belt HONDA ODYSSEY 1996 User Guide

Supplemental Restraint System

Your car is equipped with a Supple- mental Restraint System (SRS) to
help protect the head and chest ofthe driver and front seat passenger during a severe frontal collision.

This system does not replace your seat
belts. It supplements, or adds to, the
protection offered by seat belts and other occupant protection features. SRS Components
Your supplemental restraint system includes: One airbag in the steering wheel
for the driver and another in the dashboard for the passenger.
Sensors that can detect a severe frontal collision.
A sophisticated electronic systemthat continually monitors thesensors, control unit, airbag
activators, and all related wiringwhen the ignition is ON (II).
An indicator light on the instru- ment panel to alert you to a possi-
ble problem with the system.
Emergency backup power in case
your car's electrical system is disconnected in a crash. What Happens In a Crash
If you ever have a severe frontal
collision, the sensors will detect rapid deceleration and signal the
control unit to instantly inflate the

airbags.

During a crash, your seat belts will
help to restrain your lower body andtorso. The airbags will provide a
cushion to absorb crash energy and
help keep the head and chest of thedriver and front passenger from
striking the interior of the car.
After inflating, the airbags will immediately deflate. The entire
process, from detection to deflation, takes a fraction of a second. This
process occurs so quickly that youmay not hear the loud noise created
by the airbag inflators, or realize
what has happened.

Driver and Passenger Safety

Not wearing seat belts
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, evenif you have airbags.

Be sure you and your
passengers always wear seat
belts and wear them properly.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Supplemental Restraint System

After the crash, you may see what looks like smoke. This is actuallypowder from the airbag's surface.People with respiratory problems
may experience some temporarydiscomfort from the chemicals used
by the airbag's activators.
Important Facts About Airbags
Airbags inflate only when needed; in a severe frontal collision. A severe
collision would be similar to a crashinto a parked vehicle of similar size
at 25 mph (40 km/h). Airbags will
not inflate in a moderate frontalcollision, or during a rear impact,
side impact, or rollover — even if the
impact is severe. Airbags inflate and deflate only once.
They cannot protect you during any
additional impacts that can occur
during a crash sequence.
Injuries, including fatal injuries, can
occur in a severe collision, even ifseat belts are worn properly and the
airbags inflate. No safety system can
provide complete protection in a
severe crash. Just from viewing the vehicle
damage after a crash, it is very
difficult to accurately determine if
the airbags should or should not
have inflated. In some cases where
the airbag did not inflate, extensive
visible damage indicated that the car absorbed much of the crash energy,
and the airbags were not needed. Inother cases, a severe jolt, such as an
impact to the undercarriage, may not
cause extensive body damage but
cause the airbags to inflate.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Frontal collision rangeProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Supplemental Restraint System

The driver's airbag is stored in the center of the steering wheel. For
your safety, do not attach any items
to the steering wheel. They could interfere with the proper operation
of the airbag. Or, if the airbaginflates, they could be propelled
inside the car and hurt someone. How the Passenger's Airbag
Works
If you ever have a severe frontal

collision, the passenger's airbag will

inflate at the same time as the driver's
airbag.
This airbag is quite large and inflates
with considerable force. It can seriously hurt a front seat passenger
who is not in the proper position and wearing the seat belt properly. Front seat passengers should move the
seat as far back as practical and sit
well back in the seat.
We strongly recommend that you do not put an infant seat in the front
passenger's seat. If the airbaginflates, it can hit the infant seat with
great force. The infant seat can be dislodged or struck with enough
force to cause very serious injury to
the infant.
If a toddler seat is used in the front
passenger's seat, the vehicle seat should be moved as far back as
possible. If the passenger's bag
inflates, it could seriously hurt a
toddler who is not in the proper
position or properly restrained.
Driver and Passenger Safety
CONTINUEDProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Additional Safety Information

The seat belts and airbags are obvi- ously important parts of your occu-
pant protection system.
In addition, you should know that
sitting upright, adjusting the head
restraints properly, locking the doors,
and stowing things properly can also
increase your safety and possibly
even save your life. Seat-back Position
The seat-backs should be in an upright position for you and your
passengers to get the most protec-
tion from the seat belts.
If you recline a seat-back, you reduce
the protective capability of your seat
belt. The farther a seat-back is
reclined, the greater the risk that
you will slide under the belt in a severe crash and be very seriously

injured.

For information on how to adjust the
seat-back, see page 55. Head Restraint Position
Head restraints can help protect you
from whiplash and other injuries. For the best protection, adjust the top of
the restraint so it is even with the
tops of your ears, or as high as possi-
ble. For instructions on adjusting the
head restraints, see page 56.

Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Additional Safety Information

Door Locks
It is not safe to leave your car doors
unlocked. A passenger, especially a
child, could open a door and acci- dentally fall out. Also, there is a
greater chance of being thrown out of the car during a crash when the
doors are not locked.
Storing Cargo Safely
Before you drive, make sure you
first securely store or tie down any items that could be thrown around
the car and hurt someone, or interfere with your ability to operate
the controls.
Be sure to keep compartment doors
closed when the car is moving. If a
passenger hits the door of an open
glove box, for example, he could injure his knees.
For information on loading cargo,

see page 116.
Driving with Pets
Loose pets can be a hazard while you
are driving. An unrestrained pet can
interfere with your ability to drive
the car. In a crash or sudden stop,
loose pets or cages can be thrown around inside the car and hurt you or
your passengers. It is also for their safety that pets should be properly
restrained in your car.
The recommended way to restrain a medium-sized or larger dog is with aspecial traveling harness. This har-
ness can be secured to the rear seat
with a seat belt. Travel harnesses are available at pet stores.
A small dog, cat, or other small animal will be safest in a pet carrier
with rigid sides. Choose a style that allows you to secure it to the car'sseat by routing a seat belt through
the carrier's handle. For further information, contact your
veterinarian or local animal protec-
tion society.

Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Child Safety

Children depend on adults to protect
them. To help make sure we do, every state and Canadian province
has laws requiring infants and young children to be properly restrained
whenever they ride in a car. Where Should Children Sit?
According to accident statistics,
children of all sizes and ages are
safer when they are properly
restrained in the rear seat rather
than the front seat.
We recommend that you place your child's infant or toddler seat in thesecond seat and secure it with the
vehicle's lap/shoulder belt or lap belt (seven-passenger model). If you use
the lap/shoulder belt, be sure to
follow the instructions on page 25 .
We strongly recommend that you do not put an infant seat in the front
passenger's seat. If the airbag
inflates, it can hit the infant seat with
great force. The infant seat can bedislodged or struck with enough
force to cause very serious injury to
the infant.
Driver and Passenger Safety
An infant or child who is not
properly restrained can be killed
or seriously injured in a crash.
Be sure any child too small for
seat belts is properly secured in a child restraint.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Child Safety

If a toddler seat is used in the front
passenger's seat, the vehicle seat should be moved as far back as
possible. If the passenger's bag
inflates, it could seriously hurt a
toddler who is not in the proper position or properly restrained.
We also recommend that any child who is too large to use an infant ortoddler seat ride in the second or
third seat and wear a lap/shoulder
belt properly for protection. If thechild is not large enough to wear the
lap/shoulder belt properly, you should use a booster seat.
Important Safety Reminders

Never hold a baby or child on your
lap when riding in a car. If you are
wearing your seat belt, the violent
forces created during a crash will tear the child from your arms. The child could be seriously hurt or killed.
If you are holding a child and not
wearing a seat belt in a crash, you could crush the child against the car's
interior.
Never put your seat belt over
yourself and a child. During a crash, the belt could press deep into thechild, causing serious internal

injuries.
Two children should never use the
same seat belt. If they do, they could
be very seriously injured in a crash.
If you are driving with small children
in the car, you should use thechildproof door locks to prevent
them from opening the rear doors (see page 54).
For their safety, do not leave
children alone in your car without
adult supervision.
Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Child Safety

General Guidelines for
Restraining Children Under
18 kg (40 Ibs)
Use an approved child seat. The seat

must meet Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard 213 (FMVSS-213) or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards. Look for the manufac-
turer's statement of compliance on
the box and seat.

Use a seat of the right size. Make sure

the seat fits your child. Check the seat manufacturer's instructions and
labels for height and weight limits.

Secure the child seat to the car. All

approved child seats are designed to
be secured to the car seat by the lap
belt or the lap belt portion of a lap/ shoulder belt. A child whose seat is
not properly secured to the car can
be endangered in a crash. To properly route a seat belt through
a child seat, follow the seat maker's
instructions. If you use a lap/ shoulder belt, follow the instructions

on page 25.

Secure the child in the child seat. Make

sure the infant or child is firmly
secured to the child seat. Use the
straps provided, and carefully follow
the manufacturer's instructions.
Restraining an Infant Who
Weighs Less Than 9 kg
(20 Ibs)
An infant up to about 9 kg (20 Ibs) must be restrained in an infant seator a convertible seat designed for a
baby. Because infants must ride in a
reclining position, be sure the infant seat always faces the REAR of the
car as shown.
Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Child Safety

We recommend that you place your child's infant seat in the second seat
and secure it with the vehicle's lap/shoulder belt or lap belt (seven-
passenger model). If you use the
lap/shoulder belt, be sure to follow
the instructions on page 25.
We strongly recommend that you do not put an infant seat in the frontpassenger's seat. If the airbag
inflates, it can hit the infant seat with
great force. The infant seat can be dislodged or struck with enough
force to cause very serious injury to the infant. Restraining a Child Who Weighs
Between 9 and 18 kg (20 and 40 Ibs)

Toddler seats are designed for children who weigh between 9 and
18 kg (20 and 40 Ibs). We recommend that you place your
child's toddler seat in the second seat and secure it with the vehicle's
lap/shoulder belt or lap belt (seven- passenger model). If you use the
lap/shoulder belt, be sure to follow the instructions on page 25 .

CONTINUED

Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents

Child Safety

If you are using a toddler seat in the

front passenger's seat, move the
passenger's seat as far back as
possible before installing the child
seat. If the passenger's bag inflates,

it could seriously hurt a toddler who
is not in the proper position or

properly restrained.
Restraining a Child Who Weighs
Over 18 kg (40 Ibs)

We recommend that, whenever
possible, a child who has outgrown a

toddler seat ride in the second or
third seat and use a lap/shoulder

belt. Put the seat belt on your child and
check its fit. The shoulder belt
should fit over the collarbone and
across the chest. The lap belt should sit low on your child's hips, not
across the stomach.
If the shoulder belt crosses the neck,
while sitting in the second or third
bench seat, have your child move
toward the center of the seat until the belt fits properly. If the belt still
crosses the child's neck, you should
use a booster seat.
Several styles of booster seats areavailable. We recommend a design
that allows the child to use the car's
lap/shoulder belt.
Whichever style you select, follow the booster seat manufacturer's
instructions.

Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t Table of Contents