2005 Acura MDX airbag

The passenger’s advanced f ront
airbag system has weight sensors
under the seat. Although Acura 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, the system will
automatically turn the passenger’s
front airbag off.
The driver’s advanced front airbag
system includes a seat position
sensor under the seat. If the seat is
positioned too f ar f orward, 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.
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 who ride in f ront.
For both advanced airbags to work
properly:
Occupants must sit upright and
wear their seat belts properly.
Do not spill any liquids on or
under the seats, cover the sensors,
or put any cargo or metal objects
under the f ront seats.
Back-seat passengers should not
put their f eet under the f ront seats.
Failure to f ollow these instructions
could damage the sensors or prevent
them f rom working properly.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Advanced Airbags
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DRIVER’S
SEAT
POSITION
SENSOR PASSENGER’S
SEAT WEIGHT
SENSOR

When the airbag is turned of f , an
indicator in the center of the
dashboard will come on indicating
passenger airbag ‘‘OFF’’ (see page).
If there is no passenger in the f ront
seat, the airbag will be off. However,
the Passenger Airbag Of f indicator
will not come on.
Objects placed on the f ront
passenger seat can also cause the
passenger airbag to be shut of f .
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
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.
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.
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CONT INUED
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 .
How Your Side A irbags Work
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
29

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.Your vehicle has a side airbag cutof f
system designed primarily to protect
a child riding in the f ront passenger’s
seat.
Although Acura does not encourage
children to ride in f ront, if the height
and position sensors in the seat
detect a child has leaned into the
side airbag’s deployment path, the
airbag will shut off.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 .
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.32
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Side A irbag Cut of f Syst em
30

In a moderate to severe side impact,
sensors will detect rapid deceleration
and signal the control unit to
instantly inflate the side curtain
airbag on the driver’s or the
passenger’s side of the vehicle.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.
If the rollover sensor detects your
vehicle is about roll over, the control
unit will instantly deploy both side
curtain airbags.
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.
How Your Side Curtain A irbags
Work
In a Side Impact In a Rollover
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
31

If you see any of these indications,
the airbags and seat belt tensioners
may not work properly when you
need them.
The SRS indicator alerts
you to a potential problem
with your airbags, sensors, or seat
belt tensioners.
When you turn the ignition switch to
ON (II), this indicator will come on
brief ly then go out. This tells you the
system is working properly.
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. 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
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 f ront seat, have the
system checked. 60
How the Side Airbag Of f
Indicator Works
How the SRS Indicator Works
not
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
32
U.S.
CanadaIgnoring 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.

If nooneisridinginthefrontseat,
the airbag will be automatically shut
of f , but the indicator will not come
on.
However, if the indicator comes on
with no passenger in the f ront, or
with an adult in the seat, there may
be a problem with the advanced
airbag system. Have the vehicle
checked by the dealer as soon as
possible.
The Passenger Airbag Of f indicator
mayalsocomeonandgooff
repeatedly if total weight on the seat
is near the airbag cutof f threshold.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.
Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by your dealer or a
knowledgeable body shop.
Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly.
This indicator alerts you that the
passenger’s f ront airbag has been
shut of f because weight sensors
detect 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.
If this happens, have the passenger
ride properly restrained in a back
seat. If the passenger must ride in
front, move the seat as far to the
rear as possible, have the passenger
sit upright, and wear the seat belt
properly.
How the Passenger Airbag Of f
Indicator Works
Airbag Service
not mean
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
An airbag ever inf lates. T he SRS indicat or alert s you t o aproblem.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
33
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR

Improperly replacing
or covering f ront seat-back covers
can prevent your side airbags f rom
inf lating during a side impact.
Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.
This could make the
driver’s seat position sensor or the
f ront passenger’s weight sensors
inef f ective. If it is necessary to
remove or modif y a f ront seat to
accommodate a person with
disabilities, f irst contact Acura
Client Services at 800-382-2238.
Even if your
airbags do not inflate, your dealer
should inspect the driver’s seat
position sensor and the f ront
passenger’s weight sensors to
make sure they are operating
properly.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Do not cover or replace f ront seat -
back covers wit hout consult ingyour dealer.
Donotattempttodeactivateyour
airbags.
Do not t amper wit h airbagcomponent s or wiring f or anyreason.
Do not remove or modif y a f rontseat wit hout consult ing yourdealer.
If your vehicle has a moderat e t o
severe impact .Additional Saf ety Precautions
34

µ
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.
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 back are less
likely to be injured by striking
interior vehicle parts during a
collision or hard braking. Also,
children cannot be injured by an
inflating front airbag when they ride
in the back. Even though your vehicle has an
advanced front airbag system, which
can automatically turn the
passenger’s f ront airbag of f (see
page ), please f ollow the
guidelines below.
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.
Whenever possible,
larger children should sit in the back
seat, on a booster seat if needed, and
be properly restrained with a seat
belt. (See page f or important
inf ormation about protecting larger
children.)
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50
The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Can Pose Serious Risks
All Children Should Sit in a Back
Seat
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Inf ant s
Never put a rear-f acing child seat int he f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag. Small Children
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat int he f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag canbe hazardous.
Larger ChildrenChildren who have outgrown childseat s are also at risk of being injuredor killed by an inf lat ing passenger’sfront airbag.
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