Acura RLX (2018 year). Instruction — part 3

38

Safe Driving

Seat Belts

About Your Seat Belts

Seat belts are the single most effective safety device because they keep you
connected to the vehicle so that you can take advantage of many built-in safety
features. They also help keep you from being thrown against the inside of the
vehicle, against any passengers, or out of the vehicle. When worn properly, seat
belts also keep your body properly positioned in a crash so that you can take full
advantage of the additional protection provided by the airbags.

In addition, seat belts help protect you in almost every type of crash, including:
- frontal impacts
- side impacts
- rear impacts
- rollovers

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Lap/shoulder seat belts

All five seating positions are equipped with lap/shoulder seat belts with emergency
locking retractors. In normal driving the retractor lets you move freely while keeping
some tension on the belt. During a collision or sudden stop the retractor locks to
restrain your body.
The front passenger’s and rear seat belts also have a lockable retractor for use with
child seats.

2 Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/Shoulder Seat Belt P. 67

1

About Your Seat Belts

Seat belts cannot completely protect you in every
crash. But in most cases, seat belts can reduce your
risk of serious injury.

Most states and all Canadian provinces and territories
require you to wear seat belts.

If you extend the seat belt too quickly, it will lock in
place. If this happens, slightly retract the seat belt,
then extend it slowly.

3

WARNING

Not wearing a seat belt properly increases
the chance of serious injury or death in a
crash, even though your vehicle has
airbags.

Be sure you and your passengers always
wear seat belts and wear them properly.

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Seat Belts

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About Your Seat Belts

Safe Driving

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Proper use of seat belts

Follow these guidelines for proper use:
• All occupants should sit upright, well back in the seat, and remain in that position

for the duration of the trip. Slouching and leaning reduce the effectiveness of the
belt and can increase the chance of serious injury in a crash.

• Never place the shoulder part of a lap/shoulder seat belt under your arm or

behind your back. This could cause very serious injuries in a crash.

• Two people should never use the same seat belt. If they do, they could be very

seriously injured in a crash.

• Do not put any accessories on the seat belts. Devices intended to improve comfort

or reposition the shoulder part of a seat belt can reduce the protective capability
and increase the chance of serious injury in a crash.

The seat belt system includes an indicator on
the instrument panel to remind the driver or a
front passenger or both to fasten their seat
belts.
If you set the power mode to ON and a seat
belt is not fastened, a beeper will sound and
the indicator will blink. After a few seconds,
the beeper will stop and the indicator will
come on and remain illuminated until the seat
belt is fastened.

The beeper will periodically sound and the
indicator will blink while the vehicle is moving
until the seat belt is fastened.

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Seat Belt Reminder

1

About Your Seat Belts

If a rear seat passenger moves around and extends
the seat belt, the lockable retractor may activate. If
this happens, release the retractor by unfastening the
seat belt and allow the belt to retract completely.
Then refasten the belt.

1

Seat Belt Reminder

The indicator will also come on if a front passenger
does not fasten their seat belt within six seconds after
the power mode is set to ON.
When no one is sitting in the front passenger’s seat,
the indicator will not come on and the beeper will not
sound.
The indicator also may not come on and the beeper
may not sound when the occupant is not heavy
enough to trigger the weight sensor. Such occupants
(e.g., infants and smaller children) should be moved
to the rear seat as a deploying front airbag likely will
injure or kill them.

2 Protecting Child Passengers P. 60

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Seat Belts

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About Your Seat Belts

40

Safe Driving

The front seats are equipped with automatic
seat belt tensioners to enhance safety.

The tensioners automatically tighten the front
seat belts during a moderate-to-severe frontal
collision, sometimes even if the collision is not
severe enough to inflate the front airbags or
the driver’s knee airbag.

Are the motor-powered pretensioners that
start to retract the front seat belts when the
CMBS

TM

, brake assist system, or VSA® system

is in operation. They may also activate when
you steer the vehicle hard, or the vehicle is
impacted. After being retracted, the seat belts
are slackened to their original positions.
As convenience features, the e-pretensioners
slightly retract the seat belts when you latch
the seat belt buckle, depress the brake pedal
more aggressively than you normally do, or
make a sharp turn, and fully retract when you
release the seat belt buckle.

