2012 HONDA CR-Z airbag

44
uuAirbagsuTypes of Airbags
Safe Driving
Types of Airbags
Your vehicle is equipped with three types of airbags: •Front airbags: Airbags in front of the driver's and passenger's seats.
• Side airbags: Airbags in the driver's and passenger's seat-backs.
• Side curtain airbags: Airbags above the side windows.
Each is discussed in the following pages.
Front Airbags (SRS)
The front SRS airbags inflate in a moderate-to-severe frontal collision to help protect
the head and chest of the driver and/or passenger. SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) indicates that the airbags are designed to
supplement seat belts, not replace them. Seat belts are the occupant's primary
restraint system.
The front airbags are housed in the center of the steering wheel for the driver, and
in the dashboard for the passenger. Both airbags are marked SRS AIRBAG.
■Housing Locations
1Types of Airbags
The airbags can inflate whenever the ignition switch is in ON
(w .
1Front Airbags (SRS)
Dual-Stage, Multiple-Threshold Front Airbags
(SRS)
Your vehicle is equipped with dual-stage, multiple-
threshold front airbags (SRS).
During a frontal crash severe enough to cause one or
both front airbags to deploy, the airbags can inflate at different rates, depending on the severity of the
crash, whether or not the seat belts are latched, and/ or other factors. Frontal airbags are designed to
supplement the seat belts to help reduce the
likelihood of head and chest injuries in frontal
crashes.

Continued45
uuAirbagsuFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe Driving
Front 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 they see them lying in front of them.
■Operation
■How the Front Airbags Work1How the Front Airbags Work
After a front airbag inflat es 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 respiratory problems may
experience some temporary discomfort. If this occurs,
get out of the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
Although the driver's and 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.

46
uuAirbagsuFront 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 moderate-to-severe frontal crash.
Side impacts: Front airbags can provide protection when a sudden deceleration
causes a driver or 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 mode rate-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 sig nificant 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 airbags offer the best protection in a rollover. Because front airbags could provide little if any protectio n, they are not designed to deploy during a
rollover.
■ When front airbags deploy with little or no visible damage
Because the airbag system senses s udden 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 the vehicle chassis. Since the impact is
underneath the vehicle, damage may not be readily apparent.
■ When front airbags may not depl oy, 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.

47
uuAirbagsuFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe Driving
Your 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 Honda recommends against
carrying an infant or small child in the
passenger seat, 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 Airbags1Advanced 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 under 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 over the passenger side dashboard.
Driver’s Seat Position Sensor
Passenger’s Seat
Weight
Sensors

48
uuAirbagsuSide Airbags
Safe Driving
Side Airbags
The side airbags help protect the upper torso of the driver or a 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
1Side 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 passenger side, the airbag
deploys even if there is no passenger in the passenger seat.
Do not cover or replace the seat-back covers without consulting a dealer.
Improperly replacing or covering seat-back covers can
prevent your side airbags from properly deploying
during a side impact.
Housing
Location
■Operation
When
inflated
Side Airbag

49
uuAirbagsuSide Airbags
Continued
Safe Driving
■When a side airbag deploys with little or no visible damage
Because the airbag system senses 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 wh en the vehicle's crushable body parts
absorbed most of the crash energy. In ei ther case, the side airbag would not have
been needed nor provided protection even if it had deployed.

uuAirbagsuSide Airbags
50
Safe Driving
To reduce the likelihood that a passenger may be injured by an inflating side airbag,
the passenger side airbag is automatically turned off when:• The height sensors detect a child or short-statured adult is seated in the passenger
seat.
• The position sensor detects that the passe nger is leaning into the deployment
path of the side airbag.
When the side airbag cutoff system is activated, the side airbag off indicator comes
on. 2 Side Airbag Off Indicator P. 54
If the side airbag off indicator comes on, have the passenger sit upright. A few
seconds after the passenger is sitting properly, the side airbag will automatically be
turned on, and the indicator will go off.
If the passenger is a child, the indicator will remain on so long as the child is seated.
Since this vehicle does not have a back seat, we recommend that you do not carry
any child who is not large enough and mature enough to ride in front.
■Side Airbag Cutoff System
■Side Airbag Off Indicator
1Side Airbag Cutoff System
The sensors that monitor the passenger's height and
body position may not work if: • The seat-back is wet
• The passenger is touching a metal or other
electrical conductive object
• A seat cushion is on the seat
• The passenger is wearing excessively thick clothing
Sensors that
monitor the
passenger’s height.
Sensors that monitor the
passenger’s position.

51
uuAirbagsuSide Curtain Airbags
Safe Driving
Side Curtain Airbags
The side curtain airbags help protect the heads of the driver and a passenger during
a moderate-to-severe side impact.
The side curtain airbags are located in the
ceiling above the side windows on both sides of the vehicle.
The side curtain airbag is designed to deploy
in a moderate-to-severe side impact.
■ When side curtain airbags de ploy in a frontal collision
One or both side curtain airbags may inflate in a moderate-to-severe angled frontal
collision.
In this case, the side curtain airbags will deploy slightly after the front airbags.
■Housing Locations
1Side Curtain Airbags
The side curtain airbags are most effective when an
occupant is wearing their seat belt properly and
sitting upright, well back in their seat.
Do not attach any objects to the side windows or roof
pillars as they can interf ere with the proper operation
of the side curtain airbags.
Side Curtain Airbag Storage
■Operation