child seat Acura RSX 2006 Owner's Manual

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This section gives you important
inf ormation about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It
shows you how to use seat belts. It
explains how your airbags work. And
it tells you how to properly restrain
inf ants and children in your vehicle.
.........
Important Safety Precautions .8
.......
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features .9
.........
Protecting Adults and Teens .13
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1. Close and Lock the Doors .13
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2. Adjust the Front Seats .13
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3. Adjust the Seat-Backs .14
4. Fasten and Position the
.............................
Seat Belts .155. Maintain a Proper Sitting
................................
Position .16
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Advice f or Pregnant Women . 17
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Additional Safety Precautions . 18
Additional Inf ormation About .......................
Your Seat Belts .19
..
Seat Belt System Components . 19
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .19
Automatic Seat Belt ...............................
Tensioners .20
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance . 21
Additional Inf ormation About ...........................
Your Airbags .22
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Airbag System Components . 22
How Your Front Airbags .........................................
Work .23
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How Your Side Airbags Work . 25
..
How the SRS Indicator Works . 26
How the Side Airbag Of f ......................
Indicator Works .27
.............................
Airbag Service .27
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Additional Safety Precautions . 27
Protecting Children General ................................
Guidelines .28
All Children Must Be ...............................
Restrained .28 All Children Should Sit in a
.................................
Back Seat .29
The Passenger’s Front Airbag .........
Can Pose Serious Risks . 29
If You Must Drive with .....................
Several Children .30
If a Child Requires Close ..................................
Attention .31
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 31
Protecting Inf ants and Small ...................................
Children .32
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Protecting Inf ants .32
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Protecting Small Children . 33
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Selecting a Child Seat .34
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Installing a Child Seat .35
...............................
With LATCH .36
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With a Lap/Shoulder Belt . 38
..............................
With a Tether .39
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Protecting Larger Children . 41
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Checking Seat Belt Fit . 41
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Using a Booster Seat . 42
When Can a Larger Child Sit in .........................................
Front .43
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Additional Safety Precautions . 44
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Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 45
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Saf ety Labels .46
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
7

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You’ll f ind many saf ety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
Therecommendationsonthispage
are the ones we consider to be the
most important. Excessive speed is a major f actor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed, the greater the
risk, but serious injuries can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
f aster than is saf e f or current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical f ailure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility
of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition f requently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance (see page ).
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags are
designed to supplement seat belts,
not replace them. So even though
your vehicle is equipped with airbags,
make sure you and your passengers
always wear your seat belts, and
wear them properly (see page ).
Children age 12 and under should
ride properly restrained in a back
seat, not the front seat. Infants and
smallchildrenshouldberestrained
in a child seat. Larger children
should use a booster seat and a lap/
shoulder belt until they can use the
belt properly without a booster seat (see pages ).
While airbags can save lives, they
can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Inf ants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to f ollow all instructions and
warnings in this manual.
Alcohol and driving don’t mix. Even
one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse with
every additional drink. So don’t drink
and drive, and don’t let your f riends
drink and drive, either.
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4428
Important Saf ety Precautions
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
Control Your Speed
K eep Your Vehicle in Saf e
Condition
Restrain All Children Be Aware of Airbag Hazards
Don’t Drink and Drive
8

Your vehicle is equipped with seat
belts in all seating positions.
However, you and your passengers
can’t take f ull advantage of these
f eatures unless you remain sitting in
a proper position and
. In f act, some saf ety
f eatures can contribute to injuries if
they are not used properly.
The f ollowing pages explain how you
cantakeanactiveroleinprotecting
yourself and your passengers. Seat belts are the single most effectivesafetydeviceforadultsand
larger children. (Inf ants and smaller
children must be properly restrained
in child seats.)
Not wearing a seat belt properly
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
though your vehicle has airbags.
In addition, most states and all
Canadian provinces require you to
wear seat belts.When properly worn, seat belts:
Keep you connected to the vehicle
so you can take advantage of the
vehicle’s built-in saf ety f eatures.
Help protect you in almost every
type of crash, including f rontal,
side, and rear impacts and
rollovers.
Your seat belt system also includes
an indicator on the instrument panel
and a beeper to remind you and your
passengers to f asten your seat belts.
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features
Seat Belts
always wear
your seat belts
Why Wear Seat Belt s
10
Not wearing a seat belt properly
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
though your vehicle has airbags.
Be sure you and your
passengers always wear seat
belts and wear them properly.

µAfter everyone has entered the
vehicle, be sure the doors are closed
and locked.
Adjust the driver’s seat as far to the
rear as possible while allowing you to
maintain f ull control of the vehicle.
Have a front passenger adjust their
seat as far to the rear as possible.
If you sit too close to the steering
wheel or dashboard, you can be
seriously injured by an inf lating f ront
airbag, or by striking the steering
wheel or dashboard.
See pages f or important
guidelines on how to properly
protect inf ants, small children, and
larger children who ride in your
vehicle. The f ollowing pages provide
instructions on how to properly
protect the driver, adult passengers
and teenage children who are large
enough and mature enough to drive
or ride in the f ront seat.
Your vehicle has a door
monitor indicator on the
instrument panel to indicate when
either door or the hatch is not tightly
closed.
Locking the doors reduces the
chance of someone being thrown out
of the vehicle during a crash, and it
helps prevent passengers f rom
accidentally opening a door and
f alling out.
Locking the doors also helps prevent
an outsider f rom unexpectedly
opening a door when you come to a
stop.
See page f or how to lock the
doors, and page f or how the door
monitor indicator works.
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67
CONT INUED
Introduction Close and L ock the DoorsA djust the Front Seats
1. 2.
Protecting A dults and Teens
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
13

