airbag AUDI Q5 2015 User Guide

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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 , chi ld restraints as well as child
safety. Your safety is for us
priority number 1. Al­
ways observe the informat ion and warn ings in
this section - for your own safety as well as that
of your passengers .
The information in this section app lies to all
model ve rsions of your vehicle . Some of the fea ­
tures described in this sections may be standard
equipment on some models, or may be optional
eq uipment on others .
If you are not sure, ask
your authorized Audi dealer.
A WARNING
- Always make sure that you follow the in­
struct ions and heed the WARNINGS in this
Manual. It is in your interest and in the in­
terest of your passengers.
- Always keep the complete Owne r's Litera­
ture in your Aud i when you lend or sell your
vehicle so that this important info rmation
will always be ava ilable to the driver and
passenge rs.
-
- 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 passenge rs
should not be left to chance. Advances in tec h-
; nology have made a var iety of fea tures available
~ to help reduce the r isk o f injury in an accident. ,....,
Dr ivin g sa fet y
The following is a list of just a few of the sa fety
features in your A udi:
- sophisticated s afety be lts fo r drive r and a ll pas-
senger seat ing pos itions,
- be lt fo rce limi ters for the front seats,
- belt pretensioners for the seats,
- be lt he ight adjustment for the front seats,
- head restra ints for each seating posit ion,
- front airbags,
- side airbags in the front seats and outer rear
seats *,
- side curtain airbags,
- specia l LATCH anchorages for child rest raints,
- adjustab le steering colum n.
These ind iv idual safety features, can work to­
gether as a system to help protect you and your
passengers in a w ide range of accidents . T hese
features cannot work as a system if they are not always cor rect ly adjusted and co rrectly used.
S afet y is ev erybod y's re sponsibil it y !
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 driv ing alway s:
.,. Make s ure 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 vis ibility to the outs ide .
.,. Secure all luggage and other items carefully
Q page 77 .
.,. Ma ke s ure that nothing can inte rfere wi th the
peda ls .
.,. Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors
correctly for your height.
.,. Instruct passengers to adjust the head re­
straints according to the ir height.
.,. Make sure to use the r ight child restraint cor­
rectly to protect ch ildren
Q page 172, Child
safety.
1 3 5

Driving safet y
• Sit properly in your seat and make sure that
your passengers do the same
c:> poge 63,
General information .
• Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly. Al­
so instruct your passengers to fasten their safe­
ty be lts properly
c:> page 144 .
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condition of
the vehicle, the driver os well as the driver 's abili­
ty to concentrate on the rood without being dis ­
tracted .
The driver is responsible for the safety of the ve­
hicle and all of its occupants . If your ab ility to
drive is impaired, safety r isks for everybody in the
veh icle increase and you also become a hazard to
eve ryone else on the road
c:> .& . Therefo re:
• Do not let yourself be distracted by passengers
or by us ing a cellular te lephone .
• NEVER drive when your driv ing ability is im­
paired (by medicat ions, alcohol, drugs, etc.).
• Observe all traffic laws, ru les of the road and
speed limits and pla in common sense.
• ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic and
weather cond itions.
• 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 pres­
sure or when you are stressed.
A WARNING
Impaired d riving safety increases the risk of
ser ious personal inju ry and death whenever a
vehicle is being used.
136
Correct passenger
seating positions
Proper seating position for the drive r
The proper driver seating position is important
for safe, relaxed driving.
Fig. 151 Co rrect seat ing 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 pos ition:
• 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 dr ive.
• Ad just the steering wheel so th at t here is a dis­
tance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the
steer ing whee l and your breast bone
c:> fig. 151.
If not possible, see your authorized A udi dealer
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 steer ing wheel with your
elbow(s) slightly bent.
• Ad just the head rest rain t so the upper edge is
as even as possib le w ith the top of you r head .
If
that is not possib le, try to adjust the head re­
straint so that it is as close to this position as
possible.
• Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
<=>page 147.
• Always keep both feet in the footwell so that
you are in control of the vehicle at all times .

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For detai led information on how to adjust the
driver's seat, see ¢
page 64.
A WARNING
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position or
too close to the airbag can be ser ious ly 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 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 he lp reduce the risk of personal in­
jury if the dr iver's a irbag inflates.
- Never hold the steer ing whee l at the
12 o'cloc k posit ion or with your hands at
other pos it ions 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.
