airbag Acura TSX 2012 Owner's Guide

50
uuChild SafetyuSafety of Infants and Small Children
Safe Driving
Safety of Infants and Small ChildrenAn infant must be properly restrained in a rear-facing, reclining child seat until the
infant reaches the seat maker’s weight or height limit for the seat, and the infant is
at least one year old.
■
Positioning a rear-facing child seat
Child seats must be placed and secured in a
rear seating position.
When properly installed, a rear-facing child seat may prevent the driver or a front
passenger from moving their seat all the way back, or from locking their seat-back
in the desired position.
It can also interfere with proper operation of the passenger’s advanced front airbag
system.
2Airbags P. 33
If this occurs, we recommend that you install the child seat directly behind the front
passenger’s seat, move the seat as far forward as needed, and leave it unoccupied.
Or, you may wish to get a smaller rear-facing child seat.■
Protecting Infants
1Protecting Infants
Rear-facing child seats should never be installed in a
forward facing position.
Always refer to the child seat manufacturer’s
instructions before installation.
3
WARNING
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
rear seat, not the front.

Continued
51
uuChild SafetyuSafety of Infants and Small Children
Safe Driving
If a child is at least one year old and within the weight range indicated by the child
seat manufacturer, the child should be properly restrained in a firmly secured
forward-facing child seat.
■
Forward-facing child seat placement
We strongly recommend placing a forward-
facing child seat in a rear seating position.
Placing a forward-facing child seat in the front seat can be hazardous, even with
advanced front airbags that automatically turn the passenger’s front airbag off. A
rear seat is the safest place for a child.
■
Protecting Smaller Children
1Protecting Smaller Children
Educate yourself about the laws and regulations
regarding child seat use where you are driving, and
follow the child seat manufacturer’s instructions.
Many experts recommend use of a rear-facing seat
up to age two, if the child’s height and weight are
appropriate for a rear-facing seat.
3
WARNING
Placing a forward-facing child seat in the
front seat can result in serious injury or
death if the front airbag inflates.
If you must place a forward-facing child
seat in front, move the vehicle seat as far
back as possible, and properly restrain the
child.

58
uuChild SafetyuSafety of Larger Children
Safe Driving
Safety of Larger ChildrenThe following pages give instructions on how to check proper seat belt fit, what kind
of booster seat to use if one is needed, and important precautions for a child who
must sit in front.
When a child is too big for a child seat, secure the child in a rear seat using the lap/
shoulder seat belt. Have the child sit upright and all the way back, then answer the
following questions.
■
Checklist
•Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over
the edge of the seat?
•Does the shoulder belt cross between the
child’s neck and arm?
•Is the lap part of the seat belt as low as
possible, touching the child’s thighs?
•Will the child be able to stay seated like this
for the whole trip?
If you answer yes to all these questions, the child is ready to wear the lap/shoulder
seat belt correctly. If you answer no to any question, the child needs to ride on a
booster seat until the seat belt fits properly without a booster seat.
■
Protecting Larger Children
■
Checking Seat Belt Fit
1Safety of Larger Children
3
WARNING
Allowing a child age 12 or under to sit in
front can result in serious injury or death if
the passenger’s front airbag inflates.
If a larger child must ride in front, move the
vehicle seat as far to the rear as possible,
have the child sit up properly and wear the
seat belt properly, using a booster seat if
needed.

67
uuIndicatorsu
Continued
Instrument Panel
Indicator
Name
On/Blinking
Explanation
Message
Supplemental
Restraint System
Indicator
●
Comes on for a few seconds when
you turn the ignition switch to ON (w
, then goes off.
●
Comes on if a problem with any of
the following is detected:
-Supplemental restraint system
-Side airbag system
-Side curtain airbag system
-Seat belt tensioner
●
Stays on constantly or does not come
on at all - Have the vehicle checked by a
dealer.
VSA® (Vehicle
Stability Assist)
System Indicator
●
Comes on for a few seconds when
you turn the ignition switch to ON (w
, then goes off.
●
Blinks when VSA® is active.
●
Comes on if there is a problem
with the VSA® system.
●
Stays on constantly - Have the vehicle
checked by a dealer.
2VSA® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka
ESC (Electronic Stability Control),
System P. 204
VSA® (Vehicle
Stability Assist)
OFF Indicator
●
Comes on for a few seconds when
you turn the ignition switch to ON (w
, then goes off.
●
Comes on when you deactivate
VSA®.
2VSA® On and Off P. 205
—

70
uuIndicatorsu
Instrument Panel
Indicator
Name
On/Blinking
Explanation
Message
Fog Light Indicator
●
Comes on when the fog lights are
on.
—
—
Side Airbag Off
Indicator
●
Comes on for a few seconds when
you turn the ignition switch to ON (w
, then goes off.
●
Comes on when the passenger
side airbag system is automatically
shut off.
●
It does not mean there is a problem with
your side airbags.
●
Comes on when nobody is sitting in
the passenger seat - Have the vehicle
checked by a dealer.
●
Comes on when someone is sitting in
the seat - Have the passenger sit
properly.
Immobilizer
System Indicator
●
Comes on briefly when you turn
the ignition switch to ON
(w
, then
goes off.
●
Comes on if the immobilizer
system cannot recognize the key
information.
●
Blinks - You cannot start the engine.
Turn the ignition switch to LOCK
(0
, pull
the key out, and then insert the key and
turn it to ON
(w
again.
●
Repeatedly blinks - The system may be
malfunctioning. Have the vehicle
checked by a dealer.
●
Do not attempt to alter this system or
add other devices to it. Electrical
problems can occur.
—
U.S.Canada
U.S.Canada

