warning light AUDI S8 2016 Manual PDF
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: AUDI, Model Year: 2016, Model line: S8, Model: AUDI S8 2016Pages: 302, PDF Size: 75.68 MB
Page 157 of 302

-and  the  head  restraints  have  been  properly  ad -
justed. 
Because  airbags  inflate  in the  blink  of  a n eye  w ith 
great  for ce,  things  you  have  on you r lap  or  have 
p laced  on  the  seat  cou ld  become  dangerous  pro 
jectiles,  and  be  pushed  into  you  if the  airbag  in 
flates. 
When  an  a irbag  deploys,  fine  dust  is released . 
This  is normal  and  is  not  caused  by a fire  in the 
vehicle.  This  dust  is  made  up  mostly  of  a  powder 
used  to  lubricate  the  airbags  as  they  deploy.  It 
could  irr itate  skin. 
It is important  to  remember  that  while  the  sup
p lemental  airbag  system  is designed  to  reduce 
the  likelihood  of  ser ious  injuries,  other  inj uries, 
for  example  swell ing,  bruising  and  minor  abra
sions,  can  also  happen  when  airbags  inflate.  Air
bags  do  not  protect  the  arms  or  the  lower  parts 
of  the  body . Front  airbags  supplement  the  three
point  safety  belts  only  in some  frontal  collisions 
i n which  the  veh icle  decelerat ion  is  high  enough 
to  deploy  the  airbags. 
F ront  airbags will  not  deploy: 
- if the  ignit ion  is switched  off  when  a  crash  oc -
curs, 
- in s ide  collisions, 
- in  rear-end  collisions, 
- in  rollovers, 
- when  the  crash  decelerat ion  measured  by the 
airbag  system  is less  than  the  minimum  thresh
o ld  needed  for  airbag  deployment  as  registered 
by the  electronic  contro l unit . 
Th e front  passeng er airbag  also will  not 
deplo y: 
- when  the  front  passenger  seat  is not  occupied, 
- when  the  weight  on  the  front  passenger  seat  as 
sensed  by the  Advanced  Airbag  System  indi
cates  that  the  front  airbag  on  the  passenger 
s ide  has  to  be  turned  off  by the  electronic  con
trol  unit  (the 
P A SSENGER  AIR B AG OFF light 
comes  on  and  stays  on). 
A WARNING 
Sitting  in the  wrong  pos ition  can  increase  the 
r isk  of  se rious  injury  in  c rashes. 
Airb ag  sys tem 
-To reduce  the  risk  of  injury  when  the  ai rbags 
inflate,  the  driver  and  passengers  must  al
ways  sit  in an  upright  posit ion,  must  not 
lean  aga inst  or  place  any  part  of  their  body 
too  close  to  the  area  where  the  airbags  are  located. 
- Occupants  who  are  unbelted,  out  of  posit ion 
or  too  close  to  the  airbag  can  be  seriously  in jur ed  by an  airbag  as  it  unfolds  with  g reat 
for ce  in the  blink  of  an  eye 
Q page 147. 
A WARNING 
A child  in a  rearward-facing  child  seat  instal
l ed  on  the  front  passenger  seat  will  be  se ri
ously  injured  and  can  be  killed  if the  front  air 
bag  inflates  - even  with  an  Advanced  Airbag 
System . 
- The  inflating  airbag  will  hit  the  child  seat  or  infant  carrier  with  great  force  and  will 
smash  the  child  seat  and  child  against  the  backrest,  center  armrest,  door  or  roof. 
- Always  install  rear-fac ing  child  seats  on  the 
rear  seat. 
- If  you  must  install  a  rea rward  facing  child 
seat  on  the  front  passenger  seat  because  of 
except ional  circumstances  and  the 
PASSEN
GER AIR BAG OFF 
light  does  not  come  on 
and  stay  on,  immed iate ly install  the  rear
faci ng chi ld  seat  in a  rear  seating  posit ion 
and  have  the  airbag  system  inspected  by 
your  Aud i dea le r. 
A WARNING 
-
-
Objects  between  yo u and  the  airbag  will  in
crease  the  risk  of  injury  in a  crash  by interfer i ng  with  the  way  the  airbag  unfolds  or  by be
ing  pushed  into  you  as  the  airbag  inflates . 
- Never  hold  things  in yo ur hands  or  on  your 
lap  when  the  veh icle  is  in  use . 
- Never  transport  items  on  or  in the  a rea  of 
the  front  passenger  seat . Obje cts  could 
move  into  the  a rea  of  the  front  airbags  dur
ing  b raking  or  other  s udden  maneuvers  and 
become  dangerous  projectiles  that  can 
cause  serious  persona l injury  if the  airbags 
inflate. 
155  
Page 158 of 302

Airbag  syste m 
-Never  place  or  attach  accessories  or  other 
objects  (such  as  cup  ho lders,  te lephone 
brackets,  large,  heavy  or  bulky  objects)  on 
the  doors,  over  or  near  the  area  marked  "AIRBAG"  on  the  steering  wheel,  instru
ment  pane l, seat  backrests  or  between 
those  areas  and  yourself.  These  objects 
could  cause  injury  in  a crash,  especially 
when  the  airbags  inflate. 
