airbag AUDI S8 2011 Owner's Guide

156 Airbag system
Monitoring the
Advanced Airbag
System
I (USA models)/!f (Canada models )
Airbag monitoring indicator light
Two separate indicators monitor the function
of the Advanced Airbag System: the airbag
monitoring indicator light and the
PASSEN­
GER AIR BAG OFF
light.
The Advanced Airbag System (includ ing the
e lectronic control u nit, sensor circuits and sys ­
tem w iring) is mon itor ed cont inuo usly to
make sure that it is functioni ng p roperly
wheneve r the igni tion is on. Each time yo u
sw itch on t he ign it io n, the air bag moni to ring
indicator light
mJ ( U SA mode ls)/ m (C anada
models) will come on for a few seconds (se lf
d iagnost ics).
The system must be inspected when the
indicato r light
fl (USA models)/EJ
(Canada models ):
- does not come on when the ignit ion is
switched on,
- does not go out a few seconds afte r yo u
have switched on the ignition, or
- comes on while driving.
If an airbag sys tem malf unct ion is de te cte d,
the ind icator light will firs t start flash ing to
catch the driver's attention and then stay on
continuously to se rve as a constant reminder
to have the system inspected immediately .
If a mal function occurs that turns the fron t
a ir bag on t he passenger side
off, the PASSEN­
GER AIR BAG OFF
li ght will come on and stay
on whenever the ignition is on.
A WARNING
An airbag system that is not funct ioning
prope rly ca nnot provide supplemental pro­
t ect ion in a fron tal crash.
- If the airbag indicato r light comes on, it
means that t he re may be somet hing
wrong with the Advanc ed Ai rbag System .
It is possib le t hat the airbag will inflate
-
when it is not supposed to, or will not in­
f late when it sho uld.
- Have the airbag system inspected imme­
diate ly by yo ur Audi dealer.
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
Fi g. 151 Sect io n fr om the instru men t pa nel: PASS EN ·
GER AIR BAG OFF lig ht
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light is located
in the center of the instrument pane l
<=> fig. 151.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light wi ll come
on and stay on to tell you w hen the front Ad­
vanced Airbag on the passenger s ide has been
turned
off by the electron ic contro l unit . Each
t ime you sw itch on the ig nition, the
PASSEN­
GER AIR BAG OFF
light will flas h for a few
se conds a nd:
- will stay on if the fro nt passenger seat is not
occupied,
- will stay on if there is a small c hild or child
restrai nt on the front passenge r seat,
- will go out if the front passenger seat is oc­
cupied by an adult as registered by the
weight-sensing ma t.
The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light must
come on and stay on
if the ignition is on and
- a ca r bed has been installed on the front
seat, or
- a rearwa rd -facing child rest raint has been
installed o n the front passenger seat, o r
- a forwar d-fac ing ch ild restra int has been in ­
stalled on the front passenger seat , or
- t he weigh t reg iste red on the fron t passen­
ge r seat is equal to or less t han the com-
bined weig ht of a typical 1 year -o ld .,..

restrained in one of the rear-facing or for­
ward-facing infant restraints listed in Feder­ al Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 with
which the Advanced Airbag System in your
vehicle was certified.
If the front passenger seat is not occupied,
the front airbag will not deploy, and the
PAS ·
S ENGER AIR BA G OFF
light will stay on. Nev­
er install a rearward-fac ing ch ild restra int on
the front passenger seat, the safest place for
a child in any k ind of child restraint is at one
of the seating positions on the rear seat
¢ page 147, Child restraints on the front seat
- some important things to know
and
¢ page 169, Child Safety.
If th e PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light c ome s
on
when one of the conditions listed above is
met, be sure to check the light regularly to
make certa in that the
PASSENGER AIR BA G
OF F
light stays on continuous ly whenever the
ignition is on . If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OF F
light does not appear on and does not
stay on all the time, stop as soon as it is safe
to do so and
- reactivate the system by switc hing the igni­
t ion off and then sw itch ing it on again;
- remove and reinstall the child restraint .
