sensor AUDI S3 2009 Owner's Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: AUDI, Model Year: 2009, Model line: S3, Model: AUDI S3 2009Pages: 324, PDF Size: 76.02 MB
Page 160 of 324

___ A_ ir_ b_ a-g _ s_y _s_ t_ e_ m _________________________________________________  _ 
& WARN ING  (continued ) 
•  Never  recline  the  front  passenger' s seat  to  transport  obje cts. 
Item s can  als o  move  into  the  area  of  the  side  airbag  or  the  front 
airbag  during  br aki ng  or  in  a sudden  maneuver . Objects  near  the 
airbags  can  become  projectiles  and  cause  injury , particularly  when 
the  seat  is  re clined . 
& WARNING 
The  fine  dust  created  when  airbags  deploy  can  cause  breathing 
problems  for  people  with  a  histo ry  of  asthma  or  other  breathing 
c onditions. 
•  To reduce the  ri sk of breathing  p roblems , tho se with  asthma  or 
other  respiratory  conditions  should  get  fresh  air  right  away  by 
getting  out  of the  veh icle or  opening  windows  or  door s. 
•  If you  are  in  a  collision  in which  airbags  deploy , wash  your 
hands  and face w ith  mild  soap and water  before eat ing. 
•  Be careful  not to  get  the  dust  into  your eyes, or into  any cuts or 
s crat ches . 
•  If the  residue  should  get  into  your  eyes , flush  them  with 
water .• 
Monitoring  the  Advanced  Airbag 
System 
Airbag  monitoring  indicator  light t:Ji 
Two  sepa ra te indi cator s  mon itor t he  function  of  the 
Ad vanc ed A irba g Sy stem: th e ai rbag  moni to rin g in dicator 
ligh t and  the 
PASSENGER AIR  BAG OFF light . 
The Advanced  Airbag  System  (including  the  electronic  control  unit, 
sensor  c ircuits  and  system  w irin g) is  mon itored  continuously  to 
make  su re  that  it  is functioning  proper ly whenever  the  ignition  is on.  E
ach  time  you turn  on  the  ignition,  the airbag  monitoring  indicator 
li ght 
I wi ll  c om e on fo r  a few  sec onds  (sel f diag nos tics). 
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  a fter  you  have  switched  on  the 
ignition,  or 
•  comes  on  w hile driving. 
I f  an  airbag  system  malfunction  is  detected,  the  indicator light  will 
fir st  star t  fl ashin g  to  catc h the  drive r's  at tention  an d  then  stay  o n 
continuously  to  serve  as a  constant reminder  to  have  the  system 
ins pec te d  imm edi ately. 
I f  a malfunction  occurs  t hat  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 front al crash. 
•  If the  a irbag  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.  •  
Page 161 of 324

__________________________________________________ A_ i_ r _b _a...; g::- s_ y=--- s_t _e _m  __ lffl!III 
PASSENGER  AIR  BAG OFF  light 
I, Q 
--
&I Ii u ,, , u 
I  I J' J 
Fig. 1 46 Sectio n from 
t h e ce nte r co nso le : 
PA SS ENGER  AIR B AG 
OFF  light 
The PA SSENGER  AIR  BAG OFF light  is  located  in  the  center  console 
=>fig.146 . 
The 
PA SSENGER AIR  BAG OFF light  wil l come  on  and  stay  on  to  te ll 
you  when  the  front  Advanced  Airbag  on  the  passenger  side  has  been  turned  off  by the  electron ic control  unit.  Each time  you  turn  on 
the  ign it ion,  the 
PA SS ENGER AIR  BA G OFF light  will  flash  for  a few 
seconds  and: 
•  will stay  on  if  the  front  passenger  seat  is  not  occupied, 
•  will stay  on  if  there  is a small  child  or  chi ld restraint  on  the  front 
passenge r seat, 
•  will go  out  if the  front  passenger  seat  is occupied  by an  adult  as 
registered  by the  we ight-sensing  mat . 
T he 
PA SS ENGER AIR  BAG  OFF  light  mu st  co me  on  and  sta y on if the 
ign ition  is  on  and 
•  a car  bed  has  been  insta lled  on  the  front  seat,  or 
•  a rearward -facing  chi ld  restraint  has  been  installed  on  the  front 
passenger  seat,  or 
•  a forwa rd -facing  child  restra int  has  been  installed  on  the  front 
passenger  seat,  or 
•  t he we ight  registered  on  the  front  passenger  seat  is  equa l to or 
less  than  the  combined  weight  of  a typica l 1 year -old  restrained  in 
Controls  and  equip
ment  Safety  first 
Vehicle  operation 
one  of  the  rear-facing  or  forward -facing  infant  restraints  listed  in 
Federa l Motor  Veh icle Safe ty S tandard  208 with  which  the  Advanced 
Airbag  System  in  your  vehicle  was  certified. 
