2012 HONDA FIT weight

25
uuFor Safe DrivinguYour Vehicle’s Safety Features
Safe Driving
For the safety of you and your passengers, make a habit of checking these items
each time before you drive.
•After everyone has entered the vehicle, be sure all doors and the tailgate are
closed and locked. Locking the doors and the tailgate helps prevent an occupant
from being ejected and an outsider from unexpectedly opening a door or the
tailgate.
2Locking/Unlocking the Doors from the Inside P. 82
•Adjust your seat to a position suitable for driving. Be sure the front seats are
adjusted as far to the rear as possible while allowing the driver to control the
vehicle. Sitting too close to a front airbag can result in serious or fatal injury in a
crash.
2Adjusting the Seats P. 103
•Adjust head restraints to the proper position. Head restraints are most effective
when the center of the head restraint aligns with the center of your head. Taller
persons should adjust their head restraint to the highest position.
2Adjusting the Head Restraints P. 105
•Always wear your seat belt, and make sure you wear it properly. Confirm that any
passengers are properly belted as well.
2Fastening a Seat Belt P. 29
•Protect children by using seat belts or child seats according to a child’s age, height
and weight.
2Child Safety P. 49
■
Safety Checklist
1Safety Checklist
If the door and tailgate open indicator is on, a door
and/or the tailgate is not completely closed. Close all
doors and the tailgate tightly until the indicator goes
off.
2Door and Tailgate Open Indicator P. 68

Continued
27
uuSeat BeltsuAbout Your Seat Belts
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 and 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
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 indicator will remain on.
The beeper will also periodically sound and
the indicator will blink while driving until the
driver’s and front passenger’s seat belts are
fastened.
■
Seat Belt Reminder
1About 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 retractor by unfastening the
seat belt and allow the belt to retract completely.
Then refasten the belt.1Seat 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
.
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.

35
uuAirbagsuAirbag System Components
Continued
Safe Driving
The front, front side, and side curtain
airbags are deployed according to the
direction and severity of impact. The airbag
system includes:a
Two 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.
b
Two side airbags, one for the driver and
one for a front passenger. The airbags are
stored in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked SIDE AIRBAG.
c
Two 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.
d
An 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
.
e
Automatic front seat belt tensioners. The
driver’s and front passenger’s seat belts
incorporate sensors that detect whether
or not they are fastened.
f
A driver’s seat position sensor. If the seat
is too far forward, the airbag will inflate
with less force.
g
Weight 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).
h
Impact sensors that can detect a
moderate-to-severe front or side
collision.
i
An indicator on the dashboard that alerts
you that the front passenger’s front
airbag has been turned off.
j
Sensors that can detect if a child or small
statured adult is in the deployment path
of the front passenger’s side airbag.
k
An indicator on the instrument panel that
alerts you to a possible problem with your
airbag system or seat belt tensioners.
l
An indicator on the instrument panel that
alerts you that the front passenger’s side
airbag has been turned off.

uuAirbagsuFront Airbags (SRS)
40Safe 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 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 Airbags
1Advanced 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

uuAirbagsuAirbag System Indicators
46Safe Driving
■
When the passenger airbag off
indicator comes on
The indicator comes on to alert you that the
passenger’s front airbag has been turned off.
This occurs when the weight sensors detect
65 lbs (29 kg) or less, the weight of an infant
or small child, on the seat.
Infants and small children should always ride properly restrained in a back seat.
2Child Safety P. 49
Objects placed on the seat can also cause the indicator to come on.
If the front passenger seat is empty, the passenger’s front airbag will not deploy and
the indicator will not come on.■
Passenger Airbag Off Indicator
1Passenger Airbag Off Indicator
If the indicator comes on with no front passenger and
no objects on the passenger’s seat, or with an adult
riding there, something may be interfering with the
weight sensors. Such as:•An object hanging on the seat or in the seat-back
pocket.•A child seat or other object pressing against the
rear of the seat-back.•A rear passenger pushing or pulling on the back of
the front passenger’s seat.•The front seat or seat-back is forced back against
an object on the seat or floor behind it.•An object placed under the front passenger’s seat.
If none of these conditions exist, have your vehicle
checked by a dealer as soon as possible.
The passenger airbag off indicator may come on and
goes off repeatedly if the total weight on the seat is
near the airbag cutoff threshold.
U.S.
Models with navigation system
U.S. Canada
Models without navigation system