- Pointing the steering whee l toward your
face decreases the ability of the supp lemen­
tal driver's a irbag to protect you in a colli­
sion.
- Always s it 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 driv ing, a lways 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 recl ined or
t ilted far back! The farther the back rests are
t il ted back, the greater the ris k of injury due
to incorrect pos ition ing of the sa fety belt
and improper seating posit ion.
- Children must always ride in child safety
seats¢
page 172 . Special precautions ap­
ply when installing a ch ild safe ty seat on the
front passenger seat ¢
page 152.
Drivin g s afet y
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position is
important for safe, relaxed driving.
Fo r yo ur own safety and to reduce the risk of in­
jury in the event of an accident, we recommend
t h at you adjust the sea t for the front passenger
to the fo llow ing pos ition:
"' Adj ust the angle of the seatback so that it is in
an upright position and your back comes in full
contact w ith it wheneve r th e vehi cle is moving.
"' Ad just the head rest ra in t so the upper edge is
as even as possib le w ith the top of your head. If
that is not possib le, try to adj ust the head re­
straint so that it is as close to this position as
possible
¢ page 138.
"' Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of the
front passenger seat.
"' Fasten and wear safety belts correct ly
¢ page 147.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
front passenger's seat, see ¢
page 63.
A WARNING
--
Front seat passengers who are unbelted, out
of position or too close to the airbag can be
se riously in ju red o r killed by the a irbag as i t
unfo lds. To help reduce the risk of serious per­
sona l injury :
- Passenge rs must always si t in an upright po­
sition and never le an aga inst or place any
pa rt of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located .
- Passengers who are unbelted, ou t of posi­
tion or too close to the airbag can be seri ­
ously injured by an airbag as it unfo lds with
great force in the blink of an eye.
- Always make sure that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between the front pas­
senger's breastbone and the instrument panel.
- Each passenger must always sit on a seat of
their own and proper ly fasten and wear the
safety belt be long ing to that seat .
- Before driving, always adjust the front pas­
senger seat and head restraint properly.
1 37

Driving safety
-Always keep your feet on the floor in front
of the seat. Never rest them on the seat, in­
strument panel, out of the window, etc. The airbag system and safety belt will not be
able to protect you properly and can even in­
crease the risk of injury in a crash .
- 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.
- Children must always ride in child safety
seats r=;,
page 172. Spec ial precautions ap­
ply when installing a child safety seat on the
front passenger seat r=;,
page 152.
Proper seating positions for passengers in
rear seats
Rear seat passengers must sit upright with both
feet on the floor consistent with their physical
size and be properly restrained whenever the ve­ hicle is in use.
To reduce the risk of injury caused by an incorrect
seating position in the event of a sudden braking
maneuver or an accident, your passengers on the
rear bench seat must always observe the follow­
ing:
~ If there is a passenger on the rear center seat ­
ing position, slide the center head restraint up­
ward at least to the next notch r=;,
page 67.
~ Make sure that the seatback is securely latched
in the upright position
r:=:>page 69 .
~ Keep both feet flat in the footwell in front of
the rear seat.
~ Fasten and wear safety belts properly
r:=:> page 147.
~ Make sure that children are always properly re ­
strained in a child restraint that is appropriate
for their size and age r=;,
page 172.
A WARNING
Passengers who are improperly seated on the
rear seat can be seriously injured in a crash.
- Each passenger must always sit on a seat of their own and properly fasten and wear the
safety belt belonging to that seat.
138
- Safety belts only offer maximum protection
when the seatback is securely latched in the
upright position and the safety belts are properly positioned on the body. By not sit­
ting upright, a rear seat passenger increases
the risk of personal injury from improperly
positioned safety belts!
- Always adjust the head restraint properly so
that it can give maximum protection.
Proper adjustment of head restraints
Correctly adjusted head restraints are an impor­
tant part of your vehicle's occupant restraint sys­
tem and can help to reduce the risk of injuries in
accident situations.
Fig. 152 Head rest ra in t: v iewed from the fro nt
The head restraints must be correctly adjusted to
achieve the best protection.
~ Adjust the head restraints 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 r=;,
fig. 152.
~ If there is a passenger on the rear center seat­
ing position, slide the center head restraint up­
ward at least to the next notch .
Adjus ting head restraints r=;,
page 67.
A WARNING
All seats are equipped with head restraints.