I f  the  front  passenger  seat  is  not  occupied,  the  front  airbag  will  not 
deploy,  and  the 
PA SS ENGER AIR  BAG OFF light  will  stay  on . Never 
insta ll a rearward -facing  child  restraint  on  the  front  passenger  seat, 
the  sa fest  place  for  a child  in  any  kind  of  child  restraint  is  at  one  of 
the  seating  posi tions  on the  r ear  seat => 
page  149, "Child  restraints 
on the  front  seat  -so me important  things  to  know"  and=> 
page  169, 
"Chi ld  Safety ". 
If the  PASSENGER AIR  BAG OFF  light  com es on when  one  of  the 
conditions  listed  above  is met,  be sure  to  check  the  light  regu lar ly 
to  make  certa in that  the 
PA SS ENGER AIR  BAG OFF light  stays  on 
continuously  whenever  the  ignition  is on . If the 
PA SSENGER  AIR 
BAG OFF 
light  does  not  appear  on  and  does  not  stay  on  all  the  tim e, 
stop  as soon  as it  is safe  to  do  so  and 
•  reactivate  the  system  by turning  the  ignition  off  and  then  turning 
it on aga in; 
•  remove  and  reinstall  the  child  restraint.  Make  sure  that  the  child 
restrain t is  proper ly  installed  and  t hat  the  safety  be lt  for  the  front 
passenger  seat  has been  correctly  routed  through  the  child  restraint 
as described  in the  chi ld  restraint  manufacturer's  instructions; 
•  make  sure  that  the  convertible  locking  feature  on  the  safety  belt 
for  the  front  passenger  sea t has  been  activated  a nd  that  the  safety 
belt  has  been  pulled  tight . The  belt  must  not  be loose  or  have  loops 
of slack  so that  the  sensor  be low the  safety  belt  latch  on the  sea t can 
do  its  job  => 
page  179. 
• make  sure  that  things  that  may  inc rease  the  we ight  of  the  child 
and  child  safety  seat  are  not  being  transported  on  the  front 
passenger  seat; 
•  make  sure  that  the  safety  belt  tension  sensor  is  not  blocked. 
Shake  the  safety  belt  latch  on  the  front  passenger  seat  back  and 
forth; 
•  I f  a strap  or te ther  is being  used  to  tie  the  child  sa fety  seat  to  the 
front  passenger  seat , make  sure  that  it  is not  so tight  that  it  causes  ., 
Vehicle  care  Do-it-yourself  service  Technical  data  
Page 164 of 324

___ A_ ir_ b_ a-g _ s_y _s_ t_ e_ m _________________________________________________  _ 
& WARN ING  (continued ) 
• Always  make  sure that  the  side airbag  can inflate  without  inter
fe rence : 
- Never  install  seat  covers or  replacement  upholstery  over the 
front  seatback s that  have  not  been  spe cifically  approved  by 
Audi. 
- Never  use additional  seat  cushions that  cover the  areas 
where  the  side  airbags  inflate . 
- Damage  to the  original  seat  covers or to the  seam 
in the  area 
of the  side  airbag  module  must  always  be  repaired  immedi 
ately  by an  authorized  Audi  dealer . 
•  The  airbag  system  can  be  activated  only once. After  an  airbag 
ha s inflated , it  must  be  replaced  by an  authorized  Audi  de aler  or 
qualified  technician  who  has the  technical  information , training 
and  special  equipment  necessary . 
•  The  airbag  system  can  be  deployed  only  once. After  an  airbag 
has  been  deployed , it  must  be  repla ced with  new  repla cement 
parts  designed  and  approved  especially  for  your  Audi  model 
version . Replacement  of  complete  airbag  systems  or  airbag 
components  must  be  performed  by  qualified  workshops  only . 
Make  sure that  any  airbag  service  action  is entered  in your  Audi 
Warranty 
& Maintenance  booklet  under AIRBAG REPLACEMENT 
RECORD . 
• Applies to vehicles with  6 -cylinder engine : For  safety  reasons in 
severe accidents , the  alternator  and starter  are separated  from the 
vehicle  battery  with  a  pyrotechnic  circuit  interrupter . 
- Work  on the  pyrotechni c circuit  interrupter  must  only  be 
performed  by a  qualified  dealer  -risk of  an  accident! 
