steering AUDI A8 2017 Owner's Guide

.. Turn the Infotainment system on and shift into
reverse gear. The parking system is turned on
and the
Cross park ing view is displayed.
.. Press the control button on the Infotainment
unit @¢
page 118, fig. 138. The Para llel pa rk ­
ing
view is displayed .
.. Back up and align your vehicle so the blue area
@ borders on the rear end of the vehicle be­
hind you or on the parking space line¢.,&.
in
General information on page 119, ¢(Din Gen­
eral information on page 119 .
The blue area
rep resents an extension of the vehicle's outline
by approximately 16 ft (5 meters) to the rear .
The long s ide of the blue area should be on the
curb. The entire b lue area must f it into the
parking space .
.. With the vehicle stopped, turn the steering
wheel to the r ight as far as it w ill go .
.. Back into the parking space until the b lue curve
¢
fig . 151 touches the cu rb ¢.,&. in General in­
formation on page 119, ¢(Din General infor­
mation on page 119.
Stop the vehicle .
.. With the vehicle stopped, turn the steering
whee l to the left as far as it will go.
.. Continue to back into the parking space until
the vehicle is parked parallel to the curb¢
/A
in General information on page 119, ¢(Din
General information on page 119.@
repre­
sents the rear bumper . At the very latest, stop
the vehicle when the red o rie ntation line@
bo rders an object . Keep an eye on the front of
you r vehicle while doing this.
Parking next to obstacles
If there is an obstacle (such as a wall) next to the
parking space, pos ition the vehicle so t here is
mo re space on that side. Position the long s ide of
the blue area so that there is s ufficient space
from the obje ct. The area must not be on the ob­
stacle . You will also need to start tu rning the
steering whee l earlier. The blue curve
¢
page 118, fig . 139 must n ot touch the obsta­
cle, but rather there should be enough distance.
@ Tips
C)
~ The left or right orientation lines and surfaces
"' ~ w ill be displayed, depending on the turn sig-
8 na l being used. 0 :r Parking systems
Trailer mode
Applies to : vehicles wit h peripheral cameras a nd tra iler hitch
This view assists you in positioning the vehicle in
front of a trailer .
Fig. 15 2 In fotainment system: rear mo de
Requirement: the trailer mode m ust be selected
¢page 121, Rear .
.,. Now yo u can posit ion your ve hicle in front of
the t railer
¢ .,&. in General information on
page 119,
¢ (Din General information on
page 119.
The orange orient ation line indicates
the expected path toward the trailer h itch. Use
the blue lines to help you est imate the distance
to the trailer hitch.
Setting the mode
Applies to : vehicles wit h peripheral ca meras
.,. Select: !CAR ! function button> Car systems
control button > Driver assi st > Pa rking aid >
Change to front /re ar > Auto or Manual.
Auto -
This view behind the vehicle (Rear mode)
is d isplayed automat ically when you shift into re­
verse. Th is view in front of the vehicle
( Front
mode) is d isplayed automat ica lly when you shift
i n to the forward gea rs.
Manu al -When you switch the system on, the
view beh ind the ve hicle
(Rear mode) is always
displayed and it does not switch to the
Front
mode when a forward gear is se lected .
123

Intelligent Technology
Intelligent Technology
Electronic Stabilization
Control (ESC)
Description
The ESC increases driving safety . It reduces the
risk of s lipping and improves driving stabi lity.
ESC detects critical situations such as when the
veh icle is oversteer ing and understeering or the
wheels are spinning. The vehicle is stabilized by
apply ing the brakes or reducing eng ine torque .
When ESC engages, the
Ji] ind icator light blinks
in the inst rument cluste r.
The fo llow ing systems are integrated in the ESC:
Anti -lock b raking system (ABS)
ABS prevents the whee ls from locking when brak­
i n g . The vehicle can sti ll be steered even d uring
hard brak ing. Apply steady press ure to the brake
pedal. Do not pump the pedal. A puls ing in the
brake pedal indicates that the system is acting to
stabilize the vehicle.
Brake a ssi st sy stem
The brake assist system can dec rease braking dis­
tance. It increases brak ing power when the driver
presses the brake pedal quick ly in emergency sit­
uations . You must press and hold the brake pedal
until the dangerous situat io n is over . In veh icles
w ith adapt ive c ruise control*, the bra ke assis t
system is more sensitive if the distance detected
to the veh icle dr iv ing ahead is too small. On
ve hicles w ith act ivated and functi oni ng night vi­
sion assist*, the brake assist system can respond
more sensit ively if there is a warning .