Make sure that the child restraint is properly
insta lled and that the safety be lt for the
front passenger seat has been correctly
routed through the child restraint as descri­
bed in the chi ld restraint manufacturer's in ­
structions;
- make sure that the convertible locking fea­
ture on the safety belt fo r the front passen­
ger seat has been activated and that the
safety be lt has been pulled tight. The belt
mus t not be loose or have loops of slack so
that the sensor below the safety belt latch
on the seat can do its job
¢ page 178 .
-make su re that th ings that may increase the
weight of the chi ld and child seat a re not be­
ing transported on the front passenger seat;
- make su re that the safety bel t tension sen ­
sor is not b locked . Shake t he safety belt
l atch on the front passenger seatback and
forth;
A irbag system 157
-If a strap or tether is be ing used to tie the
child seat to the front passenger seat, make
sure that it is not so t ight that it causes the
weight-sensing mat to measure more
weight than is actua lly on the seat .
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light still
does not come on
and does not stay on con ­
tin uously (when the ignition is switched on),
- take the child restraint off the front passen -
ger seat and install it proper ly at o ne of the
rear seat positions. Have the airbag system
inspected by yo ur Audi dealer immed iate ly.
- move the child to a rear seat position and
make sure that the child is properly restra in­
ed in a ch ild restraint that is appropriate for
its size and age.
The
PA SS ENGER AIR BAG OFF light should
NOT come on when the ignit ion is on and an
adult is s itting in a proper seating position on
the front passenger seat. If the
PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF
light comes on and stays on or
flashes fo r about 5 seconds wh ile driving, un­
der these cir cumstances, make sure that;
-the adult on the front passenger seat is
properly seated on the center of the seat
cushion with his or he r back up aga inst the
backrest and the backrest is not recl ined
¢ page 128, Proper o ccupant seating posi ­
tions,
- t he adult is not tak ing weight off the sea t by
holding on to the passenger assist handle
above the fron t passenger door or s upport ­
ing their weight on the armrest,
- t he safe ty be lt is be ing proper ly wo rn and
tha t the re is not a lot o f slack in the safety
be lt webbing,
- accesso ry sea t covers or cushions or o ther
things tha t may cause an incorrec t reading
or impression on the weight-sensing mat
under the upho lstery of the seat have been
removed from the front passenger seat,
- a safety belt extender has not been left in
the safety be lt latch for the front passenger
seat.
In addition to the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
li ght in the center of the instrument panel, ll-
•
•

158 Airbag sys te m
the message PA SSENGER AIR BAG OFF or
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON will briefly appear
in the instrument cluster display. Th is is to in ­
form the driver of the current front passenger
a irbag status .
Important safety instructions on
monitoring the Advanced Airbag System
& WARNING
An airbag system that is not functioning
properly cannot provide supplemental pro­
tect ion in a frontal crash.
- If the airbag indicator light comes on, it
means that there may be someth ing
wrong with the Advanced A irbag System .
It is possible that the airbag will inflate
when it is not supposed to, or w ill not in­
flate when it should.
- Have the airbag system inspected imme­ diately by your Aud i dealer.
& WARNING
If the front airbag inflates, a ch ild without
a child restra int, or in a rearwa rd-fac ing
child safety seat, or in a forward-facing
child restrain t that h as not been properly
installed will be serious ly injured and can
be killed.
- Even though your ve hicle is equipped
with an Advanced Airbag System, make certain that a ll children, especially 12
years and younger, a lways ride on the
back seat properly restrained for t heir
age and size.
- Always insta ll forward or rear-facing
child seats on the rear seat -even w ith
an Advanced Airbag System .
- If you must install a rearward-facing
child seat on the front passenger seat
because of except iona l circumstances
and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
does not appea r and stay on, immediate­
ly install the rea r-faci ng chi ld seat in a
re ar se ating position and have the ai rbag
system inspected by your Aud i dealer.