- If the  vehi cle or the  circuit  inte rrupter  is scrapped , all  appli 
cable  safety  precautions  must  be followed.  • 
Other  things  that  can  affect  Advanced  Airbag 
performance 
Changing  the  vehic le 's suspens ion  system  can  change  the  way  that 
th e Adva nced  Air bag  Syste m performs  in a c rash.  Fo r example, 
using  tire -ri m  co mbinations  not  approved  by Audi,  lowering  the 
veh ic le, c hang in g  the  st if f ness  o f th e suspe nsio n,  incl uding  th e 
spr ings,  suspension  struts,  shock  absorbers  etc.  can  change  the 
f o rces t hat  a re  m easured  by the  a irba g se nsors  and  se nt  to  the elec 
tronic  control  unit.  Some  suspension  changes  can,  for  example, 
i ncrease  the  fo rce  level s meas ure d  by  the senso rs and  make  the 
a irbag  system  dep loy  in crashes  in which  it  wou ld  not  d ep loy  if  the 
changes  ha d no t been  made . O th er  ki nds  of  changes  may  red uce 
th e force  levels  measured  by  the  sensors  and  preve nt the  airbag 
fro m deploying  w hen  it  sh ould. 
Th e senso rs  in  th e sa fety  belt  buc kle fo r  the dr iver  a nd fro nt 
passenger  seat  te ll the  e lectronic  control modu le if the  safety  belt  is 
l a tc h ed  or  not .  If th e sa fe ty  belt  is being  use d, th e front  airbag  wi ll 
deploy  at  a slightly  higher  rate  of  vehic le  dece leration  than  if  the 
sa fe ty be lt  is n ot  b ein g  use d. Th ere fore,  i n a partic ula r co llisi on, i t is 
possible  that  an  airbag  wi ll  not  deploy  at  a seating  position  where 
th e sa fe ty be lt is bei ng  us ed bu t wi ll  infl ate at the  position  w here the 
safety  be lt  is  not  being  used . It  is  important  that nothing  interfere 
with  the  safety  belt  buc kles so that  the  sensors  can send  the  co rrect 
i nformation  about  safety  be lt  use  to  t he electronic  contro l unit. 
& WARNING 
Changing  the  vehicle's  suspension  including  use of  unapproved 
tire -rim  combinations  can  change  Advanced  Airbag  performance 
and  increase the  risk  of  serious  personal  injury  in  a crash. 
•  Never  install  suspension  components  that  do  not  have the 
same  pe rformance  characteristics  as the  components  originally 
installed  on your  vehicle. 
•  Never  use tire -rim  combinations  that  have  not  been  approved 
by Audi.  ..  
Page 165 of 324

& WARNING 
Items  stored  between  the  safety  belt  buckle  and  the center 
console  can  cause  the  sensors in the  buckle to  send the  wrong 
information  to  the  electronic  control  module  and  prevent  the 
Advanced  Airbag  System  from  working  properly. 
•  Always  make  sure that  nothing  can  interfere  with  the  safety 
belt  buckles  and  that  they  are  not  obstructed. 
Undeployed  airbag  modules  and  pretensioners  might  be classified 
as Perchlorate  Material  -special  handling  may  apply,  see 
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.  When  the  vehicle  or 
parts  of  the  restraint  system  including airbag  modules  and  safety 
belts  with pretensioners  are  scrapped,  all  applicable  laws  and  regu 
lations  must  be observed . Your  authorized  Audi  dealer  is familiar 
with  these  requirements  and  we  recommend  that  you  have  your 
dealer  perform  this service  for  you. • 
Safety  first 
Side  airbags 
Description of side airbags  Airbag 
system 
The airbag 
system  can  provide supplemental  protection 
to  properly  restrained  occupants. 
Fig . 147  Side airbag 
location  in the  driver 's 
seat 
The  side  airbags  are  located  in  the  sides  of  the  front  seat  backrests 
~ fig . 147 and  the  rear backrest * facing  the  doors.  They  are  identi 
fied  by  the  word  "AIRBAG" . 
The  side airbag  system  basically  consists  of: 
•  the electronic  control  module  and  external  side  impact  sensors 
•  the  two  side  airbags  located in  the  sides  of  the  front  backrests 
•  two  rear  side  airbags  (as an  ordered 
option) 
•  the airbag  warning  light  in  the  instrument  cluster. 
The  airbag  system  is monitored  electronically  to  make certain  that 
it  is functioning  properly  at all  times.  Each time  you  turn  on the  igni 
tion,  the  airbag  system  indicator light  will  come  on  for a few 
seconds  (self  diagnostics) . 
