steering wheel AUDI TT ROADSTER 2014 Owners Manual

(!) Power window switches
@
®
©
Door handle
Power locking sw itch
Adjuster control for outside mir- rors ... . ............. .... .
® Air outlets ............... . .
@ Light switch . ... .... ... .. .. .
(J) Turn signa l and high beam . .. .
@ Mu ltifunction stee ring wheel
with:
- Horn
- Drive r's ai rbag .... ... .. .. .
- Shift buttons ..... ... .. .. .
® Instrument cluster
@ Sw itches for
- Windshield wiper/washer
- Menu disp lay ..... ... .. .. .
39
36
S2
70
48
so
113
86
10
S4
24
- T rip computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
© Steering lock/ignition/starter
switch (in the steering wheel
column) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
@ Adjustab le s teer ing column . . . 73
@ Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
€3J H ood re lease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
@ Data L ink Connector (DLC) for
On Board Diagnostics ( OBD II) 30
@ Instrument lighting . . . . . . . . . 52
@ Switches for
- Fuel filler flap release 163
- Rea r lid re lease . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 7
@ Depending on opt ions: Rad io or
nav igat ion system
@ Glove compar tment ( lockable) 66
@ Front passenger's a irbag . . . . . 113
@ Rear window defogger sw itch 7 1
@ Climate controls . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
@ Ashtray w ith cigarette lighter . . 64
@ Selecto r l ever (5 troni c) . . . . . . . 82
@) Switches for
- Audi magnet ic r ide or Sport
mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80, 80
- Electronic Stab ilizat ion Con-
tro l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
- Emergency flasher . . . . . . . . . 51
Cockpi t 9
- Retractable rear spo iler .. ...
@ Switch for automatic folding
144
top . ... .. .. .. .. . .. .... ... .
@ Swi tch for wind deflector .... .
@ C up ho lder .. .. .. .......... .
@ Pa rking brake lever
(D Tips
- Some of the equipment or features
show n in the genera l illustration may be
standard equ ipme nt on your vehicle or
may be opt ional equ ipment depending
on you r model. Always as k yo ur au tho r­
ized Aud i de aler if you have a quest ion
abou t your vehi cle.
- A separate bro ch ure is p rov ided for yo ur
facto ry-installed audio system and/or
the A udi Navigation System.
43
4 4
64
75

light sensor checked as soon as possible at a
dealership.
Adaptive light *
The benefit of adaptive l ight is that the curve
and the edge of the road are better i llum inat­
ed . The adaptive light is contro lled automati­
cally, depending on vehicle speed and steering
wheel angle.
When driving a round bends, the head lights
are contro lled according to steering wheel an­
g le . So that there is no black area ahead of the
ve hic le, the two main beams pivot at different
angles. The system works above a speed of
about 6 mph (10 km/h).
Com ing home /le avi ng home function *
The function is swit ched on when the switch is
in the AUTO* position and the function is
shown as active in the driver information sys­
tem.
The
coming hom e function illuminates the
area around the vehicle when the ign ition is
switched off and the driver's door is ope ned.
The length of time the lights remain on can be
set in the menu display
( Illumination > Exte­
rior lights > coming home ).
The leavi ng home function i lluminates the
area around the vehicle when unlocking it.
A WARNING
- Never use dayt ime running l ights to see
where you are going. They are not bright
enough and w ill not let you see far
enough ahead for safety, especially at
dusk or when it is dar k. Always switch on
the low beams at dusk or when i t is dar k.
- Automatic headlights a re only intended
to assist the dr iver. They do not re lieve
t he driver of his responsibi lity to check
t he headlights and to turn them on man­
ually according to the current light and
visibility conditions. For example, fog
and rain cannot be detected by the light
sensors. So a lways switch on the head­
lights under these weather cond itions
and when driving in the dark
jO .
Clear vis ion 49
- Crashes can happen when you cannot see
the road ahead and when you cannot be
seen by other motorists.
- Always turn on the headlights so that
youcanseeahe adandsothatothe ~
can see your car from the back .
- Please observe legal regulat ions w hen
using the ligh ting systems des cribed.
(D Tips
- T he light sensor for head light control is
located in the rear view mirror mount.
Do not apply any stickers to t he wind­
shield in th is area to preven t malfunc­
tions or fa ilures.
