Get Sitting correctly and safely Guide for Audi Q8 SUV First Generation (2018-2026)

Sitting correctly and safely

– Never kneel on the seats.

Sitting correctly and

safely

– Never tilt your backrest far back.

– Never lean against the instrument panel.

– Never lie down on the rear bench seat.

– Never sit only on the front section of the seat.

– Never sit sideways on the seat.

Maintaining the correct

seating position

General information

– Never lean against the window.

– Never place your feet out of the window.

– Never place your feet on the instrument panel.

– Never place your feet on the seat cushion.

– Never ride in the footwell.

As the driver, you are responsible for making sure

each person in the vehicle is sitting correctly in

their seat and maintaining this correct seating

position while driving. Make sure that:

– Never sit on the armrests.

– Each person in the vehicle has adjusted their

seat correctly ðpage 66.

– Never drive or ride in a seat without fastening

your safety belt.

– The steering wheel is adjusted correctly

ðpage 70.

– Never ride in the luggage compartment.

– The mirrors are adjusted so that there is a suffi-

cient view of the area around the vehicle

ðpage 60.

WARNING

Incorrect seating positions, failure to wear a

safety belt, or being too close to an airbag in-

crease the risk of serious injury or death to ve-

hicle occupants, especially if the airbags de-

ploy and come into contact with vehicle occu-

pants who are not seated correctly. Note the

important information and warnings in the

chapters for the topics given above.

– Each person in the vehicle has adjusted their

head restraint correctly ðpage 71.

– Each person in the vehicle has adjusted their

safety belt correctly ðpage 72.

– The activation status of the front passenger's

airbag is suitable for the person in the front

passenger's seat ðpage 78.

– Children are secured in suitable child safety

seats that are secured to appropriate vehicle

seats ðpage 80. Read and observe the impor-

tant safety information pertaining to the use of

child safety seats on the front passenger's seat

Tips

– Save your seat profile* ðpage 75. This al-

lows you to access your personal seat profile

quickly and easily at any time.

– If you or other passengers in the vehicle

have physical limitations that prevent sit-

ting in a correct position, modifications to

the vehicle may be necessary. For more in-

formation, contact an authorized Audi deal-

er or authorized Audi Service Facility, or call

Audi customer support at 1-800-822-2834.

ð

in General information on page 80.

Examples of incorrect seating positions

Safety belts can only provide optimal protection

when they are routed correctly. Incorrect seating

positions significantly reduce the protective func-

tions of the safety belts and increase the risk of

injury due to incorrect belt routing.

Front seats

General information

Make sure that:

The following list includes examples of seating

positions that could be dangerous for all vehicle

occupants. This is not a complete list. Audi would

simply like to increase your awareness of the top-

ic. The following points apply when the vehicle is

in motion:

– You can press the pedals down completely

while your legs are slightly bent.



– Never stand inside the vehicle.

– Never stand on the seats.

66

Sitting correctly and safely

– The distance between your upper body and the

steering wheel or instrument panel is at least

10 inches (25 cm).

to use the pedals if sudden driving or brak-

ing maneuvers were needed, which increas-

es the risk of an accident.

– The distance between your knees and the in-

strument panel is at least 4 inches (10 cm).

– Your thighs are lightly supported by the front

surface of the seat.

– Make sure that the floor mats are always se-

curely attached.

– To reduce the risk of an accident, never place

additional floor mats or other floor covers

over the installed floor mats, because this

reduces the pedal's range of motion and can

impair pedal operation.

– The backrest is in an upright position and the

back of the person seated is resting against it.

– You have a sufficient view of the area around

the vehicle.

– To reduce the risk of injury, never place your

feet on the instrument panel, out of the

window, or on the seat surfaces. This also

applies to persons in the rear seats.

– You have a clear view of the instrument cluster,

indicator lights, and the head-up display*.

Seat settings menu: quick access

Applies to: vehicles with seat settings in the MMI

Note

If you press on the image of the driver's or front

passenger's seat in the climate control system

menu ðpage 93, fig. 81 1 , you will go directly

to the seat settings for that seat.

To reduce the risk of damage, be very careful

when adjusting the seat to make sure the

head restraints do not come into contact with

the roof.

WARNING

Tips

– If you are too close to the steering wheel or

instrument panel, the airbag system cannot

provide the optimal protection, which in-

creases the risk of injury and death.

Only control a seat using one control panel at

a time.

Adjusting the front power seats

– To reduce the risk of injury to the driver in

the event of sudden braking maneuvers or

accidents, never drive with the backrest re-

clined very far. The airbag system and safety

belts can only provide optimal protection

when the backrest is in an upright position

and the driver is wearing the safety belt cor-

rectly. If the backrest is angled back too far,

the safety belt can shift to soft areas of the

body, such as the stomach, which increases

the risk of injury.

Fig. 51 Front seat: seat adjustment buttons

– To reduce the risk of an accident, only adjust

the seats when the vehicle is stationary.

– Be careful when adjusting the seat. Lack of

control or attention when adjusting can re-

sult in injuries due to pinching for vehicle oc-

cupants both in the front seats and rear

seats.

You can adjust the basic settings using the but-

tons.

The settings depend on the vehicle equipment.

Adjusting the seat position

►

To move the seat forward or back, push the but-

– Never place objects in the driver's footwell.

Objects could shift and enter the area

around the pedals, which could prevent you

from using them. You would then be unable

ton 1 forward or back.



67

Sitting correctly and safely

►

Seat setting

To adjust the seat upward or downward, push

Applies to: MMI

the rear section of the button 1 upward or

downward.

►

To select a seat setting, press 1 if necessary.

