airbag AUDI R8 SPYDER 2012 User Guide

Driving Safely
General notes
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
summarized here what you need to know
about safety belts, airbags, child restraints as
well as child safety. Your safety is for us
priori­
ty number 1.
Always observe the information
and warnings in this section - for your own
safety as well as for that of your passengers.
The information in this section applies to all
model versions of your vehicle . Some of the
features described 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
- Make certain that you follow the instruc­
tions and heed the WARNINGS in this
Manual. It is in your interest and in the
interest 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 infor­
mation 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
questions.
Safety equipment
The safety features are part of the occupant
restraint system and work together to help
reduce the risk of injury in a wide variety of
accident situations .
Your safety and the safety of your passengers
should not be left to chance. Advances in
technology have made a variety of features
available to help reduce the risk of injury in an
Driving Safely 91
accident. The following is a listing of just a
few of the safety features in your Audi:
- sophisticated safety belts for driver and all
passenger seating positions,
- safety belt pretensioners ,
- front airbags,
- knee airbags,
- side airbags in the seats
- adjustable head restraints,
- adjustable steering column.
These individual safety features can work to­
gether as a system to help protect you and
your passengers in a wide range of accidents.
These features cannot work as a system if
they are not always properly adjusted and
properly used!
Safety is everybody's responsibility!
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody's job! Vehicle and occu­
pant safety always depends on the informed and careful driver.
For your safety and the safety of your passen­
gers,
before driving always:
~ Make sure that all lights and signals are op­
erating 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::>page 62.
~ Make sure that nothing can interfere with
the pedals.
~ Adjust front seat, head restraint and mir­
rors correctly for your height .
~ Instruct passengers to adjust the head re­
straints according to their height .
~ Make sure to use the right child restraint
correctly to protect children¢
page 130,
Child Safety.
~ Sit properly in your seat and make sure that
your passengers do the same¢
page 59,
Seats and storage. .,..
•
•

92 Driving Safel y
• Fasten your safety belt and wear it proper ly.
Also instruct your passengers to fasten their
safety belts proper ly
¢ page 101.
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condi­
tion of the vehicle, the driver as well as the
driver's ability to concentrate on the rood
without being distracted.
The driver is responsible for the safety of the
vehicle 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
¢ .&, .
Therefore:
• Do not let yourself be distracted by passen­
gers or by using a cellular telephone.
• NEVER drive when your dr iving ability is im­
paired (by medicat ions, alcohol, drugs, etc.) .
• Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road
and speed limits and plain common sense .
• ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traff ic
and weather condit ions.
• 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
pressure or when you are stressed.
A WARNING , .
Impaired driving safety increases the risk
of serious personal injury and death when­
ever a vehicle is being used .
Proper occupant
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is impor­
tant for safe, relaxed driving.
Fig. 104 Correct seat ing posit ion
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom­
mend that you adjust the driver's seat to the
following position:
• Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a
distance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) be­
tween the steering wheel and your breast
bone¢
fig . 104 .
• Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easi­
ly push the pedals all the way to the floor
while keeping your knee(s) slightly bent
¢.&, .
• Grasp the top of the steer ing whee l 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 restraint so that it is as close to
this position as possible .
• Adjust the steering wheel so that the steer­
ing wheel and airbag cover points at your
chest and not at your face.
• 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 yo u drive.
• Fasten and wear safety be lts correctly
¢ page 102.
• Always keep both feet in the footwell so
that you are in control of the vehicle at all
times .

