2012 Acura ZDX sensor

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uuFor Safe Driving uYour Vehicle’s Safety Features
Continued
Safe Driving
Your Vehicle’s Safety Features
The following checklist will help you take an active role in protecting yourself and
your passengers.
1Your Vehicle’s Safety Features
Your vehicle is equipped with many features that
work together to help protect you and your
passengers during a crash.
Some features do not require any action on your part.
These include a strong steel framework that forms a
safety cage around the passenger compartment,
front and rear crush zone s, a collapsible steering
column, and tensioners that tighten the front seat
belts in a sufficient crash.
However, you and your passengers cannot take full
advantage of these features unless you remain seated
in the correct position and always wear your seat
belts. In fact, some safety features can contribute to
injuries if they ar e not used properly.
a Safety Cageb Crush Zonesc Seats and Seat-Backsd Head Restraintse Collapsible Steering Columnf Seat Beltsg Front Airbagsh Side Airbagsi Side Curtain AirbagsjDoor Locksk Seat Belt Tensi oners/Seat Belt
e-pretensioners*
l Occupant Position Detection
System (OPDS) Sensora
bb
e
f
il
j
k
g h
d
c
g j h
i
* Not available on all models

uuSeat Belts uAbout Your Seat Belts
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Safe Driving
■Proper use of seat belts
Follow these guidelines for proper use:
• All occupants should sit upright, well back in the seat, and remain in that position
for the duration of the trip. Slouching an d leaning reduces the effectiveness of
the belt and can increase the chance of serious injury in a crash.
• Never place the shoulder part of a lap/shoulder seat belt under your arm or
behind your back. This could cause very serious injuries in a crash.
• Two people should never use the same seat belt. If they do, they could be very
seriously injured in a crash.
• Do not put any accessories on the seat belts. Devices intended to improve comfort
or reposition the shoulder part of a seat belt can reduce the protective capability
and increase the chance of serious injury in a crash.
Your vehicle monitors front seat belt use. If
the ignition switch is turned to ON
w*1
before the driver’s seat belt is fastened, a
beeper will sound and the indicator will blink.
If the driver does not fasten the belt before
the beeper stops, the in dicator will remain on.
The beeper will also periodically sound and
the indicator will blink while driving until the
driver’s and front passe nger’s seat belts are
fastened.
*1: Models with the keyless access system have an ENGINE START/STOP button
instead of an ignition switch.
■Seat Belt Reminder
1 About Your Seat Belts
If a rear seat passenger moves around and extends
the seat belt, the lockable retractor may activate. If
this happens, release the re tractor by unfastening the
seat belt and allow the be lt to retract completely.
Then refasten the belt.
1 Seat Belt Reminder
The indicator will also come on if a front passenger
does not fasten their seat belt within 6 seconds after
the ignition switch is turned to ON
(w*1.
When no one is sitting in the front passenger’s seat,
or a child or small adult is riding there, the indicator
will not come on.
This is because the weight sensors in the seat cannot
detect their presence.

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uuAirbags uAirbag System Components
Safe Driving
The front, front side, and side curtain
airbags are deployed according to the
direction and severity of impact. The airbag
system includes:
aTwo SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
front airbags. The driver’s airbag is stored
in the center of the steering wheel; the
front passenger’s airbag is stored in the
dashboard. Both are marked SRS
AIRBAG.
bTwo side airbags, one for the driver and
one for a front passen ger. The airbags are
stored in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked SIDE AIRBAG.
cTwo side curtain airbags, one for each
side of the vehicle. The airbags are stored
in the ceiling, above the side windows.
The front and rear pillars are marked
SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG .
dAn electronic control unit that continually
monitors and records information about
the sensors, the airbag activators, the
seat belt tensioners, and driver and front
passenger seat belt use when the ignition
switch is in ON
w*1.
eAutomatic front seat belt tensioners. The
driver’s and front passenger’s seat belts
incorporate sensors that detect whether
or not they are fastened.
The front seat belt tensioners also include
the e-pretensioners.
fA driver’s seat position sensor. If the seat
is too far forward, the airbag will inflate
with less force.
gWeight sensors in the front passenger’s
seat. The front passenger’s airbag will be
turned off if the weight on the seat is 65
lbs (29 kg) or less (the weight of an infant
or small child).
Models with CMBSTM
hImpact sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe front impact, side
impact, or if your vehicle is about to
rollover.
iAn indicator on the dashboard that alerts
you that the front passenger’s front
airbag has been turned off.
jSensors that can detect if a child or small
statured adult is in the deployment path
of the front passenger’s side airbag.
kAn indicator on the instrument panel that
alerts you to a possible problem with your
airbag system or seat belt tensioners.
lAn indicator on the instrument panel that
alerts you that the fro nt passenger’s side
airbag has been turned off.
mSafing Sensor
*1: Models with the keyless access system
have an ENGINE START/STOP button
instead of an ignition switch.

