Acura MDX 2012 Owner's Guide

The tensioners can be activated
during a collision in which the front
airbags
do not deploy.
In this case, the
airbags would not be needed, but the
extra tension in the seat belt could be
helpful.
If the tensioner is activated, the SRS
indicator comes on and the tensioner
must be replaced.Seat Belt e-pretensioners
On models with Collision Mitigation
Braking System™(CMBS™)For added safety, the front seat belts
are equipped with e-pretensioners
that work in combination with the
collision mitigation braking system™
(CMBS™) (see page 463) and the
brake pedal assist function (see page
460).If your vehicle gets too close to the
vehicle ahead of it in your lane, the
driver's e-pretensioner slightly
retracts the seat belt to alert the
driver of the approaching vehicle. If a
collision with the vehicle in front of
you is likely, the e-pretensioners on
both front seats retract the seat belts
with enough force to properly
restrain you and your front
passenger. After they activate, the e-
pretensioners release the retracted
seat belts.
To get the full benefit of the e-
pretensioners, you and your front
passenger must sit normally in your
seats and wear your seat belts
properly (see page 16).
Additional Information About Your Seat Belts24

If the automatic seat belt tensioners
are activated by a collision, both front
seat belts and all related components
must be replaced (see page 25). If
only the e-pretensioners were
activated, no components need to be
replaced.
In addition, the front passenger's e-
pretensioner does not activate when
the passenger's airbag is
automatically turned off because the
weight sensor detects a child in the
front passenger's seat.Seat Belt Maintenance
For safety, you should check the
condition of your seat belts regularly.
Pull each belt out fully, and look for
frays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check
that the latches work smoothly and
the belts retract easily. If a belt does
not retract easily, cleaning the belt
may correct the problem (see page
534). Any belt that is not in good
condition or working properly will
not provide good protection and
should be replaced as soon as
possible.
Acura provides a limited warranty on
seat belts. See your
Acura Warranty
Information
booklet for details.If a seat belt is worn during a crash,
you should have your dealer inspect
the belt, and replace it if necessary. A
belt that has been worn during a
crash may not provide the same level
of protection in a subsequent crash.
The dealer should also inspect the
anchors for damage and replace
them if needed. If the automatic seat
belt tensioners activate during a
crash, they must be replaced.
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Additional Information About Your Seat Belts
25
Driver and Passenger Safety

Not checking or maintaining
seat belts can result in serious
injury or death if the seat belts
do not work properly when
needed.
Check your seat belts regularly
and have any problem
corrected as soon as possible.
Additional Information About Your Seat Belts26

Airbag System Componentsᤳ: On models with CMBS(5) Side Airbags
(6) Driver's Seat Position Sensor
(7) Front Passenger's Weight Sensors
(8) Passenger Airbag Off Indicator
(9) Occupant Position Detection System
(OPDS) Sensors
(10) Front Passenger's Weight Sensors/OPDS
Sensors Control Unit
(11) SRS Indicator
(1)(11)(8)
(6)(2)
(3)
(5) (10)
(9) (7)
(4)
(5)
(4)
(1) Driver's Front Airbag
(2) Passenger's Front Airbag
(3) Control Unit
(4) Front Seat Belt Tensioners/Seat Belt
e-pretensioners
ᤳ
(12) e-pretensioner Control Unit
ᤳ
(13) Front Impact Sensors
(14) Side Curtain Airbags
(15) Side Impact Sensors (First)
(16) Side Impact Sensors (Second)
(17) Safing Sensor
(13)(13)
(14)
(15)
(16)(16)
(17) (12)(14)
CONTINUED
Additional Information About Your Airbags
27
Driver and Passenger Safety

Your Airbag System (SRS) includes:●
Two SRS (Supplemental Restraint
System) front airbags. The driver's
airbag is stored in the center of the
steering wheel; the front
passenger's airbag is stored in the
dashboard. Both are marked‘‘SRS
AIRBAG’’(see page 30).
●
Two side airbags, one for the
driver and one for a front
passenger. The airbags are stored
in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked‘‘SIDE
AIRBAG’’(see page 33).
●
Two side curtain airbags, one for
each side of the vehicle. The
airbags are stored in the ceiling
above the side windows. The front
and rear pillars are marked‘‘SIDE
CURTAIN AIRBAG’’(see page 35).
●
On models with CMBS, front seat
belt e-pretensioners (see page 24).
●
Automatic front seat belt
tensioners (see page 23).
●
Sensors that can detect a moderate
to severe front impact, side impact,
or if your vehicle is about to
rollover.
●
Sensors that can detect whether a
child is in the passenger's side
airbag path and signal the control
unit to turn the airbag off (see
page 34).
●
Sensors that can detect whether
the driver's seat belt and the front
passenger's seat belt are latched or
unlatched (see page 21).
●
A driver's seat position sensor that
monitors the distance of the seat
from the front airbag. If the seat is
too far forward, the airbag will
inflate with less force (see page
31).
Additional Information About Your Airbags28

