AUDI TT COUPE 2016 Owners Manual
Manufacturer: AUDI, Model Year: 2016, Model line: TT COUPE, Model: AUDI TT COUPE 2016Pages: 322, PDF Size: 52.86 MB
Page 201 of 322

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 objects. Items can also move  into 
the area of the side airbag or the front air
bag during  braking or in a sudden maneu
ver. Objects near the airbags can become 
projectiles and cause injury,  particularly 
when the seat is  reclined. 
- Never  place 
or transport objects on the 
front passenger seat. Objects on the front 
passenger seat could cause the capac itive 
sensor in the seat to signal to airbag system 
that the seat is  occup ied by a person when it 
in fact is not, or that the person on the seat 
is heavier than he or she actually is. The 
change in electric  capacitance because of 
such objects can cause the passenger front 
airbag to be turned on when  it should be 
off, or can cause the a irbag to work  in a  way 
that is diffe rent from the way it would  have 
worked without objects on the seat. 
- Always make sure that there is nothing  on 
the front passenger seat that will cause the 
capaciti ve passenger detection system in 
the seat to  signal to  the  Airbag  System tha t 
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. The presence of an ob
ject could cause the passenger front airbag 
to be turned on when it should be  off, or 
cou ld cause the air bag to work  in  a way that 
is different from the way it wou ld  have 
worked witho ut the object on the seat. 
- Never tilt the front passenger seat backrest 
forward when the vehicle is moving. An in
flating airbag will  force the backrest back
ward and can  injure rear seat occupants. 
_&WARNING 
The  fine dust created when  airbags deploy  can 
cause breathing problems for people w ith a 
history 
of asthma or other breathing condi
tions. 
Airba g system 
- To  reduce the ris k of breathing problems, 
those with asthma or other respiratory con
ditions should get fresh a ir right away  by 
getting out of the vehicle or opening win
dows or doors. 
-
If you are i n a  collision in which airbags de
p loy,  wash  your hands and face with mild 
soap and water before eating. 
-
Be carefu l not to get the dust into your eyes, 
or into any cuts or scratches. 
-Ifthe residue should get into your eyes, 
f lush 
them w ith water. 
Monitoring the 
Advanced Airbag System 
t~~ 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 as well as the side 
airbags and side curta in airbags with  ejection 
mitigation features (including the electronic con
trol unit, sensors and system wiring) are all 
monitored continuously to make sure that they 
are functioning  properly whenever the ignition is 
on. Every time you turn on the ign ition, the a ir
bag system indica to r light II will come on  for a 
few 
seconds ( function check). 
The  system  must be inspected  when the 
indicator light II: 
-does not come on when the ignition  is  sw itched 
on, 
-
does not go out a  few seconds after you  have 
switched on the igni tion, 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 rem inder to have the sys
tem inspected immediately. 
If a  malfunction  occurs that turns the front air-
bag  on 
the passenger side  off, the PASSENGER ..,. 
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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 ..,.   
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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. 
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" 
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 ~   
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components do not cause injury or pollute the 
environment. 
A WARNING 
Improper care, servicing and repair  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: 
- 1 
-Never  cover, obstruct, or change the steer
ing wheel horn pad or airbag  cover or the in
strument panel or modify them in any way. 
- Never 
attach any objects such as cup holders 
or telephone mountings to the surfaces cov
ering 
the airbag  units. 
- For  cleaning 
the horn pad or instrument 
panel, use only  a soft, dry cloth or one mois
tened 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 deploy and protect 
properly. 
- Never  repair, 
adjust, or change any parts of 
the airbag system. 
-All work on the steering wheel, instrument 
panel, front seats or electrical system (in
cluding 
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 au
thorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop. 
- 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 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 in
flate. 
Airbag system 
-Damage to the original seat covers or to 
the seam in the area of the side airbag 
module must always  be repaired  immedi
ately by an authorized Audi dealer. 