-
- A t ight tether or other strap on a rea r­
ward-facing child restraint attached to
the front passenger seat can put too muc h pressure on the weight-sensing
mat in the seat and reg iste r more weight
than is actually on the seat . The heav ie r
weight regis tered can make the system
wo rk as tho ugh an adult we re on the seat
and deploy the Advanced Airbag when it
m ust be suppressed causing serious or
even fata l injury to t he ch ild .
- If , in exceptiona l circumstances, you
m ust install a forward-facing c hild re­
straint on the front passenger seat, al­
ways move the seat into its rearmost po­ sition in the seat's fore and aft adjust­
ment range, as fa r away from the a irbag
as poss ible . The backrest must be ad just ­
ed to an upright pos ition . Make s ure that
the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
comes on and stay s on all the time when­
eve r the ignit ion is switched on.
& WARNING
-
- If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
does not go out when an a dult is sitting
on the front passenger seat after taking
the steps described above, make sure the
ad ult is prope rly seated and restra ined at
one of the rear seat ing pos itions.
- Have the airbag system inspected by
your Audi dea ler before transporting
anyone on the front passenger seat.
{D Tips
If the weight-sensing mat in the front pas ­
senger seat detects an empty seat, the
front airbag on the passenger side will be
turned off , and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF
light will stay on .
Repair, care and disposal of the airbags
Parts of the airbag system a re i nstalled at
many d ifferent p laces o n your Aud i. Insta lling,
removing, servicing or repa iring a p art i n a n
area o f the veh icle can damage a par t of an .,..

airbag system and prevent that system from
working properly in a collision.
There are some important things you have to
know to make sure that the effectiveness of
the system will not be impaired and that dis­
carded components do not cause injury or pol­
lute the environment.
A WARNING
Improper care, servicing and repair proce­
dures can increase the risk of personal in­
jury and death by preventing an airbag
from deploying when needed or deploying an airbag unexpectedly:
- Never cover, obstruct, or change the steering wheel horn pad or airbag cover or the instrument panel or modify them
many way .
- Never attach any objects such as cup
holders or telephone mountings to the
surfaces covering the airbag units.
- For cleaning the horn pad or instrument
panel, use only a soft , dry cloth or one
moistened with plain water. Solvents or
cleaners could damage the airbag cover
or change the stiffness or strength of the
material so that the airbag cannot de­
ploy and protect properly.
- Never repair, adjust, or change any parts
of the airbag system.
- All work on the steering wheel, instru­
ment panel, front seats or electrical sys­
tem (including the installation of audio
equipment, cellular telephones and CB
radios, etc .) must be performed by a
qualified technician who has the training
and special equipment necessary .
- For any work on the airbag system, we
strongly recommend that you see your authorized Audi dealer or qualified work­
shop.
- Never modify the front bumper or parts
of the vehicle body .
- Always make sure that the side airbag
can inflate without interference:
- Never install seat covers or replace­
ment upholstery over the front seat-
Airbag system 159
backs that have not been specifically
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 air­
bag module must always be repaired
immediately by an authorized Audi
dealer.
- The airbag system can be activated only
once . After an airbag has inflated, it
must be replaced by an authorized Audi
dealer 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 replaced with new replace­
ment parts designed and approved espe­
cially for your Audi model version . Re­
placement of complete airbag systems
or airbag components must be per­
formed by qualified workshops only.
Make sure that any airbag service action
is entered in your Audi Warranty
& Main­
tenance booklet under
AIRBAG REPLACE­
MENT RECORD.
- For safety reasons in severe accidents,
the alternator and starter are separated
from the vehicle battery with a pyrotech­ nic circuit interrupter.
- Work on the pyrotechnic circuit inter­ rupter must only be performed by a
qualified dealer - risk of an accident!
- If the vehicle or the circuit interrupter
is scrapped, all applicable safety pre­
cautions must be followed.
