warning AUDI Q7 2009 Owner´s Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: AUDI, Model Year: 2009, Model line: Q7, Model: AUDI Q7 2009Pages: 426, PDF Size: 97.13 MB
Page 247 of 426

& WARNING !continued)
• Improper installation of child restraints can reduce their effec
tiveness or even prevent them from providing any protection .
• An improperly installed child restraint can interfere with the
airbag as it deploys and seriously injure or even kill the child -
even with an Advanced Airbag System.
• Always carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions
provided with the child safety seat or carrier.
• Never place additional items on the seat that can increase the
total weight registered by the weight-sensing mat and can cause injury in a crash. •
Front airbags
Description of front airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental protection
to properly restrained front seat occupants.
Safety first
Fig . 250 Location of
driver airbag: in
steering wheel
(
J
Airbag system
Fig. 251 Location of
front passenger's
airbag: in the instru
ment panel
Your vehicle is equipped with an "Advanced Airbag System" in
compliance with United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan
dard (FMVSS) 208 as applicable at the time your vehicle was manu
factured. The safety belts for the seats have "pretensioners" that
help to take slack out of the belt system . The pretensioners are also
activated by the electronic control unit for the airbag system .
The front safety belts also have load limiters to help reduce the
forces applied to the body in a crash.
The airbag for the driver is in the steering wheel hub~ fig. 250 and
the airbag for the front passenger is in the instrument panel
~ fig. 251. The general location of the airbags is marked "AIRBAG".
There is a lot you need to know about the airbags in your vehicle. We
urg e you to read the detailed information about airbags, safety belts
and child safety in this and the other chapters that make up the
owner's literature. Please be sure to heed the WARNINGS -they are
extremely important for your safety and the safety of your passen
gers, especially infants and small children.
& WARNING
Never rely on airbags alone for protection .
• Even when they deploy, airbags provide only supplemental
protection.
Vehicle care I I irechnical data
Page 248 of 426

___ A_ ir_ b_ a-g _ s_y _ s_ t_ e_ m _________________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
• Airbag work most effectively when used with properly worn
safety belts .
• Therefore, always wear your safety belts and make sure that
everybody in your vehicle is properly restrained .
& WARNING
A person on the front passenger seat, especially infants and small
children, will receive serious injuries and can even be killed by
being too close to the airbag when it inflates .
• Although the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle is
designed to turn off the front passenger airbag if an infant or a
small child is on the front passenger seat, nobody can absolutely
guarantee that deployment under these special conditions is
impossible in all conceivable situations that may happen during
the useful life of your vehicle.
• The Advanced Airbag System can deploy in accordance with
the "low risk" option under the U.S. Federal Standard if a child that
is heavier than the typical one-year old child is on the front
passenger seat and the other conditions for airbag deployment
are met.
• Accident statistics have shown that children are generally safer
in the rear seat area than in the front seating position.
• For their own safety, all children, especially 12 years and
younger, should always ride in the back properly restrained for
their age and size . •
Advanced front airbag system
Your vehicle is equipped with a front Advanced Airbag System in
compliance with United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan
dard 208 as applicable at the time your vehicle was manufactured. The
front Advanced Airbag System supplements the safety belts to
provide additional protection for the driver's and front passenger's
heads and upper bodies in frontal crashes . The airbags inflate only
in frontal impacts when the vehicle deceleration is high enough.
The front Advanced Airbag System for the front seat occupants is
not a substitute for your safety belts . Rather, it is part of the overall
occupant restraint system in your vehicle. Always remember that
the airbag system can only help to protect you, if you are sitting
upright, wearing your safety belt and wearing it properly. This is why
you and your passengers must always be properly restrained, not
just because the law requires you to be.
The Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle has been certified to
meet the "low risk" requirements for 3 and 6 year -old children on the
passenger side and very small adults on the driver side. The low risk
deployment criteria are intended to help reduce the risk of injury
through interaction with the front airbag that can occur, for
example, by being too close to the steering wheel and instrument
panel when the airbag inflates.
In addition, the system has been certified to comply with the
"suppression" requirements of the Safety Standard, to turn off the
front airbag for infants 12 months old and younger who are
restrained on the front passenger seat in child restraints that are
listed in the Standard=>
page 265, "Child restraints and Advanced
Airbags" .
