2010 Acura TL Owner's Manual

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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.
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.
Even though your vehicle has an
advanced front airbag system that
automatically turns the passenger’s
f ront airbag of f under certain
circumstances (see page ), please
f ollow these guidelines:
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. Some
states have laws restricting where
children may ride.
Children who ride in the 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. 53
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Children who have outgrown child
seat s are also at risk of being injuredor killed by an inf lat ing passenger’sfront airbag.
Small Children
Larger Children
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat in
the f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag canbe hazardous.
Never put a rear-f acing child seat in the f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwit h a passenger’s f ront airbag.
Inf ant s
All Children Should Sit in a Back
Seat
The Passenger’s Front Airbag
Can Pose Serious Risks
Protecting Children General Guidelines
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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.U.S. ModelsCanadian Models
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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SUN VISOR
SUN VISOR
DASHBOARD
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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.
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.
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:
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 f requent visual contact,
we strongly recommend that another
adult ride with the child in the back
seat. The back seat is far safer for a
child than the front. If you are not wearing a
seat belt in a crash, you could be
thrown forward and crush the
child against the dashboard or a
seat-back. If you are wearing a
seat belt, the child can be torn
from your arms and be seriously
hurt or killed.
During a crash, the
belt could press deep into the child
and cause serious or fatal injuries.
If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash.
This can prevent
children f rom accidentally f alling
out (see page ).
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16 147
If You Must Drive with Several
Children
If a Child Requires Close
AttentionAdditional Saf ety Precautions
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Neverholdaninfantorchildon
your lap.
Never put a seat belt over yourselfand a child.
Never let two children use thesame seat belt .
Use t he childproof door locks t oprevent children f rom opening t herear doors.
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If a child wraps a loose
seat belt around their neck, they
can be seriously or f atally injured.
(See pages and f or how to
activate and deactivate the
lockable retractor.)
Leaving children without
adult supervision is illegal in most
states, Canadian provinces and
territories, and can be very
hazardous. Your vehicle has the engine
start/stop button instead of an
ignition switch. For more
inf ormation on selecting the
power mode, see page .
For example, infants and small
childrenleftinavehicleonahot
day can die f rom heatstroke. A
child lef t alone with the key in the
ignition switch or with the keyless
access remote in the vehicle 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 ).
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.
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178
150On models with keyless access system
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Make sure any unused seat beltt hat a child can reach is buckled,the lockable retractor is activated,and the belt is f ully retracted andlocked.
Do not leave children alone in avehicle. L ock all doors and t he t runk when
your vehicle is not in use.
K eep vehicle keys/remot et ransmit t ers or keyless accessremotes out of the reach ofchildren.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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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
f or 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.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.
If placed
f acing f orward, an inf ant could be
very seriously injured during a
f rontal collision. A rear-f acing child seat can be placed
in any seating position in the back
seat, but not in the f ront.
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.
When properly installed, a rear-
f acing child seat may prevent the
driver or a f ront passenger f rom
moving their seat as far back as
recommended, or f rom locking their
seat-back in the desired position.
It can also interf ere with proper
operation of the passenger’s
advanced front airbag system.
Protecting Inf ants
Child Seat T ype
Do not put a rear-f acing child seat in
a f orward-f acing position. Never put a
rear-f acing child seat in t he f ront seat .
Rear-f acing Child Seat Placement
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
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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.Many states, Canadian provinces and
territories allow a child one year of
age or older who also meets the
minimum size and weight
requirements to transition f rom a
rear-facing child seat to a forward
f acing seat. Know the requirements
where you are driving and follow the
child seat instructions. Many experts
recommend use of a rear-f acing seat
up to age two, if the child’s heightand weight are appropriate f or a
rear-facing seat.
Of the different seats available, we
recommend those that have a f ive-
point harness system as shown.
We also recommend that a small
child use the child seat until the child
reaches the weight or height limit
for the seat.
CONT INUED
Protecting Small Children
Child Seat T ype
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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Placing a rear-facing child seat
in the front seat can result in
serious injury or death during a
crash.
Always place a rear-facing child
seat in the back seat, not the
front.
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Even with advanced front airbags
that automatically turn the
passenger’s front airbag off (see
page ), a back seat is the saf est
place f or a small child.
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, and 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.
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. 34
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
Child Seat Placement
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat inthe f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwith a passenger’s airbag can behazardous.
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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.
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Since LATCH-compatible child seats
are easier to install and reduce the
possibility of improper installation,
we recommend selecting this style. 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 f or
CHildren (LATCH) system.In seating positions and vehicles not
equipped with LATCH, a LATCH-
compatible child seat can be installed
using a seat belt.
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. 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 outer
seating positions in the back seat.
Rear-facing for infants, forward-
f acing f or small children.
Selecting a Child Seat
T he child seat should meetFederal Mot or Vehicle Saf et ySt andard 213 or Canadian Mot orVehicle Saf et y St andard 213. T he child seat should f it the
vehicle seat ing posit ion (orposit ions) where it will be used.
T he child seat should be of the proper type and size to f it the child.
1.
2. 3.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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