child restraint AUDI TT COUPE 2016 User Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine smash the child seat and child against the
backrest, center armrest, door, or roof.
- Always
install rearward-facing child re­
straints on the rear seat.
-If you must install a rearward facing child
seat on the front passenger seat because of
exceptional circumstances and the PASSEN­
GER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on
and stay on, immediately install the rear­
facing child
seat in a rear seating position
and have the airbag system inspected by
your Audi dealer.
A WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstances, you must in­
stall a forward-fac ing chi ld restraint on the
front passenger's seat:
- Always make sure the forward-fac ing seat
has been designed and cer t ified by its man­
ufacturer for use on a fron t seat with a pas­
senger front and side airbag .
- Never
put the forward-facing child restraint
up against or very near the instrument pan­
el.
-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 possible, before install ing the for­
ward-facing child
restraint. The backrest
must be adjusted to an upright positio n.
-Always make sure that there is nothing on
the front passenger seat that will cause the
capacitive passenger detection system in
the seat to signa l to the Airbag System that
the seat is occupied by a person when it is
not, or to signa l that it is occupied by some­
one who is heavier than the person actually
sitting on the seat. T he presence of addi­
tional objec ts could cause the passenger
fro nt airbag to be turned on when it should
be off, or could cause the airbag to work in a
way
that is different from the way it would
have worked
without the object on the seat.
- Make
sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF light comes on and stays on all the time
whenever the ignition is switched on.
Airbag system
Advanced Airbag System components
The front passenger seat in your vehicle has a lo t
of ve ry important parts of the Advan ced Airb ag
System in it. These parts include the capacitive
passenger detection system, wiring, brackets,
and more. The control unit monitors the system
on the front passenger seat when the ignition is
switched on and turns the airbag indicator light
on when a malfunction in the one of the system
components is detected c> page 200. Because
the front passenger seat contai ns important
parts of the Advanced Airbag System, you must
take care to p revent it from being damaged.
Dam age to the seat m ay prevent the Advan ced
Airbag
System for the front passenger seat from
doing its job in a crash.
The front Advanced Airbag System consists
of the following:
-Crash sensors in the front of the ve hicl e tha t
measure vehicle acceleration/deceleration to
prov ide information to the Advanced Airbag
System about the severity of the crash.
-
An electronic control unit, with integrated
crash sensors for front and side impacts. The
control un it "decides" whether to f ir e the front
airbags based on the information rece ived from
the crash sensors. The control unit also "de­
cides" whether the safety belt pretensioners
should be activated.
-
An Advanced Airbag with gas generator for the
driver inside the steering wheel hub .
-
An Adva nced Airbag with gas generator inside
the instrument panel for the front passenger.
- A
capacitive passenger detection system under­
neath the front passenger seat cove r. This sys ­
tem measures the electrica l capacitance of the
pe rson in the seat. The information registered
is sent continuous ly to the electronic control
u
nit to reg ulate deployment of t he front Ad­
vanced Airbag on
the passenger side.
-
An airbag monitori ng system and ind ic a tor
ligh t in t he i nstrument cl us ter c>poge 199.
-A sensor in each front seat registers t he d is­
tance between the respective seat and the
steering wheel or ins trument panel. The infor-
mation registered is sent continuousl y to the ...
195

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Airbag system
electronic control unit to regula te deployment
of the front Advanced Airbags.
- The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on
and stays on in the overhead console
¢page 200, fig. 158 and tells you when the
front Advanced Airbag on the passenger side
has
been turned off.
- A
sensor in the safety belt latch for the driver
and for
the front seat passenger that senses
whether that safety belt is latched or not and
transmits this information to the electronic
control unit.
A WARNING
Damage to the front passenger seat can pre­
vent the front airbag from working properly.
-
Improper repai r or disassembly of the front
passenger and drive r seat will prevent the
Advanced Airbag System from functioning
properly.
-Repairs to the front passenger seat must be
performed by qualified and properly trained
workshop personnel.
-Never remove the front passenger or driver
seat from the vehicle.
- Never remove
the upholstery from the front
passenger seat.
-Never disassemble or remove parts from the
seat or disconnect wires from it.
- Never carry
sharp objects in your pockets or
put them on the seat. The capacitive pas­
senger detection mat in the front p assenger
seat will not function properly if it is punc­
tur ed.
- Never carry
things on your lap or carry ob­
jects on the front passenger seat. Such ob­
jects can influence the capacitance regis ­
tered by the capacitive passenger detection
system, so that incorrect information is pro­
vided to the airbag control unit.
