1997 TOYOTA TACOMA sensor

31
This indicator comes on when the
ignition key is turned to the ACCº or
ONº position. It goes off after about 6
seconds. This means the SRS airbag
is operating properly.
The SRS airbag warning light system
monitors the airbag sensor assembly, in-
flators, warning light, interconnecting wir-
ing and power sourcesThe SRS airbag system is designed to
activate in response to a severe frontal
impact within the shaded area be-
tween 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 approxi-
mate 20 km/h (14 mph) collision when im-
pacting 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 im-
pact, or if it is
involved in an underride col-
lision (e.g. a collision in which the noise of
the vehicle underridesº, or goes under, the bed of a truck).
For the safety of all occupants, be sure to
always wear your seat belts.

32
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 frontalcollision.The SRS airbag system mainly consists
of the following components and their
locations are shown in the illustration.
1 SRS airbag warning light.
2 Airbag sensor assembly.
3 Steering wheel pad (airbag and inflat-or)
The airbag sensor assembly consists of a
safing sensor and airbag sensor. In a severe frontal impact, sensor detects
deceleration and the system triggers the
airbag inflator. Then a chemical reaction
in the inflator momentarily fills the airbag
with non-toxic nitrogen gas to help re-
strain the forward motion of the driver. When the airbag inflates, it produces a fairly loud noise and releases 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.
Deployment of the airbag happens in a
fraction of a
second, so the airbag must in-
flate with considerable force. While the
system is designed to reduce serious inju-
ries, it may also cause minor burns or
abrasions and swellings.
The steering wheel hub may be hot for
several m inutes, but the airbag will not be
hot. The airbag is designed to inflate onlyonce.

33
CAUTION!
The SRS airbag system is designed
only as a supplement to the primary
protection of the driver side seat belt
systems. The driver is particularly
susceptible to death or serious inju-
ry if he/she does not wear his/her
seat belt; when sudden braking or a
collision occurs, he/she may be
thrown forward into the deploying
SRS aribag. To obtain a maximum
protection in an accident, the driver
and all passengers in the vehicle
should always wear their seat belts when driving because serious inju-
ries can result to unrestrained occu-
pants. For instructions and precau-
tions concerning the seat belt sys-
tem, see Seat beltsº in this chapter.
CAUTION!
Do not put objects on the steering
wheel pad. They might restrict
inflation or cause serious injury as
they are projected rearward by the force of a deploying airbag.
Do not modify or remove any wir-
ing. Do not modify, remove or open any components such as the steer-
ing wheel column cover, airbag
sensor assembly. Doing any of
these may cause sudden SRS air-
bag inflation or disable the system,
which could result in death or seri-
ous injury.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death or serious inju- ries.
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following changes without consulting your
Toyota dealer. Such changes caninterfere with proper operation of the SRS airbag system in somecases.
Installation of electronic itemssuch as a mobile two-way radio,
cassette tape player or compactdisc player
Modification of the suspension
system
Modification of the front endstructure
Attachment of a grille guard (bullbar, kangaroo bar, etc.), snow-
plow winches or any other equip-
ment to the front end
Repairs made on or near the front end structure, console, steeringcolumn or steering wheel

62(h) SRS Airbag Warning Light
This light will come on when the igni-
tion
key is turned to the ACCº or ONº
position. After about 6 seconds, the
light w ill go off. This means the airbag
system is operating properly.
The warning light system monitors the air-
bag sensor assembly, inflator, warning light, interconnecting wiring and power sources.
If either of the following conditions occurs, this indicates a malfunction somewhere in the parts monitored by the warning light
system. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle. The light does not come on when the
ignition key is turned to the ACCº or
ONº position or remains on.
The light comes on while driving.
(i) Light Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer will sound if the driver's door is opened while the ignition switch isturned to the LOCKº position with the
headlight switch on. Removing the key will
not stop the buzzer as long as the head- light switch is on. (j) Key Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer reminds you to remove the
key when you open the driver's door withthe ignition key in the ACCº or LOCKº position.
(k) Unengaged Parkº Warning Light
(vehicles with automatic tranmis- sion)
The light warns that the transmission
Parkº mechanism is not engaged. If the
front drive control lever is in the Nº posi-
tion while the selector lever is in the Pº
position, the transmission will disengage
and the wheels will not lock.
To restore the park function, shift
the front drive control lever out of
Nº, or the vehicle can move. CAUTION
!
(l) Automatic Transmission Fluid Tem- perature Warning Light
This light warns that the automatic trans- mission fluid temperature is too high. If this light comes on while you are driving,
slow down and pull off the road. Stop the
vehicle at a
safe place and put the selector
lever in Pº. With the engine idling, wait
until the light goes off. If the light goes off,
you may start the vehicle again. If the light
does not go off, call a Toyota dealer or
qualified repair shop for assistance.
(m)Low Windshield Washer Fluid
Level Warning Light (Canada)
The light warns that the windshield wash-
er fluid level is too low. Add washer fluid at
your earliest opportunity. (For instruc-
tions, see Adding washer fluidº in Chap- ter 7-3.)
CHECKING SERVICE REMINDER INDI-
CATORS (except the low fuel level
warning light)
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn ignition key to ACCº. The SRS airbag warnign light should
come on. it goes off after about 6 sec- onds.