2008 Acura RL airbag

Î
Your airbag system includes:Two side airbags, one f or the
driver and one f or a f ront
passenger. The airbags are stored
in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked ‘‘SIDE
AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
Two side curtain airbags, one f or
each side of the vehicle. The
airbags are stored in the ceiling,
above the side windows. The front
and rear pillars are marked ‘‘SIDE
CURTAIN AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
Two SRS (supplemental restraint
system) 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’’ (see page ).
32
34 29
CONT INUED
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
27
(12)
(15)
(14)
(13)
(11) (13)
(13) Side Impact Sensors (Second)
(14) Rear Safing Sensor
(15) Side Curtain Airbags
(11) E-pretensioner Control Unit
(12) Front Impact Sensors
\f—\f—
y\fy
(\fy\f\fy
2008 RL

Automatic front seat belt
tensioners (see page ).
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe front impact or
side impact.
Sensors that can detect whether a
child is in the passenger’s side
airbag path and signal the control
unit to turn the airbag of f (see
page ).
On models with CMBS, f ront seat
belt e-pretensioners (see page ).An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbags,
sensors, seat belt tensioners (see
page ), or, on models with
CMBS, seat belt e-pretensioners
(see page ).
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you that the
passenger’s side airbag has been
turned of f (see page ).
An indicator on the dashboard that
alerts you that the passenger’s
f ront airbag has been turned of f
(see page ).
Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
A driver’s seat position sensor that
monitors the distance of the seat
from the front airbag. If the seat is
too f ar f orward, the airbag will
inf late with less f orce (see page
).
A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records inf ormation about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, the seat belt
tensioners, and driver and f ront
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition switch is in the ON (II)
position.
Sensors that can detect whether
the driver’s seat belt and the f ront
passenger’s seat belt are latched
or unlatched (see page ). Weight sensors that monitor the
weight on the f ront passenger’s
seat. If the weight is about 65 lbs
(29 kg) or less (the weight of an
inf ant or small child), the
passenger’s f ront airbag will be
turned of f (see page ).
23
24
3424
35
35
31
21
33
31
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
28
\f—\f—
y\fy
(\fy\f\fy
2008 RL

CONT INUED
Af ter inf lating, the f ront airbags will
immediately def late, so they won’t
interf ere with the driver’s visibility,
or the ability to steer or operate
other controls.
The total time for inflation and
def lation is 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.
During a f rontal crash, your seat belt
restrains your lower body and torso,
and the f ront airbag helps protect
your head and chest.
Although both airbags normally
inf late within a split second of each
other, it is possible f or only one
airbag to deploy.
This can happen if 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.
If you ever have a moderate to
severe f rontal collision, sensors will
detect the vehicle’s rapid
deceleration.
If the rate of deceleration is high
enough, the control unit will instantly
inf late the driver’s and f ront
passenger’s airbags, at the time and
with the f orce needed. Only the driver’s airbag will deploy if
there is no passenger in the f ront
seat, or if the advanced airbag
system has turned the passenger’s
airbag off (see page ).
31
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How Your Front Airbags Work
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
29
\f—\f—
y\f
y
(\fy\f\fy
2008 RL

Your f ront airbags are also dual-
threshold airbags. Airbags with this
f eature have two deployment
thresholds that depend on whether
sensors detect the occupant is
wearing a seat belt or not.
If the occupant’s belt is ,
the airbag will deploy at a slightly
lower threshold, because the
occupant would need extra
protection.
Your f ront airbags are dual-stage
airbags. This means they have two
inf lation stages that can be ignited
sequentially or simultaneously,
depending on crash severity.
In a crash, both stages
will ignite simultaneously to provide
the quickest and greatest protection.
In a crash, one stage will
ignite first, then the second stage
will ignite a split second later. This
provides longer airbag inf lation time
with a little less force.
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.
If the occupant’s belt is , the
airbag will inf late at a slightly higher
threshold, when the airbag would be
needed to supplement the protection
provided by the seat belt.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Dual-T hreshold A irbags
not lat ched
Dual-Stage A irbags
more severeless severe latched
30
\f—\f—
y\f\f\fy
(\fy\f\fy
2008 RL

CONT INUED
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.
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. The driver’s advanced front airbag
system includes a seat position
sensor under the seat. If the seat is
too far forward, 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.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 (up to about 65 lbs or 29
kg), the system will automatically
turn the passenger’s front airbag off.
Do not spill any liquids on or
under the seats, cover the sensors,
or put any objects or metal items
under the f ront seats.
Be aware that objects placed on the
passenger’s seat can also cause the
airbag to be turned off.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Advanced Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
31
DRIVER’S
SEAT
POSITION
SENSORPASSENGER’S
SEAT WEIGHT
SENSOR
\f—\f—
y\f
y
(\fy\f\fy
2008 RL

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.
When the airbag is turned of f , a
‘‘passenger airbag of f ’’ indicator in
the center of the dashboard comes
on (see page ).
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 f ront
passenger’s seat. Also,makesurethefloormatbehind
the f ront passenger’s seat is hooked
to the floor mat anchor (see page
). If it is not, the mat may
interf ere with the proper operation
of the sensors and operation of the
seat.
If the weight sensors detect 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.
If you ever have a moderate to
severe side impact, sensors will
detect rapid acceleration and signal
the control unit to instantly inf late
either the driver’s or the passenger’s
side airbag and activate the seat belt
tensioner on the af f ected side.
35
416
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How Your Side A irbags Work
do not do anyt hing
t hat would increase or decrease t he weight on the f ront passenger’s seat.
32
\f—\f—
y\fy
(\fy\f\fy
2008 RL

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.
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.
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.
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
position sensors detect a child has
leaned into the side airbag’s
deployment path, the airbag will shut
off.
Thesideairbagmayalsoshutoff if a
short adult leans sideways, or a
larger adult slouches and leans
sideways into the airbag’s
deployment path.
Objects placed on the f ront
passenger seat can also cause the
side airbag to be shut of f . 35
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Side A irbag Cut of f Syst em
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
33
\f—\f—
y\fy
(\fy\f\fy
2008 RL

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.
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.If the indicator comes on or
flashesonandoff whileyoudrive.
If the indicator stays on after the
engine starts.
If the SRS indicator does not come
on after you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position.The SRS indicator alerts
you to a potential problem
with your airbags, seat belt
tensioners, and, on models with
CMBS, seat belt e-pretensioners.
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:
In a moderate to severe side impact,
sensors will detect rapid acceleration
and signal the control unit to
instantly inflate the side curtain
airbag and activate the seat belt
tensioner on the driver’s or the
passenger’s side of the vehicle. When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, this indicator
comes on brief ly then goes of f . This
tells you the system is working
properly.
How Your Side Curtain A irbags
Work
How the SRS Indicator Works
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
34
SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG
\f—\f—
y\fy
(\fy\f\fy
2008 RL