2000 HONDA CIVIC SEDAN airbag

Protectin
g Adult s

6.Adjus t th e Steerin g Whee l
Adjus t th e steerin g wheel , i f needed ,
s o tha t th e whee l point s towar d you r
chest , no t towar d you r face .

Pointin g th e steerin g whee l towar d

you r ches t provide s optima l
protectio n fro m th e airbag .
Se e pag e 6 5 fo r ho w to adjus t th e

steerin g wheel .
7.Maintai
n a Prope r Sittin g
Positio n
Afte r al l occupant s hav e adjuste d
thei r seat s an d pu t o n sea t belts , i t i s
ver y importan t tha t the y continu e t o
si t upright , wel l bac k in thei r seats ,
wit h thei r fee t o n th e floor , unti l th e
ca r i s parke d an d th e engin e is off .
Sittin g improperl y ca n increas e th e
chanc e o f injur y durin g a crash . Fo r
example , i f a n occupan t slouches ,
lie s down , turn s sideways , sit s
forward , lean s forwar d o r sideways ,
o r put s on e o r bot h fee t up , th e
chanc e o f injur y durin g a cras h is
greatl y increased .
I n addition , a n occupan t wh o is ou t o f
positio n in th e fron t sea t ca n b e
seriousl y o r fatall y injure d b y
strikin g interio r part s o f th e car , o r
b y bein g struc k b y a n inflatin g airbag .Remember
, t o ge t th e bes t
protectio n fro m you r car' s airbag s
an d othe r safet y features , yo u mus t
si t properl y an d wea r you r sea t bel t
properly .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
Sittin
g improperl y o r ou t o f
positio n ca n resul t i n seriou s
injur y o r deat h in a crash .
Alway s si t upright , wel l bac k in
th e seat , wit h you r fee t o n th e

floor .

Protectin
g Adult s

Advic e fo r Pregnan t Wome n
Becaus e protectin g th e mothe r i s th e
bes t wa y t o protec t he r unbor n child ,
a pregnan t woma n shoul d alway s
wea r a sea t bel t wheneve r sh e drive s
o r ride s in a vehicle .
W e recommen d tha t pregnan t
wome n us e a lap/shoulde r bel t
wheneve r possible . Remembe r t o
kee p th e la p portio n o f th e bel t a s
lo w a s possibl e acros s you r hips . Pregnan
t wome n shoul d als o si t
uprigh t an d a s fa r bac k a s possibl e
fro m th e steerin g whee l o r
dashboard . Thi s wil l reduc e th e ris k
o f injurie s t o bot h th e mothe r an d
he r unbor n chil d tha t ca n b e cause d
b y a cras h o r a n inflatin g airbag .
Eac h tim e yo u hav e a check-up , as k
you r docto r i f it' s oka y fo r yo u t o

drive .
Additiona
l Safet y Precaution s
Two people should never use the

same seat belt. I f the y do , the y

coul d b e ver y seriousl y injure d in a

crash .
Do not put any accessories on seat

belts. Device s intende d to improve
occupan t comfor t o r repositio n th e
shoulde r par t o f a sea t bel t ca n
severel y compromis e th e
protectiv e capabilit y o f th e sea t
bel t an d increas e th e chanc e o f
seriou s injur y in a crash .

CONTINUED

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Adult s
Do not place hard or sharp objects
between yourself and an airbag.

Carryin g har d o r shar p object s o n
you r lap , o r drivin g wit h a pip e o r
othe r shar p objec t i n you r mouth ,
ca n resul t i n injurie s i f you r
airbag s inflate .
Do not attach or place objects on
the airbag covers. An y objec t

attache d to o r place d o n th e cover s
marke d "SR S AIRBAG, " i n th e
cente r o f th e steerin g whee l an d
o n to p o f th e dashboard , coul d
interfer e wit h th e prope r operatio n
o f th e airbags . Or , i f th e airbag s
inflate , th e object s coul d b e
propelle d insid e th e ca r an d hur t

someone .
Keep your hands and arms away
from the airbag covers. If you r
hand s o r arm s ar e clos e t o th e SR S
cover s i n th e cente r o f th e
steerin g whee l an d o n to p o f th e
dashboard , the y coul d b e injure d if
th e airbag s inflate .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

