2013 HONDA CR-Z driver

42
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.
After an airbag inflates in a crash, you may see a
small amount of smoke. This is from the combustion
process of the inflator ma terial and 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.
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.
Main MenuTable of Contents

Continued43
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
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.
Main MenuTable of Contents

44
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.
Main MenuTable of Contents

45
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
Main MenuTable of Contents

46
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 th e proper operation of the
airbags, or hurt someone if an airbag inflates.
If the impact is on the passenger’s side, the airbag
may not deploy when 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
Main MenuTable of Contents

49
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
Deployed Side Curtain Airbag
Main MenuTable of Contents

53
uuAirbagsuAirbag Care
Safe Driving
Airbag Care
You 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, seat belt tensioners,
and each seat belt that was worn during the crash.
■ Do not remove or modify a seat without consulting a dealer
This would likely disable the driver's seat position sensor or the weight sensors in the
passenger’s seat. If it is necessary to remove or modify a seat to accommodate a
person with disabilities, contact a Honda dealer, or for U.S. vehicles, American Honda Automobile Customer Service at 800-999-10 09 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.
Main MenuTable of Contents

54
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 restrained. 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 children be properly restrained when they ride in a vehicle.
Since this vehicle does not have a back seat, Honda recommends that you do
not carry a child, age 12 or under, as a passenger. This is because:
• An inflating front or side airbag can injure or kill a child sitting in the passenger’s
seat.
• A child in the passenger’s seat is more likely to interfere with the driver’s ability to
safely control the vehicle.
• Statistics show that ch ildren of all sizes and ages are safer when they are properly
restrained in a rear seat. Because this vehicle does not have a rear seat, we
recommend that you do not carry a ch ild aged 12 or under in this vehicle.
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 restricting where children may
ride.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in this vehicle.
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.
Main MenuTable of Contents