belt Acura TSX 2014 Owner's Guide

37
uu Airbags u Types of Airbags
Continued
Types of Airbags
Your vehicle is equipped with three types of airbags:
• Front airbags: Airbags in front of the driver’s and front passenger’s seats.
• Side airbags: Airbags in the driver’s and front passenger’s seat-backs.
• Side curtain airbags: Airbags above the side windows.
Each is discussed in the following pages.
Front Airbags (SRS)
The front SRS airbags inflate in a moderate-to-severe frontal collision to help protect
the head and chest of the dr iver and/or front passenger.
SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) indicates that the airbags are designed to
supplement seat belts, not replace them . Seat belts are the occupant’s primary
restraint system.
The front airbags are housed in the center of the steering wheel for the driver, and
in the dashboard for the front passenger. Both airbags are marked SRS AIRBAG.
■Housing Locations
1Types of Airbags
The airbags can inflate whenever the ignition switch
is in ON (w
.
After an airbag inflates in a crash, you may see a
small amount of smoke. This is from the combustion
process of the inflator material and 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.
1 Front Airbags (SRS)
Dual-Stage, Multiple-Threshold Front Airbags
(SRS)
Your vehicle is equipped with dual-stage, multiple-
threshold front airbags (SRS).
During a frontal crash severe enough to cause one or
both front airbags to deploy, the airbags can inflate
at different rates, depending on the severity of the
crash, whether or not the seat belts are latched, and/
or other factors. Frontal airbags are designed to
supplement the seat belts to help reduce the
likelihood of head and chest injuries in frontal
crashes.
14 ACURA TSX 5D-31TL76300.book 37 ページ ２０１３年６月１７日　月曜日　午後３時２１分
QRG
Index
Safe DrivingTOC
2014 TSX Sport Wagon

uu Airbags u Front Airbags (SRS)
38
Front airbags are designed to inflate during moderate-to-severe frontal collisions.
When the vehicle decelerates suddenly, the sensors send information to the control
unit which signals one or both front airbags to inflate.
A frontal collision can be either head-on or angled between two vehicles, or when a
vehicle crashes into a stationary object, such as a concrete wall.
While your seat belt restrains your torso, the
front airbag provides supplemental protection
for your head and chest.
The front airbags deflate immediately so
that they won’t interfere with the driver’s
visibility or the ability to steer or operate
other controls.
The total time for inflation and deflation is so fast that most occupants are not
aware that the airbags deployed until th ey see them lying in front of them.
■Operation
■How the Front Airbags Work1How the Front Airbags Work
Although the driver’s and front passenger’s airbags
normally inflate within a split second of each other, it
is possible for 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 sufficient protection, and the supplemental
protection offered by the airbag would be minimal.
14 ACURA TSX 5D-31TL76300.book 38 ページ ２０１３年６月１７日　月曜日　午後３時２１分
QRG
Index
Safe DrivingTOC
■When front airbags should not deploy
Minor frontal crashes: Front airbags were designed to supplement seat belts and
help save lives, not to prevent minor scra pes, or even broken bones that might occur
during a less than moderate-to-severe frontal crash.
2014 TSX Sport Wagon

39
uu Airbags u Front Airbags (SRS)
Continued
Side impacts: Front airbags can provide protection when a sudden deceleration
causes a driver or front passenger to move toward the front of the vehicle. Side
airbags and side curtain airbags have been specifically designed to help reduce the
severity of injuries that can occur duri ng a moderate-to-severe side impact which
can cause the driver or passenger to move toward the side of the vehicle.
Rear impacts: Head restraints and seat belts are your best protection during a rear
impact. Front airbags cannot provide any si gnificant protection and are not designed
to deploy in such collisions.
Rollovers: Seat belts, and in vehicles equipped with a rollover sensor, side
airbags, and side curtain airbags offer the best protection in a rollover. Because
front airbags could provide little if any protection, they are not designed to
deploy during a rollover.
■When front airbags deploy with little or no visible damage
Because the airbag system senses sudden deceleration, a strong impact to the
vehicle framework or suspension might cause one or more of the airbags to deploy.
Examples include running into a curb, the edge of a hole, or other low fixed object
that causes a sudden deceleration in th e vehicle chassis. Since the impact is
underneath the vehicle, damage may not be readily apparent.
■When front airbags may not deploy, even though exterior damage
appears severe
Since crushable body parts absorb crash energy during an impact, the amount of
visible damage does not always indicate proper airbag operation. In fact, some
collisions can result in severe damage but no airbag deployment because the airbags
would not have been needed or would not have provided protection even if they
had deployed.
14 ACURA TSX 5D-31TL76300.book 39 ページ ２０１３年６月１７日　月曜日　午後３時２１分
QRG
Index
Safe DrivingTOC
2014 TSX Sport Wagon