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uuAirbags uFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe DrivingFront airbags are designed to inflate during moderate-to-severe frontal collisions.
When the vehicle decelerates suddenly, the sensors send information to the control
unit which signals one or both front airbags to inflate.
A frontal collision can be either head-on or angled between two vehicles, or when a
vehicle crashes into a stationary object, such as a concrete wall.
While your seat belt restrains your torso, the
front airbag provides supplemental protection
for your head and chest.
The front airbags deflate immediately so that
they won’t interfere with the driver’s visibility
or the ability to steer or operate other
controls.
The total time for inflation and deflation is so fast that most occupants are not
aware that the airbags deployed until th ey see them lying in front of them.
■Operation
■How the Front Airbags Work1How the Front Airbags Work
After a front airbag inflates in 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 re spiratory problems may
experience some temporary di scomfort. If this occurs,
get out of the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
Although the driver’s and front passenger’s 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.

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uuAirbags uFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe Driving
■When front airbags should not deploy
Minor frontal crashes: Front airbags were designed to supplement seat belts and
help save lives, not to prevent minor scrapes, or even broken bones that might occur
during a less than modera te-to-severe frontal crash.
Side impacts: Front airbags can provide protection when a sudden deceleration
causes a driver or front passenger to move towards the front of the vehicle. Side
airbags and side curtain airbags have been specifically designed to help reduce the
severity of injuries that can occur during a moderate-to -severe side impact which
can cause the driver or passenger to move towards the side of the vehicle.
Rear impacts: Head restraints and seat belts are your best protection during a rear
impact. Front airbags cannot provide any si gnificant protection and are not designed
to deploy in such collisions.
Rollovers: Seat belts and, in vehicles equipped with a rollover sensor, side airbags
and side curtain airbag s offer the best protection in a rollover. Because front airbags
could provide little if any protection, they are not designed to deploy during a
rollover.
■When front airbags deploy with little or no visible damage
Because the airbag system senses sudden deceleration, a strong impact to the
vehicle framework or suspension might cause one or more of the airbags to deploy.
Examples include running into a curb, the edge of a hole, or other low fixed object
that causes a sudden deceleration in th e vehicle chassis. Since the impact is
underneath the vehicle, damage may not be readily apparent.
■When front airbags may not deploy, even though exterior damage
appears severe
Since crushable body parts absorb crash energy during an impact, the amount of
visible damage does not always indicate proper airbag operation. In fact, some
collisions can result in severe damage but no airbag deployment because the airbags
would not have been needed or would not have provided protection even if they
had deployed.

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uuAirbags uFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe DrivingYour front airbags have advanced features to help reduce the likelihood of airbag
related injuries to smaller occupants.
The driver’s advanced front airbag system
includes a seat position sensor.
If the seat is too far forward, the airbag
inflates with less force, regardless of the
severity of the impact.
The passenger’s advanced front airbag system
has weight sensors.
Although Acura recommends against carrying
an infant or small child in front, if the sensors
detect the weight of a child (up to about 65
lbs or 29 kg), the system will automatically
turn off the passenger’s front airbag.
■Advanced Airbags1 Advanced Airbags
If there is a problem with the driver’s seat position
sensor, the SRS indicator will come on and the airbag
will inflate with full (normal) force, regardless of the
driver’s seating position.
For both advanced front airbags to work properly:
•Do not spill any liquid on or under the seats.•Do not put any object un der the passenger’s seat.•Make sure any objects are positioned properly on
the floor. Improperly positioned objects can
interfere with the advanced airbag sensors.
•All occupants should sit upright and wear their seat
belts properly.
•Do not place any cover ov er the passenger side
dashboard.
Make sure the floor mat behind the front passenger’s
seat is hooked to the floor mat anchor. An improperly
placed mat can interfere wi th the advanced airbag
sensors. 2 Floor Mats P. 314
Driver’s
Seat
Position
Sensor
Passenger’s
Seat
Weight
Sensors

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uuAirbags uSide Airbags
Safe Driving
Side Airbags
The side airbags help protect the upper to rso of the driver or a front passenger
during a moderate-to-severe side impact.
The side airbags are housed in the outside
edge of the driver’s and passenger’s seat-
backs.
Both are marked SIDE AIRBAG.
When the sensors detect a moderate-to-
severe side impact, the control unit signals the
side airbag on the impact side to immediately
inflate.
■Housing Locations
1 Side Airbags
Do not attach accessories on or near the side airbags.
They can interfere with the proper operation of the
airbags, or hurt someone if an airbag inflates.
If the impact is on the pa ssenger side, the airbag may
not deploy if there is no passenger in the passenger
seat.
Do not cover or replace the front seat-back covers
without consulting a dealer.
Improperly replacing or covering front seat-back
covers can prevent your side airbags from properly
deploying during a side impact.
Housing
Location
■Operation
When
inflated
Side
Airbag

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uuAirbags uSide Airbags
Continued
Safe Driving
■When a side airbag deploys wi th little or no visible damage
Because the airbag system se nses sudden acceleration, a strong impact to the side
of the vehicle’s framework can cause a side airbag to deploy. In such cases, there
may be little or no damage, but the side impact sensors detected a severe enough
impact to deploy the airbag.
■When a side airbag may not deploy, even though visible damage appears
severe
It is possible for a side airbag to not deploy during an impact that results in
apparently severe damage. This can occur when the point of impact was towards
the far front or rear of the vehicle, or when the vehicle’s crushable body parts
absorbed most of the crash energy. In either case, the side airbag would not have
been needed nor provided protection even if it had deployed.