- Some exter io r l ighting funct ions can be
adjusted in t he driver i nformat ion sys­
t em
~page 24.
- I f you remove the igni tion from t he igni ­
t ion lock while the headligh ts are s till
on, a buzzer wi ll sound as long as the
driver's door is o pen to remind yo u to
t u rn off the lights.
- Always observe the specific local regula ­
tions for your area as to when to use your
lights.
- With automatic headlights, the high­
beam f unction is also available, but w ith
one restrict ion: If you have not sw itched
the high beams back to low beams dur­
ing automatic headlight operation (for
example, after d riving throug h a tunnel),
only the low beams come on the next
t ime au tomati c headlights a re swi tched
on. To use the high beams , you firs t have
t o pull the hig h beam lever back and
then push the lever fo rward again .
- In coo l or damp weather, the inside of
the headlights, turn signals an d tail
lights can fog over due to the tempera­
t u re difference between the inside and
outside. They w ill clear shortly after
switching them on. This does not affect
the se rv ice life of the lighting.

60 Seats and stor age
Seats and storage
General recommen­
dations
Why is your seat adjustment so
important?
The safety belts and the airbag system can
only provide maximum protection if the front
seats are correctly adjusted.
There are various ways of adjusting the front
seats to provide safe and comfortable support
for the driver and the front passenger. Adjust
you r seat prope rly so that :
- you can easily and quickly reach all the
switches and controls in the instrument
panel
-your body is properly supported thus reduc­
ing physical stress and fatigue
- the safety be lts and airbag system can offer
maximum protection
¢ page 109.
In the following sections, you will see exactly
how you can best adjust your seats .
There are special regulations and instructions
for installing a child safety seat on the front
passenger's seat. Always heed the informa­
tion regarding child safety provided in
¢ page 130, Child Safety.
A WARNING
Incorrect seating position of the driver and
all other passengers can result in serious
personal injury.
- Always keep your feet on the floor when
the vehicle is in motion -never put your
feet on top of the instrument panel, out
of the window or on top of the seat cush­
ion! This applies especially to the passen­
gers .
If your seating position is incorrect
you increase the risk of injury in the case
of sudden braking or an acc ident.
If the
airbag inflates and the seating position
is incorrect this could result in personal
injury or even death.
- It is important for both the driver and
front passenger to keep a distance of at least 10
inches (25 cm) between them­
selves and the steering wheel and/or in­
strument panel. If you're sitting any
closer than this, the airbag system can­ not protect you properly . In addition to
this, the front seats and head restraints
must be adjusted to your body height so
that they can give you maximum protec­
tion.
- Always try to keep as much distance as
possible between yourself and the steer­
ing wheel or instrument panel.
- Do not adjust the driver's or front pas­
senger's seat whi le the vehicle is moving.
Your seat may move unexpectedly, caus­
ing sudden loss of vehicle control and
personal injury. If you adjust your seat
while the vehicle is moving, you are out of position.
Driver's seat
The correct seat position is important for safe
and relaxed driving.
We recommend that you adjust the driver's
seat in the following manner :
.,. Adjust the seat in fore and aft direction so
that you can easily push the peda ls to the
floor whi le keeping your knee slightly bent
i::> A in Why is your seat adjustment so im­
portant? on page 60 .
.,. Adjust the seatback so that when you sit
with your back against the seatback , you can
still grasp the top of the steering wheel.
.,. Position the head restraint according to the
occupant 's height
<=:> page 63 . For maxi­
mum protection, the top of the head re­
straint shou ld be at least at eye level, pref­
erably higher and ideally level with the top
of the head
¢ page 95, fig. 102.
A WARNING "--
Never place any objects in the driver's foot-
well. An object could get into the pedal
area and interfere with pedal function. In
case of sudden braking or an accident, you
would not be able to brake or accelerate!

On the road
Steering
Adjusting the steering wheel column
The steering wheel position can be continu­
ously adjusted in height and distance.
Fig. 81 Lever under the stee ring column
• Push the lever¢ fig. 81 -Arrow- ¢,&. .
• Move the steer ing wheel to the desired posi ­
tion.
• Push the lever against the steering column
until it locks.