The  side  airbag  system  supplements  the  safety  belts and can  help 
to  reduce  the  risk  of  injury to  the  driver's  , front  and  rear* 
passenger's  upper  torso  on  the  side  of  the  vehicle  that  is struck  in  a 
side  collision . The  airbag  deploys  only  in  side  impacts and  only 
when  the  vehicle  acceleration  registered by the  control  unit  is  high 
~ 
Vehicle  care I I irechnical data  
Page 166 of 324

___ A_ ir_b _a_ g;:::;_ s--:.. y_s _t _e _m _________________________________________________  _ 
enough.  If this  rate  is  below  the  reference  value  programmed  into 
t he control  unit,  the  side  airbags  will  not  be triggered,  even  though 
the  car  may  be  badly  damaged  as a  result  of  the  collision . It  is  not 
possible  to  define  an  airbag  triggering  range  that  wi ll cover  every 
possible  angle  of  impact,  since  the  circumstances  will  vary  consid
erably  between  one  collision  and  another . Important  factors 
include,  for  example,  the  nature  (hard  or  soft)  of  the  impacting 
object,  the  angle  of  impact,  vehicle  speed,  etc.=> 
page  165, "Impor 
tant  safety  instructions  on  the  side  airbag  system". 
Aside  from  their  normal  safety  function,  safety  belts  work  to  help  keep  the  driver  or  front  passenger  in  position  in  the  event  of  a side 
collision  so  that  the  side  airbags  can  provide  protection . 
The  airbag  system  is 
not a substitute  for  your  safety  belt . Rather,  it 
is  part  of  the  overa ll occupant  restraint  system  in your  vehicle . 
Always  remember  that  the  side  airbag  system  can  on ly  help  to 
protect  you  if  you  are wearing  your  safety  be lt  and  wearing  it  prop
erly . This  is another  reason  why  you  should  always  wear  your  safety 
belts,  not  just  because  the  law  requires  you  to  do  so=> 
page  137, 
"General  notes" . 
It is important  to  remember  that  while  the  supplemental  side  airbag 
system  is designed  to  reduce  the  likelihood  of  serious  injuries,  other 
injuries,  for  example,  swel ling,  bruising,  and  minor  abrasions  can 
a lso  be associated  with  deployed  s ide airbags.  Remember  too,  side 
airbags  wil l deploy  only  once  and  only  in  certain  kinds  of  accidents 
- your  safety  belts  are  always  there  to  offer  protection. 
Vehicle  damage,  repair  costs  or even  the  lack  of vehicle  damage  are  not  necessari ly an  indication  of  over -sensitive  or  failed  airbag  acti 
vation.  In  some  collisions , both  front  and  side  airbags  may  inflate. 
Remember  too,  that  airbags  will  deploy  only  once  and  only  in 
certain  kinds  of  collis ions  - your  safety  belts  are  always  there  to 
offer  protection  in those  accidents  in which  airbags  are  not 
supposed  to  deploy  or  when  they  have  already  dep loyed. 
The  sid e  a irba g sy stem  w ill  not  deploy : 
• when  the  ignition  is  turned  off  • 
in  side  collisions  when  the  acceleration  measured  by the  sensor 
is  too  low 
•  in  front -end  collisions 
•  in  rear-end  co llisions 
•  in  ro llovers . 
In  some  types  of  accidents  the  front  airbags,  side  curtain  airbags 
and  side  airbags  may  be triggered  together . 
& WARNING 
• Safety  b elt s  and the  airbag  sy stem  will  only prov id e  prot ection 
whe n occ upant s are  in the  prop er  se ating  posit io n=> 
page  1 65 . 
•  If the  airb ag indic ator  light  come s on w hen the  v ehicl e is  bei ng 
u sed , h av e the  syste m  inspe cte d  immedi ate ly  by y our  authoriz ed 
Audi  de aler . Th e ai rbag  m ay not w ork  properly  when  the  vehicle 
a ccel erat ion  in  a  side collision  is high  e nough  to  ac tivate th e 
a ir bag .• 
Hovv  supplemental  side airbags  vvork 
Side  airbags  deploy  instantly  and  can  help  reduce  the risk  of  upper  torso  injuries  for  occupants  who  are  properly 
restrained. 
( 
.• . , ......... ~ ~---
F ig . 14 8  Inf late d sid e 
a ir bags  o n left  side  of 
v ehi cle,  rea r sid e 
a ir bag  opti on al  eq uip-
m ent  .,  
Page 168 of 324

___ A_ ir_b _a_ g;:::;_ s--:.. y_s _t _e _m _________________________________________________  _ 
& WARNING (continued) 
-Never  carry  any  objects  or  pets  in the  deployment  space 
between  them  and  the  airbags  or  allow  children  or  other 
passengers to  travel  in this  position . 
