head restraints Acura MDX 2014 Owner's Manual

7Quick Reference Guide
Safe Driving
(P25)
Airbags
(P39)
●Your vehicle is fitted with airbags to help protect you and
your passengers during a moderate-to-severe collision.
Child Safety
(P54)
●All children 12 and younger should be seated in the rear seat.
●Smaller children should be properly restrained in a forward-facing child seat.
●Infants must be properly restrained in a rear-facing child seat.
Exhaust Gas Hazard
(P66)
●Your vehicle emits dangerous exhaust gases that contain carbon
monoxide. Do not run the engine in confined spaces where carbon
monoxide gas can accumulate.
Before Driving Checklist
(P30)
●Before driving, check that the front seats, head restraints,
steering wheel, and mirrors have been properly adjusted.
Seat Belts
(P31)
●Fasten your seat belt and sit upright well
back in the seat.
●Check that your passengers are wearing
their seat belts correctly.
Fasten your lap belt as
low as possible.

29
uuFor Safe DrivinguYour Vehicle’s Safety Features
Continued
Safe Driving
Your Vehicle’s Safety FeaturesThe following checklist will help you take an active role in protecting yourself and
your passengers.
1Your Vehicle’s Safety Features
Your vehicle is equipped with many features that
work together to help protect you and your
passengers during a crash.
Some features do not require any action on your part.
These include a strong steel framework that forms a
safety cage around the passenger compartment,
front and rear crush zones, a collapsible steering
column, and tensioners that tighten the front seat
belts in a sufficient crash.
However, you and your passengers cannot take full
advantage of these features unless you remain seated
in the correct position and always wear your seat
belts. In fact, some safety features can contribute to
injuries if they are not used properly.
67891012Safety Cage
Crush Zones
Seats and Seat-Backs
Head Restraints
Collapsible Steering Column
Seat Belts
Front Airbags
Side Curtain Airbags
Door Locks Side Airbags11Seat Belt Tensioners/Seat Belt
e-pretensioners
*
67
89
9
10
11
11
12
7
Knee Airbag
10
* Not available on all models

uuFor Safe DrivinguYour Vehicle’s Safety Features
30Safe Driving
For the safety of you and your passengers, make a habit of checking these items
each time before you drive.
•After everyone has entered the vehicle, be sure all doors and the tailgate are
closed and locked. Locking the doors and the tailgate helps prevent an occupant
from being ejected and an outsider from unexpectedly opening a door or the
tailgate.
2Locking/Unlocking the Doors from the Inside P. 124
•Adjust your seat to a position suitable for driving. Be sure the front seats are
adjusted as far to the rear as possible while allowing the driver to control the
vehicle. Sitting too close to a front airbag can result in serious or fatal injury in a
crash.
2Adjusting the Seats P. 161
•Adjust head restraints to the proper position. Head restraints are most effective
when the center of the head restraint aligns with the center of your head. Taller
persons should adjust their head restraint to the highest position.
2Adjusting the Head Restraints P. 164
•Always wear your seat belt, and make sure you wear it properly. Confirm that any
passengers are properly belted as well.
2Fastening a Seat Belt P. 34
•Protect children by using seat belts or child seats according to a child’s age, height
and weight.
2Child Safety P. 54
■Safety Checklist
1Safety Checklist
If the door and/or tailgate open message appears on
the multi-information display (MID), a door and/or
the tailgate is not completely closed. Close all doors
and the tailgate tightly until the message disappears.

44
uuAirbagsuFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe Driving
■When front airbags should not deploy
Minor frontal crashes: Front airbags were designed to supplement seat belts and
help save lives, not to prevent minor scrapes, or even broken bones that might occur
during a less than moderate-to-severe frontal crash.
Side impacts: Front airbags can provide protection when a sudden deceleration
causes a driver or front passenger to move toward the front of the vehicle. Side
airbags and side curtain airbags have been specifically designed to help reduce the
severity of injuries that can occur during a moderate-to-severe side impact which
can cause the driver or passenger to move toward the side of the vehicle.
Rear impacts: Head restraints and seat belts are your best protection during a rear
impact. Front airbags cannot provide any significant protection and are not designed
to deploy in such collisions.
Rollovers: Seat belts, and in vehicles equipped with a rollover sensor, side airbags,
and side curtain airbags offer the best protection in a rollover. Because front airbags
could provide little if any protection, they are not designed to deploy during a
rollover.■When front airbags deploy with little or no visible damage
Because the airbag system senses sudden deceleration, a strong impact to the
vehicle framework or suspension might cause one or more of the airbags to deploy.
Examples include running into a curb, the edge of a hole, or other low fixed object
that causes a sudden deceleration in the vehicle chassis. Since the impact is
underneath the vehicle, damage may not be readily apparent.■When front airbags may not deploy, even though exterior damage
appears severe
Since crushable body parts absorb crash energy during an impact, the amount of
visible damage does not always indicate proper airbag operation. In fact, some
collisions can result in severe damage but no airbag deployment because the airbags
would not have been needed or would not have provided protection even if they
had deployed.

uuAdjusting the SeatsuAdjusting the Seat Positions
164Controls
Your vehicle is equipped with head restraints
in all seating positions.
Head restraints are most effective for
protection against whiplash and other rear-
impact crash injuries when the center of the
back of the occupant’s head rests against the
center of the restraint. The tops of the
occupant’s ears should be level with the
center height of the restraint.
■Adjusting the front and second row outer head restraint positions
To raise the head restraint: Pull it upward.
To lower the head restraint: Push it down
while pressing the release button.■Adjusting the Head Restraints
1Adjusting the Head Restraints
In order for the head restraint system to work
properly:•Do not hang any items on the head restraints, or
from the restraint legs.•Do not place any objects between an occupant and
the seat-back.•Install each restraint in its proper location.
3
WARNING
Improperly positioning head restraints
reduces their effectiveness and increases
the likelihood of serious injury in a crash.
Make sure head restraints are in place and
positioned properly before driving.
Position head in the center
of the head restraint.

