2004 Acura MDX child seat

If you ever have a moderate to
severe side impact, 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.The passenger’s side airbag has a
cutof f system designed to turn of f
the passenger’s side airbag if a child’s
head is in the airbag’s deployment
path (see page ).
If a short adult leans sideways, or a
larger adult slouches and leans
sideways into the side airbag
deployment path, the system may
also shut of f the side airbag.
If the side airbag of f indicator comes
on (see page ), 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
indicator will go out.
There will be some delay between
the moment the passenger moves
into or out of airbag deployment path
and when the indicator comes on or
goes of f .
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.
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 to ON
(II), the indicator should come on
brief ly and go out (see page ). If it
doesn’t come on, stays on, or comes
on while driving without a passenger
in the front seat, have the system
checked.
29
29 29
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
How Your Side A irbags Work
27

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:If the SRS indicator does not come
on after you turn the ignition to
ON (II).
If the indicator stays on after the
engine starts.
If the indicator comes on or
flashesonandoff whileyoudrive.
If you see any of these indications,
the airbags and the seat belt
tensioners may not work properly
when you need them. This indicator alerts you
that the passenger’s side
airbag has been automatically shut
of f . It does mean there is a
problem with your side airbags.
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 Acura does not encourage
children to ride in 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.
Objects placed on the f ront
passenger seat can also cause the
side airbag to shut off.
CONT INUED
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
How the Side Airbag Of f
Indicator Works
not
29
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.

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Children depend on adults to protect
them. However, despite their best
intentions many adults do not know
how to properly protect child
passengers. Each year, many children are injured
or killed in vehicle crashes because
they are either unrestrained or not
properly restrained. In f act, vehicle
accidents are the number one cause
of death of children ages 12 and
under.
To reduce the number of child
deaths and injuries, every state and
Canadian province requires that
inf ants and children be properly
restrained when they ride in a
vehicle.
(see pages ).
(see pages ).
If you have children, or if you ever
need to drive with a child in your
vehicle, be sure to read this section.
It begins with important general
guidelines, then presents special
inf ormation f or inf ants, small
children, and larger children.
38
47 47
50
All Children Must Be Restrained
Larger children must be restrained
wit h a lap/shoulder belt and ride ona boost er unt il t he seat belt f it s t hemproperly
Inf ant s and small children must be
rest rained in an approved child seatt hat is properly secured t o t hevehicle
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety33
Children who are unrestrained
or improperly restrained can be
seriously injured or killed in a
crash.
Any child too small for a seat
belt should be properly
restrained in a child seat. A
larger child should be properly
restrained with a seat belt and
use a booster if necessary.

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With this system, the front
passenger’s airbag is turned of f if
sensors detect a total weight of less
thanabout65lbs(30kg)intheseat.
(See page f or additional
inf ormation about how the f ront
passenger’s advanced airbag works.)
Even if the passenger’s f ront airbag
is turned of f , we strongly
recommend that children age 12 and
under ride properly restrained in a
back seat where they will be saf er.
Front airbags have been designed to
help protect adults in a moderate to
severe f rontal collision. To do this,
the passenger’s f ront airbag is quite
large, and it can inflate with enough
f orce to cause very serious injuries.
To help prevent airbag-caused
injuries to children, this vehicle has
an advanced airbag system.
According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
saf er when they are restrained in a
back seat. The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration and
Transport Canada recommend that
all children age 12 and under be
properly restrained in a back seat.
Children who ride in the second or
thirdrowarelesslikelytobeinjured
by striking interior vehicle parts
during a collision or hard braking.
Also, children cannot be injured by
an inf lating airbag when they ride in
the back. 25
The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Can Pose Serious Risks
All Children Should Sit in a Back
Seat
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety34

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To remind you of the passenger’s
f ront airbag hazards, and that
children must be properly restrained
in the back seat, your vehicle has
warninglabelsonthedashboardand
on the driver’s and f ront passenger’s
visors. Please read and f ollow the
instructions on these labels.To remind you of the f ront airbag
hazards, your vehicle has warning
labels on the driver’s and f ront
passenger’s visors. Please read and
f ollow the instructions on these
labels.
U.S. Models
Canadian Models
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety35

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Your vehicle has two rows of back
seats where children can be properly
restrained. If you ever have to carry
a group of children, and a child must
ride in f ront:Place the largest child in the f ront
seat, provided the child is large
enough to wear the lap/shoulder
belt properly (see page ).
Move the vehicle seat as far to the
rear as possible (see page ).
Have the child sit upright and well
backintheseat(seepage ).
Make sure the seat belt is properly
positioned and secured (see page ). Many parents say they pref er to put
an inf ant or small child in the f ront
passenger seat so they can watch the
child, or because the child requires
attention.
Placing a child in the f ront seat
exposes the child to hazards in a
f rontal collision, and paying close
attention to a child distracts the
driver from the important tasks of
driving, placing both of you at risk.
If a child requires close physical
attention or f requent visual contact,
we strongly recommend that another
adult ride with the child in a back
seat. The back seat is far safer for a
child than the front.
If you are not wearing a
seat belt in a crash, you could be
thrown forward and crash the
child against the dashboard or a
seat-back. If you are wearing a
seat belt the child can be torn
from your arms and be seriously
hurt or killed.
During a crash, the belt
could press deep into the child and
cause serious or f atal injuries.
This can prevent children
f rom accidentally f alling out (see
page ).
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16
14 48
80
If You Must Drive with Several
Children
If a Child Requires Close
AttentionAdditional Saf ety Precautions
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Neverholdaninfantorchildon
your lap.
Never put a seat belt over yourselfor a child.
Use childproof door locks t oprevent children f rom opening t hedoors.
36

Only a rear-f acing child seat provides
proper support f or a baby’s head,
neck, and back.
An inf ant must be properly
restrained in a rear-f acing, reclining
child seat until the child reaches the
seat maker’s weight or height limit
f or the seat, and the child is at least
one year old.Two types of seats may be used: a
seat designed exclusively f or inf ants,
or convertible seat used in the rear-
f acing, reclining mode.
If placed
f acing f orward, an inf ant could be
very seriously injured during a
f rontal collision. When properly installed, a rear-
f acing child seat may prevent the
driver or a f ront passenger f rom
moving the seat as far back as
recommended, or f rom locking the
seat-back in the desired position. A rear-f acing child seat should
always be installed in a back seat, not
in the front. Even with advanced
airbags, which can automatically
turn the passenger’s f ront airbag of f
(see page ), a back seat is the
saf est place f or an inf ant.
In either of these situations, we
strongly recommend that you install
the child seat in a dif f erent back
seating position or get a smaller rear-
f acing child seat.30
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
Protecting Inf ants
Child Seat T ype
Do not put a rear-f acing child seat ina f orward-f acing position. Child Seat Placement
38
Placing a rear-facing child seat
in the front seat can result in
serious injury or death during a
collision.
Always place a rear-facing child
seat in the back seat, not the
front.

A child who is at least one year old,
and who fits 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.
We also recommend that a small
child uses the child seat as long as
possible, until the child reaches the
weight or height limit f or the seat.
We strongly recommend placing a
forward-facing child seat in a back
seat,notthefront.Evenwith
advanced airbags, which can
automatically turn the passenger’s
front airbag off (see page ), a
back seat is the safest place for a
small child.
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.30
CONT INUED
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting Small Children
Child Seat T ype Child Seat Placement
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
39
Placing a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat can result
in serious injury or death if the
front airbag inflates.
Ifyoumustplaceaforward-
facing child seat in front, move
the vehicle seat as far back as
possible, and properly restrain
the child.