2017-2024 Audi S5 4 Door Safety -> Airbag system User Manual
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Safety -> Airbag system for Your Audi S5 4 Door Fourth Generation (2017-2024)

document_0900452a81793dcc.book Seite 166 Mittwoch, 21. März 2007 5:42 17  
166  
Airbag system  
Airbag system  
• goes out and then comes on again after the ignition is switched  
Description of airbag system  
on,  
• comes on or flickers while the car is moving.  
General notes on airbag system  
The airbag is an integral part of the car's passive safety  
system.  
WARNING  
• The airbags are not a substitute for the seat belts; they are an  
integral part of the car's overall passive safety system. The airbags  
can only offer effective protection if the occupants are wearing  
their seat belts. For this reason it is very important to wear the  
seat belts at all times ⇒ page 160, “Why is it so important to use  
seat belts?”.  
In conjunction with the three-point seat belts, the airbag system  
gives the front occupants additional protection for the head and  
chest in the event of a severe frontal collision.  
In a severe side collision the side airbags and the head-protection  
airbags reduce the risk of injury to the occupants in the areas of the  
body facing the impact ⇒  
.
• The seat belts and airbags can only provide maximum protec-  
tion if the occupants are seated correctly ⇒ page 70, “Seats and  
storage”.  
In addition to their normal function of protecting the occupants in a  
collision, the seat belts also hold them in a position where the  
airbags can inflate properly and provide maximum protection.  
• If you do not wear a seat belt, if you lean forward, or are not  
seated correctly while the vehicle is in motion, you are at greater  
risk of injury should the airbag system be triggered in an accident.  
The airbag system will only work with the ignition on. The airbag  
system is monitored electronically; the airbag warning lamp indi-  
cates whether the system is functioning properly.  
• Components of the airbag system are located in various parts  
of the vehicle. If repairs to other vehicle components make it  
necessary to perform work on the airbag system or to remove or  
install parts of the airbag system, this may cause damage to the  
airbag system. As a result, the airbags may not inflate correctly or  
may not be triggered at all in an accident situation. For this reason,  
you should always have the work carried out by a qualified work-  
shop.  
The main parts of the airbag system are:  
• the electronic monitoring system (control unit and sensors),  
• the two front airbags,  
• the front side airbags and head-protection airbags,  
• The airbag warning lamp in the instrument cluster.  
• If a fault should occur in the airbag system, have the system  
checked immediately by a qualified workshop. Otherwise the  
system may fail to trigger in an accident.  
There is a fault in the airbag system if the warning  
lamp  
• does not come on when the ignition is switched on,  
• Do not attempt to modify components of the airbag system in  
• does not go out about 4 seconds after the ignition is switched  
any way.  
on,  
• Never make any alterations to the front bumper or the body.  
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Airbag system  
167  
The airbag system is not triggered in minor frontal or side collisions,  
or in rear collisions or if the car overturns. In these situations the  
occupants are protected by wearing the seat belts.  
WARNING (continued)  
• The airbag system can only be activated once; if the airbag has  
been triggered, the system must be replaced. Should the airbag  
system or airbag modules have to be replaced, the qualified work-  
shop carrying out the replacement will document all details in the  
appropriate section of the Service Schedule.  
Factors determining the triggering response  
It is not possible to define the exact triggering response of the  
airbag system in all possible situations, since the circumstances in  
different types of accident will vary considerably. Important factors  
include, for example, the nature (hard or soft) of the object which  
the car hits, the angle of impact, vehicle speed and so on.  
• If you sell the vehicle, please remember to pass on the  
complete Service Wallet to the new owner. If any of the airbags  
have been deactivated, it is important that the new owner is also  
given the relevant documents.  
Whether the airbags are triggered depends primarily on the vehicle  
deceleration rate resulting from the collision. By processing the  
signals from the sensors located in the vehicle, the electronic  
control unit is immediately able to evaluate the severity of the colli-  
sion and activate the restraint systems accordingly. If the decelera-  
tion rate is below the predefined reference value in the control unit  
the airbags will not be triggered, even though the accident may  
cause extensive damage to the car.  