There must be at least 10 inches (25 cm) be­ tween your chest and the center of the steer­
ing wheel. If you cannot sit more than 10 in­
ches (25 cm) from the steering wheel, see if
adaptive equipment is available to help you
reach the pedals and increase the distance
from the steering wheel.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
driver's seat, see
¢ page 62.
A WARNING
Improper use of steering wheel adjust­
ment and improper seating position can
cause serious personal injury.
- Adjust the steering wheel column only
when the vehicle is not moving to pre­
vent loss of vehicle control.
- Adjust the driver's seat or steering wheel so that there is a minimum of 10 inches
(25 cm) between your chest and the
steering wheel
¢page 93, fig. 101. If
you cannot maintain this minimum dis­
tance, the airbag system cannot protect
you properly.
On the road 73
-If physical limitations prevent you from
sitt ing 10 inches (25 cm) or more from
the steering wheel, check with your au­
thorized Audi dealer to see if adaptive equipment is ava ilable .
- If the steering wheel is aligned with your
face, the supplemental dr iver 's airbag
cannot provide as much protection in an
accident. Always make sure that the
steering wheel is al igned with your
chest .
-Always hold the steer ing wheel w ith your
hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock posi­
tions to reduce the risk of persona l injury
if the driver's airbag deploys .
- Never hold the steering wheel at the 12
o'clock position or with your hands inside
the steering wheel rim or on the steering
wheel hub. Holding the steering wheel
the wrong way can cause serious injuries
to the hands, arms and head if the driv­
er's airbag deploys.
Ignition lock and ignition switch
Ignition lock
The ignition key starts or stops the engine.
Fig. 82 Ignit ion lock posit ions
Ignition off @
In position ~ fig. 82@ both the ignition and
engine are off, and the steering is locked .
To
lock the steering after you have removed
the ignition key , turn the steering wheel in ei­
ther direction until you hear it lock into place .
You should always lock the steering whenever ..,.

74 On the road
you leave your vehicle. This makes a vehicle
theft even more difficult ¢ .&. .
Ignition key saf ety lock
Afte r swi tching off the ignition, t he ig nit ion
key can on ly be removed from the ig nition
lock when the se lector lever is in the "P"
(Park) position . After you have removed the
key, the selector lever is locked and cannot be
moved.
Ignition on @
If it is diffic ult to tu rn the key after you have
inserted it into the ignition lock, turn the
steering wheel back and forth. This will take
the load
off the steering lock mechanism and
you will be able to turn the key freely and
start the engine.
Starting the engine @
In this position the engine starts . While the
engine is starting , the power supply to the
headlights and other e lectrica l consumers is
temporari ly interrupted to conserve battery
power. After the engine has started, release
the key and it will return to posit ion
(D .
Before the starter can be operated again the
key must be turned back to position @. The
non -repeat loc k prevents you from damaging
the starter when the engine is runn ing .
A WARNING
-Never remove the key from the ign it ion
lock whi le the vehicle is moving. The
steeri ng wheel will lock causing loss of
c ontrol.
- If you have to leave your vehicle - even
for just a m inute -always remove t he ig­
nition key and take it with you. This is es­
pecially important if you a re going to
leave chi ldren behind in the vehicle. The
children co uld start the engine or use
other vehicle controls. Unsupervised use
of vehicle controls (for examp le, power
windows) can cause serious personal in­
jur ies .
(D Tips
If the vehicle battery has been disconnect­
ed and then reconnected, then you must
l eave the key in position
(D for about 5
seconds before you can start the engine.
Starting and stopping
the engine
Starting the engine
The engine can only be started with an origi­
nal Audi key.
.,. Set the park ing brake.
.,. Move the selector lever in P or
N ~ &_ .
.,. Turn the ignition key to position @
¢ page 73, fig. 82 -do not depress the gas
pedal when starting the engine!
.,. Let go of the key as soon as the engine
starts .
A cold engine may at first be loud after it has
been started. This is due to the hydraulic
valves bu ild ing up the oil pressure . Th is nor­
mal and no need for concern .
If the engine does not start immediate ly, stop
trying after 10 seconds and then try to restart
the engine about 30 seconds later .
A WARNING
-Never start or let the engine run in a con-
f ined or enclosed area. Exhaust fumes
from the engine conta in carbon monoxide,
a colorless and odorless gas. Carbon mon­
oxide can be fatal if inhaled .
