2010 HONDA ELEMENT airbag off

●Automatic front seat belt
tensioners (see page 20).
● Sensors that can detect a moderate
to severe front impact, side impact,
or rollover.
● Sensors that can detect whether a
child is in the passenger's side
airbag path and signal the control
unit to turn the airbag off (see
page 29).
● Sensors that can detect whether
the driver's seat belt and the front
passenger's seat belt are latched or
unlatched (see page 18).
● A driver's seat position sensor that
monitors the distance of the seat
from the front airbag. If the seat is
too far forward, the airbag will
inflate with less force (see page 27). ●
Weight sensors that monitor the
weight on the front passenger's
seat. If the weight is about 65 lbs
(29 kg) or less (the weight of an
infant or small child), the
passenger's front airbag will be
turned off (see page 27).
● A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records information about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, the seat belt
tensioners, and driver and front
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition switch is in the ON (II)position.
● An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbags,
sensors, or seat belt tensioners
(see page 31). ●
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you that the
passenger's side airbag has been
turned off (see page 32).
● An indicator on the dashboard that
alerts you that the passenger's
front airbag has been turned off
(see page 32).
● Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle's electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
Additional Information About Your Airbags
24
Table of Contents

How Your Front Airbags Work
If you ever have a moderate to severe
frontal collision, sensors will detect
the vehicle's rapid deceleration.
If the rate of deceleration is high
enough, the control unit will inflate
the driver's and front passenger's
airbags, at the time and with the
force needed.During a frontal crash, your seat belt
restrains your lower body and torso,
and the front airbag helps protect
your head and chest.
Although both airbags normally
inflate within a split second of each
other, it is possible for 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
sufficient protection, and the
supplemental protection offered by
the airbag would be minimal.
Only the driver's airbag can deploy if
there is no passenger in the front
seat, or if the advanced airbag
system has turned the passenger's
airbag off (see page 27).
After inflating, the front airbags
immediately deflate, so they won't
interfere with the driver's visibility,
or the ability to steer or operate othercontrols.
CONTINUED
Additional Information About Your Airbags
25
Driver and Passenger Safety
Table of Contents

Advanced Airbags
Your front airbags are also advanced
airbags. The main purpose of this
feature is to help prevent airbag-
caused injuries to short drivers and
children or small statured adults who
ride in front.
For both advanced airbags to work properly:● Occupants must sit upright and
wear their seat belts properly.
● Do not spill any liquids on or
under the seats, cover the sensors,
or put any objects or metal items
under the front seats.
Failure to follow these instructions
could damage the sensors or prevent
them from 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 inflate
with less force, 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 inflate in the normal
manner regardless of the driver's
seating position.The passenger's advanced front
airbag system has weight sensors
under the seat. Although Honda does
not encourage carrying an infant or
small child in front, if the sensors
detect the weight of an infant or
small child (up to about 65 lbs or 29
kg), the system will automatically
turn the passenger's front airbag off.
Be aware that objects placed on the
passenger's seat can also cause the
airbag to be turned off.
DRIVER'S SEAT
POSITION SENSORPASSENGER'S SEAT
WEIGHT SENSOR
CONTINUED
Additional Information About Your Airbags
27
Driver and Passenger Safety
Table of Contents

When the passenger airbag gets
turned off by the weight sensors, a‘‘passenger airbag off ’’indicator in
the center of the dashboard comes
on (see page 32).
If the weight sensors detect there is
no passenger in the front seat, the
airbag is automatically turned off.
However, the passenger airbag off in
this situation indicator will not comeon.
To ensure that the passenger's
advanced front airbag system will
work properly,
do not do anything
that would increase or decrease the
weight on the front passenger's seat.
This includes:
● A rear passenger pushing or
pulling on the back of the front
passenger's seat. ●
Moving the front seat forcibly back
against cargo on the seat or floor
behind it.
● Hanging heavy items on the front
passenger seat, or placing heavy
items in the seat-back pocket.
● Moving the front seat or seat-back
forcibly back against the folded
rear seat.
● Back seat passengers should not
wedge objects or intentionally
force their feet under front
passenger seat.
If your vehicle has optional floor
mats, make sure the mat behind the
front passenger's seat is hoocked to
the floor mat anchor (see page 268).
If it is not, the mat may interfere with
the proper operation of the sensors
and operation of the seat. How Your Side Airbags Work
If you ever have a moderate to severe
side impact, sensors will detect rapid
acceleration and signal the control
unit to instantly inflate either the
driver's or the passenger's sideairbag.
Additional Information About Your Airbags
28
Table of Contents