►

To adjust the seat surface, press the front part

►

Press the respective arrow 2 until the desired

of the button 1 upward or downward.

position is reached.

Adjusting the backrests

Massage

►

To move the backrest forward or back, press

See ðpage 68

the button 2 forward or back.

Seat temperature balance

Adjusting the lumbar support

Using the seat temperature balance, you can heat

or cool the backrest and seat surface to different

►

To adjust the lumbar support, press the button

3 in the desired direction.

temperatures ð

in Settings on page 95.

►

Massage function

To adjust the seat heating or cooling balance,

slide the control upward or downward.

Turning the massage function on or off 4 . Set-

ting the massage type and intensity ðpage 68.

Additional seat settings

See ðpage 69

WARNING

The power front seats can also be adjusted

when the ignition is turned off. To reduce the

risk of injury, children should never be left un-

attended in the vehicle.

Front seat massage function

Applies to: vehicles with massage function

Selecting the massage function

Applies to: MMI

►

To open the Massage menu, press the  button

4 ðpage 67, fig. 51.

Adjusting the front seats in the MMI

Applies to: vehicles with seat settings in the MMI

Turning the massage function on or off

Applies to: MMI

►

To turn the massage function on or off, press

the  button 4 ðpage 67, fig. 51. Or:

►

Press Start/Stop on the MMI.

Setting the massage type and intensity

Applies to: MMI

Fig. 52 Seat setting

►

To adjust the massage type, press the desired

You can adjust additional settings in the MMI.

button on the MMI, for example Wave.

►

To adjust the intensity of the massage, press

Intensity on the MMI repeatedly until the de-

The settings and the number of menus and but-

tons depend on the vehicle equipment.

sired level is reached.

Operating

Applies to: MMI

Tips

►

Select on the home screen: VEHICLE > Seats.

The massage function turns off automatically

after approximately 10 minutes.

►

To access the various menus 3 , swipe to the

left or right.

►

To display the various seats, press  or  4 .

The red coloring in the symbol 5 indicates which

seat is selected.

68

Sitting correctly and safely

Additional settings in the MMI

Front center armrest

Applies to: vehicles with a front center armrest

You can adjust additional settings and turn func-

tions on or off in the MMI.

►

Applies to MMI: Select on the home screen: VE-

HICLE > Seats > Additional seat settings.

Depending on the vehicle equipment, the follow-

ing options may be available.

Reset seat position

You can adjust the position of the front passeng-

er’s seat to match the driver's seat.

Fig. 53 Cockpit: center armrest

Driver seat entry assistance/Front passenger

seat entry assistance

Adjusting the center armrest

►

To slide the armrest forward or back, press the

Entry assistance makes it easier to enter or exit

the vehicle.

button 1 .

WARNING

Adjusting the front passenger's seat from

the driver's seat

In certain positions, the front center armrest

can interfere with arm movement, which in-

creases the risk of injury.

Applies to: vehicles with front passenger seat adjustment

You can adjust the front passenger's side with the

driver's seat buttons.

Rear seats

Applies to: MMI:

General information

►

Select on the home screen: VEHICLE > Seats.

►

To display the various seats, press  or .

To turn on the function, press the  button.

WARNING

►

– Be careful when adjusting the seat. Unsu-

pervised or careless seat adjustment could

cause parts of the body to be pinched, which

increases the risk of injury.

The lower edge of the button will turn red.

After you have turned on the function, you can

adjust the front passenger's seat using the driv-

er's seat buttons ðpage 67, fig. 51.

– Always pull forward on the backrest to make

sure it is correctly locked in place.

– To reduce the risk of an accident, only adjust

the seat when the vehicle is stationary.

Tips

The function turns off automatically when you

exit the menu.

69

Sitting correctly and safely

– You have a sufficient view of the area around

the vehicle and you have a clear view of the in-

strument cluster and head-up display*.

Adjusting the seats

– You are always holding the steering wheel with

both hands on the outer edge at the sides (9:00

and 3:00 position) when driving.

WARNING

– To reduce the risk of an accident, make sure

the steering wheel is adjusted correctly and

cannot be moved out of position before you

start to drive.

Fig. 54 Adjusting the backrests

– If you are too close to the steering wheel,

the driver's airbag cannot provide optimal

protection, which increases the risk of injury

or death.

– Never hold the steering wheel in the 12:00

position or in any other way, such as holding

the center of the steering wheel. Otherwise,

your arms, hands, and head could be injured

in the event that the driver's airbag deploys.

Fig. 55 Adjusting the seat position

Power steering wheel position adjustment

The settings depend on the vehicle equipment.

Adjusting the backrests

►

Secure the backrest with one hand and pull the

lever upward ðfig. 54.

►

Move the backrest forward or back to the de-

sired position.

►

Release the lever and continue moving the

backrest until it locks into place.

Adjusting the seat position

Fig. 56 Steering column: switch for adjusting the steering

►

To adjust the seat forward or back, pull the

wheel position

handle ðfig. 55 and slide the seat.

The power adjustment can be used to move the

steering wheel up and down, and forward and

back.

►

Release the handle and continue sliding the

seat until it locks into place.

Steering wheel

General information

Make sure that:

►

To adjust the steering wheel, press the button

in the direction in which you would like the

steering wheel to move.

The steering wheel can also be adjusted when the

ignition is turned off.

– The distance between your upper body and the

steering wheel is at least 10 inches (25 cm).

– Your arms are bent slightly at the elbows.

