airbag AUDI TT ROADSTER 2008 Owner's Guide

-Airbag system ----------------
•
a sma ll ch ild th at is heavi er than a typ ica l 1 ye ar-o ld child is on
th e front p assenger s eat (regar dle ss of whet her the child is in on e
of th e child saf ety seats listed~
page 1 70),
• a chil d w ho h as outgrow n chi ld re str ain ts is on the fr ont
passen ger seat.
I f the fr ont passe nge r ai rbag is tu rned off, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF
light in the cent er o f the instrum ent pan el wi ll come on and stay
o n.
The front airb ag o n the passenger si de may
not depl oy (the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not illuminate and stay l it) if:
• a small ad ult or t eenage r is on the fr ont passenger sea t
• a passenger who is not sitting upright with their bac k against a
n o n-re clined back res t w it h th e ir fe et on th e ve hicle flo or in fr ont of
th e se at is on th e front pass enger s eat.
I f the front pas senger ai rbag depl oys, the Federa l Standard requ ires
the airb ag to me et the "low r is k" dep loy ment criter ia to h elp r educe
th e risk of in jury t hroug h in teraction w ith the a irbag. "Low risk"
de ploy ment occu rs in those c ras hes that ta ke p lace a t low er d ecel­
erations as defined in the electron ic contro l unit~
page 157.
Always remember:
P lease be sur e to r ead the i mport ant info rm ation
in th e sections that follow and b e sur e to heed all of the WARN INGS.
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury when an airbag inflates , always wear
safety belts properly.
• If you are unrestrained , leaning forward, sitting sideways or out
of position in any way, your risk of injury is much higher.
• You will also receive serious injur ies 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 146 .
& WARNING
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 inflates -even with an Advanced Airbag System .
• Although the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle is
designed to turn off the front airbag when a rearward -facing child
restraint has been installed on the front passenger seat , nobody
can absolutely guarantee that deployment is impossible in all
conceivable situations that may happen during the useful life of
your vehicle.
• 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, door, or roof .
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay on ,
immediately install the rear-facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
Audi dealer .
& WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstances , you must install a forward -facing
child restraint on the front passenger's seat :
• Always make sure the forward -facing seat has been designed
and certified by its manufacturer for use on a front seat with a
passenger front and side airbag .
• Never put the forward-facing child restraint up against or very
near the instrument panel.
• Always move the passenger seat into its rearmost position in
the seat's fore and aft adjustment range , as far away from the
airbag as poss ible , before installing the forward-facing child
restraint. The backrest must be adjusted to an upright position. ..,.

Airbag syst em -----------------=~-
& WARN ING (co ntinued)
• Make s ure th at the PA SSENGER AIR BAG OFF light come s on
a nd sta y s o n all the tim e whene ver the ign ition i s sw itched on . •
Advanced Airbag System components
The front passenger seat in your vehicle has a lot of very important
parts of the Advanced Airbag System in it. These parts inc lude the
weight -sensing mat, sensors, wiring, brackets, and more. The func ­
tion of the system in the front passenger seat is checked by the e lec ­
tronic contro l unit when the igni tion is on. The control unit monitors
the Advanced Airbag System and turns the airbag indicator light on
when a malfunction in the system components is detected . The
function of the airbag indicator light is described in greater detail
below. Because the front passenger seat contains important parts
of the Advanced Airbag System, you must take care to prevent it
from being damaged. Damage to the seat may prevent the
Advanced Airbag for the front passenger seat from doing its job in a crash.
T he front A dvance d Airb ag Syst em con sis ts of th e
following:
• Crash sensors in the front of the vehicle that measure vehicle
acceleration/dece leration 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 unit "decides" whether to fire the
front airbags based on the information received from the crash sensors. The contro l unit a lso "decides" whether the safety belt
pretensioners should be activated .
• A dual -stage Advanced Airbag with gas generator for the driver
inside the steering wheel hub .
• A dual -stage Advanced Airbag and gas generator inside the
instrument pane l for the front passenger .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
•
A weight -sensing mat under the upholstery padding of the front
passenger sea t cushion that measures the total weight on the seat .
The information registered is sent continuously to the e lectronic
control unit to regula te dep loyment of the front Advanced Airbag on
the passenger side.
• An airbag monitoring syste m and indica tor l ight in the instru ­
ment cluster=>
page 157.