For detailed information on how to adjust the
dr iver's seat, see
¢ page 59, Seats and stor­
age.
A WARNING
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the airbag can be seriously
injured by an airbag as it deploys. To help
reduce 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 breast­
bone 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
outside of the steering wheel rim with
your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to help reduce the risk of per­
sonal injury 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. Hold­
ing the steering wheel the wrong way
can cause serious injuries to the hands,
arms and head if the driver's airbag in­
flates
- Pointing the steering wheel toward your
face decreases the ability of the supple ­
mental driver's airbag to protect you in a
collision .
- Always sit in an upright position and nev­
er lean against or place any part of your
body too close to the area where the air­
bags are located.
- Before driving, always adjust the front
seats and head restraints properly and
make sure that all passengers are prop­
erly restrained.
- Never adjust the seats while the vehicle
is moving. Your seat may move unexpect­
edly and you could lose control of the ve­
hicle.
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests
Driving Safely 93
are tilted back, the greater the risk of in­
jury due to incorrect positioning of the
safety belt and improper seating posi­
tion .
- Children must always ride in child seats
¢ page 130. Special precautions apply
when installing a child seat on the front
passenger seat
¢ page 109.
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position
is important for safe, relaxed driving.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom­
mend 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 restraint so that it is as close to
this position as possible
¢ page 94.
"' Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of
the front passenger seat .
"' Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
¢ page 104.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
front passenger's seat, see
¢ page 59, Seats
and storage.
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 air­
bag as it deploys. To help reduce the risk of
serious personal injury:
- Passengers must always sit in an upright
position and never lean against or place
any part of their body too close to the
area where the airbags are located.
•
•

94 Driving Safely
-Passengers who are unbelted, out of po­
sition or too close to the airbag can be
seriously injured by an airbag as it de­
ploys with great force in the blink of an
eye.
- Always make sure that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between the front
passenger's breastbone and the instru­
ment panel.
- Always make sure that there are at least
4 inches (10 cm) between the front pas­
senger's knees and the lower part of the
instrument panel.
- Each passenger must always sit on a seat
of their own and properly fasten and
wear the safety belt belonging to that
seat.
- Before driving, always adjust the front
passenger seat and head restraint prop­
erly.
- Always keep your feet on the floor in
front of the seat. Never rest them on the
seat, instrument panel, out of the win­
dow, etc. The airbag system and safety
belt will not be able to protect you prop­
erly and can even increase the risk of in­
jury 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 in­
jury due to incorrect positioning of the
safety belt and improper seating posi­
tion.
- Children must always ride in child seats
r:::;, page 130. Special precautions apply
when installing a child seat on the front
passenger seat
r:::;, page 109.
Proper adjustment of head restraints
Fig. 105 Head restra int: v iewed from the front
The head restraints must be correctly adjust­
ed to achieve the best protection.
.,. For adjustable head restraints : 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
r:::;, fig. 1 OS .
Adjusting head restraints<=> page 61.
A WARNING ~
Driving without head restraints or with im-
properly adjusted head restraints increases
the risk of serious injuries in a collision . To
help reduce the risk of injury:
- Always drive with the head restraints in
place and properly adjusted.
- Every person in the vehicle must have a properly adjusted head restraint.
- Always make sure each person in the ve­
hicle properly adjusts their head re­
straint . Adjust the head restraints so the
upper edge is as even as possible with
the top of your head.
If that is not possi­
ble, try to adjust the head restraint so
that it is as close to this position as pos­
sible,
- Never attempt to adjust head restraint
while driving. If you have driven off and
must adjust the driver headrest for any
reason, first stop the vehicle safely be­
fore attempting to adjust the head re­
straint .

