airbag off AUDI A7 2018 Owners Manual

Instruments and indicator lights
There is a system malfunction that can result in
restricted driving stability or reduced ground
clearance.
Drive to an autho rized Aud i dea ler or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunction corrected.
II Air suspension: Vehicle too low Ground
clearance reduced
The ground clearance is very low due to a system
malfunct io n. Wait until the air suspens ion sys­
tem has restored normal ground clearance. Ot h­
erw ise, condit ions such as an uneven road s urface
can lead to vehicle damage.
& Brake booster
u Brake servo: limited functionality. You can
continue driving. Contact workshop
There is a malfunction in the brake booster. The
brake booster is available, but its effectiveness is
reduced. Braking behavior may be different from
how it normally functions and the brake pedal
may v ibrate.
Drive to an authorized Audi dea ler or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunction corrected.
f;.l fJ Electronic Stabilization Control (ESC)
If the bl indicator light blinks wh ile driving, the
ESC or ASR (Anti -Slip Regulation) is actively regu ­
lating .
If
the bl i ndicator light turns on, the system has
sw itched the ESC off. In this case, you can switch
the ignition off and then on to switch the ESC on
aga in . The indicator light turns off when the sys­
tem is funct ion ing fully.
If the
JI i ndicator light turns on, ESC was
sw itched off using the
I,; OFFI button
~ page 120 .
Stabilization control (ESC/ABS): Fault! See
owner's manual
If the bl indicator light and the ABS indicator
light
rJ] (USA models) / Ii] (Canada models)
turn on and this message appears, there is a ma l-
16
function in the ABS system or electronic differen ­
tia l lock. This also causes the ESC to malfunction.
The brakes still function with their normal power,
but ABS is not active.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediate ly to have the
malfunction corrected.
A WARNING
If the 1111 (USA models) ;II (Canada mod­
els) brake system indicator light turns on to­
gether with the ABS and ESC ind icator lights,
the ABS and ESC regulating function may
have malfunctioned . Funct ions that stabilize
the vehicle are no longer available. This co uld
cause the vehicle to swerve, which increases
the risk that the vehicle will slide. Drive care­
fu lly to the nearest authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility and have the
malfunction corrected.
(D Tips
For additional information on ESC and ABS,
see
~page 120.
tlit !t Safety systems
The II (USA models)/ m (Canada models) indi ­
cator light monitors the safety systems.
If the
II (USA models)/ m (Canada mode ls) in­
dicator light turns on or blinks, there is a mal­
function in a safety system such as the airbag or
belt tensioner system.
Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or authorized
Audi Service Facility immediate ly to have the
malfunction corrected.
A WARNING
Have the malfunction in the safety systems
inspected immed iately. Otherwise, there is a
risk that the systems may not activate during
a collision, wh ich increases the risk of serious
injury or death .
(0} Brake pads
liJ Brake pads!
-

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0 00 <.,;) ' Seats and storage
General information
A WARNING
-
Refer to c:::> page 129, Driving safety for im­
portant information, tips, suggestions and
warnings that you should read and follow for
your own safety and the safety of yo ur pas­
senge rs.
Front seats
Power seat adjustment
Applies to vehicles with power adjustable seats
Fig . 45 Front seat: adj usting the seat
0 N M '? ::c .,. a,
@ -Moving the sea t fo rward/back: press the but­
ton forward/back .
@-Moving the seat up/down: p ress the button
up/down. To adjust the fron t seat cush ion, p ress
the front button up/down. To adjust the rear sea t
cushion, press the rear button up/down.
@ -Switching the massage function * on/off . Se­
l ec t the type of massage with the mult if u nct ion
button
c:::> page 47.
© - adjusting the backrest angle : press the but­
ton forward/back.
@ -lumbar support or mult ifunction button*
c> page 47 . To adjust the lumbar support, press
the button in the applicable location .
A WARNING
-The power fron t seats can also be ad justed
when the ig nition is swi tched off. For this
reason, children should never be left unat-
S eats and storag e
tended i n the vehicle because they could be
in jured.
-To reduce the risk of an accident, only adjust
the dr iver's seat when the vehicle is station­
ary.
