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69
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following changes without
consulting your Lexus dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the seat belt
pretensioners in some cases.
Repairs on or near the front seat belt retractor
assemblies.
Modification of the suspension system.
Modification of the front end structure.
Attachment of a grille guard (bull bar, kangaroo bar,
etc.), snowplow, winches or any other equipment to
the front end.
In the following case, contact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible:
If either front seat belt does not retract or cannot be pulled
out due to a malfunction or activation of the pretensioner.
The front seat belt retractor assembly or surrounding area
has been damaged.
SRS AIRBAGS
The SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) airbags are
designed to provide further protection to the driver and
front passenger when added to the primary protection
provided by the seat belts.
In response to a severe frontal impact, the SRS airbags
work together with the seat belts to prevent or reduce
injury by inflating, in order to decrease the likelihood of
the driver’s or front passenger’s head or face directly
hitting the steering wheel or dashboard.
The passenger airbag is activated even with no passenger in
the front seat.
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COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
70
This indicator comes on when the ignition key is turned to
the “ACC” or “ON” position. It goes off after about 6
seconds. This means the SRS airbags are operating
properly.
The SRS airbag warning light system monitors the airbag
sensor assembly, inflators, warning light, interconnecting
wiring and power sources.The SRS airbag system is designed to activate in
response to a severe frontal impact within the shaded area
between the arrows in the illustration.
The SRS airbags will deploy if the severity of the impact is
above the designed threshold level, comparable to an
approximate 20 km / h (14 mph) collision when impacting
straight into a fixed barrier that does not move or deform.
If the severity of the impact is below the above threshold level,
the SRS airbags may not deploy.
However, this threshold velocity will be considerably higher if
the vehicle strikes an object, such as a parked vehicle or sign
pole, which can move or deform on impact, or if it is involved
in an underride collision (a collision in which the nose of the
vehicle “underrides”, or goes under, the bed of a truck).
It is possible with collision severity at the marginal level of
airbag sensor detection and activation that only one of your
vehicle’s two airbags will deploy.
For your safety, be sure to always wear your seat belts.
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71
1
Collision from the side
2
Collision from the rear
3
Vehicle roll−over
The SRS airbags are not designed to inflate if the vehicle
is subjected to a side or rear impact, if it rolls over, or if it
is involved in a low−speed frontal collision.
1
Airbag sensor assembly
2
Steering wheel pad assembly (airbag and inflator)
3
Passenger airbag module (airbag and inflator)
4
SRS airbag warning light
The airbag sensor assembly consists of a safing sensor and
airbag sensor.
In a severe frontal impact, sensors detect deceleration and the
system triggers the airbag inflators. Then a chemical reaction
in the inflators momentarily fills the airbags with non−toxic
nitrogen gas to help restrain the forward motion of the
occupants.
When the airbags inflate, they produce a fairly loud noise and
release some smoke along with the nitrogen gas. This is not
harmful and does not indicate a fire. Be sure to wash off any
residue as soon as possible to prevent minor skin irritation.
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COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
72Deployment of the airbags happen in a fraction of a second, so
the airbags must inflate with considerable force. While the
system is designed to reduce serious injuries, it may also
cause minor burns or abrasions and swellings.
Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel hub, dashboard)
may be hot for several minutes, but the airbags themselves will
not be hot. The airbags are designed to inflate only once.
A crash severe enough to inflate the airbags may break the
windshield as the vehicle buckles. In vehicles with a passenger
airbag the windshield may also be damaged by absorbing
some of the force of the inflating airbag.
CAUTION
The SRS airbag system is designed only as a
supplement to the primary protection of the seat belt
systems of the driver and front passenger. The front
seat occupants are particularly susceptible to injury
if they do not wear their seat belts; when sudden
braking or a collision occurs, they may be thrown
forward. To obtain further protection in an accident,
the driver and all passengers in the vehicle should
always wear their seat belts when driving. For
instructions and precautions concerning the seat
belt system, see “SEAT BELTS” on page 62.
A baby or small child who is too small to use a seat
belt should be properly secured in a rear seat using
a child restraint system.
Do not use a rear−facing child restraint system in the
front seat because the force of the rapid inflation of
the passenger airbag may cause severe injury to the
child.
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73
Move fully back
When using a forward−facing child restraint system
in the front seat, the seat must be moved as far back
as possible. For instructions concerning the
installation of a child restraint system, see “CHILD
RESTRAINT” on page 76.
Do not sit on the edge of the seat or lean over the
dashboard when the vehicle is in use. The airbags
inflate with considerable speed and force; you may
be severely injured. Sit up straight and well back in
the seat, and always use your seat belt.
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74
Do not put objects on or in front of the dashboard or
steering wheel pad that houses the airbag system.
They might restrict inflation or cause personal injury
as they are projected rearward.
Do not modify, remove or open any component or
wiring, such as the steering wheel, column cover,
front passenger airbag cover, front passenger airbag
or airbag sensor assembly. Doing any of these may
cause sudden SRS airbag inflation or disable the
system, which could result in personal injury.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in severe
injuries.
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following changes without
consulting your Lexus dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the SRS airbag
system in some cases.
Installation of electronic items such as a mobile
two−way radio, cassette tape player or compact disc
player.
Modification of the suspension system.
Modification of the front end structure.
Attachment of a grille guard (bull bar, kangaroo bar,
etc.), snowplow, winches or any other equipment to
the front end.
Repairs made on or near the front fenders, front
console, steering column, steering wheel or
dashboard near the front passenger airbag.
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75
This SRS airbag system has a service reminder indicator to
inform the driver of operating problems. If either of the following
conditions occurs, this indicates a malfunction of the airbags.
Contact your Lexus dealer as soon as possible to service the
vehicle.
The light does not come on when the ignition key is turned
to the “ACC” or “ON” position, or remains on.
The light comes on while driving.
In the following cases, contact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible:
The SRS airbags have been inflated.
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COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
76The front part of the vehicle (shaded in the illustration) was
involved in an accident not of the extent to cause the SRS
airbags to inflate.
The pad section of the steering wheel or front passenger
airbag cover (shaded in the illustration) is scratched,
cracked, or otherwise damaged.
NOTICE
Do not disconnect the battery cables before contacting
your Lexus dealer.
CHILD RESTRAINT
Child restraint precautions
Lexus strongly urges the use of child restraint system for
children small enough to use it.
The laws of all fifty states in the U.S.A. and Canada now
require the use of a child restraint system.
CAUTION
For effective protection in automobile accidents and
sudden stops, children must be properly restrained.
Holding a child in your arms is not a substitute for a
child restraint system. In an accident, the child can be
crushed against the windshield, or between you and the
vehicle’s interior if you are unrestrained.
Child restraint system
A child restraint system for a small child or baby must
itself be restrained on the seat with the lap portion of the
lap / shoulder belt.
The child restraint system should conform to the size of the
child and properly fit the vehicle seat. For greater safety, the
child restraint system should be installed in the rear seat.
According to accident statistics, children are safer when
properly restrained in the rear seat than in the front seat.
