2003 HONDA INSIGHT Owners Manual

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
mayexperiencesometemporary
discomf ort. If this occurs, get out of
the vehicle as soon as it is saf e to do
so.Your vehicle is equipped with dual-
stage, multiple-threshold f ront
airbags (SRS). During a f rontal crash
severe enough to cause one or both
f ront airbags to deploy, the airbags
can inf late at dif f erent rates,
depending on the severity of the
crash, whether or not the seat belts
are latched, and/or other factors.
Front airbags are designed to
supplement the seat belts to help
reduce the likelihood of head and
chest injuries in f rontal crashes.
CONT INUED
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Dual-Stage, Multiple-T hreshold
Front A irbags (SRS)
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
29

The driver’s advanced front airbag
system includes a seat position
sensor under the seat. If the seat is
too far forward, the airbag will
inf late with less f orce, regardless of
the severity of the impact.
If there is a problem with the sensor,
the SRS indicator will come on, and
the airbag will inf late in the normal
manner regardless of the driver’s
seating position.The passenger’s advanced f ront
airbag system has weight sensors
under the seat. Although Honda
does not encourage carrying an
inf ant or small child in f ront, if the
sensors detect the weight of an
inf ant or small child (up to about 65
lbs or 29 kg), the system will
automatically turn the passenger’s
front airbag off.
Your f ront airbags are also advanced
airbags. The main purpose of this
feature is to help prevent airbag-
caused injuries to short drivers and
children or small-statured adults who
ride in f ront.
For both advanced airbags to work
properly:
Occupants must sit upright and
wear their seat belts properly.
Failure to f ollow these instructions
could damage the sensors or prevent
them f rom working properly. Do not spill any liquids on or
under the seats, cover the sensors,
or put any objects or metal items
under the f ront seats.
Objects placed or pushed under
the f ront passenger’s seat may
cause the sensor to malf unction,
increasing the risk of injury in a
crash.
Advanced Airbags
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
30
PASSENGER’S
SEAT WEIGHT SENSORS
DRIVER’S SEAT POSITION SENSOR

Be aware that objects placed on the
passenger’s seat can also cause the
airbag to be turned of f .
When the passenger airbag gets
turned of f by the weight sensors, a
‘‘passenger airbag of f ’’ indicator in
the center of the dashboard comes
on (see page ).
If the weight sensors detect there is
no passenger in the f ront seat, the
airbag is automatically turned off.
However, the passenger airbag of f
indicator in this situation will not
come on.To ensure that the passenger’s
advanced front airbag system will
work properly,
This includes:
A rear passenger pushing or
pulling on the back of the f ront
passenger’s seat.
Moving the f ront seat f orcibly
back against cargo on the seat or
f loor behind it.
Hanging heavy items on the f ront
passenger seat, or placing heavy
items in the seat-back pocket.
Moving the front seat or seat-back
f orcibly back against the f olded
rear seat. Back seat passengers should not
wedge objects or intentionally
f orce their f eet under the f ront
passenger seat.
35
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
do not do anyt hing
t hat would increase or decrease t he weight on t he f ront passenger’s seat .Driver and Passenger Saf ety
31

To get the best protection f rom the
side airbags, front seat occupants
should wear their seat belts and sit
upright and well back in their seats.Your vehicle has a side airbag cutoff
system designed primarily to protect
a child riding in the f ront passenger’s
seat.
Although Honda does not encourage
children to ride in f ront, if the
position sensors detect a child has
leaned into the side airbag’s
deployment path, the airbag will shut
off.
Thesideairbagmayalsoshutoff if a
short adult leans sideways, or a
larger adult slouches and leans
sideways into the airbag’s
deployment path.
Objects placed on the f ront
passenger seat can also cause the
side airbag to be shut of f .
If you ever have a moderate to
severe side impact, sensors will
detect rapid acceleration and signal
the control unit to instantly inf late
either the driver’s or the passenger’s
side airbag. Only one airbag will deploy during a
side impact. If the impact is on the
passenger’s side, the passenger’s
side airbag may not deploy if there is
no passenger.
How Your Side A irbags Work
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Side A irbag Cut of f Syst em
32

