HONDA ELEMENT 2011 1.G Owner's Guide

During a frontal crash, your seat belt
restrains your lower body and torso,
and the front airbag helps protect
your head and chest.
Although both 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.
Only the driver's airbag can deploy if
there is no passenger in the front
seat, or if the advanced airbag
system has turned the passenger's
airbag off (see page 26).
After inflating, the front airbags
immediately deflate, so 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 one-tenth of a second, so
fast that most occupants are not
aware that the airbags deployed until
they see them lying in their laps.
After a crash, you may see what
looks like smoke. This is actually
powder from the airbag's surface.
Although the powder 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.
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Additional Information About Your Airbags
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Dual-Stage, Multiple-Threshold FrontAirbags (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.
Front airbags are designed to
supplement the seat belts to help
reduce the likelihood of head and
chest injuries in frontal crashes.
Advanced AirbagsYour front airbags are also advanced
airbags. The main purpose of this
feature is to help prevent airbag-
caused injuries to short drivers and
children or small statured adults who
ride in front.
For both advanced airbags to work
properly:
●Occupants must sit upright and
wear their seat belts properly.●Do not spill any liquids on or
under the seats, cover the sensors,
or put any objects or metal items
under the front seats.●Objects placed or pushed under
the front passenger's seat may
cause the sensor to malfunction,
increasing the risk of injury in a
crash.
Failure to follow these instructions
could damage the sensors or prevent
them from working properly.
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The driver's advanced front airbag
system includes a seat position
sensor under the seat. If the seat is
too far forward, the airbag will inflate
with less force, regardless of the
severity of the impact.
If there is a problem with the sensor,
the SRS indicator will come on, and
the airbag will inflate in the normal
manner regardless of the driver's
seating position.
The passenger's advanced front
airbag system has weight sensors
under the seat. Although Honda does
not encourage carrying an infant or
small child in front, if the sensors
detect the weight of an infant or
small child (up to about 65 lbs or 29
kg), the system will automatically
turn the passenger's front airbag off.
Be aware that objects placed on the
passenger's seat can also cause the
airbag to be turned off.When the passenger airbag gets
turned off by the weight sensors, a
‘‘
passenger airbag off ’’indicator in
the center of the dashboard comes
on (see page 32).
If the weight sensors detect there is
no passenger in the front seat, the
airbag is automatically turned off.
However, the passenger airbag off in
this situation indicator will not come
on.
To ensure that the passenger's
advanced front airbag system will
work properly,
do not do anything
that would increase or decrease the
weight on the front passenger's seat.
This includes:●A rear passenger pushing or
pulling on the back of the front
passenger's seat.
DRIVER'S SEAT
POSITION SENSOR
PASSENGER'S SEAT
WEIGHT SENSOR
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●Moving the front seat forcibly back
against cargo on the seat or floor
behind it.●Hanging heavy items on the front
passenger seat, or placing heavy
items in the seat-back pocket.●Moving the front seat or seat-back
forcibly back against the folded
rear seat.●Back seat passengers should not
wedge objects or intentionally
force their feet under front
passenger seat.
If your vehicle has optional floor
mats, make sure the mat behind the
front passenger's seat is hooked to
the floor mat anchor (see page 209).
If it is not, the mat may interfere with
the proper operation of the sensors
and operation of the seat. How Your Side Airbags Work
If you ever have a moderate to severe
side impact, sensors will detect rapid
acceleration and signal the control
unit to instantly inflate either the
driver's or the passenger's side
airbag.
Only one airbag will deploy during a
side impact. If the impact is on the
passenger's side, the passenger's
side airbag will deploy even if there
is no passenger.
To get the best protection from the
side airbags, front seat occupants
should wear their seat belts and sit
upright and well back in their seats.
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Side Airbag Cutoff SystemYour vehicle has a side airbag cutoff
system designed primarily to protect
a child riding in the front passenger's
seat.
Although Honda does not encourage
children to ride in front, if the
position sensors detect a child has
leaned into the side airbag's
deployment path, the airbag will shut
off.
The side airbag may also shut off if a
short adult leans sideways, or a
larger adult slouches and leans
sideways into the airbag's
deployment path.
Objects placed on the front
passenger seat can also cause the
side airbag to be shut off.If the side airbag off indicator comes
on (see page 31), have the passenger
sit upright. Once the passenger is
out of the airbag's deployment path,
the system will turn the airbag back
on, and the indicator will go out.
