1998 Lexus ES300 belt

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT73
16E136

Vehicle roll±over
The side airbags are not designed to inflate if the vehicle is rolled over.
If the impact on the body of the passenger compartment is not strong as
illustrated above, the relevant side airbag may not inflate.
16L137

1 Side airbag module (airbag and inflator)
2Front passenger airbag module (airbag and inflator)
3Side airbag sensor assembly
4Seat belt pretensioner
5Steering wheel pad assembly (airbag and inflator)
6SRS warning light
7Driver and front passenger airbag sensor assembly
The SRS airbag sensor assemblies consist of a safing sensor and driver and
front passenger airbag sensor.
In a severe frontal impact, the driver and front passenger airbag sensor d\
etects
deceleration and the system triggers the front airbag inflators and seat belt
pretensioners. In a severe side impact, the side airbag sensor triggers the side
airbag inflator. Then a chemical reaction in the inflators momentarily fills the
airbags with non±toxic gas to help restrain the forward or lateral motion of \
the
occupants. Then the inflators fill the airbags and the seat belts are quickly
drawn back in by the retractors to help restrain forward motion of the
occupants.
When the SRS operates, it produces a fairly loud noise and release some
smoke along with non±toxic gas. This does not indicate a fire. Be sure to wash
off any residue as soon as possible to prevent minor skin irritation.
Deployment of the airbags happen in a fraction of a second, so the airbags
must inflate with considerable force. While the system is designed to reduc\
e

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
74
serious injuries, it may also cause minor burns or abrasions and swellings.
Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel hub, dashboard, front seats)\
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 driver and front passenger airbags \
may
break
the windshield as the vehicle buckles. In vehicles with a front passeng\
er
airbag, the windshield may also be damaged by absorbing some of the force
of the inflating airbag.
CAUTION
 The SRS is designed only as a supplement to the primary
protection of the driver side and front passenger side seat
belt systems. The front seat occupants can be killed or
seriously injured by an inflating airbag if they do not wear
the available seat belts. During sudden braking just before
a collision, an unrestrained driver or front passenger can
move forward into direct contact with or close proximity to
the airbag which may then deploy during the collision. To
obtain maximum protection in an accident, the driver and
all passengers in the vehicle must wear their seat belts.
Wearing a seat belt during an accident reduces the chances
of death or serious injuries or being thrown out of the
vehicle. For instructions and precautions concerning the
seat belt system, see ºSeat beltsº on page 64.
 Improperly seated and/or restrained infants and children
can be killed or seriously injured by a deploying airbag. An
infant or child who is too small to use a seat belt should be
properly secured using a child restraint system. Lexus
strongly recommends that all infants and children be
placed in the rear seat of the vehicle and properly
restrained. The rear seat is the safest for infants and
children. For instructions concerning the installation of a
child restraint system, see ºChild restraintº on page 80 .

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76
16E028
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 killed or seriously injured. Sit up straight and
well back in the seat, and always use your seat belt.
16E126
Do not lean against the front door when the vehicle is in use. The side
airbag inflates with considerable speed and for ce; you may be killed
or seriously injured.
 Do not apply excessive weight to the outer side of the front seats on
vehicles with side airbags.
 The child head should not be leaned against the vicinity of the part
where the side airbag activates.

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78
16E127
Do not attach a cup holder or any other device on or around the door.
When the side airbag inflates, the cup holder or any other device will
be thrown with great force, or the side airbag may not activate
correctly, resulting in death or serious injury. Likewise, the driver
and front passenger should not hold things in their arms or on their
knees.
 Do not use accessories for the seats which cover the parts where the
side airbags should inflate. Such accessories may prevent the side
airbags from activating correctly, causing death or serious injury.
 Do not modify or remove any wiring. Do not modify, remove, strike
or open any components, such as the steering wheel column cover,
front passenger airbag cover, front seats, airbag sensor assembly or
seat belt assemblies. Doing any of these may cause sudden SRS
operation or disable the system, which could result in death or
serious injury.
 Do not modify or replace the seats or surface of the front seats with
side airbags. Such changes may disable the system or cause the side
airbags to inflate, resulting in death or serious injury. Consult your
Lexus dealer.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death or serious
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 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 and side structure of the
passenger compartment.
 Attachment of a grille guard (bull bar, kangaroo bar, etc.), snow plow,
winches or any other equipment to the front end.
 Repairs made on or near the front fenders, front end structure,
console, steering column, steering wheel, dashboard near the front
passenger airbag, front seats or seat belt assembly.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT79
16E022
This SRS has an indicator to inform the driver of operating problems. If either
of the following conditions occurs, this indicates a malfunction of the ai\
rbags
and/or seat belt pretensioners. Even if the seat belt pretensioners should fa\
il,
the seat belts will operate conventionally. Contact your Lexus dealer as soon
as possible to service the vehicle.
The light does not come on as described above.
 The light stays on or flashes.
 The light comes on or starts flashing while driving.
If the light stays on, it indicates that the driver and front passenger air\
bags fail.
If the light flashes, the side airbags and/or seat belt pretensioners fa\
il.16E128±1
In the following cases, contact your Lexus dealer as soon as possible:
 Any of the SRS airbags have been inflated.
 If either front seat belt does not retract or cannot be pulled out due t\
o a
malfunction or activation of the pretensioner.