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 from the
side airbags, front seat occupants
should wear their seat belts and sit
upright and well back in their seats.Side Airbag Cutoff System
Your vehicle has a side airbag cutoff
system designed primarily to protect
a child riding in the front passenger'sseat.
Although Honda does not encourage
children to ride in front, if the
position sensors detect a child has
leaned into the side airbag's
deployment path, the airbag will shutoff.
The side airbag may also shut off if a
short adult leans sideways, or a
larger adult slouches and leans
sideways into the airbag's
deployment path.
Objects placed on the front
passenger seat can also cause the
side airbag to be shut off.If the side airbag off indicator comes
on (see page 32), 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.
There will be some delay between
the moment the passenger moves
into or out of the airbag deployment
path and when the indicator comes
on or goes off.
A front seat passenger should not
use a cushion or another object as a
backrest. It may prevent the cutoff
system from working properly.
Additional Information About Your Airbags
29
Driver and Passenger Safety
Table of Contents

How the SRS Indicator Works
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 briefly then goes off. 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 SRS indicator does not come
on after you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position.
● If the indicator stays on after the
engine starts.
● If the indicator comes on or flashes
on and off while you drive.
If you see any of these indications,
the airbags and seat belt tensioners
may not work properly when you
need them.Ignoring the SRS indicator can
result in serious injury or death
if the airbag systems or
tensioners do not workproperly.
Have your vehicle checked by a
dealer as soon as possible if
the SRS indicator alerts you to
a possible problem.
Additional Information About Your Airbags
31
Driver and Passenger Safety
Table of Contents

How the Side Airbag Off Indicator WorksU.S. Canada
This indicator alerts you that the
passenger's side airbag has been
automatically shut off. It does
not
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 briefly and then go
off (see page 59). If it doesn't come
on, stays on, or comes on while
driving without a passenger in the
front seat, have the system checked. How the Passenger Airbag Off
Indicator Works
This indicator alerts you that the
passenger's front airbag has been
shut off because weight sensors
detect about 65 lbs (29 kg) or less
(the weight of an infant or small
child) on the front passenger's seat.
It does
not meanthere is a problem
with the airbag. Be aware that objects placed on the
front seat can cause the indicator to
come on.
If no weight is detected on the front
seat, the airbag will be automatically
shut off. However, the indicator will
not come on.
The passenger airbag off indicator
may come on and off repeatedly if the
total weight on the seat is near the
airbag cutoff threshold.
If an adult or teenage passenger is
riding in front, move the seat as far to
the rear as possible, and have the
passenger sit upright and wear the
seat belt properly.
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR
U.S. Canada
Additional Information About Your Airbags
32
Table of Contents

Additional Safety Precautions●
Do not attempt to deactivate your
airbags.
Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best protection.
●
Do not tamper with airbag components or wiring for any
reason.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.
●
Do not expose the front passenger's seat-back to liquid.If
water or another liquid soaks into
the seat-back, it can prevent the
side airbag cutoff system from
working properly. ●
Do not remove or modify a front
seat without consulting your
dealer.
This could make the
driver's seat position sensor or the
front passenger's weight sensors
ineffective. If it is necessary to
remove or modify a front seat to
accommodate a person with
disabilities, first contact Honda
Automobile Customer Service at
(800) 999-1009.
Additional Information About Your Airbags
34
Table of Contents