- Never leave the engi ne idling unattend­
ed. An unat tended veh icle w ith a runn ing
engine poses a danger of personal injury
or theft .
(D Note
-Avo id h igh engine speeds, fast accelera­
tion or heavy engine loads while the en­
gine is still cold. This could damage the
engine.
- T he engine cannot be started by pushing
or towing the vehicle . ..,.

86 Transmis sion
If you have selected a lower gear than the cur­
rent one, the transmission w ill only shift down
when the engine cannot be overspeeded.
I f kick-down is actuated, the transmiss ion
shifts into a lower gear independently of
speed and engine rpm .
Steering wheel with Tiptronic controls
Applies to vehicles: with S tro nic
The selector paddles allow the driver to keep
both hands on the steering wheel when shift­
ing gears.
Fig. 95 Spo rt stee ring wheel w ith selecto r paddle s
Shifting up
.,. Pull the right paddle, marked 0 ¢ fig. 95
briefly towards you .
Shifting down
.,. Pull the left paddle, marked O ¢ fig. 95
briefly towards you .
The selector paddles on the steering wheel
are activated when the selector lever on the
center console is in D, 5 or in the manual posi­
tion ( Tiptronic mode).
You can also shift gears in the Tiptronic mode
using the selector lever on the center console.
(D Tips
With the gear selector lever in either Dor
5 the transmission will switch back to the
automatic mode if you do not use the pad­
dles within approx . 30 seconds.
Kick-down feature
Applies to vehicles: w it h S tronic
The kick-down feature allows maximum ac­
celeration.
If you depress the accelerator pedal fully be­
yond the full-throttle position, the transmis·
sion automatically downshifts one gear, de·
pending on vehicle speed and eng ine rpm. The
upshift into the next higher gear takes place
as soon as the maximum specified engine
speed is reached.
.&_ WARNING i-==
Please note that the drive wheels can spin
if the kick-down is used on a smooth slip·
pery road -risk of skidding!
Launch Control Program
Applies to veh icles: w it h S t ronic
The Launch Control Program permits maxi­
mum acceleration.
In order to use Launch Control, the ASR (Anti­
S lip Regulation) must be disabled . When ASR
is disabled , the ESC warning/indicator light
fl
in the instrument cluster illuminates. So that
Launch Control can be used, the engine must
be at operating temperature and the steering
wheel must not be turned.
.,. With the engine running, briefly press the
ESC button . The message "Stabilization pro­
gram off" or "Sport control Warning! Re­
stricted stability" in the driver information
system display .
.,. Shift the gear lever to "5" or the tiptronic
position .
.,. Step on the brake pedal with your left foot
and keep the brake pedal fully depressed for
at least one second.
.,. With yo ur right foot, step on the accelerator
to the wide-open throttle position or Kick·
down. The eng ine speed settles at about
3,200 rpm .
.,. Take your left foot off the brake. ..,.

.. Fasten your safety belt and wear it properly.
Also instruct your passengers to fasten their
safety belts properly ¢
page 101.
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condi­
tion of the vehicle, the driver as well as the
driver's ability to concentrate on the road
without being distracted.
The driver is responsible for the safety of the
veh icle and a ll of its occupants . If your ability
to drive is impaired, safety risks for everybody
in the vehicle increase and you also become a
hazard to everyone else on the road ¢
,&..
Therefore:
.,. Do not let yourself be distracted by passen­
gers or by us ing a cellular telephone.
.. NEVER drive when your driv ing ability is im ­
paired (by medicat ions, alcohol, drugs, etc.) .
.. Observe all traffic laws, ru les of the road
and speed limits and plain common sense.
.. ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic
and weather conditions.
.. Take frequent breaks on long trips. Do not
drive for more than two hours at a stretch .
.. Do NOT drive when you are tired, under
pressure or when you are stressed.
A WARNING
Impaired driving safety increases the risk
of serious personal injury and death when­
ever a vehicle is being used.
Drivin g Sa fely 93
Proper occupant
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is impor­
tant for safe, relaxed driving.
Fig. 101 The correct d istance between driver an d
steer ing wheel
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom­
mend that you adjust the driver's seat to the
f o ll ow ing pos ition:
.,. Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easi­
ly push the pedals all the way to the floo r
while keeping your knee(s) slightly bent
q&_ ,
.. Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is
in an upright position so that your back
comes in full contact with it when you drive.
.. Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a
distance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) be­
tween the steering wheel and your breast
bone¢
fig. 101. If not possible, see your au­
thorized Audi dealership about adaptive
equ ipment .
.. Adjust the steering wheel so that the steer­
ing wheel and airbag cover points at your
chest and not at your face .
.. Grasp the top of the steering whee l with
your elbow(s) slightly bent .
.. Adjust the head restraint so the upper edge
is as even as possible with the top of your
head . If that is not poss ible, try to adjust
the head restraint so that it is as close to
this pos ition as possib le .
.. Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
qpage 104.

94 Driving Safely
• Always keep both feet in the footwell so
that you are in control of the vehicle at all
times.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
driver's seat, see
c::> page 61.
A WARNING
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the airbag can be seriously
injured by an airbag as it deploys. To help
reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between your breast­
bone and the steering wheel.
- Always adjust the driver's seat and the
steering wheel so that there are at least
4 inches (10 cm) between the knees and
the lower part of the instrument panel.
- Always hold the steering wheel on the
outside of the steering wheel rim with
your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to help reduce the risk of per­
sonal injury if the driver's airbag inflates.
- Never hold the steering wheel at the
12 o'clock position or with your hands at
other positions inside the steering wheel
rim or on the steering wheel hub. Hold­
ing the steering wheel the wrong way
can cause serious injuries to the hands,
arms and head if the driver's airbag in­
flates
- Pointing the steering wheel toward your
face decreases the ability of the supple­
mental driver's airbag to protect you in a
collision.
- Always sit in an upright position and nev­
er lean against or place any part of your
body too close to the area where the air­
bags are located.
- Before driving, always adjust the front
seats and head restraints properly and
make sure that all passengers are prop­
erly restrained.
- Never adjust the seats while the vehicle
is moving. Your seat may move unexpect- edly and you could lose control of the ve­
hicle.
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests
are tilted back, the greater the risk of in­
jury due to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper seating posi­
tion .
- Children must always ride in child seats
c::> page 130. Special precautions apply
when installing a child seat on the front passenger seat¢
page 109.
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position
is important for safe, relaxed driving .
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom­
mend that you adjust the seat for the front
passenger to the following position :
• Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is
in an upright position and your back comes in full contact with it whenever the vehicle is
moving.
• Adjust the head restraint so that the upper
edge is as even with the top of your head as
possible but not lower than eye level and so
that it is as close to the back of your head as
possible
c::> page 95.
• Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of
the front passenger seat.
• Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
c::> page 104.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
front passenger's seat, see
c::> page 60 .
A WARNING
-
Front seat passengers who are unbelted,
out of position or too close to the airbag
can be seriously injured or killed by the air­
bag as it unfolds. To help reduce the risk of
serious personal injury:

102 Safet y belt s
Why safety belts?
Frontal collisions and the law of physics
Frontal crashes create very strong forces for
people riding in vehicles .
Fig. 10 4 Unbe lted occupa nts in a vehicle heading for a
wall
Fig . 105 The ve hicle c ras hes into t he wa ll.
The physical principles are simp le. Both the
vehicle and the passengers possess energy
which varies w ith veh icle speed and body
weight . Engineers call th is energy ''kinetic en ­
ergy ."
The higher the speed of the vehicle and the
greater the vehicle's weight, the more energy
that has to be "absorbed" in the crash .
Vehicle speed is the most significant factor . If
the speed doub les from 15 to 30 mph (25 to
50 km/h) , the energy increases 4 t imes!
Because the occupants in this vehicle are not
using safety belts ¢
fig. 104, they will keep
mov ing at the same speed the vehicle was
mov ing just before the crash, unti l something
stops them -here, the wall
¢ fig . 105 .
The same pr inc iples apply to people sitting in
a vehicle that is involved in a frontal collision .
Even at city speeds of 20 to 30 mph (30 to 50
km/h), the forces act ing on the body can reach one ton (2,000 lbs, or 1,000 kg) or
more. At h
igher speeds, these forces are even
greater.
People who do not use safety belts are also
not attached to their vehicle. In a frontal colli ­
sion they wi ll also keep moving forward at t he
speed their vehicle was travell ing just before
the crash. Of course, the laws of physics don't
just app ly to frontal collisions, they determine
what happens in all kinds of acc idents and col ­
lis ions .
