Acura ZDX 2012 Workshop Manual

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uuAirbags uAirbag Care
Safe Driving
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 te nsioner 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 yo ur 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 th at 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 passenger’s weight
sensors. If it is necessary to remove 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 Service at 800-382-2238. For Canadian vehicles you can also contact
Canadian Acura Client Service at 888-9-ACURA-9.
1 Airbag Care
We recommend against the use of salvaged airbag
system components, includi ng the airbag, tensioners,
sensors, and control unit.

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Safe Driving
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 age 12 and under.
To reduce the number of child deaths and injuries, every state, Canadian province
and territory requires that infants and childre n 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 si de airbag can injure
or kill a child sitting in the front seat.
• A child in the front se at 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 High way 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.
3WARNING
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.

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uuChild Safety uProtecting Child Passengers
Safe Driving
• 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 th e 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 and cause serious or fatal injuries.
• Never let two children use the same s eat 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 unat tended, 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.1 Protecting 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 (U.S. models) and on the
front visors. Please read an d follow the instructions
on these labels. 2 Safety Labels P. 65
3WARNING
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.

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uuChild Safety uSafety of Infants and Small Children
Safe Driving
Safety of Infants and Small Children
An infant must be properly restrained in a rear-facing, reclining child seat until the
infant reaches the seat maker’s weight or he ight 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 pr event 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.
2 Airbags P. 35
If this occurs, we recommend that you insta ll the child seat directly behind the front
passenger’s seat, move the seat as far fo rward as needed, and leave it unoccupied.
Or, you may wish to get a sm aller rear-facing child seat.
■Protecting Infants1Protecting 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.
3WARNING
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.

Continued53
uuChild Safety uSafety of Infants and Small Children
Safe DrivingIf a child is at least one year old and with in the weight range indicated by the child
seat manufacturer, the child should be pr operly 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 passeng er’s front airbag off. A
rear seat is the safest place for a child.
■Protecting Smaller Children1 Protecting 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 us e of a rear-facing seat
up to age two, if the child’s height and weight are
appropriate for a rear-facing seat.
3WARNING
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.

uuChild Safety uSafety of Infants and Small Children
54
Safe DrivingMost 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 maximizing your child’s safety.
In seating positions and vehicles not e quipped 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. Pl ease read the child seat owner’s manual
for proper installation instructions.
■Important consideration when selecting a child seat
Make sure the child seat meets th e 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 compliant with Federa l Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 or
Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
■Selecting a Child Seat1 Selecting a Child Seat
Installation of a LATCH-co mpatible child seat is
simple.
LATCH-compatible child s eats have been developed
to simplify the installation process and reduce the
likelihood of injuries caused by incorrect installation.

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uuChild Safety uSafety of Infants and Small Children
Continued
Safe DrivingA LATCH-compatible child seat can be installe d in either of the two outer rear seats.
A child seat is attached to th e lower anchors with either th e rigid or flexible type of
connectors.
1.Locate the lower anchors under the marks.
2. Push the rear head restraint tilt buttons to
pivot the head restraints down.
■Installing a LATCH-Compatible Child Seat
Marks
Rear Head
Restraint Tilt
Button
Head Restraint

uuChild Safety uSafety of Infants and Small Children
56
Safe Driving
3. Place the child seat on the vehicle seat then
attach the child seat to the lower anchors
according to th e instructions that came
with the child seat.
u When installing the child seat, make sure
that the lower anchors are not
obstructed by the seat belt or any other
object.
Rigid Type
Lower Anchors
Flexible
Type
1Installing a LATCH-Compatible Child Seat
For your child’s safety, when using a child seat
installed using the LATCH sy stem, make sure that the
seat is properly secured to the vehicle. A child seat
that is not properly secu red will not adequately
protect a child in a crash an d may cause injury to the
child or other vehicle occupants.

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uuChild Safety uSafety of Infants and Small Children
Continued
Safe Driving
4. Raise the head restraint, then route the
tether strap between the head restraint
legs, and secure the tether strap hook onto
the anchor.
5. Tighten the tether strap as instructed by the
child seat maker.
6. Lower the head restraint until it locks in
place.
7. Make sure the child seat is firmly secured by
rocking it forward and back and side to
side; little movement should be felt.
8. Make sure any unused seat belt that a child
can reach is buckled, the lockable retractor
is activated, and the belt is fully retracted
and locked.
Tether
Strap
Hook Anchor

uuChild Safety uSafety of Infants and Small Children
58
Safe Driving1. Place the child seat on the vehicle seat.
2. Route the seat belt th rough the child seat
according to the seat maker’s instructions,
and insert the latch pl ate into the buckle.
u Insert the latch plate fully until it clicks.
3. Slowly pull the shoulder part of the belt all
the way out until it st ops. This activates the
lockable retractor.
4. Let the seat belt completely wind up into
the retractor, then try to pull it out to make
sure the retractor is locked.
u If you are able to pul l the shoulder belt
out, the lockable retractor is not
activated. Pull the seat belt all the way
out, and repeat steps 2 – 4.
5. Grab the shoulder part of the seat belt near
the buckle, and pull up to remove any slack
from the lap part of the belt.
u When doing this, place your weight on
the child seat and push it into the vehicle
seat.
■Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/Shoulder Seat Belt1Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/Shoulder Seat Belt
A child seat that is not properly secured will not
adequately protect a child in a crash and may cause
injury to the child or other vehicle occupants.