70

Sitting correctly and safely

Front head restraints

Applies to: vehicles with adjustable head restraints

Head restraints

General information

Applies to: vehicles with adjustable head restraints

Fig. 58 Front seat: adjusting the head restraint

Fig. 57 Correctly-adjusted head restraint

Adjusting the head restraints

►

To adjust the head restraint upward, slide it un-

til it locks into place.

Make sure that:

– The upper edge of the head restraint is as even

as possible with the top of your head.

– The head restraint is as close as possible to the

back of the head.

►

To adjust the head restraint downward or back-

ward, press the button on the side and slide the

head restraint. Release the button and slide the

head restraint farther until it locks into place.

– The head restraints on rear seats that are occu-

pied are raised up at least one level.

Rear head restraints

Applies to: vehicles with adjustable head restraints

WARNING

– There is one head restraint for each seat. All

vehicle occupants must adjust the head re-

straints correctly before every trip. Having

head restraints that are not adjusted cor-

rectly or not installed in the vehicle increas-

es the risk of a neck injury during sudden or

unexpected driving or braking maneuvers or

in a collision.

– Only remove the rear seat head restraints if

it is necessary to install a child safety seat

ðpage 80. Stow the removed head re-

straints securely, for example in the luggage

compartment. Reinstall the head restraints

immediately once the child safety seat has

been removed. Driving without head re-

straints increases the risk of serious neck in-

juries.

Fig. 59 Rear seat: adjusting or removing the head restraint

Adjusting the head restraints

►

To adjust the head restraint upward, slide it un-

til it locks into place.

►

To adjust the head restraint downward, press

the button 2 and slide the head restraint. Re-

lease the button and slide the head restraint

farther until it locks into place.

Removing the head restraints

Applies to: vehicles with removable head restraints

►

Applies to: vehicles with folding backrests: Fold

the backrest forward slightly ðpage 89.

►

Move the head restraint all the way up.



71

Sitting correctly and safely

►

Insert a suitable object, such as the extended

vehicle key or mechanical key, into the release

point 1 on the inside or outside of the base.

Press the button 2 and pull the head restraint

with an airbag or not. This also applies to

children that are seated in a child safety

seat that is appropriate for their weight and

age and that is secured with a safety belt.

– In the event of a collision, vehicle occupants

who are not wearing safety belts could be

propelled through the vehicle interior and

collide with vehicle components, such as the

steering wheel, instrument panel, wind-

shield, or doors. In some situations, vehicle

occupants could also be ejected from the ve-

hicle. Vehicle occupants in the rear seats

who do not wear safety belts not only en-

danger themselves, but also other persons

in the vehicle.

►

out of the backrest ð

tion on page 71.

in General informa-

Installing the head restraints

Applies to: vehicles with removable head restraints

►

Fold the backrest forward slightly ðpage 89.

Slide the posts on the head restraint down into

the guides until the posts click into place.

Press the button 2 and slide the head restraint

all the way down. It should not be possible to

remove the head restraint from the backrest

without pressing the button.

►

– Only one person may be fastened with a

safety belt at a time. Never secure more

than one person, including children, with a

single safety belt.

Safety belts

General information

– Never allow children or infants to ride on an-

other person's lap and be belted into the

safety belt with them.

Each seat is equipped with a three-point safety

belt. Safety belts that are worn correctly are the

most effective way to reduce the risk of serious

injuries or death in a collision. Therefore, wear

your safety belt correctly and make sure that all

persons in the vehicle are also wearing their safe-

ty belts correctly when the vehicle is moving.

– Insert the belt buckle only in the belt latch

belonging to the corresponding seat, so that

the protective function is not impaired.

– To ensure the maximum protective function

of the safety belts, all persons in the vehicle

must sit in a correct seating position

ðpage 66.

Even though your vehicle is equipped with an air-

bag system, each person in the vehicle must still

always wear the appropriate safety belt. In addi-

tion to their normal protective function, safety

belts also hold vehicle occupants in the correct

seating position in the event of a collision so that

the airbags can deploy correctly and provide addi-

tional protection. Safety belts provide protection

during collisions when the airbags do not deploy

or if they have already deployed.

– Check the condition of your vehicle’s safety

belts regularly ðpage 297. If you find dam-

age to the belt webbing, the belt connec-

tions, the retractor, or the buckle, have the

damaged safety belt replaced by an author-

ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service

Facility.

– The safety belts must not be removed or

modified in any way. Do not attempt to re-

pair the safety belts yourself.

WARNING

– Safety belts that are strained during an acci-

dent must be replaced by an authorized

Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili-

ty.

The risk of serious injury or death increases if

the safety belt is not fastened, if it is worn in-

correctly, or if it is damaged.

– All vehicle occupants, including the driver,

must fasten their safety belts correctly be-

fore every trip and must always keep their

safety belts fastened during the trip, re-

gardless of whether the seat is equipped

72

Sitting correctly and safely

Correct safety belt positioning

WARNING

Incorrect safety belt positioning can cause se-

rious injury in the event of an accident or dur-

ing sudden braking or driving maneuvers.

– Never drive with the backrest reclined ex-

tremely far. The more the backrest is tilted

back, the greater the risk of injury due to the

safety belt being routed incorrectly.

– The safety belt itself or a loose safety belt

can cause serious injuries if it shifts onto

soft areas of the body, such as the stomach.

– The shoulder portion of the safety belt must

lie over the center of the shoulder and

chest, and never under the arm, behind the

back, or across the neck or face.

Fig. 60 Lap/shoulder belt positioning

– The lap portion of the safety belt must lie

across the lap and never over the stomach.

– The safety belt must lie flat and securely on

the upper part of the body and the lap.

– The belt webbing must not be pinched or

twisted, or rub against sharp edges.

