airbag AUDI A8 2012 Workshop Manual

the child's body and the front of the passen­
ger compartment, the airbag can inflate com ­
p letely and provide supplemental protection
in certa in frontal col lisions .
_&. WARNING
Not using a booster seat, us ing the boos­
ter seat improperly, incorrect ly installing a
booster seat or using the vehicle safety
belt improperly increases the risk of seri­
ous personal injury and death in a collision
or other eme rgency s ituation. To help re­
duce the risk of serious persona l injury
and/or death:
- T he shoulder be lt mus t lie as close to the
center of the child's co llar bone as possi ­
ble and must lie flat and sn ug on the up­
per body . It must never lie across the
throat or neck. The lap belt must lie across the pelvis and never across the
stomach or abdomen . Make sure that the
belt lies flat and snug. Pull on the belt to
t ighten if necessary.
- Failure to properly route safety belts over a ch ild's body will cause severe inju­
ries in an acc ident or other emergency
situation ¢
page 134 .
-The rea r side of the child safety seat
sho uld be positioned as close as possible
to the backrest on the ve hicle seat. Ad­
just the rear se at head res traint if it is
difficult to install the child seat w ith the
head restraint in place¢
page 128. Driv­
ing with head restraints that are not
properly ad justed increases the risk of
serious or fatal neck injury dramatically.
- Children on the front seat of any car,
even with Advanced A irbags, can be seri­
ous ly injured or even killed when an a ir­
bag inflates.
- Never let a child stand or knee l on any
seat, for examp le the front seat.
- Never let a child ride in the cargo area of
your vehicle.
-Always remember that a ch ild lean ing
forward, sitt ing s ideways or out of posi­
t io n in any way during an acc ident can be
Child Sa fet y 175
struck by a dep loying a irbag . This will re­
sult in ser ious personal injury or death.
- If you must install a booster seat on the
front passenger seat because o f excep­
tional circumstances the
PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF
li ght must come on and
stay on, whenever the ignition is switch­
ed on.
- If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
does not come on and stay on, pe rform
the checks descr ibed¢
page 153, Moni­
toring the Advanced Airbag System.
- Take t he chi ld restraint off the front pas­
senger seat and install it prope rly at one
of t he rear seat positions if the
PASSEN ­
GER AIR BAG OFF
light does not stay on
whenever the ignit ion is switched on .
- Always rea d and heed all WAR NIN GS
wheneve r using a child res tra ine d in ave­
hicle is being used
¢ page 134, Safety
belts,
¢ page 142, Airbag system and
¢ page 166 , Important things to know .
Installing a child safety
seat
Securing a child safety seat using a
safety belt
Safety belts for the rear seats and the front
passenger can be locked with the convertible locking retractor to properly secure child
safety seats.
The safety belts emergency locking retractors
for the rear seats safety belts and for the
front passenger's seat safety belt have a con­
vertib le locking retractor for child restraints.
The safety belt must be locked so that be lt
webb ing cannot unreel. The retractor can be
activated to loc k the safety belt and prevent
the safety be lt webb ing from loosening up
dur ing norma l dr iving . A ch ild safety seat can
o nl y be properly installed when t he safety bel t
is loc ked so that t he chi ld and child sa fety
seat w ill stay in place.
Always remember: Even tho ugh you r vehicle is
equipped wi th an Advanced Airbag system, all
c hil dren, especially those 1 2 years and .,. •
•

176 Child Safety
younger, should always ride in the back seat properly restrained for their age and size.
A WARNING
Improperly installed child safety seats in­
crease the risk of serious personal injury
and death in a collision .
-Always make sure that the safety belt re­ tractor is locked when installing a child safety seat. An unlocked safety belt re­
tractor cannot hold the child safety seat
in place during normal driving or in a
crash .
- 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 make sure that the rear seat
backrest to which the center rear safety
belt is attached is securely latched when­
ever the rear center safety belt is being
used to secure a child restraint.