Anti-slip regulation (ASR)
A SR red uces eng ine power when the d rive wheels
begin s pinning and ad apts the force to the road
conditions. This makes it easier to sta rt, acceler ­
ate and dr ive up hi lls.
Electronic differential lock (EDL )
EDL applies the brakes to a wheel that sta rts
sp inning and t ransfe rs t he d rive powe r to t he
o ther d riving w heels. This f unct ion is not av aila ­
b le at higher speeds .
126
In extreme cases, ED L automat ically switches off
to keep the b rake on the braked whee l from over­
heating. The veh icle is still working correct ly. ED L
will switc h on again automatically when condi­
tions have returned to normal.
Steering recommendat ion
The E SC he lps to stabili ze the vehicle by changing
the steering torque.
I n veh icles with dyna mic steer ing*, ESC a lso
helps to sta bilize the s teer ing in cr it ica l situa ­
tions.
Selective wheel torque control
Se lective wheel to rque cont rol is used when d riv­
i ng on curves.
The fro nt wheel on the ins ide of the curve or bo th
whee ls on the inside of the curve are braked se­
l ectively as needed. This allows more pre cise d riv­
i ng in cu rves. The applicab le system may no t ac ti­
vate when dr iv ing in we t or snowy condi tio ns.
Automatic post -collision braking system
The "automat ic post-coll is io n braking system"
can help to reduce the risk of sl iding and of addi­
tiona l co llisions after an acc iden t. If the a irbag
c ontro l modu le detects a collision above a cer tain
vehicle speed, the ve hicle is braked by the ESC.
The veh icle does not b rake automatically if:
- the drive r presses the acce lerator pedal, or
- the bra king force generate d by the pressed
brake pedal is greater than the b raking force
that would be in itiated by the system, or
- the ESC, the bra ke system or the vehicle electri­
cal system are not functioning.
A WARNING
- The ESC and its integ rated systems can not
overcome the lim its imposed by natura l
p hys ica l laws. Th is is es pec ially impor tan t
on s lippery or wet roads. If the system s be­
g in a cting to stabilize yo ur vehicle, you
should immedi ately alte r your speed to
match the road and tra ffi c conditions. Do
not let t he i ncreased safety provi ded tempt

0 co .... N ,..._
N .... 0 0 :c ' -New brake pads do not achieve their fu ll
brak ing effect during the first 250 mi
(400 km). They must be "broken in" first.
However, you can compensate for the
sl ightly reduced braking force by pressing
firmly on the brake pedal. Avoid heavy brak­
ing dur ing the b reak-in per iod.
- Certa in weather and operat ing cond it ions
such as dr iving t hrough water, d riving in
heavy ra in or d riving after washing your ve­
hicle ca n impair the effectiveness of the
bra kes . In the w inter, ice may b uild up on
the brake pads, rotors and drums . Check
these components by braking carefu lly. Ap­
plying the brakes carefu lly several times
dr ies the brakes and removes ice bu ild-up.
- The effic iency of the brakes can also be im­
paired by driving for long st retches on roads
cove red w ith salt without using the b rakes.
Yo u can remove sa lt deposits from the
bra ke rotors and pads by caref ully applyi ng
the brakes severa l t imes .
- If the front spoiler is damaged or you install
another spoiler, ma ke sure the front wheel
bra kes are vent ilated prope rly. O therwise,
the br ake system could overheat, wh ic h re­
duces the ir effectiveness.
- Failure of a brake circui t impai rs b raking
perfo rmance, whi ch incre ases bra king dis­
tance . Avoi d driving the vehicle and have it
towed it to the nearest author ized Audi
dealer or authorized A udi Se rvice Facility .
- If the bra ke booster is not wor king, you will
have to press m uch ha rder on the bra ke
peda l to compensate for the lack of the
booster.
(D Note
- Never let the brakes "rub" by pressing the
pedal lightly when braking is not actually
necessary. This causes the brakes to over­
heat and inc reases braking d istance and
causes wear.
- Before driving downh ill a long distance on a
steep h ill, decrease your speed and select a
l ower gear. This makes use of the engine
braking effect and relieves the brakes . If Intellig
ent Technology
you need to bra ke ad ditiona lly, bra ke in in­
terva ls and not continuous ly .