• The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on in the
center of the instrument panel=>
page 157, fig. 133 and tells you
when the front Advanced Airbag on the passenger side has been
turned off .
• A sensor be low the safety belt latch for the front seat passenger
to measure the tension on the safety belt . The tension on the safety
belt and the weight registered by the weight -se nsing mat help the
control unit "decide" whether the front airbag for the front
passenger sea t should be turned off o r not =>
page 147, "Child
restraints on the front seat -some important things to know" .
• A sensor in the safety belt latch for the dr iver and for the front
seat passenger that senses whether that safety be lt is latched or not
and t ransmits this information to the electronic control unit.
& WARNING
Damage to the front pa ssenger seat can prevent the front airbag
fr om worki ng properly .
• Improper repair or di sa ssembly of the front pa ssenger and
dri ver seat will prevent th e Adv an ced Airbag Sy stem from func­
tioning properly.
• Rep air s to the front p assenger seat must b e perfor med by qu al­
ified and properly tra ined work shop per sonnel .
• Never remo ve the fro nt pa ssenger or dr iver se at from the
v ehi cle.
• Nev er remove th e uphol stery from the fron t pass eng er seat.
• Never disas semble or r emove p arts from the seat or di sconne ct
wires from it . ..
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

_,___A_ ir_ b_ a.::g <-- s-- & WARN ING (continued )
• Never carry sharp object s in your pockets or place them on the
seat.
If the weight- sen sing mat in the passenger seat is punctured
it cannot work properly .
• Never carry things on your lap or ca rry objects on the
passenger seat. Such items can increase the weight registered by
the weight -sen sing mat and send the wrong information to the
a irbag control unit .
• Never store item s under the front pas senge r seat . Part s of the
Advanced Airbag System under the passenger seat could be
damaged , preventing them and the airbag system from working
properly .
• Never place seat covers or replacement upholstery that ha ve
not been specifically approved by Audi on the front seats.
• Seat covers can prevent the Advan ced Airbag System from
recognizing child restraints or occupants on the front pa ssenger
seat and prevent the side airbag in the seat backrest from
deploying properly .
• Never use cushions , pillows , blankets or similar items on the
front passenger seat. The additional padding will prevent the
weight -sen sing mat in the seat from accurately registering the
child restraint or person on the seat and prevent the Advanced
Airbag System from functioning properly .
• If you must use a child re straint on the front passenger seat
and the ch ild restra int manufacturer' s instructions require the use
of a towel , foam cushion or something else to properly position
the child restraint , make certain that the PASSENG ER AIR BAG OFF
light comes on and stays on whenever the child restraint is
installed on the front passenger seat .
• If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay
on , have the airbag system inspected by your Audi dealer. •
How the Advanced Airbag System
components work together
The front Advanced Ai rbag System and the side airbags s upplement
th e pro tec tion offered by t he fro nt three -po int safety belts w ith
pretensioners and load limite rs and the adjustab le head restraints
t o help reduce the risk o f injury in a w ide ra nge o f acc ide nt and
crash situations . Be sure to read the important information about
sa fe ty an d heed the WAR NINGS in this chapte r.
D ep loyment of the Advanced Airbag System and the activation of
th e safe ty be lt pre tens ioners depends on th e decele ra tion
measu red by the crash se nsors and regist ered by the electronic
con trol un it. Crash seve rity depe nds on speed a nd decele ra tion a s
w ell as the mass a nd st iffne ss of the ve hicle or objec t in vo lv ed in th e
crash .
When t he elect ronic control unit registe rs a low sever ity crash and
the safety belt is be ing used, the airbag wi ll not deploy. If the safety
belt is no t being used, the fir s t stage de ploy s, f ollowed by th e
second stage after a much later time in the crash sequence .
I f the electronic control unit registers a crash of medium severity,
th e first stage o f the a irba g dep loys followed by the second sta ge at
a much later time in the crash sequence -regardless of whether the
sa fe ty belt is bein g use d or not. In hig her se ver ity cras hes as r eg is­
tered by the electronic control unit, both the first and second stages
deploy al most at the same tim e.