When driving, remember to sit
upright and adjust the seat as f ar
back as possible while allowing f ull
control of the vehicle. When riding
as a f ront passenger, adjust the seat
as far back as possible.
If you are pregnant, the best way to
protect 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.
In addition, an occupant who is out of
position in the f ront seat can be
seriously or f atally injured in a crash
by striking interior parts of the
vehicle or being struck by an
inf lating airbag.
This will reduce the risk of injuries
to both you and your unborn child
that can be caused by a crash or an
inflating front airbag.
Each time you have a checkup, ask
your doctor if it’s okay f or you to
drive.
Protecting A dults and Teens
Advice f or Pregnant Women
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
17
Sitting improperly or out of
position can result in serious
injury or death.
Always sit upright, well back in
the seat, with your feet on the
floor.

CONT INUED
To fasten the belt, insert the latch
plate into the buckle, then tug on the
belt to make sure the buckle is
latched (see page f or how to
properly position the belt).
To unlock the belt, press the red
PRESSbuttononthebuckle.Guide
the belt across your body so that it
retracts completely. Af ter exiting the
vehicle, be sure the belt is out of the
way and will not get closed in the
door.All seat belts have an emergency
locking retractor. In normal driving,
the retractor lets you move f reely in
your seat while it keeps some
tension on the belt. During a collision
or sudden stop, the retractor
automatically locks the belt to help
restrain your body.
The seat belts in all positions except
the driver’s have an additional
locking mechanism that must be
activated to secure a child seat (see
page ).
If the shoulder part of the belt is
pulled all the way out, the locking
mechanism will activate. The belt
will retract, but it will not allow the
passenger to move f reely.
Your seat belt system includes lap/
shoulder belts in all f our seating
positions. The f ront seat belts are
also equipped with automatic seat
belt tensioners.
The seat belt system
includes an indicator on the
instrument panel to remind you and
your passengers to f asten your belts. The lap/shoulder belt goes over
your shoulder, across your chest,
and across your hips.
If you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position bef ore f astening
your seat belt, the beeper will sound,
and the indicator will f lash.
If you do not f asten your seat belt
bef ore the beeper stops, the
indicator will stop f lashing but
remain on. 15
38
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
Seat Belt System Components L ap/Shoulder Belt
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
19

Your airbag system includes: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 ).
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe frontal or side
impact. Automatic front seat belt
tensioners (see page ). Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
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 ).
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.
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbags,
sensors, or seat belt tensioners
(see page ).
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you that the
passenger’s side airbag has been
turned of f (see page ).
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 ).
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20
25
27
26
25
A irbag System Components
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
22

If you ever have a moderate to
severe side impact, sensors will
detect rapid deceleration and signal
the control unit to instantly inf late
either the driver’s or the passenger’s
side airbag.Only one airbag will deploy during a
side impact. If the impact is on the
passenger’s side, the passenger’s
side airbag will deploy even if there
is no passenger.
To get the best protection f rom the
side airbags, front seat occupants
should wear their seat belts and sit
upright and well back in their seats.
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 off. 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 sensors
detect a child has leaned into the
side airbag’s deployment path, the
airbag will shut off.
CONT INUED
How Your Side A irbags Work
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Side A irbag Cut of f Syst em
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
25

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Children depend on adults to protect
them. However, despite their best
intentions, many adults do not know
how to protect child
passengers.
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.To reduce the number of child
deaths and injuries, every U.S. state
and Canadian province requires that
inf ants and children be properly
restrained when they ride in a
vehicle.
(see pages ). (see pages ).
Each year, many children are injured
or killed in vehicle crashes because
they are either unrestrained or not
properly restrained. In f act, vehicle
accidents are the number one cause
of the death of children age 12 and
under.
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32 40
properly
All Children Must Be Restrained
Inf ant s and small children must be
rest rained in an approved child seatt hat is properly secured t o t hevehicle Larger children must be restrained
wit h a lap/shoulder belt and ride ona boost er seat unt il t he seat belt f it st hem properly
Protecting Children General Guidelines
28
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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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).
Front airbags have been designed to
help protect adults in a moderate to
severe f rontal collisions. 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 airbag inf lates, it can hit the back
of the child seat with enough force
to kill or very seriously injure an
inf ant. If the vehicle seat is too
f ar f orward, 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 accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
saf er when they are restrained in a
back seat.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
age 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat. Some
states have laws restricting where
children may ride.
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.
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Children who have outgrown child
seat s are also at risk of being injuredor killed by an inf lat ing passenger’sfront airbag.
Inf ant s
Never put a rear-f acing child seat inthe f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag. Small Children
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat inthe f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwith passenger’s f ront airbag can behazardous.
Larger Children
All Children Should Sit in a Back
Seat The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Can Pose Serious Risks
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
29