•  Always  use the  built-in  coat hooks only  for  lightweight 
clothing.  Never  leave  any  heavy  or sharp-edged  objects  in the 
pockets  that  may  interfere  with  side  airbag  deployment  and  can 
cause  personal  injury in an  accident . 
•  Always  prevent  the  side airbags  from  being damaged  by heavy 
objects  knocking  against  or  hitting  the  sides  of the  seatbacks. 
•  The  airbag  system  can  only be triggered  once . If the  airbag  has 
been  triggered,  the  system  must  be  replaced  by an  authorized 
Audi  dealership . 
•  Damage  (cracks, deep  scratches etc.) to the  original  seat covers 
or to  the  seam  in the  area  of the  side  airbag  module  must  always 
be  repaired  immediately  by  an  authorized  Audi  dealer. 
•  If chi ldren  are  seated  improperly,  their  risk  of  injury  increases 
in the  case of  an  accident:::::, 
page 169, "Child  Safety". 
•  Never  attempt  to  modify  any components  of the  airbag  system 
in any  way. 
•  In a side  collision , side airbags  will  not  function  properly  if 
sensors cannot  correctly  measure  increasing  air  pressure  inside 
the  doors when  air  escapes  through  larger, unclosed  openings  in 
the  door  panel. 
-Never  drive  with  interior  door  trim  panels  removed. 
- Never  drive  when  parts  have been  removed  from  the  inside 
door  panel and the  openings  they  leave have not  been properly 
closed. 
- Never  drive  when  loudspeakers in the  doors have  been 
removed  unless the  speaker  holes  have  been  properly  closed . 
- Always  make  certain  that  openings  are  covered  or  filled  if 
additional  speakers  or other  equipment  is installed  in the 
inside  door  panels . 
& WARNING (continued) 
-Always  have work  on the  doors done  by an  authorized  Audi 
dealer  or  qualified  workshop . • 
Side  curtain  airbags 
Description  of  curtain  airbags 
The  curtain  airbags  can provide  supplemental  protection 
to  properly  restrained  occupants. 
Fig. 149  Curtain 
airbag,  driver's  side : 
side curtain  airbag 
location 
The  side  curtain  airbags  are  located  on  both sides  of  the interior 
above  the  front  and  rear  side  windows:::::, fig. 149. They  are  identi
fied  by the  word  "AIRBAG"  on the windshield  frame  and  the center 
roof  pillar. 
The  side  curtain  airbag  system  supplements  the  safety  belts  and  can  help  to  reduce  the  risk  of  injury  for occupants'  heads  and upper 
torso  on the  side  of  the  vehicle  that  is struck  in a side  collision.  The 
side  curtain  airbag inflates  only  in  side  impacts  and  only when  the 
vehicle  acceleration  registered  by  the control  unit  is high  enough. If 
this  rate  is  below the reference  value  programmed  into  the  control 
unit,  the side  airbags  will  not  be  triggered,  even  though  the  car  may 
be  badly  damaged  as a  result  of  the collision.  It  is not  possible  to 
define  an  airbag  triggering  range  that  will  cover every  possible  ..,  
Page 169 of 324

angle  of impact,  s inc e the  ci rcumstanc es  w ill  vary  considerably 
bet ween  one collisi on and  another.  Important  factors  include,  for 
example,  the  nature  (hard  or soft)  of the  impacting  object,  the  ang le 
of  impact,  vehicle  speed,  etc.=> 
page 167. 
Aside  from  the ir  norma l safety  func tion,  sa fety  be lts  work  to  help 
keep  the  driver  or  front  passenger  in  position  in  the  event  of  a colli 
s ion  so that  the  s ide  curtain  a irbags  can  provide  protection. 
T he airbag  system  is  not  a substitute  for  your  safety  belt.  Rather,  it 
is  part  of  the  overall  occupant  restraint  system  in  your  veh icle . 
A lways  remember  that  the  airbag  system  can  only  help  to  protect 
you  if you  are wea ring  your  safety  belt  and  wearing  it  proper ly .  This 
is another  reason  why  you  should  a lways  wear  your  safety  belts,  not 
just  because  the  law  requires  you  to  do  so=> 
page 137, "General 
notes". 
I t  is  important  to  remember  that  while  the  side  curtain  airbag 
system  is des igned  to  help  reduce  the  likelihood  of  serious  injuries, 
other  injuries,  for  examp le, swelling,  bruising,  and  minor  abrasions 
can  a lso  be  associated  with  these  airbags  upon  de ployment . 
Remember  too,  these  airbags  will  dep loy  only  once  and  only  in 
certa in kinds  of  accidents  -your  safety  be lts  a re a lways  there  to 
offer  protection. 