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Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners

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Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners

The seat belt tensioners can only operate once.
If a tensioner is activated, the SRS indicator will come
on. Have a dealer replace the tensioner and
thoroughly inspect the seat belt system as it may not
offer protection in a subsequent crash.

During a moderate-to-severe side impact, the
tensioner on that side of the vehicle also activates.

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Seat Belt e-pretensioners

1

Seat Belt e-pretensioners

If only the e-pretensioners were activated, no
components need to be replaced.

The e-pretensioners may not work if:

•

Supplemental Restraint System Indicator is on.

•

Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA®) System Indicator is
on.

•

A warning message for e-pretensioners appears on
the multi-information display.

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Seat Belts

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Fastening a Seat Belt

Continued

Safe Driving

Fastening a Seat Belt

After adjusting a front seat to the proper position, and while sitting upright and well
back in the seat:

2 Adjusting the Seats P. 175

1. Pull the seat belt out slowly.

2. Insert the latch plate into the buckle, then

tug on the belt to make sure the buckle is
secure.

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Make sure that the belt is not twisted or
caught on anything.

When you or the front passenger insert the
latch plate into the buckle, the front seat
belt retracts automatically.

2 Seat Belt e-pretensioners P. 40

1

Fastening a Seat Belt

No one should sit in a seat with an inoperative seat
belt or one that does not appear to be working
correctly. Using a seat belt that is not working
properly may not protect the occupant in a crash.
Have a dealer check the belt as soon as possible.

Never insert any foreign objects into the buckle or
retractor mechanism.

Pull out slowly.

Correct
Seated
Posture.

Latch
Plate

Buckle

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Seat Belts

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Fastening a Seat Belt

42

Safe Driving

3. Position the lap part of the belt as low as

possible across your hips, then pull up on
the shoulder part of the belt so the lap part
fits snugly. This lets your strong pelvic
bones take the force of a crash and reduces
the chance of internal injuries.

4. If necessary, pull up on the belt again to

remove any slack, then check that the belt
rests across the center of your chest and
over your shoulder. This spreads the forces
of a crash over the strongest bones in your
upper body.

The front seats have adjustable shoulder anchors to accommodate taller and shorter
occupants.

1. Move the anchor up and down while

holding the release button.

2. Position the anchor so that the belt rests

across the center of your chest and over
your shoulder.

1

Fastening a Seat Belt

To release the belt, push the red PRESS button and
then guide the belt by hand until it has retracted
completely.
When exiting the vehicle, be sure the belt is properly
stowed so that it will not get caught in the closing
door.

3

WARNING

Improperly positioning the seat belts can
cause serious injury or death in a crash.

Make sure all seat belts are properly
positioned before driving.

Lap belt
as low as
possible

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Adjusting the Shoulder Anchor

1

Adjusting the Shoulder Anchor

The shoulder anchor height can be adjusted to four
levels. If the belt contacts your neck, lower the height
one level at a time.

After an adjustment, make sure that the shoulder
anchor position is secure.

Push

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Seat Belts

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Fastening a Seat Belt

Safe Driving

If you are pregnant, the best way to protect yourself and your unborn child when
driving or riding in a vehicle is to always wear a seat belt and keep the lap part of the
belt as low as possible across the hips.

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Advice for Pregnant Women

1

Advice for Pregnant Women

Each time you have a checkup, ask your doctor if it is
okay for you to drive.

To reduce the risk of injuries to both you and your
unborn child that can be caused by an inflating front
airbag:

•

When driving, sit upright and adjust the seat as far
back as possible while allowing full control of the
vehicle.

•

When sitting in the front passenger’s seat, adjust
the seat as far back as possible.

Wear the shoulder belt
across the chest avoiding
the abdomen.

Wear the lap part of the
belt as low as possible
across the hips.

