10-lb  (4.5  kg) object  are  about  20  times  the 
normal  weight  of  the  item.  This  means  that 
the  weight  of  the  item  would  suddenly  be  about  200  lbs.  (90  kg) . You can  imagine  the 
injuries  that  a  200  lbs . (90  kg)  item flying 
freely  through  the  passenger  compartment 
could  cause  in  a collision  like this. 
A WARNING 
Weak,  damaged  or  improper  straps  used 
to  secure  items  to tie-downs  can  fail dur
ing  hard  braking  or  in  a collision  and  cause 
serious  personal  injury. 
-Always  use  suitable  mounting  straps  and  properly  secure  items  to  the  tie-downs  in 
. 
• 
•  
Page 144 of 304

142  Safet y belt s 
To provide  maximum  protection,  sa fety  belts 
must  always  be  positioned  correctly  on  the 
wearer 's  body . 
.,.  Adjust  the  front  seat  and  head  restr aint 
properly  ¢ 
page  52,  General recommenda
t ions . 
.,. Make sure  the  seatback  of the  rear  seat 
bench  is  in an  upright  pos ition  and  securely 
latched  in place  before  using  the  belt¢.&,. 
.,.  Hold the  be lt  by the  tongue  and  pull  it  even 
ly across  the  chest  and  pelvis ¢ .&, . 
.,.  Insert  the  tongue  into  the  correct  buckle  of 
yo ur seat  until  you  hea r it  latc h securely 
¢fig.  152. 
.,. Pull  on  the  be lt  to  make  sure  that  it  is se-
curely  latched  in the  buckle. 
Automatic  safety  belt  retractors 
Every safety  belt  is equipped  w ith  an  automat
i c belt  retractor  on  the  shoulder  be lt.  This fea
ture  locks  the  be lt  whe n the  belt  is  pulled  out 
fast,  during  hard  braking  and  i n an  accident. 
The  belt  may  also  lock  when  you  drive  up  or 
down  a  steep  hill or  through  a sharp  curve.  During  normal  driv ing  the  belt  lets  you  move 
freely. 
Safety  belt  preten sione rs 
The  safety  belts  are  equipped  with  a  be lt  pre
tensioner  that  helps  to  tighten  the  safety  belt 
and  remove  s lack when  the  pretensioner  is ac 
tivated ¢ 
page  145 . The function  of the  pre
tensioner  is moni tored  by a warning  light 
¢ page  19. 
Sw itchabl e lo cking fe atur e 
Every safety  belt  except  the  one  on the  driver 
seat  is eq uipped  w ith  a  switchable  locking  fea 
ture  that 
m ust be  used  when  the  safety  belt  is 
used  to  attach  a  child  seat.  Be sure  to  read  the  important  information  about  this  feature 
¢ page  184 . 
.,& WARNING 
Improperly  positioned  safety  belts  can 
cause  serious  injury  in an  accident 
¢ page  142,  Safety  belt  position. 
- Safety  belts  offer  optimum  protection 
only  when  the  seatback  is upright  and 
belts  are  properly  posit ioned  on  the 
body  . 
- Always  make  sure  that  the  rear  seat 
backrest  to  which  the  center  rear  safety 
belt*  is  attached  is  securely  latched 
wheneve r the  rea r center  safety  belt  is 
being  used. 
If the  backrest  is  not  secu re
ly latched,  the  passenger  will  move  for
ward  with  the  back rest  dur ing  sudden 
brak ing,  in a  sudden  maneuver  and  espe
cially  in a  crash. 
- Never  at tach  the  safety  bel t to  the  buck
le  for  another  seat.  Attaching  the  belt  to 
the  wrong  buckle  will  reduce  safety  be lt 
effectiveness  and  can  cause  serious  per
sonal  injury . 
- A passenger  who  is  not  proper ly restrain
ed  can  be  seriously  injured  by the  safety  belt  itself  when  it  moves  from  the  stron
ger  parts  of the  body  into  cr itical  areas 
like the  abdomen . 