- Never  recline  the  front  passenger's  seat  to 
transport  objec ts.  Items  can  also  move  into 
the  area  of the  side  airbag  or the  front  a ir
bag  dur ing  braking  or  in a sudden  maneu
ver.  Objects  near  the  airbags  can  become  projectiles  and cause  injury,  particularly 
when  the seat  is  reclined. 
A WARNING 
The  fine  dust  created  when  airbags deploy  can 
cause  breath ing  problems  for  people  w ith  a 
history  of  asthma  or  other  breathing  condi
t ions. 
- To reduce  the  risk of  breathing  problems, 
those  w ith  asthma  or  other  respiratory  con
ditions  should  get  fresh  air  right  away  by 
gett ing  out  of the  vehicle  o r opening  w in
dows  o r doors. 
- If you  are  in  a collision  in which  airbags  de
ploy,  wash  your  hands  and  fa ce with  mild 
soap  and  water  befo re eat ing. 
- Be careful  not  to  get  the  dust  into  your  eyes, 
o r  into  any cu ts  or  sc ratches. 
- If  the  resid ue should  get  into  yo ur eyes, 
flush  them  with  water. 
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 moni
toring  indicator  light  and  the 
PASSENGER AIR 
BAG OFF 
light. 
The Advanced  Airbag  System  (including  the  elec
tron ic co ntrol  unit,  senso r ci rcui ts and  system 
w iri ng)  is  monitored  con tinuously  to  make  su re 
156 
that  it is functioning  properly  whenever  the  igni
tion  is  on. Each time  you  switch  on  the  ignition, 
the  airbag  mon itor ing  indicator  light 
rl (U SA 
models)/ E,I (Canada  models)  will  come  on  for  a 
few  seconds  (se lf  diagnostics) . 
The system  mu st  be inspected  wh en th e 
indicat or light 
II (USA  models) /m  (Canada 
models ): 
- does  not  come  on  when the ignition  is  sw itched 
on, 
- does  not go out  a few  seconds  after  you  have 
sw itched  on  the  ignit ion,  or 
- comes  on  while driving. 
If  an  airbag  system malfunction  is detected,  the 
indicator  light  will first  start  flashing  to  catch the 
driver's  attention  and  then  stay on  continuously 
to  serve  as  a  constant  reminder  to have  the  sys
tem  inspected  immediately . 
If  a  malfunction  occurs that turns  the  front  air
bag  on  the passenger  side  off,  the 
PASSENGER 
AIR  BAG OFF 
light  will come  on and  stay  on 
whenever  the ignition  is on . 
A WARNING 
An airbag  system  that  is  not  functioning  prop
e rly cannot  provide  supplemental  protectio n 
i n  a fronta l crash. 
- If  the  ai rbag  ind icator  light 
Q page  18 
comes  when  the  veh icle  is  being  used,  have 
t he  system  inspected  immedia tely  by your 
author ized  Audi dealer . It  is  possi ble that 
the  airbag  will inflate  when  it  is not  sup 
posed  to,  or will  not  inflate  when  it should . 
PASSENGER AIR  BAG OFF light 
Fig. 16 6 Sect ion from  the instrument  panel:  PASSENGER 
AIR BAG O FF light  .,,_  
Page 160 of 302

Airbag  syste m 
-the  adu lt  on  the  front  passenger  seat  is proper 
ly seated  on  the  center  of the  seat  cushion  with 
his  or  her  back  up  against  the  backrest  and  the 
backrest  is not  reclined 
c> page  130,  Correc t 
passenger  seating  positions, 
- the  adu lt  is  not  taking  weight  off  the  seat  by 
holding  on  to  the  passenger  assist  handle 
above  the  fron t passenger  door  or  supporting 
their  we ight  on  the  armrest, 
- the  safety  bel t is being  properly  worn  and  that 
there  is  not  a  lot  of  slack  in the  safety  belt  web
bing, 
- accessory  seat  covers  or  cushions  or other 
th ings  that  may  cause  an  incorrect  read ing  or 
impression  on  the  weight-sensing  mat  under 
the  upho lstery  of the  seat  have  been  removed 
from  the  front  passenge r seat, 
- a  safety  be lt  extender  has  not  been  left  in the 
safety  belt  latc h for  the  front  passenge r seat. 
In  addition  to  the 
PA SSE NGER AIR BAG OFF 
light  in the  center  of  the  instrument  panel,  the 
message 
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF or PASSEN
GER AIR BAG ON 
w ill  briefly appear  in the  inst ru
ment  cluster  display . T his  is to  inform  the  driver 
of the  current  front  passenger  airbag  status. 
Important  safety  instructions  on 
monitoring  the  Advanced Airbag  System 
A WARNING 
An airbag  system  that  is  not  funct ion ing  prop
er ly cannot  p rovide  supplemental  p rotection 
in  a frontal  crash . 
- If  the  airbag  indicato r light 
r=>page  18 
comes  when  the  vehicle  is  be ing  used,  h ave 
the  system  inspected  immediate ly by yo ur 
authorized  Aud i dealer . It  is possible  that 
the  airbag  will inflate  when  it  is  not  s up
posed  to,  or  will  not  inflate  when  it  should. 
A WARNING 
If  the  front  airbag  inflates,  a  child  without  a 
child  restraint,  or  in a  rearward-facing  child 
safety  seat,  or  in  a forward-facing  child  re
straint  that  has  not  been  properly  installed 
w ill  be  seriously  injured  and  can  be  killed . 
