HONDA CLARITY PLUG IN HYBRID 2018 Repair Manual

59 uu Airbags u Front Airbags (SRS)
Continued
Safe Driving
■ 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 scrape s, or even broken bones that might occur
during a less than moderate-to-severe frontal crash.
Side impacts: Front airbags can provide protecti on when a sudden deceleration
causes a driver or front passenger to move towards 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 during a moderate-to-severe side impact which
can cause the driver or passenger to move towards the side of the vehicle.
Rear impacts: Head restraints and seat belts ar e your best protection during a rear
impact. Front airbags cannot provide any significant protection and are not designed
to deploy in such collisions.
Rollovers: In a rollover, your best form of protection is a seat belt or, if your vehicle
is equipped with a rollover sensor, both a seat belt and a side curtain airbag. Front
airbags, however, are not designed to depl oy in a rollover as they would provide
little if any protection.
■ 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 caus e 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 protec tion even if they
had deployed. 18 CLARITY PHEV CSS-31TRW6000.book 59 ページ ２０１７年８月３１日　木曜日　午後２時 ４９分

uu Airbags u Front Airbags (SRS)
60
Safe Driving The airbags have advanced features to help reduce the likelihood of airbag related
injuries to smaller occupants.
The driver’s advanced ai rbag system includes a
seat position sensor.
Based on information from this sensor and the
severity of the impact, the advanced airbag
system determines the optimal deployment of
the driver’s airbag.
The front passenger’s ad vanced airbag system
has weight sensors.
We advise against allowing a child age 12 or
under to ride in the front passenger’s seat.
However, if you do allow a child age 12 or
under to ride in the front passenger’s
seat , note that the system will automatically
turn off the front passenger’s airbag if the
sensors detect that the child is approximately
65 lbs (29 kg) or less.■ Advanced Airbags 1 Advanced Airbags
If there is a problem with the driver’s seat position
sensor, the SRS indicator wi ll come on, and in the
event of a crash, the airbag will deploy (r egardless of
the driver’s seating position) with a force
corresponding to the se verity of the impact.
For the advanced 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 pos itioned objects can
interfere with the advanced airbag sensors.
• All occupants should sit upri ght and wear their seat
belts properly.
• Do not cover the passenger ’s side dashboard with
a cloth, towel, cover, etc.
2 Passenger Front Airbag Off Indicator P. 67
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. 514Driver’s
Seat
Position
Sensor
Passenger’s
Seat
Weight
Sensors18 CLARITY PHEV CSS-31TRW6000.book 60 ページ ２０１７年８月３１日　木曜日　午後２時 ４９分

61 uu Airbags u Driver’s Knee Airbag
Continued
Safe Driving
Driver’s Knee Airbag The driver’s knee SRS airbag in flates in a moderate-to-sever e frontal collision to help
keep the driver in the proper position and to help maximize the benefit provided by
the vehicle’s other safety features.
SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) indica tes that the airbag is designed to
supplement seat belts, not replace them . Seat belts are the occupant’s primary
restraint system.
The driver’s knee airbag is housed under the
steering column.
The airbag is marked SRS AIRBAG .
When the driver’s front airbag inflates, the
driver’s knee airbag also inflates.
Even if the collision is not severe enough to
deploy the front airbag , the knee airbag may
inflate alone.■ Housing Locations 1 Driver’s Knee Airbag
Do not attach accessories on or near the driver’s knee
airbag. They can interfere with the proper operation
of the airbag, or hurt someone if an airbag inflates.
The driver should not stor e any items under the seat
or behind their feet. The items can interfere with
proper airbag deployment in the event of a moderate
to sever frontal collision a nd may result in inadequate
protection.
Housing
Location
■ Operation When
inflated
Knee
Airbag18 CLARITY PHEV CSS-31TRW6000.book 61 ページ ２０１７年８月３１日　木曜日　午後２時 ４９分

62 uu Airbags u Driver’s Knee Airbag
Safe Driving ■ When driver’s knee airbag deploy s with little or no visible damage
Because the airbag system senses sudden deceleration, a strong impact to the
vehicle framework or suspension might caus e 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 driver’s knee airbag 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 protec tion even if they
had deployed. 18 CLARITY PHEV CSS-31TRW6000.book 62 ページ ２０１７年８月３１日　木曜日　午後２時 ４９分

63 uu Airbags u Side Airbags
Continued
Safe Driving
Side Airbags The side airbags help protect the torso and pelvis of the driver or a front passenger
during a moderate-to-severe side impact.
The side airbags are housed in the outside
edge of the driver’s and passenger’s seat-
backs.
Both are marked SIDE AIRBAG .
When the sensors detect a moderate-to-
severe side impact, the control unit signals the
side airbag on the impact side to immediately
inflate.■ Housing Locations 1 Side Airbags
Make sure you and your front seat passenger always
sit upright. Leaning into the path of a side airbag can
prevent the airbag from deploying properly and
increases your risk of serious injury.
Do not attach accessories on or near the side airbags.
They can interfere with the proper operation of the
airbags, or hurt someone if an airbag inflates.
Do not cover or replace the front seat-back covers
without consulting an author ized Honda Clarity Plug-
In Hybrid dealer.
Improperly replac ing or covering front seat-back
covers can prevent your si de airbags from properly
deploying during a side impact.Housing
Location
■ Operation When
inflated
Side
Airbag18 CLARITY PHEV CSS-31TRW6000.book 63 ページ ２０１７年８月３１日　木曜日　午後２時 ４９分