The  side  curtain  airbag  system  basically  consists  of : 
•  The electronic  control  module  and  externa l side  impact  sensors 
•  The  side  curtain  airbags  above  the  fron t and  rear  s ide  windows 
•  T he airbag  indicator  light  in  the  instrument  panel 
The  airbag  system  is  moni tore d electronically  to  make  c ertain  it  is 
functioning  properly  at a ll times . Each time  you  turn  on  the  ignition, 
the  ai rbag  system  indicator  light  w ill come  on  for  a few  seco nds 
(self  diagnostics). 
The  side  curtain  airbag  is  not  activated : 
• if  the  ignition  is turned  off, 
•  in  side  coll isions  when  the  acce leration  measured  by the  senso r 
is too  low, 
Safety  first 
Airb ag  sy ste m 
•  in  front -end  collisions, 
•  in  rear-end  co llisions, 
•  in  ro llove rs. 
& WARNING 
•  Safety  belt s and the  airbag  sy stem  will  only prov ide protection 
when  oc cupant s are  in the  proper  seating  position 
=> page  74 , 
"General  recommendations". 
•  If the  airbag  indicator  light  comes on when  the  veh icle is being 
u sed , have the  system  in spected  immediately  by your  authori zed 
Audi  deale r. The  side  curt ain airbag  may  not  work  prope rly even 
when  the  vehicle  acceleration  in a  side  coll ision is high enough  to 
act ivate  the  air b ag. • 
How  side  curtain  airbags  work 
S ide  c urt ain  air bags  ca n  work  together  with  side  air bags 
to  hel p redu ce the  risk  of he ad  a nd up p er  torso  injuries  for 
occupants  who  are  prope rly  re stra ined. 
Fig . 15 0  Ill ustra tio n of 
pri nciple : In fl ated  side 
c u rt a in  airb ag s  on th e 
left  side 
The  side  curtain  airbags  inflate  between  the  occupant  and  the 
wind ows  on  the  side  of  the  ve hicle  that  is struck  in  a side  collis io n 
=> fig . 150. jll-
Vehicle  care I I irechnical data  
Page 173 of 324

-------------------------------------------~C::._! h~ i~ ld ~ S~ a~ f~e :_!t tY ~--
restraints  and  for  the  different  models  of  the  same  kind  of  child 
restraint  offered  by  child restraint  manufacturers. 
The  weight  ranges  for  the  individual  types,  makes  and  models  of 
child  restraints  that  the NHTSA has specified  in the  Safety Standard 
together  with  the weight  ranges  of  typ ical  infants  and  typical  1 year
old  child  have  been  stored  in the  control  unit  of  the  Advanced 
Airbag  System.  When  a child  restraint is  being  used  on  the  front 
passenger  seat  with  a typical  1 year -old  child,  the  Advanced  Airbag 
System  compares  the weight  measured  by the  weight  sensing  mat 
with  the  information  stored  in  the  electronic  control  unit. 
The  electronic  control  unit also  registers  the  tension  on  the  front 
passenger  safety  belt.  The  tension  on  the  safety  belt  for  the  front 
passenger  seat  will  be  different  for  an  adult  who  is  properly  using 
the  safety  belt  as compared  to  the  tension  on  the  belt  when  it is 
used  to  attach  a child  restraint  to  the  seat.  The sensor  below  the 
latch  for  the  safety  belt  for  the  front  seat  passenger  measures  the 
tension  on the  belt . The  input  from  this  sensor  is then  used  with  the 
weight  to "decide" , whether  there  is a child restraint  with  a typical  1 
year-old  child  on  the  front  passenger  seat  and  whether  or  not  the  airbag  must  be  turned  off.• 
Child  restraints  and  Advanced  Airbags 
Regardless  of  the  child restraint that you use,  make  sure that it  has 
been  certified  to  meet  United  States  Federal  Motor  Vehicle  Safety 
Standards  and  has  been  certified  by  its manufacturer  for  use  with 
an  airbag.  Always  be  sure  that  the  chi ld  restraint  is properly 
installed  at one  of  the  rear  seating  positions.  If in  exceptiona l 
circumstances  you  must  use it on the  front  passenger  seat,  carefully 
read  all  of  the  information  on  child  safety  and  Advanced  Airbags 
and  heed  a ll  of  the  applicable  WARNINGS.  Make  certain  that  the 
child  restraint  is correctly  recognized  by  the  weight -sensing  mat 
inside  the front  passenger  seat,  that the front  passenger  airbag  is 
turned  off  and  that  the  airbag  status  is always  correctly  signaled  by 
th e 
PASSENGER  AIR BAG OFF light . 
