belt AUDI RS5 COUPE 2015 User Guide

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(Neutral) for more than approximately 2 seconds,
without the brake pedal being pressed.
Release button
The release button on the selector lever prevents
the lever from being accidentally shifted into cer­
tain positions. Depending on the direction of the
shift, the selector lever locks at different posi­
tions . The positions are highlighted in the i llus­
tration ¢
fig. 84.
Ignition key safety interlock
The key cannot be removed from the ignition un­
l ess the selecto r lever is in the P park position .
When the ignition key is removed, the selector
lever will be locked in the P position.
Driving the automatic transmission
M N 0 0 .,:.
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Fig. 85 Shift gate on the center conso le: selector lever with
release butto n
Starting the engine
.,. The selector lever must be in P or N.
Starting off
.,. Press and hold the brake pedal.
.,. Press and ho ld the release button in the se lec­
tor lever handle, select the desired selector lev­
er position such as D/S and release the button.
.,. Wait briefly until the transmission has shifted
(you will feel a slight movement).
.,. Remove your foot from the brake pedal and ac­
celerate.
Stopping temporarily
.,. Keep the vehicle stationary using the braking
pedal, for example at traffic lights.
.,. Do not press the accele rator pedal when doing
~ t hi s. rl
Automatic transmission
.,. To prevent the vehicle from rolling when you
start driving, set the parking brake when stop ­
ping on steep inclines¢ &_.
.,. The parking brake wi ll release automatica lly
and the vehicle will start moving once you press
the acce lerator pedal.
Stopping /parking
If the selector lever is not in the P position when
you open the driver's door, the vehicle could ro ll.
The message
Transmission: Car may roll! Shift
to park!
appears.
.,. Press and hold the brake peda l until the vehicle
has come to a complete stop.
.. App ly the parking brake¢
page 76.
.,. Select the P selector lever posit ion ¢ &_ .
Stopping on an incline
.,. Always press the brake pedal to hold the vehi­
cle in p lace and prevent it from "ro lling back"
¢ &_ . Do
not try to prevent the veh icle from
"rolling back" when a gear is engaged by in­
creasing the engine speed ¢(D .
Starting on an incline
.,. Activate the parking brake .
.,. With the driving gear selected, press the acce l­
erator pedal carefu lly. The parking brake will re­
lease automatically if your seat belt is fastened.
Und er certain circumstances, such as driving in
the mountains, it may be useful to switch tempo­ rarily to the manual shift program in order to ad­
just the gears to the driving conditions by hand
¢page 85 .
On s lopes, activate the parking brake first and
then move the selector lever to the P position.
This prevents too much stress from being placed on the locking mechanism .
_& WARNING
-
-The vehicle can also roll when the engine is
stopped.
- Unintended vehicle movement can cause se­
rious injury.
- Never leave your vehicle with the engine
running while in gear. If you must leave your
~
83

Automatic transmission
vehicle when the engine is running, activate
the parking brake and move the selector lev­
er to P.
- Power is still transmitted to the wheels
when the engine is running at idle. To pre­
vent the vehicle from "creeping", you must
keep your foot on the brake when the engine
is running and the selector lever is in D/S or
R or "tiptronic" mode is selected.
- Do not press the accelerator pedal when
changing the selector lever position while
the vehicle is stationary and the engine is
running.
- Never shift into R or P while driving.
- Before driving down a steep slope, reduce
your speed and shift into a lower gear with
"tiptronic".
- Do not ride the brakes or press the brake
pedal too often or too long when driving
down a hill. Constant braking causes the
brakes to overheat and substantially re­
duces braking performance, increases brak­
ing distance or causes complete failure of
the brake system.
- To prevent the vehicle from rolling back
when stopping on inclines, always hold it in
place with the brake pedal or parking brake.
- Never hold the vehicle on an incline with a
slipping clutch. The clutch opens automati­
cally when it becomes too hot from the
overload. An indicator lamp
5] illuminates
and a driver message appears¢
page 86
when the clutch is overloaded.
- If the engine must remain running, never
have any driving position engaged when
checking under the hood. Make sure these­
lector lever has securely engaged and is
locked in P with the parking brake set
¢page 187. Otherwise, any increase in en­
gine speed may set the vehicle in motion,
even with the parking brake applied.
(D Note
-When stopping on an incline, do not try to
hold the vehicle in place by pressing the ac­
celerator pedal while a driving gear is se­
lected. This can cause the transmission to
overheat and can damage it. Activate the
84
parking brake or press the brake pedal to
prevent the vehicle from rolling.
- Allowing the vehicle to roll when the engine
is stopped and the selector lever is in N will
damage the transmission because it is not
lubricated under those circumstances .
(D Tips
For safety reasons, the parking brake is re­
leased automatically only when the driver's
safety belt is engaged in the buckle .
Hill descent control
The hill descent control system assists the driver
when driving down declines.
Hill descent control is activated when the selec­
tor lever is in D/S and you press the brake pedal.
The transmission automatically selects a gear
that is suitable for the incline. Hill descent con­
trol tries to maintain the speed achieved at the
time of braking, within physical and technical
limitation s.
It may still be necessary to adjust the
speed with the brakes .
Hill descent control switches off once the decline
level s out or you press the accelerator pedal.
On vehicles with the cruise control system*
¢
page 78, hill descent control is also activated
when the speed is set.
A WARNING
Hill descent control cannot overcome physical
limitations, so it may not be able to maintain
a constant speed under all conditions. Always
be ready to apply the brakes.

