2001 HONDA CIVIC COUPE light

This section gives you important
inf ormation about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It
shows you how to use seat belts
properly. It explains your Supple-
mental Restraint System. And it tells
you how to properly restrain inf ants
andchildreninyourcar..........
Important Safety Precautions . 6
.............
Your Car’s Saf ety Features . 7
.......................................
Seat Belts .8
.........................................
Airbags .10
.....................
Seats & Seat-Backs .11
..........................
Head Restraints .11
..................................
Door Locks .11
........
Pre-Drive Saf ety Checklist . 12
............................
Protecting Adults .13
.....
1. Close and Lock the Doors . 13 ...........
2. Adjust the Front Seats . 13
............
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs . 14
...
4. Adjust the Head Restraints . 15
5. Fasten and Position the Seat .....................................
Belts .16
....
6. Adjust the Steering Wheel . 17
7. Maintain a Proper Sitting ................................
Position .18
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women . 19
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 19
........................
Protecting Children .21
All Children Must Be ...............................
Restrained .21
Children Should Sit in the Back ...........................................
Seat .22
The Passenger’s Front Airbag Poses Serious Risks to ...............................
Children .22
If You Must Drive with Several ...................................
Children .24
If a Child Requires Close ..................................
Attention .24
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 25
General Guidelines f or Using ...............................
Child Seats .26
.......................
Protecting Inf ants .30 .........
Protecting Small Children . 34
.......
Protecting Larger Children . 37
Using Child Seats with .....................................
Tethers .41
...
Using the Lower Anchorages . 42
Additional Inf ormation About Your .................................
Seat Belts .44
..
Seat Belt System Components . 44
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .44
Automatic Seat Belt ...............................
Tensioners .45
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance . 46
Additional Inf ormation About ...........................
Your Airbags .48
........................
SRS Components .48
How Your Front Airbags .........................................
Work .48
...
How Your Side Airbags Work . 50
How the SRS Indicator Light .......................................
Works .51
How The Side Airbag Indicator ............................
Light Works .52
.............................
Airbag Service .53
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 53
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 54
...................................
Saf ety Labels .55
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
5

Foryoursafety,andthesafetyof
your passengers, your car is
equipped with seat belts in all seating
positions.
These saf ety f eatures are designed
to reduce the severity of injuries in a
crash. However, you and your
passengers can’t take f ull advantage
of these saf ety f eatures unless you
remain sitting in a proper position
and
In f act, some saf ety
f eatures can contribute to injuries if
they are not used properly. Your seat belt system also
includes a light on the
instrument panel to remind you and
your passengers to f asten your seat
belts. Seat belts are the single most
effectivesafetydeviceforadultsand
larger children. (Inf ants and smaller
children must be properly restrained
in child seats.)
Not wearing a seat belt properly
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
though your car has airbags.
In addition, most states and all
Canadian provinces require you to
wear seat belts.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Your Car’s Saf ety Features
Seat Belts
always wear your seat belts
properly. Why Wear Seat Belt s
8

This seat belt has a single belt that
goes over your shoulder, across your
chest and across your hips.
Your seat belt system includes lap/
shoulder belts in all f ive seating
positions.
The seat belt system also
includes a light on the
instrument panel to remind you and
your passengers to f asten your belts.
If the driver’s seat belt is not
fastened before the ignition is turned
ON (II), the light will come on and a
beeper will also sound. The beeper
will stop af ter a f ew seconds, but the
light will stay on until the driver’s
seat belt is f astened. The seat belts in all seating positions
except the driver’s have an additional
locking mechanism that must be
activated to secure a child seat. (See
pages and f or instructions on
how to secure child seats with this
type of seat belt.) All seat belts have an emergency
locking retractor. In normal driving,
the retractor lets you move f reely in
your seat while it keeps some
tension on the belt. During a collision
or sudden stop, the retractor
automatically locks the belt to help
restrain your body. Guide the belt across your body to
the door pillar. Af ter exiting the car,
be sure the belt is out of the way and
will not get closed in the door. To unlock the belt, push the red
PRESSbuttononthebuckle.
To fasten the belt, insert the latch
plate into the buckle, then tug on the
belt to make sure the buckle is
latched. 31 35
Seat Belt System Components L ap/Shoulder Belt
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
Driver and Passenger Saf ety44

For saf ety, you should check the
condition of your seat belts regularly.
Pull each belt out f ully and look f or
f rays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check
that the latches work smoothly and
that the lap/shoulder belts retract
easily. Any belt not in good condition
or not working properly will not
provide good protection and should
be replaced as soon as possible.
Honda provides a lif etime warranty
on seat belts. Honda will repair or
replace any seat belt component that
f ails to f unction properly during
normal use. Please see yourbooklet f or
details.
The SRS indicator light will
come on if there is a
problem with your automatic seat
belt tensioners (see page ). 51
Honda
Warranty Inf ormation
Seat Belt Maintenance
U.S. Models
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
Driver and Passenger Saf ety46
Not checking or maintaining
seat belts can result in serious
injury or death if the seat belts
do not work properly when
needed.
Check your seat belts regularly
and have any problem
corrected as soon as possible.