(D Tips
- If the brake boos ter is not wor king, you
must press the brake peda l with much more
force than normal.
- If you retrof it your vehicle with a front spo il­
er, wheel covers or simi lar items, make su re
that the air f low to the front wheels is not
inter rupted. Otherwise the b rake system
can become too hot.
Electromechanical
steering., dynamic
steering
The electromechanical steering supports the
driver's steering movements.
Power s teer ing adapts electronically based on
the ve hicle speed .
Indicator lights and messages
• Do not dr ive vehicle: Steering defective
If this indicator light turns on and stays on and
t hi s message appears, the power steering may
have failed.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as pos­ s ible. Do
not cont inue drivi ng. See an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fac il ity for
ass ista nce.
l;rj Steering: System fault You can continue
driving
If the indicator light turns on and the message
appears, the steering wheel may be more d iffi ­
cu lt to move or m ore sensitive than usual. The
steering wheel may also be at an angle when
driv ing stra ight .
Drive slowly to an a uthorized Audi dea ler or au­
thori zed Audi Serv ice Facility to have the mal­
funct ion corrected .
'T-ij Dynamic stee ring: Initializing
If the indicato r ligh t is blinking and this mess age
appe ars, dynamic steering* is be ing ini tialized. .,.
129

Intelligent Technology
The stee ring wheel will be easy to move after
starting the engine . Re-initialization might be
necessary if the steering whee l was moved hard
t o the lef t and right wh ile the vehicle was not
mov ing. The display turns off if the initialization
was successful.
(D Tips
- If the. or
1;:r- ij ind icator light only stays on
for a short time, you may continue driving.
- The dynamic steering stability systems
c> page 126 are not available in the event of
a system ma lfunction.
- For additional informat ion on dynamic
steering, refer to
c> page 110.
All wheel drive (quattro)
In all wheel drive, all four wheels are powered .
General information
In a ll wheel drive, the driving power is divided be­
tween a ll four wheels . T his happens automatical ­
ly depending on your driving behavior as well as
t he current road cond itions. Also see
c> page 126, Electronic Stabilization Control
(ESC) .
With the sport differential*, power distri­
bution to the rear whee ls is variable and can be
ad ju sted using the dr ive select
c> page 110.
The all wheel drive concept is designed for h igh
eng ine power. Your ve hicle is exceptionally pow­
erful and has excellent driving characterist ics
both under norma l dr iv ing condit ions and on
snow a nd ice. Always read and fo llow safety pre­
cautions
c> .&. .
Winter tires
By us ing all w heel d rive , yo ur vehicle has good
forward mot ion w ith standa rd t ires in winter con­
d itions . However, in winter we recommend us ing
w in ter o r all season t ires o n all fo ur wheels, be ­
cause this will improve the b raking effect .
Snow chains
If there are snow chai n laws, snow chains must
a lso be used on vehicles with all w heel d rive
c> page 298, Snow chains .
130 Replacing tires
Fo
r vehicles wi th a ll wheel d rive, o nly wheels with
the same ro ll ing circ umfe rence sho uld be used .
Avo id using tires with different tread depths
c> page 290, New tires or wheels .
Offroad vehicle?
You r A udi is not an off road vehicle -there is not
enough ground clearance. For th is reason, avoid
difficult terrain .
A WARNING
- Also, in ve hicles with all wheel drive, adapt
your driving sty le to the current road and
traffic conditions. Do not let the increased
safety provided tempt you into taking r isks,
because this increases the risk of an acc i­
dent.
- The braking ab ility of your vehicle is limited
to the traction of the wheels . In this way, it
is not different from a two wheel d rive vehi­
cle. Do not be tempted to accelerate to a high speed when the road is s lippery, be ­
c a use th is i ncreases the r is k of an accident.
- Note that on wet st reets, the front wheels
c a n " hydroplane " if driv ing at speed s tha t
are too high. Unlike front wheel drive
vehicles, t he engine does not rev higher sud ­
de nly when the vehicle begins hydroplan ing.
For this reason, adapt yo ur speed to the
road conditions to reduce the risk of an acci­
dent.
Energy management
The starting ability is optimized
The energy management system manages the
electrical energy distribution and optimizes the
availability of electrical energy for starting the
engine.