@ For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and preten­
sioners might be classified as Perchlorate Material - special handling may apply, see
www .dtsc .ca.gov/hazardouswaste/per-
ch lo rate . When the vehicle or parts of the
restraint system including airbag modules
and safety belts with pretensioners are
scrapped, all applicable laws and ..,.
•
•

160 Airbag sys te m
regulations must be obse rved . Your au ­
thorized A udi dealer is familiar with these
req uirements and we recommend that you
have your dea ler perform this service for
you.
Other things that can affect Advanced
Airbag performance
Changing the vehicle's suspension system can
change the way that the Advanced Airbag Sys­
tem performs in a crash. For example, using
tire-rim combinations not approved by Audi,
lowering the vehicle, changing the stiffness of
the suspension, including the springs, suspen­
sion struts, shock absorbers etc. can change
the forces that are measured by the a irbag
sensors and sent to the electronic control un it . Some suspension changes can, for exam­
p le, increase the force levels measured by the
sensors and make the airbag system deploy in
crashes in w hich it would not dep loy i f the
changes had not been made. Other kinds of
changes may reduce the force levels meas ­
ured by the sensors and prevent the airbag
from deploying when it should.
The sensors in the safety belt buckle fo r the
driver and front passenger seat tell the elec­
tronic control module if the safety belt is
latched or not. If the safety belt is being used,
the front airbag will deploy at a slightly high­
er rate of vehicle deceleration than if the safe­
ty belt is not being used. Therefore, in a par­
ticular co llision, it is poss ible that an a irbag
will not deploy at a seating position whe re the
safety be lt is being used but will inflate at the
position whe re the safety belt is not being
used . It is importan t that nothing interfe re
with the safety belt buckles so that the sen ­
sors can send the correct information abo ut
safety be lt use to the electron ic contro l unit.
A WARNING
Changing the vehicle 's suspension includ­
ing use of unapproved tire-r im combina­
tions can change Advanced Airbag pe r­
formance and increase the risk of ser ious
personal in jury in a crash. -
Never install suspension components
that do not have the same performance
characteristics as the components origi­
nally installed on your vehicle .
- Never use tire-rim combinations that
have not been approved by Audi.
A WARNING .....__ -
Items stored between the safety be lt
b uckle and the ce nter console can cause
the sensors in the buckle to send the
wrong information to the e lectronic con­
trol module and prevent the Advanced Air­
b ag System from working prope rly.
- Always ma ke sure that nothing can inter­
fe re with the safety belt buckles and that
they are not obs truc ted.
@ For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modules and p reten­
s ione rs might be classified as Per chlorate
Materia l - specia l hand ling may apply, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/ha zardouswaste/per­
ch lorate. When the vehicle or parts of the
rest raint system including airbag modu les
and safety belts with pretensioners are
scrapped, all applicab le laws and regu la­
tions must be observed. Your authorized
Audi dealer is familiar with these require­ ments and we recommend that you have
your dealer perform this service for you.

Knee airbags
Description of knee airbags
The knee airbag system can provide supple ­
mental protection to properly restrained
front seat occupants.
Fi g. 1 52 Driver's a irbag
The drive r knee airbag is in the instr ume nt
panel underneath the steeri ng wheel
¢ fig . 152, th e ai rbag for the passenger is at
about the same height in the instrument pan ­
e l underneath the g love compartment.
The knee a irbag offers add itiona l pro tect io n
to the driver's and passenger 's knees and up­
per and lower thigh areas as a supp lements
the protect ion provided by the safety belts.
If the front airbags deploy, the knee airbags
a lso deploy in frontal collisions when the de­
p loyment thresho ld stored in the contro l unit
is met
r::!;> page 154, More important things to
know about front airbags.
In addition to t heir normal safety function,
safety be lts he lp keep the driver or front pas­
se nger in posit ion in a frontal coll is ion so that
the airbags ca n prov ide supplemental protec­
tion .