158 
-Even tho ugh  your  vehicle  is equipped  with 
an  Advanced  A irbag  System,  make  certain 
that  a ll children,  espec ia lly  12  years  and 
younger,  always  ride  on  the  back  seat  prop
erly  restrained  for  their  age  and  s ize. 
- Always  install  forward  or  rear-facing  child 
seats  on  the  rear  seat  -even  w ith  an  Ad
vanced  Airbag  System . 
- If you  must  install  a  rearward-facing  child 
seat  o n the  front  passenge r seat  because  of 
except ional  circumstances  and  the 
PASSEN
GER AIR BAG OFF 
light  does  not  appear  and 
s tay on,  immediate ly ins tall  the  re ar-fa cing 
child  sea t in a  rear  seat ing  pos ition  and  have 
the  airbag  system  inspected  by your  Audi 
dea ler. 
- A t ight  tether  or  other  s trap  on  a  rearward
facing  chi ld  restraint  attached  to  the  front 
passenger  seat  can  put  too  much  pressure 
on  the  weight-sensing  mat  in the  seat  and 
register  more  weight  than  is  actually  on  the 
seat . The  heavier  weight  registered  can 
make  the  system  work  as  thoug h an  adu lt 
were  on  the  seat  and  deploy  the  Advanced 
Airbag  when  it  must  be  suppressed  causing 
serious  or  even  f atal  injury  to the  child . 
- If,  in exceptional  circumstances,  you  must 
install  a  forward-fa cing  child  res traint  on 
the  front  p assenge r seat,  always  move  the 
seat  into  i ts  rearmost  posi tion  in the  sea t's 
fore  and  aft  ad justment  range,  as  far  away 
from  the  ai rbag  as  possible . The  back rest 
must  be  adjusted  to  an  upr ight  position . 
Make sure  that  the 
PASSENGER AIR BAG 
OFF 
li ght  comes  on  and  stays  on  all  the  time 
wheneve r the  ignit ion  is  switched  on. 
A WARNING 
- If  the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light  does 
not  go  out  when  an  adult  is sitting  on  the 
front  passenger  seat  afte r taking  the  steps 
described  above,  make  s ure  the  adult  is 
p roper ly sea ted  and  restra ined  at  one  o f the 
rear  sea ting  posit ions . 
- Have the  ai rbag  system  inspec ted  by your 
Aud i dea le r  before  tr anspor ting  anyone  on 
the  front  passenge r seat .  
Page 161 of 302

(D Tips 
If  the  weight-sensing  mat  in the  front  passen
ger  seat  detects  an  empty  seat,  the  front  air
bag  on  the  passenger  side  will be  turned  off, 
and  the 
P ASS ENGER  AI R BA G OFF light  will 
stay  on. 
Repair , care and  disposal  of the  airbags 
Parts  of  the  a irbag  system  are  installed  at  many 
d ifferent  p laces  on your  Aud i.  Installing , remov
ing,  servic ing  or  repa iring  a  part  in  an  area  of  the 
vehicle  can  damage  a  part  of  an  airbag  system 
and  p revent  that  system  from  working  properly 
in a  co llision. 
There  are  some  important  things  you  have  to 
know  to  make  su re that  the  effectiveness  of  the 
system  w ill not  be  impaired  and  that  discarded 
components  do  not  cause  injury  or  pollute  the 
environm ent . 
A WARNING 
Improper  care,  serv icing  and  repa ir proce
dures  can  increase  the  risk  of  personal  injury 
and  death  by preventing  an  airbag  from  de
ploying  when  needed  or  deploying  an  airbag 
unexpectedly: 
-
- Never  cover,  obstruct,  or  change  the  steer 
ing  wheel  horn  pad  or  a irbag  cover  or  the  in
strument  panel  or  mod ify them  in any  way . 
- Never  attach  any  objects  such  as  cup  holders  or  telephone  mountings  to  the  surfaces  cov
er ing  the  airbag  units. 
- For  cleaning  the  horn  pad  or  instrument 
pane l,  use  on ly a  soft,  dry  cloth  or  one  mois
tened  with  plain  water.  Solvents  or  cleaners  cou ld  damage  the  a irbag  cover  or  change 
the  stiffness  or  strength  of  the  material  so 
that  the  airbag  cannot  dep loy and  protect 
properly. 
- Never  repair,  adjust,  or  change  any  parts  of 
the  airbag  system. 
- All work  on  the  steering  wheel,  instr ument 
pane l, front  seats  or  electrical  system  (in
cluding  the  installation  of  audio  equipment, 
cellu lar  telephones  and  CB radios,  etc.) 
must  be  performed  by a qualified  technician 
Airb ag  sys tem 
who  has  the  training  and  special  equ ipment 
necessary. 
- For any  wo rk on  the  airbag  system,  we 
strong ly recommend  that  you  see  your  au
thorized  Audi dealer  or  qualified  workshop . 
- Never  modify  the  front  bumper  or  parts  of 
the  vehicle  body. 
- Always  make  sure  that  the  side  a irbag  can 
inflate  without  interference: 
- Never  install  seat  covers  or  replacement 
upholstery  ove r the  front  seatbacks  that 
have  not  been  specifica lly approved  by 
Audi . 
