child seat Acura TL 2012 Owner's Guide

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If a child wraps a loose
seat belt around their neck, they
can be seriously or f atally injured.
(See pages and f or how to
activate and deactivate the
lockable retractor.)
Leaving children without
adult supervision is illegal in most
states, Canadian provinces and
territories, and can be very
hazardous.
For example, infants and small
childrenleftinavehicleonahot
day can die f rom heatstroke. A
child lef t alone with the key in the
ignition switch or with the keyless
access remote in the vehicle can
accidentally set the vehicle in
motion, possibly injuring
themselves or others. Children
who play in vehicles can
accidentally get trapped inside.
Teach your children not to play in
or around vehicles. Know how to
operate the emergency trunk
opener and decide if your children
should be shown how to use this
feature(seepage ).
Even very young
children learn how to unlock
vehicle doors, turn on the ignition
switch , and open the trunk,
which can lead to accidental injury
or death.
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156
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Make sure any unused seat beltt hat a child can reach is buckled,the lockable retractor is activated,and the belt is f ully retracted andlocked.
Do not leave children alone in avehicle. L ock all doors and t he t runk when
your vehicle is not in use.
K eep vehicle keys/remot et ransmit t ers or keyless accessremotes out of the reach ofchildren.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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Your vehicle has the engine start/stop
button instead of an ignition switch.
For more information on how to select
the power mode, see page .
:
184On models with keyless access system
2012 TL

An inf ant must be properly
restrained in a rear-f acing, reclining
child seat until the child reaches the
seat maker’s weight or height limit
f or the seat, and the child is at least
one year old.
Only a rear-f acing child seat provides
proper support f or a baby’s head,
neck, and back.Two types of seats may be used: a
seat designed exclusively f or inf ants,
or a convertible seat used in the rear-
f acing, reclining mode.
If placed
f acing f orward, an inf ant could be
very seriously injured during a
f rontal collision. A rear-f acing child seat can be placed
in any seating position in the back
seat, but not in the f ront.
If the passenger’s front airbag
inflates, it can hit the back of the
child seat with enough f orce to kill or
seriously injure an inf ant.
When properly installed, a rear-
f acing child seat may prevent the
driver or a f ront passenger f rom
moving their seat as far back as
recommended, or f rom locking their
seat-back in the desired position.
It can also interf ere with proper
operation of the passenger’s
advanced front airbag system.
Protecting Inf ants
Child Seat T ype
Do not put a rear-f acing child seat in
a f orward-f acing position. Never put a
rear-f acing child seat in t he f ront seat .
Rear-f acing Child Seat Placement
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
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Driver and Passenger Saf ety
2012 TL

In any of these situations, we
strongly recommend that you install
the child seat directly behind the
f ront passenger’s seat, move the seat
as far forward as needed, and leave it
unoccupied. Or, you may wish to get
a smaller rear-f acing child seat.Many states, Canadian provinces and
territories allow a child one year of
age or older who also meets the
minimum size and weight
requirements to transition f rom a
rear-facing child seat to a forward
f acing seat. Know the requirements
where you are driving and follow the
child seat instructions. Many experts
recommend use of a rear-f acing seat
up to age two, if the child’s heightand weight are appropriate f or a
rear-facing seat.
Of the different seats available, we
recommend those that have a f ive-
point harness system as shown.
We also recommend that a small
child use the child seat until the child
reaches the weight or height limit
for the seat.
CONT INUED
Protecting Small Children
Child Seat T ype
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
43
Placing a rear-facing child seat
in the front seat can result in
serious injury or death during a
crash.
Always place a rear-facing child
seat in the back seat, not the
front.
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2012 TL

Even with advanced front airbags
that automatically turn the
passenger’s front airbag off (see
page ), a back seat is the saf est
place f or a small child.
If it is necessary to put a f orward-
f acing child seat in the f ront, move
the vehicle seat as far to the rear as
possible, and be sure the child seat is
f irmly secured to the vehicle and the
child is properly strapped in the seat.
We strongly recommend placing a
forward-facing child seat in a back
seat, not the f ront.
If the vehicle seat is too
f ar f orward, or the child’s head is
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inf lating airbag can strike the child
with enough force to cause very
serious or fatal injuries. 34
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
Child Seat Placement
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat inthe f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwith a passenger’s airbag can behazardous.
44
Placing a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat can result
in serious injury or death if the
front airbag inflates.
Ifyoumustplaceaforward-
facing child seat in front, move
the vehicle seat as far back as
possible, and properly restrain
the child.
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Driver and Passenger Saf ety
2012 TL

