2012 Acura RDX page 61

After selecting a proper child seat
and a good place to install the seat,
there are three main steps in
installing the seat:1.Properly secure the child seat to the vehicle.
All child seats must be
secured to the vehicle with the lap
part of a lap/shoulder belt or with
the LATCH (Lower Anchors and
Tethers for CHildren) system. A
child whose seat is not properly
secured to the vehicle can be
endangered in a crash.
2.
Make sure the child seat is firmly secured.
After installing a child
seat, push and pull the seat
forward and from side-to-side to
verify that it is secure. A child seat secured with a seat belt
should be installed as firmly 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
effectiveness.
If the child seat is not secure, try
installing it in a different seating
position, or use a different style of
child seat that can be firmly secured. 3.
Secure the child in the child seat.Make sure the child is properly
strapped in the child seat
according to the child seat maker's
instructions. A child who is not
properly secured in a child seat
can be seriously injured in a crash.
The following pages provide
guidelines on how to properly install
a child seat. A forward-facing child
seat is used in all examples, but the
instructions are the same for rear-
facing child seats.
Installing a Child Seat
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3. Place the child seat on the vehicleseat, then attach the seat to the
lower anchors according to the
child seat maker's instructions.
Some LATCH-compatible seats
have a rigid-type connector as
shown above.
Other LATCH-compatible seats have
a flexible-type connector as shown
above.
4. Whatever type you have, follow the
child seat maker's instructions for
adjusting or tightening the fit.
5. Remove the cargo area cover, and place it on the cargo area floor (see
page 160).
6. Lift the head restraint (see page135), then route the tether strap
through the legs of the head
restraint and over the seat-back,
making sure the strap is not
twisted.
Rigid type
Flexible type
TETHER STRAP
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Installing a Child Seat
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7. Attach the tether strap hook to thetether anchor, then tighten the
strap as instructed by the child
seat maker.
8. Push and pull the child seat forward and from side-to-side to
verify that it is secure.
Using the Center LATCHTo install a LATCH-compatible child
seat in the rear center seating
position, use the center lower
anchors as shown above.
Remove the head restraint (see page
136). Make sure the removed head
restraint is secured in the cargo area.
Reinstall the head restraint when the
child seat is removed.
Follow step 1 through 8 as described
previously to secure the child seat.
When you install the child seat in the
rear center seating position, you
cannot use the seat belt behind the
driver's seat.
TETHER STRAP HOOK ANCHOR
CENTER LOWER ANCHORS
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1. Remove the cargo area cover, andplace it on the cargo area floor (see
page 160). 2. (Outer seating position)
After properly securing the child
seat (see page 50), lift the head
restraint, then route the tether
strap over the seat-back and
through the head restraint legs.
(Rear center seating position)
Remove the head restraint (see
page 136). Make sure the removed
head restraint is secured in the
cargo area. Reinstall the head
restraint when the child seat is
removed.
After properly securing the child
seat (see page 50), route the tether
strap over the top of the seat-back.
When you install the child seat in
the rear center seating position,
you cannot use the seat belt
behind the driver's seat.
3. Attach the tether strap hook to theanchor, making sure the tether
strap is not twisted.
4. Tighten the strap according to the seat maker's instructions.
If the tether strap is too long and
cannot be tightened firmly, find a
route where the strap can be
tightened securely.
TETHER STRAP
TETHER STRAP HOOK ANCHOR
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When a child reaches the
recommended weight or height limit
for a forward-facing child seat, the
child should sit in a back seat on a
booster seat and wear a lap/shoulder
belt.
The following pages give instructions
on how to check proper seat belt fit,
what kind of booster seat to use if
one is needed, and important
precautions for a child who must sit
in front.
Allowing a child age 12 or under
to sit in front can result in injury
or death if the passenger's front
airbag inflates.
If a child must ride in front,
move the vehicle seat as far
back as possible, use a booster
seat if needed, have the child
sit up properly and wear the
seat belt properly.Checking Seat Belt Fit
To determine if a lap/shoulder belt
properly fits a child, have the child
put on the seat belt, then ask
yourself:
1. Does the child sit all the way back
against the seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably over the edge of the
seat?
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Protecting Larger Children
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3. Does the shoulder belt crossbetween the child's neck and arm?
4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching the child's
thighs?
5. Will the child be able to stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If you answer yes to all these
questions, the child is ready to wear
the lap/shoulder belt correctly. If
you answer no to any question, the
child needs to ride on a booster seat. Using a Booster Seat
A child who has outgrown a forward-
facing child seat should ride in a
back seat and use a booster seat until
the lap/shoulder belt fits them
properly without the booster.Some states, Canadian provinces and
territories also require children to
use a booster seat until they reach a
given age or weight (e.g., 6 years or
60 lbs). Be sure to check current
laws in the states, provinces and
territories where you intend to drive.
Booster seats can be high-back or
low-back. Whichever style you select,
make sure the booster seat meets
federal safety standards (see page
44) and that you follow the booster
seat maker's instructions.
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If a child who uses a booster seat
must ride in front, move the vehicle
seat as far back as possible and be
sure the child is wearing the seat belt
properly.
A child may continue using a booster
seat until the tops of their ears are
even with the top of the vehicle's or
booster's seat-back. A child of this
height should be tall enough to use
the lap/shoulder belt without a
booster seat.When Can a Larger Child Sit in
Front
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
aged 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat.
If the passenger's front airbag
inflates in a moderate to severe
frontal collision, the airbag can cause
serious injuries to a child who is
unrestrained, improperly restrained,
sitting too close to the airbag, or out
of position.
A side airbag also poses risks. If any
part of a larger child's body is in the
path of a deploying side airbag, the
child could receive possibly serious
injuries.Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can safely ride in front,
there are other important factors you
should consider.
Physical SizePhysically, a child must be large
enough for the lap/shoulder belt to
properly fit (see pages 15 and 53). If
the seat belt does not fit properly,
with or without the child sitting on a
booster seat, the child should not sit
in front.MaturityTo safely ride in front, a child must
be able to follow the rules, including
sitting properly, and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout a ride.
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Protecting Larger Children
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Your vehicle's exhaust contains
carbon monoxide gas. Carbon
monoxide should not enter the
vehicle in normal driving if you
maintain your vehicle properly and
follow the information on this page.
Have the exhaust system inspected
for leaks whenever:●The vehicle is raised for an oil
change.●You notice a change in the sound
of the exhaust.●The vehicle was in a collision that
may have damaged the underside.
Carbon monoxide gas is toxic.
Breathing it can cause
unconsciousness and even kill
you.
Avoid any enclosed areas or
activities that expose you to
carbon monoxide.
High levels of carbon monoxide can
collect rapidly in enclosed areas,
such as a garage. Do not run the
engine with the garage door closed.
Even with the door open, run the
engine only long enough to move the
vehicle out of the garage. With the tailgate open, airflow can
pull exhaust gas into your vehicle's
interior and create a hazardous
condition. If you must drive with the
tailgate open, open all the windows,
and set the climate control system as
shown below.
If you must sit in your parked vehicle
with the engine running, even in an
unconfined area, adjust the climate
control system as follows:
1. Select the fresh air mode.
2. Select the
mode.
3. Set the fan speed to high.
4. Set the temperature control to a comfortable setting.
Carbon Monoxide Hazard
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