"Suppression" requires the front airbag on the passenger side to be
turned off if:
• a child up to about one year of age is restrained on the front
passenger seat in one of the rear-facing or forward-facing infant
restraints listed in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 with
which the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle was certified. For
a listing of the child restraints that were used to certify your
vehicle's compliance with the US Safety Standard=>
page 265,
• weight less than a threshold level stored in the control unit is
detected on the front passenger seat. .,
Page 249 of 426

__________________________________________________ A_ i_ r _b _a...; g::- s_ y=--- s_t _e _m __ l!ftlll
Whe n a person is detected on the front passenger seat, weighing
more than the to tal weight of a child t hat is about 1 year old
restrained in one of the rear-facing or forward -facing infant
restraints (listed in Federa l Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 with
which the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle was certified), the front airbag on the passenger side may or may not deploy .
The
PA SSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on when the e lectronic
control unit detects a total weight on the front passenger seat that
requires the front a irbag to be turned off . If the
PA SSENGER AIR BAG
O FF
light does not come on, the front airbag on the passenger side
has not been tu rned off by the contro l u nit and can dep loy if the
control unit senses an impact that meets the conditions stored in its
memory .
I f the total weight on the front passenger seat is more than that o f
a typical
1 year -old, but less than the we ight of a small adult, the
front airbag on the passenger side may dep loy (the
PA SS ENGER AIR
BAG OFF
l ight does not come on).
For example , the airbag may deploy if :
• a small ch ild that is heavier than a typ ical 1 year-o ld child is on
the front passenger seat (regardless of whether the child is in one
of the child sa fety seats listed ~ page 265),
• a child who has outgrown child res traints is on the front
passenger seat.
I f the front passenger airbag is turned off, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
O FF
light in the cen ter of the instrument panel wi ll co me on and stay
on .
T he front airbag on the passenge r side may
not deploy (the
PASS ENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not illuminate and stay lit) if:
• a small adult or teenager is on the front passenger seat
• a passenger who is not sitting upright with their back against a
non -reclined backrest with their feet on the vehicle floor in front of
the seat is on the front passenger seat.
I f the front passenger airbag dep loys, the Federal Standard requires
the airbag t o meet the "low risk" deployment criteria to help reduce
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation the risk of injury through interaction with the airbag
. "Low risk"
dep loyment occurs in those crashes that ta ke place at l ower decel
erations as defined in the electronic contro l unit .~ page 252
Al way s remembe r: Even though your vehicle is equipped with
Advanced Airbags, the safes t place for chi ldren is properly
restrained on the back seat. Please be sure to read the important
informat ion in t he sections tha t follow a nd be sure to heed a ll of the
WARNINGS.
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury when an airbag inflates , always wear
s afety belts prope rly.
• If you are unrestrained , leaning forward , sitt ing s ideways or out
of position in any w ay, your risk of injury i s mu ch higher .
• You will al so receive se riou s injurie s and could even be killed if
you are up against the airbag or too clo se t o it when it inflate s -
even with an Advanced Airbag=> page 241 .
& WARNING
A child in a rearward -facing child safety seat in stalled on the front
pa ssenge r seat will be ser iou sly injured and can be killed if the
front airb ag inflate s -even with an Advanced Airbag System .
• Although the Advan ced Airbag S ystem in your vehicle is
de signed to turn off the front airbag when a rearward -fa cing child
restraint h as been in stalled on the front pa ssenger seat , nobod y
c an ab solutely guarantee that deployment i s impo ssible in all
c onceivable situations that may happen during the useful life of
your vehicle .
• The inflating airbag will hit the ch ild s afety seat or inf ant
c arrier with great force and will smash the chi ld safety seat and
c hild ag ain st the ba ckre st, center a rm re st, door , or roof .
• Always in stall rearward -fa cing child restraints on the rear seat ....
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 250 of 426

___ A_ ir_ b_ a-g _ s_y _s_ t_ e_ m _________________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay on,
immediately install the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
authorized Audi dealer.
& WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstances, you must install a forward-facing
child restraint on the front passenger's seat:
• 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 restraint up against or very
near the instrument 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. •
Advanced Airbag System components
The front passenger seat in your vehicle has a lot of very important
parts of the Advanced Airbag System in it. These parts include the
weight-sensing mat, sensors, wiring, brackets, and more. The func
tion of the system in the front passenger seat is checked by the elec
tronic control unit when the ignition is on. The control unit monitors
the Advanced Airbag System and turns the airbag indicator light on
when a malfunction in the system components is detected. The
function of the airbag indicator light is described in greater detail below
. Because the front passenger seat contains important parts
of the Advanced Airbag System, you must take care to prevent it
from being damaged. Damage to the seat may prevent the
Advanced Airbag for the front passenger seat from doing its job in
a crash .
