1996 HONDA ODYSSEY Owners Manual

The Seat Belt System and How It Works

1. Pull the latch plate across your body and insert it into the buckle.
Tug on the belt to make sure the
latch is securely locked. 2. Check that the belt is not twisted.
3. Position the lap portion of the belt
as low as possible across your hips,
not across your stomach. This lets
your strong pelvic bones take the
force of a crash. 4. Pull up on the shoulder part of the
belt to remove any slack. Make
sure the belt goes over your
collarbone and across your chest.

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The Seat Belt System and How It Works

RELEASE

BUTTON

RELEASE
BUTTON
5. If you are sitting in one of the front seats and the shoulder belt
crosses your neck, you should
adjust the anchor height by
squeezing the two buttons and
sliding the anchor up or down. To unlatch the seat belt, push the
red PRESS button on the buckle.Guide the belt across your body to
the door pillar.
After you exit the vehicle, make sure the seat belt is out of the way and
will not get closed in the door. Wearing the Lap Belt
1. Pull the latch plate across your hips and insert it into the buckle
marked CENTER.
If the belt is too short, hold the
latch plate at a right angle and pull to extend the belt. Insert the latch
plate into the buckle.

CONTINUED

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The Seat Belt System and How It Works

2. Position the belt as low as possible across your hips and pelvic bones,
not across your stomach. Pull the
loose end of the belt to adjust for a
snug but comfortable fit. To unlatch the belt, push the red
PRESS button on the buckle. Advice for Pregnant Women
Protecting the mother is the best
way to protect her unborn child.
Therefore, a pregnant woman should wear a properly-positioned seat belt
whenever she drives or rides in a car.
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The Seat Belt System and How It Works
If possible, use the lap/shoulder seat
belt, remembering to keep the lap portion as low as possible (see page
7).

Each time you have a check-up, ask
your doctor if it's okay for you to drive and how you should position a
lap/shoulder seat belt. Seat Belt Maintenance
For safety, you should check thecondition of your seat belts regularly.
Pull out each belt fully and look for
frays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check
that the latches work smoothly and the lap/shoulder belts retract easily.
Any belt not in good condition or not
working properly should be replaced.
If a seat belt is worn during a crash,
have your dealer replace the belt and inspect the anchors for damage.
For information on how to clean yourseat belts, see page 187 .

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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.
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Supplemental Restraint System

How the Driver's Airbag Works
If you ever have a severe frontal
collision, your airbag will instantly
inflate to help protect your head and

chest.
To do its job, the airbag inflates with
considerable force. So, while it can
reduce serious injuries and even save
your life, the airbag might cause some facial abrasions or other
injuries. To reduce the possibility of
injury, you should always sit back as
far from the steering wheel as is practical while still maintaining full
vehicle control.
After the bag completely inflates, itimmediately starts deflating so it
won't interfere with your visibility, ability to steer, or ability to operate
other controls. The total time for
inflation and deflation takes a
fraction of a second. You may not even be aware that the airbag has
been fully inflated.
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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
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