- If the backrest is not securely latched,
the child and the child restraint will be
thrown forward together with the back­ rest and will strike parts of the vehicle
interior. The child can be seriously in­
jured or killed.
- Never install rear-facing child safety
seats or infant carriers on the front pas­ senger seat . A child will be seriously in­
jured and can be killed when the passen ­
ger airbag inflates .
- 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, center
armrest, door or roof.
- Always install rear-facing child safety
seats or infant carriers on the rear seat.
- Forward-facing child safety seats or in­
fant carriers installed on the front pas­
senger's seat may interfere with the de­
ployment of the airbag and cause serious
injury to the child.
- It is safer to install a forward-facing
child safety seat on the rear seat. -
Always read and heed all WARNINGS
whenever using a child restrained in ave­
hicle is being used
c> page 166. Special
precautions apply when installing a child
safety seat on the front passenger seat
c:> page 144, Child restraints on the front
seat -some important things to know.
A WARNING
-
Always take special precautions if you
must install a forward or rearward-facing
child restraint on the front passenger's
seat in exceptional situations:
- Whenever a forward or rearward-facing
child restraint is installed on the front
passenger seat, the
PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF
light must come on and stay on
whenever the ignition is switched on.
- If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
does not come on and stay on, perform
the checks described
c> page 153, Moni­
toring the Advanced Airbag System.
- Take the child restraint off the front pas­
senger seat and install it properly at one
of the rear seat positions if the PASSEN­
GER AIR BAG OFF
light does not stay on
whenever the ignition is switched on.
- 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.
- Always carefully follow the manufactur­
er's instructions provided with the child
safety seat or carrier.
- Never place additional items on the seat
that can increase the total weight regis­
tered by the weight-sensing mat and can
cause injury in a crash.
A WARNING
Forward-facing child restraints:

-Always 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 .
- Never put the forward-facing child re­
straint up, against or very near the in­
strument panel.
- Always move the passenger seat into its
rearmost position in the seat's fore and
aft adjustment range, as far away from
the airbag as possible before installing
the forward-facing child restraint . The
backrest must be adjusted to an upright
position.
- Make sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF
light comes on and stays on all the
time whenever the ignition is switched
on.
A WARNING ,..__
Rearward-facing child restraints:
- 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 Advanced 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, center
armrest, door or roof.
- Always be especially careful if you must
install a rearward facing child safety seat
on the front passenger seat in exception­
al circumstances.
-A tight tether strap on a rearward-facing child restraint attached to the front pas­
senger seat can put too much pressure
on the weight-mat in the seat and regis­
ter a heavier weight in the Advanced Air­
bag System. The heavier weight regis­
tered can make the system work as
though an adult were on the seat and de­
ploy the Advanced Airbag when it must
be suppressed causing serious or even
fatal injury to the child .
Child Safety 177
-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
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
does not come on and stay on, immedi­
ately install the rear-facing child safety
seat in a rear seating position and have
the airbag system inspected by your Audi
dealer.
Activating the convertible locking
, retractor
Use the convertible locking retractor to se­
cure a child restraint.
Always heed the child safety seat manufactur­
er's instructions when installing a child re­
straint in your vehicle . To activate the conver­
tible locking retractor:
.. Place the child restraint on a seat, prefera­
bly on the rear seat.
.. Slowly pull the belt
all the way out .
.. Route it around or through the child re­
straint belt path
¢ _A .
.. Push the child safety seat down with your
full weight to get the safety belt really tight.
.. Insert the belt tongue into the buckle for
that seating position .
.. Guide the safety belt back into the retractor
until the belt lies flat and snug on the child
safety seat.
.. You should hear a "clicking" noise as the
belt winds back into the inertia reel. Test the
convertible locking retractor by pulling on
the belt. You should no longer be able to
pull the belt out of the retractor. The con­
vertible locking retractor is now activated.
.. Make sure that the red release button is fac­
ing away from the child restraint so that it
can be unbuckled quickly .
.. Pull on the belt to make sure the safety belt
is properly tight and fastened so that the
seat cannot move forward or sideways more
than one inch (2.5 cm). .,._
•
•

These new performance requirements make a
tether necessary on most new chi ld safety
seats.
