Acura MDX HYBRID (2020 year). Manual in english - page 4

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Airbags

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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.

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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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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 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.

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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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Protecting Child Passengers

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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.

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Safety Labels

 P. 81

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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, reclining child seat until the 
infant reaches the seat manufacturer’s weight or height limit for the seat, and the 
infant is at least one year old.

■

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.

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Airbags

 P. 47

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.

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Protecting Infants

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Protecting Infants

Many experts recommend use of a rear-facing seat 
for a child up to two years old if the child’s height and 
weight are appropriate for a rear-facing seat.

Rear-facing child seats should never be installed 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.

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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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If a child is at least one year old and has exceeded the weight and height 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.

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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.

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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.

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Most child seats are LATCH-compatible (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren). 
Some have a rigid-type connector while others have a flexible-type connector. Both 
are equally easy to use. Some existing and previously owned child seats can only be 
installed using the seat belt. Whichever type you choose, follow the child seat 
manufacturer’s use and care instructions including recommended expiration dates 
as well as the instructions in this manual. Proper installation is key to maximizing 
your child’s safety. 

In seating positions and vehicles not equipped with LATCH, a LATCH-compatible 
child seat can be installed using the seat belt and a top tether for added security. 
This is because all child seats are required to be designed so that they can be secured 
with a lap belt or the lap part of a lap/shoulder belt. In addition, the child seat 
manufacturer may advise that a seat belt be used to attach a LATCH-compatible seat 
once a child reaches a specified weight. Please read the child seat owner’s manual 
for proper installation instructions.

■

Important consideration when selecting a child seat

Make sure the child seat meets the following three requirements:

•

The child seat is the correct type and size for the child.

•

The child seat is the correct type for the seating position.

•

The child seat is compliant with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 or 
Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.

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Selecting a Child Seat

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Selecting a Child Seat

Installation of a LATCH-compatible child seat is 
simple.

LATCH-compatible child seats have been developed 
to simplify the installation process and reduce the 
likelihood of injuries caused by incorrect installation.

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Safety of Infants and Small Children

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A LATCH-compatible child seat can be installed in the second row seats. A child seat 
is attached to the lower anchors with either the rigid or flexible type of connectors.

1.

Locate the lower anchors under the marks.

■

Installing a LATCH-Compatible Child Seat

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Installing a LATCH-Compatible Child Seat

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WARNING

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.

Models with second row captain seat

Marks

Marks

Models with second row bench seat

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2.

Place the child seat on the vehicle seat, then 
attach the child seat to the lower anchors 
according to the instructions that came 
with the child seat.

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When installing the child seat, make sure 
that the lower anchors are not 
obstructed by the seat belt or any other 
object.

Rigid Type

Lower Anchors

Flexible Type

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Second row captain seat

3.

Put the outer head restraint to its upper-
most position, then route the tether strap 
between the head restraint legs, and secure 
the tether strap hook to the anchor. Make 
sure the strap is not twisted.

3.

Put the outer head restraint to its upper 
most position, then route the tether strap 
outside the head restraint legs, and secure 
the tether strap hook to the anchor. Make 
sure the strap is not twisted.

4.

Tighten the tether strap as instructed by the 
child seat manufacturer.

5.

Make sure the child seat is firmly secured by 
rocking it forward and back and side to 
side; little movement should be felt.

6.

Make sure any unused seat belt that a child 
can reach is buckled, the lockable retractor 
is activated, and the belt is fully retracted 
and locked.

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Protecting Child Passengers

 P. 62

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Installing 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.

Straight Top Tether Type

Anchor

Other Top Tether Type

Anchor

Tether Strap Hook

Tether Strap Hook

Straight Top Tether Type

Other Top Tether Type

All Types

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Second row bench seat

3.

Put the outer head restraint to its 
uppermost position, then route the tether 
strap between the head restraint legs, and 
secure the tether strap hook to the anchor. 
Make sure the strap is not twisted.

3.