- Never  use  addi tional  seat  c ushions  that 
cove r the  areas  where  the  side  airbags  in
flate. 
- Damage  to  the  orig inal  seat  cove rs or  to 
the  seam  in the  area  of  the  s ide  airbag 
module  must  a lways  be  repaired  immedi
ate ly by an  authorized  Aud i dealer. 
- The  airbag  system  can  be  activated  only 
once . A fter  an  airbag  has  inflated,  it  must 
be  replaced  by an  authorized  Audi  dealer  or 
qualified  technic ian  who  has  the  technical 
information,  t raining  and  spec ial  equ ipment 
necessary. 
- The  airbag  system  can  be  deployed  only 
once . After  an  airbag  has  been  deployed,  it 
must  be  replaced  with  new  rep lacement 
parts  des igned  and  approved  especially  for 
your  Aud i model  version.  Replacement  of 
comp lete  airbag  systems  or  airbag  compo
nents  must  be  performed  by qualified  work
shops  only.  Ma ke  sure  that  any  airbag  serv
ice act ion  is en tered  in your  Aud i Wa rranty 
& Maintenance  booklet  under AIRBAG RE 
PLACEMENT RECORD. 
- For safety  reasons  in  severe  accidents,  the 
alternator  and  starter  are  separated  from 
the  vehicle  battery  with  a  pyrotechnic  circ uit 
interrupter. 
- Wo rk on  the  pyrotechnic  c ircuit  inte rrupt
er  must  on ly be  performed  by a  qua lified 
dealer  -risk of  an  acc ident! 
- If the  vehicle  or  the  circuit  interr upter  is 
scrapped,  all  applicable  safe ty p recau tions 
mus t be  followed. 
159  
Page 163 of 302

position  in a frontal  collision  so  that  the  airbags 
can  provide  supplemental  protection. 
The airbag  system  is  not  a s ubst itute  for  yo ur 
safety  belt.  Rather,  it  is  part  of the  overa ll occu
pant  restraint  system  in your  vehicle.  Always  re
member  that  the  airbag  system  can  only  help  to 
protect  you  if you  are  wearing  your  safety  belt 
and  wear ing  it  properly . This  is why you  should 
always  wear  your  safety  belt,  not  just  because 
the  law  requires  you  to  do  soc::, 
page 138, Gener 
al  information. 
Remember  too,  airbags  will deploy  only  once  and 
only  in  certain  k inds  of  accidents  -your  safety 
be lts 
a re always  there  to  offer  protection  in those 
accidents  in which  airbags  are  not  supposed  to 
deploy  or when  they  have  a lready  dep loyed,  for 
examp le when  yo ur vehicle  str ikes  or  is str uck by 
anothe r afte r the  f irst  collis ion. 
This  is just  one  of the  reasons  why  an  airbag  is 
not  a substitute  for  the  safety  belt.  The  a irbag 
sys tem  wo rks most  effec tively when  used  with 
the  safety  belts.  Therefore , al ways  wear  your 
safety  bel ts cor rect ly . 
It is  important  to  remember  that  while  the  sup
p lemental  knee  a irbag  sys tem  is designed  to  re
d uce  the  like lihood  of serious  injur ies,  other  inju
ries,  fo r example,  swell ing,  b ruising  and  minor 
abrasions  and  fr iction  burns  can  also  occu r when 
an  airbag  inflates. 
The  kne e airbag  system  basically consists of: 
- The  electronic  contro l modu le 
- Two inf latab le  airbags  (airbag  and  gas  genera-
tor),  one  for  the  dr ive r and  one  fo r the  front 
passenge r 
- T he  airbag  ind icator  light  in the  instrument 
pane l 
The  knee airbag  system  will  not  deploy: 
-when  the ignition  is switched  off 
- in frontal  collisions  when  the  deceleration 
measured  by the  control  unit  is too  low 
- in  side  collisions 
- in  rear-end  collisions 
- in  rollovers 
Airb ag  sys tem 
-in the  event  of  a  system  malfunction  (warning/ 
indicator  light  is on) 
c::, poge 18. 
.&_ WARNING 
-
-Safety  belts  and  the  airbag  system  can  only 
provide  protect ion  when  occupants  are  in 
the  proper  seat ing  pos ition 
c::,page  154. 
-If the  airbag  indicator  light c::, page 18 
comes  w hen  the  veh icle  is  being  used,  have 
the  system  inspected  immediately  by your 
author ized  Audi dealer.  It  is  possible  that 
the  airbag  will  inflate  when  it  is not  sup
posed  to,  or w ill not  inflate  w hen  it  should. 
How  knee airbags  work 
The risk  of  injury  to  the  leg  area  can be reduced 
by fully  inflated  knee airbags . 
Fig .  1 68 Inflated  a irbags  pro tecting  in a  frontal co llision 
T he  knee  air bag  system  has  been  designed  so 
that  the  airbags  for  the  driver  and  front  passen
ger  dep loy in  certain  but  not  all fronta l co llisions. 
If  the  front  airbags  deploy,  the  knee  a irbags  a lso 
deploy  in frontal  coll is ions  when  the  deployment 
t h reshold  stored  in the  control  unit  is  met . 
When  the  system  deploys,  the  a irbags  fi ll w ith  a 
prope llant  gas,  and  infla te  between  the  lower 
part  of  the  instrument  panel  and  t he driver  and 
the  lower  part  of the  instrument  panel  and  the 
f ront  passenger 
c::, page  154,  fig.  165 . 
