Acura RLX HYBRID (2020 year). Manual in english — page 3

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Safe Driving

Airbags

Airbag System Components

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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
power mode is in 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. This
sensor determines the optimal force at
which the airbag will deploy in a crash.

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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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.

■

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

.

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Housing Locations

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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.

Continued

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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

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How the Front Airbags Work

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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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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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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

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Advanced Airbags

If there is a problem with the driver’s seat position
sensor, the SRS indicator will 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 severity 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 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. 533

Driver’s
Seat
Position
Sensor

Passenger’s
Seat Weight
Sensors

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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.

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Housing Locations

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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

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Operation

When
inflated

Knee
Airbag

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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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Side 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.

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Housing Locations

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Side Airbags

Make sure you and your front seat passenger always
sit upright. Leaning into the path of a side airbag can
prevent the airbag from deploying properly and
increases your risk of serious injury.

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 replacing or covering front seat-back
covers can prevent your side airbags from properly
deploying during a side impact.

Housing
Location

■

Operation

When
inflated

Side
Airbag

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Side Airbags

Safe Driving

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When a side airbag deploys with little or no visible damage

Because the airbag system senses sudden acceleration, a strong impact to the side
of the vehicle’s framework can cause a side airbag to deploy. In such cases, there
may be little or no damage, but the side impact sensors detected a severe enough
impact to deploy the airbag.

■

When a side airbag may not deploy, even though visible damage appears
severe

It is possible for a side airbag to not deploy during an impact that results in
apparently severe damage. This can occur when the point of impact was toward the
far front or rear of the vehicle, or when the vehicle’s crushable body parts absorbed
most of the crash energy. In either case, the side airbag would not have been
needed nor provided protection even if it had deployed.

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Side Curtain Airbags

Safe Driving

Side Curtain Airbags

The side curtain airbags help protect the heads of the driver and passengers in the
outer seating positions during a moderate-to-severe 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 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 airbag is designed to deploy
in a rollover or a moderate-to-severe side
impact.

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Housing Locations

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Side Curtain Airbags

If the SRS control unit senses that your vehicle is
about to rollover, 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 deploys 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.

Side Curtain Airbag Storage

■

Operation

Deployed Side Curtain Airbag

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Airbag System Indicators

Safe Driving

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When side curtain airbags deploy in a frontal collision

One or both side curtain airbags 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 multi-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 soon as possible. If you don’t, your airbags and seat
belt tensioners may not work properly when they are needed.

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Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Indicator

1

Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Indicator

3

WARNING

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.

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Airbags

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Airbag System Indicators

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Safe Driving

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When the passenger front airbag off
indicator comes on

The indicator comes on to alert you that the
passenger’s front airbag has been turned off.
This occurs when the weight sensors detect
about 65 lbs (29 kg) or less, the weight of an
infant or small child, on the seat.

Children age 12 or under should always ride properly restrained in a back seat.

2

Child Safety

P. 60

Objects placed on the seat can also cause the indicator to come on.

If the front passenger seat is empty, the passenger’s front airbag will not deploy and
the indicator will not come on.

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Passenger Front Airbag Off Indicator

1

Passenger Front Airbag Off Indicator

If the indicator comes on with no front passenger and
no objects on the passenger’s seat, or with an adult
riding there, 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 back 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 front airbag off indicator may come
on and go off repeatedly if the total weight on the
seat is near the airbag cutoff threshold.

U.S.

Canada

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Airbag 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, 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 consulting a dealer

This would likely disable or affect the proper operation of 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, or for U.S. vehicles, Acura Client Relations at 1-800-382-2238 and for
Canadian vehicles, Acura Client Services at 1-866-78-ACURA.

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Airbag Care

We recommend against the use of salvaged airbag
system components, including the airbag, tensioners,
sensors, and control unit.

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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 restrained. 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 children be properly restrained when they ride
in a vehicle.

Children should sit properly restrained in a rear seat.

This is because:

•

An inflating front or side 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.

1

Protecting Child Passengers

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.

3

WARNING

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.