-The airbag system can  deploy  only once. Af
ter an airbag has been deployed, it must be 
replaced  with new replacement parts de
signed and approved especially for your 
Audi 
model version. Replacement of com
plete airbag systems or airbag components 
must be performed by  qualified workshops 
only.  Make sure that any airbag  service  ac
tion  is 
entered in your Audi Warranty & 
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  circuit 
interrupter. 
-Work  on the pyrotechnic  circuit interrupt
er must only be performed by a qualified 
technicians  who have 
the experience,  in
formation and special tools necessary to 
perform the work safely. 
-
If the vehicle or the circuit interrupter is 
scrapped, all  applicable safety precautions 
must be followed. 
@ For the sake of the environment 
Undeployed airbag modules and pretension
ers might be classified as Perchlorate Materi
al -special handling may  apply, see 
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlo
rate. When the vehicle or parts of the re
straint system including  airbag modules and 
safety belts with pretensioners are scrapped, 
all applicable  laws and regulations must be 
observed. Your authorized Audi dealer is fa
miliar 
with these requirements and we recom
mend that you  have  your dealer 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 System 
performs in a crash. For  example,  using tire-rim ..,. 
203   
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combinations not approved  by Audi,  lowering the 
vehicle,  changing the stiffness of the suspension, 
including the springs, suspension struts, shock 
absorbers etc. can change the forces that are 
measured by the airbag sensors and sent to the 
electronic control unit. Some suspension changes 
can,  for example, increase the force  levels meas
ured by the sensors and make the airbag system 
deploy in crashes in which it would not deploy  if 
the changes had not been made. Other kinds of 
changes may reduce the force levels measured by 
the sensors and prevent the airbag from deploy
ing when it should. 
_&. WARNING 
Changing the vehicle's suspension including 
use 
of unapproved  tire-rim combinations can 
change Advanced Airbag performance and in
crease the risk of serious personal injury in a 
crash. 
-Never  install suspension components that 
do not have the same performance charac
teristics as the components originally instal
led on your vehicle. 
- Never  use tire-rim 
combinations that have 
not been approved  by Audi. 
Knee airbags 
Description of knee  airbags 
The knee airbag  system  can provide  supplemen
tal  protection  to properly  restrained  front 
seat 
occupants. 
Fig.  159 Driver's knee airbag 
The  driver  knee airbag  is in the instrument panel 
underneath the steering wheel Q fig. 159, the 
airbag  for the passenger is at about the same 
204 
height in the instrument panel underneath the 
glove compartment. 
The knee  airbag  offers additional protection to 
the driver's  and passenger's knees and upper and 
lower thigh areas and supplements the protec
tion provided  by the safety belts. 
If the front airbags deploy, the  knee airbags also 
deploy 
in frontal collisions when the deployment 
threshold stored in the control unit is met 
Qpage 197, More important  things to know 
about front  airbags. 
In addition to their normal safety function, safe
ty belts help keep the driver or front passenger in 
position in a frontal collision so that the airbags 
can  provide 
supplemental protection. 
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 why you should 
always wear your safety belt, not just be ca use 
t h e  law  requires  you 
to do so~ page 180, Gener
al notes . 
Remember too, airbags will deploy  only once and 
only in certain  kinds of accidents -your safety 
belts are always there to offer protection in those 
accidents in which airbags are not supposed to 
deploy or when they have already  deployed,  for 
example when your vehicle strikes or is struck by 
another after the first collision. 
This 
is just one of the reasons why  an airbag is 
not a substitute for the safety belt. The  airbag 
system works most effectively when used with 
the safety belts. Therefore,  always wear your 
safety belts correctly. 
It is important to remember that while the sup
plemental knee airbag system is designed to re
duce the likelihood of serious injuries, other inju
ries, for example, swelling,  bruising and minor 
abrasions and friction burns can also  occur when 
an airbag  inflates. 
The knee  airbag  system  basically consists of: 
-The  electronic control module .,.   
