2009 HONDA S2000 Owners Manual

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If the airbag inf lates, it
can hit the back of the child seat
with enough f orce to kill or very
seriously injure an inf ant. If a larger child must ride in
this vehicle, see page for
important guidelines on how to
decide when a child is ready to ride
in the passenger’s seat and how to
properly protect the child.
Airbags have been designed to help
protect adults in a moderate to
severe f rontal collision. To do this,
the passenger’s airbag is quite large,
and it can inflate with enough force
to cause very serious injuries.
Even though your vehicle has an
advanced airbag system that
automatically turns the passenger’s
airbag off (see page ), please
f ollow these guidelines:
If the vehicle seat is too
farforward,orthechild’sheadis
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inf lating airbag can strike the child
with enough f orce to kill or very
seriously injure a small child.
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.
Since this vehicle does not have a
back seat, we strongly recommend
that you do not carry any child who
is not large enough or mature
enough to ride in f ront (see page ).
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Your Vehicle is Not
Recommended f or Child
Passengers
The Passenger’s Airbag Can Pose
Serious Risks
Small Children
Never put a rear-f acing child seat in t his vehicle.
Inf ant s Larger Children
Children who have outgrown childseat s are also at risk of being injuredor killed by an inf lat ing passenger’sairbag.
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat in
t he passenger’s seat can behazardous.
Protecting Children General Guidelines
30
2009 S2000

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To remind you of the passenger’s
airbag hazards, your vehicle has
warninglabelsonthedashboard
(U.S. models) and on the driver’s and
passenger’s visors. Please read and
f ollow the instructions on these
labels.U.S. ModelsCanadian Models
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
31
SUN VISOR
SUN VISOR DASHBOARD
2009 S2000

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If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash. Leaving children without
adult supervision is illegal in most
states and Canadian provinces,
and can be very hazardous. Even very young
children learn how to unlock
vehicle doors, turn on the ignition
switch, and open the trunk, which
can lead to accidental injury or
death.
For example, a small child lef t in a
vehicle on a hot day can die f rom
heatstroke. A child lef t alone with
the key in the ignition switch can
accidentally set the vehicle in
motion, possibly injuring
themselves or others.
Children who play in vehicles can
accidentally get trapped inside.
Teach your children not to play in
or around vehicles. Know how to
operate the emergency trunk
opener and decide if your children
should be shown how to use this
feature(seepage ).
During a crash, the
belt could press deep into the child
and cause serious or fatal injuries. If you are not wearing a seat
belt in a crash, you could be
thrown forward and crush the
child against the dashboard. If you
are wearing a seat belt, the child
canbetornfromyourarmsandbe
seriously hurt or killed.
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Additional Saf ety Precautions
Never let two children use the
same seat belt . Do not leave children alone in a
vehicle. K eep vehicle keys and remot e
transmitters out of the reach ofchildren.
Lock both doors and the trunk when your vehicle is not in use.
Never put a seat belt over yourself
and a child.
Never hold a small child on your
lap.
Protecting Children General Guidelines
32
2009 S2000

Because an inf lating airbag can
seriously injure or kill small children,
we recommend that you do not carry
a small child as a passenger in this
vehicle.
If you decide to transport a small
child in this vehicle, be sure to move
the passenger seat as far to the rear
as possible, and follow the
instructions and guidelines in the
f ollowing pages.Of the different seats available, we
recommend those that have a f ive-
point harness system as shown.
A child who is at least one year old,
and who fits within the child seat
maker’s weight and height limits,
should be restrained in a f orward-
f acing, upright child seat.We also recommend that a small
child use the child seat until the child
reaches the weight or height limit
for the seat.
Protecting Small Children
Child Seat T ype
Child Seat Placement
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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Placing a forward-facing child
seat in the passenger’s seat
can result in serious injury or
death if the airbag inflates.
Ifyoumustplaceaforward-
facing child seat in the
passenger’s seat, move the
vehicle seat as far back as
possible and properly restrain
the child.
2009 S2000

To provide proper protection, a child
seat should meet three
requirements:Look f or FMVSS
213 or CMVSS 213 on the box.
Bef ore purchasing a child seat, or
using a previously purchased one, we
recommend that you test the seat to
make sure it f its properly in the
passenger’s seat. Af ter selecting a proper child seat,
there are three main steps in
installing a child seat:
All child seats must be
secured to the vehicle with the lap
part of a lap/shoulder belt. 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, 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
canbeseriouslyinjuredinacrash.
The f ollowing pages provide
guidelines on how to properly install
a f orward-f acing child seat.
Selecting a Child Seat Installing a Child Seat
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 thepassenger’s 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 child seat.
1.
2.3. 1.
2. 3.
Selecting a Child Seat, Installing a Child Seat
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2009 S2000

With the child seat in 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.
In this vehicle, a f orward-f acing child
seat must be secured to the vehicle
with the lap part of the lap/shoulder
belt. In addition, the lockable
retractor must be activated to secure
a child seat.
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
the belt out, it is not locked and
you will need to repeat these steps.
Move the vehicle seat to the rear-
most position. Moving the seat as
f ar back as possible reduces the
chance of a child being injured or
killed if the passenger’s airbag
inf lates.
1.
2.
3.4.
CONT INUED
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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2009 S2000

To remove slack, it may help to
putweightonthechildseat,or
push on the back of the seat while
pulling up on the belt.Push and pull the child seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verify that it is secure enough to
stay upright during normal driving
maneuvers. If the child seat is not
secure, unlatch the belt, allow it to
retract f ully, then repeat these
steps.To deactivate the lockable retractor
andremoveachildseat,unlatchthe
buckle, unroute the seat belt, and let
the belt fully retract.
Af ter conf irming that the belt is
locked, grab the shoulder part of
the belt near the buckle, and pull
up to remove any slack from the
lap part of the belt. Remember, if
the lap part of the belt is not tight,
the child seat will not be secure.
5.
6.
Installing a Child Seat
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2009 S2000

To determine if a lap/shoulder belt
properly f its a child, have the child
put on the seat belt, then ask
yourself :Does the child sit all the way back
against the seat?
Do the child’s knees bend
comf ortably over the edge of the
seat?
When a child reaches the
recommended weight or height limit
for a forward-facing child seat, the
child should sit on a booster seat and
wear a lap/shoulder belt.
Since this vehicle does not have a
back seat, we recommend that you
do not carry a larger child, age 12 or
under, as a passenger.
However, the following pages
provide guidelines to help you decide
when a given child may ride in this
vehicle, and how to properly protect
the child.
1.
2.
CONT INUED
Checking Seat Belt Fit
Protecting L arger Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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Allowing a larger child age 12 or
under to ride in the vehicle can
result in injury or death if the
passenger’s airbag inflates.
If a larger child must ride in the
vehicle, adjust the vehicle seat
as far back as possible, use a
booster seat if needed, and
have the child sit up properly
and wear the seat belt properly.
2009 S2000