.&_ WARNING
Improper installation of child restraints
will increase the risk of injury and death in a crash.
- Always follow the instructions provided
by the manufacturer of the ch ild re­
straint you intend to install in your Audi.
- Improper use of c hild restraint anchors
(including tether anchors) can lead to in­
jury in a collision. The anchors are de­
signed to withstand only those loads im­
posed by correctly fitted ch ild restraints.
- Never mount two chi ld restraint systems
on one LATCH lower anc hor po int.
- Never attach two child restraint systems
to one tethe r strap or tether anchorage.
- Never attach a tether strap to a tie-down
hook in the luggage compartment .
- Never use child restraint tether ancho­
rages to secure safety belts or other
k inds of occ upant restra ints.
- Never secure or attach any luggage or other items to the LATCH lowe r ancho­
rages or to th e tethe r ancho rs.
- If a tether or other strap is used to at­ tach a child restraint to the front passen­
ger seat, make sure that it is not so
t ight, that it causes the weight -sensi ng
mat to measu re mo re weight than is ac­
t u a lly on the seat.
- T he he avier weig ht reg iste red ca n make
the Advanced Airbag Sys tem work as
tho ugh an adult were on the seat and de ­
ploy the Advanced Airbag w hen it must
be s uppressed causing serious or
even
fatal injury to the child .
- If you must install a rearward facing
child safety seat on the front passenger
seat because of exceptional circumstan­
ces and the
PASS ENG ER AIR BAG OFF
light does not come on and stay on, im­
med iate ly install the rear-facing chi ld
safety seat in a rear seating posit ion a nd
-
Child S afety 183
have the airbag system inspected by your
Aud i dealer.
Installing the upper tether strap on the
anchorage
F ig . 1 66 Tet her st rap: proper ro uting and mounting
Installing the t eth er strap
.. Release or deploy the tether strap on the
child restraint according to the child re­
straint manufacturer's instructions.
.. Guide the upper tether strap
unde r the rear
head restra int
qfig. 166 (ra ise the head re­
straint if necessa ry) .
.. Center seating position*: Guide the upper
tether strap over the rear head restra int .
.. Til t the recess flap up to expose the an chor
bra cket.
.. Attach the tether strap anchorage hook into
the opening of the tether ancho rage .
.. Pull on the tether strap hook so that the
spring catch of the hook engages .
.. Tighten the tether strap firmly follow ing
the child restraint manufacturer's instruc­
tions .
Relea sing the tether strap
.. Loosen the tension following the child re­
straint manufacturer's instructions.
.. Depress the spring catch on the hook and
release it from the anchorage .
Q) Note
If you leave the child restraint w ith the
tether strap firmly installed for several
days, t his could leave a mark on the up­
ho lstery o n the seat cushion and backrest

184 Child Saf ety
in the area whe re the tether strap was in­
stalled. The upholstery would a lso be per­
manently stretched around the tether
strap. This applies especially to leather
seats.
Using tether straps on rearward-facing
child restraints
Currently , few rear-facing child rest rain t sys­
tems come with a tether. P lease read and
heed the child restraint system manufactur­
er's instructions carefully to determine how to
properly install the tether .
A WARNING
A child in a rearward -facing child safety
seat installed on the front passenger seat
w ill be seriously injured and can be k illed if
the front a irbag inflates -even with an Ad ­
vanced Airbag System .
- The inflating a irbag will hit the child
safety seat or infant carrier with great
force and w ill smash the ch ild safety seat
and child against the backrest, cente r
armrest, or door.
- A tight tet her or ot her st rap on a rear­
wa rd-fa cing child restra int attached to
the front p assenger sea t ca n put too
much pressure on the weight -ma t in the
seat and register a heavier weight in the
Advanced Airbag System. The heavier
we ight registered can make the system
work as though an adu lt were on the seat
and dep loy the Advanced Airbag when it
must be suppressed ca using se rious or
even fatal injury to the child .
