belt Acura TL 2011 Owner's Guide

CONT INUED
After a crash, you may see what
looks like smoke. This is actually
powder from the airbag’s surface.
Although the powder is not
harmful, people with respiratory
problems may experience some
temporary discomfort. If this
occurs, get out of the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so. The total time for inflation and
def lation is one-tenth of a second, so
f ast that most occupants are not
aware that the airbags deployed until
they see them lying in their laps.
Af ter inf lating, the f ront airbags
immediately def late, so they won’t
interf ere with the driver’s visibility,
or the ability to steer or operate
other controls.
During a f rontal crash, your seat belt
restrains your lower body and torso,
and the f ront airbag helps protect
your head and chest.
Although both airbags normally
inf late within a split second of each
other, it is possible f or 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
suf f icient protection, and the
supplemental protection of f ered by
the airbag would be minimal.
Only the driver’s airbag can deploy if
there is no passenger in the f ront
seat, or if the advanced airbag
system has turned the passenger’s
airbag off (see page ).
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Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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Your vehicle is equipped with dual-
stage, multiple-threshold f ront
airbags (SRS). During a f rontal crash
severe enough to cause one or both
f ront airbags to deploy, the airbags
can inf late at dif f erent rates,
depending on the severity of the
crash, whether or not the seat belts
are latched, and/or other factors.
Front airbags are designed to
supplement the seat belts to help
reduce the likelihood of head and
chest injuries in f rontal crashes.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.
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 cargo or metal objects
under the f ront seats. Failure to f ollow these instructions
could damage the sensors or prevent
them f rom working properly.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Dual-Stage, Multiple-T hreshold
Front A irbags (SRS) Advanced Airbags
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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.
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 of f . Your vehicle has a side airbag cutof f
system designed primarily to protect
a child riding in the f ront passenger’s
seat.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.
Although Acura does not encourage
children to ride in front, if the
position sensors detect a child has
leaned into the side airbag’s
deployment path, the airbag will
shut off. 33
Side A irbag Cut of f Syst em
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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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.
One or both side curtain airbags may
inflate in a moderate to severe
f rontal collision which causes the
f ront airbags to deploy.
To get the best protection f rom the
side curtain airbags, occupants
should wear their seat belts and sit
upright and well back in their seats.
When you turn the ignition switch
to the ON (II) position, this indicator
comes on brief ly then goes of f . This
tells you the system is working
properly.
Models equipped with the
keyless access system have an
engine start/stop button instead
of an ignition switch. ON Mode
is the equivalent of ON (II). For
more inf ormation, see pagesand .
In a moderate to severe side impact,
sensors will detect rapid acceleration
and signal the control unit to
instantly inflate the side curtain
airbag. The SRS indicator alerts you to a
potential problem with your airbag
system components.
:178 181
How Your Side Curtain
Airbags Work
How the SRS Indicator
Works
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
32
SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG
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Be aware that objects placed on the
f ront seat can cause the indicator to
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
may come on and of f repeatedly if
the total weight on the seat is near
the airbag cutof f threshold.
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.
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.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How the Passenger Airbag
Of f Indicator Works
not mean
34
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR U. S. Canada
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If the indicator comes on with no
f ront seat passenger and no objects
on the seat, or with an adult riding
there, something may be interf ering
with the weight sensors. Look f or
and remove:Any items under the f ront
passenger’s seat. Your airbag systems are virtually
maintenance f ree, and there are no
parts you can saf ely service.
However, you must have your
vehicle serviced if:
Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by an authorized dealer or
a knowledgeable body shop.
If no obstructions are f ound, have
your vehicle checked by a dealer as
soon as possible. Any object hanging on the seat or
in the seat-back pocket.
Any object(s) touching the rear of
the seat-back. Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly.
Even if your
airbags do not inflate, your dealer
should inspect the driver’s seat
position sensor, the f ront
passenger’s weight sensors, the
f ront seat belt tensioners, and all
seat belts and their anchors worn
during a crash to make sure they
are operating properly.
Any airbag
that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. Any
seat belt tensioner that activates
must also be replaced.
Airbag Service
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
T he SRS indicat or alert s you t o a
problem.
If your vehicle has a moderat e t osevere impact .
An airbag ever inf lates.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.
If water or
another liquid soaks into a seat-
back, it can prevent the side airbag
cutof f system f rom working
properly. This could make the
driver’s seat position sensor or the
f ront passenger’s weight sensors
inef f ective. If it is necessary to
remove or modif y a f ront seat to
accommodate a person with
disabilities, f irst contact Acura
Client Services.
In the US, call 800- 382-2238, and in
Canada , call 888-9- ACURA-9.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Donotattempttodeactivateyour
airbags.
Do not t amper wit h airbagcomponent s or wiring f or anyreason.
Do not expose the f ront passenger’sseat-back to liquid. Do not remove or modif y a f ront
seat without consulting yourdealer.
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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.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 ).
42 52 53 56
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
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
37
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 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.
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:
According to crash 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 the 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.
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. 53
34
Children who have outgrown child
seat s are also at risk of being injuredor killed by an inf lat ing passenger’sfront airbag.
Small Children
Larger Children
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat in
the f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag canbe hazardous.
Never put a rear-f acing child seat in the f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag.
Inf ant s
All Children Should
Sit in a Back Seat
The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Can Pose Serious Risks
Protecting Children General Guidelines
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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:
Place the largest child in the f ront
seat, provided the child is large
enough to wear the lap/shoulder
belt properly (see page ).
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 the back
seat. The back seat is far safer for a
child than the front. If you are not wearing a
seat belt in a crash, you could be
thrown forward 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.
During a crash, the
belt could press deep into the child
and cause serious or fatal injuries.
If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash.
This can prevent
children f rom accidentally f alling
out (see page ).
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155
18
16 147
If You Must Drive
with Several Children
If a Child Requires
Close AttentionAdditional Saf ety Precautions
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Neverholdaninfantorchildon
your lap.
Never put a seat belt over yourselfand a child.
Never let two children use thesame seat belt .
Use t he childproof door locks t oprevent children f rom opening t herear doors.
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