On the passe nger s ide, regardless of safety belt use, the airbag wi ll
be tu rned off if the weight on the passenger seat is less than the
amount programmed in the e lectronic control unit. The front airbag
on the passenger side wi ll a lso be turned off if one of the child
sa fet y seats that has been cer tified under F ederal Mo to r V ehi cle
Safety Standard 208 has been recognized on the seat. The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light co mes on and stays o n to tell y ou
when the front Advanced Airbag on the passenger side has been
t ur ned off ~
pag e 147, " C hi ld re stra int s on t he fro nt seat -so m e
important things to know". .,

& WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury when an airbag inflates, always wear
safety belts properly.
• If you are unrestrained , leaning forward , sitting 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 146. •
More important things to know about front
airbags
Fig . 132 Inflate d front
airbags
Safety belts are important to help keep front seat occupants in the
proper seated posit ion so that airbags can unfold properly and
provide supp lemental protection in a frontal collision.
The front airbags are designed to provide additional 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 occupant is properly
seated as far as possible from the air bag,
• and the head restraints have been properly adjusted .
Safety first
Airbag system
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 projectiles, and be pushed into you if the airbag inflates .
When an airbag deploys, fine dust is released . This is norma l 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 irritate
skin.
It is important to remember that while the supplemental airbag
system is designed to reduce the likel ihood of serious injuries, other
injuries, for example swelling, bruising and minor abrasions , can
also happen when airbags inflate. Airbags do not protect the arms
or the lower parts of the body. Front airbags only supplement the
three point safety be lts in some frontal collisions in which the
vehic le deceleration is high enough to dep loy the a irbags.
Front airbags will not deploy:
• if the ignition is switched off when a crash occurs,
• in side collisions,
• in rear -end collisions,
• in rollovers,
• when the crash deceleration measured by the airbag system is
less than the minimum threshold needed for airbag deployment as
registered by the electronic control unit.
The front passenger airbag will also not deploy:
• when the front passenger seat is not occupied,
• when the weight on the front passenger seat as sensed by the
Advanced Airbag System indicates that the front airbag on the
passenger side has to be turned off by the electronic control unit
(the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays onl.
& WARNING
Sitting in the wrong position can increase the risk of serious injury
in cras hes. .,,_
Vehicle care
I I irechnical data

-Airbag system ----=---'---------------------------------------------
& WARNING (continued)
• To reduce the risk of injury when the airbags inflate, the driver
and passengers must always sit in an upright position, must not
lean against or place any part of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located .
• Occupants who are unbelted, out of position or too close to the
airbag can be seriously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye~ page
147.
& WARNING
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 inflates -even with an Advanced Airbag System .
• 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 arm rest, door or roof.
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay on ,
immediately install the rear -facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
Audi dealer .
& WARNING
Objects between you and the airbag will increase the risk of injury
in a crash by interfering with the way the airbag unfolds or by
being pushed into you as the airbag inflates .
• Never hold things in your hands or on your lap when the vehicle
is in use .
• Never transport items on or in the area of the front passenger
seat . Objects could move into the area of the front airbags during
& WARNING (continued)
braking or other sudden maneuver and become dangerous projec­
tiles that can cause serious personal injury if the airbags inflate.
• Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as cup
holders, telephone brackets, large , heavy or bulky objects) on the
doors , over or near the area marked "AIRBAG" on the steering
wheel, instrument panel , seat backrests or between those areas
and yourself . These objects could cause injury in a crash, espe­
cially 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
airbag during braking or in a sudden maneuver . Objects near the
airbags can become projectiles and cause injury, particularly when
the seat is reclined.
& WARNING
The fine dust created when airbags deploy can cause breathing
problems for people with a history of asthma or other breathing
conditions.
• To reduce the risk of breathing problems , those with asthma or
other respiratory conditions should get fresh air right away by
getting out of the vehicle or opening windows or doors .
• If you are in a collision in which airbags deploy, wash your
hands and face with mild soap and water before eating .
• Be careful not to get the dust into your eyes, or into any cuts or
scratches .
• If the residue should get into your eyes , flush them with
water. •

Monitoring the Advanced Airbag
System
Airbag monitoring indicator light t!
Two separate indicators monitor the function of the
Advanced Airbag System: the airbag monitoring indica tor
light and the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light.
The Advanced Airbag System (including the e lectronic control unit ,
sensor circu its and system w iring) is monitored cont inuously to
make sure that it is functioning proper ly whenever the ignition is on.
Each time you turn on the ignition, the airbag monitoring in dicator
light
r~ will come on for a few seconds (self diagnostics) .
