2013 HONDA FIT Owners Manual

uuAirbagsuFront Airbags (SRS)
40
Safe DrivingYour 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 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

41
uuAirbagsuSide Airbags
Continued
Safe Driving
Side Airbags
The side airbags help protect the upper torso of the driver or a front 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 front seat-back covers
without consulting a dealer.
Improperly replacing or covering front 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

42
uuAirbagsuSide Airbags
Safe Driving
■When a side airbag deploys with little or no visible damage
Because the airbag systems 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 impac t 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 when the vehicle’s crushable body parts
absorbed most of the crash energy. In either case, the side airbag would not have
been needed nor provided protection even if it had deployed.
Main MenuTable of Contents

43
uuAirbagsuSide Airbags
Safe DrivingTo reduce the likelihood that a front 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 front passenger seat.
• The position sensor detects that the front passenger 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. 47
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 front passenger is a child, stop when it is safe to do so, and have the child sit
properly restrained in a rear seat.
■Side Airbag Cutoff System
■Side Airbag Off Indicator
1Side Airbag Cutoff System
The sensors that monitor the front 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
Sensor that
monitor the
passenger’s height.
Sensor that monitor the
passenger’s position.
Main MenuTable of Contents

44
uuAirbagsuSide Curtain Airbags
Safe Driving
Side Curtain Airbags
The side curtain airbags help protect the heads of the driver and passengers in outer
seating positions 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 depl oy 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

45
uuAirbagsuAirbag System Indicators
Continued
Safe Driving
Airbag System Indicators
If a problem occurs in the airbag system, the SRS indicator will come on.■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 properly 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.
Main MenuTable of Contents

uuAirbagsuAirbag System Indicators
46
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, the 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. 49
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 Indicator1Passenger 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 airba g 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
Main MenuTable of Contents

47
uuAirbagsuAirbag System Indicators
Safe Driving■When the side airbag off indicator
comes on
This indicator comes on if the passenger’s side
airbag has been turned off because the
passenger is too small to be sitting in the front
seat, is slouching or not sitting upright, or has
leaned into the airbag’s deployment path.
Unless the passenger is a smaller statured
adult or a child, the indicator should go off
when the passenger returns to a proper
upright sitting position.
■Side Airbag Off Indicator1Side Airbag Off Indicator
When you turn the ignition switch to ON
(w , the
indicator should come on for a few seconds and then
go out. If it doesn’t come on, stays on, or comes on
while driving without a passenger in the front seat,
have the system checked by a dealer as soon as possible.
U.S.Canada
Main MenuTable of Contents