Acura ILX (2021 year). Manual in english — page 3

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Airbags

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Types of Airbags

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Types of Airbags

Your vehicle is equipped with three types of airbags:

•

Front airbags:

Airbags in front of the driver's and front passenger's seats.

•

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.

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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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Front Airbags (SRS)

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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.

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Operation

■

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)

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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 toward the front of the vehicle. Side
airbags and side curtain airbags 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 toward 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)

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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. The sensors are used for
occupant classification to activate or
deactivate the front passenger’s airbag.

For adult size occupants, the system will
automatically activate the front passenger’s
airbag. If a small adult sits in the front
passenger seat and the system does not
recognize him/her as an adult, see

2

Passenger Airbag Off Indicator

P. 53

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Advanced Airbags

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Advanced Airbags

If there is a problem with the driver’s seat position
sensor or the passenger’s seat weight sensors, the
SRS indicator will come on, and in the event of a
crash, the airbag will deploy (regardless of the driver’s
seating position or passenger’s occupant
classification) with a force corresponding to the
severity of the impact.

2

Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
Indicator

P. 52

For the advanced front airbags to work properly,
confirm that:

•

The occupant is sitting in an upright position,
wearing the seat belt properly and the seat back is
not excessively reclined.

•

The occupant is not leaning against the door or
center console.

•

The occupant’s feet are placed on the floor in front
of them.

•

There are no objects hanging from the front
passenger’s seat.

•

Only small, lightweight objects are in the seat back
pocket.

•

The steering wheel and passenger’s side dashboard
are not obstructed by any object.

•

No liquid has been spilled on or under the seat.

•

There is no child seat or other object pressing
against the rear of the seat or seat back.

•

There is no rear passenger pushing or pulling on
the back of the front passenger’s seat.

Driver’s

Seat

Position

Sensor

Passenger’s

Seat

Weight

Sensors

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Front Airbags (SRS)

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We advise against allowing a child age 12 or under to ride in the front passenger’s
seat. However, if you do allow a small child or infant to ride in the front passenger’s
seat, the system is designed to automatically deactivate the front passenger’s airbag.
Do not let a small child or infant ride in the front passenger’s seat if the airbag does
not automatically deactivate.

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Advanced Airbags

•

There are no objects placed under or beside the
front passenger’s seat. Improperly positioned
objects can interfere with the advanced airbag
sensors.

•

The head restraint is not contacting the roof.

2

Passenger Airbag Off Indicator

P. 53

•

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. 552

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Side Airbags

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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

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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 not to 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

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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

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.

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.

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.

Side Curtain Airbag Storage

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Operation

Deployed Side Curtain Airbag

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Airbag System Indicators

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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

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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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Airbag System Indicators

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When the passenger airbag off
indicator comes on

The indicator comes on to alert you that the
passenger’s airbag has been turned off.

This occurs when the weight sensors
determine that a small child or infant is on the
passenger seat.

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

2

Child Safety

P. 56

Objects placed on the seat can also cause the indicator to come on. If the indicator
is on in the event of a crash, the passenger’s airbag will not deploy.

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

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Passenger Airbag Off Indicator

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Passenger Airbag Off Indicator

To ensure the passenger is detected properly, confirm
that:

•

The occupant is sitting in an upright position,
wearing the seat belt properly and the seat back is
not excessively reclined.

•

The occupant is not leaning against the door or
center console.

•

The occupant’s feet are placed on the floor in front
of them.

•

There are no objects hanging from the front
passenger’s seat.

•

Only small, lightweight objects are in the seat back
pocket.

•

No liquid has been spilled on or under the seat.

•

There is no child seat or other object pressing
against the rear of the seat or seat back.

•

There is no rear passenger pushing or pulling on
the back of the front passenger’s seat.

•

There are no objects placed under or beside the
front passenger’s seat. Improperly positioned
objects can interfere with the advanced airbag
sensors.

•

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.

•

The head restraint is not contacting the roof.

U.S.

Canada

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Airbag System Indicators

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Passenger Airbag Off Indicator

The passenger airbag off indicator may come on and
go off periodically if the total weight on the seat is
near the airbag cutoff threshold. For a small adult,
depending on physique and posture, the system may
not recognize him/her as an adult and thus deactivate
the passenger’s airbag.
If this occurs, please confirm that the conditions set
forth in the above bullet points on the previous page
are met.

Have your vehicle checked by a dealer as soon as
possible if:

•

All of the above conditions are met, and the
indicator comes on with an adult seated in the
front passenger seat.

•

The seat is empty and the indicator is on.

Do not allow an adult passenger to ride in the front
seat when the indicator is on.

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Airbag Care

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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 1-888-9-ACURA-9.

1

Airbag Care

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

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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.

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Protecting Child Passengers

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
and Transport Canada recommends 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.

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•

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 seat
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 over 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 children 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.

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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 passenger'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. 70

3

WARNING

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.

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Safety of Infants and Small Children

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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 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. 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. 41

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.

■

Protecting Infants

1

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 seated 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 front seat may not correctly
detect the actual weight of the occupant.

3

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.

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Safety of Infants and Small Children

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If a child has exceeded the weight and height limitations of a rear-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.

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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 Children

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Protecting Smaller Children

Educate yourself about the laws and regulations
regarding child seat use where you are driving, and
follow the child seat manufacturer's instructions.

3

WARNING

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.