The sy stem mu st be in spe cted wh en the ind icat or
light ~:
• does not come on when the ignition is switched on ,
• does not go out a few seconds after you have switched on the
ignit ion , or
• comes on whi le driving.
I f an airbag system malfunction is detected, the indicator light will
f irst start flashing to catch the driver 's attention and then stay on
continuously to serve as a constant reminder to have the system
inspected immediately .
I f a malfunction occurs that turns the front airbag on the passenger
side off , the
PAS SEN GER AIR BAG OFF light will come on and stay on
whenever the igni tion is on .
& WARNING
An airbag system that is not fun ctioning properly cannot provide
s upplementa l p rotect ion in a front al cr ash.
• If the airbag ind icator light come s on , it mean s that ther e m ay
be something wr ong with the Adv anced Airb ag S ystem . It i s
Safety first
Airb ag sy ste m
& W ARNING !continued )
possible t hat the airbag will inflate when it is not suppo sed to , or
will not infl ate w hen it should.
• Have the airb ag sys tem in spe cted immedi ate ly b y your Aud i
de aler. •
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light
)
Fig . 133 S ection from
th e instrum ent pa nel:
PASS ENGER AIR BAG
OFF light
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF ligh t is located in the center of the
ins trumen t panel
~ fig . 133.
The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF l ight will come on and stay on to tel l
you when the front Advanced Airbag on the passenger side has
been turned off by the electronic control unit. Each time you turn on
the ignition, the
PA SSE NGER AIR BAG OF F light wi ll flash for a few
seconds and :
• will stay on if the fron t passenger seat is not occupied,
• will stay on if there is a small child or child restraint on the front
passenger seat,
• will go out if the front passenger seat is occupied by an adult as
registered by the weigh t-sensing mat .
The
PA SSENGER AIR BAG OFF light mu st come on and stay on if the
ign ition is on and ._
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

___ A_ ir_ b_ a-g _ s_y _s_ t_ e_ m _________________________________________________ _
• a car bed has been installed on the front seat, or
• a rearward-facing child restraint has been installed on the front
passengerseat,or
• a forward-facing child restraint has been insta lled on the front
passenger seat, or
• the weight registered on the front passenger seat is equal to or
less than the combined weight of a typical 1 year -old restrained in
one of the rear-facing or forward-facing infant restraints listed in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 with which the Advanced
Airbag Sys tem in your vehicle was certified.
If the front passenger seat is not occupied, the front airbag wi ll not
deploy, and the
P ASS ENGER AIR B AG OFF light will stay on. Never
install a rearward -facing child restraint on the front passenger seat,
the safest place for a chi ld in any kind of child restraint is at one of
the seating positions on the rear seat=>
page 147, "Child restraints
on the front seat -some important things to know" and=>
page 168,
"Chi ld Safety" .
If the PA SS ENG ER A IR BAG OFF l ight com es on when one of the
conditions listed above is met, be sure to check the light regularly
to make certain that the
P ASSE NG ER AIR BAG OFF light stays on
continuously whenever the ignition is on. If the
PASSENGER AIR
B AG OFF
light does not appear and not stay on all the time, stop as
soon as it is safe to do so and
• reactivate the system by turning the ignition off and then turning
it on again;
• remove and re install the child restraint. Make sure that the chi ld
restraint is properly insta lled and that the safety belt for the front
passenger seat has been correct ly routed around the ch ild restraint
as described in the child restraint manufacturer's instructions;
• make sure that the convertible locking feature on the safety belt
for the front passenger seat has been activated and that the safety
belt has been pulled tight. The be lt must not be loose or have loops
of slack so that the sensor below the safety belt latch on the seat can
do its job=>
page 177 .
• make sure that things that may increase the weight of the child
and child safety seat are not being t ransported on the front
passenger seat;
• make sure that the safety belt tension sensor is no t blocked.
Shake the safety belt latch on the front passenger seat back and
forth;
• If a strap or tether is being used to tie the chi ld safety seat to the
front passenger seat, make sure that it is no t so tigh t that it causes
the weight -sensing mat to measure more weight than is actually on
t he seat .
If the PA SSEN GER AIR BAG OFF lig ht still doe s no t c om e on and does
not stay on continuously (when the ignition is switched on),
• t ake the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install it
proper ly at one of the rear seat positions. Have the airbag system
inspected by your Audi dealer immediately.