Put the outer head restraint to its upper 
most position, then route the tether strap 
outside the head restraint legs, and secure 
the tether strap hook to the anchor. Make 
sure the strap is not twisted.

3.

Put the center head restraint to its lowest 
position, then route the tether strap over 
the top of the head restraint and secure the 
tether strap hook to the anchor. Make sure 
the strap is not twisted.

Anchor

Straight Top Tether Type

Anchor

Other Top Tether Type

Tether Strap Hook

Tether Strap Hook

Outer position
Straight Top Tether Type

Outer position
Other Top Tether Type

Center position

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4.

Tighten the tether strap as instructed by the 
child seat manufacturer.

5.

Make sure the child seat is firmly secured by 
rocking it forward and back and side to 
side; little movement should be felt.

6.

Make sure any unused seat belt that a child 
can reach is buckled, the lockable retractor 
is activated, and the belt is fully retracted 
and locked.

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Protecting Child Passengers

 P. 62

All positions

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A child seat can be installed with a lap/shoulder belt in any rear seat or, if absolutely 
necessary, the front passenger seat.

1.

Place the child seat on the vehicle seat.

2.

Route the seat belt through the child seat 
according to the seat manufacturer’s 
instructions, and insert the latch plate into 
the buckle.

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Insert the latch plate fully until it clicks.

3.

Slowly pull the shoulder part of the belt all 
the way out until it stops. This activates the 
lockable retractor.

4.

Let the seat belt retract a few inches and 
check that the retractor has switched 
modes by pulling on the webbing. It should 
not pull out again until it is reset by 
removing the latch plate from the buckle.

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If you are able to pull the shoulder belt 
out, the lockable retractor is not 
activated. Slowly pull the seat belt all the 
way out, and repeat steps 3 – 4.

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Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/Shoulder Seat Belt

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Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/Shoulder Seat Belt

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.

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5.

Grab the shoulder part of the seat belt near 
the buckle, and pull up to remove any slack 
from the lap part of the belt.

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When doing this, place your weight on 
the child seat and push it into the vehicle 
seat.

6.

Make sure the child seat is firmly secured by 
rocking it forward and back and side to 
side; less than one inch of movement 
should occur near the seat belt.

7.

Make sure any unused seat belt that a child 
can reach is buckled, the lockable retractor 
is activated, and the belt is fully retracted 
and locked.

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Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/Shoulder Seat Belt

To deactivate a lockable retractor, release the buckle 
and allow the seat belt to wind up all the way.

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A tether anchorage point is provided behind 
each second and third row seating position.
If you have a child seat that comes with a 
tether but can be installed with a seat belt, the 
tether may be used for additional security.

■

Adding Security with a Tether

1

Adding Security with a Tether

Always use a tether for forward-facing child seats 
when using the seat belt or lower anchors.

Models with second row captain seat

Tether Anchorage Points

Tether Anchorage Points

Models with second row bench seat

Tether Anchorage Points

Third row seat

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Using a second row anchor

1.

Put the outer head restraint to its upper-
most position, then route the tether strap 
between the head restraint legs, and secure 
the tether strap hook to the anchor. Make 
sure the strap is not twisted.

1.

Put the outer head restraint to its upper 
most position, then route the tether strap 
outside the head restraint legs, and secure 
the tether strap hook to the anchor. Make 
sure the strap is not twisted.

Models with second row captain seat

Anchor

Other Top Tether Type

Straight Top Tether Type

Anchor

Tether Strap Hook

Tether Strap Hook

Outer positions
Straight Top Tether Type

Outer positions
Other Top Tether Type

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1.

Put the center head restraint to its lowest 
position, then route the tether strap over 
the top of the head restraint and secure the 
tether strap hook to the anchor. Make sure 
the strap is not twisted.

2.

Tighten the tether strap as instructed by the 
child seat manufacturer.

Anchor

Models with second row bench seat

Other Top Tether Type

Straight Top Tether Type

Anchor

Tether Strap Hook

Tether Strap Hook

Center position of second row bench seat

All positions