There will be some delay between
the moment the passenger moves
into or out of the airbag deployment
path and when the indicator comes
on or goes off.
A front seat passenger should not
use a cushion or another object as a
backrest. It may prevent the cutoff
system from working properly.
How Your Side Curtain Airbags
Work
In a Side ImpactIn a moderate to severe side impact,
sensors will detect rapid acceleration
and signal the control unit to
instantly inflate the side curtain
airbag.
SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG
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If the impact is on the passenger's
side, the passenger's side curtain
airbag will inflate even if there are no
occupants on that side of the vehicle.In a RolloverIf the rollover sensor detects your
vehicle is about to roll over, it signals
the control unit, which immediately
deploys both side curtain airbags and
activates both front seat belt
tensioners.
The airbag on the passenger's side
will deploy, and the seat belt
tensioner will activate, even if there
are no passengers on that side of the
vehicle.To get the best protection from the
side curtain airbags, occupants
should wear their seat belts and sit
upright and well back in their seats.
How the SRS Indicator Works
The SRS indicator alerts
you to a potential problem
with your airbag system components.
When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, this indicator
comes on briefly then goes off. This
tells you the system is working
properly.
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If the indicator comes on at any other
time, or does not come on at all, you
should have the system checked by
your dealer. For example:●If the SRS indicator does not come
on after you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position.●If the indicator stays on after the
engine starts.●If the indicator comes on or flashes
on and off while you drive.
If you see any of these indications,
the airbag system components may
not work properly when you need
them.
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. How the Side Airbag Off Indicator
Works
This indicator alerts you that the
passenger's side airbag has been
automatically shut off. It does
not
mean there is a problem with your
side airbags.
When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, the indicator
should come on briefly and then go
off (see page 59). If it doesn't come
on, stays on, or comes on while
driving without a passenger in the
front seat, have the system checked.
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How the Passenger Airbag Off
Indicator WorksThis indicator alerts you that the
passenger's front airbag has been
shut off because weight sensors
detect about 65 lbs (29 kg) or less
(the weight of an infant or small
child) on the front passenger's seat.
It does
not mean
there is a problem
with the airbag. Be aware that objects placed on the
front seat can cause the indicator to
come on.
If no weight is detected on the front
seat, the airbag will be automatically
shut off. However, the indicator will
not come on.
The passenger airbag off indicator
may come on and off repeatedly if the
total weight on the seat is near the
airbag cutoff threshold.
If an adult or teenage passenger is
riding in front, move the seat as far to
the rear as possible, and have the
passenger sit upright and wear the
seat belt properly.
If the indicator comes on with no
front seat passenger and no objects
on the seat, or with an adult riding
there, something may be interfering
with the weight sensors. Look for
and remove:
●Any items under the front
passenger's seat.●Any object(s) hanging on the seat
or in the seat-back pocket.●Any object(s) touching the rear of
the seat-back.
If no obstructions are found, have
your vehicle checked by a dealer as
soon as possible.
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF INDICATORAdditional Information About Your Airbags3210/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu

Airbag Service
Your airbag systems are virtually
maintenance free, and there are no
parts you can safely service.
However, you must have your
vehicle serviced if:●An airbag ever inflates.
Any airbag
that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. Any
seat belt tensioner that activates
must also be replaced.
Do not try to remove or replace
any airbag by yourself. This must
be done by an authorized dealer or
a knowledgeable body shop.
●The SRS indicator alerts you to a
problem.
Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly.
●If your vehicle has a moderate to
severe impact.
Even if your airbags
do not inflate, your dealer should
inspect the driver's seat position
sensor, the front passenger's
weight sensors, the front seat belt
tensioners, and all seat belts and
their anchors worn during a crash
to make sure they are operating
properly. Additional Safety Precautions
●Do not attempt to deactivate your
airbags.
Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
●Do not tamper with airbag components or wiring for any
reason.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.
●Do not expose the front
passenger's seat-back to liquid.
If
water or another liquid soaks into
the seat-back, it can prevent the
side airbag cutoff system from
working properly.
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●Do not remove or modify a frontseat without consulting your
dealer.
This could make the
driver's seat position sensor or the
front passenger's weight sensors
ineffective. If it is necessary to
remove or modify a front seat to
accommodate a person with
disabilities, first contact Honda
Automobile Customer Service at
(800) 999-1009.
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