2008 HONDA FIT Owners Manual

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.The SRS indicator alerts
you to a potential problem
with your airbags or seat belt
tensioners.
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.
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 indicator stays on after the
engine starts.
If the indicator comes on or
flashesonandoff whileyoudrive.
If the SRS indicator does not come
on after you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position.
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.
How Your Side Curtain A irbags
Work
How the SRS Indicator Works
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
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SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG
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If you see any of these indications,
the airbags and seat belt tensioners
may not work properly when you
need them. This indicatoralerts 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
the ON (II) position, the indicator
should come on brief ly and then go
off(seepage).Ifitdoesn’tcome
on, stays on, or comes on while
driving without a passenger in the
f ront seat, have the system checked. This indicator alerts you that the
passenger’s f ront airbag has been
shut of f because weight sensors
detectabout65lbs(29kg)orless
(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.
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Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How the Side Airbag Of f
Indicator Works
How the Passenger Airbag Of f
Indicator Works
not
not mean
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
31
U.S.Canada
U.S.
Canada
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR
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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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:Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by an authorized dealer or
a knowledgeable body shop. 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.
Be aware that objects placed on the
f ront seat can cause the indicator to
come on.
If no weight is detected on the f ront
seat, the airbag will be automatically
shut of f . However, the indicator will
not come on.
The passenger airbag of f indicator
maycomeonandoff repeatedlyif
the total weight on the seat is near
the airbag cutof f threshold.
If an adult or teenage passenger is
riding in f ront, move the seat as f ar
to the rear as possible, and have the
passenger sit upright and wear the
seat belt properly. If the indicator comes on with no
f ront seat passenger and no objects
on the seat, or with an adult riding
there, something may be interf ering
with the weight sensors. Look f or
and remove:
Any items under the f ront
passenger’s seat.
Any object hanging on the seat or
in the seat-back pocket.
Any object(s), such as a f olded-
down back seat, that are touching
the rear of the seat-back.
If no obstructions are f ound, have
your vehicle checked by a dealer as
soon as possible. Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Airbag Service
An airbag ever inf lates.
T he SRS indicat or alert s you t o aproblem.
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Improperly replacing
or covering f ront seat-back covers
can prevent your side airbags f rom
inf lating during a side impact.
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 Honda
Automobile Customer Service at
(800) 999-1009.
If water or
another liquid soaks into a seat-
back, it can prevent the side airbag
cutof f system f rom working
properly. Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.
Even if your
airbags do not inflate, your dealer
should inspect the driver’s seat
position sensor, the f ront
passenger’s weight sensors, the
f ront seat belt tensioners, and all
seat belts worn during a crash 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.
Do not remove or modif y a f rontseat without consulting yourdealer.
Do not expose the f ront passenger’s seat-back to liquid.
Donotattempttodeactivateyour
airbags.
Do not t amper wit h airbagcomponent s or wiring f or anyreason.
If your vehicle has a moderat e t o
severe impact .Additional Saf ety Precautions
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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If you have children, or 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
infants, small children, and larger
children. 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 ).
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 the death of children aged 12 and
under.
Children depend on adults to protect
them. However, despite their best
intentions, many adults do not know
how to protect child
passengers. 39484952
properly
Protecting Children General Guidelines
All Children Must Be Restrained
Inf ant s and small children must be
rest rained in an approved child seatt hat is properly secured t o t hevehicle Larger children must be restrained
wit h a lap/shoulder belt and ride ona boost er seat unt il t he seat belt f it st hem properly
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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 seat if necessary.
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CONT INUED
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).
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.
Even though your vehicle has an
advanced front airbag system that
automatically turns the passenger’s
front airbag off (see page ),
please f ollow these guidelines:
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. 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.
According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
saf er when they are restrained in a
back seat. The National Highway
Traf f ic Saf ety Administration and
Transport Canada recommend that
all children aged 12 and under be
properly restrained in a back seat.
Some states have laws restricting
where children may ride.
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49
Protecting Children General Guidelines
All Children Should Sit in a Back
Seat The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Can Pose Serious RisksSmall Children
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat inthe 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.
Inf ant s
Never put a rear-f acing child seat inthe f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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To remind you of the passenger’s
f ront airbag hazards, and that
children must be properly restrained
in a back seat, your vehicle has
warninglabelsonthedashboard
(U.S. models) and on the f ront visors.
Please read and follow the
instructions on these labels.
Protecting Children General Guidelines
U.S. ModelsCanadian Models
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DASHBOARD
SUN VISORS
SUN VISORS
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Many parents say they pref er to put
an inf ant or a small child in the f ront
passenger seat so they can watch the
child, or because the child requires
attention.
Your vehicle has a back seat where
children can be properly restrained.
If you ever have to carry a group of
children, and a child must ride in
front:
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.
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
). If a child requires close physical
attention or frequent 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.
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86 If a Child Requires Close
Attention
If You Must Drive with Several
Children
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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