• The relevant safety requirements must be observed when the  
vehicle or components of the airbag or belt tensioner systems are  
scrapped.  
• In an accident in which one or more airbags are triggered the  
alternator and the starter are - for safety reasons - both discon-  
nected from the battery via a pyrotechnic circuit breaker.  
− Any repairs to the pyrotechnic circuit breaker must always  
be performed by a qualified workshop (accident risk).  
Note  
− The relevant safety requirements must be observed when  
The airbag releases a fine dust when it inflates. This is quite normal  
and does not mean there is a fire in the vehicle.  
the vehicle or the circuit breaker are scrapped.  
When are the airbags triggered?  
The airbag system is triggered in collisions with a severe  
impact.  
The airbag system is designed so that the airbags for the driver and  
front passenger are triggered in a severe frontal collision.  
In severe side collisions the side airbags on the impact side of the  
vehicle are triggered together with the head-protection airbag.  
The front airbags, side airbags and one of the head-protection  
airbags may be triggered together in certain types of accident.  
Controls  
Safety  
Driving tips  
General maintenance  
Self-help  
Technical data  
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168  
Airbag system  
How the front airbags work  
Front airbags  
When fully inflated, the airbags reduce the risk of head or  
chest injury.  
Description of front airbags  
The airbag system is not a substitute for the seat belts.  
Fig. 178 Front airbags  
in inflated condition  
Fig. 176 Driver's  
airbag in steering  
wheel  
The airbag system is designed so that the airbags for the driver and  
front passenger are triggered in a severe frontal collision.  
In certain types of accident the front airbags, side airbags and one  
of the head-protection airbags may be triggered together.  
When the system is triggered, the airbags fill with a propellant gas  
and open out in front of the driver and front passenger ⇒ fig. 178.  
In order to provide the desired extra protection in an accident, the  
airbags have to inflate extremely rapidly (within fractions of a  
second). The fully deployed airbags cushion the forwards move-  
ment of the front occupants and help to reduce the risk of injury to  
the head and the upper part of the body.  
Fig. 177 Front  
passenger's airbag in  
dashboard  
Special openings in the airbag allow the gas to escape at a  
controlled rate to restrain the forward movement of the occupant's  
head and torso. Once the impact has been absorbed, the airbag  
deflates sufficiently for the front occupants to see forward.  
The front airbag for the driver is located in the padded hub of the  
steering wheel ⇒ page 168, fig. 176. The front airbag for the front  
passenger is in the dashboard above the glove box ⇒ fig. 177. The  
locations of the airbags are marked with the word “AIRBAG”.  
In conjunction with the three-point seat belts, the front airbags give  
additional head and chest protection for the driver and front  
passenger in the event of a severe frontal collision ⇒  
in “Impor-  
tant safety notes on the front airbag system” on page 169.  
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Airbag system  
169  
Important safety notes on the front airbag  
system  
WARNING (continued)  
deactivated. However, if you have no alternative but to use a rear-  
ward-facing child seat on the front passenger's seat, the front  
passenger's airbag must be deactivated beforehand by means of  
the key-operated switch* ⇒ page 173. Failure to observe this  
precaution could result in serious or potentially fatal injury.  
There are a number of safety points concerning the airbag  
system which you should remember. This will help to  
reduce the risk of injury in an accident.  
• Occupants sitting in the front of the car must never carry any  
objects or pets in the space between them and the airbags, or  
allow children or other passengers to travel in this position.  
• Do not cover or stick anything on the steering wheel hub or the  
soft plastic surface of the airbag unit on the passenger's side of  
the dashboard, and do not obstruct or modify them in any way.  
These parts should only be cleaned with a dry cloth (or with a  
cloth moistened with plain water). It is also important not to  
attach any objects such as cup holders or telephone mountings to  
the surfaces covering the airbag units.  