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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,
- head restra ints for each seating posit ion,
- front airbags,
- side airbags in the front seats,
- side curtain a irbags,
- 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 wo rk as a system if they are not
always cor rect ly adjusted and co rrectly used.
Saf ety is ev erybody' s re sponsibility!
Important th ings 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,
befor e driv ing alway s:
.. Make sure that all lights and signals are operat­
ing correctly.
.. Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
.. Make sure that all w indows are clean and afford
good vis ibility to the outs ide .
.. Secure all luggage and other items carefully
Q page59.
.. Ma ke s ure that nothing can interfere with the
pedals .
.. Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors
correctly for your height.
.. Instruct rear seat passengers to adjust the
head restra ints according to their he ight.
.. Make sure to use the r ight child restraint cor­
rectly to protect ch ildren
Q page 150, Child
safety .
.. Sit p rope rly in your seat and make su re that
your passengers do the same
Q page 53, Seats
and storage. .,.
111

Driving safet y
• Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly . Al­
so instruct your passengers to fasten the ir safe­
ty belts properly ¢
page 120 .
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condition of
the vehicle, the driver as well as the driver 's abili­
ty to concentrate on the road without being dis­
tracted .
The driver is responsible for the safety of the ve ­
hicle and all of its occupants. If your ability to
drive is impaired, safety risks for everybody in the
veh icle increase and you also become a hazard to
everyone else on the road ¢,&. .Therefore:
• Do not let yourself be distracted by passengers
or by using a cellular telephone .
• NEVER drive when your driv ing 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, t raff ic and
weather cond itions .
• Take frequent breaks on long trips . Do not dr ive
f or more than two hours at a stretch.
• Do NOT drive when you are tired, under pres­
sure or when you are stressed.
A WARNING
Impaired driving safety increases the risk of
ser ious personal injury and death whenever a
vehicle is being used.
112
.
Correct passenger
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is important
for safe, relaxed driving.
Fig. 118 Co rrect seat ing position
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¢,&..
• 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 there is a dis­
tance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the
steering whee l and your breast bone
¢ fig. 118.
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.
• App lies to veh icles with adjustable head re­
straints: Adjust the head res traint 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 posi­
tion as possible.
• Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
¢page 123.
• Always keep both feet in the footwell so that
you are in control of the vehicle at all times .

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For detailed information on how to adjust the
driver's seat, see ¢
page 54.
A WARNING
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position or
too close to the airbag can be seriously in­
jured by an airbag as it unfolds. To help re­
duce the risk of serious personal injury:
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between your breastbone
and the steering wheel.
- Always hold the steering wheel on the out­
side of the steering wheel rim with your
hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock posi­
tions to help reduce the risk of personal in­
jury if the driver's airbag inflates.
- Never hold the steering wheel at the
12 o'clock position or with your hands at
other positions inside the steering wheel
rim or on the steering wheel hub. Holding
the steering wheel the wrong way can cause
serious injuries to the hands, arms and head
if the driver's airbag deploys.
- Pointing the steering wheel toward your
face decreases the ability of the supplemen­
tal driver's airbag to protect you in a colli­
sion.
- Always sit in an upright position and never lean against or place any part of your body
too close to the area where the airbags are located .
- Before driving, always adjust the front seats
and head restraints properly and make sure
that all passengers are properly restrained.
- Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is
moving . Your seat may move unexpectedly
and you could lose control of the vehicle.
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests are
tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due
to incorrect positioning of the safety belt
and improper seating position.
- Children must always ride in child safety
seats¢
page 150 . Special precautions ap­
ply when installing a child safety seat on the
front passenger seat¢
page 128.
Driving safety
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 in­
jury in the event of an accident, we recommend
that you adjust the seat for the front passenger
to the following position:
"' Move the front passenger seat back as far as
possible . There must be a minimum of 10 in­
ches (25 cm) between the breastbone and the
instrument panel¢.&, .
"'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.
"'Applies to vehicles with adjustable head re­
straints: 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 posi­
tion as possible .
"' Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of the
front passenger seat.
.,. Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
c:> page 123.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
front passenger's seat, see ¢
page 53.
A WARNING ~
Front seat passengers who are unbelted, out
of position or too close to the airbag can be
seriously injured or killed by the airbag as it unfolds. To help reduce the risk of serious per­
sonal injury:
- Passengers must always sit in an upright po­
sition and never lean against or place any
part of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located.
- Passengers who are unbelted, out of posi­
tion or too close to the airbag can be seri­
ously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye.
- Always make sure that there are at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the front passen­
ger's breastbone and the instrument panel.
113

