2017 Acura MDX Owner's Guide

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Side Airbags
The side airbags help protect the upper torso and pelvis of the driver or a front
passenger during a moderate-to-severe side impact. They are housed in the
outside edge of the driver’s and front passenger’s seat-backs. Both are marked
SIDE AIRBAG.
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 or angeled-
frontal 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
through 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 airbags are designed to deploy
in a rollover or moderate-to-severe side impact.
If the SRS control unit senses that your vehicle is
about to roll over, it immediately deploys both side
curtain airbags and activates both front seat belt
tensioners. If the impact is on the passenger’s side,
the passenger’s side curtain airbag will inflate even
if there are no occupants on that side of the vehicle.
To get the best protection from the side curtain
airbags, occupants should wear their seat belts
properly and sit upright 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.
When side curtain airbags deploy 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.
Side curtain airbag storage
Deployed side curtain airbags

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Important Facts About Your Airbags
Always wear your seat belt properly, and sit upright and as far back from the
steering wheel as possible while allowing full control of the vehicle. A front
passenger should move their seat as far back from the dashboard as possible.
Do not place hard or sharp objects between yourself and a front airbag.
Carrying hard or sharp objects on your lap, or driving with a pipe or other sharp
object in your mouth, can result in injuries if your front airbag inflates.
Do not attach or place objects on the front and driver’s knee airbag covers.
Objects on the covers marked SRS AIRBAG could interfere with the proper
operation of the airbags or be propelled inside the vehicle and hurt someone if
the airbags inflate.
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 attach any objects to the side windows or roof pillars. They can
interfere with the proper operation of the side curtain airbags.
Do not cover or replace the front seat-back covers. This can prevent your side
airbags from properly deploying during a side impact.
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.
WARNING
Airbag System Indicators
If a problem occurs in the airbag system, the SRS indicator comes on and a
message appears on the multi-information display.
SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) Indicator
If the indicator comes on at any other time besides
vehicle start-up, 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. An open glove box can cause serious injury to your passenger in a crash, even
if the passenger is wearing the seat belt.
Always keep the glove box closed while driving.
WARNING
Airbag System
(SRS) Problem

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Passenger Airbag Off Indicator
The indicator comes on to alert you that the front
passenger’s front airbag has been turned off. This
occurs when the front passenger’s 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.
Objects placed on the front passenger’s seat can also cause the indicator to come
on.
If the front passenger’s seat is empty, the passenger’s front airbag will not deploy
and the indicator will not come on.
If the indicator comes on with no occupant or objects in the front passenger’s
seat, 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 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 go on and off repeatedly if the total
weight on the seat is near the airbag cutoff threshold.
U.S. Canada

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Airbag System Components
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1 Two SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) front airbags. The driver’s airbag
is stored in the center of the steering wheel; the front passenger’s airbag is
stored in the dashboard. Both are marked SRS AIRBAG.
2 Driver’s knee airbag. The knee airbag is stored under the steering column. It is marked SRS AIRBAG.
3 Two side airbags, one for the driver and one for the front passenger. The airbags are stored in the outer edges of the seatbacks. Both are marked SIDE
AIRBAG.
4 Two 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.
5 An electronic control unit that, when the power mode is on, continually monitors information about the various impact sensors, seat and buckle
sensors, airbag activators, and seat belt tensioners.
6 Automatic front seat belt tensioners. The driver’s and front passenger’s seat belts incorporate sensors that detect whether or not they are fastened.
7 A driver’s seat position sensor. If the seat is too far forward, the driver’s front airbag will inflate with less force.
8 Weight sensors in the front passenger’s seat. The front passenger’s front airbag will be turned off if the weight on the seat is approximately
65
lbs (29 kg) or less (the

weight of an infant or small child).
9 Impact sensors that can detect a moderate-to-severe front or side impact.

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10 An indicator on the dashboard that alerts you that the front passenger’s front
airbag has been turned off.
11 An indicator on the instrument panel that alerts you to a possible problem with the airbag system or seat belt tensioners.
12 Safing sensor
13 A rollover sensor that can detect if your vehicle is about to roll over and signal the control unit to deploy both side curtain airbags.
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, front seat
belt tensioners, and each seat belt that was worn during the crash.
Do not remove or modify a front seat without first consulting a dealer
This would likely disable or affect the driver’s seat position 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 Acura dealer. For U.S.
vehicles, call Acura Client Relations at (800) 382-2238. For Canadian vehicles,
call Acura Client Services at (888) 922-8729.

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Child Safety
Each year, many children are injured or killed in vehicle crashes because they are
either unrestrained or not properly restrained. In fact, vehicle collisions are the
number one cause of death of children ages 12 and under.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada
recommend that all children ages 12 and under be properly restrained in a rear seat.
Some states or provinces/territories have laws restricting where children may ride.
To reduce the number of child deaths and injuries, every state, Canadian province,
and territory requires that infants and children be properly restrained when they
ride in a vehicle.
Protecting Child Passengers—Important Considerations
•
An inflating front
or side airbag can injure or kill a child sitting in the front
passenger’s seat.
•
A child in the fr

ont passenger’s seat 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.
•
Any child who is

too small to wear a seat belt correctly must be restrained in an
approved child seat that is properly secured to the vehicle using either the lap
belt portion of the lap/shoulder belt or the 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 o

ver 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 childr

en use the same seat 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 unattended, 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.
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.
WARNING

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Protecting Infants
An infant must be properly restrained in a rear-facing, reclining child seat until
the infant reaches the seat manufacturer’s weight or height limit for the seat, and
the infant is at least one year old. Many experts recommend use of a rear-facing
seat for a child up to two years old if the child’s height and weight are appropriate
for a rear-facing seat.
Child seats must be placed and secured in a rear
seating position. Rear-facing child seats should never
be installed in a forward-facing position.
When properly installed, a rear-facing child seat may
prevent the driver or a front passenger from moving
their seat all the way back, or from locking their
seat-back in the desired position. If this occurs, we
recommend that you install the child seat directly behind the front passenger’s
seat, move the seat as far forward as needed, and leave it unoccupied. Or, you
may wish to get a smaller rear-facing child seat.
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.
WARNING
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.
WARNING

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Protecting Smaller Children
If a child is at least one year old and within the weight range indicated by the
child seat manufacturer, the child should be properly restrained in a firmly
secured forward-facing child seat until they exceed the weight and height
limitations for the forward-facing child seat.
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 passenger’s front airbag
off. A rear seat is the safest place for a child.
Selecting a Child Seat
Most child seats are LATCH-compatible (Lower 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 equipped 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. Please read the child
seat owner’s manual for proper installation instructions.
Important considerations when selecting a child seat
Make sure the child seat meets the 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 Federal Motor

Vehicle Safety Standard 213 or
Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213. 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.
WARNING