Controls  and  equip
ment  Safety  first  Vehicle  operation 
Many 
types  and  models  of  child  restraints  have  been  available  over 
the  years,  new mode ls are  introduced  regularly  incorporating  new 
and  improved  designs  and  older  mode ls are  taken  out  of  produc
tion.  Child  restraints  are  not  standardized . Child  restraints  of the 
same  type  typically  have  different  weights  and  sizes  and  different 
'footprints,'  the  size  and  shape  of  the  bottom of  the  chi ld restraint 
that  sits  on  the seat, when  they  are  installed on a vehicle  sea t. These 
differences  make  it  virtual ly  impossible  to  certify  comp liance  with 
the  requirements  for  advanced  airbags  with each  and  every  child 
restraint  that  has ever  been  sold  in  the  past  or  will  be sold  over  the 
course  of  the usefu l life  of  your  vehic le. 
For  this  reason,  the  United  States  National Highway  Traffic Safety 
Administration  has  pub lished  a list  of  specific  type,  makes  and 
models  of  child  restraints that  must  be  used  to  certify  compliance 
of  the  Advanced  Airbag  System  in your  vehicle  with  the suppression 
requirements  of  Federal  Motor  Vehicle  Safety  Standard  208.  These 
child  restraints  are: 
A.  Car  beds, manufactured  on  or  after  September  1, 
2004: 
•  Cosco  Dream  Ride 02-719 
B. Rear  facing  child  restraint  systems,  manufactured 
on  or  after  September  1,  2004: 
(When  the restraint  system  comes  equipped  with  a removable  base, 
compliance  has to  be  certified  with  or  without  the  base) . 
•  Britax  Handle  with  Care 191 
•  Century  Assura  4553 
•  Century  Smart  Fit  4543 
•  Cosco  Arriva  02727 
•  Evenflo  Discovery  Adjust  Right  212 
•  Evenflo  First  Choice  204 
•  Graco  lnfant8457 
Vehicle  care  Do-it-yourself  service  Technical  data  
Page 192 of 324

_1--_l_ n _t _ e _ll _,ig ,_,_ e_n _t _ t_ e_ c_ h_n _o_ l_ o ~g""- y.e- __________________________________________  _ 
Intelligent  technology 
Notice  about  data  recorded by 
vehicle  control  modules 
Your  vehicle  is  not  equipped  with  an  Event  Data  Recorder  (EDR), 
installed  by  some  manufacturers  for  the  express  purpose  of 
capturing  data  for  retrieval  after  an  accident  or  crash  event . EDR's 
are  sometimes  called  "crash  recorders". 
Some  state  laws  restrict  the  retrieval  or  downloading  of  data  stored 
by  EDR's that  were  insta lled  in  a vehicle  for  the  express  purpose  of 
retrieving  data  after  an  accident  or  crash  event  without  the  owner's 
consent . 
Although  your  vehicle  is not  equipped  with  an  EDR, it  is  equipped 
with  a  number  of  electronic  control  modules  for  various  vehicle  systems  such  as, for  example,  eng ine function,  emission  control,  as 
well  as for  the  airbags  and  safety  belts. 
These  electronic  control  modules  also  record  vehic le -related  data 
during  norma l vehicle  operation  for  diagnostic  and  repair  purposes . 
The  recording  capacity  of  the  electronic  cont rol  modules  is  limited 
to  data  (no  sound  is recorded)  and  only  a small  amount  of  data  is 
actually  recorded  over  a very  limited  period  of time  and  stored  when 
a system  fault  or  other  condition  is  sensed  by  a control  unit . Some 
of  the  data  then  stored  may  relate  to  vehic le speed,  direction, 
braking  as we ll  as restraint  system  use  and  performance  in  the 
event  of  a crash  or other  condition.  Stored  data  can  only  be read and 
downloaded  with  special  equip men t. 
Electronic  Stabilization  Program (ESP) 
General 
The Electronic  Stabili ty Program  increases  driving 
stability. 
co ::, 
_1,  _ __ J"u. __ 11 ... _ ,.....u.,___,lli u.. _ .x,u _  _, r-u ~~ ~!' js:..~&c:',I 
I 
' 
1 J 
F ig . 16 3  Ce nte r 
cons ole  with  E SP 
sw itch 
With  ESP, control  over  the  veh ic le is  increased  in  situations  when 
the  vehicle  is close  to  the  limits  of  grip,  such  as during  acce leration 
and  in  curves.  ESP reduces  the  risk  of  skidding  a nd improves  vehicle 
stability  under  all  road  conditions . It operates  at  all  speeds . 