116Controls
Adjusting the SeatsAdjusting the Seat Positions
Adjust the driver’s seat as far back as possible
while allowing you to maintain full control of
the vehicle. You should be able to sit upright,
well back in the seat and be able to
adequately press the pedals without leaning
forward, and grip the steering wheel
comfortably. The passenger’s seat should be
adjusted in a similar manner, so that it is as far
back from the front airbag in the dashboard
as possible.
■
Adjusting the front seat
1Adjusting the Seats
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
and Transport Canada recommend that drivers allow
at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the center of the
steering wheel and the chest.
Always make seat adjustments before driving.
3
WARNING
Sitting too close to a front airbag can result
in serious injury or death if the front
airbags inflate.
Always sit as far back from the front
airbags as possible while maintaining
control of the vehicle.
Move back. Allow sufficient
space.
Horizontal Position
Adjustment
Height Adjustment
(Driver’s seat only)
Seat-back Angle
Adjustment
Driver’s seat is shown

Continued
117
uuAdjusting the SeatsuAdjusting the Seat Positions
Controls
Adjust the driver’s seat-back to a comfortable,
upright position, leaving ample space
between your chest and the airbag cover in
the center of the steering wheel.
The front seat passenger should also adjust
their seat-back to a comfortable, upright
position.
Reclining a seat-back so that the shoulder part of the belt no longer rests against the
occupant’s chest reduces the protective capability of the belt. It also increases the
chance of sliding under the belt in a crash and being seriously injured. The farther a
seat-back is reclined, the greater the risk of injury.
■
Adjusting the Seat-Backs
1Adjusting the Seat-Backs
Do not put a cushion, or other object, between the
seat-back and your back.
Doing so may interfere with proper seat belt or airbag
operation.
If you cannot get far enough away from the steering
wheel and still reach the controls, we recommend
that you investigate whether some type of adaptive
equipment may help.
3
WARNING
Reclining the seat-back too far can result in
serious injury or death in a crash.
Adjust the seat-back to an upright position,
and sit well back in the seat.

Continued
121
uuAdjusting the SeatsuAdjusting the Seat Positions
Controls
After all occupants have adjusted their seats and head restraints, and put on their
seat belts, it is very important that they continue to sit upright, well back in their
seats, with their feet on the floor, until the vehicle is safely parked and the engine is
off.
Sitting improperly can increase the chance of injury during a crash. For example, if
an occupant slouches, lies down, turns sideways, sits forward, leans forward or
sideways, or puts one or both feet up, the chance of injury during a crash is greatly
increased.
In addition, an occupant who is out of position in the front seat can be seriously or
fatally injured in a crash by striking interior parts of the vehicle or being struck by an
inflating front airbag.■
Maintain a Proper Sitting Position
1Maintain a Proper Sitting Position
3
WARNING
Sitting improperly or out of position can
result in serious injury or death in a crash.
Always sit upright, well back in the seat,
with your feet on the floor.

123
uuAdjusting the SeatsuRear Seats
Controls
Rear Seats
1.Remove the center shoulder belt from the
guide.
2.Pull the release lever in the trunk to release
the lock.
3.Fold the seat-back down.
If the rear head restraints get caught on the
front seat-backs, remove the head restraints.
2Removing and Reinstalling the Head
Restraints P. 119
■
Folding Down the Rear Seats
1Folding Down the Rear Seats
The rear seat-backs can be folded down to
accommodate bulkier items in the trunk.
Never drive with a seat-back folded down and the
trunk lid open.
2Carbon Monoxide Gas P. 60
To lock a seat-back upright, push it backwards until it
locks.
When returning a seat-back to it’s original position,
push it firmly back. Also, make sure all rear shoulder
belts are positioned in front of the seat-back, and the
center shoulder belt is re-positioned in the guide.
Make sure that the folded seat-back does not press
against the front passenger seat, as this can cause the
weight sensors in the front passenger seat to work
improperly.
2Passenger Airbag Off Indicator P. 45
Also make sure all items in the trunk or items
extending through the opening into the rear
seats are properly secured. Loose items can fly
forward if you have to brake hard.
Guide
Center
Shoulder
Belt
Release
Lever

uuInterior Lights/Interior Convenience ItemsuInterior Convenience Items
132Controls
The ignition switch must be in ON
(w
to use
the seat heaters. The HI setting heats the seats
faster than the LO setting.
There is no heater in the passenger’s seat-
back due to the side airbag cutoff system.
While in HI, the heater cycles on and off.
uThe appropriate indicator will be on
while the seat heater is on. Briefly press
the button on the opposite side to turn
the heater off. The indicator will be off.
When a comfortable temperature is
reached, select LO to keep the seat
warm.
■
Seat Heaters
1Seat Heaters
Do not use the seat heaters even in LO when the
engine is off. Under such conditions, the battery may
be weakened, making the engine difficult to start.
In the LO setting, the heater runs continuously and
does not automatically turn off after a period of time.
3
WARNING
Heat induced burns are possible when
using seat heaters.
Persons with a diminished ability to sense
temperature (e.g., persons with diabetes,
lower-limb nerve damage, or paralysis) or
with sensitive skin should not use seat
heaters.