-Exercise caution when adjusting the seat
he ight. Unsupe rvised or careless seat ad­
justment can pinch fingers or hands causing inj uries .
-The front seat backrests must not be re­
clined too far back when driving, because
this impa irs the effect iveness of the safety
be lts and airbag system, which inc reases
the r isk of inj ury .
Multifunction button
Applies to: vehicles with multifunctio n button
You can adjust the massage function , lumbar
support, side bolsters and upper thigh support
using the multifunction button.
Fig. 4 6 Infotainme nt sys te m : seat sett ings
Operating
"I f you turn the mul tifunction button (D
c> page 47 , fig. 45 to the lef t or to the r ight,
the poss ible seat settings @are shown in the
I nfotainment system
c:::> fig. 46.
" To select a seat setting, turn the multifunction
button
(D in the corresponding direction unti l
the desired seat setting is outlined in red.
" The arrows @ represent the possib le adjust­
ments . For example, to lower the lumbar sup ­
port, press the multifunction button
(D down .
The corresponding a rrow © lights up.
The following seat settings @are poss ible:
IJi,
47

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0 00 <..:l ' _& WARNING
-Do not put any hot beverages in the cup
holder while the vehicle is moving. Hot bev­
erages could spill, which can cause injury.
- Do not use any breakable beverage contain­
ers (for example, made out of glass or por­
celain). You could be injured by them in the
event of an accident.
(D Note
Beverage containers in the cup holders should
always have a lid. If not, beverages could spill
and cause damage to vehicle equipment, such
electronics or seat covers.
Cooled glove compartment
Appl ies to: vehicles with cooled glove compartment
The cooled glove compartment only functions
when the
AIC system is switched on.
Fig. 59 Glove compartment: sw itching cooling mode on/
off
... Turn the knob@ counter-clockwise to switch
the cooling on. The symbols on the knob indi­
cate the correct position.
""Turn the knob @ clockwise to switch the cool-
ing off.
The glove compartment cooling mode only func­
tions when the vehicle A/C system is switched on.
If the heat ing is switched on, switching the glove
compartment cooling mode off is recommended.
Other storage compartments
You will find a range of storage compartments
and holders at different locations in the vehicle.
Seats and storage
- Compartments in the doors
- Compartment in the glove compartment
(coo led*). The glove compartment can be
locked using the mechanical key.
- Glasses holder* in the headliner (near the rear­
view mirror)
- Storage compartment under the front center
armrest*
- Compartments* on the backrests of the front
seats
- Garment hooks on the sides of the pillars in the
rear of the vehicle and in the rear grab handles
- Compartment in the rear center armrest
- Bag hooks in the luggage compartment
_& WARNING
-
-To reduce the risk of personal injury in an
accident or sudden stop, always keep the
glove compartment closed while driving.
-Always keep the lid of the compartment for
(sun)glasses* closed while driving to reduce
the risk of injury during a sudden braking
maneuver or in the event of an accident.
-Any articles of clothing that you have hung up must not interfere with the driver's view.
The coat hooks are designed only for light­
weight clothing. Never hang any clothing
with hard, pointed or heavy objects in the
pockets on the coat hooks. During sudden
braking or in an accident - especially if the
airbag is deployed
-these objects could in­
jure any passengers inside the vehicle.
- Read and follow all WARNINGS
~ page 166, Important safety instructions
on the side airbag system.
- Hang clothes in such a way that they do not
impair the driver's vision.
- The coat hooks must only be used for light­
weight clothing. Do not leave any heavy or
sharp edged objects in the pockets which
may interfere with the side curtain airbag
deployment and can cause personal injury in
a crash.
-Do not use coat hangers for hanging cloth­
ing on the coat hooks as this can interfere
with proper deployment of the side curtain airbags in an accident.
53

Driving
When not being used, a roof rack should be re­moved to decrease the wind resistance of the ve­
hicle. You will save approximately 12% of your
fuel when at speeds from 62- 7 5 mph
(100-120 km/h) .
Save energy
The engine drives the generator, which generates
electricity ; the fuel consumption also increases
with the demand for electricity. Therefore, switch electrical equipment off when you no longer
need it. Examples of equipment that uses a lot of
energy are air blowers at a high setting, the rear
window defogger and seat heating* .
@ Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended after
starting. If warning lights should come on to
ind icate improper operation, they would go
unheeded. Extended idling also produces
heat, which could result in overheating or
other damage to the vehicle or other proper-
ty.
@ Note
- Have your vehicle maintained properly and
in accordance with the service recommenda­
tions in your Warranty
& Maintenance book­
let. Lack of proper maintenance as well as
improper use of the vehicle will impair the
function of the emission control system and
could lead to damage.
- Do not alter or remove any component of
the Emission Control System unless ap­ proved by the manufacturer .
- Do not alter or remove any device , such as
heat shields, switches, ignition wires,
valves, which are designed to protect your
vehicle's Emission Control System and other important vehicle components .
@ Tips
The consumption estimates as published by
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, which will vary depending upon vehicle
66
load and speed, road and weather conditions ,
trip length, etc.
Steering
Manual steering wheel position adjustment
Applies to: vehicles with manual steering wheel adjustment
The steering wheel posi tion is adjustable up and
down and forward and back .
Fig. 74 Lever on th e stee ring column
.,. Pull the lever in the direction of the arrow
~A -
... Bring the steering wheel into the desired posi­
tion .
.,. Push the lever against the steering column un ­
til it is secure.
A WARNING
Improper use of steering wheel adjustment
and improper seating position can cause seri­
ous personal injury.
-Adjust the steering wheel column only when
the vehicle is not moving to prevent loss of
vehicle control.
-Adjust the driver's seat or steering wheel so
that there is a minimum of 10 in (25 cm)
between your chest and the steering wheel
~page 130, fig. 140 . If you cannot main­
tain this minimum distance, the airbag sys­
tem cannot protect you properly .
- If physical limitations prevent you from sit­
ting 10 in (25 cm) or more from the steer­
ing wheel, check with your authorized Audi
dealer to see if adaptive equipment is avail-
able.
.,.

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0 00 <.,;) ' -If the steering wheel is aligned with your
face, the supplemental driver's airbag can­
not provide as much protection in an acci­
dent . Always make sure that the steering
wheel is aligned with your chest .
- Always hold the steering wheel with your
hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock posi­
tions to reduce the risk of personal injury if
the driver's airbag deploys.
- Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or with your hands inside
the steering wheel rim or on the steering
wheel hub. Holding the steering wheel the
wrong way can cause serious injuries to the hands, arms and head if the driver's airbag
deploys.
Power steering wheel position adjustment
Applies to: veh icles with power steering wheel adjustment
The steering wheel position can be adjusted elec­
trically up and down and forward and back.
Fig. 75 Switch for adjusting the steering whee l pos itio n
.,. To adjust the height, press the switch up/down.
The steering column will continue moving as
long as you are pressing the switch .
.,. To move the steering wheel forward or back,
press the switch forward/back. The steering
column will continue moving as long as you are
pressing the switch.
The steering wheel can also be adjusted when the ignition is switched off .
In vehicles with memory fun ction*, the steering
column settings are stored together with the
seat position.
Driving
A WARNING
Improper use of steering wheel adjustment
and improper seating position can cause seri­
ous personal injury.
- Adjust the steering wheel column only when
the vehicle is not moving to prevent loss of
vehicle control.
- Adjust the driver's seat or steering wheel so
that there is a minimum of 10 in (25 cm) between your chest and the steering wheel
¢ page 130, fig. 140. If you cannot main­
tain this minimum distance, the airbag sys­
tem cannot protect you properly.
- If physical limitations prevent you from sit­
ting 10 in (25 cm) or more from the steer­
ing wheel, check with your authorized Audi
dealer to see if adaptive equipment is avail­
able.
- If the steering wheel is aligned with your
face, the supplemental driver's airbag can­ not provide as much protection in an acci­
dent. Always make sure that the steering
wheel is aligned with your chest.
- Always hold the steering wheel with your
hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock posi­
tions to reduce the risk of personal injury if
the driver's airbag deploys .