Driving safety
-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 pas­
senger seat and head restraint properly.
- 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 150. Special precautions ap­
ply when installing a child safety seat on the
front passenger seat
r:=;, page 128.
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:
.. Make sure that the seatback is securely latched
in the upright position
r:=;, page 63.
.. Keep both feet flat in the footwell in front of
the rear seat.
.. Fasten and wear safety belts properly
¢ page 123.
.. Make sure that children are always properly re­
strained in a child restraint that is appropriate
for their size and ager:=;,
page 150.
A WARNING
Passengers who are improperly seated on the
rear seat can be seriously injured in a crash.
114
- Each passenger must always sit on a seat of
their own and properly fasten and wear the safety belt belonging to that seat.
- 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
App lies to vehicles : wit h adjusta ble h ead r estra ints
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. 119 Head restra int: v iewed from the front
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
¢ fig. 119 .
Adjusting head restraints¢ page 56 .
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:
Iii>

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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
q page 150.
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 assume 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 cushion 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.
Driver's and front
passenger's footwell
Important safety instructions
App lies to vehicles : wit h knee airbags
A WARNING
Always make sure that the knee airbag ca n in­
flate w ithout interference. Objec ts between
yourself and the airbag can in crease t he risk
of inju ry in an accident by inter fering with the
way the airbag deploys or by being pushed in ­
to you as the airbag dep loys .
- No persons (children) or animals shou ld ride
in the footwell in front of the passenger
seat. If the airbag deploys, th is can result in
serio us or fatal injur ies.
- No objects of any kind should be carried in
the footwell area in front of the driver's or passenger's seat. Bulk y objects (shopping
bags, for example) can hamper or prevent
115

Safety belt s
Safety belts
General information
Always wear safety belts!
Wearing safety belts correctly saves lives!
This chapter explain s why safety be lts are neces­
sary, how they work and how to adjust and wear
them correctly.
.. Read all the information that fo llows and heed
all of the instructions and WARNINGS.
&_ WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or wearing them im­
properly increases the risk of serious personal
injury and death.
- Safety belts are the single most effective
means available to reduce the risk of serious
injury and death in automobile accidents.
For your protection and that of your passen­
gers, always correct ly wear safety belts
when the vehicle is moving.
- Pregnant women, injured, or physically im­
paired persons must also use safety belts.
L ik e all veh icle occupants, they are more
likely to be seriously injured if they do not
wear safety be lts . The best way to protect a
fetus is to protect the mother - throughout
the ent ire pregnancy.
Number of seats
Your Audi has a total of four seating positions:
two in the front and two in the rear. Each seating
position has a safety belt .
&_ WARNING
Not wearing safety belts or wearing them im­
properly increases the risk of serious personal
injury and death.
- Never strap more than one person, includ­
ing small ch ildren, into any belt. It is espe­
cially dangerous to place a safety belt over a
child sitting on your lap.
- Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are safety belts available.
120
-Be sure everyone riding in the vehicle is
properly restrained with a separate safety
belt or child restraint.
Safety belt warning light
Your vehicle has a warning system for the driver
and (on USA models only) front seat passenger
to remind you about the importance of buckling­
up .
Fig. 121 Safety belt warning light in the instrument cl us­
ter -enlarged
Before driving off, always:
.. Fas ten your safety belt and make sure you are
wearing it properly.
(0
"'
"' 0 N .. Make sure that your passengers also buckle up
and properly wear the ir safety belts .
.. Protect your children w ith a child restraint sys­
tem appropriate for the siz e and age of the chil­
dren.
The . warn ing light in the instrument cluster
lights up when the ign it ion is switched on as a re­
minder to fasten the safety be lts. In addit io n,
you w ill hear a warning tone for a certain period
of time.
Fasten your safety belt now and make sure that
your passengers also properly put on their safe­
ty belts.

