light AUDI TT ROADSTER 2008 Manual Online

-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 _________________________________________________ _
If the front airbags deploy, the knee airbags also deploy in frontal
collisions above a certain severity=:>
page 155, "More important
things to know about front airbags".
Besides their normal safety function, safety belts work to help keep
the driver or front passenger in position in case of a frontal collision
so that the airbags can provide protection.
The airbag system is not a substitute for your safety belt. Rather, it
is part of the overall occupant restraint system in your vehicle .
Always remember 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 because the
law requires you to do so=:>
page 137, "Gene ral notes" .
The safety belt buckle for the driver and front seat passenger have
switches that tell the airbag control module if the safety belt is
being used or not. If the safety belt is being used, the front airbag
will deploy at a slightly higher rate of deceleration than if the belt is
not being used. Therefore, in a particular collision, it is possible that
an airbag will not deploy at a seating position where the safety belt
is being used but will inflate at the position where the safety belt is
not being used .
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 supplemental airbag
system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries, other
injuries, for example, swelling, bruising, and minor abrasions can
also be associated with airbags . The knee airbag system basically consists of:
• The electronic control module
• Two inflatable airbags (airbag and gas generator), one for the
driver and one for the front passenger
• Th e airbag indicator light in the instrument panel
The knee airbag system will not deploy:
• when the ignition is turned off
• in front-end 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 malfunction (warning/indicator light illu­
minated) =:>
page 19.
&, WARNING
• Safety belts and the airbag system can only provide protection
when occupants are in the proper seating position=:>
page 155.
• If the airbag indicator light comes when the vehicle is being
used, have the system inspected immediately by your authorized
Audi dealer. The airbag may not work properly when the vehicle
acceleration in a side collision is high enough to deploy the airbag.
See also =:>
page 19. •

__ .....:.A..:..::..:. ir-=b :....:a=- g=- s= y-=s -=t -=e -=m.;._;_ ________________________________________________ _
& WARNING (con tinued )
-No persons (children ) or animals should ride in the footwell
in front of t he passenger s eat . If the airbag deploy s, thi s can
result in serious or fatal injuries .
- No objects of any kind should be carried in the footwell area
in front of the driver's or pa ssenger' s seat. Bulky objects (shop­
ping bag s, for example ) can hamper or prevent p roper deploy ­
ment of the airbag . Small objects can be thrown through the
vehicle if the airbag deploys and injure you or your passenger s.
• Make sure there are no cra cks , deep scratches or other damage
in the area of the in strument panel where the knee airbags are
located .
• If ch ildren are incorrectly seated , their risk of injury increases in
the case of an accident =>
page 168, "Child Safety". •
Side airbags
Description of side airbags
The air ba g s ystem c an pro vid e sup plemen tal p ro tection
to p rope rly re straine d front seat occup ants.
Fig . 13 6 Side airbag
locat ion in the driver 's
seat
T he side airbags are located in the sides of the front seat backrests
=> fig . 136 facing the do ors. T hey ar e id en tified by the word
"AIRBAG ".
The side airbag system basically consists of :
• the e lec tro nic c ontrol m odule an d ex ternal sid e im pact sens ors
• the two side airbags located in the sides of the front backrests
• the airbag war ning light in the instrument clus ter .
T he airbag system is monitored electronicall y to make certain that
it is functioni ng properly at all times . Each time you turn on the igni ­
tion, the airbag system indicator light will come on for a few
se co nds (self diag nostics).
The side airbag system supplements the safety belts and can help
to reduce the risk of injury to the drive r's and fr ont passenger's
upper torso on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a side co lli ­
s ion. The ai rbag deploys only in side impacts and only when the
vehic le acc ele ration re gis te red by the control unit is high eno ugh . If
this rate is below the refe rence va lue programmed into the control
unit, the s ide airbags will no t be tr iggered, ev en thoug h the car may
be badly damaged as a resu lt of the co llision. It is not possible to
de fin e an ai rb a g trigge ring r ange t hat wi ll cov er ev er y possible
angle of impact , since the circumstances will vary considerab ly
bet ween one collision a nd an othe r. Importa nt fac tors include, fo r
example, the na ture (hard or soft) of the impacting object, the ang le
o f im pact, vehicle speed , et c.
=> p age 166, "Importan t safety
i nstructions on th e side airba g sys tem".
Aside from their normal safety function, safety belts wo rk to h elp
ke ep the drive r or front passenger i n pos ition i n th e ev ent o f a side
col lision so that the side ai rbags can provide pro tec tion .
T he airbag system is
not a su bstit ute for y our sa fety belt . Ra the r, it
is part of the overa ll occupa nt restrain t system in your vehicl e.
A lwa ys reme mber tha t the side ai rbag sys tem can only help to
pro tect you if you are w ear ing your sa fety bel t and wear ing it prop ­
e rly. Th is is another reason why you should always wear your safety .,