Fig. 61 Safety belt positioning for pregnant women

– If the safety belt height is set incorrectly

and/or the safety belt is routed incorrectly,

then the safety belt's protective function

will be impaired in the event of an accident.

Make sure the safety belt is at the right

height and is routed correctly for the person

in the vehicle who is using it.

Fastened safety belts offer optimal protection

during an accident and reduce the risk of serious

injury or death only when they are positioned cor-

rectly. Furthermore, the correct safety belt posi-

tion holds the vehicle occupant in place so that a

deployed airbag can provide maximum protec-

tion. Therefore, always fasten the safety belt and

make sure it is positioned correctly ðfig. 60.

– A safety belt that is too loose may result in

injuries during an accident, because your

body will move farther forward due to kinet-

ic energy and will be stopped abruptly by

the belt.

To ensure the safety belt is positioned correctly,

make sure of the following points:

– Bulky, loose clothing (such as a coat over a

sports jacket) may prevent the seat and

safety belts from functioning correctly.

– Do not position the safety belt over hard or

breakable objects (such as glasses, pens,

etc.).

– The lap portion of the safety belt must be locat-

ed across the lap.

– The shoulder portion of the safety belt must

rest over the center of the shoulder.

– The safety belt must always rest flat and se-

curely on the body.

– The lap belt portion of the safety belt must

sit as low as possible on the lap of pregnant

women and lie flat under the belly.

For pregnant women, the safety belt must rest

evenly across the chest and as low and flat as

possible on the lap, so that no pressure is applied

to the lower abdomen. This should be done

throughout the entire pregnancy ðfig. 61.

Note

Make sure that there are no hook-and-loop

fasteners or sharp objects such as zippers or

rivets on clothing in the area where the safety



73

Sitting correctly and safely

belt is worn. Otherwise, the safety belt could

be damaged.

led while driving. There may be additional audio

warning signals.

Additionally, the safety belts in the rear are

monitored by the following indicator lights:

Fastening and unfastening safety belts

 - If this indicator light turns on, the safety

belt for the corresponding rear seat is not fas-

tened.

 - If this indicator light turns on, the safety

belt for the rear seat has been fastened.

Adjusting the height of the safety belt

Fig. 62 Belt buckle and belt latch

Fig. 64 Belt height adjustment for the front seats - safety

belt relay

Fig. 63 Releasing the belt buckle from the belt latch

►

To move the belt higher, slide the safety belt re-

lay 2 upward.

To move the belt lower, press the release but-

Observe the safety precautions ðpage 72.

►

Fastening the safety belt

ton 1 and slide the safety belt relay 2 down-

ward.

►

Pull the safety belt by the belt buckle evenly

across your chest and lap.

Insert the belt buckle in the belt latch belong-

►

To check if the safety belt relay is securely

locked in place, pull firmly on the belt.

►

ing to the seat until it audibly engages

ðfig. 62.

Tips

►

Pull on the belt to make sure that the belt is se-

curely locked in the latch.

You can also adjust the height of the front

seats to change the position of the safety

belts.

Unfastening the safety belt

►

Press the red button on the belt latch ðfig. 63.

The belt buckle will pop out.

Guide the belt back by hand so that the safety

Additional safety belt functions

Belt retractor lock

►

belt can roll up more easily.

The safety belts on the rear seats and on the

front passenger seat are equipped with a belt re-

tractor lock.

Safety belt monitoring system

►

If you secure a child safety seat with a safety

 - If the indicator light turns on or flashes, a

belt, the belt retractor lock on the safety belt

may need to be activated. Follow the

safety belt is not fastened or it has been unbuck-



74

Sitting correctly and safely

instructions from the child safety seat manu-

facturer.

When a person in the vehicle has fastened a

safety belt, the belt retractor lock should not

be activated. If the belt retractor lock has been

activated unexpectedly, deactivate it.

Tips

Smoke may be released when pyrotechnic belt

tensioners deploy. This is not a sign of a vehi-

cle fire.

►

Memory function

Deactivating or activating the belt retractor lock

ðpage 83.

General information

Applies to: vehicles with memory function

Safety belt retractor

With the memory function, you can save and call

up seat profiles using the memory buttons in the

door trim panel.

The safety belts are equipped with an automatic

belt retractor. This automatic retractor allows the

safety belt to be pulled all the way out when the

belt is pulled slowly. However, the automatic re-

tractor locks during sudden braking maneuvers.

It also locks the belts when accelerating, driving

uphill, and driving around curves.

Depending on vehicle equipment, some settings

such as the driver’s seat and exterior mirror posi-

tion can be stored.

Storing and recalling a seat profile

Applies to: vehicles with memory function

Belt force limiter

Safety belts with belt force limiters reduce the

force placed on the body by the safety belts dur-

ing a collision.

The memory function buttons are located in the

door trim panel.

Storing a seat profile

Belt retractor

SET

►

Press the

button. If the LED in the button

After unfastening the safety belt, the electric

motor in the reversible belt tensioner will roll the

belt up.

turns on, a seat profile can be stored.

Push one of the numbered memory buttons. A

tone confirms that the settings were stored.

►

Safety belt pretensioners

Recalling a seat profile

Safety belts may be tightened with reversible

belt tensioners when you start driving and in cer-

tain driving situations. If the safety belt is too

loose, it will be tightened so that the belt will

rest closer to the body.

►

While the driver’s or front passenger's door is

open and the ignition is turned off, press the

memory button once briefly. The seat will be

fully adjusted to the settings in the seat profile.