- Never hold the steering wheel at the 12
o'clock position or with your hands inside
the steering wheel rim or on the steering
wheel hub. Holding the steering wheel the
wrong way can cause serious injuries to the
hands, arms and head if the driver's airbag
deploys.
Easy seat entry
Applies to: vehicles with power stee ring wheel adjus tment
Easy seat entry makes it easier to enter and exit
the vehicle by adjusting the steering column au ­
tomatically.
.,. In the Infotainment system, select the ICARI
function button > (Car)* Systems control but­
ton
> Vehicle settings > Seats > Driver's seat >
Easy seat entry > On.
When easy seat entry is switched on, the steering
column goes back up into the park position when
.,.
67

Ass is tanc e system s
@ Note
The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the bumper, whee l housing and
underbody. Pre sense can be impa ired by th is.
Have an authorized Audi dea ler or author ized
Audi Serv ice Facility check their function .
(D Tips
-Certain pre sense front functions switch off
when sport mode is switched off or when
driv ing in reverse .
- The pre sense functions may not be availa­
ble if there is a ma lfu nction in the ESC sys­
tem or the airbag contro l module .
- The pre sense front/plus funct ions are not
available if there is a malf unction in the
adaptive cruise contro l*
system~ page 94.
-The pre sense rear/plus functions are not
available if the re is a malfunction in the s ide
ass ist* system
~ page 94 .
Audi active Lane assist
Description
Appl ie s to: ve hicles w ith Audi active lane assis t
Active lane assist det ects lane mark er lines with­
in the limits of the system using a came ra in the
windshie ld. If you are approaching a detected
lane marker line and it appears likely that you
w ill leave the lane , the system will warn you w ith
correct ive steer ing . You can override t his steer ing
at any t ime . If yo u pass over a line, t he s teer ing
wheel will v ib rate l igh tly. In o rder for this wa rn ­
ing v ib ra tion to occur, i t mus t first be sw itche d
on in the Info tainmen t sys tem . Act ive lane assist
is ready for operation when the lane marke r line
is detected on at least one side of the vehicle.
T he system is designed fo r driving on express ­
ways and highways and therefore only activates
at speeds above approximate ly 40 mph (65 km/
h).
A pp lies to: ve hicles w ith s ide ass ist
If yo u ac tiva te a turn signa l when active lane as ­
sist is ready and it classifies a lane change as crit ­
ical because of ve hicles traveling a longside you or
approaching you, there will be noticeab le correc-
96
tive steer ing sho rt ly befo re yo u leave the lane.
This wi ll attempt to keep your ve hicle in the lane.
App lies to: vehicles wi thout s ide assis t
The system will not warn you befo re cross ing a
l ane mar ke r li ne if you have act ivated the t urn
s ignal. In this case, it assumes that you are
c h anging lanes intentionally.
App lies to: vehicles wit h adaptive c ruise contro l
The corrective steering is targeted based on the
driv ing situation . In add ition to the lane ma rke r
li nes , the system can a lso take into account other
objects such as guard rails . If they are detected in
close prox imity to the ve hicle, act ive lane ass ist
helps p reve nt the vehicle from dr iv ing too close
to t hem. The re is a lso pass ing ass ista nce. The
system does no t provide any co rrec tive steering if
i t detects that you are pass ing anot her vehicle.
A WARNING
- The system warns the drive r that the vehicle
is leaving the lane using cor rect ive steering.
The d rive r is always respons ible fo r keeping
the vehicle within the lane.
- The system can help you keep the vehicle in
the lane, b ut it does not d rive by itse lf. Al­
ways keep your ha nds on the steering
wheel.
- Cor rective steering may not occur in certain
situations, such as d uring heavy braking .
- There may be cases where t he camera does
not recognize all la n e mar ker lines. Correc­
tive steering can only take place on the s ide
of the vehicle where lane ma rker lines are
detec ted .
- Othe r road str uctures or objects could poss i­
b ly be identified u nintent ionally as lane
ma rker lines. As a res ult, co rr ec tive stee rin g
m ay be u nexpec ted o r m ay n ot occur .
