child seat ACURA RL 2012 User Guide

For added saf ety, the f ront seat belts
are equipped with e-pretensioners
that work in combination with the
collision mitigation braking system
(CMBS ) (see page ) and the
brake pedal assist f unction (see page
).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 f ront of
you is likely, the e-pretensioners on
both front seats retract the seat belts
with enough f orce to properly
restrain you and your f ront
passenger. After they activate, the
e-pretensioners release the retracted
seat belts.
To get the f ull benef it of the
e-pretensioners, you and your f ront
passenger must sit normally in your
seats and wear your seat belts
properly (see page ).The e-pretensioners do not activate
when the vehicle stability assist
(VSA) of f indicator on the
instrument panel is on.
If the automatic seat belt tensioners
are activated by a collision, both
f ront seat belts and all related
components must be replaced (see
page ). If only the
e-pretensioners were activated, no
components need to be replaced.
In addition, the f ront 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
f ront passenger’s seat. 17
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On models with Collision Mitigation
Braking System
Seat Belt e-pretensioners
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
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Your airbag system includes:
Two SRS (supplemental restraint
system) f ront airbags. The driver’s
airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the f ront
passenger’sairbagisstoredinthe
dashboard. Both are marked ‘‘SRS
AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
Two side airbags, one f or the
driver and one f or a f ront
passenger. The airbags are stored
in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked ‘‘SIDE
AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
Two side curtain airbags, one f or
each side of the vehicle. The
airbags are stored in the ceiling,
above the side windows. The f ront
and rear pillars are marked ‘‘SIDE
CURTAIN AIRBAG’’ (see page
).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
inf late with less f orce (see page
).
Weight sensors that monitor the
weight on the f ront passenger’s
seat. If the weight is about 65 lbs
(29 kg) or less (the weight of an
inf ant or small child), the
passenger’s f ront airbag will be
turned of f (see page ).
A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records inf ormation about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, the seat belt
tensioners, and driver and f ront
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition switch is in the ON (II)
position. On models with CMBS , f ront
seat belt e-pretensioners (see page
).
Automatic front seat belt
tensioners (see page ).
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe front impact or
side impact.
Sensors that can detect whether a
child is in the passenger’s side
airbag path and signal the control
unit to turn the airbag of f (see
page ).
Sensors that can detect whether
the driver’s seat belt and the f ront
passenger’s seat belt are latched
or unlatched (see page ). 28
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Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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Your f ront 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 f ront.
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 f ront seats.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
inf late with less f orce, 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 inf late in the normal
manner regardless of the driver’s
seating position. Failure to f ollow these instructions
could damage the sensors or prevent
them f rom working properly.
Objects placed or pushed under
the f ront passenger’s seat may
cause the sensor to malf unction,
increasing the risk of injury in a
crash.
Advanced Airbags
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
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DRIVER’S SEAT POSITION SENSOR
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The passenger’s advanced f ront
airbag system has weight sensors
under the seat. Although Acura does
not encourage carrying an inf ant or
small child in f ront, if the sensors
detect the weight of an inf ant or
small child (up to about 65 lbs or 29
kg), the system will automatically
turn the passenger’s f ront airbag of f .Be aware that objects placed on the
passenger’s seat can also cause the
airbag to be turned of f .
When the passenger airbag gets
turned of f by the weight sensors, a
‘‘passenger airbag of f ’’ indicator in
the center of the dashboard comes
on (see page ).
If the weight sensors detect there is
no passenger in the f ront seat, the
airbag is automatically turned off.
However, the passenger airbag of f
indicator in this situation will not
come on.To ensure that the passenger’s
advanced front airbag system will
work properly,
This includes:
Hanging heavy items on the f ront
passenger seat, or placing heavy
items in the seat-back pocket. Moving the f ront seat f orcibly
back against cargo on the seat or
f loor behind it. A rear passenger pushing or
pulling on the back of the f ront
passenger’s seat.
Back seat passengers should not
wedge objects or intentionally
f orce their f eet under the f ront
passenger seat. 35
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
do not do anyt hing
t hat would increase or decrease t he
weight on t he f ront passenger’s seat .Driver and Passenger Saf ety
31
PASSENGER’S SEAT WEIGHT SENSOR
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Your vehicle has a side airbag cutof f
system designed primarily to protect
a child riding in the f ront passenger’s
seat.