►

If the driver's/front passenger's door is closed

In some collisions, pyrotechnic belt tensioners

may secure the safety belts so that they cannot

loosen. This reduces forward movement of the

persons in the vehicle.

or the ignition is turned on, press and hold the

memory button until the seat profile is com-

pletely set.

WARNING

– To reduce the risk of an accident, the seat

setting can only be recalled when the vehicle

is stationary.

The pyrotechnic system can only provide pro-

tection during one collision. If the pyrotechnic

belt tensioners deploy, the pretensioning sys-

tem must be replaced by an authorized Audi

dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility.

– In an emergency, the recall process can be

canceled by pressing the seat adjustment

button on that seat.

75

Sitting correctly and safely

Airbag system

airbags deploy from the seat backrest, such

covers could impair the protective function

of the side airbags.

General information

– Damage to the original seat covers in the

airbag deployment area must always be re-

paired by an authorized Audi dealer or au-

thorized Audi Service Facility.

WARNING

– If you have not fastened your safety belt,

you are in an incorrect seating position, or

you are too close to the airbag system, the

airbag system will not be able to protect

you. This increases the risk of serious inju-

ries or death. Make sure that each person in

the vehicle has their safety belt fastened

correctly and is sitting in a correct seating

position ðpage 66. This is necessary re-

gardless of whether the seat is equipped

with an airbag or not.

– Airbag system components are installed at

various locations in your vehicle. Incorrect

work or repairs on the vehicle could damage

the airbag system components or impair

their functionality. This may prevent the air-

bags from deploying or cause them to de-

ploy incorrectly in the event of an accident,

which increases the risk of serious injuries or

death. Only have an authorized Audi dealer

or authorized Audi Service Facility make re-

pairs or modifications to a vehicle.

– Never place your feet on the instrument

panel, out of the window, or on the seat sur-

faces. To help ensure that the airbag system

can deploy correctly, never bend forward or

lean on the door or the side window. Other-

wise, serious injuries or death can occur if

the airbags deploy.

– The airbag system can only provide protec-

tion during one collision. If there is another

collision, the airbag system will not deploy

again. If the airbag system has deployed,

have it replaced immediately by an author-

ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service

Facility.

– People, animals, or objects between the ve-

hicle occupants and the airbag system can

interfere with the correct deployment of the

airbag or can be propelled through the vehi-

cle interior, increasing the risk of serious in-

juries or death. Make sure that nothing is lo-

cated between the vehicle occupants and

the airbag system. Do not secure or trans-

port any objects within the deployment zone

of the airbag systems, especially on the

steering wheel, on the instrument panel, on

the doors, on the windows, or in the foot-

well.

– Fine dust may appear if the airbags deploy.

This is completely normal and does not indi-

cate a fire in the vehicle. The fine dust can ir-

ritate the skin and mucous membranes in

the eyes and can cause difficulty breathing,

particularly for individuals who have or have

had asthma or other health issues that af-

fect breathing. Exit the vehicle or open the

windows or doors to get access to fresh air.

Tips

– Never put stickers on the airbag system cov-

ers or cover them with any objects.

If you are transporting children in the vehicle,

read the information and follow the safety

precautions ðpage 80.

– Only lightweight clothing should be hung

from the garment hooks in the vehicle. Do

not use clothes hangers to hang clothing.

The pockets of the clothing must not con-

tain any heavy, breakable, or sharp-edged

objects. This could impair the effectiveness

of the side curtain airbags.

Safety systems monitoring

The  indicator light in the instrument cluster

monitors the safety systems such as the airbags

(including the control modules, sensor, and wir-

ing) and the belt tensioners. It turns on when you

turn on the ignition and turns off after several

seconds.

– You must not use seat or protective covers

that are not specifically approved for use on

Audi seats with side airbags. Since the side



76

Sitting correctly and safely

If the indicator light does not turn on when the

ignition is turned on, does not turn off after sev-

eral seconds, or turns on or flashes while driving,

there may be a malfunction in one of the safety

systems. Drive to an authorized Audi dealer or

authorized Audi Service Facility immediately to

have the malfunction corrected.

WARNING

Have the malfunction in the safety systems in-

spected immediately. Otherwise, there is a

risk that the systems may not activate during

an accident, which increases the risk of seri-

ous injury or death.

Description

Fig. 65 Airbag overview image (deployment area/deployed airbags)

The locations of the airbags are labeled with

“AIRBAG”. The following airbags are installed in

your vehicle:

Airbags may deploy during front impact, side im-

pact, or rollover accidents.

The deployment range for the airbag system can-

not be defined for every situation, since the cir-

cumstances surrounding accidents can vary wide-

ly. Factors that play an important role include the

condition of the object that the vehicle hits (hard

or soft), the angle of impact, vehicle speed, etc.

The deciding factor for the deployment of the air-

bag system is the deceleration that occurs during

an accident. Sensors in the vehicle are designed

to detect the severity of an accident in conjunc-

tion with the control module, and to provide a

targeted and timely deployment of the restraint

system. If the vehicle deceleration that is

1

2

3

4

Driver's airbag

Front passenger's airbag

Front and rear side airbags

Head curtain airbag with ejection mitigation

Airbags offer the best possible protection in your

vehicle during an accident when they are used to-

gether with safety belts that are fastened cor-

rectly, and when vehicle occupants are sitting in a

correct seating position. Airbags are a supple-

mentary restraint system and do not replace

safety belts.



77

Sitting correctly and safely

measured during an accident is below the speci-

fied reference values in the control module, then

the airbags will not deploy, even though the vehi-

cle may be severely damaged from the accident.

In these cases, the vehicle occupants will be pro-

tected by the safety belts if they are fastened and

worn correctly.