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tor), 
one for the driver  and one for the front 
passenger 
-The  airbag  indicator  light in the overhead  con
sole 
The knee airbag syste m 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 
-
in the event of a system mal function (warning/ 
i ndicator  light is on) ~page 15. 
A_ WARNING 
-Safety belts and the airbag system can only 
prov i
de protection when occupants are in 
the proper seating position ~page 197. 
-If the airbag  indicator light~ 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 knee airbags work 
The risk of injury to the leg area  can be reduced 
by  fully  inflated  knee airbags. 
Fig. 160 Inflated  airbags protecting  in a frontal  collision 
The knee  airbag system has been designed  so 
that the airbags for the driver and front passen
ger deploy in certain but not all frontal collisions. 
Airbag system 
If the front airbags deploy, the knee airbags  also 
deploy 
in frontal collisions when the deployment 
threshold stored in the control unit is met. 
When the system deploys, the airbags  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  197, fig. 157. 
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  ex
tremities. 
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 important for 
occupant 
safety that nothing  should be  in their 
way when they deploy. 
Fully  inflated  airbags 
in combination  with proper
ly worn safety belts slow  down  and limit the oc
cupant's forward movement and  help to reduce 
the risk of injury. 
Important safety instructions on the knee 
airbag system 
Airbags  are only  supplemental  restraints. Always 
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  in
j u
ry. Wearing safety belts incorrectly and im
proper 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 adjusting their 
seat positions,  it is important that both the 
driver and the front passenger keep their 
upper bodies and knees at the following 
minimum 
safe distances: ~ 
205   
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-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>   
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G'. co ..... ID VI ..... ID ..... 
The side airbag system supplements the safety 
belts and can help to reduce the risk of injury to 
the driver's and front passenger's upper torso on 
the side of the vehicle that is struck in a side col
lision.  The 
airbag deploys in side impacts and on
ly when the vehicle  acceleration registered by the 
control unit is high enough. If this rate is below 
the reference value programmed into the control 
unit, the side airbags  will not be triggered, even 
though the car may be badly damaged as a result 
of the collision. It is not possible to define an air
bag 
triggering range that will  cover  every possi
ble 
angle of impact, since the circumstances will 
vary  considerably 
between one collision  and an
other. Important factors include, for example, 
the nature (hard or soft) of the impacting object, 
the angle of impact,  vehicle speed, etc. 
Q page 208, Important safety instructions  on 
the side airbag system. 
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 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  occu
pant restraint system in your vehicle.  Always re
member that the side airbag system can only 
help 
to protect you  if you are wearing your safety 
belt and  wearing  it properly.  This is another rea
son why you should  always wear your safety 
belts, not just because the law requires you to do 
so Qpage 180, General  notes. 
It is important to remember that while the sup
plemental side a irbag system is designed to re
duce the lik eli hood of serious injuries, other inju
ries,  for 
example, swelling,  bruising, friction 
burns 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 necessarily an indication 
of over-sensitive or failed  airbag  activation.  In 
some collisions, both front and side airbags may 
inflate . 
Remember too, that airbags will deploy 
only  once 
and only in certain  kinds of collisions  -
Airbag system 
your safety belts are always there to offer protec
tion 
in those accidents 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 meas-
ured  by 
the sensor is too low 
-
in front-end collisions 
- in  rear-end  collisions 
-
in rollovers. 
In 
some types of accidents the front a irbags, side 
curtain  airbags and side airbags may be triggered 
together. 
A WARNING 
--Safety belts and the airbag system will  only 
provide  protection 
when occupants are in 
the proper seating position Q page 208. 
-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 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. 162 Inflated side airbags  on left  side of vehicle 
When the system is triggered, the airbag is filled 
with propellant gas and breaks through a seam in 
the seat surface area marked "AIRBAG". It ex-
pands between the side trim panel and the ..,.. 
207   
Page 210 of 322

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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. ~