- The camera view ca n be res tricted, fo r ex­
a mp le by ve hicles dr iving ahea d or by r ain,
snow, he avy spray or lig ht shin ing into t he
camera. This can resul t in a ctive lane ass ist
not detecting the lane ma rke r lines o r de­
tect ing them inco rrectly.

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" N .... 0 00 \.J ' greater than the amount being generated in or­
der to maintain an optima l vehicle battery charge
level.
(D Tips
-Energy management cannot overcome the
l aws of physics. Note that the charge leve l
and length of the vehicle battery life are
limited.
-When the starting ability is endangered, the
(•) indicator light turns on qpage 14.
What you should know
Maintaining the starting ability is the highest
priority.
A lot of stress is placed on the vehicle battery
when driving short distances, during city driving,
and at co ld times of the year. A lot of energy is
used but little is generated. It is a lso critical
when the engine is not running but electrical
equipment is switched on. In this case, energy is
used but none is generated.
In situations like this, energy management will
actively regulate the distribution of energy.
Long periods without use
If you do not drive your vehicle for several days or
weeks, e lectrica l equipment is gradually sca led
back or switched off. This reduces energy use and
ensures the vehicle wi ll be able to start after long
periods of time. Some convenience functions,
such as interior lighting or power seat adjust­
ment, may not be available under certain circum­
stances . These convenience functions will be
ava ilable again once you switch the ig nition on
and start the engine.
With the engine switched off
The vehicle battery will drain if you use Infota in­
ment functions such as listening to the radio
while the eng ine is switched off.
The vehicle's ability to start may be impaired by
the energy use, a message will appear in the In­
fotainment system d isplay .
The message ind icates that the system will
switch off automatically soon. If you wou ld like
Intelligent Technology
to continue using the functions, you must start
the engine.
With the engine running
Although e lectr ical energy is generated wh ile
dr iv in g, the veh icle battery can drain. This can
happen if little energy is generated but much is
used, and the charge level of the vehicle battery
is not optimal.
To r esto re the balance of energy, components
that require large amounts of energy are tempo­
rarily scaled back or switched off . Heating sys­
tems in particular require a great deal of energy .
If you notice, for example, that the seat heating*
or rear window defogger is not work ing, then it
has been temporarily reduced or sw itched off.
These systems are available aga in as soon as the
energy supply has been restored .
In add ition, you may notice that the idle speed
has slightly increased. That is normal and no
cause for concern. By increasing the idling speed,
the addit ional required energy will be generated
and the vehicle battery w ill be charged .
Notice about data
recorded by the Event
Data Recorder and
vehicle control modules
Event Data Recorder
This vehicle is equ ipped w ith an Event Data Re­
corder (EDR) . The ma in purpose of an EDR is to
record, in certain crash or near crash-l ike situa­
tions, such as an airbag deployme nt or hitt ing a
road obstacle, data that will ass ist in understand­
ing how a vehicle 's systems performed. The EDR
is designed to record data related to vehicle dy ­
namics and safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this
vehicle is designed to record such data as:
-How various systems in your vehicle were oper ­
ating;
-Whether or not the driver and passenger safety
be lts were buckled/fastened;
-How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
..,.
127

Intelligent Technology
-How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help prov ide a better unde rstand­
ing of the circumstances in which crashes and in­
juries occur. NOTE: EDR data are recorded by your
vehicle only if a non-trivia l crash situation occurs;
no data are recorded by the EDR under norma l
driving conditions and no personal data (e.g.,
name, gender, age, and crash location) are re­
corded. However, other parties, such as law en­
forcement, could combine the EDR data with the
type of personally identifying data routinely ac­
quired during a crash invest igat ion.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equip­ ment is required, and access to the veh icle or the
EDR is needed . In add it ion to the vehicle manu­
facturer, other parties, such as law enforcement,
that have the special equipment, can read the in­
formation if they have access to th e veh icle or the
EDR.
Some state laws restr ict the retrieval or down­
loading of data stored by ED Rs insta lled in a vehi ­
cle for the express purpose of retrieving data af ­
ter an accident or crash event without the own ­
er's consent .
