2013 HONDA CR-Z mode

uuSeat BeltsuAbout Your Seat Belts
34
Safe Driving
The driver’s and passenger’s seats are equipped with automatic seat belt tensioners
to enhance safety.
The tensioners automatically tighten the seat belts during a moderate-to-severe
frontal collision, sometimes even if the collision is not severe enough to inflate the front airbags.
■Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners1Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners
The seat belt tensioners can only operate once. If a tensioner is activated, the SRS indicator will come
on. Have a dealer replace the tensioner and
thoroughly inspect the seat belt system as it may not
offer protection in a subsequent crash.
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uuAirbagsuAirbag 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
passenger's airbag is stored in the
dashboard. Both are marked SRS
AIRBAG .
bTwo side airbags, one for the driver and
one for a passenger. 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
passenger seat belt use when the ignition
switch is in ON
(w .
eAutomatic seat belt tensioners. The
driver's and passenger's seat belts
incorporate sensors that detect whether
or not they are fastened.
fA driver's seat position sensor. If the seat
is too far forward, the airbag will inflate
with less force.
gWeight sensors in the passenger's seat.
The 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).
hImpact sensors that can detect a
moderate-to-severe front or side
collision.
iAn indicator on the dashboard that alerts
you that the 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 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 passenger's side
airbag has been turned off.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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