Although they  are  not  a  soft  pillow,  they  can 
"cushion"  the  impact  an d in  this  way they  can 
help  to  red uce  the  risk of  inj ury to  the  lower  ex
tremities. 
All o f th is  takes  place  in  the  blink  of  an  eye,  so 
f ast  that  many  peop le  don't  even  realize  that  the  .,.. 
161  
Page 165 of 302

-the  two  side  airbags  located  in the  sides  of  the 
front  backrests 
- two  rear  side  airbags 
- the  a irbag  warning  light  in  the  inst rument  clus-
te r. 
The  airbag  system  is  monitored  electronically  to  make  certain  that  it  is functioning  properly  at  all 
times.  Each  time  you  sw itch  on  the  ign it ion,  the 
a ir bag  sys tem  indicator  light  will  come  on  for  a 
few  seconds  (self  diagnostics). 
The  s ide  a irbag  system  supp lements  the  safety 
be lts  and  can  he lp to  reduce  the  risk  of  injury  to 
the  dr iver's,  front  and  rear  p assenger's  upper  to r
so  on  the  side  of  the  vehicle  that  is  struck  in  a 
side  col lision . The  airbag  dep loys  only  in side  im
pacts  and  on ly when  the  vehicle  acceleration  reg
istered  by the  control  un it  is  h igh  enough.  If  this 
rate  is below  the  reference  value  programmed  in
to  the  control  un it,  the  s ide  curta in a irbag  w ill 
not  be  triggered,  even  though  the  car  may  be 
badly  damaged  as  a  result  of  the  collision. 
It is 
n ot  possib le  to  define  an  airbag  triggering  range 
that  will  cover  eve ry poss ible  angle  of  impa ct, 
since  the  c ircums tances  will  vary  considerab ly be
tween  one  collision  and  a nother.  Impo rtant  fac
tors  incl ude,  fo r example,  the  nature  (hard  or 
soft)  of  the  impacting  object,  the  ang le  of  im
pact,  vehicle  speed,  etc . 
c> page  164,  Important 
safety  instructions  on  the side airbag system. 
Aside  from  their  normal  safety  function,  safety 
be lts  work  to  he lp  keep  the  driver  or  front  pas
senger  in  position  in the  event  of  a side  collision 
so  that  the  s ide  a irbags  can  provide  protection. 
The  airbag  system  is 
not a  substitute  for  your 
safety  belt.  Rather,  it  is  part  of  the  overa ll occu 
pant  restraint  system  in your  veh icle.  Always  re
member  that  the  s ide  airbag  system  can  only 
help  to  protect  you  if you  are  wearing  your  safety 
belt  and  wea ring  it  properly . This  is  another  rea
son  why  you  shou ld  always  wear  your  safety 
be lts,  not  just  because  the  law  requ ires  yo u to  do 
so 
c> page  138,  General information. 
It  is  important  to  remember  that  wh ile  the  sup
p lemental  side  a irbag  system  is designed  to  re
duce  the  likeli hood  of  serious  injur ies,  other  inju
ries,  fo r example,  swell ing,  b ruising,  and  m inor 
Airb ag  sys tem 
abras ions  can  also  be  assoc iated  wit h deployed 
side  airbags .  Remember  too,  side  airbags  will  de
ploy  only  once  and  only  in ce rtain  k inds  of  acci
dents  - yo ur safety  belts  are  always  there  to  offer 
protect ion. 
Vehicle  damage,  repair  costs  or  even  the  lack  of 
vehicle  damage  are  not  necessar ily an  ind ication 
of  over-sens it ive  or  fa iled  a irbag  activation.  In 
some  collisions,  both  front  and  side  airbags  may 
i nflate . Remember  too,  that  a irbags  w il l  deploy 
only  once  and  only  i n certai n kinds  of  collisions  -
you r safety  belts  are  always  there  to  offer  protec
t io n  in  those  accide nts  in wh ich  airbags  are  no t 
s u pposed  to  deploy  o r when  they  h ave  al re ady 
deployed. 
The side  airbag  system  will  not  deploy: 
- when  t he  ignit io n  is switched  off 
- in  side  co llisions  whe n the  acceleration  meas-
ured  by the  sensor  is too  low 
- in front-end  collis ions 
- in  rear -end  co llisions 
- in  rollovers. 
In  some  types  of  accidents  t he  front  a irbags,  s ide 
c urt ain  airbags  and  side  airbags  may  be  triggered 
togethe r. 
.&, WARNING ~ 
- Safety  belts  and  the  airbag  system  will  only 
provide  protect ion  when  occupants  are  in 
the  proper  seat ing  pos ition 
c> page  164. 
- If  the  ai rbag  ind icator  light c> page  18 
comes  when  the  veh icle  is  being  used,  have 
the  system  inspected  immediately  by your 
author ized  Audi  dealer.  It  is  possib le  that 
the  airbag  will  inflate  when  it  is not  sup
posed  to,  or  w ill not  inflate  w hen  it  should. 
163  
Page 168 of 302

Airbag system 
the  circumstances  will vary  considerably  between 
one  collision  and  another.  Important  factors  in
clude,  for example,  the  nature  (hard  or  soft)  of 
the  impacting  object,  the  angle  of  impact,  vehicle 
speed,  etc. 
c:;, page  166,  How side  curtain  air
bags  work . 