48
uuAirbagsuAirbag Care
Safe Driving
Airbag CareYou do not need to, and should not, perform any maintenance on or replace any
airbag system components yourself. However, you should have your vehicle
inspected by a dealer in the following situations:■
When the airbags have deployed
If an airbag has inflated, the control unit and other related parts must be replaced.
Similarly, once an automatic seat belt tensioner has been activated, it must be
replaced.
■
When the vehicle has been in a moderate-to-severe collision
Even if the airbags did not inflate, have your dealer inspect the following: the driver’s
seat position sensor, weight sensors in the passenger’s seat, front seat belt
tensioners, and each seat belt that was worn during the crash.
■
Do not remove or modify a front seat without consulting a dealer
This would likely disable the driver’s seat position sensor or the passenger’s weight
sensors. If it is necessary to remove or modify a front seat to accommodate a person
with disabilities, contact a Honda dealer, or for U.S. vehicles, American Honda
Automobile Customer Service at 800-999-1009 and for Canadian vehicles, Honda
Canada Customer Relations at 888-9-HONDA-9.
1Airbag Care
We recommend against the use of salvaged airbag
system components, including the airbag, tensioners,
sensors, and control unit.

51
uuChild SafetyuSafety of Infants and Small Children
Continued
Safe Driving
Safety of Infants and Small ChildrenAn infant must be properly restrained in a rear-facing, reclining child seat until the
infant reaches the seat maker’s weight or height limit for the seat, and the infant is
at least one year old.
■
Positioning a rear-facing child seat
Child seats must be placed and secured in a
rear seating position.
When properly installed, a rear-facing child seat may prevent the driver or a front
passenger from moving their seat all the way back, or from locking their seat-back
in the desired position.
It can also interfere with proper operation of the passenger’s advanced front airbag
system.
2Airbags P. 34
If this occurs, we recommend that you install the child seat directly behind the front
passenger’s seat, move the seat as far forward as needed, and leave it unoccupied.
Or, you may wish to get a smaller rear-facing child seat.■
Protecting Infants
1Protecting Infants
Rear-facing child seats should never be installed in a
forward facing position.
Always refer to the child seat manufacturer’s
instructions before installation.
3
WARNING
Placing a rear-facing child seat in the front
seat can result in serious injury or death
during a crash.
Always place a rear-facing child seat in the
rear seat, not the front.

uuChild SafetyuSafety of Infants and Small Children
52Safe Driving
If a child is at least one year old and within the weight range indicated by the child
seat manufacturer, the child should be properly restrained in a firmly secured
forward-facing child seat.
■
Forward-facing child seat placement
We strongly recommend placing a forward-
facing child seat in a rear seating position.
Placing a forward-facing child seat in the front seat can be hazardous, even with
advanced front airbags that automatically turn the passenger’s front airbag off. A
rear seat is the safest place for a child.
■
Protecting Smaller Children
1Protecting Smaller Children
Educate yourself about the laws and regulations
regarding child seat use where you are driving, and
follow the child seat manufacturer’s instructions.
Many experts recommend use of a rear-facing seat
up to age two, if the child’s height and weight are
appropriate for a rear-facing seat.
3
WARNING
Placing a forward-facing child seat in the
front seat can result in serious injury or
death if the front airbag inflates.
If you must place a forward-facing child
seat in front, move the vehicle seat as far
back as possible, and properly restrain the
child.