The front Advanced Airbag System consists of the
following:
• Crash sensors in the front of the vehicle that measure vehicle
acceleration/deceleration to provide information to the Advanced
Airbag System about the severity of the crash.
• An electronic control unit, with integrated crash sensors for front
and side impacts. The control unit "decides" whether to fire the
front airbags based on the information received from the crash
sensors. The control unit also "decides" whether the safety belt
pretensioners should be activated.
• An Advanced Airbag with gas generator for the driver inside the
steering wheel hub .
• An Advanced Airbag with gas generator inside the instrument
panel for the front passenger.
• A weight-sensing mat under the upholstery padding of the front
passenger seat cushion that measures the total weight on the seat.
The information registered is sent continuously to the electronic
control unit to regulate deployment of the front Advanced Airbag on
the passenger side.
• An airbag monitoring system and indicator light in the instru
ment cluster ~
page 252.
• The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on in the
center of the instrument panel~
page 253, fig. 253 and tells you
when the front Advanced Airbag on the passenger side has been
turned off.
• A sensor below the safety belt latch for the front seat passenger
to measure the tension on the safety belt. The tension on the safety
belt and the weight registered by the weight -sensing mat help the
control unit "decide" whether the front airbag for the front ..
Page 251 of 426

__________________________________________________ A_ i _r_b _a...; g::-- s_ y =--- s_t _e _m __ ffllll
passeng er seat shou ld be turn ed off or not~ page 243 , "Ch ild
restr aint s o n the fro nt seat - some impor tant thin gs to know".
• A sensor in the safety belt latch fo r the d rive r and for the front
s e at pass enger th at s enses wh ether th at safe ty belt i s la tch ed o r not
and transmits this information to the e lectronic contro l unit.
& WARNING
Damage to the front passenger seat can prevent the front airbag
from working properly .
• Improper repair or disassembly of the front passenger and
driver seat will prevent the Advanced Airbag System from func
tioning properly .
• Repairs to the front passenger seat must be performed by qual
ified and properly trained workshop personnel .
• Never remove the front passenger or driver seat from the
vehicle.
• Never remove the upholstery from the front passenger seat .
• Never disassemble or remove parts from the seat or disconnect
wires from it.
• Never carry sharp objects in your pockets or place them on the
seat . If the weight-sensing mat in the passenger seat is punctured
it cannot work properly.
• Never carry things on your lap or carry objects on the
passenger seat . Such items can increase the weight registered by
the weight-sensing mat and send the wrong information to the
airbag control unit .
• Never store items under the front passenger seat . Parts of the
Advanced Airbag System under the passenger seat could be damaged , preventing them and the airbag system from working
properly.
• Never place seat covers or replacement upholstery that have
not been specifically approved by Audi on the front seats.
Controls and equip ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WARNING (continued)
• Seat covers can prevent the Advanced Airbag System from
recognizing child restraints or occupants on the front passenger
seat and prevent the side airbag in the seat backrest from
deploying properly.
• Never use cushions, pillows, blankets or similar items on the
front passenger seat. The additional padding will prevent the
weight-sensing mat in the seat from accurately registering the
child restraint or person on the seat and prevent the Advanced
Airbag System from functioning properly .
• If you must use a child restraint on the front passenger seat
and the child restraint manufa cturer's instructions require the use
of a towel , foam cushion or something else to properly position
the child restraint, make certain that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light comes on and stays on whenever the child restraint is
installed on the front passenger seat.
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay
on , immediately install child restraint in a rear seating position
and have the airbag system inspected by your authorized Audi
dealer .•
How the Advanced Airbag System
components work together
T he front Advance d Airbag System and the si de ai rbags s upple m ent
the p rotection offe red by the front thre e-point safety belts with
p retensioner s and load limiters and the adjustable head restraints
to hel p re d uc e th e ris k o f inj ury i n a w ide ra nge o f accid ent a nd
crash situations. Be s ure to read the important info rmation about
saf ety an d hee d the WARNI NGS in thi s c hap ter.
De ployment of th e Advanc ed Airbag System and the activation of
t he sa fe ty be lt pretensi oners de pend on the de ce lerat io n m easur ed
by the crash sensors and registered by the el ectronic control unit. _,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 252 of 426

___ A_ ir_b _a_ g;:::;_ s--:.. y_s _t _e _m _________________________________________________ _
Crash severity depends on speed and deceleration as well as the
mass and stiffness of the vehicle or object involved in the crash.
When the electronic control unit registers a low severity crash and
the safety belt is being used, the airbag will not deploy. If the safety belt is not being used, the first stage deploys, followed by the
second stage after a much later time in the crash sequence.
If the electronic con tro l uni t regis ters a crash of medium severity,
the first stage of the airbag deploys followed by the second stage at
a much later time in the crash sequence -regardless of whether the
safety be lt is being used or not . In higher severity crashes as regis
tered by the e lectronic contro l unit, both the first and second stages
deploy almost at the same time.
On the passenger side, regardless of safety belt use, the airbag will
be turned off if the weight on the passenger seat is less than the
amount programmed in the electronic contro l unit. The front airbag
on the passenger side will also be turned off if one of the child
safety seats that has been certified under Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard 208 has been recognized on the seat . The
PA SSE NGE R AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on to tel l you
when the front Advanced Airbag on the passenger s ide has been
turned off=>
page 243, "Child restraints on the front seat - some
important things to know".
& WARNING
To reduce the ri sk of injur y when an airb ag infla tes, always wear
saf ety bel ts prop er ly .
• If you are unre str ained , leani ng for ward, sittin g sidew ays or out
o f po sit io n in any wa y, your ri sk of injur y is mu ch hig her.
• You will als o receive seriou s injuries and could even b e kill ed if
y ou are up ag ain st t he a irbag or too clo se to it when it infl ates -
e ven with an Adv anced Airbag =>
page 241 . •
More important things to knovv about front
airbags
Fig . 252 Inf la te d fron t
a ir bags
Safety belts are important to he lp keep front seat occupants in the
proper seated posi tion so that airbags can unfo ld properly and
provide supp lemental protection in a fronta l collision.
The front airbags are designed to provide additional protection for
the chest and face of the driver and the front seat passenger when: • safety be lts are worn proper ly
• the seats have been positioned so that the occupant is properly
seated as far as possible from the airbag
• and the head restraints have been properly adjusted
Because airbags inflate in the blink of an eye with great force, things
you have on your lap or have placed on the seat cou ld become
dangerous projectiles, and be pushed into you if the airbag inflates .
When an airbag deploys, fine dust is released. This is normal and is not caused by a fire in the vehic le. This dust is made up most ly of a
powder used to lubricate the airbags as they deploy. It cou ld irritate
skin.
It is important to remember that while the supplementa l airbag
system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries, other
injuries, for example swelling, bruising and minor abrasions, can
also happen when airbags inflate . Airbags do not protect the arms ._,
Page 253 of 426

Airbag system -----------------=---=---
or the lower parts of the body. Front airbags suppl em ent the three
poi nt s afet y be lts o nly in s ome fro ntal c oll isi ons i n whi ch the v ehicl e
deceleration is hi gh enough to d eploy the airbags .
Front airbags will not deploy:
• if the ignition is switched off when a crash occurs
• i n sid e collisi ons
• i n rea r- e nd collisi ons
• in ro llovers
• when the cras h de celer ation me asured b y th e a ir bag sy ste m i s
less than the minimum threshold nee ded for airbag dep loyment as
r egi stere d by t he ele ctronic control un it
The front passenger airbag also will not deploy :
• when the front p assenger s eat i s not o cc up ied
• whe n the weig ht on th e front pass enger seat as se nsed by t he
Adva nced A irb ag System indi cate s that the fr ont airba g on the
p as se n ge r side h as to be turned off b y the e lectronic cont rol unit
(the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF l ig ht co me s on and stays on )
& WARNING
Sitting in the wrong position can increase the risk of serious injury
in crashes .
• To reduce the risk of injury when the airbags inflate , the driver
and passengers must always sit in an upright position , must not
lean against or place any part of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located .
• Occupants who are unbelted , out of position or too close to the
airbag can be seriously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye
~ page 243.
Controls and equip ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WARNING
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 arm rest , door or roof.
• Always install rear-facing child safety seats on the rear seat .
• If you must install a rearward -facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay on, immediately install the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
authorized Audi dealer .
& WARNING
Objects between you and the airbag will in crease the risk of injury
in a crash by interfering with the way the airbag unfolds or by
being pushed into you as the airbag inflates .
• Never hold things in your hands or on your lap when the vehicle
is in use.
• Never transport items on or in the area of the front passenger
seat. Objects could move into the area of the front airbags during
braking or other sudden maneuvers and become dangerous
projectiles that can cause serious personal injury if the airbags
inflate .
• Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as
cupholders , telephone brackets, large, heavy or bulky objects) on
the doors, over or near the area marked "AIRBAG" on the steering
wheel , instrument panel , seat backrests or between those areas
and yourself . These objects could cause injury in a crash , espe-
cially when the airbags inflate . ...
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
Page 254 of 426

-Airbag system ----------------
& WARNING
(continued)
• Never recline the front passenger's seat to transport objects.
Items can also move into the area of the side airbag or the front
airbag during braking or in a sudden maneuver . Objects near the
airbags can become projectiles and cause injury, particularly when
the seat is reclined .
• Never tilt the front passenger seat backrest forward when the
vehicle is moving . An inflating airbag will force the backrest back
ward and can injure rear seat occupants .
& WARNING
The fine dust created when airbags deploy can cause breathing
problems for people with a history of asthma or other breathing
conditions.
• To reduce the risk of breathing problems, those with asthma or
other respiratory conditions should get fresh air right away by
getting out of the vehicle or opening windows or doors.
• If you are in a collision in which airbags deploy, wash your
hands and face with mild soap and water before eating.
• Be careful not to get the dust into your eyes, or into any cuts or
scratches.
• If the residue should get into your eyes, flush them with
water. •
Monitoring the Advanced Airbag
System
Airbag monitoring indicator light ~
Two separate indicators monitor the function of the
Advanced Airbag System: the airbag monitoring indicator
light and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light.
The Advanced Airbag System (including the electronic control unit,
sensor circuits and system wiring) is monitored continuously to
make sure that it is functioning properly whenever the ignition is on.
Each time you turn on the ignition, the airbag monitoring indicator
light
ffl. will come on for a few seconds (self diagnostics).
The system must be inspected when the indicator light ~:
• does not come on when the ignition is switched on
• does not go out a few seconds after you have switched on the
ignition, or
• comes on while driving
If an airbag system malfunction is detected, the indicator light will
first start flashing to catch the driver's attention and then stay on
continuously to serve as a constant reminder to have the system
inspected immediately .
If a malfunction occurs that turns the front airbag on the passenger
side off, the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light will come on and stay on
whenever the ignition is on.
& WARNING
An airbag system that is not functioning properly cannot provide
supplemental protection in a frontal crash.
• If the airbag indicator light comes on, it means that there may
be something wrong with the Advanced Airbag System. It is .,._
Page 256 of 426

IIIIIL..__:A:....:..:.; ir:....: b=-= a~g !....:: s:.!y :....:s:..: t:..: e:..: m:...:....:... ________________________________________________ _
• make sur e th at th ings that ma y increase th e weigh t of th e child
a nd child saf ety sea t are not b eing tran spo rted on the fr ont
passen ger seat;
• m ake su re t hat th e sa fet y belt ten sio n se ns or is not block ed.
Sha ke the safety belt latch on th e front pass enger seat bac k and
fo rth;
• If a stra p or tether is being used to t ie the chi ld safety seat to the
fr ont passe ng er se at, m ake sure th at it i s not s o tigh t th at it causes
the weig ht-sensing mat to measure more weight than is actual ly on
th e seat .
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light still does not come on and does
not stay on continuous ly (when the ignition is switched on),
• t ake the child r estr aint off the fr ont passe ng er seat a nd ins ta ll it
properly at one of the r ear seat pos it ions . Have th e airbag syst em
ins pect ed by y our au thorized Audi d ea ler im med iatel y.
• move the chi ld to a rear seat position and make sure that the
c hild is pro pe rly r estrai ned in a c hild restrai nt th at i s app rop riat e fo r
its size and age .