-Children must always be properly re­
strained in a child restraint that is appro­
priate for their age and size
c:> page 130.
Examples of improper seating positions
The occupant restraint system can only re­
duce the risk of injury if vehicle occupants are
properly seated.
Improper seating positions can cause serious
injury or death. Safety belts can only work
when they are properly positioned on the
body. Improper seating positions reduce the
effectiveness of safety belts and will even in­
crease the risk of injury and death by moving
the safety belt to critical areas of the body .
Improper seating positions also increase the
risk of serious injury and death when an air­
bag deploys and strikes an occupant who is
not in the proper seating position. A driver is
responsible for the safety of all vehicle occu­
pants and especially for children. Therefore:
.,. Never allow anyone to assume an incorrect
seating position when the vehicle is being
used
c:> ,&. .
The following bullets list only some sample
positions that wi ll increase the risk of serious
injury and death . Our hope is that these exam ­
ples will make you more aware of seating po­
sitions that are dangerous.
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is
moving:
- never stand up in the vehicle
- never stand on the seats
- never kneel on the seats
- never ride with the seatback reclined
- never lean up against the instrument panel
- never sit on the edge of the seat
- never sit sideways
- never lean out the window
- never put your feet out the window
- never put your feet on the instrument panel
- never rest your feet on the seat cushion or
back of the seat
- never ride in the footwell
Driving Safely 95
-never ride in the cargo area
A WARNING
Improper seating positions increase the
risk of serious personal injury and death
whenever a vehicle is being used.
- Sitting incorrectly places occupants at
risk of being critically injured if the air­
bags deploy and strike them.
- Before you start driving, seat yourself
properly and always maintain this seat­
ing position during the trip. Before each
trip, instruct your passengers to seat
themselves properly and to maintain this
seating position during the trip
c:> page 59, Seats and storage.
Driver and passenger
side footwell
Important safety instructions
A WARNING
A lways make sure that the knee airbag can
inflate without interference. Objects be­
tween yourself and the airbag can increase
the risk of injury in an accident by interfer­
ing with the way the airbag deploys or by
being pushed into you as the airbag de­
ploys .
- No persons (children) or animals should
ride in the footwell in front of the pas­
senger seat . If the airbag deploys, this
can result in serious or fatal injuries.
- No objects of any kind should be carried
in the footwell area in front of the driv­
er 's or passenger's seat. Bulky objects
(shopping bags, for example) can ham­
per or prevent proper deployment of the
airbag. Small objects can be thrown
through the vehicle if the airbag deploys
and injure you or your passengers .
•
•
-

102 Safety belts
-Failure to pay attention to the warning
light that comes on could lead to person­
al injury.
Why safety belts?
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!
Fig. 111 Driver is properly restrained in a sudden brak ­
i ng maneuve r.
Safety belts used properly can make a big dif­
ference. Safety belts help to keep passengers
in their seats, gradually reduce energy levels
applied to the body in an accident, and help prevent the uncontrolled movement that can
cause serious injuries. In addition, safety belts
reduce the danger of being thrown out of the
vehicle .
Safety belts attach passengers to the car and
give them the benefit of being slowed down more gently or "softly " through the "give" in
the safety belts, crush zones and other safety
features engineered into today's vehicles. By
"absorbing " the kinetic energy 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 fron ­
tal collision, safety belts can also substantial­
ly reduce the risk of injury in other kinds of
crashes. So, whether you're on a long trip or
just going to the corner store, always buckle up and make sure others do, too. Accident sta­
tistics show that vehicle occupants properly
wearing safety belts have a lower risk of being injured and a much better chance of surviving
an accident. Properly using safety belts also
greatly increases the ability of the supplemen­
tal airbags to do their job in a collision . For
this reason, wearing a safety belt is legally re­
quired in most countries including much of
the United States and Canada.
Although your Audi is equipped with airbags,
you still have to wear the safety belts provid­ ed . Front airbags, for example, are activated
only in some frontal collisions . The front a ir­
bags are not activated in all frontal collisions,
in side and rear collisions, in roll overs or in
cases where there is not enough deceleration
through impact to the front of the vehicle.
The same goes for the other airbag systems in
your Audi. So, always wear your safety belt
and make sure everybody in your vehicle is
properly restrained!
Important safety instructions about
safety belts
Safety belts must always be properly posi­ tioned across the strongest bones of your
body .
.,. Always wear safety belts as illustrated and
described in this chapter .
.,. Make sure that your safety belts are always
ready for use and are not damaged.
_&. WARNING
Not wear ing safety belts or wearing them
improperly increases the r isk of serious
personal injury and death. Safety belts can
work only when used correctly.
-Always fasten your safety belts correctly
before driving off and make sure all pas­
sengers are properly restrained.
- For maximum protection, safety belts
must always be positioned correctly on
the body.
- Never strap more than one person, in­ cluding small children, into any single
safety belt.
- Never place a safety belt over a chi ld sit­
ting on your lap.