T he airbag system is not a s ubst itute for yo ur
safety be lt. Rather, it is part of the overall oc­
cupa nt restraint system in your veh icle. Al­
ways remember that the airbag system ca n
only help to pro tect you if you are wea ring
your safety belt and wear ing it prope rly. Thi s
i s w hy you sho uld always wea r yo ur safety
be lt, not just because the law requires yo u to
do so
¢ page 137, General notes .
Airbag system 161
The safety belt buckle fo r the driver a nd front
seat passe nger have switches that tell the air­
bag control module if th e safety belt is being
u sed or not . If the safety belt is being used,
the knee airbag w ill deploy at a s light ly higher
rate of deceleration t han if t he be lt is not be ­
i ng used. Therefore, in a pa rticular co llision, it
is possible that an airbag will not dep loy at a
seat ing pos ition w he re t he safety be lt is being
u sed b ut w ill infl ate a t the po sition where the
safety belt is no t being used.
Remember too, a irbags wi ll deploy o nly once
and on ly in certa in kin ds of ac ciden ts -yo ur
sa fe ty belts a re a lw ay s there t o offer p rotec ­
t ion in those accide nts in which airbags are
not supposed to dep loy o r when they have al ­
ready dep loyed, for example when your vehi­
cle strikes or is struck by another after the
first collision.
This is just one of the reasons why an airbag is
not a s ubstitute fo r th e safety be lt . T he airbag
system works most effect ively when used with
the safety be lts. Therefore, always wea r your
safety belts correct ly.
It is important to remember that while the
supplementa l knee airbag system is designed
to reduce the li kelihood of ser ious injuries ,
other injur ies, for example, swelling, bru is ing,
minor abras ions and frict ion bu rns can a lso
occur when an airbag in flates.
The knee airbag system basically consists
of:
- The electronic control module
- Two inflatable a irbags (a irbag an d gas gen-
erator), one for the d river and one fo r the
front passenge r
- The a irbag indicator lig ht in t he i nstrument
pane l
The knee airbag system will not deploy :
-when the ignit io n is switched off
- in frontal collisions when the de celera tion
meas ured by the contro l unit is too low
- in side co llisions
- in rear-end col lis ions
- in rollove rs

162 Airbag system
-in the event of a system malfunction (warn­
ing/indicator light is on)
r=:> page 18.
.&_ WARNING
-Safety belts and the airbag system can
only provide protection when occupants
are in the proper seating position
¢page 154 .
-If the airbag indicator light comes when
the vehicle is being used, have the sys­
tem inspected immediately by your au­
thorized Audi dealer.
How knee airbags work
The risk of injury to the leg area can be re­
duced by fully inflated knee airbags.
Fig. 153 Infla ted airbags pro tecting in a fron ta l coll i­
sio n
The knee airbag system has been designed so
that the airbags for the driver and front pas­
senger deploy in certain but not all frontal
collisions .
If the front ai rbags deploy, the knee ai rbags
also deploy in frontal collisions when the de­
ployment threshold stored in the control unit
is met .
When the system deploys, the ai rbags fill
with a propellant gas, and inflate between the lower part of the instrument panel and the
driver and the lower part of the instrument
panel and the front passenger~
page 154,
fig. 150.
Although they are not a soft pillow, they can
"cushion" the impact and in this way they can
help to reduce the risk of injury to the lower
extremities . All of this takes place in the blink of an eye, so
fast that many people don
't even realize that
the airbags have deployed. The airbags also inflate with a great deal of force and it is im­
portant for occupant safety that nothing
should be in their way when they deploy .
Fully inflated airbags in combination with
properly worn safety belts slow down and lim­
it the occupant's forward movement and help
to reduce the risk of injury .
Important safety instructions on the
knee airbag system
Airbags are only supplemental restraints . Al­
ways wear safety belts correctly and ride in a
proper seating position .