When a vehicle with a conventiona l energy sys­
tem is no t drive n for a long t ime, the veh icle bat­
te ry is drained by equ ipment (fo r example, the
i mmob ilizer). In certa in circ umstances, there
could may not be enough energy to start the en ­
gine.

Multi Media Interface
Multi Media Interface
Traffic safety information
Audi recommends performing certain Infotain­
ment system functions, such as entering a desti­ nation, only when the vehicle is stationary . Al ­
ways be prepared to stop operat ing the Infotain­
ment system in the interest of your safety and
the safety of other road users.
_& WARNING
Only use the Infotainment system when traf­
fic cond itions permit and always in a way that
allows you to maintain complete control over
your vehicle.
Introduction
The Multi Media Interface, or MMI for short ,
combines various systems for communication ,
navigation and entertainment in your Audi. You
can operate the MMI using the MMI control pan­
el, the multifunction steering wheel or the voice
recognition system*.
F ig. 154 MMI control panel with MMl touch control pad
MMI control panel overview
(D MMI touch control pad . . . . . . . . . 136
@ Buttons for open ing menus
directly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
@ On/Off knob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
@ Arrow buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
® Control buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
@ Control knob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
(J) IBACK!bu tton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
134
Switching the MMI on
and off
The MMI switches on and off automatically with
the ignition. It can also be switched on or off
manually .
-Switching on manually : press the On/Off knob
@ briefly
c;, page 134, fig. 154. Or: press the
! MENU ! button or one of the buttons to directly
open the menus @,=;,
page 135, fig . 155.
When the system is switched on, the last menu
that was selected is displayed and the last audio
source that was selected begins play ing .
-Switching off manually: press and hold the
On/Off knob @
c;, page 134, fig. 154 until the
MMI switches off. If the MMI has been switch­
ed off manually, it does
not switch on again au­
tomatically the next time the ignition is switch­
ed on .
The MMI can still be operated for approximately
ten minutes after switching the ignition off. If
you do not press any buttons or the control knob
on the MMI control panel with in this t ime, the
MMI switches off automatically.
(D Tips
-The MMI switches off automatically if the
engine is not running and the vehicle bat­
tery is low.
- There may be delays when extending or re­
tracting the display.
Adjusting the volume
The volume of an audio source or a system mes­
sage (for example, from the voice recognition
system) can be adjusted directly while the sound
is ploying using the On/Off knob.
- Increasing or decreasing the volume: turn the
On/Off knob@¢
page 134, fig. 154 to the
right or left .
-Muting or pausing: press the On/Off knob@
c;, page 134, fig. 154 briefly . Or: turn the On/
Off knob to the left . ..,.

0 co .... N ,..... N .... 0 0 :c ' Voice recognition system Operating
Appl ies to: vehicles with vo ice recog nitio n system
You con operate many Infotainment functions
conveniently by speaking .
Requirement: the ignition and the MM I must be
switched on~
page 134 , there must be no phone
call in progress and the parking system m ust not
be active .
~ Switching on : briefly press the~ button @
~ page 11, fig. 7 on the m ultif unction steering
whee l* and say the desired command after the
Beep .
~ Switching off : press and hold the l2;J button .
Or: press any button on the MMI control panel.
~ Canceling : press the 10, I button and say a new
command.
Or : say the command Canc el.
Input as sistance
The system gu ides you through the input with
visua l and audio feedback .
-Vi su al input a ssistance : after turning on voice
recognition, a d isplay with a select ion of possi­
ble commands appears in the Infotainment dis­
play . The command d isplay can be turned on or
off in the ma in menu using the
S etup MMI con­
t rol button.
- Aud io input assi stance : to have the possible
commands read, turn the voice recognition sys­
tem o n and say
Help .
For the system to underst and you:
Speak clearly and distinct ly at a normal volume.
Speak louder when driving faster.
Emphasize the words in the commands even ly
and do not leave long pauses .
D o not speak a command when the voice recogni­
tion system is mak ing an anno uncement.
C lose the doors, the windows a nd the sunroof* to
reduce background noise . Make su re that passen­
gers are not speaking when you are giving a voice
command.
Voice recognition system
Do not d irect the air vents toward the hands free
microphone, which is on the roof headliner near
the front inte rior lights .
Only use the system from the dr iver's seat be­
ca use the hands free microphone is directed to ­
ward that seat .
