2011 Acura TL Owner's Manual

To deactivate the lockable retractor,
unlatch the buckle and let the seat
belt fully retract. To refasten the
seat belt, pull it out only as f ar as
needed.For added protection, the f ront seat
belts are equipped with automatic
seat belt tensioners. When activated,
the tensioners immediately tighten
the belts to help hold the driver and
a f ront passenger in position.The tensioners can be activated
during a collision in which the f ront
airbags
. In this case, the
airbags would not be needed, but the
additional restraint could be helpf ul.
If the tensioner is activated, the SRS
indicator comes on and the tensioner
must be replaced.
do not deploy
A utomatic Seat Belt T ensioners
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
22
10/07/29 11:42:28 31TK4620_027
2011 TL

For saf ety, you should check the
condition of your seat belts regularly.If a seat belt is worn during a crash,
it must be replaced by your dealer. A
belt that has been worn during a
crash may not provide the same level
of protection in a subsequent crash.
The dealer should also inspect the
anchors f or damage and replace
them if needed. If the automatic seat
belt tensioners activate during a
crash, they must be replaced.
Pull each belt out fully, and look for
frays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check
that the latches work smoothly and
the belts retract easily. If a belt does
not retract easily, cleaning the belt
may correct the problem (see page
). Any belt that is not in good
condition or working properly
will not provide good protection
and should be replaced as soon
as possible.
Acura provides a limited warranty on
seat belts. See your booklet f or details.
530
Acura Warranty
Inf ormation
Seat Belt Maintenance
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
23
Not checking or maintaining
seat belts can result in serious
injury or death if the seat belts
do not work properly when
needed.
Check your seat belts regularly
and have any problem
corrected as soon as possible.
10/07/29 11:42:34 31TK4620_028
2011 TL

A irbag System Components
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
24
(1)(3)
(8)
(4)
(5)
(15) (2)
(11)
(14)
(13)
(14)
(16)
(13)
(4)
(10)
(5)
(8)
(6) (9)
(7) (12)
(1) Driver’s Front Airbag
(2) Passenger’s Front Airbag
(3) Control Unit
(4) Front Seat Belt Tensioners
(5) Side Airbags
(15) Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Indicator
(16) Safing Sensor (6) Driver’s Seat Position Sensor
(7) Front Passenger’s Weight Sensors
(8) Front Impact Sensors
(9) Passenger Airbag Off Indicator
(10) Side Impact Sensors (First)
(11) Occupant Detection System (ODS) Sensors
(12) Front Passenger’s Weight Sensors Control Unit/
ODS Sensors Control Unit
(13) Side Impact Sensors (Second)
(14) Side Curtain Airbags
10/07/29 11:42:40 31TK4620_029
2011 TL

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 ).
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 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 ).
Two side curtain airbags, one f or
each side of the vehicle. The
airbags are stored in the ceiling,
above the side windows. The f ront
and rear pillars are marked ‘‘SIDE
CURTAIN AIRBAG’’ (see ). Sensors that can detect whether
the driver’s seat belt and the f ront
passenger’s seat belt are latched
or unlatched (see page ). 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
inflate with less force (see
).
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 ).
26
30 22
20
31
29
CONT INUED
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
25
10/07/29 11:42:49 31TK4620_030
page 32 page 29
2011 TL

Î
ÎIf 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 inf late
the driver’s and f ront passenger’s
airbags, at the time and with the
f orce needed.
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.
Models equipped with the
keyless access system have an
engine start/stop button instead
of an ignition switch. ON Mode
is the equivalent of ON (II). For
more inf ormation, see pages and . An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbag system
components (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.
:
178 181 33
34 32
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How Your Front Airbags Work
26
10/07/29 11:42:58 31TK4620_031
2011 TL

CONT INUED
After a crash, you may see what
looks like smoke. This is actually
powder from the airbag’s surface.
Although the powder is not
harmful, people with respiratory
problems may experience some
temporary discomfort. If this
occurs, get out of the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so. 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.
Af ter inf lating, the f ront airbags
immediately def late, so they won’t
interf ere with the driver’s visibility,
or the ability to steer or operate
other controls.
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.
Only the driver’s airbag can 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 ).
34
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
27
10/07/29 11:43:05 31TK4620_032

2011 TL

Your vehicle is equipped with dual-
stage, multiple-threshold f ront
airbags (SRS). During a f rontal crash
severe enough to cause one or both
f ront airbags to deploy, the airbags
can inf late at dif f erent rates,
depending on the severity of the
crash, whether or not the seat belts
are latched, and/or other factors.
Front airbags are designed to
supplement the seat belts to help
reduce the likelihood of head and
chest injuries in f rontal crashes.Objects placed or pushed under
the f ront passenger’s seat may
cause the sensor to malf unction,
increasing the risk of injury in a
crash.
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 or small-statured adults who
ride in f ront.
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 cargo or metal objects
under the f ront seats. Failure to f ollow these instructions
could damage the sensors or prevent
them f rom working properly.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Dual-Stage, Multiple-T hreshold
Front A irbags (SRS) Advanced Airbags
28
10/07/29 11:43:11 31TK4620_033
2011 TL

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.Be aware that objects placed on the
passenger’s seat can also cause the
airbag to be turned off.
When the passenger airbag gets
turned of f by the weight sensors, a
‘‘passenger airbag of f ’’ indicator in
the center of the dashboard comes
on (see page ).
If the weight sensors detect there is
no passenger in the f ront seat, the
airbag is automatically turned off.
However, the passenger airbag of f
indicator in this situation will not
come on.
The driver’s advanced front airbag
system includes a seat position
sensor under the seat. If the seat is
too f ar f orward, 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. 34
CONT INUED
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
29
DRIVER’S SEAT
POSITION SENSOR
PASSENGER’S SEAT
WEIGHT SENSOR
10/07/29 11:43:18 31TK4620_034
2011 TL