Driving without head restraints or with head
restraints that are not properly adjusted in­
creases the risk of serious or fatal neck injury
-
dramatically. To help reduce the risk of injury: ~

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-Always drive with the head restraints in
place and properly adjusted.
- Every person in the vehicle must have a
properly ad justed head restraint.
- Always make sure each person in the vehicle
properly adjusts their head restraint. Adjust
the head restraints so the upper edge is as even as possib le w ith the top of your head.
If that is not possib le, try to adjust the head
restraint so that it is as close to this position
as possib le.
- Never attempt to adjust head restraint
wh ile driving. If you have driven off and
must adjust the dr iver headrest for any rea­
son, fi rst stop the veh icle safely before at­
tempting to ad just the head restraint.
- Children must always be properly restrai ned
in a ch ild restraint that is appropria te fo r
their age and si ze
qpoge 172.
Examples of improper seating positions
The occupant restraint system con only reduce
the risk of injury if vehicle occupants ore properly
seated.
I mproper seat ing posit ions can ca use serious in­
jury o r death . Safety be lts ca n only work when
they are prope rly positioned on t he body. Im­
proper sea ting pos it ions reduce the effect iveness
of safety belts and wi ll even increase the risk of
in ju ry and death by moving the safety belt to cr it­
i cal areas of the body. Improper seating positions
also increase the risk of serious injury and death
when an airbag deploys a nd strikes an occupant
who is not i n the proper seating position . A driver
i s responsible for the safety of all vehicle occu­
pants and especia lly for children . Therefo re :
.. Never allow anyone to ass ume an incorrect
seat ing pos ition when the veh icle is being used
¢ ,&. .
The follow ing bulletins list only some sample po­
sitions that will increase the risk of ser ious injury
and death. Our hope is that these examples will
make you more aware of seat ing pos itions that
are dangerous.
Dr ivin g s afet y
Therefore , whenever the vehicle is moving :
-never stand up in the vehicle
- never stand on the seats
- never kneel on the seats
- never ride w ith the seatback reclined
- never lie down on the rear seat
- never lean up against the instrument panel
- never sit on the edge of the seat
- neve r sit sideways
- neve r lean out t he window
- neve r put your feet out the window
- never put your feet on the instrument panel
- never rest your feet on the seat cush ion or back
of the seat
- never ride in the footwell
- never ride in the ca rgo a rea
A WARNING
Imp roper seating posit ions increase the risk
of ser ious personal in jury and death whenever
a veh icle is being used.
-Always make sure that all vehicle occupants stay in a proper seating position and are
properly restrained whenever the vehicle is
be ing used.
Pedal area
Pedals
The pedals must always be free to move and
must never be interfered with by a floor mot or
any other object .
Make sure that a ll peda ls move free ly without in­
te rfe ren ce and t hat no thing prevents them from
re tu rning to t he ir o riginal posi tions.
Only use floor mats t hat leave the pedal a rea free
and can be secured with floor mat fastene rs.
If a brake circuit fa ils, increased brake pedal trav­
el is required to bring the veh icle to a full stop .
A WARNING
-
Pedals that cannot move free ly can cause loss
of vehicle co ntrol and increase the risk of ser i-
ous injury.
~
1 39

Safety belts
instrument panel, windshield, o r whatever else is
in the way~
fig. 157 . This impact with the vehi­
cle interior has all the energy they had just before
the crash .
Never rely on airbags a lone for protection . Even
when they deploy, airbags provide only additional
protection . A irbags are not supposed to deploy in
all kinds of accidents. Although your Audi is
equipped w ith airbags, all vehicle occupants, in­
cluding the driver, must wear safety belts cor ­
rectly in orde r to min imize the risk of severe in­
jury o r death in a crash .
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only once
and that your safety be lts are always there to of ­
fer protection in those accidents in which airbags
are not supposed to deploy or when they have a l­
ready deployed . Unbelted occupan ts can also be
thrown out of the vehicle where even mo re severe
or fata l injur ies can occur .