Aud i w ill not access the EDR and/o r similar data
or give it to othe rs -
- unless the vehicle owner (or lessee if the veh i­
cle has been leased) agrees; or
- upon the official request by the police; or
- upon the order of a court of law or a govern-
ment agency; or
- for the defense of a lawsu it through the judicial
discovery process.
- Audi may also use the data for research about vehicle opera tion and safety performance or
provide the data to a third party for research
purposes without identifying the specific vehi­
cle or information about the identity of its own­
er or lessee and only after the recorded vehicle
data has been accessed.
Vehicle control modules
Your veh icle is also equipped with a number of
electron ic control modules for various veh icle
systems, such as engine management, emission
cont rol , airbags, and safety belts.
128
These electronic contro l modules record data
during normal vehicle operation that may be
needed by trained techn ic ians for diagnostic and
repair purposes. The recording capab ility of these
modules is lim ited to data (no sound is record­
ed) . Only a small amount of data is actually re­
corded over a very limited per iod of time, or stor­
ed when a system fault is detected by a contro l
module . Some of the data sto red may relate to
vehicle speed, direction , or braking, as well as re­
straint system use and performance in the event
of a crash. Stored data can also on ly be read and
down loaded with specia l equipment that is di­
rectly connected to the vehicle.
(D Tips
Your vehicle may be equipp ed wit h Audi con ­
nect. Your use of certain Audi connect fea­
tures requires wire less services that are pro­
v ided by a third party wireless telecommuni­
cations provider . For details regarding how in­
formation obtained through Audi connect is
collected, processed, transmitted, used, and
sha red, please see your contract with the
wireless telecommunications provider.

a co .... N
" N .... 0 00 \.J ' -Always make sure each person in the vehicle
properly adjusts their head restraint. Adjust
the head restra int so the upper edge is as
even as possible w ith the top of your head .
If that is not possible, try to adjust the head
restra int so that it is as close to th is position
as possib le. Move the head restra in t so that
it is as close to t he b ack of the he ad as pos ­
sible.
- Never attempt to adjust head restra int
w hil e d riving. If you have dr iven off and
must adjust the dr ive r headrest for any rea­
son, first stop the vehicle safely before at­
tempting to adjust the head restraint .
- Children must a lways be proper ly restrained
in a chi ld restraint that is appropriate for
their age and size
~ page 170.
Examples of improper seating positions
Th e occupant r estraint syst em con only r educ e
the risk of injury if vehicle occupants ore properly
seated.
I mp roper seating posi tions can cause se rious in ­
jury or death . Safety belts can only work when
they ar e properly positioned on the body. Im ­
prope r seating positions reduce the effectiveness
of safe ty belts and w ill even increase the r isk of
injury and death by moving the s afety belt to crit­
ical areas of the body . Improper seating posit ions
also increase the risk of ser ious injury and death
when an airbag deploys and strikes an occupant
who is not i n the prope r seat ing pos ition. A d rive r
i s respons ible for the safety of a ll vehicle occu ­
pants and especia lly fo r children . There fore:
"' Never allow anyone to assume an inco rrect
seat ing pos it ion w hen t he ve hicle is being used
~& -
The follow ing bulletins list only some sample po­
sitions that will increase the risk of serious inju ry
and dea th. O ur hope is that these examp les w ill
make you more aware of seat ing pos it ions tha t
are dangerous .
Therefore, wh enever th e vehicle is moving:
- never stand up in the veh icle
- never stand on the seats
Dri ving saf ety
- never kneel on the seats
- neve r ride wit h the seatback recl ined
- neve r lie down on the seats
- neve r lean up against the instrument panel
- never s it on the edge of the seat
- never s it sideways
- never lean out the window
- never put your feet out the window
- neve r put your feet on t he instr ument pane l
- neve r rest your feet on the seat cushion or back
of the seat
- neve r ride in the footwell
- never ride in the cargo area
A WARNING
-
Imp roper seating positions inc rease the risk
of ser ious perso nal in jury and death whenever
a ve hicl e is being u sed .
- Always make sure that all ve hicle occupants
stay in a p roper seating posit ion and a re
p roperly restra ined whe never the veh icle is
be ing used.