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80

The front seat belt retractor assembly or surrounding area has been
damaged.
 The front part of the vehicle and portion of the doors (shaded in the
illustration) were involved in an accident that did not cause the SRS to
work.
 The surface of the seats with the side airbags or the pad section of the
steering wheel or front passenger airbag cover (shaded in the illustration)
is scratched, cracked, or otherwise damaged.
CHILD RESTRAINT
Child restraint precautions
Lexus strongly urges the use of child restraint systems for children small
enough to use them.
The laws of all fifty states in the U.S.A. and Canada now require the use o\
f
a child restraint system.
Your vehicle conforms to SAE J1819.
If a child is too large for a child restraint system, the child should sit in the rear
seat and must be restrained using the vehicle's seat belt. See ºSeat beltsº on
page 64 for details.
CAUTION
For effective protection in automobile accidents and
sudden stops, children must be properly restrained using a
seat belt or child restraint depending on age and size.
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.
 Lexus strongly urges use of a proper child restraint which
conforms to the size of the child and is put on the rear seat.
According to accident statistics, the child is safer when
properly restrained in the rear seat than in the front seat.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT81
Never put a rear±facing child restraint system on the front
seat. In the event of an accident, the force of the rapid
inflation of the airbag can cause death or serious injury if
a rear±facing child restraint system is put on the front seat.
 Unless it is unavoidable, do not put a forward±facing child
restraint system on the front seat.
 A forward±facing child restraint system should be put on
the front seat only when it is unavoidable. Always move the
seat as far back as possible, because the force of a deploying
airbag could cause death or serious injury to the child.
Make sure you have complied with all installation
instructions provided by the child restraint manufacturer
and that the system is properly secured. Do not allow the
child to lean over the front door or around the front door
even if the child is seated in a child restraint system. It is
dangerous if the side airbag inflates, and the impact could
cause death or serious injury to the child.Child restraint system
A child restraint system for a small child or baby must itself be properly
restrained on the seat with the lap portion of the lap/shoulder belt. You
must carefully consult the manufacturer's instructions which accompany
by your child restraint system.
To provide proper restraint, use a child restraint system following the
manufacturer 's instructions about the appropriate age and size of the child for
the restraint system.
Install the child restraint system correctly following the instructions provided
by its manufacturer of the system. General directions are also provided\
under
the following illustrations.
The child restraint system should be installed on the rear seat. According\
to
accident statistics, the child is safer when properly restrained in the \
rear seat
than in the front seat.
CAUTION
 Never put a rear±facing child restraint system on the front
seat. In the event of an accident, the force of the rapid
inflation of the airbag can cause death or serious injury if
a rear±facing child restraint system is put on the front seat.
 Unless it is unavoidable, do not put a forward±facing child
restraint system on the front seat.

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82
A forward±facing child restraint system should be put on
the front seat only when it is unavoidable. Always move the
seat as far back as possible, because the force of a deploying
airbag could cause death or serious injury to the child. Do
not allow the child to lean over the front door or around the
front door even if the child is seated in a child restraint
system. It is dangerous if the side airbag inflates, and the
impact could cause death or serious injury to the child.
 After installing the child restraint system, make sure it is
secured in place according to the manufacturer's
instructions. If it is not restrained securely, it may cause
death or serious injury to the child in the event of a sudden
stop or accident.
When not using the child restraint system, keep it secured with the seat belt
or place it in the trunk or somewhere other than in the passenger compartm\
ent.
This will prevent it from injuring passengers in the event of a sudden stop \
or
accident.
Your vehicle has anchors for securing the top strap of a child restraint sys\
tem.
The anchor nuts are welded beneath the sheet metal to permit installation of
an anchor bracket for a child restraint system.
To install an anchor bracket, use an 8 mm X 30 mm X 1.25 mm coarse thread
metric bolt and a 15 mm (0.6 in.) spacer. Note that the bolts accompanying
many child restraint systems are not metric. You can damage the anchor nuts
on your vehicle if you force bolts with different thread into the anchor nuts. For instructions about how to install the anchor bracket, see ºTop strap
anchors and locationsº.
If your child restraint system does not provide any of the necessary parts\
, you
can purchase the following items from your Lexus dealer.

CRS installation kit (Part No. 04731±22012)
± contains 1 bolt, 3 types of spacer and 1 locking clip.
 Bolt (Part No. 91511±60830)