Although Acura does not encourage
children to ride in f ront, if the
position 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 .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 another object as a
backrest. It may prevent the cutof f
system f rom working properly.In a moderate to severe side impact,
sensors will detect rapid acceleration
and signal the control unit to
instantly inflate the side curtain
airbag. 35
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Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Side A irbag Cut of f Syst emHow Your Side Curtain A irbags
Work
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG
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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.
When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, the indicator
should come on brief ly and then go
out (see page ). If it does not
come on, stays on, or comes on while
driving without a passenger in the
f ront seat, you will also see a
‘‘PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG OFF’’
message on the multi-inf ormation
display. Have the system checked
(see page ).This indicator alerts you that the
passenger’s f ront airbag has been
shut of f because weight sensors
detect about 65 lbs (29 kg) or less
(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.If an adult or teenage passenger is
riding in f ront, move the seat as f ar
to the rear as possible, and have the
passenger sit upright and wear the
seat belt properly. Be aware that objects placed on the
frontseatcancausetheindicatorto
come on.
If no weight is detected on the f ront
seat, the airbag will be automatically
shut of f . However, the indicator will
not come on.
The passenger airbag of f indicator
maycomeonandoff repeatedlyif
the total weight on the seat is near
the airbag cutof f threshold.
6363
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How the Side
Airbag Of f
Indicator WorksHow the Passenger Airbag Of f
Indicator Works
not
not mean
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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U.S. Canada
U.S.
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF INDICATORCanada
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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.Each year, many children are injured
or killed in vehicle crashes because
they are either unrestrained or not
properly restrained. In f act, traf f ic
collisions are the number one cause
of death of children age 12 and
under.
To reduce the number of child
deaths and injuries, every state,
Canadian province and territory
requires that inf ants and children be
properlyrestrainedwhentheyridein
a vehicle.
(see pages ).(see pages ). Children depend on adults to protect
them. However, despite their best
intentions, many adults do not know
how to protect child
passengers.
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51 43
properly
Protecting Children General Guidelines
All Children Must Be Restrained
Inf ant s and small children must be
rest rained in an approved child seat
t hat is properly secured t o t he
vehicleLarger children must be restrained
wit h a lap/shoulder belt and ride on
a boost er seat unt il t he seat belt f it s
t hem properly
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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.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. According to crash statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
saf er when they are restrained in a
back seat.
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. The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
aged 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat. Some
states have laws restricting where
children may ride.Even though your vehicle has an
advanced front airbag system that
automatically turns the passenger’s
f ront airbag of f under certain
circumstances (see page ), please
f ollow these guidelines:
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). 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.52 35
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Protecting Children General Guidelines
The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Can Pose Serious Risks All Children Should Sit in a Back
SeatSmall Children
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat in
t he f ront seat of a vehicle equipped
wit h a passenger’s f ront airbag can
be hazardous.
Larger Children
Children who have outgrown child
seat s are also at risk of being injured
or killed by an inf lat ing passenger’s
front airbag.
Never put a rear-f acing child seat in
t he f ront seat of a vehicle equipped
wit h a passenger’s f ront airbag. Inf ant s
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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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
(U.S. models) and on the f ront visors.
Please read and follow the
instructions on these labels.
Protecting Children General Guidelines
U.S. Models
Canadian Models
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DASHBOARD
SUN VISORS SUN VISORS
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Many parents say they pref er to put
an inf ant or a 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. Your vehicle has a back seat where
children can be properly restrained.
If you ever have to carry a group of
children, and a child must ride in
front:
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
).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. Place the largest child in the f ront
seat, provided the child is large
enough to wear the lap/shoulder
belt properly (see page ).
During a crash, the
belt could press deep into the child
and cause serious or fatal injuries.
If they do, they
couldbeveryseriouslyinjuredina
crash.If you are not wearing a
seat belt in a crash, you could be
thrown f orward 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.
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Protecting Children General Guidelines
If You Must Drive with Several
ChildrenIf a Child Requires Close
AttentionAdditional Saf ety Precautions
Never put a seat belt over yourself
and a child.
Never let two children use the
same seat belt . Neverholdaninfantorchildon
your lap.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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