There is a lot that you and your passengers
must know and do to help the safety belts and
airbags to provide supplemental protection .
.&_ WARNING
An inflating knee airbag can cause serious
injury. Wearing safety belts incorrectly and
improper seating positions increase the
risk of serious personal injury and death
whenever a vehicle is being used.
- The knee airbag system cannot protect
you properly if you are seated too close
to any of the airbag locations. When ad­
justing their seat positions, it is impor­
tant that both the driver and the front passenger keep their upper bodies and
knees at the following minimum safe
distances:
- at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the
chest and the steering wheel/instru­ ment panel.
- at least 4 inches (10 cm) between the
knees and the lower part of the instru­
ment panel.
- The risk of personal injury increases if
you lean forward or to the side, or if the
seat is improperly positioned and you are
not wearing your safety belt . The risk in­
creases even more should the airbag de­
ploy .

-Always mak e sure that the knee airbag
can inflate without interference. Objects
between you and the airbag can increase
the risk of injury in an accident by inter­
fering with the way the airbag deploys or by being pushed into you as the airbag
deploys.
- Never let anybody, especially children
or animals ride in the footwell in front
of the passenger seat.
If the airbag de­
ploys, this can result in serious or fatal
injuries .
- Never carry objects of any kind in the
footwell area in front of the driver's or
passenger's seat. Bulky objects (shop ­
ping bags, for example) can interfere
with or prevent proper deployment of
the airbag. Small objects can be
thrown through the vehicle if the air­
bag deploys and injure you or your pas­
sengers.
- Make sure there are no cracks, deep
scratches or other damage in the area of
the instrument panel where the knee air­
bags are located.
- If children are incorrectly seated, their
risk of injury increases in a collision
Q page 169, Child Safety.
Side airbags
Description of side airbags
T he airbag system can provide supplemental
protection to properly restrained occupants .
Fig. 154 Side airbag location in t he d river 's seat
The side airbags are located in the sides of the
front seat backrests
Q fig. 154 and the rear
Airbag system 163
backrest facing the doors. They are identified
by the word "AIRBAG".
The side airbag system basically consists of:
- the electron ic control module and external
side impact sensors
- the two side airbags located in the sides of the front backrests
- two rear side airbags
- 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 switch on the igni­
tion, the airbag system indicator light will
come on for a few seconds (self diagnostics) .
T he side airbag system supplements the safe­
ty belts and can help to reduce the risk of in­
jury to the driver's, front and rear passenger's
upper torso on the side of the vehicle that is
struck in a s ide collision . The airbag deploys
only in side impacts and only when the vehicle
accelerat ion reg iste red by the control unit is
high enough.
If this rate is be low the refer­
ence value programmed into the control unit,
the side airbags will not be triggered, even
though the car may be badly damaged as a re­
sult of the co llision . It is not possib le to de­
fine an airbag triggering range that will cover
every possible angle of impact, since the cir­
cumstances will vary considerably between
one collis ion 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, Important
safety instructions on the side airbag system .
Aside from their normal safety function, safe­
ty 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 overall oc­
cupant restraint system in your vehicle. A l-
ways remember that the side airbag system
can only help to protect you if you are wearing
your safety belt and wearing it properly. This
Ill>

164 Airbag system
is another reason why you should always wear
your safety belts, not just because the law re­ quires 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, swelling, bruising,
and minor abrasions can also be associated
with deployed side airbags . Remember too,
side airbags will 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 necessar ily an indi­
cation of over-sensitive or failed airbag activa­
tion. In some collisions, both front and side
airbags may inflate . Remember too, that air­
bags will deploy only once and only in certain
kinds of collisions -your safety belts are al­
ways there to offer protection in those acci­
dents in which airbags are not supposed to
deploy or when they have already deployed.
The side airbag system will not deploy:
- when the ignition is switched off
- in side collisions when the acceleration
measured by the sensor is too low
- in front-end collisions
- in rear-end collisions
- in rollovers .