●
Weight sensors that monitor the
weight on the front passenger's
seat. If the weight is about 65 lbs
(29 kg) or less (the weight of an
infant or small child), the
passenger's front airbag will be
turned off (see page 31).
●
A rollover sensor that can detect if
your vehicle is about to roll over
and signal the control unit to
deploy both side curtain airbags
(see page 35).
●
A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records information about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, the seat belt
tensioners, and driver and front
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition switch is in the ON (II)
position.
●
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbag system
components (see page 36 and 67).
●
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you that the
passenger's side airbag has been
turned off (see page 36).
●
An indicator on the dashboard that
alerts you that the passenger's
front airbag has been turned off
(see page 37).
●
Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle's electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
Additional Information About Your Airbags
29
Driver and Passenger Safety

How Your Front Airbags WorkIf you ever have a moderate to severe
frontal collision, sensors will detect
the vehicle's rapid deceleration.
If the rate of deceleration is high
enough, the control unit will inflate
the driver's and front passenger's
airbags, at the time and with the
force needed.During a frontal crash, your seat belt
restrains your lower body and torso,
and the front airbag helps protect
your head and chest.
Although both airbags normally
inflate within a split second of each
other, it is possible for only one
airbag to deploy.
This can happen if the severity of a
collision is at the margin, or
threshold, that determines whether
or not the airbags will deploy. In
such cases, the seat belt will provide
sufficient protection, and the
supplemental protection offered by
the airbag would be minimal.
Only the driver's airbag will deploy if
there is no passenger in the front
seat, or if the advanced airbag
system has turned the passenger's
airbag off (see page 37).
After inflating, the front airbags
immediately deflate, so they won't
interfere with the driver's visibility,
or the ability to steer or operate other
controls.
Additional Information About Your Airbags30

The total time for inflation and
deflation is less than of a second, so
fast that most occupants are not
aware that the airbags deployed until
they see them lying in their laps.
After a crash, you may see what
looks like smoke. This is actually
powder from the airbag's surface.
Although the powder is not harmful,
people with respiratory problems
may experience some temporary
discomfort. If this occurs, get out of
the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so.
Dual-Stage, Multiple-Threshold Front
Airbags (SRS)Your vehicle is equipped with dual-
stage, multiple-threshold front
airbags (SRS). During a frontal crash
severe enough to cause one or both
front airbags to deploy, the airbags
can inflate at different rates,
depending on the severity of the
crash, whether or not the seat belts
are latched, and/or other factors.
Front airbags are designed to
supplement the seat belts to help
reduce the likelihood of head and
chest injuries in frontal crashes.
Advanced AirbagsYour front airbags are also advanced
airbags. The main purpose of this
feature is to help prevent airbag-
caused injuries to short drivers and
children or small statured adults who
ride in front.
For both advanced airbags to work
properly:●
Occupants must sit upright and
wear their seat belts properly.
●
Do not spill any liquids on or
under the seats, cover the sensors,
or put any objects or metal items
under the front seats.
●
Objects placed or pushed under
the front passenger's seat may
cause the sensor to malfunction,
increasing the risk of injury in a
crash.
Failure to follow these instructions
could damage the sensors or prevent
them from working properly.
CONTINUED
Additional Information About Your Airbags
31
Driver and Passenger Safety

The driver's advanced front airbag
system includes a seat position
sensor under the seat. If the seat is
too far forward, the airbag will inflate
with less force, regardless of the
severity of the impact.
If there is a problem with the sensor,
the SRS indicator will come on, and
the airbag will inflate in the normal
manner regardless of the driver's
seating position.
The passenger's advanced front
airbag system has weight sensors
under the seat. Although Acura does
not encourage carrying an infant or
small child in front, if the sensors
detect the weight of an infant or
small child (up to about 65 lbs or 29
kg), the system will automatically
turn the passenger's front airbag off.Be aware that objects placed on the
passenger's seat can also cause the
airbag to be turned off.
When the passenger airbag gets
turned off by the weight sensors, a
‘‘passenger airbag off’’indicator in
the center of the dashboard comes
on (see page 37).
If the weight sensors detect there is
no passenger in the front seat, the
airbag is automatically turned off.
However, the passenger airbag off
indicator in this situation will not
come on.
DRIVER'S
SEAT
POSITION
SENSOR
PASSENGER'S
SEAT
WEIGHT
SENSOR
Additional Information About Your Airbags32

To ensure that the passenger's
advanced front airbag system will
work properly,
do not do anything
that would increase or decrease the
weight on the front passenger's seat.
This includes:●
A second-row passenger pushing
or pulling on the back of the front
passenger's seat.
●
Moving the front seat forcibly back
against cargo on the seat or floor
behind it.
●
Hanging heavy items on the front
passenger seat, or placing heavy
items in the seat-back pocket.
●
Moving the front passenger's seat
or seat-back forcibly back against
the folded right-side second-row
seat.
●
Second-row seat passenger should
not wedge objects or intentionally
force their feet under the front
passenger seat.Also, make sure the floor mat behind
the front passenger's seat is hooked
to the floor mat anchor (see page
535). If it is not, the mat may
interfere with the proper operation of
the sensors and operation of the seat.How Your Side Airbags Work
If you ever have a moderate to severe
side impact, sensors will detect rapid
acceleration and signal the control
unit to instantly inflate either the
driver's or the passenger's side
airbag and activate the seat belt
tensioner on the affected side.
CONTINUED
Additional Information About Your Airbags
33
Driver and Passenger Safety