• move the child to a rear seat position and make sure that the
child is properly restrained in a child restra int that is appropriate for
its size and age .
T he
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light shou ld NOT come on when the
ignition is on and an adult is sitting in a proper seating position on
the front passenger seat . If the
PASSENGER AIR BAG O FF light
comes on and stays on or flashes for about 5 seconds wh ile driving,
under these circumstances, make sure that:
• the adu lt on the front passenger seat is properly seated on the
center of the seat cushion with his or her back up against the back­
rest and the backrest is not reclined=>
page 130, "Proper occupant
seating positions",
• t he adu lt 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 proper ly worn and that there is not a lot
of slack in the safety belt webbing,
• accessory seat covers or cushions or other things that may cause
an incorrect reading or impress ion on the weight-sensing mat ...

__________________________________________________ A_ i_ r _b _a...; g::- s_ y=--- s_t _e _m __ lffl!III
under the upho lstery of the seat have been removed from th e front
p assenge r sea t,
• a safety belt extender has not been left in the safety be lt latch for
the fr ont pass enge r se at .
I n addition to the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF l ight in the center of the
instrument pane l, the message PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF or
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON will br iefly appear in the instrument c luster
display . Thi s is to inform the drive r of the current front passenger
a ir b ag status .•
Important safety instructions on monitoring
the Advanced Airbag System
& WARNING
An airbag system that is not functioning prope rly cannot prov ide
supplemental protection in a frontal crash.
• If the airbag ind icator light comes on , it means that there may
be something wrong with the Advanced Airbag System . It is
possible that the airbag will inflate when it is not supposed to , or
will not inflate when it should.
• Have the airbag system inspected immediately by your Audi
dealer.
& WARNING
If the front airbag inflates , a child without a child restraint, in a
rearward-facing child safety se at or in a forward-facing child
restraint 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 ch ildren , especially 12 years and
younger, always ride on the back seat properly restrained for their age and size .
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
& WARNING (continued )
• If you must in stall a rearward-facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not appear and stay on ,
immediately install the rear -facing child safety seat in a rear
seating posit ion and have the airbag system inspected by your
Audi dealer .
• A tight tether or other strap on a rearward-fa cing child restraint
attached to the front passenger seat can put too much pressure
on the weight-sensing mat in the seat and reg ister more weight
than is actually on the seat. The heavier weight registered can make the system work as though an adult were on the seat and
deploy the Advanced Airbag when it must be suppressed causing
serious or even fatal injury to the child .
• If, in exceptional circumstances, you must in stall a forward ­
fac ing child restra int on the front passenger seat , always move the
seat into its rearmost position in the seat's fore and aft adjust ­
ment range , as far away from the airbag as possible. The backrest
must be adjusted to an upright position . Make sure that the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on all the time
whenever the ignition is switched on .
& 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, have the airbag system inspected by your Audi
dealer before transporting anyone on the front passenger seat .
[ i ] Tips
I f the wei ght -sens ing mat in the front passenger seat detects an
empty seat, t he fron t airbag o n the pa ssenge r sid e wil l be tu rne d
o ff , and PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF will stay on .•
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

___ A_ ir_ b_ a-g _ s_y _s_ t_ e_ m _________________________________________________ _
Repair, care and disposal of the airbags
Parts of the airbag system are installed at many different places on
your Audi. Ins tal li n g, r em ovin g, s erv ic ing o r re pairi ng a part in an
area of the veh icle can damage a part of an a irbag system and
prev ent th at system from working pr oper ly in a c ollisio n.
There are some important things you have to know to make sure
that the effect ive ness of the system will not be impai red and that
discarded co mpone nts do not cause inju ry or po llute t he env iro n­
ment .
& WARNING
Improper care , servicing and repair procedures can increase the
r isk of personal injury and death by preventing an airbag from
deploying when needed or deploying an airbag unexpectedly:
• Never cover , obstruct , or change the steering wheel horn pad
or airbag cover or the instrument panel or modify them in any way.
• Never attach any objects such as cup holders or telephone
mountings to the surfaces covering the airbag units.
• For cle aning the horn pad or instrument panel , use only a soft ,
dry cloth or one moi stened 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 prop ­
erly .
• Never repair , adjust , or change any parts of the airbag system.