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Seat Belts

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Seat Belt Inspection

Safe Driving

Seat Belt Inspection

Regularly check the condition of your seat belts as follows:

• Pull each belt out fully, and look for frays, cuts, burns, and wear.
• Check that the latch plates and buckles work smoothly and the belts retract

easily.

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If a belt does not retract easily, cleaning the belt may correct the problem. Only
use a mild soap and warm water. Do not use bleach or cleaning solvents. Make
sure the belt is completely dry before allowing it to retract.

Any belt that is not in good condition or working properly will not provide proper
protection and should be replaced as soon as possible.
A belt that has been worn during a crash may not provide the same level of
protection in a subsequent crash. Have your seat belts inspected by a dealer after
any collision.

1

Seat Belt Inspection

3

WARNING

Not checking or maintaining seat belts can
result in serious injury or death if the seat
belts do not work properly when needed.

Check your seat belts regularly and have
any problem corrected as soon as possible.

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Safe Driving

Airbags

Airbag System Components

9

13

7

9

9

9

11

10

9

8

6

9

12

6

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Airbags

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Airbag 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:

a

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.

b

Driver’s knee airbag. The knee airbag is
stored under the steering column. It is
marked SRS AIRBAG.

c

Two 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.

d

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.

e

An 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.

f

Automatic 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.
The front seat belt tensioners also include
the e-pretensioners.

g

A driver’s seat position sensor. If the seat
is too far forward, the airbag will inflate
with less force.

h

Weight 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).

i

Impact sensors that can detect a
moderate-to-severe front or side impact.

j

An indicator on the dashboard that alerts
you that the front passenger’s front
airbag has been turned off.

k

An indicator on the instrument panel that
alerts you to a possible problem with your
airbag system or seat belt tensioners.

l

Safing Sensor

m

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.

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Airbags

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Airbag System Components

Safe Driving

Airbags can pose serious hazards. To do their job, airbags must inflate with
tremendous force. So, while airbags help save lives, they can cause burns, bruises,
and other minor injuries, sometimes even fatal ones if occupants are not wearing
their seat belts properly 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 possible 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 can prevent all injuries or deaths that
can occur in a severe crash, even when seat 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 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.

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Important Facts About Your Airbags

1

Important Facts About Your Airbags

Do not attempt to deactivate your airbags. Together,
airbags and seat belts provide the best protection.

When driving, keep hands 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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Airbags

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Types 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 passenger. Both airbags are marked SRS AIRBAG.

■

Housing Locations

1

Types 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 inflator material and is not harmful.
People with respiratory problems 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, depending on the severity of the
crash, whether or not the seat 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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Airbags

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Front Airbags (SRS)

Safe Driving

Front airbags are designed to inflate during 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 they see them lying in front of them.

■

Operation

■

How the Front Airbags Work

1

How the Front Airbags Work

Although the driver’s and front passenger’s airbags
normally inflate within a split 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 protection, and the supplemental
protection offered by the airbag would be minimal.

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Airbags

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Front Airbags (SRS)

Safe Driving

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When front airbags should not deploy

Minor frontal crashes: Front airbags were designed to supplement seat belts and
help to 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 airbags have been specifically designed to help to 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 seat 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 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 the 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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Airbags

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Front Airbags (SRS)

Safe Driving

The airbags have advanced features to help 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 advanced airbag system
has weight sensors.

We advise against allowing 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 Airbags

1

Advanced 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 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 positioned objects can
interfere with the advanced airbag sensors.

•

All occupants should sit upright and wear their seat
belts properly.

•

Do not cover the passenger’s side dashboard with
a cloth, towel, cover, etc.

2 Passenger Front Airbag Off Indicator

P. 58

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. 534

Driver’s
Seat
Position
Sensor

Passenger’s
Seat Weight
Sensors

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Airbags

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Driver’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) indicates 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.

Even if the collision is not severe enough to
deploy the front airbag, the knee airbag may
inflate alone.

■

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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Airbags

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Driver’s Knee Airbag

Safe Driving

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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 the 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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