uu Airbags u Front Airbags (SRS)
40
Your front airbags have advanced features to help reduce the likelihood of airbag
related injuries to smaller occupants.
The driver’s advanced front airbag system
includes a seat position sensor.
If the seat is too far forward, the airbag
inflates with less force, regardless of the
severity of the impact.
The passenger’s advanced front airbag system
has weight sensors.
Although we recommend against carrying an
in fant or small child in front, if the sensors
detect the weight of a child (up to about 65
lbs or 29 kg), the system will automatically
turn off the passeng er’s front airbag.
■Advanced Airbags1Advanced Airbags
If there is a problem with the driver’s seat position
sensor, the SRS indicator will come on and the airbag
will inflate with full (normal) force, regardless of the
driver’s seating position.
For both advanced front airbags to work properly:
•Do not spill any liquid on or under the seats.•Do not put any object under the passenger’s seat.•Make sure any objects are positioned properly on
the floor. Improperly positioned objects can
interfere with the advanced airbag sensors.
•All occupants should sit upright and wear their seat
belts properly.
•Do not place any cover over the passenger side
dashboard.
Make sure the floor mat behind the front passenger's
seat is hooked to the floor mat anchor. An improperly
placed mat can interfere with the advanced airbag
sensors. 2 Floor Mats P. 273
Driver’s
Seat
Position
Sensor
Passenger’s
Seat
Weight
Sensors
14 ACURA TSX 5D-31TL76300.book 40 ページ ２０１３年６月１７日　月曜日　午後３時２１分
QRG
Index
Safe DrivingTOC
2014 TSX Sport Wagon

44
uu Airbags u Side Curtain Airbags
Side Curtain Airbags
The side curtain airbags help protect the h eads of the driver and passengers in outer
seating positions during a moderate-to-severe side impact.
The side curtain airbags are located in the
ceiling above the side windows on both sides
of the vehicle.
The side curtain airbag is designed to deploy
in a moderate-to-severe side impact.
■When side curtain airbags deploy in a frontal collision
One or both side curtain airbags may inflate in a moderate-to-severe angled
frontal collision.
In this case, the side curta in airbags will deploy slightly after the front airbags.
■Housing Locations
1Side Curtain Airbags
The side curtain airbags are most effective when an
occupant is wearing their seat belt properly and
sitting upright, well back in their seat.
Do not attach any objects to the side windows or roof
pillars as they can interfere with the proper operation
of the side curtain airbags.
Side Curtain Airbag Storage
■Operation
Deployed Side Curtain Airbag
14 ACURA TSX 5D-31TL76300.book 44 ページ ２０１３年６月１７日　月曜日　午後３時２１分
QRG
Index
Safe DrivingTOC
2014 TSX Sport Wagon

45
uu Airbags u Airbag System Indicators
Continued
Airbag System Indicators
If a problem occurs in the airbag system, the SRS indicator will come on and a
message appears on the multi-information display.
■When the ignition switch is turned to
ON
(w

The indicator comes on for a few seconds,
then goes off. This te lls you the system is
working properly.
If the indicator comes on at any other time, or does not come on at all, have the
system checked by a dealer as soon as possible. If you don’t, your airbags and seat
belt tensioners may not work pr operly when they are needed.
■SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) Indicator
1SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) Indicator
3 WARNING
Ignoring the SRS indicator can result in
serious injury or death if the airbag systems
or tensioners do not work properly.
Have your vehicle checked by a dealer as
soon as possible if the SRS indicator alerts
you to a possible problem.
14 ACURA TSX 5D-31TL76300.book 45 ページ ２０１３年６月１７日　月曜日　午後３時２１分
QRG
Index
Safe DrivingTOC
2014 TSX Sport Wagon