Childre n Shoul d Si t i n th e Bac k

Sea t

Accordin g t o acciden t statistics ,
childre n o f al l age s an d size s ar e
safe r whe n the y ar e restraine d in th e
bac k seat , no t th e fron t seat . Th e
Nationa l Highwa y Traffi c Safet y
Administratio n an d Transpor t
Canad a recommen d tha t al l childre n
age s 1 2 an d unde r b e properl y
restraine d in th e bac k seat .
I n th e bac k seat , childre n ar e les s
likel y t o b e injure d b y strikin g har d
interio r part s durin g a collisio n o r
har d braking . Also , childre n canno t
b e injure d b y a n inflatin g airba g
whe n the y rid e in th e back . Th
e Passenger' s Airba g Pose s
Seriou s Risk s t o Childre n
Airbag s hav e bee n designe d to hel p
protec t adult s in a moderat e to
sever e fronta l collision . T o d o this ,
th e passenger' s airba g is quit e large ,
an d it inflate s wit h tremendou s

speed .

Infants
Never put a rear-facing child seat in the front seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger's airbag. I f th e

airba g inflates , i t ca n hi t th e bac k o f
th e chil d sea t wit h enoug h forc e t o
kil l o r ver y seriousl y injur e a n infant .Small Children

Placing a forward-facing child seat in the front seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger's airbag can be

hazardous. I f th e vehicl e sea t i s to o
fa r forward , o r th e child' s hea d is
throw n forwar d durin g a collision , a n
inflatin g airba g ca n strik e th e chil d
wit h enoug h forc e t o kil l o r ver y
seriousl y injur e a smal l child .

Larger Children
Children who have outgrown child
seats are also at risk of being injured or killed by an inflating passenger's

airbag. Wheneve r possible , large r

childre n shoul d si t i n th e bac k seat ,
properl y restraine d wit h a sea t belt .
(Se e pag e 3 7 fo r importan t
informatio n abou t protectin g large r
children. )
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

I f Yo u Mus t Driv e wit h Severa l
Childre n
You r ca r ha s thre e seatin g position s
i n th e bac k sea t wher e childre n ca n
b e properl y restrained .
I f yo u eve r hav e t o carr y mor e tha n
thre e childre n in you r car :
Plac e th e larges t chil d i n th e fron t
seat , provide d th e chil d is larg e
enoug h t o wea r a sea t bel t
properl y (se e pag e 3 7 ) .
Mov e th e vehicl e sea t a s fa r t o th e
rea r a s possibl e (se e pag e 12 ).
Hav e th e chil d si t uprigh t an d wel l
bac k in th e sea t (se e pag e 18 ).
Mak e sur e th e sea t bel t i s properl y
positione d an d secure d (se e pag e
15 ). I
f a Chil d Require s Clos e
Attentio n
Man y parent s sa y the y prefe r t o pu t
a n infan t o r smal l chil d i n th e fron t
passenge r sea t s o the y ca n watc h th e
child , o r becaus e th e chil d require s
attention .
Placin g a chil d in th e fron t sea t
expose s th e chil d t o hazard s fro m
th e airbag , an d payin g clos e
attentio n t o a chil d distract s th e
drive r fro m th e importan t task s o f
driving , placin g bot h o f yo u a t risk .
I f a chil d require s physica l attentio n
o r frequen t visua l contact , w e
strongl y recommen d tha t anothe r
adult ride wit h th e chil d i n th e bac k
seat . Th e bac k sea t i s fa r safe r fo r a
chil d tha n th e front . Additiona
l Safet y Precaution s

Use childproof door locks to
prevent children from opening the
doors. Usin g thi s featur e wil l
preven t childre n fro m openin g th e
door s an d accidentall y fallin g ou t
(se e pag e 7 5 ) .

Use the main power window
switch to prevent children from
opening the rear windows. Usin g

thi s featur e wil l preven t childre n
fro m playin g wit h th e windows ,
whic h coul d expos e the m to
hazard s o r distrac t th e drive r (se e
pag e 8 1 ) .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

Placing a Child Seat
Thi s pag e briefl y summarize s

Honda' s recommendation s o n wher e

t o plac e rear-facin g an d forward -

facin g chil d seat s in you r car . Front Passenger's Seat
Infants: Neve
r i n th e fron t seat , du e
t o th e passenger' s airba g hazard .

Small children: No t recommended ,

du e to th e passenger' s airba g
hazard . I f a smal l chil d mus t rid e
i n front , mov e th e vehicl e sea t t o
th e rear-mos t positio n an d secur e
a front-facin g chil d sea t wit h th e
sea t bel t (se e pag e 3 4 ) .

Back Seats

Infants: Recommende d
positions
.

Secur e a rear-facin g chil d sea t

wit h th e sea t bel t (se e pag e 3 0 ) .

