2018 Acura MDX HYBRID Owner's Manual

48
uuAirbags uAirbag System Components
Safe Driving
The front, driver’s knee, front side, and side
curtain airbags are deployed according to
the direction and severity of impact. Both
side curtain airbags are deployed in a
rollover. 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
front passenger’s airbag is stored in the
dashboard. Both are marked SRS
AIRBAG.
bDriver’s knee airbag. The knee airbag is
stored under the steering column. It is
marked SRS AIRBAG.
cTwo side airbags, one for the driver and
one for a front passenger. The airbags are
stored in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked SIDE AIRBAG .
dTwo 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.
eAn electronic control unit that, when the
vehicle is on, continually monitors
information about the various impact
sensors, seat and buckle sensors, rollover
sensor, airbag activators, seat belt
tensioners, and other vehicle
information. During a crash event the
unit can record such information.
fAutomatic front seat belt tensioners. In
addition, the driver’s and front
passenger’s seat belt buckles incorporate
sensors that detect whether or not the
belts are fastened.
gA driver’s seat position sensor. This
sensor determines the optimal force at
which the airbag will deploy in a crash.
hWeight sensors in the front passenger’s
seat. The front passenger’s 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).
iImpact sensors that can detect a
moderate-to-severe front or side impact.
jAn indicator on the dashboard that alerts
you that the front passenger’s front
airbag has been turned off.
kAn indicator on the instrument panel that
alerts you to a possibl e problem with your
airbag system or seat belt tensioners.
lSafing Sensor
mA rollover sensor that can detect if your
vehicle is about to roll over and signal the
control unit to deploy both side curtain
airbags.
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uuAirbags uAirbag System Components
Safe DrivingAirbags can pose serious hazards. To do their job, airbags must inflate with
tremendous force. So, while airbags help sa ve lives, they can cause burns, bruises,
and other minor injuries, sometimes even fatal ones if occupants are not wearing
their seat belts properl y and sitting correctly.
What you should do: Always wear your seat belt properly, and sit upright and as
far back from the steering wheel as possi ble while allowing full control of the
vehicle. A front passenger should move their seat as far back from the dashboard as
possible.
Remember, however, that no safety system ca n prevent all injuries or deaths that
can occur in a severe crash, even when s eat belts are properly worn and the airbags
deploy.
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 in juries 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.
■Important Facts About Your Airbags1 Important Facts About Your Airbags
Do not attempt to deactivate your airbags. Together,
airbags and seat belts pr ovide the best protection.
When driving, keep hand s and arms out of the
deployment path of the front airbag by holding each
side of the steering wheel. Do not cross an arm over
the airbag cover.
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50
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) indica tes 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)
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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Continued51
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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52
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 towards the front of the vehicle. Side
airbags and side curtain airb ags have been specifically designed to help reduce the
severity of injuries that can occur during a moderate-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 significant protection and are not designed
to deploy in such collisions.
Rollovers: In a rollover, your best form of protection is a seat belt or, if your vehicle
is equipped with a rollover sensor, both a se at belt and a side curtain airbag. Front
airbags, however, are not designed to deploy in a rollover as they would provide
little if any protection.
■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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53
uuAirbags uFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe DrivingThe airbags have advanced features to he lp reduce the likelihood of airbag related
injuries to smaller occupants. The driver’s advanced airbag system includes a
seat position sensor.
Based on information from this sensor and the
severity of the impact, the advanced airbag
system determines the optimal deployment of
the driver’s airbag.
The front passenger’s ad vanced airbag system
has weight sensors.
We advise against allowi ng a child age 12 or
under to ride in the front passenger’s seat.
However, if you do allow a child age 12 or
under to ride in the front passenger’s
seat , note that the system will automatically
turn off the front passenger’s airbag if the
sensors detect that the child is approximately
65 lbs (29 kg) or less.
■Advanced Airbags1 Advanced Airbags
If there is a problem with the driver’s seat position
sensor, the SRS indicator wi ll come on, and in the
event of a crash, the airbag will deploy (regardless of
the driver’s seating position) with a force
corresponding to the se verity of the impact.
For the advanced 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 pos itioned objects can
interfere with the advanced airbag sensors.
•All occupants should sit upri ght and wear their seat
belts properly.
•Do not cover the passenger ’s side dashboard with
a cloth, towel, cover, etc. 2Passenger Front Airbag Off Indicator
P. 60
Make sure the floor mat behind the front passenger’s
seat is hooked to the floor mat anchor. An improperly
placed mat can interfere with the advanced airbag
sensors. 2 Floor Mats P. 606
Driver’s
Seat
Position
Sensor
Passenger’s
Seat
Weight
Sensors
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54
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 vehicle’s 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.
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.
The driver should not stor e any items under the seat
or behind their feet. The items can interfere with
proper airbag deployment in the event of a moderate
to sever frontal collision a nd may result in inadequate
protection.
Housing
Location
■Operation
When
inflated
Knee
Airbag
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uuAirbags uDriver’s Knee Airbag
Safe Driving
■When driver’s knee airbag deploys with little or no visible damage
Because the airbag system senses sudden 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 th e vehicle chassis. Since the impact is
underneath the vehicle, damage may not be readily apparent.
■When driver’s knee airbag 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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