belts, not just because the law requires you to do so=> page 137,
"General notes" .
It is important to remember that while the supplemental side airbag
system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries, other
injuries, for example, swelling, bruising, and minor abrasions can
also be associated with deployed side airbag .s. Remember too, side
airbags wil l deploy only once and on ly in certain kinds of accidents
- your safety belts are a lways 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 acti­
vation. In some collisions, both front and s ide airbags may inflate .
Remember too , that airbags will deploy only once and only in
certain kinds of collisions - 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 .
The s ide a ir ba g sy stem will not dep loy:
• when the ignition is turned off
• in side coll isions when the acce leration measured by the sensor
is too low
• in front -end collisions
• in rear -end collisions
• in rollovers.
In some types of accidents the front airbags and side airbags may
be triggered together.
& WARNING
• Safet y belt s a nd the airbag sy stem will only provid e prote ct ion
w hen o ccupants ar e in the proper s eating p osition
=> page 16 6.
• If the airbag indicat or light come s on when the vehicle i s being
u sed , have the system in sp ec ted imm ediatel y by your authori zed
Audi de aler . Th e airb ag m ay not work properly when the vehicle
a ccel era tion in a side c olli sio n is high enough to a ctiv ate th e
airb ag .•
Safety first
Airbag sy ste m
How supplemental s ide airbags work
Side airbags deploy instantly and can help reduce the risk
of upper torso injuries for occupants who are properly
restrained .
Fig. 137 Infl ate d side
airb ags on left sid e o f
ve hicle
When the system is triggered , the airbag is fi lled with propellant gas
and brea ks through a seam in the seat surface area marked
"AIRBAG" . It expands between the side trim pane l and the
passenger. In order to help provide this additional protection, the
s ide a irbag must inflate within a fraction of a second at very h igh
speed and with great force. The supp lemental side airbag could
injure you if your seat ing position is not proper or upright or if items
are located in the area where the supplemental side airbag expands.
This applies especially to children =>
page 168, "Child Safe ty" .
Supp lemental side airbags inflate between the occupant and the
door panel on the side of the vehicle that is struck in certain side
collision=> fig. 137.
Although they are not a soft pillow, they can "cushion" the impact and in this way they can help to reduce the risk of injury to the upper
part of the body .
A fine dust may develop when the airbag deploys . This is normal
and does not mean there is a fire in the vehicle. •
Vehicle care I I Technical data

-Airbag system -----~~---------------------------------------------------------
Important safety instructions on the side
airbag system
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. Always prop­
erly wear safety belts and ride in a proper seating posi­
tion.
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.
& WARNING
An inflating side airbag can cause serious or fatal injury. Improp­
erly wearing safety belts and improper seating positions increase
the risk of serious personal injury and death whenever a vehicle is
being used.
• In order to reduce the risk of injury when the supplemental side
airbag inflates:
- Always sit in an upright position and never lean against the
area where the supplemental side airbag is located.
- Never let a child or anyone else rest their head against the
side trim panel in the area where the supplemental side airbag
inflates.
- Always make sure that safety belts are worn correctly,
- Do not let anyone sitting in the front seat put their hand or
any other parts of their body out of the window.
• Always make sure that the side airbag can inflate without inter­
ference.
-Never install seat covers or replacement upholstery over the
front seat backs that have not been specifically approved by
Audi.
- Never use additional seat cushions that cover the areas
where the side airbags deploy .
& WARNING (continued)
-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 .
• Objects between you and the airbag can increase the risk of
injury in an accident by interfering with the way the airbag unfolds
or by being pushed into you as the airbag inflates. -Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as
cup holders, 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 projec­
tiles and cause injury when the supplemental side airbag deploys.
- Never carry any objects or pets in the deployment space
between them and the airbags or allow children or other
passengers to travel in this position.
• Always use the built-in coat hooks only for lightweight
clothing. Never leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the
pockets that may interfere with side 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.
• Damage (cracks, deep scratches etc.I to the original seat covers
or to the seam in the area of the side airbag module must always
be repaired immediately by an authorized Audi dealer.
• If children are seated improperly, their risk of injury increases
in the case of an accident ~
page 168, "Child Safety" .
• Never attempt to modify any components of the airbag system
in anyway. _.,