What happens to occupants not wearing
safety belts?
In crashes unbelted occupants cannot stop
themselves from flying forward and being in­
jured or killed . Always wear your safe ty belts!
Fig . 106 A dr iver not wea ring a safety belt is vio le n tl y
t hrown forward
Unbelted occ upants a re not able to resist the
tremendous forces of impact by hold ing tight
or bracing themse lves. Without the benefit of
safety restra int systems, the unrestrained oc­
cupant will slam violently into the steering
wheel, instr ument panel, w indshield, or what­
ever else is i n the way ¢ fig. 106. This impact
with the veh icle inte rior has all the energy
they had j ust before the c rash.
Never rely on airbags alone for protection .
Even when they deploy, a irbags provide only
additional protection . Airbags a re not sup ­
posed to deploy in all k inds of accidents. A l­
t h ough your Aud i is equipped wi th airbags, all
vehicle occupants, including the driver, must
wear safety be lts cor rectly in order to m ini ­
mize the risk of severe injury or death in a
crash .

Airbag system Important things to know
Importance of wearing safety belts and
sitting properly
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. For
airbags to do their job, occupants must al­
ways properly wear their safety belts and be
in a proper seating position.
For your safety and the safety of your passen­
gers, before driving off, always:
"" Adjust the driver's seat and steering wheel
properly¢
page 93,
"" Adjust the front passenger's seat properly
¢page 61,
""Wear safety be lts properly ¢ page 103,
""Always properly use the proper child re-
straint to protect children
r::::> page 130.
In a collision airbags must inflate within the
blink of an eye and with considerable force.
The supplemental airbags can cause injuries if
the driver or the front seat passenger are not
seated properly . Therefore in order to help the
airbag to do its job, it is impo rtant, both as a
d river and as a passenger to s it properly at all
times.
By keeping room between your body and the
steer ing whee l and the front of the passenger
compartment, the airbag can inflate fully and
comp lete ly and provide supplemental protec­
tion in certain frontal collisions
r::::> page 93,
Proper occupant seating positions.
F or details
on the operation of the seat adjustment con­
trols ¢
page 61 and ¢ page 62.
It's especially important that children a re
properly restrained
r::::> page 130.
There is a lot that the driver and the passen­
ger can and must do to help the individua l
safety features installed in your Aud i work to­
gether as a system.
Proper seating pos ition is important so that
the front airbag on the driver side can do its
job. If you have a physical impairment or con-
Airbag system 109
dition that prevents you from sitting properly
on the driver seat with the safety belt properly
fastened and reach ing the pedals, or if you
have concerns with regard to the function or
operation of the Advanced Airbag System,
please contact your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop, or call Audi Customer Re­
lations at 1-800-822-2834 for poss ible modi­
fications to your vehicle.
When the airbag system dep loys, a gas gener ­
ator will fill the a irbags, break open the pad­
ded covers, and inflate between the steer ing
whee l and the driver and between the instru­
ment panel and the front passenger. The air­
bags will deflate immediately after deploy­
ment so that the front occupants can see
through the windshield again without inter­
ruption.
A ll of th is takes place in the blink of an eye, so
fast that many people don't even realize that
the airbags have deployed. The airbags a lso
inflate with a great dea l of force and nothing
should be in their way when they deploy.
Front airbags in combination with properly
worn safety belts slow down and lim it the oc­
cupant's forward movement. Together they
help to prevent the driver and passenger from
hitt ing parts of the inside the vehicle while re­
ducing the forces acting on the occupant dur­
ing the crash . In this way they help to reduce
the risk of injury to the head and upper body
in the crash. Airbags do not protect the arms
or the lower parts of the body.
Both front airbags will not inflate in all fronta l
collisions . The triggering of the airbag system
depends on the vehicle dece leration rate
caused by the co llision and registered by the
electronic control unit. If th is rate is below
the reference value programmed into the con­
trol unit, the airbags will not be triggered,
even though the car may be badly damaged as
a result of the collision . Vehicle damage, re­
pair costs or even the lack of veh icle damage
is not necessarily an indication of whether an
airbag shou ld inf late or not .
It is not possible to define a range of vehicle
speeds that will cover every possible kind and ..,. •
•