2006 Acura MDX Owner's Manual

If placed
f acing f orward, an inf ant could be
very seriously injured during a
f rontal collision.
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
for the seat and the child is at least
one year old.
Only a rear-f acing child seat provides
proper support f or a baby’s head,
neck, and back. If the passenger’s front airbag
inflates, it can hit the back of the
child seat with enough f orce to kill or
seriously injure an inf ant.
Two types of seats may be used: a
seat designed exclusively f or inf ants,
or a convertible seat used in the rear-
f acing, reclining mode.
A rear-f acing child seat can be placed
in any seating position in the second
or third row, but not in the f ront.
Never put a rear-f acing child seat in
the front seat.
When properly installed in the
second row, a rear-f acing child seat
maypreventthedriverorafront
passenger f rom moving their seat as
f ar back as recommended, or f rom
locking their seat-back in the desired
position.
It could also interf ere with proper
operation of the passenger’s
advanced front airbag system.
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
Protecting Inf ants
Child Seat T ype Child Seat Placement
Do not put a rear-f acing child seat in a f orward-f acing position.
40

CONT INUED
A child who is at least 1 year old, and
who f its 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.
In any of these situations, we
strongly recommend that you install
the child seat directly behind the
f ront passenger’s seat, move the seat
as far forward as needed, and leave it
unoccupied. Or, you may wish to get
a smaller rear-f acing child seat.
We also recommend that a small
child use the child seat as long as
possible, until the child reaches the
weight or height limit f or the seat.
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
Protecting Small Children
Child Seat T ype
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
41
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.

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.
We strongly recommend placing a
forward-facing child seat in a back
seat, not the f ront.
Even with advanced front airbags,
which can automatically turn the
passenger’s front airbag off (see
page ), a back seat is the saf est
place f or a small child.
If the vehicle seat is too
f ar f orward, or the child’s head is
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inf lating airbag can strike the child
with enough force to cause very
serious or fatal injuries. 33
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat in
the f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwith a passenger’s airbag can behazardous.
Child Seat Placement
42
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.

Since LATCH-compatible child seats
are easier to install and reduce the
possibility of improper installation,
we recommend selecting this style.Whatever type of seat you choose, to
provide proper protection, a child
seat should meet three
requirements:
Look f or FMVSS
213 or CMVSS 213 on the box.
Rear-facing for infants, forward-
f acing f or small children.
Bef ore purchasing a conventional
child seat, or using a previously
purchased one, we recommend that
you test the seat in the specif ic
vehicle seating position or positions
where the seat will be used.
Conventional child seats must be
secured to a vehicle with a seat belt,
whereas LATCH-compatible seats
are secured by attaching the seat to
hardware built into the two second-
row seats.
We also recommend selecting a
LATCH-compatible seat with a rigid,
rather than a f lexible, anchor (see
page ).
In seating positions and vehicles not
equipped with LATCH, a LATCH-
compatible child seat can be installed
using a seat belt.
When buying a child seat, you need
to choose either a conventional child
seat, or one designed f or use with
the lower anchors and tethers for
children (LATCH) system.
45
T he child seat should meet U.S. or
Canadian Mot or Vehicle Saf et ySt andard 213.
T he child seat should be of theproper type and size to f it the child.
T he child seat should f it thevehicle seat ing posit ion (orposit ions) where it will be used.
1.
2.3.
Selecting a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
43

Af ter selecting a proper child seat
and a good place to install the seat,
there are three main steps in
installing the seat:All child seats must be
secured to the vehicle with the lap
part of a lap/shoulder belt or with
the LATCH (lower anchors and
tethers for children) system. A
child whose seat is not properly
secured to the vehicle can be
endangered in a crash.
Af ter installing a child
seat, push and pull the seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verify that it is secure. A child seat secured with a seat belt
should be installed as f irmly as
possible. However, it does not need
to be ‘‘rock solid.’’ Some side-to-side
movement can be expected and
should not reduce the child seat’s
ef f ectiveness.
If the child seat is not secure, try
installing it in a dif f erent seating
position, or use a dif f erent style of
child seat that can be f irmly secured.
Make sure the child is properly
strappedinthechildseat
according to the child seat maker’s
instructions. A child who is not
properly secured in a child seat
can be seriously injured in a crash. The f ollowing pages provide
guidelines on how to properly install
a child seat. A f orward-f acing child
seat is used in all examples, but the
instructions are the same f or a rear-
f acing child seat.
Properly secure t he child seat t o
the vehicle.
Make sure t he child seat is f irmlysecured. Secure the child in the back seat.
1.
2. 3.
Installing a Child Seat
44

CONT INUED
Make sure there are no objects
near the anchors that could
prevent a secure connection
between the child seat and the
anchors. Move the seat belt buckle or
tongue away f rom the lower
anchors.
To install a LATCH-compatible child
seat:
Your vehicle is equipped with
LATCH (Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children) at the outer
second row seats.
The lower anchors are located
between the seat-back and seat
bottom, and are to be used only with
a child seat designed f or use with
LATCH.
The location of each lower anchor is
indicated by a small button above the
anchor point.
Place the child seat on the vehicle
seat, then attach the seat to the
lower anchors according to the
child seat maker’s instructions.
Some LATCH-compatible seats
have a rigid-type connector as
shown above.
1.
2. 3.
Installing a Child Seat with
LATCH
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
45
RIGID TYPE
LOWER ANCHORS MARKS

Whatever type you have, f ollow
the child seat maker’s instructions
f or adjusting or tightening the f it.Push and pull the child seat
f orward and f rom side to side to
verify that it is secure.
Other LATCH-compatible seats have
a f lexible-type connector as shown
above. Lif t the head restraint (see page
), then route the tether strap
through the legs of the head
restraint and over the seat-back,
making sure the strap is not
twisted.
Attach the tether strap hook to the
tether anchor, then tighten the
strap as instructed by the child
seat maker.
6.
4. 5.7.
88
Installing a Child Seat
46
FLEXIBLE TYPE ANCHOR
TETHER STRAP HOOK

When not using the LATCH system,
all child seats must be secured to the
vehicle with the lap part of a lap/
shoulder belt.With the child seat in the desired
seating position, route the belt
through the child seat according
to the seat maker’s instructions,
then insert the latch plate into the
buckle.To activate the lockable retractor,
slowly pull the shoulder part of the
belt all the way out until it stops,
then let the belt f eed back into the
retractor.
Af ter the belt has retracted, tug on
it. If the belt is locked, you will not
be able to pull it out. If you can pull
thebeltout,itisnotlocked,and
you will need to repeat these steps.
In addition, the lap/shoulder belts in
all seating positions except the
driver’s have a locking mechanism
that must be activated to secure a
child seat.
1.2.
3.
CONT INUED
Installing a Child Seat with a L ap/
Shoulder Belt
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
47