2013 HONDA CIVIC SEDAN Owner's Manual (in English)

Continued47
uuAirbags uAirbag System Indicators
Safe Driving
■When side curtain airbags deploy in a frontal collision
One or both side curtain airbags may inflat e in a moderate-to-severe angled frontal
collision.
In this case, the side curta in airbags will deploy slightly after the front airbags.
Airbag System Indicators
If a problem occurs in the airbag system, the SRS indicator will come on and a
message appears on the i-MID*.
■When the ignition switch is turned to
ON
(w
The indicator comes on for a few seconds,
then goes off. This tells you the system is
working properly.
If the indicator comes on at any other time , or does not come on at all, have the
system checked by a dealer as soon as possible. If you don't, your airbags and seat
belt tensioners may not work pr operly when they are needed.
■SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) Indicator
1SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) Indicator
3WARNING
Ignoring the SRS indicator can result in
serious injury or death if the airbag systems
or tensioners do not work properly.
Have your vehicle checked by a dealer as
soon as possible if the SRS indicator alerts
you to a possible problem.
*
* Not available on all models

uuAirbags uAirbag System Indicators
48
Safe 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, th e weight of an infant
or small child, on the seat.
Infants and small children should always ride properly restrained in a back seat.
2 Child Safety P. 50
Objects placed on the seat can also cause the indicator to come on.
If the front passenger seat is empty, the pa ssenger's front airbag will not deploy and
the indicator will not come on.
■Passenger Airbag Off Indicator1 Passenger Airbag Off Indicator
If the indicator comes on wi th 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. Canada

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uuAirbags uAirbag Care
Safe Driving
Airbag Care
You do not need to, and should not, perform any maintenance on or replace any
airbag system components yourself. Ho wever, 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 te nsioner 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 yo ur 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 th at 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 po sition sensor or the weight sensors in the
passenger's seat. If it is necessary to remo ve 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 Re lations at 888-9-HONDA-9.
1Airbag Care
We recommend against the use of salvaged airbag
system components, includi ng the airbag, tensioners,
sensors, and control unit.

50
Safe Driving
Child Safety
Protecting Child Passengers
Each year, many children are injured or killed in vehicle crashes because they are
either unrestrained or not properly res trained. In fact, vehicle accidents are the
number one cause of death of children age 12 and under.
To reduce the number of child deaths and injuries, every state, Canadian province
and territory requires that infants and children be properly restrain ed when they ride
in a vehicle.
Children should sit properly restrained in a rear seat. This is because:
• An inflating front or si de airbag can injure
or kill a child sitting in the front seat.
• A child in the front se at is more likely to
interfere with the driver 's ability to safely
control the vehicle.
• Statistics show that children of all sizes and
ages are safer when they are properly
restrained in a rear seat.1Protecting Child Passengers
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport Canada recommend
that all children age 12 and under be properly
restrained in a rear seat. Some states or provinces/
territories have laws res tricting where children may
ride.
3WARNING
Children who are unrestrained or
improperly restrained can be seriously
injured or killed in a crash.
Any child too small for a seat belt should be
properly restrained in a child seat. A larger
child should be properly restrained with a
seat belt, using a booster seat if necessary.

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uuChild Safety uProtecting Child Passengers
Safe Driving
• Any child who is too small to wear a seat belt correctly must be restrained in an
approved child seat that is properly secure d to the vehicle using either the lap belt
portion of the lap/shoulder belt or th e lower anchors of the LATCH system.
• Never hold a child on your lap because it is impossible to protect them in the
event of a collision.
• Never put a seat belt over yourself and a child. During a crash, the belt would
likely press deep into the child and cause serious or fatal injuries.
• Never let two children use the same s eat belt. Both children could be very
seriously injured in a crash.
• Do not allow children to operate the doors, windows or seat adjustments.
• Do not leave children in the vehicle unat tended, especially in hot weather when
the inside of the vehicle can get hot enough to kill them. They could also activate
vehicle controls causing it to move unexpectedly.1 Protecting Child Passengers
To deactivate a lockable retractor, release the buckle
and allow the seat belt to wind up all the way.
To remind you of the passenger's front airbag
hazards and child safety, your vehicle has warning
labels on the dashboard (U.S. models) and on the
front visors. Please read an d follow the instructions
on these labels. 2 Safety Labels P. 63
3WARNING
Allowing a child to play with a seat belt or
wrap one around their neck can result in
serious injury or death.
Instruct children not to play with any seat
belt and make sure any unused seat belt a
child can reach is buckled, fully retracted,
and locked.

52
uuChild Safety uSafety of Infants and Small Children
Safe Driving
Safety of Infants and Small Children
An infant must be properly restrained in a rear-facing, reclining child seat until the
infant reaches the seat maker's weight or he ight 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 pr event 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.
2 Airbags P. 37
If this occurs, we recommend th at you install the child seat directly behind the front
passenger's seat, move the seat as far fo rward as needed, and leave it unoccupied.
Or, you may wish to get a sm aller rear-facing child seat.
■Protecting Infants1Protecting Infants
Rear-facing child seats should never be installed in a
forward facing position.
Always refer to the ch ild seat manufacturer’s
instructions before installation.
3WARNING
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.

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uuChild Safety uSafety of Infants and Small Children
Safe DrivingIf a child is at least one year old and with in the weight range indicated by the child
seat manufacturer, the child should be pr operly 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 passeng er's front airbag off. A
rear seat is the safest place for a child.
■Protecting Smaller Children1 Protecting Smaller Children
Educate yourself about the laws and regulations
regarding child seat use where you are driving, and
follow the child seat manuf acturer's instructions.
Many experts recommend us e of a rear-facing seat
up to age two, if the child’s height and weight are
appropriate for a rear-facing seat.
3WARNING
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.

uuChild Safety uSafety of Infants and Small Children
54
Safe DrivingMost child seats are LATCH-compatible (L ower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren).
Some have a rigid-type connector, while others have a flexible-type connector. Both
are equally easy to use. Some existing and previously owned child seats can only be
installed using the seat belt. Whichever type you choose, follow the child seat
manufacturer's use and care instructions as well as the instructions in this manual.
Proper installation is key to maximizing your child's safety.
In seating positions and vehicles not eq uipped with LATCH, a LATCH compatible
child seat can be installed using the seat belt and a top tether for added security.
This is because all child seats are required to be designed so that they can be secured
with a lap belt or the lap part of a lap/shoulder belt. In addition, the child seat
manufacturer may advise that a seat belt be used to attach a LATCH-compatible seat
once a child reaches a specified weight. Pl ease read the child seat owner’s manual
for proper installation instructions.
■Important consideration when selecting a child seat
Make sure the child seat meets th e following three requirements:
• The child seat is the correct type and size for the child.
• The child seat is the correct type for the seating position.
• The child seat is compliant with Federa l Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 or
Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
■Selecting a Child Seat1 Selecting a Child Seat
Installation of a LATCH-co mpatible child seat is
simple.
LATCH-compatible child s eats have been developed
to simplify the installation process and reduce the
likelihood of injuries caused by incorrect installation.