It is also important fo r the rear passenge rs to
wear safety belts co rrectly. Unbe lted passengers
i n t he rear seats endanger not only themselves
but also the driver and other passengers
~ fig . 158. In a frontal coll ision they wi ll be
thrown forward violent ly, 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 . 1 59 Driver is co rr ect ly re st rained in a sudden b rak ing
m ane uver
Safety belts used properly can make a big differ­
ence. Safety belts help to keep passengers in
their seats, gradually reduce energy levels ap-
146
plied to the body in an accident, and help prevent
the u ncontrolled movement that ca n cause seri­
ous injuries . In addition, safety be lts reduce the
danger of being thrown out of the veh icle.
Safety be lts attach passengers to the car and give
them the benefit of being s lowed down more
gently or "softly" through the "give" in the safety
belts , cru sh zones and other safety features eng i­
neered into today 's veh icles . By "absorbing" the
k inetic ene rgy over a longer period of time, the
safety belts make the forces on the body more "tolerable " and less likely to cause injury .
Although these examples are based on a frontal
collision , safety be lts can also substantially re ­
duce the r isk of injury in other kinds of crashes .
So, whether you're on a long tr ip or just go ing to
the cor ner store, always bu ckle up and make sure
others do , too. Ac ciden t sta tis tics show that veh i­
cle occupants properly wearing sa fety belts have
a lower risk of be ing injured and a much better
chance of surviv ing an accident. Properly using
safety belts also greatly increases the ab ility of
the supp lemental airbags to do their job in a col­
li sion. For this reason, wear ing a safety belt is le­
gally required in most countries including much
of the United States and Canada .
Although your Audi is equipped with a irbags, you
still have to wear the safety belts provided. Front airbags, for example, are activated only in some
frontal coll is ions . The front airbags are not acti­
vated in all frontal col lisions, in s ide and rear co l­
li sions, in ro ll overs o r in cases whe re there is not
enough deceleration th ro ugh impac t to the front
of the vehicle . T he same goes for the other airbag
systems in your Audi. So, always wear your safety
belt and make sure everybody in your vehicle is
proper ly restrained!
Important safety instructions about safety
belts
Safe ty belts must always be correctly positioned
acros s the strongest bones of your body .
.,. Always wear safety belts as illustrated and de­
scribed in this chapter .
.,. Make sure that your safety belts are always
ready for use and are not damaged .

Safe ty belt s
The shou lder belt should lie as close to the center
of the collar bone as possib le and should fit well
on the body
c::> A in Safety belt position on
page 148.
"' Push
the loop -around fittings up c::> fig. 164 @,
or
"'squeeze together the (D button, and push the
loop-around fittings
do wn @.
"'Pull the belt to make sure that the upper at­
tachment is properly engaged.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and oth­
er important information
c::> page 146.
(D Tips
With the front seats, the height adjustment of the seat can also be used to adjust the po­
sition of the safety belts .
Improperly worn safety belts
Incorrectly positioned safety belts can cause se­
vere injuries.
Wearing safety belts improperly can cause seri­
ous injury or death. Safety belts can only work
when they are correctly posit ioned on the body .
Improper seating pos it ions reduce the effective­
ness of safety be lts and will even increase t he risk
of injury and death by moving the safety be lt to
cr itical areas of the body. Improper seating posi­
tions a lso increase the risk of serious injury and
death when an airbag deploys and strikes an oc­
cupant who is not in the correct seating posit ion.
A dr iver is responsible for the safety of all vehicle
occupants and espec ially for children. Therefore :
"' Never permit anyone to assume an incorrect sit -
ting position in the vehicle while traveling
c> _& .
A WARNING
Improperly worn safety belts increase the risk
of serious personal injury and death whenever
a vehicle is being used.
- Always make sure that all vehicle occupants
are correctly restrained and stay in a correct
150
seating position whenever the vehicle is be­ing used.
- Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other important information
c> page 146.
Belt tensioners
· How safety belt pretensioners work
In front, side and rear-end collisions above a
particular severity and in a rollover, safety belts
are tensioned automatically.
The safety belts are equipped with safety belt
pretensioners . The system is act ivated by sensors
i n front, side and rear-end coll is ions of great se­
verity and in a rollover . This tightens the belt and
takes up belt s lack
c::> .&. in Service and disposal of
safety belt pretensioner on page 151.
T aking up
the slack helps to reduce forward occupant
movement during a collision.
(D Note
Neve r let the belt remain ove r a rear seatback
that has been folded forward .
(D Tips
The safety belt pretensioner can only be acti­
vated once.
- In minor frontal and s ide collisions, in rear­
end co llisions and in acc idents involving
very little impac t fo rce, the safety belt pre­
tensioner are not activated.