Most child seats are LATCH-
compatible (Lower Anchors and
Tethers f or CHildren). Some have a
rigid-type connector, while others
have a f lexible-type connector. Both
are equally easy to use. Some
existing and previously owned child
seats can only be installed using the
seat belt. Whichever type you
choose, f ollow the child seat
manufacturer’s use and care
instructions as well as the
instructions in this manual. Proper
installation is key to maximizing your
child’s saf ety.In seating positions and vehicles not
equipped with LATCH, a LATCH-
compatible child seat can be installed
using the seat belt and a top tether
f or added security. This is because
all child seats are required to be
designed so that they can be secured
with a lap belt or the lap part of a
lap/shoulder belt.
In addition, the child seat
manufacturer may advise that a seat
belt be used to attach a LATCH-
compatible seat once a child reaches
a specif ied weight. Please read the
child seat owner’s manual f or proper
installation instructions.
The child seat is the correct type
and size f or the child.
The child seat is the correct type
f or the seating position.
The child seat is compliant with
Federal Motor Vehicle Saf ety
Standard 213 or Canadian Motor
Vehicle Saf ety Standard 213.
Make sure the child seat meets the
f ollowing three requirements:
Selecting a Child Seat
Important considerations when
selecting a child seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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2012 TL

Af ter selecting a proper child seat
and a good place to install the seat,
there are three main steps in
installing the seat:All child seats must be
secured to the vehicle with the lap
part of a lap/shoulder belt or with
the LATCH (Lower Anchors and
Tethers f or CHildren) system. A
child whose seat is not properly
secured to the vehicle can be
endangered in a crash.
Af ter installing a child
seat, push and pull the seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verify that it is secure. A child seat secured with a seat belt
should be installed as f irmly as
possible. However, it does not need
to be ‘‘rock solid.’’ Some side-to-side
movement can be expected and
should not reduce the child seat’s
ef f ectiveness.
If the child seat is not secure, try
installing it in a dif f erent seating
position, or use a dif f erent style of
child seat that can be f irmly secured.
Make sure the child is properly
strappedinthechildseat
according to the child seat maker’s
instructions. A child who is not
properly secured in a child seat
can be seriously injured in a crash. The f ollowing pages provide
guidelines on how to properly install
a child seat. A f orward-f acing child
seat is used in all examples, but the
instructions are the same f or rear-
f acing child seats.
Properly secure t he child seat t o
the vehicle.
Make sure t he child seat is f irmlysecured. Secure the child in the child seat.
1.
2. 3.
Installing a Child Seat
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Driver and Passenger Saf ety
2012 TL

Your vehicle is equipped with
LATCH (Lower Anchors and
Tethers for CHildren) at the outer
rear seats.To install a LATCH-compatible child
seat:Move the seat belt buckle or
tongue away f rom the lower
anchors. Make sure there are no objects
near the anchors that could
prevent a secure connection
between the child seat and the
anchors. Usethepullstraptolowerthe
anchor cover on the lower seat
cushion that covers the LATCH
anchor holes in the seat.
The location of each lower anchor is
indicated by a small button above the
anchor point. The lower anchors are located
between the seat-back and seat
bottom, and are to be used only with
a child seat designed f or use with
LATCH.
1.3. 2.
CONT INUED
Installing a Child Seat with
LATCH
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
47
LOWER ANCHORSOuter seating positionCOVERS
STRAPS
BUTTON
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2012 TL

Push the button located next to
each rear head restraint to pivot
the head restraint down.Place the child seat on the vehicle
seat, then attach the seat to the
lower anchors according to the
child seat maker’s instructions.
Some LATCH-compatible seats
have a rigid-type connector as
shown above.Other LATCH-compatible seats
have a f lexible-type connector as
shown above.
Whatever type you have, f ollow
the child seat maker’s instructions
f or adjusting or tightening the f it.
4.
5.
6.
Installing a Child Seat
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BUTTONHEAD RESTRAINT
Outer seating position Rigid typeFlexible type
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Driver and Passenger Saf ety
2012 TL

Tighten the tether strap as
instructed by the child seat maker.
Push and pull the child seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verify that it is secure.When not using the LATCH system,
all child seats must be secured to the
vehicle with the lap part of a lap/
shoulder belt.
In addition, the lap/shoulder belts in
all seating positions except the
driver’s have a lockable retractor
that must be activated to secure a
child seat.
Route the tether strap over the
head restraint, then attach the
tether strap hook to the anchor,
making sure the strap is not
twisted. With the child seat in the desired
seating position, route the belt
through the child seat according
to the seat maker’s instructions,
then insert the latch plate into the
buckle and remove any slack f rom
the lap portion of the belt.
7.
8.
9. 1.
CONT INUED
Installing a Child Seat
Installing a Child Seat with a L ap/
Shoulder Belt
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
49
TETHER STRAP HOOK
ANCHOR COVER
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2012 TL

Af ter the belt has retracted, tug on
it. If the belt is locked, you will not
be able to pull it out. If you can pull
thebeltout,itisnotlocked,and
you will need to repeat these steps. To activate the lockable retractor,
slowly pull the shoulder part of the
belt all the way out until it stops,
then let the belt f eed back into the
retractor.To remove slack, it may help to
putweightonthechildseat,or
push on the back of the seat while
pulling up on the belt. Af ter conf irming that the belt is
locked, grab the shoulder part of
the belt near the buckle, and pull
up to remove any slack from the
lap part of the belt. Remember, if
the lap part of the belt is not tight,
the child seat will not be secure.Push and pull the child seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verify that it is secure enough to
stay upright during normal driving
maneuvers. If the child seat is not
secure, unlatch the belt, allow it to
retract f ully, then repeat these
steps.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Installing a Child Seat
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Driver and Passenger Saf ety
2012 TL