srs Acura RDX 2015 Owner's Manual

23
Safe Driving
You can find many safety recommendations throughout this chapter, and throughout this manual.
For Safe Driving
Important Safety Precautions ............. 24
Important Handling Information......... 26
Your Vehicle's Safety Features............ 27
Seat Belts About Your Seat Belts ........................ 29
Fastening a Seat Belt .......................... 32
Seat Belt Inspection............................ 36
Airbags Airbag System Components ............... 37
Types of Airbags ................................ 40
Front Airbags (SRS) ............................ 40 Side Airbags ...................................... 44
Side Curtain Airbags .......................... 47
Airbag System Indicators.................... 48
Airbag Care ....................................... 51
Child Safety Protecting Child Passengers ............... 52
Safety of Infants and Small Children ....... 54
Safety of Larger Children ................... 62
Exhaust Gas Hazard Carbon Monoxide Gas ....................... 64
Safety Labels Label Locations .................................. 65

31
uuSeat Belts uAbout Your Seat Belts
Safe DrivingThe front seats are equipped 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.
â– 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-sev ere side impact, the
tensioner on that side of the vehicle also activates.

38
uuAirbags uAirbag System Components
Safe Driving
The front, 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.
bTwo 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 .
cTwo 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.
dAn electronic control unit that continually
monitors and can records information
about the sensors, the airbag activators,
the seat belt tensioners, and driver and
front passenger seat belt use when the
power mode is in ON.
eAutomatic front seat belt tensioners. The
driver's and front passenger's seat belts
incorporate sensors that detect whether
or not they are fastened.
fA driver's seat position sensor. If the seat
is too far forward, the airbag will inflate
with less force.
gWeight sensors in the front passenger's
seat. The front passenger's airbag will be
turned off if the weight on the seat is
65 lbs (29 kg) or less (the weight of an
infant or small child).
hImpact sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe front or side impact.
iAn indicator on the dashboard that alerts
you that the front passenger's front
airbag has been turned off.
jSensors that can detect if a child or small
statured adult is in the deployment path
of the front passenger's side airbag.
kAn indicator on the instrument panel that
alerts you to a possibl e problem with your
airbag system or seat belt tensioners.
lAn indicator on the instrument panel that
alerts you that the front passenger's side
airbag has been turned off.
mSafing Sensor
nA rollover sensor that detects whether
the vehicle is about to roll over.

39
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, and sometimes even fatal ones if occupants are not
wearing their seat belts properly 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 airbag covers. Objects on the
covers marked SRS AIRBAG could interfere with the proper operation of the airbags
or be propelled inside the vehicle an d hurt someone if the airbags inflate.
â– Important Facts About Your Airbags1Important Facts About Your Airbags
Do not attempt to deactivate your airbags. Together,
airbags and seat belts pr ovide the best protection.
When driving, keep hand s and arms out of the
deployment path of the front airbag by holding each
side of the steering wheel. Do not cross an arm over
the airbag cover.

40
uuAirbags uTypes of Airbags
Safe Driving
Types of Airbags
Your vehicle is equipped with three types of airbags:
• Front airbags: Airbags in front of the driver 's and front passenger's seats.
• 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) indica tes 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.
â– 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.

Continued41
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.
â– Operation
â– 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.

42
uuAirbags uFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe Driving
â– 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 airb ags 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 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 significant protection and are not designed
to deploy in such collisions.
Rollovers: Seat belts and, in vehicl es equipped with a rollover sensor, side airbags
and side curtain airbags offer the best prot ection in a rollover. Because front airbags
could provide little if any protection, they are not designed to deploy during a
rollover.
â– 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.
â– 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.

43
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.
If the seat is too far forward, the airbag
inflates with less force, regardless of the
severity of the impact.
The passenger's advanced front airbag system
has weight sensors.
Although Acura recommends against carrying
an infant or small child in front, 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.
â– 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.
Driver’s
Seat
Position
Sensor
Passenger’s
Seat
Weight
Sensors

47
uuAirbags uSide Curtain Airbags
Continued
Safe Driving
Side Curtain Airbags
Side curtain airbags help protect the head s of the driver and passengers in outer
seating positions during a moderate-to-severe side impact. The side curtain airbags
equipped in this vehicle are also designed to help reduce the likelihood of partial and
complete ejection of vehicle occupants through side windows in crashes, particularly
rollover crashes.
The side curtain airbags are located in the
ceiling above the side windows on both sides
of the vehicle.
The side curtain airbag is designed to deploy
in a rollover or a moderate-to-severe side
impact.
â– Housing Locations
1 Side Curtain Airbags
If the SRS control unit sens es that your vehicle is
about to rollover, it imme diately deploys both side
curtain airbags and activates both front seat belt
tensioners.
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.
To get the best protecti on from the side curtain
airbags, occupants should wear their seat belts
properly and sit upr ight and well back in their seats.
Do not attach any objects to the side windows or roof
pillars as they can interfere with the proper operation
of the side curtain airbags.
Side Curtain Airbag Storage
â– Operation
Deployed Side Curtain Airbag

uuAirbags uAirbag System Indicators
48
Safe Driving
â– When side curtain airbags deploy in a frontal collision
One or both side curtain airbags may inflat e in a moderate to severe angled frontal
collision.
In this case, the side curtain airbags will deploy slightly after the front airbags.
Airbag System Indicators
If a problem occurs in the airbag system, the SRS indicator will come on and a
message appears on the multi-information display.
â– When the power mode is set to ON
The indicator comes on for a few seconds,
then goes off. This tells you the system is
working properly.
If the indicator comes on at any other time, or does not come on at all, have the
system checked by a dealer as soon as po ssible. If you don't, your airbags and seat
belt tensioners may not work properly when they are needed.
â– SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) Indicator1 SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) Indicator
3WARNING
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 th e SRS indicator alerts
you to a possible problem.