- When the safety belt pretensione rs are acti­
vated, a f ine dust is released. This is normal
and is not caused by a fi re in the vehicle.
- T he re levant safety requirements mus t be
observed when the vehicle or components
of the system are scrapped . An authorized
Audi dealer or qua lified wor kshop is familia r
with these regulations and will be pleased
to pass on the information to you.
- Be sure to observe all safety, env ironmental
and other regu lations if the veh icle or indi­
vidual parts of the system, part icu larly the
safety belt or airbag, are to be disposed. We
recommend yo u have your author ized Audi
dea ler perform this service for you.

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Service and disposal of safety belt preten­
sioner
The safety belt pretensioners are parts of the
safety belts on your Audi. Installing, removing,
servicing or repairing of belt pretensioners can
damage the safety belt system and prevent it
from working correctly in a collision.
There are some important things you have to
know to make sure that the effectiveness of the
system will not be impaired and that discarded
components do not cause injury or pollute the
environment.
A WARNING
-
Improper care, servicing and repair proce­
dures can increase the risk of personal injury
and death by preventing a safety belt preten­
sioner from activating when needed or acti­
vating it unexpectedly:
- The belt pretensioner system can be activat­
ed only once.
If belt pretensioners have
been activated, the system must be re­
placed.
- Never repair, adjust, or change any parts of
the safety belt system.
- Safety belt systems including safety belt
pretensioners cannot be repaired. Special
procedures are required for removal, instal­
lation and disposal of this system.
- For any work on the safety belt system, we
strongly recommend that you see your au­
thorized Audi dealer or qualified technician
who has an Audi approved repair manual,
training and special equipment necessary.
@ For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and pretension­
ers might be classified as Perchlorate Material
-special handling may apply, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlo­ rate. When the vehicle or parts of the re­
straint system including airbag modules safe­
ty belts with pretensioners are scrapped, all
applicable laws and regulations must be ob­
served. Your authorized Audi dealer is familiar
with these requirements and we recommend
Safety belts
that you have your dealer perform this service
for you.
151

Airbag system
Airbag system
Important information
Importance of wearing safety belts and
sitting properly
Airbags are only supplemental restraints . For
airbags to do their job, occupants must always
properly wear their safety belts and be in a prop­ er seating position.
For your safety and the safety of your passen­
gers, befo re driving off, always:
"' Adjust the driver's seat and steering wheel
properly
Q page 136,
"'Adjust the front passenger's seat properly
Qpage 63,
"'Wear safety be lts properly C? page 146,
"'Always properly use the proper child restraint
to protect children
Qpage 172.
In a coll is ion airbags must inflate within the blink
of an eye and with considerab le force. The sup­
p lemental airbags can cause injuries if the driver
or the front seat passenger is not seated proper•
Ly. Therefore in order to help the airbag to do its
job, it is important, both as a driver and as a pas­
senger to sit properly at all times.
By keeping room between your body and the
steering whee l and the front of the passenger
compartment, the airbag can inflate fully and
completely and provide supplemental protection
in certain frontal collisions
c> page 136, Correct
passenger seating positions.
Fo r details on the
operation of the seat adjustment controls
c>page 64.
It's especially important that children are proper­
ly restrained
Qpage 172.
There is a lot that the driver and the passengers
can and must do to help the individual safety fea­
tures installed in your Audi work together as a
system .
Proper seat ing position is important so that the
front airbag on the driver side can do its job. If
you have a phys ical impairment or condition that
prevents you from sitt ing properly on the dr iver
seat with the safety be lt properly fastened and
152
reaching the pedals, specia l modifications to your
vehicle may be necessary.
Contact your authorized Audi deale r, or call Audi
Customer Relat ions at 1-800-822-2834.
When the airbag system dep loys , a gas generator
will fill the airbags, break open the padded cov­
ers, and inflate between the steering wheel and
the driver and between the instrument panel and
the front passenger. The airbags wi ll deflate im ­
mediate ly after deployment so that the front oc­
cupants can see through the w indshield again
without interruption.