Fig. 179 Minimum  
distance from steering  
wheel  
• Any work on the airbag system or removal and installation of  
the airbag components for other repairs (such as repairs to the  
steering wheel) must be performed by a qualified workshop.  
WARNING  
• It is important for the driver and front passenger to maintain a  
distance of at least 25 cm from the steering wheel or dashboard  
⇒ page 169, fig. 179. The airbag system will not be able to give the  
required protection if you sit too close to the steering wheel or  
dashboard. There is also a risk of injury if the airbags are inflated.  
The front seats and head restraints must always be positioned  
correctly for the height of the occupant.  
Note  
If necessary, you can deactivate the front passenger's airbag by  
means of the key-operated switch* ⇒ page 173.  
• If you do not wear a seat belt, if you lean forward or to the side,  
or are not seated correctly while the vehicle is in motion, you are  
at greater risk of injury. Should the airbag system be triggered in  
an accident there is an even greater risk of injury.  
• Never let a child travel on the front seat without an appropriate  
restraint system. If the airbag is triggered in an accident, the child  
could sustain serious or fatal injuries ⇒ page 175, “Child safety”.  
• Never install a rearward-facing child safety seat on the front  
passenger's seat unless the front passenger's airbag has been  
Controls  
Safety  
Driving tips  
General maintenance  
Self-help  
Technical data  
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Airbag system  
How the side airbags work  
Side airbags  
When fully inflated, the side airbags reduce the risk of  
injuries to the upper part of the body.  
Description of side airbags  
The airbag system is not a substitute for the seat belts.  
Fig. 181 Side airbags  
in inflated condition  
Fig. 180 Location of  
side airbag in driver's  
seat  
In certain types of side collisions the side airbag is triggered on the  
impact side of the vehicle ⇒ fig. 181.  
The side airbags are located in the backrest padding of the front  
seats ⇒ fig. 180. The locations of the airbags are marked with the  
word “AIRBAG”.  
The front airbags, side airbags and the head-protection airbag may  
be triggered together in certain types of accident.  
In conjunction with the three-point seat belts, the side airbags give  
the occupants additional protection for the whole upper part of the  
body (i.e. the chest, stomach and pelvis) in the event of a severe side  
When the system is triggered, the airbag is filled with propellant  
gas.  
In order to provide the desired extra protection in an accident, the  
airbags have to inflate extremely rapidly (within fractions of a  
second). The airbag releases a fine dust when it inflates. This is quite  
normal and does not mean there is a fire in the vehicle.  
collision ⇒  
in “Important safety notes on the side airbag system”  
on page 171.  
In a side collision the side airbags reduce the risk of injury to the  
areas of the body facing the impact.  
When fully deployed, the airbags cushion the impact for the occu-  
pants and help to reduce the risk of injury to the whole upper part  
of the body (i.e. the chest, stomach and pelvis) on the side facing the  
door.  
If the side airbags are activated, the head-protection airbags (side-  
guard system) are always triggered at the same time for additional  
protection on the side of the vehicle facing the impact  
⇒ page 171.  
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Airbag system  
171  
Important safety notes on the side airbag  
system  
WARNING (continued)  
when it inflates out of the backrest, and seriously reduce the  
airbag's effectiveness.  
There are a number of safety points concerning the airbag  
system which you should remember. This will help to  
reduce the risk of injury in an accident.  
• Any damage to the original seat upholstery or around the  
seams of the side airbag units must be repaired immediately by a  
qualified workshop.  
• Any work involving the side airbag system or removal and  
installation of the airbag components for other repairs (such as  
repairs to the seats) must always be performed by a qualified  
workshop. Otherwise the airbag system may fail to work  
properly.  
WARNING  
• If you do not wear a seat belt, if you lean forward, or are not  
seated correctly while the vehicle is in motion, you are at greater  
risk of injury should the side airbags be triggered in an accident.  
• If children are not seated correctly, they are at greater risk of  
injury in an accident. This is particularly the case if the child is  
travelling on the front passenger's seat and the airbag system is  
triggered. This could result in serious or potentially fatal injury  
⇒ page 175, “Child safety”.  