Aside from  their  normal  safety  function,  safety 
belts  work  to  help  keep  the  driver  or  front  pas
senger  in  position  in the  event  of  a  collision  so 
that  the  side  curtain  airbags  can  provide  protec 
tion . 
The  airbag  system  is  not  a  substitute  for  your  safety  belt.  Rather,  it is  part  of the  overall  occu
pant  restraint  system  in your  vehicle . Always  re 
member  that  the airbag  system  can  only  help  to 
protect  you  if you  a re wearing  your  safety  belt 
and  wearing  it properly . This  is another  reason 
why you  should  always wear  your  safety  belts, 
not  just  because  the  law requires  you  to do  so 
c:;, page  138,  General  information. 
It is  important  to remember  that  whi le  the  s ide 
curtain  airbag system  is designed  to  help  reduce 
the  likelihood  of  serious  injuries, other  injuries, 
for  example,  swelling,  bruising,  and  minor  abra 
s ions  can  a lso  be associated  with  these  airbags 
upon  deployment.  Remember  too,  these  a irbags 
will deploy  only  once  and  only  in certa in  kinds  of 
accidents  - your  safety  belts  are  always  there  to 
offer  protect ion . 
The  side curtain  airbag  system  ba sically 
consists  of: 
-The  electronic  control  module  and  external  side 
impact  sensors 
- The side  curtain  airbags  above  the  front  and 
rear  side  windows 
- The  airbag  indicator  light  in the  instrument 
panel 
The airbag  system  is  monitored  electronically  to  make  certain  it is functioning  properly  at  all 
times.  Each time  you  switch  on  the  ignition,  the 
airbag  system  indicator light  will  come  on  for  a 
few  seconds  (self  diagnostics) . 
The side curtain  airbag  is not  activated: 
-if the  ignition  is switched  off, 
166 
- in  side  collisions  when  the acceleration  meas
ured  by the  sensor  is too  low, 
- in  rear-end  collisions. 
A WARNING 
-Safety  belts  and  the  airbag  system  will  only 
provide  protection  when  occupants  are  in 
the  proper  seating  position 
c:;, page  58,  Gen
eral information . 
-If  the  airbag  ind icator  light c:;, page  18 
comes  when  the  vehicle  is  being used, have 
the  system  inspected  immediately  by your 
author ized  Audi dealer.  It  is  possible that 
the  airbag  will  inflate  when  it  is  not  sup
posed  to, or wi ll not  inflate  when  it  should. 
How  side curtain  airbags  work 
Side  curtain  airbags  can work  together  with side 
airbags  to help  reduce  the  risk of  head  and  upper 
torso  injuries for  occupants  who are properly  re
strained. 
Fig.  172 Illus trat io n  of  princ iple:  I nflated  s ide c urtain  a ir
bags  o n the  left  side 
The  side  curtain  airbags  inflate  between  the oc
cupant  and the  windows  in a  side collision 
¢ fig.  172. 
When  the  system  is triggered,  the  side  curta in 
airbag  is filled  w ith  propellant  gas  and  breaks 
through  a seam  above  t he  front  and  rear side 
windows  identified  by the  AIRBAG  label. In order 
to  help  provide  this  additional protection,  the 
s ide  curtain  airbag  must  inflate  within  the blink 
of  an  eye  at  very  high  speed  and  with  g reat  fo rce. 
The  side  curtain  airbag  could  injure  you  if your 
seat ing  position  is  not  proper  or  upright or  if  
Page 169 of 302

items are  located  in  the area  where  the  supple
mental  side  curtain  airbag  inflates.  This  applies 
especially  to  children¢ 
page  168. 
Although  they are  not  a  soft  pillow,  side  curtain 
airbags  can  "cushion"  the  impact  and  in  this  way 
they  can  help  to  reduce  the  risk of  injury to the 
head  and  the  upper  part  of the  body. 
A fine  dust  may  develop  when  the  airbag  deploys. 
This  is quite  normal  and  does  not  mean  there  is a 
fire  in the  vehicle. 
Important  safety  instructions  on the  side 
curtain  airbag  system 
Airbags  are only  supplemental  restraints.  Always 
properly  wear  safety belts  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 
do  their  job  to provide  supplemental  protection. 
A WARNING 
Improperly  wearing  safety  belts  and  improper 
seating  positions  increase  the  risk of  serious 
personal  injury  and  death  whenever  a vehicle 
is  being  used. 
- Never  let  occupants  place  any  parts  of their 
bodies  in the  area  from  which  the  side  cur
tain  airbags  inflate. 
-Always  make  sure  that the  side  curtain  air
bags  can  inflate without  interference.  Un
suitable  accessories  fitted  inside  the  expan
sion  range  of  a side  curtain  airbag  can  dan gerously  interfere  with  its  function.  A de
ploying  head  airbag  develops  enough  force 
to  catapult  any  piece  of add-on  component 
out  of  its path  of  inflation  and  into  the  pas
senger  compartment.  An occupant  hit  by 
such  a  projectile  can  suffer  serious  injury  or 
death ¢ 
page  283,  Technical Modifications. 
-Do not  swivel  the  sun  visors  to  the  side  if 
you  have  any  objects  clipped  onto  them  (for  example  pens).  If  the airbag  should  deploy, 
you  could  be  injured by these  objects. 