- Always lock the  convertible  locking  re
tractor  when  you  are  securing  a  child  seat  in the  vehicle ¢ 
page  186. 
(D Tips 
For information  on  safety  belt  pretension
ers,  refer  to¢ 
page  145. 
Safety  belt  position 
Correct belt position  is the  key to getting 
maximum  protection  from  safety  belts. 
F ig.  153 Safety  bel t pos it ion 
"' .... 0 
~ CD  
Page 146 of 304

144  Safet y belt s 
A WARNING 
Never  unfasten  safety  belt  while  the vehi
cle  is moving.  Doing  so will  increase  your 
r isk  of  being  injured  or  killed . 
Adjusting  safety  belt  height 
With the aid of  the safety  belt  height  adjust
ment,  the  three  point safety  belt strap  rout
ing can be fitted  to  the  shoulder area,  accord 
ing to body size . 
Fig. 156 Safety belt  height  adjustment  for  the front 
sea ts  - loop -around f ittings 
The  shoulder  belt  should  lie  as  close  to  the 
center  of the  collar  bone  as  possible  and 
should  fit  well  on  the  body¢ 
A in Safety  belt 
position  on page  143. 
,.  Push 
the  loop-around  fittings up ¢fig. 156 
@ , or 
"'"squeeze together  the@ button,  and push 
the  loop-around  fitt ings down @. 
"'" Pull the  belt  to  make  sure  that  the  upper  at
tachment  is p roperly  engaged. 
A WARNING 
Always read  and  heed  a ll WARNINGS and 
other  important  information¢ 
page  141 . 
@ Tips 
With the  fron t seats,  the  height  adjust
men t of the  sea t  can  also  be  used  to  adjus t 
the  posit ion  of the  safety  be lts. 
Improperly  worn  safety  belts 
Incorrectly positioned  safety  belts can cause 
severe  injuries . 
Wearing safety belts improperly  can  cause  se
rious  injury  or  death.  Safety  belts  can  o nly 
work  when  they  are correctly  positioned  on 
the  body . Improper  seating  pos itions  reduce 
the  effectiveness  of  safety belts  and  will even 
i ncrease  t he  risk of  injury and  death  by mov
ing the  safety  be lt to  crit ica l areas  o f the 
body.  Improper  seating  positions  also  in
crease  the risk  of  serious  injury and  death 
when  an  airbag  deploys  and  strikes  an  occu
pant  who  is not  in the  correct  seating  posi
tion.  A driver  is respons ible  for  the  safety of 
all  veh icle  occupants  and  especially  for  chil
dren . Therefore: 
"'"  Never  permit  anyone  to  assume an  incorrect 
sitting  position  in the  vehicle while  traveling 
¢&_ . 
A WARNING 
Improperly  worn  safety  be lts  increase  the 
r isk of ser ious  persona l injury  and  death 
whenever  a vehicle  is being  used. 
- Always  ma ke sure  that  all vehicle  occ u
pants  are  co rrectly  restra ined  and  stay  in 
a  correc t seating  position  whe never  the 
veh icle  is being  used . 
- Always  read  and  heed  all  WAR NINGS a nd 
o ther  important  inform ation 
¢page  141.  
Page 149 of 304

Airbag  system Important  things  to know 
Importance  of  wearing  safety  belts  and 
sitting  properly 
Airbags  are  only  supplemental  restraints.  For 
airbags  to  do  their  job,  occupants  must  al
ways  properly  wear  their  safety  belts  and  be 
in  a proper  seating  position. 
For your  safety  and  the  safety  of your  passen
gers,  before  driving  off,  always: 
"" Adjust  the  driver's  seat  and  steering  wheel 
properly¢ 
page  129, 
""  Adjust  the  front  passenger's  seat  properly 
¢ page  53, 
""Wear  safety  be lts  properly r::::> page  141, 
""Always  properly  use  the  proper  child  re-
straint  to  protect  chi ldren 
r::::>  page  173. 
In  a collision,  airbags  must  inflate  within  the 
blink  of  an  eye  and  with  considerable  force. 
The supplemental  airbags  can  cause  injuries  if 
the  driver  or the  front  seat  passenger  is not 
seated  properly . T herefore  in  order  to  help  the 
a irbag  to  do  its job,  it  is  important,  both  as  a 
driver  and  as  a  passenge r to  s it  properly  at  all 
times. 
By keeping  room  between  your  body  and  the 
steer ing  whee l and  the  front  of  the  passenger 
compartment,  the  airbag  can  inflate  fully  and 
comp lete ly and  provide  supp lemental  protec
tion  in certain  frontal  collisions 
r::::> page  129, 
Proper  occupant  seating  positions. 
F or  detai ls 
on  the  operation  of  the  seat  adjustment  con
trols ¢ 
page  53. 
It's  especially  important  that  children  a re 
properly  restrained 
r::::> page  173. 
There  is a  lot  that  the  driver  and  the  passen
gers  can  and  must  do  to  help  the  individual 
safety  features  installed  in your  Aud i work  to
gether  as  a  system. 
Prope r seat ing  pos ition  is  important  so  that 
the  front  airbag  on  the  driver  side  can  do  its 
job.  If you  have  a  physical  impa irment  or  con-
A irbag  system  147 
dition  that  prevents  you  from  sitting  properly 
on  the  driver  seat  with  the  safety  belt  properly 
fastened  and  reaching  the  pedals,  or  if you 
have  concerns  with  regard  to  the  function  or 
operation  of  the  Advanced  Airbag  System, 
please  contact  your  author ized  Audi  dealer  or 
qualified  workshop,  or  call  Audi  Customer  Re
l ations  at  1-800-822-2834  for  poss ible  modi
ficat io ns  to  your  veh icle. 
When  the  airbag  system  dep loys,  a  gas  gener 
ator  will fill the  a irbags,  break  open  the  pad
ded  covers,  and  inflate  between  the  steer ing 
whee l and  the  dr iver  and  between  the  instru
ment  panel  and  the  front  passenger.  The a ir
bags  will deflate  immediately  after  dep loy
ment  so  that  the  front  occupants  can  see 
through  the  windshield  again  without  inter ruption. 
A ll  of th is takes  place  in the  blink  o f an  eye,  so 
fast  that  many  people  don't  even  realize  that 
the  airbags  have  deployed.  The airbags  a lso 
inflate  with  a  great  dea l of force  and  nothing 
should  be  in  their  way  when  they  deploy. 
Front  a irbags  in  combination  with  properly 
worn  safety  belts  slow  down  and  lim it  the  oc
cupant's  forward  movement.  Together  they  help  to  prevent  the  driver  and  front  seat  pas
senger  from  h itti ng  pa rts  of  the  inside  of the 
vehicle  while  reducing  the  forces  acting  on  the 
occupant  during  the  crash . In  this  way they 
help  to  reduce  the  risk of  injury  to  the  head 
and  upper  body  in the  crash.  Airbags  do  not 
protect  the  arms  or the  lower  parts  of the 
body. 
Both  front  airbags  will  not  inflate  in  all  fronta l 
collisions . The triggering  of the  airbag  system 
depends  on  the  vehicle  dece lerat ion  rate 
caused  by the  collision  and  registered  by the 
electron ic control  unit.  If  th is  rate  is  below 
the  reference  value  programmed  into  the  con 
trol  unit,  the  airbags  will  not  be  trigge red, 
even  though  the  car  may  be  bad ly damaged  as 
a  res ult  of  the  co llision . Ve hicle  damage,  re
pair  costs  or  even  the  lack  of  ve hicle  damage 
is  not  necessarily  an  indication  of whether  an 
airbag  should  inflate  or  not . • 
•  
Page 151 of 304

Child  restraints  on the  front  seat  - some 
important  things  to  know 
.. Be sure  to  read  the  important  informat ion 
and  heed  the  WARNINGS for  important  de
tai ls  about  chi ldren  and  Advanced  Airbags 
~ page  173. 