Head-protection airbags (sideguard)  
Description of head-protection airbags  
• It is important not to attach any accessories (such as cup  
holders) to the doors. This would impair the protection offered by  
the side airbags.  
The head-protection airbags work together with the side  
airbag system to give extra protection in a side impact.  
• The sensors for the airbags are located in the front doors. You  
must therefore not make any modifications to the doors or door  
trim (e.g. retrofitting loudspeakers), as this could impair the func-  
tion of the side airbags. Any damage to the front doors could lead  
to faults in the system. Repairs or any other work on the front  
doors must therefore always be carried out by a qualified work-  
shop.  
Fig. 182 Location of  
head-protection  
airbags above the  
doors  
• The built-in coat hooks should only be used for lightweight  
clothing. Do not leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the  
pockets.  
• Do not apply excessive force to the sides of the backrests (such  
as hard knocks or kicks), as this could damage parts of the system.  
The side airbags could then fail to operate when required.  
The head-protection airbags are located above the doors on the left  
and right sides of the vehicle ⇒ fig. 182. The locations of the airbags  
are marked with the word “AIRBAG”.  
• If you intend to fit protective covers over the seats, these must  
be of the specific type approved for use on Audi seats with side  
airbags. Conventional seat covers would obstruct the side airbag  
Controls  
Safety  
Driving tips  
General maintenance  
Self-help  
Technical data  
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Airbag system  
In conjunction with the three-point seat belts and side airbags, the  
head-protection airbags give the occupants additional protection  
restraining uncontrolled movement of the head, the airbag also  
reduces the forces acting on the neck. In addition, since it covers the  
front door pillar when fully inflated, the head-protection airbag also  
gives extra protection if the car should collide with an obstacle at an  
oblique angle.  
against head and neck injuries in a severe side collision ⇒  
“Important safety notes on the head-protection airbags” on  
page 172.  
in  
Together with other design features (including cross-braces in the  
seats and the overall strength of the body structure), the sideguard  
system offers an effective further improvement to occupant protec-  
tion in side impacts.  
The front airbags, side airbags and head-protection airbags may be  
triggered together in certain types of accident.  
In order to provide the desired extra protection in an accident, the  
airbags have to inflate extremely rapidly (within fractions of a  
second). The airbag releases a fine dust when it inflates. This is quite  
normal and does not mean there is a fire in the vehicle.  
How the head-protection airbags work  
When fully inflated, the airbags reduce the risk of head or  
chest injury in a side collision.  
Important safety notes on the head-  
protection airbags  
There are a number of safety points concerning the airbag  
system which you should remember. This will help to  
reduce the risk of injury in an accident.  
WARNING  
• It is important to ensure that the area around the openings for  
the head-protection airbags remains unobstructed at all times, so  
that the airbags can inflate properly if needed.  
Fig. 183 Head-protec-  
tion airbags in inflated  
condition  
• The built-in coat hooks should only be used for lightweight  
clothing. Do not leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the  
pockets. When using the coat hooks, do not hang the clothes on  
coat hangers.  
In certain types of side collisions the head-protection airbag is trig-  
gered together with the side airbag on the impact side of the vehicle  
⇒ fig. 183.  
• The space between the passengers and the head-protection  
airbags must never be occupied by children, other passengers or  
pets. Passengers should never lean out or put a hand or arm out of  
the window while the vehicle is in motion.  
When the system is triggered, the airbag fills with a propellant gas  
and covers the entire area in front of the side windows, including  
the door pillars. In this way the system is able to protect both the  
front and the rear occupants on the side of the vehicle where the  
impact occurs. The head-protection airbag inflates to soften the  
impact if an occupant strikes parts of the interior or objects outside  
the vehicle with their head. By reducing the head impact and  
• Do not move the sun visors out to cover the side windows if  
there is anything attached to them (such as pens or a remote  
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Airbag system  
173  
Applies to vehicles: with key-operated switch for front passenger's airbag  
WARNING (continued)  
Deactivating the front passenger's  
airbag via the key-operated switch  
control for the garage door). These objects could cause injury if the  
head-protection airbag is triggered.  