- Never
store items under the front passenger
seat. Parts of the Advanced Airbag System
under the passenger seat could be dam­
aged, preventing them and the airbag sys­
tem from working properly.
- Never place
seat covers or rep lacement up­
holstery that have not been specifically ap­
proved by Audi on the front seats.
196
-Seat covers can prevent the Advanced Air­
bag System from recognizing child re­
straints or occupants on the front passenger
seat and prevent the side airbag in the seat
backrest from deploying properly.
-If a seat heater has been retrofitted or oth­
erwise added to the front passenger seat,
never install any child restraint system on
this seat.
-Never use cushions, pill ows , blankets, or
simila r items on the front passenger seat.
The additional laye rs p revent the capacit ive
p a
ssenger detecti on sys tem from accurately
measuring the capacitan ce of the child safe­
ty seat and/or the person on the seat and
thus keep the Advanced Airbag System from
working properly.
- Never pl
ace or use any electrica l device
(such as a
laptop, CD player, electronic
games device, power inverter or seat heater
for child seats) on the front passenger seat
if the device is connected to the 12-volt
socket or the cigarette lighter socket. Such
dev i
ces can influence the capac itance regis­
tered by the capacitive passenger detection
system, so that incorrect information is pro­
vided to the airb ag control unit.
- I f you
must use a child restraint on th e fron t
p a
ssenger seat a nd the child restrain t man­
ufacturer's instructions require the use of a
towel,
foam c u shion or something else to
properly position the child restraint, make
certain that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light comes on and stays on whenever the
child restraint is installed on the front pas­
senger seat.
-
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does
not come on and stay on, immediately in­
stall child restraint in a rea r seating pos ition
and have
the airbag system inspected by
your Audi dea le r.
A WARNING
If the front passenger seat gets wet, dry it im-
mediately.
..,,.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ..... N
G: CX)
.....
"' U"I
.....
"' .....
-If liquid soaks into the front passenger seat,
this can keep the airbag system from work­
ing properly
and may, for instance,
deactivate
the passenger frontal airbag . If
this happens, the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light will come on and stay on together with
the airbag indicator light fl in the instru­
ment cluster.
-
If liquid is pooled on the seat, but has not
soaked in, this may also keep the airbag sys­
tem from working properly and cause the
passenger frontal airbag to be enabled
(turned on), even though there is a properly
installed child
restraint system on the seat.
Wet towels or other wet things on the seat
cushion can have the same effect. If the
front passenger frontal airbag is turned on,
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light light
will go
out.
How the Advanced Airbag System
components work together
The front Advanced Airbag System and the side
airbags supplement the protection offered by the
front three-point safety belts with pretensioners
and load limiters to help reduce the risk of injury
in a wide range of accident and crash situations.
Be sure to read the important information about
safety and heed the WARNINGS in this chapter.
Deployment
of the Advanced Airbag System and
the activation of the safety belt pretensioners de­
pend on the deceleration measured by the crash
sensors and registered by the electronic control
unit. Crash severity depends on speed and decel­
eration as well as the mass and stiffness of the
vehicle or object involved in the crash.
On the passenger side, regardless of safety belt
use, the front passenger frontal airbag will be
turned off ifthe electrical capacitance measured
by the capacitive passenger detection system on
the front passenger seat is less than the amount
programmed in the electronic control unit. The
front passenger frontal airbag will also be turned
off if the capacitance measured by the system for
the front passenger seat equals that of an infant
of about one year of age in one of the child seats
that was used to certify the Advanced Airbag Sys-
Airbag system
tern under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
208. The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes
on and stays on to tell you when the front Ad­
vanced Airbag System on
the passenger side has
been turned off c::;, page 200.
A WARNING
f-=
To reduce the risk of injury when an airbag in-
flates, always wear safety belts properly.
-
If you are unrestrained, leaning forward, sit­
ting sideways
or out of position in any way,
your risk
of injury is much higher .
-
You will also receive serious injuries and
could even be killed if you are up against the
airbag or too close to it when it inflates -
even with an Advanced Airbag ¢page 188.
More important things to know about front
airbags
Fig. 157 Inflated front airbags
Safety belts are important to help keep front
seat occupants in the proper seated position so
that airbags can unfold properly and provide sup­
plemental protection in a frontal collision.
The
front airbags are designed to provide addi­
tional protection for the chest and face of the
driver and the front seat passenger when:
-
safety belts are worn properly,
-
the seats have been positioned so that the oc-
cupant is properly seated as far as possible
from the airbag .
