Acura MDX 2006 Owner's Guide

Only one airbag will deploy during a
side impact. If the impact is on the
passenger’s side, the passenger’s
side airbag will deploy even if there
is no passenger.
To get the best protection f rom the
side airbags, front seat occupants
should wear their seat belts and sit
upright and well back in their seats.Your vehicle has a side airbag cutof f
system designed primarily to protect
a child riding in the f ront passenger’s
seat.
If the side airbag of f indicator comes
on (see page ), have the
passenger sit upright. Once the
passenger is out of the airbag’s
deployment path, the system will
turn the airbag back on, and the
indicator will go out.
There will be some delay between
the moment the passenger moves
into or out of the airbag deployment
pathandwhentheindicatorcomes
on or goes of f .
A f ront seat passenger should not
use a cushion or other object as a
backrest. It may prevent the cutof f
system f rom working properly.
Although Acura does not encourage
children to ride in f ront, if sensors
detect a child has leaned into the
side airbag’s deployment path, the
airbag will shut off.
Thesideairbagmayalsoshutoff if a
short adult leans sideways, or a
larger adult slouches and leans
sideways into the airbag’s
deployment path.
Objects placed on the f ront
passenger seat can also cause the
side airbag to be shut of f . 32
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Side A irbag Cut of f Syst em
30

In a moderate to severe side impact,
sensors will detect rapid deceleration
and signal the control unit to
instantly inflate the side curtain
airbag on the driver’s or the
passenger’s side of the vehicle.If the impact is on the passenger’s
side, the passenger’s side curtain
airbag will inflate even if there are no
occupants on that side of the vehicle.
If the rollover sensor detects your
vehicle is about to roll over, the
control unit will instantly deploy both
side curtain airbags and activate the
f ront seat belt tensioners (see page
).
To get the best protection f rom the
side curtain airbags, occupants
should wear their seat belts and sit
upright and well back in their seats. In a rollover toward the passenger’s
side of the vehicle, both side curtain
airbags will inflate and the front seat
belt tensioners will activate even if
there are no occupants on that side
of the vehicle. 22
How Your Side Curtain A irbags
Work
In a Side Impact In a Rollover
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
31

The SRS indicator alerts
you to a potential problem
with your airbags, sensors, or seat
belt tensioners.
When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, this indicator
comes on brief ly then goes of f . This
tells you the system is working
properly.
If the indicator comes on at any
other time, or does not come on at all,
you should have the system checked
by your dealer. For example:
If the SRS indicator does not come
on after you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position.
If the indicator stays on after the
engine starts.
If the indicator comes on or
flashesonandoff whileyoudrive. This indicator
alerts you that the
passenger’s side airbag has been
automatically shut off. It does
mean there is a problem with your
side airbags.
If you see any of these indications,
the airbags and seat belt tensioners
may not work properly when you
need them.
When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, the indicator
should come on brief ly and then go
out(seepage ).Ifitdoesn’tcome
on, stays on, or comes on while
driving without a passenger in the
f ront seat, have the system checked.60
How the Side Airbag Of f
Indicator Works
How the SRS Indicator Works
not
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
32
U.S.
Canada
Ignoring the SRS indicator can
result in serious injury or death
if the airbag systems or
tensioners do not work properly.
Have your vehicle checked by a
dealer as soon as possible if
the SRS indicator alerts you to
a possible problem.

If nooneisridinginthefrontseat,
the airbag will be automatically shut
of f , but the indicator will not come
on.
However, if the indicator comes on
with no passenger in the f ront, or
with an adult in the seat, there may
be a problem with the advanced
airbag system. Have the vehicle
checked by the dealer as soon as
possible.
The Passenger Airbag Of f indicator
mayalsocomeonandgooff
repeatedly if total weight on the seat
is near the airbag cutof f threshold.Your airbag systems are virtually
maintenance f ree, and there are no
parts you can saf ely service.
However, you must have your
vehicle serviced if:
Any airbag
that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. Any
seat belt tensioner that activates
must also be replaced.
Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by your dealer or a
knowledgeable body shop.
Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly.
If this happens, have the passenger
ride properly restrained in a back
seat. If the passenger must ride in
front, move the seat as far to the
rear as possible, have the passenger
sit upright, and wear the seat belt
properly.
This indicator alerts you that the
passenger’s f ront airbag has been
shut of f because sensors detect the
weight of an inf ant or small child on
the f ront passenger’s seat. It does
there is a problem with
the airbag. How the Passenger Airbag Of f
Indicator Works Airbag Service
not mean
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
An airbag ever inf lates. T he SRS indicat or alert s you t o aproblem.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
33
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR

Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.
Even if your
airbags do not inflate, your dealer
should inspect the driver’s seat
position sensor and the f ront
passenger’s weight sensors to
make sure they are operating
properly.
Improperly replacing
or covering f ront seat-back covers
can prevent your side airbags f rom
inf lating during a side impact. This could make the
driver’s seat position sensor or the
f ront passenger’s weight sensors
inef f ective. If it is necessary to
remove or modif y a f ront seat to
accommodate a person with
disabilities, f irst contact Acura
Client Services at 800-382-2238.
If water or another liquid
soaks into a seat-back, it can
prevent the side airbag cutof f
system f rom working properly.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Donotattempttodeactivateyour
airbags.
Do not t amper wit h airbagcomponent s or wiring f or anyreason.
If your vehicle has a moderat e t o
severe impact .
Do not cover or replace f ront seat -back covers wit hout consult ingyour dealer.
Do not remove or modif y a f ront
seat without consulting yourdealer.
Do not expose the f ront seat-backs to liquid.
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Children depend on adults to protect
them. However, despite their best
intentions many adults do not know
how to properly protect child
passengers. Each year, many children are injured
or killed in vehicle crashes because
they are either unrestrained or not
properly restrained. In f act, vehicle
accidents are the number one cause
of the death of children ages 12 and
under.
To reduce the number of child
deaths and injuries, every state and
Canadian province requires that
inf ants and children be properly
restrained when they ride in a
vehicle.
(see pages ). (see pages ).
If you have children, or ever need to
drive with a child in your vehicle, be
sure to read this section. It begins
with important general guidelines,
then presents special inf ormation f or
infants, small children, and larger
children. 40 50
50 53
Protecting Children General Guidelines
All Children Must Be Restrained
Inf ant s and small children must be
rest rained in an approved child seatt hat is properly secured t o t hevehicle Larger children must be restrained
wit h a lap/shoulder belt and ride ona boost er seat unt il t he seat belt f it st hem properly
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
35
Children who are unrestrained
or improperly restrained can be
seriously injured or killed in a
crash.
Any child too small for a seat
belt should be properly
restrained in a child seat. A
larger child should be properly
restrained with a seat belt and
use a booster seat if necessary.

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Front airbags have been designed to
help protect adults in a moderate to
severe f rontal collision. To do this,
the passenger’s f ront airbag is quite
large, and it can inflate with enough
f orce to cause very serious injuries.
According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
saf er when they are restrained in a
back seat.
Even though your vehicle has an
advanced front airbag system, which
can automatically turn the
passenger’s front airbag off (see
page ), please f ollow the
guidelines below.
If
the airbag inf lates, it can hit the back
of the child seat with enough force
to kill or very seriously injure an
inf ant. If the vehicle seat is
too far forward, or the child’s head is
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inflating front airbag can strike the
child with enough f orce to kill or
very seriously injure a small child.
Whenever possible,
larger children should sit in the back
seat, on a booster seat if needed, and
be properly restrained with a seat
belt. (See page f or important
inf ormation about protecting larger
children.)
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
age 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat. Some
states have laws restricting where
children may ride.
Children who ride in back are less
likely to be injured by striking
interior vehicle parts during a
collision or hard braking. Also,
children cannot be injured by an
inflating front airbag when they ride
in the back.
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50
The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Can Pose Serious Risks
All Children Should Sit in a Back
Seat
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Inf ant s
Never put a rear-f acing child seat inthe f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag. Small Children
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat inthe f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag canbe hazardous.
Larger ChildrenChildren who have outgrown childseat s are also at risk of being injuredor killed by an inf lat ing passenger’sfront airbag.
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To remind you of the passenger’s
f ront airbag hazards, and that
children must be properly restrained
in a back seat, your vehicle has
warninglabelsonthedashboard
(on U.S. models, the dashboard label
isremovedbytheowner)andonthe
f ront visors. Please read and f ollow
the instructions on these labels.Canadian Models
U.S. Models
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
37

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Your vehicle has two rows of back
seats where children can be properly
restrained. If you ever have to carry
a group of children, and a child must
ride in f ront:Place the largest child in the f ront
seat, provided the child is large
enough to wear the lap/shoulder
belt properly (see page ).
Move the vehicle seat as far to the
rear as possible (see page ).
Have the child sit upright and well
backintheseat(seepage ).
Make sure the seat belt is properly
positioned and secured (see page ). Many parents say they pref er to put
an inf ant or small child in the f ront
passenger seat so they can watch the
child, or because the child requires
attention.
Placing a child in the f ront seat
exposes the child to hazards in a
f rontal collision, and paying close
attention to a child distracts the
driver from the important tasks of
driving, placing both of you at risk.
If a child requires close physical
attention or f requent visual contact,
we strongly recommend that another
adult ride with the child in a back
seat. The back seat is far safer for a
child than the front.
This can prevent children
f rom accidentally f alling out (see
page ). If you are not wearing a
seat belt in a crash, you could be
thrown forward and crush the
child against the dashboard or a
seat-back. If you are wearing a
seat belt, the child can be torn
from your arms and be seriously
hurt or killed.
During a crash, the
belt could press deep into the child
and cause serious or fatal injuries.
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18
16 82
51
If You Must Drive with Several
Children
If a Child Requires Close
AttentionAdditional Saf ety Precautions
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Use childproof door locks t o
prevent children f rom opening t hedoors.
Neverholdaninfantorchildon
your lap.
Never put a seat belt over yourselfand a child.
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Children
who play in vehicles can
accidentally get trapped inside.
Teach your children not to play in
or around vehicles.
If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash. Even very young
children learn how to unlock
vehicle doors, turn on the ignition
switch, and open the tailgate,
which can lead to accidental injury
or death.
Leaving children without
adult supervision is illegal in most
states and Canadian provinces,
and can be very hazardous.
For example, infants and small
childrenleftinavehicleonahot
day can die f rom heatstroke. A
child lef t alone with the key in the
ignition switch can accidentally set
the vehicle in motion, possibly
injuring themselves or others.
Protecting Children General Guidelines
L ock all doors and t ailgat e when
your vehicle is not in use.
Never let two children use the
same seat belt . K eep vehicle keys and remot e
transmitters out of the reach ofchildren.
Do not leave children alone in a vehicle.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
39