2012 Acura TL ECO mode

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Your seat belt system includes lap/
shoulder belts in all seating positions.
The f ront seat belts are also
equipped with automatic seat belt
tensioners. The seat belt system
includes an indicator on the
instrument panel and a beeper to
remind you and your passengers to
f asten your seat belts. If either the driver or a f ront
passenger does not f asten their seat
belt while driving, the beeper will
sound and the indicator will f lash
again at regular intervals.
When no one is sitting in the f ront
passenger’s seat, or a child or small
adult is riding there, the indicator
should not come on and the beeper
should not sound.
You will also see a ‘‘FASTEN SEAT
BELT’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display. This system monitors the f ront seat
belts. If you turn the ignition switch
to the ON (II) position bef ore your
seat belt is f astened, the beeper will
sound and the indicator will f lash. If
your seat belt is not f astened bef ore
the beeper stops, the indicator will
stop f lashing but remain on.
If a f ront passenger does not f asten
their seat belt, the indicator will
come on about 6 seconds af ter the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
(II) position. You will also see a ‘‘FASTEN SEAT
BELT’’ or ‘‘FASTEN PASSENGER
SEAT BELT’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display.
Seat Belt System Components
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
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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
information, see
page s 184 and 187.
:
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
2012 TL

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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 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.
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.33
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Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How Your Front Airbags Work
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Î
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
information, see
page s 184 and 187.
:
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
2012 TL

If the indicator comes on with no
f ront seat passenger and no objects
on the seat, or with an adult riding
there, something may be interf ering
with the weight sensors. Look f or
and remove:Any items under the f ront
passenger’s seat. Your airbag systems are virtually
maintenance f ree, and there are no
parts you can saf ely service.
However, you must have your
vehicle serviced if:
If no obstructions are f ound, have
your vehicle checked by a dealer as
soon as possible. Any object hanging on the seat or
in the seat-back pocket.
Any object(s) touching the rear of
the seat-back. Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly.
Even if your
airbags do not inflate, your dealer
should inspect the driver’s seat
position sensor, the f ront
passenger’s weight sensors, the
f ront seat belt tensioners, and all
seat belts and their anchors worn
during a crash to make sure they
are operating properly.
Any airbag
that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. Any
seat belt tensioner that activates
must also be replaced.
We recommend against the use of
salvaged airbag system
components, including the airbag,
tensioners, sensors, and control
unit.
Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by an authorized dealer or
a knowledgeable body shop.
Airbag Service
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
T he SRS indicat or alert s you t o a
problem.
If your vehicle has a moderat e t osevere impact .
An airbag ever inf lates.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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2012 TL

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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
information about protecting
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 crash 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 inflates, it can hit the
back of the child seat with enough
force to kill or very seriously injure
an infant. 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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larger children).
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
2012 TL

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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Driver and Passenger Saf ety
2012 TL

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.The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
age 12 and under be properly
restrained in the back seat.
If the passenger’s front airbag
inf lates in a moderate to severe
f rontal 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 saf ely ride in f ront,
there are other important f actors you
should consider.
Physically, a child must be large
enough f or the lap/shoulder belt to
properly f it (see pages and ). If
the seat belt does not f it properly,
with or without the child sitting on a
booster seat, the child should not sit
in f ront.
To saf ely ride in f ront, a child must
be able to f ollow the rules, including
sitting properly, and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout the ride.
16 53
CONT INUED
When Can a L arger Child Sit in
Front
Physical Size
Maturity
Protecting L arger Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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2012 TL

These labels are in the locations
shown. They warn you of potential
hazards that could cause serious
injury or death. Read these labels
caref ully.
If a label comes of f or becomes hard
to read (except for the U.S.
dashboard label which may be
removed by the owner), contact your
dealer f or a replacement.U.S. models only
Saf ety L abels
58
DASHBOARD
RADIATOR CAP
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Driver and Passenger Saf ety
2012 TL

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The instrument panel has many
indicators to give you important
inf ormation about your vehicle.
You will also see a ‘‘FASTEN SEAT
BELT’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display.
You will also see a ‘‘CHECK
EMISSION SYSTEM’’ message on
the multi-information display. For
more information, see page .
The engine can be severely damaged
if this indicator f lashes or stays on
when the engine is running, and you
will see a ‘‘CHECK ENGINE OIL
LEVEL’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display. For more
inf ormation, see page .
If either of you do not f asten your
seat belt while driving, the beeper
will sound and the indicator will f lash
again at regular intervals, and you
will see a ‘‘FASTEN SEAT BELT’’ or
‘‘FASTEN PASSENGER SEAT
BELT’’ message on the multi-
inf ormation display. For more
inf ormation, see page .
This indicator comes on when you
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. It reminds you and your
passengers to f asten your seat belts.
A beeper also sounds if you have not
f astened your seat belt.
If you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position bef ore f astening
your seat belt, the beeper sounds
and the indicator f lashes. If you do
notfastenyourseatbeltbeforethe
beeper stops, the indicator stops
f lashing but remains on. If your f ront passenger does not
f asten their seat belt, the indicator
comes on about 6 seconds af ter the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
(II) position.
20 597
595
Instrument Panel Indicators
Seat Belt Reminder
Indicator Malf unction Indicator
Lamp
L ow Oil Pressure
Indicator
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Inst rument s and Cont rols
Î 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
information, see
page s 184 and 187.
:
2012 TL