2004 Acura RL airbag

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Adjust the driver’s seat-back to a
comf ortable, upright position,
leaving ample space between your
chest and the airbag cover in the
center of the steering wheel. If you
sit too close to the steering wheel,
you could be injured if the f ront
airbag inflates.
Most shorter drivers can get f ar
enough away f rom the steering
wheel and still reach the pedals.
However, if you are concerned about
sitting too close, we recommend that
you investigate whether some type
of adaptive equipment may help.
See page f or how to adjust the
f ront seats. Once your seat is adjusted correctly,
rock it back and f orth to make sure
the seat is locked in position.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that drivers
adjust the seat so the center of the
chest is at least 10 inches away f rom
the center of the steering wheel. In
addition to adjusting the seat, you
can adjust the steering wheel in and
out (see page ).
Also make sure your f ront seat
passenger moves the seat as f ar to
the rear as possible. To reduce the chance of injury, wear
your seat belt properly, sit upright
with your back against the seat, and
movetheseatawayfromthe
steering wheel to the f arthest
distance that allows you to maintain
f ull control of the vehicle.
76 91
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting Adults
Adjust the Seat-Backs
3.
13
Sitting too close to a front
airbag can result in serious
injury or death if the front
airbags inflate.
Always sit as far back from the
front airbags as possible.

Bef ore driving, make sure everyone
with an adjustable head restraint has
properly positioned the head
restraint. The restraint should be
positioned so the back of the
occupant’s head rests against the
center of the restraint. A taller
person should adjust the restraint as
high as possible.
See page f or how to adjust seat-
backs.
A f ront passenger should also adjust
the seat-back to an upright position,
but as f ar f rom the dashboard as
possible. A passenger who sits too
close to the dashboard could be
injured if the f ront airbag inf lates.
Reclining a seat-back so that the
shoulder part of the belt no longer
rests against the occupant’s chest
reduces the protective capability of
the belt. It also increases the chance
of sliding under the belt in a crash
and being seriously injured. The
farther a seat-back is reclined, the
greater the risk of injury.
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Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting Adults
A djust the Head Restraints
4.
14
Reclining the seat-back too far
can result in serious injury or
death in a crash.
Adjusttheseat-backtoan
upright position and sit well
back in the seat.

Adjust the steering wheel, if needed,
so that the wheel points toward your
chest, not toward your f ace.
See page f or how to adjust the
steering wheel. Pointing the steering wheel toward
your chest provides optimal
protection f rom the airbag.In addition, an occupant who is out of
position in the f ront seat can be
seriously or f atally injured by
striking interior parts of the vehicle,
or by being struck by an inf lating
f ront airbag. Being struck by an
inf lating side airbag can result in
possibly serious injuries.
After all occupants have adjusted
their seats and put on seat belts, it is
very important that they continue to
sit upright, well back in their seats,
with their feet on the floor, until the
vehicle is parked and the engine is
off.
Sitting improperly can increase the
chance of injury during a crash. For
example, if an occupant slouches,
lies down, turns sideways, sits
forward, leans forward or sideways,
or puts one or both f eet up, the
chance of injury during a crash is
greatly increased.
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Adjust the Steering Wheel Maintain a Proper Sitting
Position
6.
7.
Protecting Adults
Driver and Passenger Saf ety17
Sitting improperly or out of
position can result in serious
injury or death in a crash.
Always sit upright, well back in
the seat, with your feet on the
floor.