The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF l igh t sho uld NOT co me o n whe n the
ignition is on and an adult is sitt ing in a proper seating position on
t h e front pa ssenge r seat . If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
co me s on and stays o n or fl ash es for about 5 seco nds whi le d riving,
under these ci rcumstances, make sure that:
• the adult on the front pass enger s eat i s pro perly s eate d o n the
center of the seat cushion with his or her back up against the back
r e st and the backrest is not rec lined => page
222, "Prope r occup ant
seating positions",
• t he ad ult i s not t aki ng w eight off t he seat b y ho ldi ng on to the
passenger assist hand le above the front passenger door or
s up porting their w eigh t on the arm res t,
• the safety be lt is be ing proper ly worn and that there is not a lot
o f sla c k in th e sa fet y belt webbin g,
• accessory seat covers or cushions or other things that ma y cause
an incorr ect rea ding o r impressi on on the w eig ht-s en sing mat under the upho
lstery of the seat have been removed from the front
p assenge r sea t,
• a safety belt extende r has not been left in the safety belt latch for
th e fro nt passenger s eat.
I n addition to the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light in the center of the
instr ument pane l, the message
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF or
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON will briefly appear in the inst rument c luster
display . Thi s is to info rm the driver of t he cur rent front passenge r
airbag status. •
Important safety instructions on monitoring
the Advanced Airbag System
& WARNING
An airbag system that is not functioning properly cannot provide
supplemental protection in a frontal crash.
• If the airbag indicator light comes on , it means that there may
be something wrong with the Advanced Airbag System. It is
possible that the airbag will inflate when it is not supposed to , or
will not inflate when it should.
• Have the airbag system inspected immediately by your autho
rized Audi dealer.
& WARNING
If the front airbag inflates, a child without a child restraint, or in a
rearward-facing child safety seat , or in a forward-facing child
restraint that has not been properly installed will be seriously
injured and can be killed.
• Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airbag
System , make certain that all children, especially 12 years and
younger , always ride on the back seat properly restrained for their
age and size. .,,_
Page 257 of 426

Airbag system -----------------=~-
& WARNING (continued )
• Always install forward or rear-facing child safety seats on the
rear seat -even with an Advanced Airbag Sy stem.
• If you must install a rearward -facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not appear and stay on,
immediately inst all the rear -facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
authorized Audi dealer.
• A tight tether or other strap on a rearward-facing child restraint
attached to the front pas senger seat can put too much pressure
on the weight-sensing mat in the se at and reg ister more weight
than is actually on the seat. The heavier weight registered can make the system work as though an adult were on the seat and
deploy the Advanced Airbag when it must be suppressed causing
serious or even fatal injury to the ch ild .
• If, in exceptional circumstance s, you must install a forward
facing child restraint on the front passenger seat, always move the
seat into its rearmost position in the seat's fore and aft adjust
ment range , as far away from the airbag as possible . 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 .
& WARNING
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not go out when an
adult is sitting on the front passenger seat after taking the steps
described above, make sure the adult is properly seated and
restrained at one of the rear seating positions .
• Have the airbag sy stem inspected by your authorized Audi
dealer before transporting anyone on the front passenger seat .
Controls and equip ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
[ i ] Tips
If th e we ight-se nsing mat in t he front passenger seat detects an
e m pty seat, the front airbag on the passenger si de wil l be turned
o ff , a nd t he
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF lig ht will stay on. a
Repair, care and disposal of the airbags
Pa rts o f the airba g syste m are in sta lled a t many d ifferent places on
your Audi. Insta lling, removing, servicing or repa ir ing a part in an
ar ea of the ve hicle ca n dama ge a par t of a n airbag sys te m and
prevent that system from wor king properly in a co llision.
There are so me i mpor ta nt thi ngs you have to know to make sure
that the effectiveness of the system w ill not be impaired and that
d iscarded components do no t cause inju ry o r po llute the e nvir on
m ent.
& WARNING
Improper care , servicing and repair pro cedures can increase the
risk of personal injury and death by preventing an airbag from
deploying when needed or deploying an airbag unexpectedly :
• Never cover, obstruct, or change the steering wheel horn pad
or airbag cover or the instrument panel or modify them in any way .
• Never attach any objects such as cupholders or telephone
mountings to the surfaces covering the airbag units .
• For cleaning the horn pad or instrument panel , use only a soft ,
dry cloth or one moistened with pla in water . Solvents or cleaners
could damage the airbag cover or change the stiffness or strength
of the material so that the airbag cannot deploy and protect prop
erly .
• Never repair , adjust , or change any parts of the airbag system .
• All work on the steering wheel , instrument panel, front seats or
electrical system (including the installation of audio equipment ,
~
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data