Small children: Recommende d

positions . Secur e a front-facin g

chil d sea t wit h th e sea t bel t (se e

pag e 34 ).

CONTINUED

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
Airbag
s Pos e Seriou s
Risk s t o Childre n
Th e passenger' s airba g inflate s
wit h enoug h forc e t o kil l o r
seriousl y injur e a n infan t i n a
rear-facin g chil d seat .
A smal l chil d in a forward-facin g
chil d sea t i s als o a t risk . I f th e
vehicl e sea t i s to o fa r forward ,
o r th e child' s hea d is throw n
forwar d durin g a collision , a n
inflatin g airba g ca n kil l o r
seriousl y injur e th e child .
I f a smal l chil d mus t rid e i n th e
front , follo w th e instruction s
provide d in thi s section .

Protectin
g Childre n

Protectin g Infant s
Child Seat Type
Onl y a rear-facin g chil d sea t provide s
prope r suppor t fo r a baby' s head ,
neck , an d back . Infant s u p to abou t
on e yea r o f ag e mus t b e restraine d in
a rear-facin g chil d seat .
Tw o type s o f seat s ma y b e used : a
sea t designe d exclusivel y fo r infants ,
o r a convertibl e sea t use d in th e rear -
facing , reclinin g mode . W
e recommen d tha t a n infan t b e
restraine d in a rear-facin g chil d sea t
unti l th e infan t reache s th e sea t
maker' s weigh t o r heigh t limi t an d is
abl e t o si t u p withou t support .
Rear-Facing Child Seat Placement

I n thi s car , a rear-facin g chil d sea t
ca n b e place d in an y seatin g positio n
i n th e bac k seat , bu t no t i n th e fron t

seat .

Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front seat. I f th e passenger' s
airba g inflates , i t ca n hi t th e bac k o f
th e chil d sea t wit h enoug h forc e t o
kil l o r seriousl y injur e a n infant . I f a n
infan t mus t b e closel y watched , w e
recommen d tha t anothe r adul t si t i n
th e bac k sea t wit h th e baby .

Do not put a rear-facing child seat in

a forward-facing position. I f place d

facin g forward , a n infan t coul d b e
ver y seriousl y injure d durin g a
fronta l collision .

CONTINUED

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Placin
g a rear-facin g chil d sea t
i n th e fron t sea t ca n resul t i n
seriou s injur y o r deat h if th e
airbag s inflate .
Alway s plac e a rear-facin g chil d
sea t i n th e bac k seat , no t th e

front .

Protectin
g Childre n

Additional Precautions for Infants
Never hold an infant on your lap.

I f yo u ar e no t wearin g a sea t bel t
i n a crash , yo u coul d b e throw n
forwar d int o th e dashboar d an d
crus h th e infant .
I f yo u ar e wearin g a sea t belt , th e
infan t ca n b e tor n fro m you r arms .
Fo r example , i f you r ca r crashe s
int o a parke d vehicl e a t 3 0 mp h
(4 8 km/h) , a 20-l b ( 9 kg ) infan t
wil l becom e a 600-l b (27 5 kg ) force ,
an d yo u wil l no t b e abl e to hol d on .
Never put a seat belt over yourself

and an infant. Durin g a crash , th e
bel t coul d pres s dee p int o th e
infan t an d caus e ver y seriou s
injuries . Protectin
g Smal l Childre n
Child Seat Type
A chil d wh o ca n si t u p withou t
support , an d wh o fit s withi n th e chil d
sea t maker' s weigh t an d heigh t
limits , shoul d b e restraine d in a
forward-facing , uprigh t chil d seat .
O f th e differen t seat s available , w e
recommen d thos e tha t hav e a five -
poin t harnes s syste m as shown . W
e als o recommen d tha t a smal l
chil d sta y in th e chil d sea t a s lon g a s
possible , unti l th e chil d reache s th e
weigh t o r heigh t limi t fo r th e seat .
Child Seat Placement
I n thi s car , th e bes t plac e to instal l a
forward-facin g chil d sea t i s in on e o f
th e seatin g position s in th e bac k seat .

Placing a forward-facing child seat in the front seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger's airbag can be

hazardous. I f th e vehicl e sea t i s to o
fa r forward , o r th e child' s hea d is
throw n forwar d durin g a collision , a n
inflatin g passenger' s airba g ca n
strik e th e chil d wit h enoug h forc e t o
caus e ver y seriou s o r fata l injuries . I f
a smal l chil d mus t b e closel y
watched , w e recommen d tha t
anothe r adul t si t i n th e bac k sea t
wit h th e child .

CONTINUED

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y