1998 TOYOTA CAMRY belt

43
The SRS airbag system mainly consists of
the following components and their loca-
tions are shown in the illustration.
1. SRS airbag warning light
2. Airbag module for driver (airbag and
inflator)
3. Airbag module for passenger (airbag
and inflator)
4. Airbag sensor assembly
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 air-
bags with non−toxic 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 non−toxic gas. This does
not indicate a fire. Be sure to wash off
any residue as soon as possible to pre-
vent 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 reduce serious inju-
ries, 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 air-
bags may break the windshield as the
vehicle buckles. In vehicles with a pas-
senger 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 prima-
ry protection of the driver side and
front passenger side seat belt sys-
tems. The front seat occupants can
be killed or seriously injured by an
inflating airbag if they do not wear
the available seat belts. During sud-
den braking just before a collision,
an unrestrained driver or front pas-
senger can move forward into direct
contact with or close proximity to
the airbag which may then deploy
during the collision. To obtain maxi-
mum protection in an accident, the
driver and all passengers in the ve-
hicle must wear their seat belts.
Wearing a seat belt during an acci-
dent 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 “Seat belts” in this
chapter.
ProCarManuals.com

44
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. Toyota strongly
recommends that all infants and
children be placed in the rear seat
of the vehicle and properly re-
strained. The rear seat is the safest
for infants and children. For in-
structions concerning the installa-
tion of a child restraint system, see
“Child restraint” in this chapter.
Never put a rear−facing child re-
straint system on the front seat be-
cause the force of the rapid infla-
tion of the passenger airbag can
cause death or serious injury to the
child.
Move seat
fully back
A for war d−facing child restraint sys-
tem should be allowed to put on
the front seat only when it is un-
avoidable. 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. On vehicles with side airbags,
do not allow the child to lean
against the front door or around
the front door even if the child is
seated in the child restraint system.
It is dangerous if the side airbag
inflates, and the impact could cause
death or serious injury to the child.
ProCarManuals.com

45 
For instructions concerning the
installation of a child restraint sys-
tem, see “Child restraint” in this
chapter.
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 serious-
ly injured. Sit up straight and well
back in the seat, and always use
your seat belt.Do not allow a child to stand up,
or to kneel on the front passenger
seat. The airbag inflates with con-
siderable speed and force; the child
may be killed or seriously injured.
Do not hold a child on your lap or
in your arms. Use a child restraint
system in the rear seat. For instruc-
tions concerning the installation of
a child restraint system, see ”Child
restraint” in this chapter.
ProCarManuals.com

48
SRS side airbags
The SRS (Supplemental Restraint Sys-
tem) side airbags are designed to pro-
vide further protection for the driver
and front passenger when added to the
primary protection provided by the seat
belts.
In response to a severe side impact, the
SRS side airbags work together with the
seat belt to help prevent or reduce injury
by inflating, in order to decrease the im-
pact mainly on the driver’s or front pas-
senger ’s chest. The SRS side airbag on
the passenger seat is activated even with
no passenger in the front seat.
Be sure to wear your seat belt.
CAUTION
SRS side airbags inflate with consid-
erable force. To avoid potential death
or serious injury during inflation of a
side airbag, Toyota strongly recom-
mends that the driver and front pas-
senger;
Wear their seat belt
Remain properly seated with their
back against the seat at all times.
This indicator comes on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the “ACC” or
“ON” position. It goes off after about
6 seconds. This means the SRS side
airbags are operating properly.
The warning light system monitors the air-
bag sensor assembly, inflators, warning
light, interconnecting wiring and power
sources. (For details, see “Service remind-
er indicators and warning buzzers” in
chapter 1−5.)
ProCarManuals.com

49
The SRS side airbag system may not
inflate if the vehicle is subjected to a
collision from the side at an angle, or
a collision to the side of the vehicle
body other than the passenger compart-
ment shown in the illustration, which
impact is not severe enough for the
passenger compartment.There may be the case that the SRS side
airbags will not activate with such an im-
pact in which the occupant wearing the
seat belt correctly would not get serious
injury.
The SRS side airbags are designed to
inflate when the passenger compartment
gets a severe impact from the side.
For the safety of all occupants, be sure
to always wear seat belts.The SRS side airbags are not designed
to inflate if the vehicle is rolled over.
If the impact on the body of the passen-
ger compartment is not strong as illus-
trated above, the relevant SRS side airbag
may not inflate.
ProCarManuals.com

50
The SRS side airbag system mainly con-
sists of the following components and
their locations are shown in the illustra-
tion.
1. SRS airbag warning light
2. Side airbag module (airbag and inflator)
3. Side airbag sensor assembly
4. Airbag sensor assembly
The SRS side airbag system is controlled
by the airbag sensor. The airbag sensor
assembly consists of a safing sensor and
airbag sensor.In a severe side impact, the side airbag
sensor triggers the side airbag inflators.
Then a chemical reaction in the inflators
momentarily fills the airbags with non−tox-
ic gas to help restrain the lateral motion
of the occupants.
When the airbags inflate, they produce 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 reduce serious inju-
ries, it may also cause minor burns or
abrasions and swellings.
Front seats may be hot for several min-
utes, but the airbags themselves will not
be hot. The airbags are designed to inflate
only once.
CAUTION
The SRS side airbag system is de-
signed only as a supplement to the
primary protection of the driver
side and front passenger side seat
belt systems. The front seat occu-
pants can be killed or seriously in-
jured 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
sideward into direct contact with or
close proximity to the airbag which
may then deploy during the colli-
sion. 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 re-
duces the chances of death or seri-
ous injuries or being thrown out of
the vehicle. For instructions and
precautions concerning the seat
belt system, see “Seat belts” in this
chapter.
ProCarManuals.com

51
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. Toyota strongly
recommends that all infants and
children be placed in the rear seat
of the vehicle and properly re-
strained. The rear seat is the safest
for infants and children. For in-
structions concerning the installa-
tion of a child restraint system, see
“Child restraint” in this chapter.
Do not allow the child to lean
against the front door or around
the front door even if the child is
seated in the child restraint system.
It is dangerous if the side airbag
inflates and the impact could cause
death or serious injury to the child.
For instructors concerning the
installation of a child restraint sys-
tem, see “Child restraint” in this
chapter.
Do not lean against the front door
when the vehicle is in use. The side
airbag inflates with considerable
speed and force; 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 acti-
vates.
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 cor-
rectly, resulting in death or serious
injury. Likewise, the driver and front
passenger should not hold things in
their arms or on their knees.
ProCarManuals.com

53
In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible:
The SRS side airbags have been in-
flated.
The portion of the doors (shaded in the
illustration) were involved in an acci-
dent that did not cause the SRS side
airbags to inflate.
The surface of the seats with the side
airbag (shaded in the illustration) is
scratched, cracked, or otherwise dam-
aged.
NOTICE
Do not disconnect the battery cables
before contacting your Toyota dealer.
Toyota 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 of a
child restraint system.
Your vehicle conforms to SAEJ1819.
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 ”Seat belts” for
details.
CAUTION
For effective protection in automo-
bile accidents and sudden stops,
children must be properly re-
strained using a seat belt or child
restraint system depending on the
age and size of the child. Holding
a child in your arms is not a sub-
stitute for a child restraint system.
In an accident, the child can be
crushed against the windshield, or
between you and the vehicle’s inte-
rior.
Child restraint—
—Child restraint precautions
ProCarManuals.com