• All work on the steering wheel , instrument panel, front seats or
electrical system (including the installation of audio equipment ,
cellular telephones and CB radios, etc .} must be performed by a
qualified technician who has the training and spec ial equipment
ne cessary .
• For any work on the airbag system , we strongly recommend
that you see your authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
• Never modify the front bumper or parts of the vehicle body.
& WARNING (continued)
• Always make sure that the side airbag can inflate without inter­
ference :
- Never install seat covers or replacement upholstery over the
front seatbacks that have not been specifically approved by
Audi .
- Never use addit ional seat cushions that cover the areas
where the side airbags inflate.
- Damage to the original seat covers or to the seam in the area
of the side airbag module must always be repaired immedi ­
ately by an authorized Audi dealer .
• The airbag system can be activated only once . After an airbag
has inflated, it must be replaced by an authorized Audi dealer or
qualified technician who has the technical information , training
and special equipment necessary.
• The airbag sy stem can be deployed only once . After an airbag
has been deployed , it must be replaced with new replacement
parts designed and approved especially for your Audi model
version. Replacement of complete airbag systems or airbag
components must be performed by qualified workshops only .
Make sure th at any airbag service action is entered in your Audi
Maintenance
& Warranty booklet under AIRBAG REPLACEMENT
RECORD .•
Other things that can affect Advanced Airbag
performance
Changing the vehic le 's suspension system can change the way that
th e A dva nced Ai rbag Sys te m p erform s in a c ras h. F or example,
using tire -rim combinations not approved by Audi, lowering the
ve hicle, c hanging the stiff ness of th e sus pensi on, in clud ing the
springs, suspens ion struts, shock absorbers etc . can chang e the
forces that a re measured by the airbag sensor s and sent to the e lec -
tronic control unit. Some suspension changes ca n, for example, .,_

increase the force levels measured by the sensors and ma ke the
a irbag sy ste m d eploy in crashes in which it wou ld not deploy if the
changes had no t been made . Other kinds of changes may reduce
the force levels measured by the sensors and prevent the airbag
from deploying when it should.
The sensors in the safety belt buckle for the driver and front
passenger seat te ll the electronic control module i f the safety belt is
latched or not. If the safety belt is being used, the front airbag will
deploy at a sligh tly h igher rate of vehic le d ece leration than if the
safety belt is not being used. Therefore , in a particular co llision , it is
possible that an ai rbag will not deploy at a seating position where
the safety belt is being used but will inflate at the posi tion where the
safety belt is not being used . It is important tha t nothing interfere
with the safety belt buckles so t hat the sensors can send the co rrect
information about safe ty belt use to the elec tronic control unit.
& WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspen sion including use of unapproved
tire -rim combinations can change Advan ced Airbag performan ce
and in crease the risk of serious personal injury in a cra sh.
• Never in stall su spen sion compone nts that do not have the
same performance characteristics as the components originally
in stalled on your vehi cle.
• Never use tire -rim combination s that have not been approved
by Audi.
& WARNING
Items stored between the safety belt bu ckle and the center
console can cau se the sen so rs in the buckle to send the wrong
inform ation to the ele ctron ic control module and prevent the
Advanced Airbag System from working properly .
• Always make sure that nothing can interfere with th e safety
belt buckle s and that they are not obstructed.
Safety first
Airbag sy ste m
ffi For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modu les and pretensioners might be classified
as Perchlorate Material -specia l handling may apply, see
www.dtsc .ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. When the vehicle or
parts of the restraint system including airbag modules safety belts
with prete nsioners are scrapped, all appl icable laws and regu la­
tions must be observed . Your au thori zed Audi dealer is familiar wi th
t hese requirements a nd we rec ommend that y ou have your dea ler
perform this service for you. •
Knee airbags
Description of knee airbags
The air bag system can pr ovide supplemen tal pr otec tio n
to pro perly restrained fron t seat occupants.
Fi g. 13 4 D rive r's
airba g
The ai rbag for the driver is located in the instrument panel under ­
neath the steering wheel:=:, fig. 134 , the airbag for the passenger is
at about the same height in the instrum ent panel underneath the
glove compartment.
T he knee airbag offers add itional protection to the driver 's and
p assenger 's knees and upper and lower thigh areas as a supple -
ment to the safety belts . •
Vehicle care I I irechnical data