If the side airbag of f indicator comes
on (see page ), have the
passenger sit upright. Once the
passenger is out of the airbag’s
deployment path, the system will
turn the airbag back on, and the
indicator will go out.
There will be some delay between
the moment the passenger moves
into or out of the airbag deployment
pathandwhentheindicatorcomes
on or goes of f .If the impact is on the passenger’s
side, the passenger’s side curtain
airbag will inflate even if there are no
occupants on that side of the vehicle.
A f ront seat passenger should not
use a cushion or another object as a
backrest. It may prevent the cutof f
system f rom working properly. To get the best protection f rom the
side curtain airbags, occupants
should wear their seat belts and sit
upright and well back in their seats. One or both side curtain airbags may
inflate in a moderate to severe
f rontal collision which causes the
f ront airbags to deploy.
In a moderate to severe side impact,
sensors will detect rapid acceleration
and signal the control unit to
instantly inflate the side curtain
airbag.
34
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How Your Side Curtain A irbags
Work
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
33
SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG

If the indicator comes on at any
other time, or does not come on at all,
you should have the system checked
by your dealer. For example: When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, this indicator
comes on f or several seconds then
goes of f . This tells you the system is
working properly.If the indicator comes on or
flashesonandoff whileyoudrive. If the indicator stays on after the
engine starts. If the SRS indicator does not come
on after you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position. This indicator alerts you that the
passenger’s side airbag has been
automatically shut off. It does
mean there is a problem with your
side airbags.
When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, the indicator
should come on f or several seconds
andthengooff (seepage ).If it
doesn’t come on, stays on, or comes
on while driving without a passenger
in the front seat, have the system
checked.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK
AIRBAG SYSTEM’’ message on the
multi-inf ormation display.
You will also see a ‘‘PASSENGER
SIDE AIRBAG OFF’’ message on the
multi-inf ormation display.
The SRS indicator alerts you to a
potential problem with your airbag
system components.
If you see any of these indications,
the airbag system components may
not work properly when you need
them. 65
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How the SRS Indicator
Works
How the Side
Airbag Of f
Indicator Works
not
34
U.S. Canada
Ignoring the SRS indicator can
result in serious injury or death
if the airbag systems or
tensioners do not work properly.
Have your vehicle checked by a
dealer as soon as possible if
the SRS indicator alerts you to
a possible problem.

This indicator alerts you that the
passenger’s f ront airbag has been
shut of f because weight sensors
detect about 65 lbs (29 kg) or less
(the weight of an inf ant or small
child) on the f ront passenger’s seat.
It does there is a problem
with the airbag.The passenger airbag of f indicator
maycomeonandoff repeatedlyif
the total weight on the seat is near
the airbag cutof f threshold.
If an adult or teenage passenger is
riding in f ront, move the seat as f ar
to the rear as possible, and have the
passenger sit upright and wear the
seat belt properly.
Be aware that objects placed on the
f ront seat can cause the indicator to
come on.
If no weight is detected on the f ront
seat, the airbag will be automatically
shut of f . However, the indicator will
not come on.
CONT INUED
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How the Passenger Airbag Of f
Indicator Works
not mean
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
35
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR
Canada U.S.
On vehicle with navigation system On vehicle without navigation systemCanada
U.S.

Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly.
Even if your
airbags do not inflate, your dealer
should inspect the driver’s seat
position sensor, the f ront
passenger’s weight sensors, the
f ront seat belt tensioners, and all
seat belts and their anchors worn
during a crash to make sure they
are operating properly.
Your airbag systems are virtually
maintenance f ree, and there are no
parts you can saf ely service.
However, you must have your
vehicle serviced if:
Any airbag
that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. Any
seat belt tensioner that activates
must also be replaced.
If no obstructions are f ound, have
your vehicle checked by a dealer as
soon as possible. If the indicator comes on with no
f ront seat passenger and no objects
on the seat, or with an adult riding
there, something may be interf ering
with the weight sensors. Look f or
and remove: Any items under the f ront
passenger’s seat.
Any object(s) hanging on the seat
or in the seat-back pocket.
Any object on the f loor that is
touching the rear of the seat-back.
Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by an authorized dealer or
a knowledgeable body shop. We recommend against the use of
salvaged airbag system
components, including the airbag,
tensioners, sensors, and control
unit.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
T he SRS indicat or alert s you t o aproblem.
If your vehicle has a moderat e t osevere impact .
An airbag ever inf lates.Airbag Service
36