- If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the front passenger
seat because of exceptional circ umstan­
c es and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
ligh t does no t come on and stay on, im­
med iately install the rear -facing child
safety seat in a rear seating position and
have the a irbag system inspected by yo ur
Audi dealer.
Additional Information
Sources of information about child
restraints and their use
T he re a re a number o f sou rces of add itiona l
information abo ut child rest raint se lection, in ­
sta llation and use:
N HT SA advises that the bes t ch ild safety seat
is the one that fits your ch ild an d fits in you r
vehicle, and that yo u will use correct ly and
consistently .
T ry before yo u buy!
U.S National Highway Traffic Safety Admin ­
i s tration
T el.: 1-888-3 27-4 236 (TIY: 1-800- 424-9153)
www.n htsa.gov
National SAFE KIDS Campaign
T el.: (202) 662-0600
www.safe kids.o rg
Safety BeltSaf e U.S .A
Tel.: (800) 745-SAFE (English)
Te l.: (800) 7 47-SANO (Span is h)
www. carseat .org
Transport Canada Information C entre
Tel.: 1-800-333-0371 o r call
1-6 13-998-86 16 if you a re i n the Ottawa area
http://www.tc.gc.ca/e ng/ roadsafe ty/
men u.h tm
Audi Cu stomer R elation s
Tel.: (800) 822-2834

186 Audi pre sen se
The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the bumper, whee l housing and
underbody. This can affect the function of
the Audi pre sense system. Have your au­
thorized Audi dealer check to make sure
that the system is working properly .
@ Tips
-Certain Audi pre sense functions are not
available when ASR is sw itched off (sport
mode) or w hen driv ing in reverse.
- The Audi pre sense functions may not be
available if there is a malfunction in the
ESC system or the airbag control mod­
ule.
- The Audi pre sense front/plus functions
are not available if the re is a ma lfunction
i n the adapt ive cru ise control* system
¢page 94.
- The Audi pre sense rear/plus functions
are not available if there is a ma lfunction
i n the Aud i side assis t* system
¢ page 94 .

Intelligent technology Notice about data
recorded by vehicle
control modules
Your vehicle is not equipped with an Event Da­
ta Recorder (EDR), installed by some manu­
facturers for the express purpose of capturing
data for retrieval after an accident or crash
event. EDR's are sometimes called "crash re­
corders".
Some state laws restrict the retr ieval or down­
loading of data stored by EDR's that were in­
stalled in a vehicle for the express purpose of
retrieving data after an accident or crash
event without the owner's consent.
Although your vehicle is not equipped with an
EDR, it is equipped with a number of electron­
ic control modules for various vehicle systems
such as, for examp le, engine function, emis­
sion control, as well as for the airbags and
safety belts.
These electronic control modules also record
vehicle-related data during norma l vehicle op­
eration for diagnostic and repair purposes.
The recording capacity of the electronic con­
trol modules is limited to data (no sound is re­
corded) and only a small amount of data is ac­
tually recorded over a very limited period of
time and stored when a system fault or other
condition is sensed by a control unit. Some of
the data then stored may relate to vehicle
speed, direction, braking as we ll as restraint
system use and performance in the event of a
crash or other condition. Stored data can only be read and downloaded with special equip­
ment.
Electronic Stability
Control (ESC)
Description
ESC helps to improve road holding and vehicle
dynamics to help reduce the probability of
skidding and loss of veh icle control. It works
only when the engine is running. ESC detects
Intelligent technology 187
certain difficult driving situations, including
when the vehicle is beginning to spin (yaw)
out of control and helps you to get the veh icle
back under control by se lectively braking the
wheels, and/or reducing engine power and
providing steering ass istance to help hold the
vehicle on the driver's intended course. The in­
dicator light
Ip.] in the instrument cluster
blinks when ESC is taking action to help you
control the vehicle.
ESC has limitations .
It is important to remem­
ber that ESC cannot overcome the laws of
physics.
It will not always be able to help out
under all conditions you may come up against.