___ C_h_ i_ ld _ S_ a_ f_ e_ t_y ____________________________________________ _
Child Safety
Important things to know
Introduction
The physical principles of what happens when your veh ic le is in a
crash apply also to children=>
page 139, "What happens to occu ­
pants no t wearing safety belts?" . But un like adu lts and teenagers,
their musc les and bones are not fully developed. In many respects
children are at g reater risk of serious injury in crashes than adul ts .
Because chi ldren's bodies are not fully developed, they require
restraint systems especial ly designed for their size, weight, and
body structure. Many countries and all s tates of the United States
and provinces of Canada have laws requiring the use of approved
chi ld restraint syste ms for in fants and sma ll children.
In a fronta l crash at a speed of 20 -35 mph (30 -56 km/h) the forces
acti ng on a 13 -p o und (6 kg) infant wil l be m ore tha n 20 times the
weight of the child. This means the weight of the child would suddenly be more than 260 pounds (120 kg). Under these condi ­
tions, on ly an appropriate child restraint properly used can reduce
the risk of serious injury . Child restraints, like adult safety belts,
m ust be used prope rly t o be e ffective. Used i mproper ly, they can
increase the risk of serious injury in an accident .
Co nsu lt the ch ild safety s eat manu fact ure r's ins truc tions to be su re
the seat is right for your child's size=>
page 171, "Important safety
instruct ions for using child safe ty seats" . Please be sure to read and
heed a ll of the important information and WARN INGS about chi ld
safety, Advanced Airbags, and the installation of child restraints in
this chap ter.
There is a lot you need to know about the Advanced Airbags in your
veh ic le and how they work when infants and chi ldre n in child
restra ints are on the front passenger seat. Because of the large
a m ount of impo rtant informati on, we can not repeat i t all here. We urge you to
read the detai led informat ion in this owner's manua l
about airbags and the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle and
the very i mportant in formation about tra nsport ing chi ldren on the
front passenger seat. Please be sure to heed the WAR NINGS -they
are ext remely important for y our safe ty a nd the safe ty of you r
passengers, especia lly infants and small children.
& WARNING
All vehicle o ccupants and especially children must be restrained
properly wheneve r riding in a vehicle. An unrestrained or improp­
erly restrained child could be injured by striking the interior or by
be ing e je cted from the vehicle during a sudden maneuver or
impa ct. An unrestrained or improperly restrained child i s also at
greater risk of injury or death through contact with an inflating
airbag .
& WARNING
Children on the front seat of any car even w ith Adv anced Airbags
can be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag infla tes. A
child in a rearward-fa cing child safety seat installed on the front
passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if the
front airbag inflate s.
• The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant
c arrier with great fo rce and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the backrest, door or roof.
• Never install a rearward fa cing child safety seat on the front
pa ssenger seat unles s the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes
on and stays on . If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not
come on and stay on , have the airbag system in spected immedi -
ately by your Audi dealer . _,.

___ C_ h_ il_ d _S_ a_fe _ ty ______________________________________________ _
the safety belt as compared to the tension on the belt when it is
used to attach a child restraint to the seat. The sensor below the latch for the safety belt for the front seat passenger measures the
tension on the belt. The input from this sensor is then used with the
weight to "decide", whether there is a child restraint with a typical 1
year-old child on the front passenger seat and whether or not the
airbag must be turned off. •
Child restraints and Advanced Airbags
Regardless of the child restraint that you use, make sure that it has
been certified to meet United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards and has been certified by its manufacturer for use with
an airbag. If in exceptional circumstances you must use it on the
front passenger seat, carefully read all of the information on child
safety and Advanced Airbags and heed all of the applicable WARN­
INGS. Make certain that the child restraint is correctly recognized by
the weight-sensing mat inside the front passenger seat, that the
front passenger airbag is turned off and that the airbag status is
always correctly signaled by the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light.
Many types and models of child restraints have been available over
the years, new models are introduced regularly incorporating new
and improved designs and older models are taken out of produc ­
tion. Child restraints are not standardized. Child restraints of the same type typically have different weights and sizes and different
'footprints,' the size and shape of the bottom of the child restraint
that sits on the seat, when they are installed on a vehicle seat. These
differences make it virtually impossible to certify compliance with
the requirements for advanced airbags with each and every child restraint that has ever been sold in the past or will be sold over the
course of the useful life of your vehicle.
For this reason, the United States National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration has published a list of specific type, makes and
models of child restraints that must be used to certify compliance
of the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle with the suppression requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208.
These
child restraints are:
A. Car beds, manufactured on or after September 1,
2004:
• Cosco Dream Ride 02 -719
B. Rear facing child restraint systems, manufactured
on or after September 1, 2004:
(When the restraint system comes equipped with a removable base,
compliance has to be certified with or without the base).
• Britax Handle with Care 191
• Century Assura 4553
• Century Smart Fit 4543
• Cosco Arriva 02727
• Evenflo Discovery Adjust Right 212
• Evenflo First Choice 204
• Graco Infant 8457
C. Forward-facing convertible child restraint systems,
manufactured on or after September 1, 2004:
• Britax Roundabout 161
• Britax Expressway
• Century Encore 4612
• Century STE 1000 4416
• Cosco Olympian 02803
• Cosco Touriva 02519
• Evenflo Horizon V 425
• Evenflo Medallion 254
• Safety First Comfort Ride 22-400