Continued
165
uuAdjusting the SeatsuAdjusting the Seat Positions
Controls
A passenger sitting in the second row center
seating position should adjust the height of
their head restraint to an appropriate position
before the vehicle begins moving.
To raise the head restraint:
Pull it upward.
To lower the head restraint:
Push it down while pressing the release
button.
Head restraints can be removed for cleaning or repair.
To remove a head restraint:
Pull the restraint up as far as it will go. Then push the release button, and pull the
restraint up and out.
To reinstall a head restraint:
Insert the legs back in place, then adjust the head restraint to an appropriate height
while pressing the release button. Pull up on the restraint to make sure it is locked
in position.
■Changing the Second Row Center Seat Head Restraint
Position■Removing and Reinstalling the Head Restraints
1Removing and Reinstalling the Head Restraints
3
WARNING
Failure to reinstall, or correctly reinstall, the
head restraints can result in severe injury
during a crash.
Always replace the head restraints before
driving.
Front and second row head restraints

167
uuAdjusting the SeatsuAdjusting the Seat Positions
Controls
After all occupants have adjusted their seats and head restraints, and put on their
seat belts, it is very important that they continue to sit upright, well back in their
seats, with their feet on the floor until the vehicle is safely parked and the engine is
off.
Sitting improperly can increase the chance of injury during a crash. For example, if
an occupant slouches, lies down, turns sideways, sits forward, leans forward or
sideways, or puts one or both feet up, the chance of injury during a crash is greatly
increased.
In addition, an occupant who is out of position in the front seat can be seriously or
fatally injured in a crash by striking interior parts of the vehicle or being struck by an
inflating front airbag.■Maintain a Proper Sitting Position
1Maintain a Proper Sitting Position
3
WARNING
Sitting improperly or out of position can
result in serious injury or death in a crash.
Always sit upright, well back in the seat,
with your feet on the floor.

Continued
169
uuAdjusting the SeatsuRear Seats
Controls
Separately fold down the left and right halves of the second row seat to make room
for cargo.
1.Store the center seat belt first. Insert the latch plate into the slot on the side of the
anchor buckle.
2.Retract the seat belt into the holder on the ceiling.
2Seat Belt with Detachable Anchor P. 36
3.Lower the center head restraint to its lowest position. Put the armrest back into
the seat-back.
4.Pull up on the seat-back angle adjustment
lever.
To return the seat to the original position, pull
up the seat-back in the upright position.■Folding Down the Second Row Seat
1Folding Down the Second Row Seat
Make sure that the folded seat-back does not press
against the front passenger seat, as this can cause the
weight sensors in the front passenger seat to work
improperly.
2Passenger Airbag Off Indicator P. 52
The front seats must be far enough forward so they
do not interfere with the second row seats as they
fold down.
To lock the seat-back upright, push it backwards until
it locks.
Make sure the seat-back, head restraints and seat
cushion are securely latched back into place before
driving. Also, make sure all rear shoulder belts are
positioned in front of the seat-back, and the center
shoulder belt is re-positioned in the holding slot.
Lever

uuAdjusting the SeatsuRear Seats
170Controls
Separately fold down the left and right halves of the third row seat to make room
for cargo.■To fold down the seat
1.Pull the handle on the seat-back fully.
uThe head restraint tilt downward.
2.Push the seat-back forward while pulling
the handle.■To return the seat to the original position
1.Pull the seat-back up with the handle pulled.
2.Push the head restraint up to its original position.■Folding Down the Third Row Seat
1Folding Down the Third Row Seat
Make sure all items in the cargo area or items
extending to the third row seats are properly
secured. Loose items can fly forward if you have
to brake hard.
Handle
1To return the seat to the original position
Make sure the seat-back and head restraints are
securely latched back into place before driving.

Continued
305
uuBefore DrivinguDriving Preparation
Driving
•Store or secure all items on board properly.
uCarrying too much cargo, or improperly storing it, can affect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, stopping distance, and tires, and make it unsafe.
2Maximum Load Limit P. 307
•Do not pile items higher than the seat height.
uThey can block your view and may be thrown forward in the event of sudden
braking.
•Do not place anything in the front seat footwells. Make sure to secure the floor
mat.
uAn object or unsecured floor mat can interfere with your brake and accelerator
pedal operation while driving.
•If you have any animals on board, do not let them move around in the vehicle.
uThey may interfere with driving and a crash could occur.
•Securely close and lock all doors and the tailgate.
2Locking/Unlocking the Doors from the Inside P. 124
•Adjust your seating position properly.
uAdjust the head restraint, too.
2Adjusting the Seats P. 161
2Adjusting the Head Restraints P. 164
•Adjust the mirrors and steering wheel properly for your driving.
uAdjust them while sitting in the proper driving position.
2Adjusting the Steering Wheel P. 157
2Adjusting the Mirrors P. 158
■Interior Checks
1Interior Checks
The headlight aim is set by the factory, and does not
need to be adjusted. However, if you regularly carry
heavy items in the cargo area or tow a trailer, have
the aiming readjusted at a dealer or by a qualified
technician.