Because
airbags inflate in the blink of an eye with
great force, things you have on your lap or have
placed on
the seat could become dangerous pro­
jectiles, and
be pushed into you ifthe airbag in-
flates. .,..
197

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Airbag system
AIR BAG OFF light will come on and stay on
wheneve r
the ignition is on.
A WARNING
An airbag system that is not functioning prop­
erly cannot p rovide supplemental p rotection
in a frontal crash.
-
If the airbag indicato r light c::> page 15
comes when the vehicle is b eing used, have
t h e
system inspecte d immediately by your
autho rized Audi d eale r. It is possible t hat
th e air bag will inflate when it is not su p­
posed to, or will not inflate when it should.
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
Fig . 158 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF lig ht
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light is located in
the over head console c::> fig. 158.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light will come on
and stay on to tell you when th e front Advanced
Airbag on
the passenger side has been turned off
by the electronic control unit. If the bulb fo r t he
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light burns out, t h e
airbag indicator light fB w ill co m e o n to sig nal a
malfunctio n in the Advanced Airb ag System. Al­
though the burned-out bul b will not change the
way
the front passenger's front al air bag works, it
will no l
onger be possible to use the PASSENGER
AIR
BAG OFF light to make su re that the air b ag
on/off status is correct for the occupant on the
front passenger seat. H ave the airbag system in­
spected immediately by you r a uthorized Audi
deale r.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light will blink
for about
S seconds when:
-the ignition is switched on and
200
-the capacit ive passenger detection system,
which switches the front seat passenger's fron ­
tal Advanced Airbag on and off, detects a
change in the status of the front passenger
seat.
As soon as the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
stops blinking, always make sure that the airbag
status (on or off} as shown by the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF lig ht is proper for the age, size and
electrical capacitance of the person occupying
t h e
front passenger seat. Always make sure t hat
th e safety belt fo r the front passenger seat is
properly fasten ed .
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light will show
the status
of the front seat passenger's frontal
Advanced Airbag a
few seconds after the igni­
tion is switched on and the airbag indicator
light goes off. The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light:
- will stay on if the front passenger s eat is not
occ up ied;
- will
stay on if the electrica l capaci tance meas­
ured b y the capaci tive passenger detection sys­
t
em for t he fron t passenger seat equals t he
c
ombined capa citanc e of an infant up to abo ut
one year of age and one of the rearwa rd -f acing
or forward -fac ing chil d restraints listed in Fed­
eral Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 with
which
the Advanced Airbag System in your vehi ­
cle was
certified; For a listing of the child re­
strai nts that were used to certify your vehicle 's
complia nce w ith the U .S . Safety Standard
c::>poge 214.
- w ill go out if the front passe nge r seat is occu ­
pied by an adu lt
as register ed by the cap ac it ive
passenger d etectio n system.
- T he PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light must com e
on and
stay on if the igni tion is on and ...
- a car bed
has been installed on the front pas­
senger seat, or
- a rea rward-facing child restraint has been in­
stalled on the front passenger seat, o r
- a forward-fac ing chil d
restraint has been instal­
led on
the front passenger seat,
-and if the electrical capacitance registered on
the front passenger seat is equal to or less than ..,.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine .....
the combined capacitance of a typical l year ­
old
infant and one of the rearward-facing or
forward-facing child restraints listed in Federal
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 PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF light will stay on. Never install a
rearward -facing child
restraint on the front pas­
senger seat, the safest place for a child in any
kind
of child restraint is at one of the seating po ­
sitions on
the rear seat ~page 189, Child re­
straints on the front
seat -some important
things to know
and ~page 212, Child safety.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG light comes
on ...
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on
when one of the conditions listed above is met,
be sure to check the light regularly to make cer­
tain that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
stays on continuously whenever the ignition is
on. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does
n
ot appea r on and does not stay on all the time,
stop as soo n as it is safe to do so and
- reactivate
the system by turning the ignition
off for more than 4 seconds and then turning it
on again;
- remove and reinstall
the child restraint. Make
sure that the child restraint is properly instal­
led and
that the safety belt for the front pas­
senger seat has been correctly routed through
the child restrain t as described in th e child re­
straint manufacturer's instructions;
- make
sure that the convertible locking retrac­
tor on the safety belt for the front passenger
seat has been activated and that the safety belt
has been pulled tight.