The Anti-Lock  Brake System  (ABS), E lec tronic  Differentia l Lock (EDS) 
and  Anti-Slip  Regulation  System  (ASR) are  integrated  in  the  Elec
tronic  Stability  Program . 
How  ESP  work s 
The  ESP control  unit  processes  the  fo llowing  data  from  high-sensi 
tive  sensors : the  rotational  speed  of  the  vehicle  about  its  vertica l 
axis, fore -and -aft  and  lateral  acceleration  forces,  brake  pressure  and 
steering  angle. 
Using  steering  ang le and  vehicle  speed,  the  direction  the  driver 
wishes  to  travel  is determined  and  continuously  compared  with 
t,.  
Page 194 of 324

___ ln_ t _e_ ll-'"ig ...,_ e_ n_t _t_ e_ c_ h _ n_o _ l_o _,.g= y,_  __________________________________________  _ 
How  the  system  works 
The  EDL operates  automatically.  It monitors the  rotational  speed  of 
the  drive  wheels  on  an  axle with  the help  of  the  ABS sensors 
=:, 
page  194. If a noticeable difference  in  rotational  speed between 
the  drive  wheels  on  one  axle  is detected  (e.g.  on  slippery  ground 
on 
one  side), 
the  spinning  wheel  is  braked,  thereby  transferring  power 
to  the  other  drive  wheel  or  wheels  (all-wheel  drivel.  This  is done  up 
to  a speed  of  about  60  mph  (100  km/h).  Noises from  the  brake 
system  signal  that wheel  spin  is  being  controlled. 
Driving  off 
When  driving  off,  always  be sure  to  keep  road  conditions  in  mind  as 
you  accelerate.  If  one  drive  wheel  spins  because  it  is on  a  surface 
with  less  grip,  gradually  increase  the  pressure  on  the  accelerator 
pedal  until  the  car  starts  to  move.  The wheel  less  able  to  transfer 
power  spins. 
Overheating  of  brakes 
To prevent  the disc  brake  of  the  braked wheel  from  overheating  if 
subjected  to  excessive loads, the  EDL cuts  out  temporarily . The 
vehicle  remains  operational  and  behaves  in the  same  way  as a 
vehicle  without  EDL. 
As  soon  as  the brake  has cooled  down,  EDL switches  on again  auto 
matically. 
& WARNING 
•  When  accelerating  on slippery  surfaces, such as on ice or snow, 
always  be  careful  when  depressing  the  accelerator  pedal.  Even 
with  the  EDL working,  the  drive  wheels  can  spin  and  reduce your  ability  to  control  your  car.  -Risk of  crash! 
•  The  increased  safety  afforded  by  EDL does  not  mean  that  you 
can  take  safety  risks. Always  adapt  your  driving  style  to  the  road 
conditions  and  traffic  situation. 
[ i] Tips 
If  a fault  occurs  in  the ABS, the  EDL  is also  not  functioning . This  is 
indicated  by the  ABS warning  light=:, 
page  16.  • 
Anti-Slip  Regulation  System  (ASR) 
The  Anti-Slip  Regulation  System  prevents  the  driven 
wheels  from  spinning  when  the  car is  accelerating. 
General  notes 
The Anti-Slip  Regulation  System  (ASR)  is integrated  in the  electronic 
stabilization  program  (ESP). When  the  vehicle  starts  up  and  acceler 
ates,  the  wheels  are  prevented  from  spinning  by  adjusting  the 
engine  power  to  match  the  amount  of  grip  available  from  the  road 
surface. 
How  the  system  works 
ASR performs  automatically,  i.e. without  the  driver's  intervention. 
With  the aid  of  the  ABS  sensors=:, 
page  194, ASR monitors  the 
speed  of  the  driven  wheels.  If the  wheels  start  to  spin,  the  engine 
torque  is  reduced  automatically  until  the  tires  find  enough grip  to 
lock  onto  the  road  surface.  The  system  is active  across  the  entire 
speed  range. 
The  ASR works  in  conjunction  with  the  ABS.  If a malfunction  should 
occur  in  the  ABS, the  ASR will  also  be  out  of  action . 
Activating 
The  ESP is automatically  activated  when  the  engine  is started  and  it 
performs  a self -test . You can  activate  a deactivated  ASR if  required 
by  pressing  the  =:, 
page  190, fig. 163 button . When  it  is activated, 
the  message 
ESP/ASR on appears  briefly  in  the display. 
Deactivating 
You  can  deactivate  the ASR if  required  by  pressing  the  button  (for 
less  than  3 seconds)=:, 
page  190, fig . 163. With  the  ASR deactivated,  .,