Driver's and front
passenger's footwell
Important safety instructions
Applies to: vehicles with knee airbags
A WARNING
= -
A lways make s ure t hat the knee airbag can in­
flate w ithout interference. Objects between
yourself and the airbag can increase the risk
of injury in an accide nt by interfering with the
way t he a irbag dep loys or by be ing pushed in­
to you as the a irbag dep loys .
- No persons (ch ildren) or animals should ride
in the footwell in front of the passenger
seat . If the a irbag deploys, this can res ult in
ser io us or fatal injur ies.
- N o objects of a ny kind should be ca rr ied in
the footwell a rea in front of the dr ive r's or
p a sse nger's seat. B ulky objects (shopp ing
b ags, for exam ple) can h amper o r preven t
proper dep loymen t of the airbag . Sma ll ob ­
jects can be thrown thro ugh the vehicle if
133

Safe ty belts
instrument panel, windshield, or whatever e lse is
in the way
r:!> fig. 145. This impact with the vehi­
cle interior has all the energy they had just be­
fore the crash.
Never rely on airbags alone for protection . Even
when they deploy, airbags provide only additiona l
protection. A irbags are not supposed to dep loy in
all kinds of accidents. A lthough your Audi is
equipped w ith airbags, all vehicle occupants, in­
cluding the dr iver, must wear safety belts cor ­
rectly in order to minimize the risk of severe in­
jury or death in a crash .
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only
once and that your safety belts are always there
to offer protect ion in those accidents in w hich
airbags are not supposed to deploy or when they
have a lready deployed . Unbel ted occupants can
a lso be thrown o ut of the veh icle where eve n
mo re severe or fatal injur ies can occur .
It is also important for the rear passenge rs to
wear safety belts correctly. Unbel ted passengers
i n t he re ar seats endanger no t on ly themse lves
but also the drive r and other passengers
c::> fig . 146 . In a frontal collision they will be
thrown forward violently, where they can hit and
in jure the driver and/or front seat passenger .
Safety belts protect
People think it's possible to use the hands to
brace the body in a minor collision . It's simply
not true!
F ig . 14 7 Driver is co rrectly restrai ned in a sudde n brak ing
m aneu ver
Safety belts used properly can make a b ig d iffer­
ence. Safety belts help to keep passengers in
their seats, gradually reduce energy levels ap-
140
plied to the body in an accident, and help prevent
the uncontrolled movement that can cause seri­
ous injuries. In addition, sa fety belts reduce the
danger of being thrown out of the vehicle.
Safety be lts attach passengers to the car and give
them the benefit of being s lowed down more
gently or "soft ly" through the "give" in the safety
belts, crush zones and other safety features engi­
neered into today's vehicles. By "absorbing" the
k inet ic energy over a longer per iod of t ime, the
safety belts make the forces on the body more "tole rab le" and less likely to cause inju ry .
Although these examples are based on a frontal
collision, safety be lts ca n also substantially re ­
duce the r isk o f injury in ot her kinds of crashes .
So, whethe r you're on a long trip or just going to
the cor ne r store, a lways b uckle up and make s ure
othe rs do, too. Ac ciden t st at istic s show that veh i­
cl e occupants prope rly wearing safety bel ts have
a lowe r risk of be ing injured and a m uch better
chance of surviving an acc ident . Properly using
safety be lts also great ly increases the ability of
the supp lemental airbags to do their job in a col­
li sion. For this reason , wearing a safety belt is le­
gally required in most countries including much
of the United States and Canada.
Although your Aud i is equipped with airbags, you
still have to wear the safety belts provided. Front
airbags, for examp le, are activated only in some
frontal collisions. The front airbags are not act i­
vated in a ll frontal collisions, in side and rear co l­
li sio ns, in rollovers or in cases whe re there is not
eno ugh decelerat ion throug h impa ct to the front
of the vehicle . The same goes for the other a irbag
systems in your Audi. So, always wear your safety
belt and make sure everybody in your vehicle is
properly rest rained!
Important safety instructions about safety
belts
Safety belts must always be correctly positioned
across the strongest bones of your body .
.,. Always wear safety belts as illustrated and de­
scribed in this chapter.
.,. Make sure that your safety be lts are always
ready for use a nd a re not damaged .