All o f this takes place in the blink o f an eye, so
fast that many people don't even realize that the
airbags have dep loyed . The airbags also inflate
with a great deal of force and nothing should be
in the ir way when they deploy. Front a irbags in
combination with properly worn safety belts slow
down and lim it the occupant's forwa rd move­
ment . Together they he lp to prevent the driver
and front seat passenge r from hitting parts of
the insid e the veh icle wh ile red ucing the forces
acting on the occupant dur ing the crash. In this
way they help to reduce the risk o f 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 de ­
pends on the vehicle deceleration rate caused by
the collis ion and registered by the electronic con ­
trol unit. If this rate is below the reference value
programmed into the control unit, the airbags
will not be triggered, even though the car may be
badly damaged as a result of the coll is ion . Vehi­
cle damage, repair costs or even the lack of vehi­
cle damage is not necessar ily an indication of
whether an airbag should inflate or not.
It is not possible to define a range of vehicle
speeds that w ill cover every possible kind and an­
gle of impact that will always trigger the air bags,
since the circumstances will vary considerably be­
tween one collision and another. Impo rtant fac­
tors include, for example, the nature (hard or
soft) of the object which the car hits, the angle of
impact, vehicle speed, etc . The front airbags will
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also not inflate in side or rear co llisions, or in roll­
overs .
Alwa ys rememb er: Airbag s wi ll deploy on ly once,
and on ly in cer tain kinds of collisions. Your safety
b e lts a re a lways there to offer protection in those
situations in which airbags are not supposed to
deploy, or when they have already deployed; for
examp le, when your vehicle str ikes or is struck by
another after the first collision .
This is just one of the reasons why an airbag is a
supp lementary restraint and is not a substitute
for a safety belt. The airbag system works most
effectively when used w ith the safety belts.
Therefore, always properly wear your safety belts
c::>page 144.
A WARNING
Sitting too close to the steer ing whee l o r in­
strument panel will decrease the effect ive­
ness of the airbags and will increase the risk
o f persona l injury in a coll is ion .
- Never sit closer than 10 inches (25 cm) to
the steering wheel or instrument panel.
- If you cannot sit more than 10 inches
(25 cm) from the steer ing whee l, investi­
gate whethe r adaptive equipment may be
available to help yo u reach the peda ls and
increase your seating distance from the
steering wheel.
- If you are unrestrained, lean ing forward, sit­
ting s ideways or out of position in any way,
your risk of in jury is much higher.
- You will also receive serio us injuries and
cou ld even be killed if you are up against the
airbag or too close to it when it inflates -
even with an Advanced Airbag.
- To reduce the r isk of injury when an airbag
inflates, always wear safety belts properly
¢ page 147, Safety belts .
- Always make certain that children age 12 or
younger always r ide in the rear seat. If chil­
dren are not properly restrained, they may
be severely injured or killed when an airbag
inflates .
- Never let children ride unrestrained or im­
properly restrained in the veh icle. Adjust the
front seats properly.
-
Airbag syste m
- Never ride with the back rest reclined .
- Always sit as far as possible from the steer -
ing wheel o r the instrument panel
c::> page 136.
- Always sit up right with your back against
the backrest of your seat.
- Never p lace your feet on the instrument
panel or on the seat. Always keep both feet
on the floor in front of the seat to help pre­
vent serious injur ies to the legs and hips if
the airbag inflates.
- Never recline the front passenger's seat to transport objects. Items can also move into
the area of the side airbag or the front air­
bag d uring braking or in a sudden maneu­
ver. Objects near the airbags can become
p rojectiles and ca use in jury when an airbag
inflates.
A WARNING
A irbags tha t have deployed i n a crash mus t be
r eplaced.
- Use o nly orig inal equipment airbags ap ­
p rove d by Aud i an d in stalled by a trained
technici an who has the ne cessary too ls and
diagnostic equipment to properly rep lace
any airbag in yo ur vehicle and assu re system
effectiveness in a crash.
- Never permit salvaged or recycled airbags to
be installed in you r vehicle .
Child restraints on the front seat - some
important things to know
.,. Be su re to read the important information and
head the WARNI NGS for important details
about ch ild ren and Advanced Airbags
c::> page 172.
Even though your veh icle is equipped wit h an Ad ­
vanced Airbag System, make certain that a ll chil­
dren, especially those 12 years a nd you nger, a l­
ways ride in the bac k seat properly restrained fo r
the ir age and size. The airbag on the passenger
s ide makes the front seat a potent ia lly dangerous
place for a child to ride. The front seat is not the
sa fest p lace for a child in a forward-facing ch ild ..,.
153