2001 HONDA ODYSSEY airbag

A small child in a f orward-f acing
child seat is also at risk. If the
vehicle seat is too f ar f orward,
or the child’s head is thrown
f orward during a collision, an
inf lating airbag can kill or
seriously injure the child.
If a small child must ride in the
f ront, f ollow the instructions
provided in this section.
The passenger’s airbag inf lates
with enough f orce to kill or
seriously injure an inf ant in a
rear-facing child seat.
This page brief ly summarizes
Honda’s recommendations on where
to place rear-facing and forward-
f acing child seats in your vehicle.
Never in the f ront seat, due
to the passenger’s airbag hazard.
Not recommended,
due to the passenger’s airbag
hazard. If a small child must ride
in f ront, move the vehicle seat to
the rear-most position and secure
a f ront-f acing child seat with the
seat belt (see page ).
Recommended
positions. Properly secure a f ront-
f acing child seat with the seat belt
(see page ). Recommended positions.
Properlysecurearear-facingchild
seat (see page ). 38
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Placing a Child Seat Front Passenger’s Seat
Inf ant s:
Small children:
Back Seat sSmall children:
Inf ant s:
Airbags Pose Serious
Risks to Children
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
30

Only a rear-f acing child seat provides
proper support f or a baby’s head,
neck, and back. Inf ants up to about
one year of age must be restrained in
a rear-f acing child seat.We recommend that an inf ant be
restrained in a rear-f acing child seat
until the inf ant reaches the seat
maker’s weight or height limit and is
able to sit up without support. If placed
f acing f orward, an inf ant could be
very seriously injured during a
f rontal collision.If the passenger’s
airbag inflates, it can hit the back of
the child seat with enough force to
kill or seriously injure an inf ant. If an
inf ant must be closely watched, we
recommend that another adult sit in
a back seat with the baby.
Two types of seats may be used: a
seat designed exclusively f or inf ants,
or a convertible seat used in the rear-
f acing, reclining mode. In this vehicle, a rear-f acing child
seatcanbeplacedinanyseating
position in a back seat, but not in the
front seat.
Protecting Inf ants
Child Seat T ype
Do not put a rear-f acing child seat ina f orward-f acing position.
Never put a rear-f acing child seat in
the front seat.
Rear-Facing Child Seat Placement
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
32 Placing a rear-facing child seat
in the front seat can result in
serious injury or death if the
airbags inflate.
Always place a rear-facing child
seat in the back seat, not thefront.

CONT INUED
A child who can sit up without
support, and who f its within the child
seat maker’s weight and height
limits, should be restrained in a
f orward-f acing, upright child seat.In this vehicle, the best place to
install a forward-facing child seat is
in one of the seating positions in a
back seat.
If the vehicle seat is too
farforward,orthechild’sheadis
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inf lating passenger’s airbag can
strike the child with enough force to
cause very serious or f atal injuries. If
a small child must be closely
watched, we recommend that
another adult sit in a back seat with
the child.
We also recommend that a small
child stay in the child seat as long as
possible, until the child reaches the
weight or height limit f or the seat.
Of the different seats available, we
recommend those that have a f ive-
point harness system as shown.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting Children
Protecting Small Children
Child Seat T ype Child Seat Placement
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat int he f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwith a passenger’s airbag can behazardous.
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The lap/shoulder belts in the outer
back and f ront passenger seating
positions have a locking mechanism
that must be activated to secure a
child seat.
The f ollowing pages provide
instructions on how to secure a
f orward-f acing child seat with this
type of seat belt.
See page f or how to secure a
f orward-f acing child seat in the
center position on the third seat with
the lap part of the lap/shoulder belt.
If it is necessary to put a f orward-
f acing child seat in the f ront, move
the vehicle seat as far to the rear as
possible, be sure the child seat is
f irmly secured to the vehicle, and the
child is properly strapped in the seat. If you have a child seat designed to
attach to the vehicle’s lower
anchorages, f ollow the instructions
on page .
40 47
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting Children
Inst alling a Child Seat wit h a L ap/ Shoulder Belt
38 Improperly placing a forward-
facing child seat in the front
seat can result in serious injury
or death if the airbags inflate.
Ifyoumustplaceaforward-
facing child seat in front, move
the vehicle seat as far back as
possible and properly restrain
the child.