Even though  your  vehicle  is equipped  with  an 
Advanced  Airbag  System,  make  certain  that 
a ll chi ldren,  especially  those  12  years  and 
younger,  a lways  ride  in the  back  seat  properly 
restra ined  for  their  age  and  si ze.  The  airb ag 
on  the  passenger  side  makes  the  front  seat  a  potentially  dangerous  place  for  a  child  to  r ide . 
The front  seat  is  not  the  safest  place  fo r a 
chi ld  in  a fo rward-facing  chi ld  seat.  It can  be  a 
very  dange ro us  p lace  for  an  infant  or  a ch ild  in 
a  rearward -facing  seat. 
The Advanced  Airbag  System  i n your  veh icle 
h as  been  cert ified  to comp ly with  the  require
men ts of  Uni ted  States  Federa l Mo to r Veh icle 
Safety  Standard  208  as  applicable  at  the  time 
your  vehicle  was  manufactured. 
The Standard  requires  the  front  a irbag  on  the 
passenger  side  to  be  turne d off  ("sup
p ressed")  if a  chi ld  up  to  about  one  year  of 
age  restrained  in one  of the  rear -facing  or for
ward -facing  infant  restraints  listed  i n  Federal 
Motor  Vehicle  Safety  Standard  208  with  wh ich 
the  Advanced  Airbag  System  in your  vehicle 
was  certified  has  been  installed  o n the  front 
passenger  seat . For a  listing  of the  child  re
straints  that  we re  used  to  certify  compliance 
with  the  US Safety  Standard ~ 
page  175. 
The PASS ENGER  AIR  BAG OFF light  in the  in
strument  panel  te lls you  when  the  front  Ad
vanced  A irbag  on  the  passenger  side  has  been 
turned  off  by the  e lectronic  control  u nit. 
Each t ime  you  sw itch  on  the  ignit ion,  the 
PAS
SENGER  AIR  BAG OFF 
l ight  w ill come  on  for  a 
few  seconds  a nd: 
- will stay  on  if  the  front  passenger  seat  is  not 
occup ied , 
- will stay  on  if the  electrical  capacitance 
measured  by the  capacitive  passenger  de
tection  system  for  the  front  passenge r seat 
A irbag sys tem 149 
equa ls the  combined  capacitance  of  an  in 
fant  up  to  about  one  year  of  age  and  one  of  the  rearwa rd-facing  o r forward-fac ing  ch ild 
restraints  listed  in  Federal  Motor  Vehicle 
Safety  Standard  208  with  which  the  Ad
vanced  Airbag  System  in your  ve hicle was 
cert ified . Fo r a  listing  of the  child  restraints 
that  were  used  to  certify  your  vehicle's  com p lia nce w ith  the  U.S. Safety  Standard 
~ page  175. 
-w ill stay  on  if t he re  is  a  small  ch ild  or  child 
restrai nt  on  the  front  passenge r seat, 
- w ill  go  off  if the  front  passenger  seat  is oc
cupied  by an  adult  as  registered  by  the  ca
pacitive  passenger  det ection  sys tem 
~ page  159,  Monitoring  the  Advanced  Air
bag  System. 
T he PASSENGER  AIR  BAG OFF lig ht  comes  on 
when  e lec tric al capacitan ce  registe red  on  the 
fron t passenger  seat  is eq ua l to  or  less  than 
the  combined  capacitance  of  a typical  1 year 
o ld  infant  and  one  of the  rearward-facing  or 
f orward -facing  chi ld  restraints  listed  in  Feder
al  Motor  Vehicle Safety  Standard  208  with 
which  the  Advanced  Airbag  System  in your  ve
hicle  was  certified . 