For example, ESC may not always be able to
help you master situations where there is a
sudden change in the coefficient of friction of
the road surface. When there is a section of
dry road that is suddenly covered with water,
slush or snow, ESC cannot perform the same
way it would on the dry surface . If the vehicle
hydroplanes (rides on a cushion of water in­
stead of the road surface), ESC will not be
able to help you steer the vehicle because con­
tact with the pavement has been interrupted
and the vehicle cannot be braked or steered .
During fast cornering, particularly on winding
roads, ESC cannot always deal as effectively
with difficult driving situations than at lower
speeds. When towing a trailer, ESC is not able
to help you regain control as it would if you
were not tow ing a trailer.
Always adjust your speed and driving style to road, traffi<; and weather conditions. ESC can­
not override the vehicle's physical limits, in­
crease the available traction, or keep a veh icle
on the road if road departure is a result of
driver inattention. Instead, ESC improves the
poss ibility of keeping the vehicle under con­
trol and on the road dur ing extreme maneu­
vers by using the driver's steering inputs to
help keep the vehicle going in the intended di­
rection. If you are traveling at a speed that
causes you to run off the road before ESC can
provide any assistance, you may not experi­
ence the benefits of ESC.
•
•

210 Cleaning and protec tio n
grease or dye must be patted off using ab ­
sorbent materia l. It may be necessary to re­
treat the areas with detergent paste and wa­
te r.
I n the case of general soi ling of the uphols ­
tery and cover material, we recommend hiring
a specialist that has the equ ipment to clean
the seat cove rs and other fabric surfaces by
shampooing and spray ex traction.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
~ page 203.
(D Tips
Open Velcro fasteners on your clothing can
damage the seat cover. Please make sure
that Velcro fasteners are closed.
Plastic parts and instrument panel
Always use a clean cloth moistened in clear
water to clean these areas. For pers istent dirt
use an Audi approved
s ol ve nt-fr ee plastic
cleane r/protectant.
A WARNING
So lvents can change the properties of
some plastics and make it harder for the
airbag to dep loy.
- Never clean the instr ument pane l or the
surface of airbag modules with cleaning
products that contain solvents .
- Products containing solvents wi ll make
the surface of th is part porous.
- Serious injuries can result if plastic parts
come loose when the airbag is deployed .
- Always read and heed all WARN INGS and
other information ~
page 203.
0 Note
Cleaning agents con taining solvents will
at tac k t he mater ial and can change the
way it behaves .
Trim and molding
Trim and molding in the vehicle interior can
be cleaned with a dry m icrofiber cloth. To pre­
vent scratches, do not use any cleaning so lu­
tions.
Natural leather
Appl ies to vehicles: with natural leather
Audi makes great efforts to maintain the
properties, natural look and feel of interior
leather .
General
We offer many d iffe rent types of leather o n
ou r vehicles. Most a re d ifferent types of nappa
l eather, which has a smooth s urface and
comes in various colors .
T he intensity of the co lor dete rm ines the visu­
al characterist ics and appea rance . If the su r­
face of the leather has a typ ica l natural look ,
then the leather is a nappa lea ther that has
been left in a relative ly natural condition . This
l eather offers particularly good comfort and
breathes we ll. Fine veins, closed grains, insect
bites, skin folds, and subtle variations in color
rema in v is ible. These character istics demon­
strate that the material is natural.
Natura l nappa leather is not covered by a co l­
or finish. It is therefore more sensitive to soil­
i ng and wear, which is someth ing you need to
consider if children, animals or other factors
might prove to be part icu la rly ha rd o n the
leather .
By contrast, leather types that are covered by
a colo red finish layer are more durable. This
has a positive effect on the leather 's resist­
ance to wear and soiling i n dai ly use . On the
other hand, the typica l char acteristics of natu­
ral leathe r are barely or not appa rent. Howev­
er, this does not mean that the leather itse lf
is of infe rior quality.

Have the battery checked when you take your
vehicle in for service. Yo u are well advised to
replace a battery that is older than 5 years .
W ith certa in types o f airbag deployment, the
battery is disconnec ted from the vehicle elec ­
trica l system for safety reasons
c::> &. in Re­
pair, care and disposal of the airbags on
page 156.
Disconn ecting the battery terminal s
Some vehicle functions (power w indow regu­
l ators, for example) are lost if the battery ter­
minals are disconnected . These functions have
to be re learned after the battery terminals are
connec ted again. To prevent this, the battery
should only be disconnected from the vehicle
e lectrical system when absolutely necessary
for repairs .
Vehicles not driven for long period s
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks, electrical compo­
nents are gradually cu t back or switched off .
This reduces energy consumption and main ­
tains starting capability over a longer per iod
c::> page 192. Some of the convenience func­
tions may not operate, s uch as the inte rior
lights o r the power sea t adjustment . T he con­
ve nience fun ct ions wi ll be available again
when yo u switch on the ignition and start the
engine.
Winter operation
During the winter mont hs, ba ttery capaci ty
t ends to decrease as tempe rat ures d rop . Th is
is because more powe r is also consumed while
starting , and the headlights, rear window de ­
fogger, etc., are used more oft en.
Avoid unnecessary power cons umption, par­
ticularly in c ity t ra ff ic or when t raveling on ly
short distances. Let your a uthorized Audi
dealer check the capac ity of the vehicle bat ­
tery before winter sets inc::>
page 233. A well
charged battery w ill not only prevent starting
problems whe n the weather is cold, but will
also last longer .
Checkin g and fillin g 231
(D Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for seve ral
weeks at extremely low temperatures, the
vehicle battery shou ld be removed and
stored where it w ill not freeze. This will
prevent it from be ing damaged and having
to be replaced .
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the battery.
The battery is located in the l uggage compart­
ment under the floor. Before you check any­
th ing in the luggage compartment,
read and
h eed all WARNINGS
c::> &_ .
Always heed the safety warnings , when work­
ing on the vehicle battery or the vehicle e lec­
trical system to prevent injury.
The following WARNINGS are very
important when working on the battery:
Al ways heed the follo wing WARNING SYM­
BOLS and safety precautions when working on the battery.
@
®
Always wear eye protection.
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid.
Always w ear glove s and eye prot ec­
tion .
No
- sparks
-flames
- smoking .
When a battery i s charged, it produ­
ce s hydrogen gas wh ich i s ex plosive
and could cause per sonal injury .
Always keep the battery well out of ]
reach of children .
_& WARNING ~
Whenever working on the battery o r on
the electrical system, there is the risk of injury, accident and even fire . Read and
heed the following WARNINGS:
•
•

Fuse s and bulb s 267
Luggage compartment fuse assignment
Fig. 207 Luggage compartment: fuse pa nel with plastic bracket
Fuse panel @ (black ) Fuse panel @ (b la ck)
No . Equi pment Amps No. Equipment Amps
[ru button, data logger, diag-
11 Dynamic
steering
5
l nostic connector, BCM -1,
5
Selector lever, BCM-2 5
adaptive light ing system
Audi side assist
5
2 Networking gateway 5
Engine control module 5
3 adaptive air suspension
5
Starter 40
4 Parking system 5
Left headlight/Headlight
16 10/5
5 Steer
ing column lever
5
range control system
Suspension control system
6 5 Fuse panel @ (red ) sensor
Belt tensioners, airbag con-
No. Equipment Amps
7
trol module 5 1 Left
reversible be lt tens ione r
25
Heated washer fluid nozzles, 2 Right reversible belt ten-
25
Homelink (garage door sioner
8 opener), night vision system
5 3 Starter diagnosis 5
control module, sport differ- 4 DC/DC converter
7,5
ential, ioni zer
5 Adaptive cruise contro l 7,5
9
Electromechan ica l parking
5 Right headlight (headlight
brake contro l modu le
6 with adaptive light) 10 -
10 Rear seat heating, cooler, in-
5 7 ESC co ntrol modu le 5 ... terior rearview mirror