Additional settings
Additional settings, such as individual speech
training
based on yo ur voice, the Command dis­
play
or the prompt volume , can be adjusted in
the main men u using the
Setup MMI control but ­
ton
~ page 205.
A WARNING
--Direct your full attention to dr iv ing. As the
driver, you have complete responsibility for
safety in traff ic. Only use the functions in
such a way that you a lways maintain com­
plete control over your vehicle in all traffic
situa tions.
- Do not use the voice recognition system in
emergencies beca use your voice may change
in stressfu l situations. It may ta ke longe r to
dia l the numbe r or the sys tem may not be
a ble to dia l it at all. Dia l the emergency
number manually.
@ Tips
- The d ialog pauses w hen the re is a n incom­
ing phone call and will con tinue if yo u ig­
nore the cal l. T he d ia log ends if you answer
the ca ll.
- Yo u can select an item in the list using ei­
ther the vo ice recogn it io n sys tem or the
cont rol knob.
Command overview
information
Applies to: vehicles with voice recogn it ion system
The following overv iews describe the commands
that can be used to operate the MMI using the
vo ice recognit io n system .
Alternative commands are separated by a
" I", for
example, say:
Telephone I (or) Na vigation I (or)
Rad io . .,..
141

Driving safety
Basics
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 summar­
ized here what you need to know about safety
belts, airbags, child restraints as well as child
safety. Your safety is for us
priority number 1. Al­
ways 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 fea­
tures descr ibed 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 in­
terest of your passengers .
-
-Always keep the complete Owner's Litera­
ture in your Audi when you lend or sell your
vehicle so that this important information
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 ques­
tions.
Safety equipment
The safety features are part of the occupant re­
straint system and work together to help reduce the risk of injury in a wide variety of accident sit­
uations.
~ Your safety and the safety of your passengers
~ should not be left to chance. Advances in tech-,..._
~ nology have made a var iety of features available 0
~ to help reduce the risk of injury in an accident. ' Driving safety
The following is a list of just a few of the safety
features in your Audi:
- sophisticated safety belts for driver and all pas-
senger seat ing pos itions,
- 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 restraints,
- 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 w ide range of accidents . These
features cannot work as a system if they are not
always correctly adjusted and correctly used.
Safety is everybody's responsibility!
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody 's job! Vehicle and occupant
safety always depends on the informed and care­
ful driver .
For your safety and the safety of your passen­
gers,
before driving always:
.,. Make sure that all lights and signals are operat­
ing correctly .
.,. Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
.,. Make sure that all windows are clean and afford
good visibility to the outside .
.,. Secure all luggage and other items carefully
c:c.> page 65, c:c.> page 63 .
.,. 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.
.,. Make sure to use the right child restraint cor­
rectly to protect children
¢ page 248, Child
safety. ..,.
207

Driving safety
• Sit properly in your seat and make sure that
your passengers do the same
c:> page 54, Seats
and storage.
• Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly . Al ­
so instruct your passengers to fasten their safe­
ty belts properly
c:> page 218 .
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condition of
the vehicle, the driver as well as the driver 's abili­
ty to concentrate on the road without being dis ­
tracted .
The driver is responsible for the safety of the ve­
hicle and all of its occupants. If your ability to
drive is impaired, safety risks for everybody in the
vehicle increase and you also become a hazard to
everyone else on the road
c:> Li').. Therefore :
• Do not let yourself be distracted by passengers
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, traffic 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 tired, under pres­
sure or when you are stressed.
A WARNING
Impaired driving safety increases the risk of
ser ious personal injury and death whenever a
vehicle is being used.
208
Correct passenger
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is important
for safe, relaxed driving.
Fig. 218 Correct seating posit ion
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of in­
jury in the event of an accident, we recommend
that you adjust the driver's seat to the following position:
• Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easily
push the pedals all the way to the floor while
keeping your knee(s) slightly bent
c:> .&_ .
• Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in
an upright position so that your back comes in
full contact with it when you drive.
• Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a d is­
tance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the
steering wheel and your breast bone
r::!) fig. 218.
If not possible, see your authorized Audi deal­
ership about adaptive equipment.
• Adjust the steering wheel so that the steering
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.
• 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
straint so that it is as close to this position as
possible.
• Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
c:>poge 221.
• Always keep both feet in the footwell so that
you are in control of the vehicle at all t imes .

