Important safety notes on the side airbag system
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
• 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
⇒ “Child safety”.
• 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 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 function
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 workshop.
• 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.
• 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
when it inflates out of the backrest, and seriously reduce the
airbag's effectiveness.
• 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.