2002 Acura TL seats

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Bef ore purchasing a child seat, we
recommend that parents test the
child seat in the specif ic vehicle
seating position (or positions) where
they intend to use the seat. If a
previously purchased child seat does
not f it, you may need to buy a
different one that will fit. However, Acura is conf ident that one
or more child seat models can f it and
be properly installed in all
recommended seating positions in
your car. Due to variations in the design of
child seats, vehicle seats, and seat
belts, all child seats will not f it all
vehicle seating positions.
A child who is too
large f or a rear-f acing child seat, and
who can sit up without support,
should be restrained in a f orward-
f acing child seat. See page f or
additional inf ormation on protecting
small children.
Childrenuptoaboutone
year old should be restrained in a
rear-f acing, reclining child seat. Only
a rear-f acing seat provides the
proper support to protect an inf ant’s
head, neck, and back. See page for additional information on
protecting inf ants. 30 33
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
T he child seat should f it the
vehicle seat ing posit ion (orposit ions) where it will be used.
Small Children:
T he child seat should be of the
proper t ype and size t o f it t he child.
Inf ant s: 3.
2.
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If a small child must ride in the
f ront, f ollow the instructions
provided in this section.
This page brief ly summarizes Acura’s
recommendations on where to place
rear-f acing and f orward-f acing child
seats in your car.
The passenger’s f ront airbag
inf lates with enough f orce to kill
or seriously injure an inf ant in a
rear-facing child seat.
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 f ront airbag can kill or
seriously injure the child. Never in the f ront seat, due
to the f ront airbag hazard.
Not recommended,
due to the f ront 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.
Properlysecurearear-facingchild
seat (see page ).
Recommended
positions. Properly secure a f ront-
f acing child seat (see page ). 34
30 33
Placing a Child Seat Front Passenger’s Seat
Inf ant s:
Small children:
Back Seat sInf ant s:
Small children:
Airbags Pose SeriousRisks to Children
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety28
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Af ter selecting a proper child seat,
and a good position to install the seat,
there are three main steps in
installing the seat:When you are not using a child seat,
either remove it and store it in a saf e
place, or make sure it is properly
secured. An unsecured child seat can
be thrown around the car during a
crash or sudden stop and injure
someone.Make sure the child is properly
strappedinthechildseat
according to the child seat maker’s
instructions. A child who is not
properly secured in a child seat
canbethrownoutof theseatina
crash and be seriously injured.
If the child seat is not secure, try
installing it in a dif f erent seating
position, or use a dif f erent style of
child seat that can be f irmly secured
in the desired seating position.
Af ter installing a child
seat, push and pull the seat
f orward and f rom side to side to
verif y that it is secure.
To provide security during normal
driving maneuvers as well as during
a collision, we recommend that
parents secure a child seat as f irmly
as possible.
However, a child seat does not need
to be ‘‘rock solid.’’ In some vehicles
or seating positions, it may be
dif f icult to install a child seat so that
it does not move at all. Some side-to-
side or back-and-f orth movement can
be expected and should not reduce
the child seat’s ef f ectiveness.
All child seats are
designed to be secured to the car
with the lap part of a lap/shoulder
belt. Some child seats can be
secured to the vehicle’s LATCH
anchorage system. A child whose
seat is not properly secured to the
car can be endangered in a crash.
See pages , and f or
instructions on how to properly
secure child seats in this car. 31 35 42
Inst alling a Child Seat
Storing a Child Seat
Secure the child in the child seat.
Make sure t he child seat is f irmly
secured.
Properly secure t he child seat t o the car.
1. 2.
3.
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety29
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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.In this car, a rear-f acing child seat
canbeplacedinanyseatingposition
in the back seat, but not in the f ront
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.
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. If the passenger’s
f ront airbag inf lates, it can hit the
back of the child seat with enough
forcetokillorseriouslyinjurean
inf ant. If an inf ant must be closely
watched, we recommend that
another adult sit in the back seat
with the baby.
If placed
f acing f orward, an inf ant could be
very seriously injured during a
f rontal collision.
Protecting Inf ants
Child Seat T ype
Rear-Facing Child Seat Placement
Never put a rear-f acing child seat inthe front seat.
Do not put a rear-f acing child seat ina f orward-f acing position.
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety30
Placing a rear-facing child seat
in the front seat can result in
serious injury or death if the
passenger’s front airbag inflates.
Always place a rear-facing child
seat in the back seat, not the
front.
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With the child seat in the desired
back seating position, route the
belt through the child seat
according to the seat maker’s
instructions, then insert the latch
plate into the buckle.
The lap/shoulder belts in the back
seats have a locking mechanism that
must be activated to secure a child
seat.
The f ollowing pages provide
instructions and tips on how to
secure a rear-f acing child seat with
this type of seat belt.
When properly installed, a rear-
f acing child seat may prevent the
driver or a f ront-seat passenger f rom
moving the seat as far back as
recommended (see page ). Or it
may prevent them f rom locking the
seat-back in the desired upright
position (see page ).
In either case, we recommend that
you place the child seat directly
behind the f ront passenger seat,
move the front seat as far forward as
needed, and leave it unoccupied. Or
you may wish to get a smaller child
seat that allows you to safely carry a
f ront passenger.
If you have a child seat designed to
attach to the vehicle’s LATCH
anchorage system, follow the
instructions on page .
1.
14
13
42
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Rear-Facing Child Seat Inst allat ion
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Forproperprotection,aninfantmust
ride in a reclined, or semi-reclined
position. To determine the proper
reclining angle, check with the baby’s
doctor or f ollow the seat maker’s
recommendations.
To achieve the desired reclining
angle, it may help to put a rolled up
towel under the toe of the child seat,
as shown.
To deactivate the locking
mechanism and remove a child seat,
unlatch the buckle, unroute the seat
belt, and let the belt f ully retract.
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.
Of the different seats available, we
recommend those that have a f ive-
point harness system as shown.
CONT INUED
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Rear-Facing Child Seat Inst allat ionTips
Child Seat T ypeProtecting Small Children
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Your car has three tether anchorage
points under the rear window f or
securing a tether-style child seat to
the car.
Since a tether can provide additional
security, we recommend using a
tether whenever one is required or
available.The tether anchorage points are
located under plastic covers. Pivot
the cover backward to access the
anchorage point.Attach the tether strap hook to the
tether anchorage point as shown in
the illustration, then tighten the
strap according to the child seat
maker’s instructions.
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Using Child Seats with T ethers
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Your car is equipped with LATCH
(Lower Anchors and Tethers f or
Children) at the outer rear seats.
The lower anchors are located
between the seat-back and seat
bottom and are only to be used with
a child seat designed f or use with
LATCH.
The exact location of each lower
anchor is marked with a small circle
above the lower anchor point.To install a LATCH-compatible child
seat:
Move the seat belt buckle or
center seat belt away from the
lower anchor.
Make sure there are no f oreign
objects around the anchor.
Foreign objects could get in the
way of a secure connection
between the child seat and the
anchor. Put the child seat in the rear lef t
or right vehicle seat and attach the
child seat to the lower anchor
according to the child seat maker’s
instructions.
1.
2.
3.
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Using L A T CH
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