- Use the  built-in  coat  hooks  only  for  light
weight  clothing . Never  leave  any  heavy  or 
sharp-edged  objects  in  the pockets  that  may 
Airbag  system 
interfere  with  airbag  deployment  and  can 
cause  personal  injury  in an  accident. 
- Never  use  hangers  to  hang  clothing  from 
the  hooks. 
- Only use  factory-installed  sun  shades  or,  in 
the  case  of  shades  installed  after  the  vehicle 
leaves  the  factory,  only  Audi  roll-up 
sunscreens  may  be  used 
c:> page  283,  Addi
tional  accessories and  parts  replacement . 
-Always  sit  in proper  seating  position  and 
wear  safety  belts  while  traveling  so  that  the 
side  curtain  airbags  can  help  provide  protec
tion . 
- The  airbag  system  can  only  be triggered 
once.  If  the  airbag  has  been  triggered,  the 
system  must  be  replaced by an  authorized 
Audi dealer  or  qualified  workshop. 
-Always  have  work  involving the  side  curtain 
airbag  system,  removal  and  installation  of 
the  airbag  components,  or  other  repairs 
performed  by a  qualified dealership . Other
wise  the  airbag  system  may  not  work  cor
rectly. 
- Never  attempt  to  modify  any  components  of 
the  airbag  system  in  any  way. 
167  
Page 171 of 302

exceptional  circumstances  and  the 
PASS ENGER  AIR  BAG OFF light  does  not 
come  on  and  stay  on,  immed iately  install 
the  rear-fac ing  ch ild  safety  seat  in a  rear 
seating  pos it ion  and  have  the  airbag  system 
inspected  immediately  by your  Audi dealer . 
A WARNING 
If,  in exceptio nal  circumstances,  you  must  in
stall  a forward-facing  chi ld  restraint  on  the 
front  passenger's  seat: 
- Always  make  sure  the  forward-fac ing  seat 
has  been  designed  and  ce rtified  by its  man
ufact urer  fo r use  on  a front  seat  with  a  pas
senger  front  and  side  airbag . 
- Always follow  the  manufact urer's  instruc
tions  prov ided  with  the  ch ild  safety  seat  or 
carrier. 
- Always  move  the  passenger  seat  into  its 
rearmost  position  in the  seat's  fore  and  aft 
adjustment  range,  as  far  away  from  the  air
bag  as  possib le  before  installing  the  child 
restraint.  The  backrest  must  be  adjusted  to 
an  upr ight  position. 
- Always  make  sure  that  the 
PA SSENGER AIR 
BAG OFF 
light  comes  on  and  stays  on  all  the 
t ime  whenever  the  ignition  is switched  on. 
{D) Tips 
Always  replace  chi ld  restraints  that  were  in
stalled  in a vehicle  dur ing  a  crash . Damage  to 
a  child  restraint  that  is not  visible  could  cause 
it  to  fail  in another  collision  situation. 
Advanced front  airbag  system  and  children 
Your veh icle  is  equipped  with  a front  "Advanced 
Airbag  System " in compliance  w ith  United  States 
F edera l Moto r Vehicle  Safety  Standard  (FMVSS) 
208,  as  well  as  Canada  Motor  Ve hicle  Safe ty 
Stand ard  (CMVSS) 208  as  appli cable  at  the  t ime 
your  vehicle  was  manufactured . 
The Advanced  Airbag  system  in your  ve hicle  has 
been  ce rtified  to  meet  the  "low-risk " requ ire
ments  for  3 -and  6-year  old  children  on  the  pas
senger  side  and  small  adults  on  the  driver  side . 
The  low  risk deployment  criteria  are  intended  to 
Ch ild  safety 
reduce  the  risk of  injury through  interaction  with 
the  airbag  that  can  occur,  for  example,  by being 
too  close  to  the  steering  wheel  and  instr ument 
panel  when  the  airbag  inflates.  In  addition,  the 
system  has  been  cert ified  to  comply  with  the 
"suppression"  requirements  of the  Safety  Stand 
ard,  to  turn  off  the  front  airbag  for  infants  up  to 
12  months  who  are  restrained  on  the  front  pas
senger  seat  in  ch ild  rest raints  that  are  lis ted  in 
the  S tanda rd . 
Even thoug h your  veh icle  is equipped  with  an  Ad
vanced  Airbag  system,  all  ch ildren,  especially 
those  12 yea rs and  younger,  sho uld  a lways  ride 
i n the  back  seat  properly  restra ined  for  their  age 
and  size . The  airbag  on  the  passenger  side  makes 
the  front  seat  a  potentia lly dangerous  p lace  for  a 
child  to  ride.  The front  seat  is  not  the  safest  place 
for  a ch ild  in a forward-fac ing  ch ild  safety  seat.  It 
can  be  a very  dangerous  place  for  an  infant  or a 
larger  ch ild  in a  rearward-facing  seat . 
Advanced Airbags  and  the  weight -sensing 
mat  in the  front  seat 
T he Advanced  A irbag  System  in you r vehicle  de
tects  the  presence  of a n in fan t or  child  in  a ch ild 
restra int  on  the  front  passenger  seat  using  the 
weight-sensing  mat  in the  seat  cushion  and  the  sensor  below  the  safety  belt  latch  on  the  front 
passenger  seat  that  measures  the  tension  on  the 
safety  belt. 