• The sensors for the airbags are located in the front doors. You  
must therefore not make any modifications to the doors or door  
trim (e.g. retrofitting loudspeakers), as this could impair the func-  
tion of the side airbags. Any damage to the front doors could lead  
to faults in the system. Repairs or any other work on the front  
doors must therefore always be carried out by a qualified work-  
shop.  
If an airbag has been deactivated, it should be reactivated  
as soon as possible so that it can continue to give the  
required protection.  
• Where sun blinds are fitted on the rear doors, these must not  
obstruct or impair the airbags in any way.  
• If unsuitable accessories are installed near the head-protection  
airbag, the protection afforded by the airbag can be seriously  
impaired if the system is triggered. When the head-protection  
airbag opens, parts of these accessories could be thrown into the  
vehicle and injure passengers ⇒ page 239.  
Fig. 184 Key-operated  
switch in glove box for  
deactivating front  
passenger's airbag  
• Any work involving the head-protection airbags, or removal  
and installation of the airbag components for other repairs (such  
as repairs to the roof liner), must always be performed by a quali-  
fied workshop. Otherwise the airbag system may fail to work  
properly.  
Fig. 185 Lamp indi-  
cates that front  
passenger's airbag has  
been deactivated via  
key-operated switch  
The key-operated switch for deactivating the front  
passenger's airbag is located in the glove box ⇒ fig. 184.  
– To deactivate the front passenger's airbag, insert the  
OFF  
A
.
ignition key into the switch and turn it to position  
Controls  
Safety  
Driving tips  
General maintenance  
Self-help  
Technical data  
document_0900452a81793dcc.book Seite 174 Mittwoch, 21. März 2007 5:42 17  
174  
Airbag system  
– The front passenger's airbag can be reactivated by  
WARNING (continued)  
ON  
turning the key to position A.  
• It is the driver's responsibility to ensure that the key-operated  
Deactivating front passenger's airbag when a child  
safety seat is in use  
switch is set to the correct position.  
If you have no alternative but to install a rearward-facing child safety  
seat on the front passenger's seat you must deactivate the front  
passenger's airbag beforehand.  
Note  
All the other airbags in the car will remain functional if the front  
passenger's airbag has been deactivated with the key-operated  
switch.  
We recommend, however, that child seats should be only fitted on  
the rear seat so that the front passenger's airbag can remain func-  
tional and provide protection in an accident ⇒ page 175.  
Monitoring of airbag system  
The airbag warning lamp will light up for a few seconds every time  
the ignition is switched on.  
If the front passenger's airbag has been deactivated via the key-  
operated switch, the indicator lamp “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF” will  
light up constantly as a reminder ⇒ fig. 185. Please refer also to the  
description of the warning lamp in the instrument cluster  
⇒ page 16.  
When the front passenger's airbag is deactivated using the key-  
operated switch, the seat belt warning lamp for the front passenger  
⇒ page 17 is also switched off.  
WARNING  
• If you have no alternative but to install a rearward-facing child  
seat on the front passenger's seat, the front passenger's airbag  
must be deactivated beforehand. Potentially fatal injuries to the  
child can result if the front passenger's airbag is not deactvated!  
⇒ page 176, “Using a child safety seat on the front passenger's  
seat”  
• If you have deactivated the front passenger's airbag, reactivate  
it as soon as the child seat is no longer needed so that the airbag  
can continue to give the required protection.  

Related Topics

Safety
Safe driving General notes Correct sitting positions Pedal area Stowing luggage safely Seat belts Why is it so important to use seat belts? Forces acting in a collision How to wear seat belts properly Belt tensioners Description of airbag system Front airbags Side airbags Head-protection airbags (sideguard) Deactivating the front passenger's airbag via the key-operated switch Child safety Points to remember if children are travelling in the car Child safety seats Fitting child safety seats (isofix) Fitting child safety seats (isofix points)

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