Advanced airbag system

The deployment of the front passenger's airbag

will depend on the occupancy of the seat

ðpage 78.

Fig. 66 Headliner: indicator light to display the status of

the front passenger's airbag

Each deployed airbag is filled with gas. When this

occurs, the airbag covers open and the airbags

unfold with great force into the deployment zone

within milliseconds. Inflated airbags reduce the

movement of persons in the vehicle who are

wearing safety belts in the direction of the im-

pact and thus help to reduce the risk of injury.

They can help to protect the head, upper body,

and lap, for example. However, there is the possi-

bility that airbag deployment can cause injuries.

The Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle has

been certified to comply with the requirements

of the United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety

Standard (FMVSS) 208, as well as Canada Motor

Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 208 as applica-

ble at the time your vehicle was manufactured.

According to these requirements, the front Ad-

vanced Airbag System on the front passenger’s

side has been certified for “suppression” for in-

fants approximately 12 months old and younger,

and for “low risk deployment” for children aged 3

to 6 years old (as defined in the standard).

The airbag system works when the ignition is

turned on.

If you or other passengers in the vehicle have

physical limitations that prevent sitting in a cor-

rect position, modifications to the vehicle may be

necessary. For more information, contact an au-

thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service

Facility, or call Audi customer support at

1-800-822-2834.

The advanced airbag system will activate or deac-

tivate the front passenger's airbag based on the

occupancy of the seat. If a front airbag deploys

during a collision, the deployment force will

adapt to the person in the vehicle.

Components

Tips

The advanced airbag system consists of the fol-

lowing components:

The side curtain airbags in your vehicle have

ejection mitigation functions. This reduces

the risk of being ejected from the vehicle inte-

rior during an accident, especially in the event

of a vehicle rollover.

– Front airbags in the steering wheel and in the

instrument panel on the front passenger's side:

these can protect persons in the front seats

during a collision

– Passenger occupant detection sensor in the

front passenger's seat: this detects if the front

passenger's seat is occupied (for example, by a

person or a small child in a child safety seat)

– Seat position sensors on the front seats: these

determine the distance between the seat and

the steering wheel or instrument panel

– Sensors in the front safety belt latch: these de-

tect if the safety belts are fastened



78

Sitting correctly and safely

Meaning of PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF  ON

 indicator light

– PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF  ON  indica-

tor light in the headliner: this indicates if the

front passenger's airbag is activated or deacti-

vated

When the ignition is turned on, the system de-

tects whether the front passenger's seat is occu-

pied. PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF  ON 

will turn on for several seconds during this proc-

ess. Then it will indicate if the front passenger's

airbag is activated or deactivated.

–  Indicator light in the instrument cluster:

this monitors the function of the Advanced Air-

bag System components to ensure they are

functioning correctly

How the components function together

– PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF : the front

passenger's airbag is deactivated and will not

deploy in the event of an accident.

The passenger occupant detection sensor in the

front passenger's seat detects if the front pas-

senger's seat is occupied. The passenger occu-

pant detection sensor measures the electrical ca-

pacity on the front passenger’s seat. The pas-

senger's airbag is activated or deactivated de-

pending on the electrical capacity that is meas-

ured.

– PASSENGER AIR BAG ON : the front pas-

senger's airbag is activated and could deploy in

the event of an accident.

If a change to the occupancy status of the front

passenger's seat is detected

PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF  ON  will

flash for several seconds and will then display the

status of the front passenger's airbag.

The passenger's airbag is activated if:

– The electrical capacity is higher than the

threshold stored in the control module

Always make sure the indicator light corresponds

to the occupancy of the front passenger's seat.

– The electrical capacity is the same as or greater

than the electrical capacity of a typical adult

– An adult or individual of similar size in the

front passenger's seat: the front passenger's

airbag must be activated, therefore

PASSENGER AIR BAG ON  must remain

turned on.

The passenger's airbag is deactivated if:

– The electrical capacity is lower than the thresh-

old stored in the control module

– The electrical capacity is the same as or less

than the electrical capacity of a typical one-

year-old child in a child safety seat that has

been used for certification in accordance with

FMVSS 208

– An individual of smaller size (for example, an

adolescent or small adult) in the front pas-

senger's seat: the front passenger's airbag

must be activated, so

PASSENGER AIR BAG ON  must stay on.

– Child in a child safety seat on the front pas-

senger's seat: the front passenger's airbag

must be deactivated, so

PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF  must stay on.

– Front passenger's seat not occupied: the front

passenger's airbag must be deactivated, so

PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF  must remain

on.

If the front passenger's airbag is activated, the

PASSENGER AIR BAG ON  indicator light

will turn on. If the front passenger's airbag is de-

activated, the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 

indicator light will turn on.

The deployment force of the front airbags adapts

based on whether or not the safety belt is used

and the distance between the seat and the steer-

ing wheel/instrument panel. For example, if a

person is too close to the front airbag, the front

airbag will deploy with less force to help reduce

the risk of injury.

WARNING

– An adult or a person with a small stature

(such as a young person or small adult) seat-

ed on the front passenger's seat will not be

protected by the passenger's airbag in the

event of a collision if the passenger's airbag



79

Sitting correctly and safely

is deactivated. This increases the risk of in-

jury and death. Always make sure that

PASSENGER AIR BAG ON  remains on

while driving. If

as a laptop or a retrofitted seat heater) are

on the front passenger's seat. Do not trans-

port any objects on or under the front pas-

senger's seat.

PASSENGER AIR BAG ON  does not

turn on, make sure the front passenger is

sitting correctly in the seat ðpage 66 and

that there is nothing covering the front pas-

senger's seat (such as blankets or pillows). If

PASSENGER AIR BAG ON  still does

not turn on, the front passenger's seat must

not be used. Drive to an authorized Audi

dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility

and have the airbag system inspected.