-make sure that no electrical device (such as a
laptop,
CD player, electron ic games device,
power inverter
or seat heater for child seats) is
placed or used on the front passenger seat if
the device is connected to the 12-volt socket or
~ the cigarette lighter socket;
co -make sure that no seat heater has been retro-...
~ fitted or otherwise added to the front passen-
..... :::: ger seat;
Airbag system
-make sure that nothing can interfere with the
safety belt buckles and that they are not ob­
structed;
-make sure that there are no wet objects (such
as a wet towel) and no water or other liquids on
the front passenger seat cushion.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG light still does
not come on ...
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light still does
not come on and does not stay on continuously
(when
the ignition is switched on),
-
take the child restraint off the front passenger
seat and install it properly at one of the rear
seat positions. Have the airbag system inspect­
ed
by your Audi dealer immediately.
-move the child to a rear seat position and make
sure that the child is properl y restrained in a
child
restraint that is appropriate for its size
and age.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG light should NOT
come on ...
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light should NOT
come on when the ignition is on and an adult is
sitting in a prope r seating position on the front
passenger seat. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
light comes on and stays on or flashes for about
5 seconds while driving, under these circumstan ­
ces,
make sure that:
-the adult on the front passenger seat is proper­
ly seated on the center of the seat cu sh ion wit h
his or
her back up against the backrest and the
backrest is not reclined,
-
the adult is not taking weight off the seat by
holding on to the passenger assist handle
above
the front passenger door or supporting
their weight on the armrest,
-the safety belt is being properly worn and that
there is not a lot of slack in the safety belt web­
bing,
-
there are no aftermarket seat covers or cush­
ions or
other things (such as blankets) on the
front passenger seat that might cause the ca­
pacitive passenger detection system to miscal­
culate electrical capacitance.
201

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Airbag system
"
Important safety instructions on
monitoring the Advanced Airbag System
A WARNING
--I
-If the status of the Advanced Airbag System
has changed while the vehicle is moving, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light blinks for
about 5 seconds to catch the driver's atten­
tion. If this happens, always stop as soon as
it is safe to do so and check the steps descri­
bed above.
-If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does
not go off when an adult who is not very
small is sitti ng on the front passenger seat
after taking the steps described above,
make sure the adult is properly seated and
restrained at one of the rear seating posi­
tions. Have the airbag system inspected by
your authorized Aud i dealer before trans­
porting anyone on the front passenger seat.
A WARNING
An airbag system that is not functioning prop-
erly
cannot provide supplemental protection
in a frontal crash.
-
If the airbag indicator light Q page 15
comes when the vehicle is being used, have
the system inspected immediately by your
authorized Audi dealer. It is possib le that
the airbag will inflate when it is not sup­
posed to, or will not inflate when it should.
A WARNING
If the front airbag inflates, a child without a
child
restrai nt, or in a rearward-facing child
safety seat, or in a forward-facing child re­
straint that has not been properly installed
will be seriously injured and can be killed.
- Even
though your vehicle is equipped with
an Advanced Airbag System, make certain
that all children, especially 12 years and
younger, always ride on the back seat prop­
erly
restrained for their age and size.
- Always install forward
or rear-facing child
seats on the rear seat -even with an Ad­
vanced Airbag System.
202
-If you must install a rearward-facing child
seat on the front passenger seat because of
exceptional circumstances and the PASSEN­
GER AIR BAG OFF light does not appear and
stay on, immediately install the rear-facing
child
seat in a rear seating position and have
the airbag system inspected by your Audi
dealer.
- If, in exceptional circumstances, you must
install a forward-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat, always move the
seat into its rearmost position in the seat's
fore and aft adjustment range, as far away
from the airbag as possi ble. The backrest
must be adjusted to an upright position.
M
ake sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF light comes on and stays on all the time
whenever the ignition is swi tched on.
A WARNING
---"
-If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does
not go out when an adult is sitting on the
front passenger seat after taking the steps
described above, make sure the adult is
properly seated and restrained at one of the
rear seating positions.
- Have
the airbag system inspected by your
Audi
dealer before transporting anyone on
the front passenger seat.
(1) Tips
If the capacitive passenger detection system
d etermines that the front passenger seat is
empty, the frontal 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 are installed at many
different places on your Audi. Installing, remov­
ing, servicing
or repairing a part in an area of the
vehicle can damage a part 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 ~

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Airbag system
-at least 10 in (25 cm) between the chest
and the steering wheel/instrument panel.
-
at least 4 in (10 cm) between the knees
and the lower part of the instrument pan­
el.