104 Safet y belt s
moving just before the crash, unti l something
stops them· here, the wall
r::!;> fig. 113.
The same pr inc iples apply to people sitting in
a veh icle that is involved 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 higher speeds, these forces are even
greater .
People who do not use safety be lts are a lso
not attached to their vehicle. In a fronta l co lli ­
sion they will also keep mov ing forward at the
speed their vehicle was trave lling just before
the crash . Of course, the laws of physics don't
just apply to frontal coll is io ns, they determ ine
what happens in all kinds of accidents and col·
lisions.
What happens to occupants not wearing
safety belts?
In crashes, unbelted occupants cannot stop themselves from flying forward and being in­
jured or killed. Always wear your safety belts!
Fi g. 114 A driver not wear ing a safety belt is violently
t h rown forward
Unbe lted occupants are not able to res ist the
tremendous fo rces of impact by holding tight
or brac ing themselves. Without the benef it of
safety restraint systems, the unrestrained oc·
cupant w ill slam vio lent ly into the steering
wheel, instrument panel, winds hield, or what­
eve r else is in the way¢
fig. 114. This impac t
with the veh icle inter ior has all the energy
they had just befo re the crash.
Neve r rely on airbags a lone for p rotection.
E ven when they deploy, airbags provide only
a d dit ional p rotec tion. A irbags are no t sup- posed to deploy
in all k inds of accidents . Al­
though your Audi is equipped with airbags, all
vehicle occupants, includ ing the driver, must
wear safety belts correctly in order to mini­
mize the risk of severe injury or death in a
crash .
Remember too, that airbags will dep loy only
o nce and that your safety belts are always
there to offer protection in those accidents in
which airbags are not supposed to dep loy or
when they have already dep loyed. Unbelted
occupa nts can a lso be th rown out of the veh i­
cl e where even more severe or fatal injuries
ca n occ ur.
How are safety belts
worn correctly?
Fastening safety belts
Seat first · everybody buckle up!
Fig . 115 Head restraint adjustment and belt position
Fig. 116 Be lt buck le an d tongue on the dri ver's seat
To p rov ide max imum protect ion, safety belts
mus t always be posi tioned co rrec tly on the
wea rer's body.
.. Adjust the fro nt seat and head rest raint
p rope rly
r::!;> page 59, Seats and storage.

when an airbag deploys and strikes an occu­pant who is not in the correct seating posi­
tion. A driver is responsible for the safety of
all vehicle occupants and especially for chil­
dren. Therefore:
~ Never permit anyone to assume an incorrect
s itting 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 occu­
pants are correctly restrained and stay in
a correct seating position whenever the
vehicle is being used.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important information
c:> page 102.
Safety belt preten­
sioners
How safety belt pretensioners work
In front, side and rear end collisions and in a
rollover above a particular severity , safety
belts in use are tensioned automatically.
The safety belts for the front seating positions are equipped with safety belt pretensioners.
T he system is activated by sensors in front,
side and rear-end collisions and in a rollover of
great severity. This tightens the belt and takes
up belt slack
c:> &. in Service and disposal of
safety belt pretensioner on page 107.
Taking
up the slack helps to reduce forward occupant
movement during a collision .
@ Tips
The safety belt pretensioner can only be
activated once .
- In minor frontal and side collisions, in
rear-end collisions and in accidents in­
volving very little impact force, the safe­
ty belt pretensioners are not activated.
Safety belts 107
-When the safety belt pretensioner is ac­
tivated, a fine dust is released. This is
normal and is not caused by a fire in the
vehicle.
- The relevant safety requirements must
be observed when the vehicle or compo­
nents of the system are scrapped. An au­
thorized Audi dealer is familiar with
these regulations and will be pleased to
pass on the information to you .
- Be sure to observe all safety, environ­
mental and other regulations if the vehi­
cle or individual parts of the system, par­
ticularly the safety belt or airbag, are to
be disposed. We recommend you have
your authorized Audi dealer perform this
service for you.
Service and disposal of safety belt
pretensioner
The safety belt pretensioners are parts of the
safety belts on your Audi . Installing, remov ­
ing, servicing or repairing of belt pretension­
ers can damage the safety belt system and
prevent it from working correctly in a colli­
s ion.
There are some important things you have to
know to make sure that the effectiveness of
the system will not be impaired and that dis­
carded components do not cause injury or pol­
lute the environment .
A WARNING r----
Improper care, servicing and repair proce-
dures can increase the risk of personal in­
jury and death by preventing a safety belt pretensioner from activating when needed
or activating it unexpectedly :
- The belt pretensioner system can be acti­
vated only once. If belt pretensioners have been activated, the system must be
replaced.
- Never repair, adjust, or change any parts
of the safety belt system.
1)1,,
•
•

