HONDA CR-Z 2012 1.G Owner's Guide

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Safe Driving
For Safe Driving
The following pages explain your vehicle's safety features and how to use them
properly. The safety precautions below are ones that we consider to be among the most important.
Important Safety Precautions ■Always wear your seat belt
A seat belt is your best protection in all types of collisions. Airbags are designed to
supplement seat belts, not replace them. So even though your vehicle is equipped
with airbags, make sure you and your passenger always wear your seat belts, and
wear them properly. ■ Your vehicle is not recom mended for child passengers
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada
recommend that all children age 12 and under be properly restrained in a back seat.
Since this vehicle does not have a back seat, we strongly recommend that you do
not carry any child who is not large enough and mature enough to ride in front.
■ Be aware of airbag hazards
While airbags can save lives, they can cause serious or fatal injuries to occupants
who sit too close to them, or are not properly restrained. Infants, young children,
and short adults are at the greatest risk. Be sure to follow all instructions and
warnings in this manual.
■ Don't drink and drive
Alcohol and driving don't mix. Even one drin k can reduce your ability to respond to
changing conditions, and your reaction time gets worse with every additional drink.
So don't drink and drive, and don't let your friends drink and drive, either.1Important Safety Precautions
Some states, provinces and territories prohibit the use
of cell phones other than hands-free devices by the
driver while driving.
Never carry an infant in a rear-facing child seat in this
vehicle.
If an older child must ride in this vehicle, follow all
child safety instructions and warnings in this manual. 2 Child Safety P. 56

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uuFor Safe DrivinguImportant Safety Precautions
Safe Driving
■Pay appropriate attention to the task of driving safely
Engaging in cell phone conversation or other activities that keep you from paying
close attention to the road, other vehicles, and pedestrians could lead to a crash.
Remember, situations can change quickly, and only you can decide when it is safe to
divert some attention away from driving. ■ Control your speed
Excessive speed is a major factor in crash injuries and deaths. Generally, the higher
the speed, the greater the risk, but serious injuries can also occur at lower speeds.
Never drive faster than is safe for current conditions, regardless of the maximum speed posted. ■ Keep your vehicle in safe condition
Having a tire blowout or a mechanical failure can be extremely hazardous.
To reduce the possibility of such problems, check your tire pressures and condition
frequently, and perform all regularly scheduled maintenance.

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uuFor Safe DrivinguYour Vehicle's Safety Features
Safe Driving
Your Vehicle's Safety Features
The following checklist will help you take an active role in protecting yourself and your passenger.
1Your Vehicle's Safety Features
Your vehicle is equipped with many features that
work together to help protect you and your
passenger during a crash.
Some features do not require any action on your part.
These include a strong steel framework that forms a
safety cage around the passenger compartment,
front and rear crush zones, a collapsible steering
column, and tensioners that tighten the seat belts in
a sufficient crash.
However, you and your passenger cannot take full
advantage of these features unless you remain seated
in the correct position and always wear your seat
belts. In fact, some safety features can contribute to
injuries if they are not used properly.
6
7
89
10
11
12
Safety Cage
Crush Zones
Seats and Seat-Backs
Head Restraints
Collapsible Steering Column
Seat BeltsFront Airbags
Side Airbags
Side Curtain Airbags
Door Locks
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners Occupant Position Detection
System (OPDS) Sensor
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8
9
10
a b c d e fg h i j k l

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uuFor Safe DrivinguYour Vehicle's Safety Features
Safe Driving
For the safety of you and your passenger, make a habit of checking these items each
time before you drive.•After everyone has entered the vehicle, be sure both doors and the hatch are
closed and locked. Locking the doors and the hatch helps prevent an occupant
from being ejected and an outsider from unexpectedly opening a door or the
hatch. 2 Locking/Unlocking the Doors from the Inside P. 102
• Adjust your seat to a position suitable for driving. Be sure the seats are adjusted
as far to the rear as possible while allowing the driver to control the vehicle.
Sitting too close to a front airbag can result in serious or fatal injury in a crash.
2 Adjusting the Seats P. 119
• Always wear your seat belt, and make sure you wear it properly. Confirm that any
passenger is properly belted as well.
2 Fastening a Seat Belt P. 37
• If you choose to ignore our warnings and carry a child in this vehicle, make every
effort to protect them by properly using a seat belt or a child seat according to the
child’s age, height, and weight.
2 Child Safety P. 56
■Safety Checklist1Safety Checklist
If the door/hatch open indicator is on, a door and/or
the hatch is not completely closed. Close both doors
and the hatch tightly until the indicator goes off.
2 Door/Hatch Open Indicator P. 72

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Safe Driving
Seat Belts
About Your Seat Belts
Seat belts are the single most effective safety device because they keep you
connected to the vehicle so that you can take advantage of many built-in safety
features. They also help keep you from being thrown against the inside of the vehicle, against a passenger, or out of the vehicle. When worn properly, seat belts
also keep your body properly positioned in a crash so that you can take full
advantage of the additional protection provided by the airbags.
In addition, seat belts help protect you in almost every type of crash, including: - frontal impacts
- side impacts
- rear impacts
- rollovers
■ Lap/shoulder seat belts
Both seating positions are equipped with lap/shoulder seat belts with emergency
locking retractors. In normal driving the retractor lets you move freely while keeping
some tension on the belt. During a collision or sudden stop the retractor locks to
restrain your body. The passenger’s seat belt has a lockable retractor that must be
properly activated when using a forward-facing child seat, should you choose to
disregard our recommendations and install one. 2 Installing a Child Seat P. 60
1About Your Seat Belts
Seat belts cannot completely protect you in every
crash. But in most cases, seat belts can reduce your risk of serious injury.
Most states and all Canadian provinces and territories
require you to wear seat belts.
3WARNING
Not wearing a seat belt properly increases
the chance of serious injury or death in a
crash, even though your vehicle has
airbags.
Be sure you and your passenger always
wear seat belts and wear them properly.