If  the  total  e lectr ica l capacitance  registered 
on  the  front  passenger  seat  is  more  than  that 
of  a  typical  1 year-o ld  child  but  less  than  the 
weight  of a  small  adu lt,  the  front  airbag  on 
the  passenger  side  can  deploy  (the 
PASSEN
GER AIR  BAG OFF 
light  does  not  come  on) . 
If  the 
PASSENGER  AIR  BAG OFF light  does 
not  come  on,  the  front  airbag  on  the  passen 
ger  side  has  not  been  turned  off  by the  e lec
tron ic cont ro l unit  and  ca n deploy  if the  con
t rol  unit  senses  an  impact  tha t mee ts  the  co n
di tions  s to red  in  its  memo ry. 
For example,  th e airbag  may deploy if: 
- a  small  ch ild  that  is  heav ier  than  a  typical  1 
year-old  chi ld  is o n the  fron t passenger  seat 
(regard less  of whether  the  child  is  in one  of 
the  ch ild  seats  listed~ 
page  175), or 
- a  child  who  has  outgrown  child  restraints  is 
on  the  front  passenge r seat.  .,,. • 
•  
Page 153 of 304

-Always carefully  follow  instru ctions  from 
c hild  restraint  manufacturers  when  in
sta lling  child  restraints. 
A WARNING 
If, in exceptional  circumstances,  you  must 
install  a forward  or  rearward-facing  child 
restraint  on  the  front  passenger's  seat: 
- Improper  installation  of  child  restraints 
can  reduce  their  effectiveness  or  even 
prevent  them  from  providing  any  protec
tion. 
- An improperly  installed child  restraint 
can  interfere  with  the  airbag  as  it de
ploys  and  seriously  injure  or  even  kill the 
child  - even  with  an  Advanced  Airbag 
System. 
- Always carefully  follow  the manufactur
er's  instructions  provided  with  the  child 
seat  or  carrier . 
- Always make  sure  that  there  is nothing 
on  the  front  passenger  seat  that will 
cause  the  capacitive  passenger  detection 
system  in the  seat  to  signal  to  the  Airbag 
System  that  the  seat is occupied  by a 
person  when  it  is not,  or  to signal  that  it 
is occupied  by someone  who  is heavier 
than  the  person  actually  sitting  on  the 
seat.  The  presence  of  additional  objects 
could  cause  the  passenger  front  airbag 
to  be  turned  on  when  it should  be  off, or 
could  cause  the  airbag  to work in a way 
that  is different  from  the  way it would 
have  worked  without  the  object  on  the 
seat . 
Airbag  system  151 
Front  airbags 
Description  of front  airbags 
The airbag  system  can  provide supplemental 
protection  to  properly  restrained  front  seat  occupants. 
Fig. 157 Loc ation  of  driver  airbag:  in steering w heel 
Fig. 158 Loc ation  of front  passenger's a irbag:  in the  in· 
strument  panel 
Your vehicle  is equipped  with  an "Advanced 
Airbag  System"  in compliance  with  United 
States  Federal Motor  Vehicle  Safety  Standard 
(FMVSS) 208  as  applicable  at  the  time  your 
vehicle  was  manufactured.  The  system senses 
the  position  of  the  front  seats  and  controls 
front  airbag  inflation with  a valve,  depending 
on  the  distance  between  the respective  seat 
and  the  steering  wheel  or  instrument panel. 
The  safety  belts  for  the  seats  have  "preten
sioners"  that  help  to  take  slack  out  of the  belt 
system.  The pretens ioners  are  also  activated 
by  the  electronic  control  unit  for  the  airbag 
system . 
The  front  safety  belts also  have  load  limiters 
to  help  reduce  the  forces applied  to the  body 
in  a  crash. 
The  airbag  for  the  driver  is in the  steering 
wheel  hub 
q fig.  157 and  the airbag  for  the 
front  passenger  is in  the  instrument  panel