48
uu Airbags u Airbag Care
Airbag Care
You do not need to, and should not, perform any maintenance on or replace any
airbag system components yourself. Ho wever, you should have your vehicle
inspected by a dealer in the following situations:
■When the airbags have deployed
If an airbag has inflated, the control unit and other related parts must be
replaced. Similarly, once an automatic seat belt tensioner has been activated, it
must be replaced.
■When the vehicle has been in a moderate-to-severe collision
Even if the airbags did not inflate, have your dealer inspect the following: the driver’s
seat position sensor, weight sensors in the passenger’s seat, front seat belt
tensioners, and each seat belt that was worn during the crash.
■Do not remove or modify a front seat without consulting a dealer
This would likely disable the driver’s seat position sensor or the weight sensors in the
passenger’s seat. If it is necessary to remo ve or modify a front seat to accommodate
a person with disabilities, contact an Acura dealer. For U.S. vehicles you can also
contact Acura Client Relations at 800-382-2238.
1Airbag Care
We recommend against the use of salvaged airbag
system components, including the airbag, tensioners,
sensors, and control unit.
14 ACURA TSX 5D-31TL76300.book 48 ページ ２０１３年６月１７日　月曜日　午後３時２１分
QRG
Index
Safe DrivingTOC
2014 TSX Sport Wagon

49Continued
Child Safety
Protecting Child Passengers
Each year, many children are injured or killed in vehicle crashes because they are
either unrestrained or not properly restrained. In fact, vehicle accidents are the
number one cause of death of children ages 12 and under.
To reduce the number of child deaths and injuries, every state, Canadian province
and territory requires that infants and children be properly restrained when they ride
in a vehicle.
Children should sit properly restrained in a rear seat. This is because:
• An inflating front or side airbag can injure
or kill a child sitting in the front seat.
• A child in the front seat is more likely to
interfere with the driver’s ability to safely
control the vehicle.
• Statistics show that children of all sizes and
ages are safer when they are properly
restrained in a rear seat.1Protecting Child Passengers
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport Canada recommend
that all children age 12 and under be properly
restrained in a rear seat. Some states or provinces/
territories have laws restricting where children may
ride.
3 WARNING
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, using a booster seat if necessary.
14 ACURA TSX 5D-31TL76300.book 49 ページ ２０１３年６月１７日　月曜日　午後３時２１分
QRG
Index
Safe DrivingTOC
2014 TSX Sport Wagon

uu Child Safety u Protecting Child Passengers
50
• Any child who is too small to wear a seat belt correctly must be restrained in an
approved child seat that is properly secured to the vehicle using either the lap belt
portion of the lap/shoulder belt or the lower anchors of the LATCH system.
• Never hold a child on your lap because it is impossible to protect them in the
event of a collision.
• Never put a seat belt over yourself and a child. During a crash, the belt would
likely press deep into the child an d cause serious or fatal injuries.
• Never let two children use the same seat belt. Both children could be very
seriously injured in a crash.
• Do not allow children to operate the doors, windows or seat adjustments.
• Do not leave children in the vehicle unattended, especially in hot weather when
the inside of the vehicle can get hot enough to kill them. They could also activate
vehicle controls causing it to move unexpectedly.1Protecting Child Passengers
To deactivate a lockable re tractor, release the buckle
and allow the seat belt to wind up all the way.
To remind you of the passenger’s front airbag
hazards and child safety, your vehicle has warning
labels on the dashboard and on the front visors.
Please read and follow the instructions on these
labels. 2 Safety Labels P. 62
3 WARNING
Allowing a child to play with a seat belt or
wrap one around their neck can result in
serious injury or death.
Instruct children not to play with any seat
belt and make sure any unused seat belt a
child can reach is buckled, fully retracted,
and locked.
14 ACURA TSX 5D-31TL76300.book 50 ページ ２０１３年６月１７日　月曜日　午後３時２１分
QRG
Index
Safe DrivingTOC
2014 TSX Sport Wagon

Continued53
uu Child Safety u Safety of Infants and Small Children
Most child seats are LATCH-compatible (L ower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren).
Some have a rigid-type connector while othe rs have a flexible-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, follow the child seat
manufacturer’s use and care instructions as well as the instructions in this manual.
Proper installation is key to ma ximizing your child’s safety.
In seating positions and ve hicles not equipped with LATCH, a LATCH-compatible
child seat can be installed using the seat belt and a top tether for 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 specified weight. Please read th e child seat owner’s manual
for proper installation instructions.
■Important consideration when selecting a child seat
Make sure the child seat meets the following three requirements:
• The child seat is the correct type and size for the child.
• The child seat is the correct type for the seating position.
• The child seat is compli ant with Federal Motor Ve hicle Safety Standard 213.
■Selecting a Child Seat1Selecting a Child Seat
Installation of a LATCH-compatible child seat is
simple.
LATCH-compatible child seats have been developed
to simplify the installation process and reduce the
likelihood of injuries caused by incorrect installation.
14 ACURA TSX 5D-31TL76300.book 53 ページ ２０１３年６月１７日　月曜日　午後３時２１分
QRG
Index
Safe DrivingTOC
2014 TSX Sport Wagon