64 uu Airbags u Side Airbags
Safe Driving ■ When a side airbag deploys with little or no visible damage
Because the airbag system senses sudden acceleration, a strong impact to the side
of the vehicle’s framework can cause a side airbag to deploy. In such cases, there
may be little or no damage, but the side impact sensors detected a severe enough
impact to deploy the airbag.
■ When a side airbag may not deploy, even though visible damage appears
severe
It is possible for a side airbag to not deploy during an impact that results in
apparently severe damage. This can occur when the point of impact was toward the
far front or rear of the vehicle, or when the vehicle’s crushable body parts absorbed
most of the crash energy. In either case , the side airbag wo uld not have been
needed nor provided protection even if it had deployed.18 CLARITY PHEV CSS-31TRW6000.book 64 ページ ２０１７年８月３１日　木曜日　午後２時 ４９分

65 uu Airbags u Side Curtain Airbags
Continued
Safe Driving
Side Curtain Airbags The side curtain airbags help protect the heads of the driver and passengers in the
outer seating positions during a moderate-to -severe side impact. The side curtain
airbags equipped in this vehicle are also de signed to help reduce the likelihood of
partial and complete ejection of vehicle occupants through side windows in crashes,
particularly rollover crashes.
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 rollover or a moderate-to-severe side
impact.■ Housing Locations 1 Side Curtain Airbags
If the SRS control unit sens es that your vehicle is
about to rollover, it imme diately deploy s both side
curtain airbags and activates both front seat belt
tensioners.
If the impact is on the passenger’s side, the
passenger’s side curtain airb ag deploys even if there
are no occupants on that side of the vehicle.
To get the best protecti on from the side curtain
airbags, occupants should wear their seat belts
properly and sit upr ight and well back in their seats.
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 Airbag18 CLARITY PHEV CSS-31TRW6000.book 65 ページ ２０１７年８月３１日　木曜日　午後２時 ４９分

uu Airbags u Airbag System Indicators
66
Safe Driving ■ When side curtain airbags deploy in a frontal collision
One or both side curtain airbags may also inflate in a moderate-to-severe angled
frontal collision.
Airbag System Indicators If a problem occurs in the airbag system , the SRS indicator will come on and a
message appears on the driver information interface.
■ When the power mode is set to ON
The indicator comes on for a few seconds,
then goes off. This tells 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 an authorized Honda Cl arity Plug-In Hybrid dealer as soon as
possible. If you don’t, your airbags and se at belt tensioners may not work properly
when they are needed.■ Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Indicator 1 Supplemental Restraint Sy stem (SRS) 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 vehicl e checked by an
authorized Honda Clar ity Plug-In Hybrid
dealer as soon as possible if the SRS
indicator alerts you to a possible problem.18 CLARITY PHEV CSS-31TRW6000.book 66 ページ ２０１７年８月３１日　木曜日　午後２時 ４９分

67 uu Airbags u Airbag System Indicators
Safe Driving
■ When the passenger front airbag off
indicator comes on
The indicator comes on to alert you that the
passenger’s front airbag has been turned off.
This occurs when the weight sensors detect
about 65 lbs (29 kg) or less, the weight of an
infant or small child, on the seat.
Children age 12 or under shou ld always ride properly restrained in a back seat.2 Child Safety P. 69
If the front passenger’s seat is empty, th e passenger’s front airb ag will not deploy
and the indicator will come on.■ Passenger Front Airbag Off Indicator 1 Passenger Front Airbag Off Indicator
To ensure the passenger is detected properly, confirm
that:
• There is no child seat or other object pressing
against the rear of the seat-back.
• There is no rear passenger pushing or pulling on
the back of the front passenger’s seat.
• The front seat or seat-b ack is not forced back
against an object on the s eat or floor behind it.
• There is no object placed under or beside the front
passenger’s seat.
• The occupant is sitting in an upright position and
the seat back is not excessively reclined.
• The occupant is not leaning against the door or
center console.
• The occupant’s feet are plac ed on the floor in front
of them.
• There are no objects ha nging from the front
passenger’s seat.
• Only small, lightweight objects are in the seat-back
pocket.
The passenger front airbag off indicator may come
on and go off periodically if the total weight on the
seat is near the airbag cutoff threshold.
Have your vehicle checked by an authorized Honda
Clarity Plug-In Hybrid deal er as soon as possible if:
• All of the above conditions are met, and the
indicator comes on with an adult seated in the
front passenger seat.
• The seat is empty and the indicator is off.
Do not allow an adult passe nger to ride in the front
seat when the indicator is on.U.S.
Canada18 CLARITY PHEV CSS-31TRW6000.book 67 ページ ２０１７年８月３１日　木曜日　午後２時 ４９分

68 uu Airbags u Airbag Care
Safe Driving Airbag Care You do not need to, and should not, perform any maintenance on or replace any
airbag system components yourself. However, you should have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid dealer in the following
situations:
■ When the airbags have deployed
If an airbag has inflated, th e 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 y our authorized Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid
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 cons ulting an authorized
Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid dealer
This would likely disable or affect the proper operation of the driver’s seat position
sensor or the weight sensors in the passenger ’s seat. If it is necessary to remove or
modify a front seat to accommodate a person with disabilities, contact an
authorized Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid deal er, or for U.S. vehicles, American Honda
Automobile Customer Service at 1-800-999-1009 and for Canadian vehicles, Honda
Canada Customer Relations at 1-888-9-HONDA-9. 1 Airbag Care
We recommend against the use of salvaged airbag
system components, including the airbag, tensioners,
sensors, and control unit.18 CLARITY PHEV CSS-31TRW6000.book 68 ページ ２０１７年８月３１日　木曜日　午後２時 ４９分