airbag Acura MDX 2017 User Guide

uuSeat Belts uAbout Your Seat Belts
34
Safe Driving
■Proper use of seat belts
Follow these guidelines for proper use:
• All occupants should sit upright, well back in the seat, and remain in that position
for the duration of the trip. Slouching and leaning reduce the effectiveness of the
belt and can increase the chance of serious injury in a crash.
• Never place the shoulder part of a lap/shoulder seat belt under your arm or
behind your back. This could cause very serious injuries in a crash.
• Two people should never use the same seat belt. If they do, they could be very
seriously injured in a crash.
• Do not put any accessories on the seat be lts. Devices intended to improve comfort
or reposition the shoulder part of a seat be lt can reduce the protective capability
and increase the chance of serious injury in a crash.
Your vehicle monitors front seat belt use. If
the power mode is set to ON before the
driver’s seat belt is fastened, the beeper will
sound and the indicator will blink. If the driver
does not fasten the belt before the beeper
stops, the indicator will remain on.
The beeper will periodically sound and the
indicator will blink while driving until the
driver’s and/or the front passenger’s seat belt
is fastened.
■Seat Belt Reminder
1 About Your Seat Belts
If a rear seat passenger moves around and extends
the seat belt, the lockable retractor may activate. If
this happens, release the retractor by unfastening the
seat belt and allow the belt to retract completely.
Then refasten the belt.
1Seat Belt Reminder
The indicator will also come on if a front passenger
does not fasten their seat belt within six seconds after
the power mode is set to ON.
When no one is sitting in th e front passenger’s seat,
the indicator will not come on and the beeper will not
sound.
The indicator also may no t come on and the beeper
may not sound when the occupant is not heavy
enough to trigger the weight sensor. Such occupants
(e.g., infants and smaller children) should be moved
to the rear seat as a deploying front airbag likely will
injure or kill them.
2 Protecting Child Passengers P. 56
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35
uuSeat Belts uAbout Your Seat Belts
Safe DrivingThe front seats are equi pped with automatic
seat belt tensioners to enhance safety.
The tensioners automatically tighten the front
seat belts during a moderate-to-severe frontal
collision, sometimes even if the collision is not
severe enough to inflate the front airbags or
the driver’s knee airbag.
■Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners1 Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners
The seat belt tensioners can only operate once.
If a tensioner is activated, the SRS indicator will come
on. Have a dealer replace the tensioner and
thoroughly inspect the seat belt system as it may not
offer protection in a subsequent crash.
During a moderate-to-severe side impact, the
tensioner on that side of the vehicle also activates.
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39
uuSeat Belts uFastening a Seat Belt
Safe DrivingIf you are pregnant, the best way to prot ect yourself and your unborn child when
driving or riding in a vehicle is to always wear a seat belt and keep the lap part of the
belt as low as possible across the hips.
■Advice for Pregnant Women1 Advice for Pregnant Women
Each time you have a checkup, ask your doctor if it is
okay for you to drive.
To reduce the risk of inju ries to both you and your
unborn child that can be caus ed by an inflating front
airbag:
•When driving, sit upright a nd adjust the seat as far
back as possible while allowing full control of the
vehicle.
•When sitting in the front passenger’s seat, adjust
the seat as far back as possible.
Wear the shoulder belt
across the chest avoiding
the abdomen.
Wear the lap part of the
belt as low as possible
across the hips.
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41Continued
Safe Driving
Airbags
Airbag System Components
13
6
7
810119
99
9
612
9
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42
uuAirbags uAirbag System Components
Safe Driving
The front, driver’s knee, front side, and side
curtain airbags are deployed according to
the direction and severity of impact. Both
side curtain airbags are deployed in a
rollover. The airbag system includes:
aTwo 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.
bDriver’s knee airbag. The knee airbag is
stored under the steering column. It is
marked SRS AIRBAG.
cTwo 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 .
dTwo 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.
eAn electronic control unit that, when the
power mode is on, continually monitors
information about the various impact
sensors, seat and buckle sensors, airbag
activators, and seat belt tensioners.
fAutomatic front seat belt tensioners. In
addition, the driver’s and front
passenger’s seat belt buckles incorporate
sensors that detect whether or not the
belts are fastened.
gA driver’s seat position sensor. If the seat
is too far forward, the airbag will inflate
with less force.
hWeight sensors in the front passenger’s
seat. The front passenger’s airbag will be
turned off if the weight on the seat is
approximately 65 lbs (29 kg) or less (the
weight of an infant or small child).
iImpact sensors that can detect a
moderate-to-severe front or side impact.
jAn indicator on the dashboard that alerts
you that the front passenger’s front
airbag has been turned off.
kAn indicator on the instrument panel that
alerts you to a possible problem with your
airbag system or seat belt tensioners.
lSafing Sensor
mA rollover sensor that can detect if your
vehicle is about to roll over and signal the
control unit to deploy both side curtain
airbags.
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43
uuAirbags uAirbag System Components
Safe DrivingAirbags can pose serious hazards. To do their job, airbags must inflate with
tremendous force. So, while airbags help sa ve lives, they can cause burns, bruises,
and other minor injuries, sometimes even fatal ones if occupants are not wearing
their seat belts properl y and sitting correctly.
What you should do: Always wear your seat belt properly, and sit upright and as
far back from the steering wheel as possi ble while allowing full control of the
vehicle. A front passenger should move their seat as far back from the dashboard as
possible.