Pregnant women should also sit
upright and as f ar back as possible
f rom the steering wheel or
dashboard. This will reduce the risk
of injuries to both the mother and
her unborn child that can be caused
by a crash or an inf lating airbag.
Each time you have a check-up, ask
your doctor if it’s okay f or you to
drive.
Remember to keep the lap portion of
the belt as low as possible across
your hips.
Remember, to get the best
protection f rom your car’s airbags
and other safety features, you must
sit properly and wear your seat belt
properly.
Because protecting the mother is the
best way to protect her unborn child,
a pregnant woman should always
wear a seat belt whenever she drives
or rides in a vehicle. Advice f or Pregnant Women
Protecting Adults
Driver and Passenger Saf ety18

If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash. Carrying hard or sharp
objects on your lap, or driving with
a pipe or other sharp objects in
your mouth, can result in injuries
if your f ront airbag inf lates.
If your
hands or arms are close to the
airbag cover in the center of the
steering wheel or on top of the
dashboard, they could be injured if
the front airbag inflates.
Devices intended to improve
occupant comf ort or reposition the
shoulder part of a seat belt can
severely compromise the
protective capability of the seat
belt and increase the chance of
serious injury in a crash. If a side airbag
inflates,acupholderorotherhard
object attached on or near the
door could be propelled inside the
vehicle and hurt someone.
Any object
attached to or placed on the covers
marked ‘‘SRS AIRBAG’’ in the
center of the steering wheel and
on top of the dashboard could
interf ere with the proper operation
of the airbags. Or, if the airbags
inf late, the objects could be
propelled inside the vehicle and
hurt someone.
Additional Saf ety Precautions
T wo people should never use t he
same seat belt . Do not place hard or sharp object s
bet ween yourself and a f rontairbag.
K eep your hands and arms awayf rom t he airbag covers.
Do not put any accessories on seat
belts. Do not at t ach hard object s on or
near a f ront door.
Do not at t ach or place object s on the f ront airbag covers.
Protecting Adults
Driver and Passenger Saf ety19

According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
saf er when they are restrained in the
back seat, not the f ront seat. The
National Highway Traf f ic Saf ety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
ages 12 and under be properly
restrained in the back seat.
In the back seat, children are less
likely to be injured by striking hard
interior parts during a collision or
hard braking. Also, children cannot
be injured by an inf lating airbag
when they ride in the back.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 inf lates with tremendous
speed.
Whenever possible,
larger children should sit in the back
seat, in a booster seat if needed, and
be properly restrained with a seat
belt. (See page f or important
inf ormation about protecting larger
children.)
If
the airbag inf lates, it can hit the back
of the child seat with enough force
to kill or very seriously injure an
inf ant. If the vehicle seat is
too far forward, or the child’s head is
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inflating front airbag can strike the
child with enough f orce to kill or
very seriously injure a small child.
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Small Children
Larger Children
Inf ant s
Children who have outgrown childseat s are also at risk of being injuredor killed by an inf lat ing passenger’sfront airbag.
Never put a rear-f acing child seat in
t he f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag. Placing a f orward-f acing child seat in
t he f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag canbe hazardous.Children Should Sit in the Back
Seat The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Poses Serious Risks to Children
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety21

To remind you of the passenger’s
f ront airbag hazards, and that
children must be properly restrained
in the back seat, your car 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 car 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
Driver and Passenger Saf ety22

Using this f eature will
prevent children f rom opening the
doors and accidentally f alling out
(see page ).
Using
this f eature will prevent children
f rom playing with the windows,
which could expose them to
hazards or distract the driver (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 f rom
the passenger’s f ront airbag, and
paying close attention to a child
distracts the driver f rom the
important tasks of driving, placing
both of you at risk.
If a child requires physical attention
or f requent visual contact, we
strongly recommend that another
adult ride with the child in the back
seat. The back seat is far safer for a
child than the front.
Place the largest child in the f ront
seat, provided the child is large
enough to wear a seat 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
).
Your car has three seating positions
in the back seat where children can
be properly restrained.
If you ever have to carry more than
three children in your car:
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15 10487
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Additional Saf ety Precautions
If a Child Requires Close
Attention
If You Must Drive with Several
Children
Use childproof door locks t o
prevent children f rom opening t hedoors.
Use t he main power windowswit ch t o prevent children f romopening t he rear windows.
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety23