uuAirbagsuTypes of Airbags
Types of Airbags
Your vehicle is equipped with four types of airbags:
1Types of Airbags
• Front airbags: Airbags in front of the driver's and front passenger's seats.
• Knee airbags: Airbags under the steering column and under the glove box.
• Side airbags: Airbags in the driver's, front passenger's, and rear outer
passenger's seat-backs.
• Side curtain airbags: Airbags above the side windows.
Each is discussed in the following pages.
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.
Front Airbags (SRS)
1Front 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.
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.
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.
Housing Locations
■
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.
56
uuAirbagsuFront Airbags (SRS)
Operation
■
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.
1How the Front Airbags Work
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.
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.
Continued
57
uuAirbagsuFront Airbags (SRS)
■ 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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uuAirbagsuFront Airbags (SRS)
1Advanced Airbags
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.
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
2 Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
Indicator P. 69
Driver’s
Seat
Position
the driver’s airbag.
For the advanced front airbags to work properly,
confirm that:
Sensor
• 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 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.
• 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.
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. 70
Passenger’s Seat
Weight Sensors
Continued
59
uuAirbagsuFront Airbags (SRS)
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.
1Advanced 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. 70
• The floor mat behind the front passenger’s seat is
set in the correct position evenly on the floor. An
improperly placed mat can interfere with the
advanced airbag sensors.
2 Floor Mats P. 621
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2024 Honda CR-V Owner's Manual
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