Continued35
uuSeat BeltsuAbout Your Seat Belts
Safe Driving
■Proper use of seat belts
Follow these guidelines for proper use: • All occupants should sit upright, well back in the seat, and remain in that position
for the duration of the trip. Slouching and leaning reduces the effectiveness of
the belt and can increase the chance of serious injury in a crash.
• Never place the shoulder part of a lap/sh oulder seat belt under your arm or
behind your back. This could ca use very serious injuries in a crash.
• Two people should never use the same seat belt. If they do, they could be very
seriously injured in a crash.
• Do not put any accessories on the seat belts. Devices intended to improve comfort
or reposition the shoulder part of a seat belt can reduce the protective capability
and increase the chance of serious injury in a crash.
Your vehicle monitors seat belt use. If the
ignition switch is turned to ON
(w before the
driver's seat belt is fastened, a beeper will
sound and the indicator will blink. If the driver
does not fasten the belt before the beeper
stops, the indicator will remain on.
The beeper will also periodically sound and
the indicator will blink while driving until the
driver's and passenger’s seat belts are
fastened.
■Seat Belt Reminder
1About Your Seat Belts
If your passenger moves around and extends the seat
belt, the lockable retractor may activate. If this
happens, release the retr actor by unfastening the
seat belt and allow the belt to retract completely.
Then refasten the belt.
1Seat Belt Reminder
The indicator will also come on if a passenger does
not fasten their seat belt within 6 seconds after the
ignition switch is turned to ON
(w .
When no one is sitting in the passenger's seat, or a
child or small adult is riding there, the indicator will
not come on.
This is because the weight sensors in the seat cannot
detect their presence.

uuSeat BeltsuAbout Your Seat Belts
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Safe Driving
The driver’s and passenger’s seats are equipped with automatic seat belt tensioners
to enhance safety.
The tensioners automatically tighten the seat belts during a moderate-to-severe
frontal collision, sometimes even if the collision is not severe enough to inflate the front airbags.
■Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners1Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners
The seat belt tensioners can only operate once. If a tensioner is activated, the SRS indicator will come
on. Have a dealer replace the tensioner and
thoroughly inspect the seat belt system as it may not
offer protection in a subsequent crash.

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uuSeat BeltsuFastening a Seat Belt
Continued
Safe Driving
Fastening a Seat Belt
After adjusting your seat to the proper position, and while sitting upright and well back in the seat:2 Adjusting the Seats P. 119
1.Pull the seat belt out slowly.
2. Insert the latch plate into the buckle, then
tug on the belt to make sure the buckle is secure.
uMake sure that the belt is not twisted or
caught on anything.
1Fastening a Seat Belt
No one should sit in a seat with an inoperative seat
belt or one that does not appear to be working
correctly. Using a seat belt that is not working
properly may not protect the occupant in a crash.
Have a dealer check the belt as soon as possible.
Never insert any foreign objects into the buckle or
retractor mechanism.
Pull out slowly.
Correct Seated
Posture
Latch Plate
Buckle

uuSeat BeltsuFastening a Seat Belt
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Safe Driving
3. Position the lap part of the belt as low as
possible across your hips, then pull up on
the shoulder part of the belt so the lap part
fits snugly. This lets your strong pelvic
bones take the force of a crash and reduces the chance of internal injuries.
4. If necessary, pull up on the belt again to
remove any slack, then check that the belt
rests across the center of your chest and
over your shoulder. This spreads the forces
of a crash over the strongest bones in your
upper body.1Fastening a Seat Belt
To release the belt, push the red PRESS button then
guide the belt by hand until it has retracted
completely.
When exiting the vehicle, be sure the belt is out of
the way and will not get caught by closing the door.
3WARNING
Improperly positioning the seat belts can
cause serious injury or death in a crash.
Make sure all seat belts are properly
positioned before driving.Lap belt
as low as possible

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uuSeat BeltsuFastening a Seat Belt
Safe Driving
If you are pregnant, the best way to protect yourself and your unborn child when
driving or riding in a vehicle is to always wear a seat belt and keep the lap part of the
belt as low as possible across the hips.
■Advice for Pregnant Women1Advice for Pregnant Women
Each time you have a checkup, ask your doctor if it is
okay for you to drive.
To reduce the risk of injuries to both you and your
unborn child that can be caused by an inflating front
airbag:• When driving, sit upright and adjust the seat as far
back as possible while allowing full control of the
vehicle.
• When sitting in the passenger's seat, adjust the
seat as far back as possible.
Wear the shoulder belt across the chest avoiding
the abdomen.
Wear the lap part of the
belt as low as possible across the hips.