Remember, however, that no safety system ca n prevent all injuries or deaths that
can occur in a severe crash, even when s eat belts are properly worn and the airbags
deploy.
Do not place hard or sharp objects between yourself and a front airbag.
Carrying hard or sharp objects on your lap, or driving with a pipe or other sharp
object in your mouth, can result in in juries if your front airbag inflates.
Do not attach or place objects on the front and driver’s knee airbag covers.
Objects on the covers marked SRS AIRBAG could interfere with the proper
operation of the airbags or be propelled inside the vehicle and hurt someone if the
airbags inflate.
■Important Facts About Your Airbags1 Important Facts About Your Airbags
Do not attempt to deactivate your airbags. Together,
airbags and seat belts pr ovide the best protection.
When driving, keep hands and arms out of the
deployment path of the fro nt airbag by holding each
side of the steering wheel. Do not cross an arm over
the airbag cover.
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44
uuAirbags uTypes of Airbags
Safe Driving
Types of Airbags
Your vehicle is equipped with four types of airbags:
• Front airbags: Airbags in front of the driver ’s and front passenger’s seats.
• Driver’s knee airbag: Airbag under the steering column.
• Side airbags: Airbags in the driver’s and front passenger’s seat-backs.
• Side curtain airbags: Airbags above the side windows.
Each is discussed in the following pages.
Front Airbags (SRS)
The front SRS airbags inflate in a moderate-to -severe frontal collision to help protect
the head and chest of the driver and/or front passenger.
SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) indicates that the airbags are designed to
supplement seat belts, not replace them. Seat belts are the occupant’s primary
restraint system.
The front airbags are housed in the center of the steering wheel for the driver, and
in the dashboard for the front pass enger. Both airbags are marked SRS AIRBAG.
■Housing Locations
1Types of Airbags
The airbags can inflate whenever the power mode is
in ON.
After an airbag inflates in a crash, you may see a
small amount of smoke. This is from the combustion
process of the infl ator material and is not harmful.
People with respiratory pr oblems may experience
some temporary discomfort. If this occurs, get out of
the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
1 Front Airbags (SRS)
Dual-Stage, Multiple-Threshold Front Airbags
(SRS)
Your vehicle is equipped wi th 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, dependi ng on the severity of the
crash, whether or not the se at belts are latched, and/
or other factors. Frontal airbags are designed to
supplement the seat belts to help reduce the
likelihood of head and chest injuries in frontal
crashes.
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Continued45
uuAirbags uFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe DrivingFront airbags are designed to inflate duri ng moderate-to-severe frontal collisions.
When the vehicle decelerates suddenly, the sensors send information to the control
unit which signals one or both front airbags to inflate.
A frontal collision can be either head-on or angled between two vehicles, or when a
vehicle crashes into a stationary object, such as a concrete wall.
While your seat belt restrains your torso, the
front airbag provides supplemental protection
for your head and chest.
The front airbags deflate immediately so that
they won’t interfere with the driver’s visibility
or the ability to steer or operate other
controls.
The total time for inflation and deflation is so fast that most occupants are not
aware that the airbags deployed until th ey see them lying in front of them.
■Operation
■How the Front Airbags Work1How the Front Airbags Work
Although the driver’s and fr ont passenger’s airbags
normally inflate within a spli t 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 protec tion, and the supplemental
protection offered by the airbag would be minimal.
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46
uuAirbags uFront 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 towards the front of the vehicle. Side
airbags and side curtain airbag s have been specifically designed to help reduce the
severity of injuries that can occur durin g a moderate-to-severe side impact which
can cause the driver or passenger to move towards 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 si gnificant protection and are not designed
to deploy in such collisions.
Rollovers: Seat belts, and in vehicl es equipped with a rollover sensor, side curtain
airbags offer the best protection in a ro llover. 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 caus e 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 th e 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.
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47
uuAirbags uFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe DrivingYour front airbags have advanced features to help reduce the likelihood of airbag
related injuries to smaller occupants.
The driver’s advanced front airbag system
includes a seat position sensor.
Based on information from this sensor and the
severity of the impact, the advanced airbag
system determines the optimal deployment of
the driver’s airbag.
The passenger’s advanced front airbag system
has weight sensors.
Although we recommend against letting
children under the age of 12 sit in passenger
seat, if the sensors detect the weight of a child
(up to about 65 lbs or 29 kg), the system will
automatically turn off the passenger’s front
airbag.
■Advanced Airbags1 Advanced Airbags
If there is a problem with the driver’s seat position
sensor, the SRS indicator wi ll come on and the airbag
will inflate with full (normal) force, regardless of the
driver’s seating position.
For both advanced front airbags to work properly:
•Do not spill any liquid on or under the seats.•Do not put any object under the passenger’s seat.
•Make sure any objects are positioned properly on
the floor. Improperly pos itioned objects can
interfere with the advanced airbag sensors.
•All occupants should sit upri ght and wear their seat
belts properly.
•Do not place any cover over the passenger side
dashboard. 2Passenger Front Airbag Off Indicator
P. 54
Make sure the floor mat behind the front passenger’s
seat is hooked to the floor mat anchor. An improperly
placed mat can interfere with the advanced airbag
sensors.
2 Floor Mats P. 507
Driver’s
Seat
Position
Sensor
Passenger’s
Seat
Weight
Sensors
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