The weight-sensing  mat  measures  total  weight 
of the  child  and  the  chi ld  safety  seat  and  a  child 
blanket  on  the  front  passenger  seat.  The weight 
on  the  front  passenger  seat  is related  to  the  de
s ign  of  the  child  restra int  and  its  "footprint" , the 
s ize and  shape  of the  bottom  of  the  c hild  re 
straint  as  it  s its  on  the  seat.  The weight  of a  chi ld 
r estra int  and  its  "footprint " va ry for  different 
k inds  of  child  restra ints  and  for  the  different 
models  of  the  same  kind  of  ch ild  rest raint  of 
fered  by child  restraint  manufacturers. 
T he  weight  ranges  for  the  individ ual  types, 
makes  and  mode ls  of chi ld  restrain ts that  the 
N HT SA has  spec ified  in the  Safety  Standard  to
gether  with  the  weight  ranges  o f typical  infants 
and  typical  1 year-old  chi ld  have  been  stored  in  .,. 
169  
Page 173 of 302

Model Manufactured on or 
after 
Cosco  Summit  Deluxe  September  25,  2007 
High  Back Booster 
22-262 
Cosco  High  Back Boos -
September  25,  200 7 
ter  22-209 
Evenflo  Tr ibute  V  September  25,  2007 
379xxxx 
Evenflo  Medallion  254  December  1,  1999 
Evenflo  Generations  September  25,  2007 
352xxxx 
Graco  ComfortSport  September  25,  2007 
Graco  Toddler  Safety  September  25,  2007 
Seat  Step  2 
Graco  Platinum  Cargo  September  25,  2007 
.&, WARNING 
To reduce  the  risk  of  serious  inju ry,  make  sure 
that  the 
PA SSEN GER AIR BAG OFF light 
comes  on  and  stays  on  whenever  a  child  re 
straint  is  installed on  the  front  passenger  seat 
and  the  ignition  is  switched  on. 
- Take  the  child  restraint  off  the  front  passen 
ger  seat  and  install  it  properly  at  one  of  the 
rear  seat  positions  if the 
P A SSEN GER  AIR 
BAG  OFF 
light  does  not  stay  on. 
- Have  the  airbag  system  inspected by your 
authorized  Audi dealer  immediately. 
(D Tips 
The  chi ld  seats  listed  in  categories  A to  C have 
been  statically  tested  by Audi only  for  the Ad
vanced  Airbag  function. 
Important  safety  instructions  for  using 
child  safety  seats 
Correct  use  of child  safety  seats  substantially  re
duces  the risk  of  injury  in  an  accident! 
As the  driver,  you  are  responsible  for  the  safety 
of  everybody  in the  veh icle,  especially  children: 
.,.  Always  use  the  right  chi ld  safety  seat  for  each 
child  and  a lways  use  it properly 
q page  173. 
Child  safety 
.,. Always  carefully  follow  the  chi ld  safety  seat 
manufacturer's  instructions on  how  to  route 
the  safety  belt  properly  through  the  ch ild  safe 
ty  seat. 
.,.  When  using  the vehicle  safety belt  to  install  a 
child  safety  seat,  you  must  first  activate  the 
convertible  locking retractor  on  the  safety  belt 
to  prevent  the  chi ld  safety  seat  from  moving 
q page  177. 
.,. Push  the  ch ild  safety  sea t down  with  yo ur full 
weight  to  get  the  safety  belt  really  tight  so that  the  seat  cannot  move  forward  or  sideways 
more  than one inch  (2.5  cm). 
.,.  If  a  strap  or  tether is being  used to  tie  the  child 
safety  seat  to  the  front  passenger  seat,  make 
sure  that  it  is  not  so  tight  that  it  causes  the 
weight -sensing  mat  to  measure  more  weight 
than  is actually  on  the  seat  . 
.,.  Secure  unused  safety  belts  on  the  rear  seat 
q page  173. 
Always  remember:  Even though  your  veh icle  is 
equipped  with  an  Advanced  Airbag  system,  all 
c hi ldren,  especia lly t hose  12 yea rs and  younger, 
sho uld  a lways  ride  in  th e  back  seat  p roper ly  re· 
strained  for  their  age  and  s ize. 
A WARNING 
= 
Not  using  a  child  safety  seat,  using  the  wrong 
chi ld  safety  seat  or  improperly  insta lling  a 
chi ld  restraint  increases  the  risk  of  serious 
personal  injury  and  death. 
- All vehicle  occupants  and  especially children 
must  always  be  restrained  properly  whenev
er  riding  in a vehicle. 
- An unrestra ined  o r improperly  restrained 
c hi ld  can  be  injured  o r killed  by being 
thrown  aga inst  the  inside  of  the  veh icle  or 
by being  ejected  from  it  during  a  sudden 
maneuver  or  impact. 
- An unrestra ined  or  improperly  restrained 
child  is at  much  greater  risk  of  injury  or 
death  by being  struck  by an  inflating  air bag. 
- Commercially  availab le  child  safety  seats 
are  requi red  to  comply  with  U .S.  Federal 
Motor  Vehicle  Safety  Standard  (FMVSS) 213 
(in Canada  CMVSS 213).  ..,_ 
17 1