In some types of accidents the front airbags,
side curtain airbags and side airbags may be
tr iggered together.
A WARNING ,.
- Safety belts and the airbag system will
only prov ide protection when occupants
are in the proper seating position
~page 165.
-If the airbag indicator light comes on
when the vehicle is being used, have the
system inspected immediately by your
authorized Audi dealer. The airbag may
not work properly when the vehicle ac­
celeration in a side collision is high
enough to activate the airbag.
-
How supplemental side airbags work
Side airbags deploy instantly and can help re­
duce the risk of upper torso injuries for occu­
pants who are properly restrained.
Fig. 155 Inflated side airbags on left side of veh icle,
rear side a irbag
When the system is triggered, the airbag is
filled with propellant gas and breaks through a seam in the seat surface area marked "AIR­
BAG ".
It expands between the side trim panel
and the passenger. In order to help provide
this addit ional protection, the side airbag
must inflate within a fraction of a second at
very high speed and with great force. The sup­
plemental side airbag could injure you if your
seating position is not proper or upright or if
items are located in the area where the sup­
plemental side airbag expands. This applies
especially to children
q page 169, Child Safe­
ty . Supplemental side airbags inflate between
the occupant and the door panel on the side of the vehicle that is struck in certain side col­
lision
q fig. 155.
Although they are not a soft pillow, they can "cushion" the impact and in this way they can
help to reduce the risk of injury to the upper
part of the body.
A fine dust may deve lop when the airbag de­
ploys. This is normal and does not mean there
is a fire in the vehicle.

Important safety instructions on the
side airbag system
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. Al­
ways properly wear safety belts and ride in a
proper seating position.
There is a lot that you and your passengers
must know and act accordingly to help the
safety belts and airbags do their job to pro­
vide supplemental protection .
A WARNING
An inflating side airbag can cause serious
or fatal injury. Improperly wearing safety
belts and improper seating positions in­
crease the risk of serious personal injury
and death whenever a vehicle is being
used .
- In order to reduce the risk of injury when
the supplemental side airbag inflates:
-Always sit in an upright position and
never lean against the area where the
supplemental side airbag is located.
- Never let a child or anyone else rest
their head against the side trim panel
in the area where the supplemental
side airbag inflates.
- Always make sure that safety belts are worn correctly,
- Do not let anyone sitting in the front
seat put their hand or any other parts
of their body out of the window.
- Always make sure that the side airbag can inflate without interference.
- Never install seat covers or replace ­
ment upholstery over the front seat­
backs that have not been specifically
approved by Audi.
- Never use additional seat cushions that
cover the areas where the side airbags
deploy.
- Damage to the original seat covers or
to the seam in the area of the side air­ bag module must always be repaired
immediately by an authorized Audi
dealer.
Airbag system 165
- Objects between you and the airbag can
increase the risk of injury in an accident
by interfering with the way the airbag
unfolds or by being pushed into you as
the airbag inflates.
- Never place or attach accessories or
other objects (such as cup holders, tel­
ephone brackets, or even large, bulky
objects) on the doors, over or near the
area marked "AIRBAG" on the seat backrests .
- Such objects and accessories can be­ come dangerous projectiles and cause
injury when the supplemental side air­
bag deploys.
- 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 air­
bag deployment and can cause personal
injury in an accident.
- Always prevent the side airbags from be­
ing damaged by heavy objects knocking
against or hitting the sides of the seat­
backs.
- The airbag system can only be triggered
once. If the airbag has been triggered,
the system must be replaced by an au­
thorized 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 au­
thorized Audi dealer .
- If children are seated improperly, their
risk of injury increases in the case of an
accident
~ page 169, Child Safety.
- Never attempt to modify any compo­
nents of the airbag system in any way .
- In a side collision, side airbags will not
function properly if sensors cannot cor­ rectly measure increasing air pressure in-
side the doors when air escapes through .,.. •
•