– A child in a child safety seat on the front

passenger's seat - especially in a rear-facing

child safety seat - can receive a severe im-

pact if the front passenger's airbag deploys,

which increases the risk of serious injury or

death. Always secure child safety seats on

the rear seats. If special circumstances re-

quire the use of a child safety seat on the

front passenger's seat, always make sure

that PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF  re-

mains on while driving. If

– Seat covers or protective covers may prevent

the advanced airbag system from correctly

detecting child safety seats or persons in

the front passenger's seat. You must not use

seat covers or protective covers on the front

passenger's seat that are not specifically ap-

proved for use on Audi seats with an ad-

vanced airbag system.

Child safety seats

General information

When installing and using child safety seats, fol-

low the information in this Owner's Manual, the

applicable state and federal regulations, and the

manufacturer instructions for the child safety

seat.

You can also obtain useful and current informa-

tion from the following sources:

U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-

tration

PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF  does not

turn on, remove the child safety seat and in-

stall it again according to the child safety

seat manufacturer instructions. If

National SAFE KIDS Campaign

PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF  still does

not turn on, the front passenger's seat must

not be used. Drive to an authorized Audi

dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility

and have the airbag system inspected.

– Fluids, electronic devices, or mechanical

damage on the front passenger's seat may

cause the front passenger seat occupant de-

tection to malfunction. The system may

then incorrectly detect if the front passeng-

er's seat is occupied. As a result, it could de-

ploy the front passenger’s airbag incorrectly

or fail to deploy it, which increases the risk

of serious injury or death. Make sure that no

wet objects (such as a wet hand towel) and

no fluids come into contact with the front

passenger's seat cushion. If the front pas-

senger's seat becomes wet, dry it immedi-

ately. Make sure no electronic devices (such

SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A.

Transport Canada Information Centre

Audi Customer Experience Center

WARNING

To reduce the risk of serious injuries or death,

children must always be secured in the vehicle

with a child safety seat that is appropriate for

their body size, weight, and age.

– Children ages 12 and under must be trans-

ported using the appropriate child safety



80

Sitting correctly and safely

seat. Note differences in regulations be-

tween states and countries.

– NEVER use a rear-facing child safety seat on

a seat with an ACTIVATED FRONT AIRBAG;

this could cause DEATH or SERIOUS INJURIES

to a CHILD.

– Child safety seats secured incorrectly in the

vehicle may cause serious injuries or death

in the event of an accident. Always secure

the child safety seat according to the manu-

facturer instructions.

– Always secure child safety seats on the

rear seats. If exceptional circumstances re-

quire the child safety seat to be placed on

the front passenger's seat, then the front

passenger's airbag must be deactivated.

Always make sure that

– Children or babies must not under any cir-

cumstances be held on the lap of the driver

or other passengers while driving.

– Do not secure more than one child in a child

safety seat.

PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF  remains

on while driving. If

PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF  does not

turn on, remove the child safety seat and

install it again according to the child safe-

ty seat manufacturer instructions. If

PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF  still does

not turn on, the front passenger's seat

must not be used. Drive to an authorized

Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fa-

cility and have the airbag system inspect-

ed.

– Never allow a child to sit in a child safety

seat unsupervised.

– Never allow children to ride unsecured in

the vehicle or to stand or kneel on the seats

while driving. In the event of an accident, a

child could be propelled through the vehicle.

This can result in serious injuries or death to

the child and passengers.

– If children sit in an incorrect seating position

while driving, they have a higher risk of in-

jury during a sudden braking maneuver or

accident. This especially applies to children

in the front passenger's seat or children who

have their head near the side airbag deploy-

ment area, if the airbag system is deployed

during an accident. This incorrect seating

position can cause serious injuries or death.

– Make sure there is enough space in front of

the child in the child safety seat. If necessa-

ry, adjust the angle and position of the seat

in front of the child safety seat.

– If you must use a forward-facing child safety

seat on the front passenger's seat, move the

seat as far back as possible so that it is as

far as possible from the front passenger's

airbag. Make sure the adjustment range is

clear when doing this. A child in a child safe-

ty seat on the front passenger's seat can re-

ceive a severe impact if the front passeng-

er's airbag deploys, which increases the risk

of serious injury or death.

– Replace the child safety seat after an acci-

dent because there could be damage that is

not visible.

– The rear side of a forward-facing child safety

seat should be positioned as close as possi-

ble to the backrest on the vehicle seat. If the

head restraints make it difficult to install a

child safety seat, adjust or remove them if

necessary ðpage 71. Reinstall the head re-

straints immediately once the child safety

seat has been removed.

– Even if a child is not sitting in the child safe-

ty seat, the child safety seat must be se-

cured. An unsecured child safety seat may

be thrown through the vehicle interior dur-

ing sudden braking maneuvers or an acci-

dent.

– Always make sure that the backrest on the

seat where the child safety seat is installed

is securely locked in place and cannot move

forward. Otherwise, the backrest where the

child safety seat is secured could move for-

ward in the event of an accident or other

emergency situation.

Correct positioning for children

Always secure children in a child safety seat de-

signed for the body size, weight, and age of the

child.



81

Sitting correctly and safely

You can secure child safety seats in your vehicle

using the lower LATCH anchors or the safety

belts. You can also secure child safety seats to

the top tether anchor. Depending on the child

safety seat, it may also be necessary to secure it

to the top tether anchor. In Canada, securing for-

ward-facing child safety seats to the top tether

anchors is required by law.

and the chest, and never under the arm, behind

the back, or over the neck or face.