CONT INUED
When a child reaches the
recommended weight or height limit
for a forward-facing child seat, the
child should sit in the back seat and
wear a lap/shoulder belt.
If a child is too short f or the shoulder
part of the belt to properly f it, we
recommend that the child use a
booster seat until the child is tall
enough to use the seat belt without a
booster.
Then pull hard on the loose end of
thebelttoremovetheanyslack(it
may help to put weight on the child
seat while pulling on the belt).
Finally, f ollow instruction number 5
on page to verify that the child
seat is secured.
The f ollowing pages give
instructions on how to check proper
seat belt f it, what kind of booster
seat to use if one is needed, and
important precautions f or a child
who must sit in the f ront seat.
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Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting Children
Protecting L arger Children
41
Allowing a larger child to sit
improperly in the front seat can
result in injury or death if the
airbags inflate.
If a larger child must sit in front,
make sure the child moves the
seat as far back as possible
and wears the seat belt properly.

CONT INUED
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
ages 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat.
The back seat is the saf est place f or
a child of any age or size.
In addition, the passenger’s airbag
poses serious risks to children. If the
seat is too far forward, or the child’s
head is thrown f orward during a
collision, or the child is unrestrained
or out of position, an inf lating airbag
can kill or seriously injure the child.
Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can saf ely ride in the
f ront, there are other important
f actors you should consider.
A child may continue using a booster
seat until the tops of the ears are
even with the top of the seat-back. A
child of this height should be tall
enough to use the lap/shoulder belt
without a booster.
If a child needs a booster seat, we
recommend choosing a style that
allows the child to use the lap/
shoulder belt directly, without a
shield, as shown.
Whichever style you select, f ollow
the booster seat maker’s instructions. Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting Children
When Can a Larger Child Sit in Front
Using a Boost er Seat
43

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 rapid deceleration and
signal the control unit to instantly
inflate the airbags and activate the
automatic seat belt tensioners.
Automatic seat belt tensioners
that tighten the front seat belts
during a moderate to severe
f rontal collision.
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe frontal
collision.
A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors
inf ormation about the sensors, the
control unit, and the airbag
activators when the ignition is ON
(II). 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 vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
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SRS Components
How Your A irbags Work
Additional Inf ormation About Your SRS
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
52

After a crash, you may see what
looks like smoke. This is actually
powder f rom the airbag’s surf ace.
Although the powder is not harmf ul,
people with respiratory problems
may experience some temporary
discomf ort. If this occurs, get out of
the vehicle as soon as it is saf e to do
so.
For additional information on how
your airbags work, see the booklet
titledthat came with your
owner’s manual.
Af ter inf lating, the airbags
immediately def late, so they won’t
interf ere with the driver’s visibility,
or the ability to steer or operate
other controls.
The total time for inflation and
def lation is approximately one-tenth
of a second, so f ast that most
occupants are not aware that the
airbags deployed until they see them
lying in their laps.
During a crash, your seat belt helps
restrain your lower body and torso,
while the tensioner tightens and
locks the seat belt to help keep you
in place. Your airbag provides a
cushion to help restrain and protect
your head and chest.
Since both airbags use the same
sensors, both airbags normally
inf late at the same time. However, it
is possible f or only one airbag to
inf late.
This can occur when 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
suf f icient protection, and the
supplemental protection of f ered by
the airbag would be minimal.
For additional information on how
your airbags work, ask your dealer
f or a copy of the booklet titled
SRS: What You Need to Know
About Airbags
SRS:
What You Need to Know About Airbags
.
Additional Inf ormation About Your SRS
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
U.S. Owners
Canadian Owners
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