- 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 wear­
ing your safety belt. The risk increases even
more should the airbag deploy.
- Always
make sure that the knee airbag can
inflate without interference. Objects be­
tween you and the airbag can increase the
risk of injury in an accident by interfering
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 deploys, this
can result in serious or fatal injuries.
- Never carry
objects of any kind in the foot­
well area in front of the driver's or pas­
senger's seat. Bulky objects (shopping
bags, for example) can interfere with or
prevent proper deployment of the airbag.
Small objects can be thrown through the
vehicle if the airbag deploys and injure you
or your passengers.
-Make sure there are no cracks, deep scratch­
es or other damage in the area of the instru­
ment panel where the knee airbags are lo­
cated.
-If children are incorrectly seated, their risk
of injury increases in a collision
~page 212, Child safety.
206
Side airbags
Description of side airbags
The airbag system can provide supplemental
protection to properly restrained front
seat occu­
pants .
Fig . 161 Side airbag location in the driver's seat
The side airbags are located in the sides of the
front seat backrests Q fig. 161 facing the doors.
They
are identified by the word "AIRBAG".
The side airbags installed for the front seating
positions have been designed and certified to
help reduce the risk of injury that can be caused
by airbags when they inflate, particularly when
the occupant sitting next to it is not seated prop­
erly. The
side airbag for the front passenger seat
can be used with properly installed child re­
straints. Please be sure to read the important in­
formation and warnings whenever using a child
restraint in a vehicle: Safety belts Q page 180,
Airbag system Q page 188, Child safety
¢page 212.
The side airbag syste m b asica lly consist s o f:
-
the electronic control module and external side
impact sensors
-the two side airbags Located in the sides of the
front backrests
-the airbag warning light in the overhead con­
sole.
The airbag system is monitored electronically to
make certain that it is functioning properly at all
times. Each time you turn on the ignition, the air­
bag system indicator light will come on for a few
seconds (self diagnostics). Iii>

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Airbag sy ste m
passenger. In order to help provide this addition­
al protection, the side airbag must inflate within
a
fraction of a second at very high speed and with
great force . The supplemental side airbag could
injure you if
your seating position is not proper or
upright or if items are located in the area where
the supplemental side airbag expands. This ap­
plies especially to children Q page 212, Child
safety.
Supplemental side airbags inflate be­
tween the occupant and the door panel on the
side of the vehicle that is struck in certain side
collision Qfig. 162.
Although they are not a soft pillow, they can
"cushion" the impact and in this way they can
he lp
to reduce the risk of injury to the upper part
of the body.
A fine
dust may develop when the airbag deploys.
This is
normal and does not mean there is a fire
in the vehicle.
Important safety instructions on the side
airbag
system
Airbags ore only supplemental restraints. Always
properly wear safety belts and ride in a proper
seating posit ion.
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 provide supplemental
protection.
A WARNING
An inflating side airbag can cause serious or
fatal injury. Improperly wearing safety belts
and improper seating positions increase the
r isk 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 supple-
mental 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.
208
-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 replacement
upholstery over the front seatbacks that
have not been specifically approved by
Audi.
- Never
use additional seat cushions that
cover the areas where the side airbags de­
ploy.
-
Damage to the original seat covers or to
the seam in the area of the s ide airbag
module must always be repaired immedi­
ately by an
authorized Audi dealer.
-Objects between you and the airbag can in­
crease the risk of injury in an accident by in­
terfering with the way the airbag unfolds or
by being pushed into you as the airbag in­
flates.
-Never place or attach accessories or other
objects (such as cup holders, telephone
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 become
dangerous projectiles and cause injury
when the supplemental side airbag de­
ploys.
- Never carry any
objects or pets in the de­
ployment space between them and the
airbags or allow children or other passen­
gers 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. ~

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Airbag sy stem
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 are 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
~page 180, General notes.
It is important to remember that while the side
curtain a irbag system is designed to help reduce
the likelihood of serious injuries, other injuries,
for
example, swelling, bruising, friction burns
and minor abrasions can also be associated with
these airbags upon deployment. Remember too,
these airbags will deploy only once and only in
certain kinds of accidents -your safety belts are
always there to offer protection.
The side curta in airbag sy stem basically
consists
of:
-The electronic control module and external side
impact sensors
-The side curtain airbags above the front and
rear side windows with ejection mitigation fea­
tures
-The airbag indicator light in the instrument
panel
The airbag system is monitored electronically to
make certain it is function ing properly at all
times. Each time you switch on the ignition, the
airbag system indicator light will come on for a
few seconds (self diag nasties).
The side curtain airbag is not activated:
-if the ignition is switched off,
-
in side collisions when the acceleration meas-
ured by the sensor is too low,
- in
rear-end collisions .
210
A WARNING
-Safety belts and the airbag system will only
provide
protection when occupants are in
the proper seating position Q page 44,
Seats and storage.
-If the airbag indicator light Q page 15
comes when the vehicle is being used, have
the system inspected immediately by your
authorized Audi dealer. It is possible that
the airbag will inflate when it is not sup­
posed to, or will 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
t orso injuries for occupants who are properly re­
strained.
Fig. 164 Illustration of principle: Inflated side curtain air­
bags on
the left side
The side curtain airbags inflate between the oc­
cupant and the windows on the side of the vehi­
cle
that is struck in a side collision Q fig. 164.
When the system is triggered, the s ide curtai n
airbag
is filled with propellant gas and breaks
th rough a seam above the front and rear side
windows identified by the AIRBAG label. In order
to help provide this additional protection, the
side curtain airbag must inflate within the blink
of an eye at very high speed and with great force .
The
side curtain airbag could injure you if your
seating position is not proper or upright or if
items are located in the area where the supple­
mental side curtain airbag inflates. This applies
especially to children Qpage 212.
Although they are not a soft pillow, side curtain
airbags can "cushion" the impact and in this way .,..

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Child safety
Child safety
Important information
Introduction
The rear seat is generally the safest place in a
collision .
The physical principles of what happens when
your vehicle is in a crash apply also to children
¢page 182, What happens to occupants not
wearing safety belts? . But unlike adults and
teenagers, their muscles and bones are not fully
developed. In many respects children are at
greater risk of serious injury in crashes than
adults.
Because children's
bodies are not fully devel­
oped, they require restraint systems especially
designed for their size, weight, and body struc­
ture. Many countries and all states of the United
States and provinces of Canada have laws requir­
ing
the use of approved child restraint systems
for infants and small children .
In a frontal crash at a speed of 20-35 mph
(30-56 km/h) the forces acting on a 13 lbs (6 kg)
infant will be more than 20 times the weight of
the child. This means the weight of the child
would
suddenly be more than 260 lbs (120 kg).
Under these conditions, only an appropriate child
restraint properly used can reduce the risk of se­
rious injury .
Child restraints, like adult safety
belts, must be used properly to be effective .
Used improperly, they can increase the risk of se­
rious injury in an accident.
Consult the child safety seat manufacturer's in­
structions in order to be sure the seat is right for
your child's size¢ page 215, Important safety
instructions for using child safety seats. Please
be sure to read and heed all of the important in­
formation and WARNINGS about child safety,
Advanced Airbags, and the installation of child
restraints in this chapter.
There is a lot you need to know about the Ad­
vanced Airbags in your vehicle
and how they work
when infants and children in child restraints are
on the front passenger seat. Because of the large
amount of important information, we cannot re-
212
peat it all here. We urge you to read the detailed
information in this owner's manual about airbags
and the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle
and the very important information about trans­
porting children on the front passenger seat.
Please be sure to heed the WARNINGS -they are
extremely important for your safety and the safe­
ty of your passengers, especially infants and
small children.
.&_WARNING
-Accident statistics have shown that children
are generally safer in the rear seat area than
in the front seating position. Always restrain
any child age 12 and under in the rear.
-
All vehicle occupants and especially children
must be restrained properly whenever riding
in a vehicle.
An unrestrained or improperly
restrained child could be injured by striking
the interior or by being ejected from the ve­
hicle
during a sudden maneuver or impact.
An unrestrained or improperly restrained
child is also at greater risk of injury or death
through contact with an inflating airbag.
-A suitable child restraint properly installed
and used at one of the rear seating positions
provides the highest degree of protection
for infants and small children in most acci­
dent situations.
.&_WARNING
Children on the front seat of any car even with
Advanced Airbags can be seriously injured or
even killed when an airbag inflates. A child in
a
rearward-facing child safety seat installed
on the front passenger seat will be seriously
injured and can be killed if the front airbag in­
flates.
-The inflating airbag will hit the child safety
seat or infant carrier with great force and
will smash the child safety seat and child
against the backrest, center armrest, or
door.
-Always install rear-facing child safety seats
on the rear seat.
-
If you must install a rearward facing child
safety seat on the front passenger seat in