108 Safety belts
-Safety belt systems includ ing safety be lt
pretensioners cannot be repaired. Spe­
c ial procedures are required for removal,
installation and disposal of this system .
- For any work on the safety belt system,
we strongly recommend that you see
yo ur authorized Aud i dealer or qualified
technician who has an A udi approved re­
pair manual, t raining and specia l equip­
me nt neces sary .
@ For the sake of the environment
Undep loyed airbag modu les and preten ­
sioners might be classified as Perchlorate Mate rial -specia l hand ling may apply, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/ha za rdo uswas te/per­
chlora te. When the vehicle or parts of the
restraint system including airbag modules,
safety belts w ith pretens ioners are scrap­
ped, all applicable laws and regulat ions
m ust be observed . Yo ur autho rized Aud i
dea ler is familiar with these requ irements
and we recommend that you have your
dea le r perfo rm this serv ice for you.

Airbag system Important things to know
Importance of wearing safety belts and
sitting properly
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. For
airbags to do their job , occupants must al­
ways wear their safety belts properly and be
in a proper seating position.
For your safety and the safety of your passen­
gers, before driving off, always:
"" Adjust the driver's seat and steering wheel
properly
q page 92,
"" Adjust the front passenger's seat properly
¢page 93,
"" Wear safety be lts properly ¢ page 102,
"" Always use the proper child restraint to pro-
tect children properlyq
page 130.
In a collision, airbags must inflate within the
blink of an eye and with considerable force.
The supplemental airbags can cause injuries
if
the driver or the front seat passenger is not
seated properly . Therefore in order to help the
a ir bag to do its job, it is important, both as a
driver and as a passenge r to s it properly at all
times.
By keeping room between your body and the
steer ing whee l and the front of the passenger
compartment, the airbag can inflate fully and
comp letely and provide supplemental protec ­
tion in certain frontal collisions
q page 92,
Proper occupant seating positions. For details
on the operation of the seat adjustment con­
trols
q page 60.
It's especially important that children are
properly restrained
q page 130.
There is a lot that the driver and the passen­
gers can and must do to help the individual
safety features installed in your Aud i work to­
gether as a system.
Proper seating pos ition is important so that
the front airbag on the driver side can do its
job. If you have a physical impairment or con-
Airbag system 109
dition that prevents you from sitting properly
on the driver s eat with the safety belt properly
fastened and reaching the peda ls, or if you
have concerns with regard to the function or
operation o f the airbag system, please con­
tact your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop , or call Audi Customer Relations at
1-800-822-2834 for possible modification to
your vehicle.
When the airbag system dep loys, a gas gener ­
ator will f ill the a irbags, break open the pad­
ded covers, and inflate between the steer ing
whee l and the driver and between the instru­
ment panel and the front passenger. The air­
bags will deflate immediately after deploy­
ment so that the front occupants can see
through the windshie ld again without inter­
ruption .
A ll of th is takes place in the blink of an eye, so
fast that many people don't even realize that
the airbags have deployed. The airbags a lso
inflate with a great dea l of force and nothing
should be in their way when they deploy.
Front airbags in comb ination with properly
worn safety belts slow down and lim it the oc­
cupant's forward movement . Together they
help to prevent the driver and front seat pas­
senger from hitting parts of the inside of the
vehicle while reducing the forces acting on the
occupant during the crash. In this way they
help to reduce the risk of 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 wi ll not inflate in all fronta l
collisions . The triggering of the airbag system
depends on the vehicle de ce lerat ion rate
caused by the collision and regis te red by the
elec tron ic control uni t. If th is rate is below
the reference value programmed into the con ­
trol unit, the airbags will not be trigge red ,
even though the car may be badly damaged as
a result of the collision . Ve hicl e damage, re­
pair costs or even the lack of ve hicle dama ge
is not necessarily an indication of whether an
airbag should inflate or not . •
•
...