0 co .... N ,..... N .... 0 0 :c ' For detailed information on how to adjust the
driver's seat, see ¢
page 54.
A WARNING
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position or
too close to the airbag can be seriously in­
jured by an airbag as it unfolds. To help re­
duce the risk of serious personal injury:
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least 10 inches (25 cm) between your breastbone
and the steering wheel.
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least
4 inches (10 cm) between the knees and the
lower part of the instrument panel.
- Always hold the steering wheel on the out­
side of the steering wheel rim with your
hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock posi­
tions to help reduce the risk of personal in­
jury if the driver's airbag inflates.
- Never hold the steering wheel at the
12 o 'clock position or with your hands at
other positions 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 inflates.
- Pointing the steering wheel toward your face decreases the ability of the supplemen­
tal driver's airbag to protect you in a colli­
sion.
- Always sit in an upright position and never
lean against or place any part of your body
too close to the area where the airbags are
located.
- Before driving, always adjust the front seats and head restraints properly and make sure
that all passengers are properly restrained.
- Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is
moving . Your seat may move unexpectedly
and you could lose control of the vehicle.
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests are
tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due
to incorrect positioning of the safety belt
and improper seating position.
Driving safety
- Children must always ride in child seats
¢
page 248. Special precautions apply
when installing a child seat on the front passenger seat¢
page 226.
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
T he proper front passenger seating position is
important for safe, relaxed driving .
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of in­
jury in the event of an accident, we recommend
that you adjust the seat for the front passenger
to the following position :
... Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in
an upright position and your back comes in full
contact with it whenever the vehicle is moving.
... 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
straint so that it is as close to this position as
possible ¢
page 210.
... Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of the
front passenger seat.
... Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
¢page 221.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
front passenger's seat, see ¢
page 54.
A WARNING
-Front seat passengers who are unbelted, out
of position or too close to the airbag can be
seriously injured or killed by the airbag as it
unfolds . To help reduce the risk of serious
personal injury:
- Passengers must always sit in an upright po­
sition and never lean against or place any part of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located.
- Passengers who are unbelted, out of posi­
tion or too close to the airbag can be seri­
ously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye . ..,
209

C) C0 ....
"' ,....
"' .... 0 0 :r -Failure to pay attention to the warn ing light
that come on, could lead to persona l injury.
Why use safety belts?
Frontal collisions and the law of physics
Frontal crashes create very strong forces for peo­
ple riding in vehicles .
Fig. 221 Unbelted occupants in a vehicle heading for a wall
Fig. 222 The vehicle crashes into the wall
The physical principles are simple. Both the vehi­
cle and the passengers possess energy which var­ ies with vehicle speed and body weight. Engi­
neers call this energy "kinetic energy."
The higher the speed of the vehicle and the greater the vehicle's we ight, the more energy
that has to be "absorbed" in the crash.
Veh icle speed is the most significant factor. If
the speed doubles from 15 to 30 mph (25 to 50
km/h), the energy increases 4 t imes!
Because the passengers of this vehicle are not us­
ing safety belts
¢fig. 221, they will keep moving
at the same speed the vehicle was moving just
before the crash, until something stops them -
here, the wall¢
fig. 222 .
Safety belts
The same p rinciples apply to people sitting in a
vehicle that is invo lved in a fronta l co llision. Even
at city speeds of 20 to 30 mph (30 to 50 km/h),
the forces acting on the body can reach one ton
(2,000 lbs, or 1,000 kg) or more. At greater
speeds, these forces are even higher.
People who do not use safety belts are a lso not
attached to the ir vehicle. In a frontal collis ion
they will also keep moving forward at the speed
their vehicle was travelling just before the crash .
Of course, the laws of physics don't just apply to
frontal collisions, they determine what happens in all kinds of accidents and collisions .
What happens to occupants not wea ring
safety belts?
In crashes unbelted occupants cannot stop
themselves from flying forward and being in­
jured or killed. Always wear your safety belts!
Fig. 223 A dr iver not wearing a safety belt is violently
thrown forward
Fig . 224 A rear passe nger not wearing a safety belt will fly
forwa rd and strike the driver
Unbelted occupants are not able to resist the tre­
mendous forces of impact by holding tight or
bracing themselves . Without the benefit of safe­
ty restraint systems, the unrestrained occupant
will slam v iolently into the steering wheel,
Ill>-
219