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Why use safety belts?
Frontal collisions and the law of physics
Frontal crashes create very strong forces for peo­
ple riding in vehicles .
Fig. 122 Unbelted occupants in a ve hicle heading for a wall
Fig . 123 The vehicle cras hes into th e wall
CD
~ ± The physical principles are simple. Both the vehi­
cle and the passengers possess energy which var­ ies with vehicle speed and body weight . Engi­
neers call this energy "kinetic energy."
The higher the speed of the vehicle and the
greater the vehicle's weight, the more energy
that has to be "absorbed" in the crash.
Vehicle speed is the most significant factor. If the
speed doubles from 15 to 30 mph (25 to 50 km/
h) , the energy increases 4 times!
Because the passengers of this vehicle are not us­
ing safety belts~
fig. 122, they will keep moving
at the same speed the vehicle was moving just
before the crash, until something stops them -
here, the wall
~fig. 123 .
The same principles apply to people sitting in a
vehicle that is involved in a frontal collision. Even
at city speeds of 20 to 30 mph (30 to 50 km/h),
the forces acting on the body can reach one ton
Safety belts
(2,000 lbs. or 1,000 kg) or more . At greater
speeds, these forces are even higher .
People who do not use safety belts are also not
attached to their vehicle. In a frontal collision
they will also keep moving forward at the speed
their vehicle was travelling just before the crash.
Of course, the laws of physics don't just apply to
frontal collisions, they determ ine what happens
in all kinds of accidents and collisions.
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!
Fig. 124 A driver not wea ring a safe ty belt is violen tly
thrown forwa rd
Fig. 125 A rear passenger not wear ing a safety belt w ill
fly
fo rward and strike t he dr ive r
Unbelted occupants are not able to resist the tre­
mendous forces of impact by holding tight or
bracing themselves . Without the benefit of safe­
ty restraint systems, the unrestrained occupant
will slam v iolently into the steering wheel, in­
strument panel, w indshield, or whatever else is
i n the way~
fig. 124 . This impact with the veh i­
cle inter ior has all the energy they had just before
the crash. .,.
121

Safety belts
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 seve re in­
jury o r death in a crash .
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only once
and that your safety be lts are a lways there to of ­
fer protection in t hose accidents in which airbags
are not supposed to deploy or when they have a l­
ready deployed . Unbelted o ccupan ts can also be
thrown ou t of the vehicle where even mo re severe
or fata l injur ies can occur .
It is also important fo r the rea r passenge rs to
wear safety belts co rrectly. Unbe lted passenge rs
i n t he rear se ats endanger not only themselves
but also the driver and other passengers
~ fig . 125 . In a frontal coll ision they wi ll be
thrown forward violent ly, where they can hit and
in ju re 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 . 12 6 Driver is correct ly rest ra ined i n a sudden b rak ing
m aneuver
Safety belts used properly can make a big differ­
ence. Safety belts help to keep passengers in
their seats , gradually reduce energy levels ap­
plied to the body in an accident, and he lp prevent
the uncont ro lled movement that can cause seri ­
ous injur ies. In add it ion, safety belts reduce the
danger of being throw n ou t of the vehicle.
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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, crush zones and other safety features eng i­
neered into today's veh icles. By "absorbing" the
ki net ic ene rgy over a longer period of time, the
safety be lts make the forces on the body more
"tole rable" and less li kely to cause injury .
Although these examples are based o n a frontal
collision, safety be lts can also substantially re ­
duce the r isk o f injury in other kinds o f crashes.
So, whether you're on a long tr ip or just go ing to
t he cor ne r store, always bu ckle up and ma ke sure
o thers do, too. Ac ciden t sta tis tics show that ve hi­
cle occupants properly wearing sa fe ty belts have
a lowe r risk of be ing injured and a much better
chance of surviving an accident. Pro perly using
safety belts a lso 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 be lt 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 act ivated only in some
fron tal coll is io ns . The front airbags are not act i­
vated in a ll frontal col lisions, in s ide and rear co l­
li sio ns, in ro ll overs o r in cases whe re the re is not
eno ugh deceler ation th rough 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
Safety belts must always be correctly positioned
across the strongest bones of your body .
.,. Always wear safety belts as illustrated and de­
scribed in this chapter .
.,. Make s ure that your safety belts are always
ready fo r use and are not damaged .