2003 HONDA PILOT airbag

If your airbags inf late, the tensioners
immediately tighten the f ront seat
belts to help hold the occupants in
place. The belts will remain tight
until you unbuckle them in the
normal way.The SRS indicator light will
come on if there is a
problem with your automatic seat
belt tensioners (see page ).
Your vehicle has automatic seat belt
tensioners f or added protection
during a moderate to severe frontal
collision. 53
A utomatic Seat Belt T ensioners
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
48

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.’’
Automatic seat belt tensioners
that tighten the front seat belts in
the event of a moderate to severe
f rontal collision (see page ).
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe frontal
collision.
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).
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.
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. Your vehicle is equipped with dual-
stage, dual-threshold airbags to help
reduce the chance of airbag-caused
injuries.
48 53
SRS Components
How Your Front A irbags Work
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
50

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.
For additional information on how
your airbags work, see the booklet
titledthat came with your
owner’s manual.
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. For additional information on how
your airbags work, ask your dealer
f or a copy of the booklet titled
During a f rontal crash, your seat
belts help restrain your lower body
and torso. 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.
Af ter inf lating, the f ront airbags
immediately def late, so they won’t
interf ere with the driver’s visibility,
or the ability to steer or operate
other controls.
SRS: What You Need to Know
About Airbags
SRS:
What You Need to Know About Airbags
.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
U.S. Owners
Canadian Owners
51

Your vehicle is equipped with side
airbags f or the driver and a f ront
seat passenger. The airbags are
stored in the outer edges of the f ront
seat-backs, and both are marked
‘‘SIDE AIRBAG.’’If you ever have a moderate to
severe side impact, the sensors will
detect rapid deceleration 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 will deploy even if there
is no passenger.
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.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
How Your Side A irbags Work
52

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.
The SRS indicator light
alerts you to a potential
problem with your f ront airbags and
automatic seat belt tensioners.
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. This light will also alert you to a
potential problem with your side
airbags or passenger’s side airbag
automatic cutoff system (see page ).
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.
54
How the SRS Indicator L ight
Works
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety53
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
the SRS light alerts you to a
potential problem.

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.
This light alerts you that
the passenger’s side airbag
has been automatically shut off.
It does not mean there is a problem
with your side airbags. It means that
thesideairbagcutoff systemhas
activated to prevent the side airbag
f rom deploying. If the side airbag cutof f 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.
To reduce the risk of injury f rom an
inf lating side airbag, your vehicle 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. 62
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
How the Side Airbag Cutof f
Indicator L ight Works
54

Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.
If rain or spilled water
soaks into a seat-back, it can
prevent the side airbag system
f rom working properly. See page f or f urther inf ormation
and precautions relating to your
airbags.
Your f ront and side 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, automatic seat belt
tensioners, and other related parts.
Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by a Honda dealer or a
knowledgeable body shop.
Take your vehicle to
an authorized Honda dealer as
soon as possible. If you ignore this
indication, the airbags might not
inf late when you need them. Improperly
replacing or covering f ront seat-
back covers can prevent your side
airbags f rom inf lating during a
collision.
224
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.
Your airbags ever inf late.
T he SRS indicat or light alert s yout o a problem. Do not cover or replace f ront seat -
back covers wit hout consult ing aHonda dealer.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety55

Î
ÎÎ
The U.S. instrument panel is shown. Dif f erences f or the Canadian models are noted in the text.
CONT INUED
Indicator L ights
Inst rument s and Cont rols61
PARKING BRAKE
AND BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR(P.63)
SIDE AIRBAG
CUTOFF INDICATOR
(P.62)
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR
LAMP
LOW OIL PRESSURE
INDICATOR (P.62)
CHARGING SYSTEM
INDICATOR (P.62)
DOOR AND TAILGATE
OPEN MONITOR (P.64)
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM INDICATOR (P.62)
VTM- 4INDICATOR
(P.66)
IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM
INDICATOR(P.63)HIGH BEAM
INDICATOR
(P.65)
A/T TEMPERATURE
INDICATOR (P.66) ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR
(P.
63)
MAINTENANCE
REQUIRED
INDICATOR
(P.
69)
LOW FUEL
INDICATOR
(P.
65)
CRUISE CONTROL
INDICATOR
(P.
65)
BRAKE LAMP INDICATOR (P.64)
SEAT BELT REMINDER LIGHT
(P. 62)
(P.349)