Your Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) includes:Two f ront airbags. The driver’s
airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the f ront
passenger’sairbagisstoredinthe
dashboard. Both are marked ‘‘SRS
AIRBAG.’’
If you ever have a moderate to
severe f rontal collision, the sensors
will detect the vehicle’s rapid
deceleration. If the rate of
deceleration is high enough, the
control unit will instantly inf late the
f ront airbags.
A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records inf ormation about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, and driver and
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition is ON (II).
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe frontal
collision. Automatic seat belt tensioners
(see page ). An indicator light on the
instrument panel that alerts you to
a possible problem with the
system (see page ).
Emergency backup power in case
your car’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
45
51
SRS Components
How Your Front A irbags Work
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety48

If the light 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 light does not
come on after you turn the ignition
ON (II).
If the light stays on after the
engine starts.
If the light comes on or f lashes on
andoff whileyoudrive.
When you turn the ignition ON (II),
this indicator will light brief ly then
go out. This tells you that the system
is working properly. If you see any of these indications,
your f ront or side airbags may not
deploy, your passenger’s side airbag
automatic cutoff system may not
work properly, or your seat belt
tensioners may not work when you
need them. See your Honda dealer
as soon as possible.
Thepurposeof theSRS
indicator light is to alert
you to a potential problem with your
f ront airbags. On cars with side
airbags, this light will also alert you
to a potential problem with your
automatic seat belt tensioners (page ); or your side airbags or
passenger’s side airbag automatic
cutof f system (page ). 45
50
How the SRS Indicator L ight
Works
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety51
Ignoring the SRS indicator light
can result in serious injury or
death if the airbags, cutoff
system, or tensioners do not
work properly.
Have your vehicle checked by a
dealer as soon as possible if
theSRSlightalertsyoutoa
potential problem.

To reduce the risk of injury f rom an
inf lating side airbag, your car has an
automatic cutoff system for the
passenger’s side airbag.
Although Honda does not encourage
children to ride in the f ront, this
system is designed to shut of f the
side airbag if a child leans sideways
and the child’s head is in the side
airbag deployment path.This light alerts you that
the passenger’s side airbag
has been automatically shut off. A f ront seat passenger should not
use a cushion or other object as a
backrest. It may prevent the cutof f
system f rom working properly.
When you turn the ignition ON (II),
the indicator should light brief ly and
goout(seepage ).Ifitdoesn’t
light, stays on, or comes on while
driving without a passenger in the
f ront seat, have the system checked.
If a small-statured adult leans
sideways, or larger adult slouches
and leans sideways into the
deployment path of the side airbag,
the system may also shut of f the side
airbag.
If the side airbag indicator light
comes on, you should have the
passenger sit upright. Once the
passenger is out of the deployment
path of the side airbag, the system
will turn the airbag back on and the
light will go out.
61
Only on models equipped with side
airbags
How T he Side A irbag Indicator
Light Works
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety52

Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury. See page f or f urther inf ormation
and precautions relating to your
airbags.
If rain or spilled water
soaks into a seat-back, it can
prevent the side airbag system
f rom working properly. Improperly
replacing or covering f ront seat-
back covers can prevent your side
airbags f rom inf lating during a
collision.
Your f ront and side airbag systems
(if equipped) are virtually
maintenance-f ree, and there are no
parts you can saf ely service.
However, you must have your car
serviced if :
Any
airbag that has deployed must be
replaced along with the seat belt
tensioners, control unit and other
related parts. Do not try to remove
or replace any airbag by yourself.
This must be done by a Honda
dealer or a knowledgeable body
shop.
Take your car to an
authorized Honda dealer as soon
as possible. If you ignore this
indication, the airbags might not
inf late when you need them. 170
Airbag Service
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Donotattempttodeactivateyour
airbags.
Do not t amper wit h airbagcomponent s or wiring f or anyreason.
Do not expose t he f ront seat -backsto water. Do not cover or replace f ront seat -
back covers wit hout consult ing aHonda dealer.
Your airbags ever inf late.
T he SRS indicat or light alert s yout o a problem.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety53