2016 Acura MDX Ds mode

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uuAirbags uTypes of Airbags
Safe Driving
Types of Airbags
Your vehicle is equipped with four types of airbags:
• Front airbags: Airbags in front of the driver ’s and front passenger’s seats.
• Driver’s knee airbag: Airbag under the steering column.
• Side airbags: Airbags in the driver’s and front 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 front 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 front pass enger. Both airbags are marked SRS AIRBAG.
■Housing Locations
1Types of Airbags
The airbags can inflate whenever the power mode is
in ON.
After an airbag inflates in a crash, you may see a
small amount of smoke. This is from the combustion
process of the infl ator material and is not harmful.
People with respiratory pr oblems may experience
some temporary discomfort. If this occurs, get out of
the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
1 Front Airbags (SRS)
Dual-Stage, Multiple-Threshold Front Airbags
(SRS)
Your vehicle is equipped wi th 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, dependi ng on the severity of the
crash, whether or not the se at 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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Continued45
uuAirbags uFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe DrivingFront airbags are designed to inflate duri ng 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 th ey see them lying in front of them.
■Operation
■How the Front Airbags Work1How the Front Airbags Work
Although the driver’s and fr ont passenger’s airbags
normally inflate within a spli t 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 protec tion, and the supplemental
protection offered by the airbag would be minimal.
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uuAirbags uFront 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 front passenger to move toward the front of the vehicle. Side
airbags and side curtain airbag s have been specifically designed to help reduce the
severity of injuries that can occur durin g a moderate-to-severe side impact which
can cause the driver or passenger to move toward 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 si gnificant 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 prot ection in a rollover. Because front airbags
could provide little if any protection, they are not designed to deploy during a
rollover.
■When front airbags deploy with little or no visible damage
Because the airbag system senses sudden deceleration, a strong impact to the
vehicle framework or suspension might caus e 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 th e vehicle chassis. Since the impact is
underneath the vehicle, damage may not be readily apparent.
■When front airbags may not deploy, 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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uuAirbags uDriver’s Knee Airbag
Safe Driving
Driver’s Knee Airbag
The driver’s knee SRS airbag inflates in a moderate-to-severe frontal collision to help
keep the driver in the proper position and to help maximize the benefit provided by
the vehicles other safety features.
SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) indica tes that the airbag is designed to
supplement seat belts, not replace them. Seat belts are the occupant’s primary
restraint system.
The driver’s knee airbag is housed under the
steering column for the driver.
The airbag is marked SRS AIRBAG.
When the driver’s front airbag inflates, the
driver’s knee airbag also inflates.
■Housing Locations
1 Driver’s Knee Airbag
Do not attach accessories on or near the driver’s knee
airbag. They can interfere with the proper operation
of the airbag, or hurt someone if an airbag inflates.
Housing
Location
■Operation
When
inflated
Knee
Airbag
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uuAirbags uSide Airbags
Safe Driving
Side Airbags
The side airbags help protect the torso and pelvis 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
1 Side 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.
Do not cover or replace the front seat-back covers
without consulting a dealer.
Improperly replac ing or covering front seat-back
covers can prevent your si de airbags from properly
deploying during a side impact.
Housing
Location
■Operation
When
inflated
Side
Airbag
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uuAirbags uSide Curtain Airbags
Safe Driving
Side Curtain Airbags
Side curtain airbags help protect the head s of the driver and passengers in outer
seating positions during a moderate-to-sever e side impact. The side curtain airbags
equipped in this vehicle are also designed to help reduce the likelihood of partial and
complete ejection of vehicle occupants thro ugh side windows in crashes, particularly
rollover crashes.
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 rollover or a moderate-to-severe side
impact.
■Housing Locations
1Side Curtain Airbags
If the SRS control unit sens es that your vehicle is
about to rollover, it imme diately deploys both side
curtain airbags and activates both front seat belt
tensioners.
The airbag on the passenger’s side will deploy, even
if there are no passengers on that side of the vehicle.
To get the best protecti on from the side curtain
airbags, occupants should wear their seat belts
properly and sit upr ight and well back in their seats.
Do not attach any objects to the side windows or roof
pillars as they can interfere with the proper operation
of the side curtain airbags.
Side Curtain Airbag Storage
■Operation
Deployed Side Curtain Airbag
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uuAirbags uAirbag System Indicators
Safe Driving
■When side curtain airbags deploy in a frontal collision
One or both side curtain airb ags may inflate in a moderate-to-severe angled frontal
collision.
In this case, the side curtain 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 MID.
■When the power mode is set to ON
The indicator comes on for a few seconds,
then goes off. This te lls 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 s oon as possible. If you
don’t, your airbags and seat belt tensioners
may not work properly when they are needed.
■Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Indicator1 Supplemental Restraint Sy stem (SRS) 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 th e SRS indicator alerts
you to a possible problem.
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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. However, you should have your vehicle
inspected by a dealer in the following situations:
■When the airbags have deployed
If an airbag has inflated, th e 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 infl ate, 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 fron t 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 remove or modify a front seat to accommodate
a person with disabilities, contact an Acur a dealer. For U.S. vehicles, Acura Client
Relations at 800-382-2238 and for Canadian vehicles, Acura Client Services at 1-
888-9-ACURA-9.
1 Airbag Care
We recommend against the use of salvaged airbag
system components, including the airbag, tensioners,
sensors, and control unit.
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