– The child is able to maintain this seating posi-

tion throughout the entire trip

Read and follow the important information and

warnings regarding the correct use of safety

belts ðpage 72.

Tips

Always transport children in the rear seats

– Child safety seats can also be secured to

seats with side airbags. In the event of an

accident, children can also be protected by

the side airbags if the child is correctly se-

cured in a suitable child safety seat that is

attached correctly.

Accident statistics show that children that are se-

cured correctly in the rear seats are safer than in

front seats. Always transport children in suitable

child safety seats secured on the rear seats.

In exceptional circumstances: transporting

children in the front passenger's seat

– The lower LATCH anchors as well as the

safety belt may be required to correctly in-

stall some child safety seats. Using both at

the same time is permitted, provided that

the fastening systems or safety belts do not

impair those in an adjacent seating position.

– All child safety seats are constructed so that

they can be secured using the lap safety belt

in the vehicle.

If exceptional circumstances require the child

safety seat to be placed on the front passenger's

seat, then the front passenger's airbag must be

deactivated. Please note the important informa-

tion for this ðpage 78, Advanced airbag system.

If you must secure a forward-facing child safety

seat, move the front passenger's seat as far back

as possible so that it is as far as possible from the

front passenger's airbag. Make sure the adjust-

ment range is clear when doing this.

– Child safety seats with a load leg can only

be secured to the outer rear seats and to the

front passenger's seat.

Only switch to a larger child safety seat when

absolutely necessary

Securing child safety seats to the lower

LATCH anchors

Switch to a larger child safety seat only when ab-

solutely necessary. Secure your child using a safe-

ty belt without a child safety seat only if all of the

following statements are true:

– The child is large enough to sit upright in the

seat

– The child is able to sit with their back resting

completely on the seat backrest

– The child is able to sit with their knees angled

over the edge of the seat surface

– The child is able to sit with both of their feet

completely touching the floor in the footwell

– The lap portion of the safety belt lies flat and

securely over the hip area and never over the

stomach

Fig. 67 Rear bench seat: lower LATCH anchors

Observe the safety precautions ðpage 80.

In the United States and Canada, child safety

seats can be secured without safety belts using



– The shoulder portion of the safety belt lies flat

and securely over the center of the shoulder

82

Sitting correctly and safely

the LATCH system. LATCH stands for Lower An-

chors and Tethers for Children. In Canada, similar

systems are called UCRA, LUAS, or UAS.

Securing child safety seats with a safety

belt

Observe the safety precautions ðpage 80. The

front passenger’s seat is a dangerous location for

a child, even with an advanced airbag system. If

exceptional circumstances require the child safe-

ty seat to be placed on the front passenger's

seat, then the front passenger's airbag must be

deactivated. Please note the important informa-

tion for this ðpage 81, Correct positioning for

children and ðpage 78, Advanced airbag sys-

tem.

The lower LATCH anchors in your vehicle are lo-

cated on the outer seats of the rear bench seat

between the seat surface and the backrest. These

seating locations each have two lower LATCH an-

chors that can be used to secure a LATCH child

safety seat. Marking points with a ðfig. 67 sym-

bol are located on the covers for the lower LATCH

anchors. You can locate the LATCH anchors using

the marking points.

►

Applies to: vehicles with forward/back adjusta-

ble rear bench seat: Move the rear seat all the

way back.

Activate the child safety lock ðpage 48.

Remove the cover from both lower LATCH an-

Securing child safety seats

►

Applies to: vehicles with forward/back adjusta-

ble rear bench seat: Move the rear seat all the

way back.

►

Activate the child safety lock ðpage 48.

chors.

►

If you secure a child safety seat to the rear seat,

►

If you secure a child safety seat to the rear seat,

secure any unused safety belts that are within

reach of the child ð

, ðpage 85.

reach of the child ð

in Securing child safety

►

If you secure a child safety seat to the front

passenger's seat, adjust the front passenger's

seat to the highest position.

seats with a safety belt on page 84.

Secure the child safety seat according to the

child safety seat manufacturer instructions.

Pull on the child safety seat to check if both

sides are engaged correctly in the LATCH an-

chors.

If possible, also secure the child safety seat to

the respective top tether anchor on the seat

ðpage 84.

►

Secure the child safety seat according to the

child safety seat manufacturer instructions.

If necessary, activate the belt retractor lock

ðpage 83, Activating the belt retractor lock.

If the child safety seat is secured on the front

passenger's seat, adjust the front passenger's

seat backrest until it rests flat against the child

safety seat. Also make sure that the upper safe-

ty belt fixture is behind the child safety seat.

If you secure a child safety seat on the rear

seat, also secure it to the correct top tether an-

chor if possible ðpage 84.

►

WARNING

The LATCH anchors in the vehicle are only de-

signed for child safety seats with the LATCH

system. To reduce the risk of serious injury or

death, never secure other child restraint sys-

tems, belts, or objects to the anchors.

►

Activating the belt retractor lock

If you secure a child safety seat using the vehicle

safety belt, you must activate the belt retractor

lock. Follow the child safety seat manufacturer

instructions.

Tips

The LATCH anchors are designed for a total

weight (child and child safety seat combined)

up to 65 lbs (29 kg). If the total weight is

greater than this, the child safety seat must

be secured with the vehicle safety belt.

The belt retractor lock prevents the safety belt

from becoming loose while driving, which could

result in the child safety seat no longer being ad-

equately secured.



83

Sitting correctly and safely for Your Audi Q8 SUV First Generation (2018-2026)

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