2021 HONDA RIDGELINE warning

Continued55
uuAirbags uAirbag System Indicators
Safe Driving
■When side curtain airbags deploy in a frontal collision
One or both side curtain ai rbags may also inflate in a moderate-to-severe angled
frontal collision.
Airbag System Indicators
If a problem occurs in the airbag system , the SRS indicator will come on and a
message appears on the mu lti-information display.
■When the power mode is set to ON
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 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.

59Continued
Safe Driving
Child Safety
Protecting Child Passengers
Each year, many children are injured or killed in vehicle crashes because they are
either unrestrained or not properly res trained. In fact, vehicle crashes are the
number one cause of death of children ages 12 and under.
To reduce the number of child deaths and injuries, every state, Canadian province
and territory requires that infants and child ren be properly restrained when they ride
in a vehicle.
Children should sit properly restrained in a rear seat. This is because:
• An inflating front airbag can injure or kill a
child sitting in the front seat.
• A child in the front 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.1Protecting Child Passengers
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
and Transport Canada reco mmend that all children
ages 12 and under be properl y restrained in a rear
seat. Some states or provin ces/territories have laws
restricting where ch ildren may ride.
3WARNING
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.

uuChild Safety uProtecting Child Passengers
60
Safe Driving
• 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 over yourself and a child. During a crash, the belt would
likely press deep into the child an d cause serious or fatal injuries.
• Never let two children use the same seat belt. Both children could be very
seriously injured in a crash.
• Any child who is too small to wear a seat belt correctly must be restrained in an
approved child seat that is properly secu red to the vehicle using either the seat
belt or the lower anchor s of the LATCH system.
• 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.1 Protecting Child Passengers
To deactivate a lockable retractor, release the buckle
and allow the seat belt to wind up all the way.
To remind you of the pa ssenger’s front airbag
hazards and child safety, your vehicle has warning
labels on the dashboard (U.S. models) and on the
front visors. Please read and follow the instructions
on these labels. 2 Safety Labels P. 75
3WARNING
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.
3WARNING
Allowing a child to play on the pickup bed
can result in serious injury or death by
opening or closing the tailgate.

61
uuChild Safety uSafety of Infants and Small Children
Continued
Safe Driving
Safety of Infants and Small Children
An infant must be properly restrained in a rear-facing child seat until the infant
reaches the seat manufacturer’s weight or height limit for the seat.
■Positioning a rear-facing child seat
Child seats must be placed and secured in a
rear seating position.
When properly installed, a rear-facing chil d seat may prevent the driver or a front
passenger from moving their seat all the wa y back, or from locking their seat-back
in the desired position. Make sure that there is no contact between the child seat
and the seat in front of it.
It can also interfere with proper operation of the passenger’s advanced front airbag
system.
2 Airbags P. 44
If this occurs, we recommend that you insta ll the child seat directly behind the front
passenger’s seat, move the seat as far fo rward as needed, and leave it unoccupied.
Or, you may wish to get a smaller rear-facing child seat.
■Protecting Infants1 Protecting Infants
Experts recommend use of a rear-facing seat for a
child so long as the child’ s height and weight are
appropriate for a rear facing seat.
Infants should never be s eated in a forward-facing
position.
Always refer to the child seat manufacturer’s
instructions before installation.
Do not allow a front seat to rest against a child seat
installed in a rear seating position:
The weight sensor in the fr ont seat may not correctly
detect the actual weight of the occupant.
3WARNING
Placing a rear-facing child seat in the front
seat can result in serious injury or death
during a crash.
Always place a rear-fac ing child seat in the
rear seat, not the front.

uuChild Safety uSafety of Infants and Small Children
62
Safe DrivingIf a child has exceeded the weight and heig ht limitations of a rearward-facing child
seat, 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.
■Forward-facing child seat placement
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.
■Protecting Smaller Children1 Protecting Smaller Children
Educate yourself about th e laws and regulations
regarding child seat use wh ere you are driving, and
follow the child seat manufacturer’s instructions.
3WARNING
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.

uuChild Safety uSafety of Infants and Small Children
64
Safe DrivingA LATCH-compatible child seat can be inst alled in any of the three rear seating
positions. A child seat is attached to th e lower anchors with either the rigid or
flexible type of connectors. 1.Locate the lower anchors under the marks.
2. Make sure there are no objects near the
anchors that could prevent a secure
connection between th e child seat and the
anchors.
3. Lower the head restra int to its lowest
position.
4. Lift the upper guide co ver, then route the
tether strap around the upper guide.
5. Route the tether strap downward properly,
then attach the strap hook to the center
tether anchor.
u Making sure the strap is not twisted.
■Installing a LATCH-Compatible Child Seat1Installing a LATCH-Compatible Child Seat
For your child’s safety, when using a child seat
installed using the LATCH system, make sure that the
child seat is properly secured to the vehicle. A child
seat that is not properly secured will not adequately
protect a child in a crash and may cause injury to the
child or other vehicle occupants.
3WARNING
Never attach two child seats to the same
anchor. In a collision, one anchor may not
be strong enough to hold two child seat
attachments and may break, causing
serious injury or death.
Marks
Upper Guide
Center Tether Anchor Point
Center positionCenter position

72
uuChild Safety uSafety of Larger Children
Safe Driving
Safety of Larger Children
The following pages give instructions on how to check proper seat belt fit, what kind
of booster seat to use if one is needed, and important precautions for a child who
must sit in front.
When a child is too big for a child seat, secure the child in a rear seat using the lap/
shoulder seat belt. Have the child sit upright and all the way back, then answer the
following questions.
■Checklist
• Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over
the edge of the seat?
• Does the shoulder belt cross between the
child’s neck and arm?
• Is the lap part of the seat belt as low as
possible, touching the child’s thighs?
• Will the child be able to stay seated like this
for the whole trip?
If you answer yes to all thes e questions, the child is read y to wear the lap/shoulder
seat belt correctly. If you answer no to any question, the child needs to ride on a
booster seat until the seat belt fits properly without a booster seat.
■Protecting Larger Children
■Checking Seat Belt Fit
1 Safety of Larger Children
3WARNING
Allowing a child age 12 or under to sit in
front can result in injury or death if the
passenger’s front airbag inflates.
If a larger child must ride in front, move the
vehicle seat as far to the rear as possible,
have the child sit up properly and wear the
seat belt properly, using a booster seat if
needed.

74
Safe Driving
Exhaust Gas Hazard
Carbon Monoxide Gas
The engine exhaust from this vehicle contains carbon monoxide, a colorless,
odorless, and highly toxic gas. As long as you properly maintain your vehicle, carbon
monoxide gas will not get into the interior.
■Have the exhaust system in spected for leaks whenever
• The exhaust system is m aking an unusual noise.
• The exhaust system may have been damaged.
• The vehicle is raised for an oil change.
1Carbon Monoxide Gas
An enclosed area such as a garage can quickly fill up
with carbon monoxide gas.
Do not run the engine with the garage door closed.
Even when the garage door is open, drive out of the
garage immediat ely after starting the engine.
3WARNING
Carbon monoxide gas is toxic.
Breathing it can cause unconsciousness and
even kill you.
Avoid any enclosed areas or activities that
expose you to carbon monoxide.