Page 33 of 224

MR2 U
302000 MR2 (OM17475U)
CAUTION
Both high−positioned lap belts and
loose−fitting belts could cause seri-
ous injuries due to sliding under
the lap belt during a collision or
other unintended result. Keep the
lap belt positioned as low on hips
as possible.
For your safety, do not place the
shoulder belt under your arm.
SB13070
To release the belt, press the buckle−re-
lease button and allow the belt to re-
tract.
If the belt does not retract smoothly, pull
it out and check for kinks or twists. Then
make sure it remains untwisted as it re-
tracts.
Seat belt extender
If your seat belt cannot be fastened se-
curely because it is not long enough, a
personalized seat belt extender is avail-
able from your Toyota dealer free of
charge.
Please contact your local Toyota dealer to
order the proper required length for the
extender. Bring the heaviest coat you ex-
pect to wear for proper measurement and
selection of length. Additional ordering in-
formation is available at your Toyota deal-
er.
CAUTION
When using the seat belt extender,
observe the following. Failure to fol-
low these instructions could result in
less effectiveness of the seat belt re-
straint system in case of vehicle acci-
dent, increasing the chance of per-
sonal injury.
Never use the seat belt extender if
you can fasten the seat belt without
it.
Page 34 of 224

MR2 U
312000 MR2 (OM17475U)
Remember that the extender pro-
vided for you may not be safe when
used on a different vehicle, or for
another person or at a different
seating position than the one origi-
nally intended for.
SB13071
To connect the extender to the seat
belt, insert the tab into the seat belt
buckle so that the PRESS" signs on
the buckle−release buttons of the ex-
tender and the seat belt are both facing
outward as shown.
You will hear a click when the tab locks
into the buckle.
When releasing the seat belt, press on
the buckle−release button on the extender,
not on the seat belt. This helps prevent
damage to the vehicle interior and extend-
er itself.
When not in use, remove the extender
and store in the vehicle for future use.
CAUTION
After inserting the tab, make sure
the tab and buckle are locked and
that the seat belt extender is not
twisted.
Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in
the buckle as this may prevent you
from properly latching the tab and
buckle.
If the seat belt does not function
normally, immediately contact your
Toyota dealer. Do not use the seat
until the seat belt is fixed. It cannot
protect an adult occupant or your
child from injury.
Page 35 of 224

MR2 U
322000 MR2 (OM17475U)
Seat belt pretensioners
SB13089
The driver and passenger’s seat belt
pretensioners are designed to be acti-
vated in response to a severe frontal
impact.
When the airbag sensor detects the shock
of a severe frontal impact, the seat belts
are quickly drawn back in by the retrac-
tors so that the belts snugly restrain the
occupants.
The seat belt pretensioners are activated
even with no passenger in the seat.
Collisions occurring at certain speeds and
angles may cause the seat belt preten-
sioners and SRS airbags not to operate
all together.
SB13102
This indicator comes on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the ON" position.
It goes off after about 6 seconds. This
means the seat belt pretensioners are
operating properly.
This warning light system monitors the
airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, seat belt pretensioner assemblies,
inflators, warning light, interconnecting wir-
ing and power sources. (For details, see
Service reminder indicators and warning
buzzers" in Section 1−5.)
SB13091
The seat belt pretensioner system mainly
consists of the following components and
their locations are shown in the illustra-
tion.
1. Front airbag sensors
2. Seat belt pretensioner assemblies
3. Airbag sensor assembly
4. SRS warning light
The seat belt pretensioners are controlled
by the airbag sensor assembly. The airbag
sensor assembly consists of a safing sen-
sor and airbag sensor.
Page 36 of 224

MR2 U
332000 MR2 (OM17475U)
When the seat belt pretensioners are acti-
vated, an operating noise may be heard
and a small amount of smoke−like gas
may be released. This gas is harmless
and does not indicate that a fire is occur-
ring.
Once the seat belt pretensioners have
been activated, the seat belt retractors
remain locked.
CAUTION
Do not modify, remove, strike or open
the seat belt pretensioner assemblies,
airbag sensor or surrounding area or
wiring. Doing any of these may cause
sudden operation of the seat belt pre-
tensioners or disable the system,
which could result in death or serious
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 can
interfere with proper operation of the
seat belt pretensioners in some
cases.
Installation of electronic devices
such as a mobile two−way radio,
cassette tape player or compact
disc player
Repairs on or near the seat belt
retractor assemblies
Modification of the suspension sys-
tem
Modification of the front end struc-
ture
Attachment of a grille guard (bull
bar, kangaroo bar, etc.), snowplow,
winches or any other equipment to
the front end
Repair made on or near the front
fenders, front end structure or con-
sole
SB13102
This seat belt pretensioner 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 or
pretensioners. 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 ON" posi-
tion, or the light remains on.
The light comes on or flashes while
driving.
If either seat belt does not retract or
can not be pulled out due to a mal-
function or activation of the relevant
seat belt pretensioner.
Page 37 of 224

MR2 U
342000 MR2 (OM17475U)
SB13045
In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible:
The front part of the vehicle (shaded
in the illustration) was involved in an
accident that was not severe enough to
cause the seat belt pretensioners to
operate.
Either seat belt pretensioner assembly
or surrounding area is scratched,
cracked, or otherwise damaged.
SB13092
The SRS (Supplemental Restraint Sys-
tem) airbags are designed to provide
further protection for the driver and
passenger in addition to the primary
safety protection provided by the seat
belts.
In response to a severe frontal impact,
the SRS airbags work together with the
seat belts to help reduce injury by inflat-
ing. The SRS airbags help to reduce inju-
ries mainly to the driver ’s or passenger ’s
head or chest caused by directly hitting
the steering wheel or dashboard. When
the passenger airbag manual on−off swich
is in the ON" position, the passenger air-
bag is activated even with no passenger
in the seat.
Be sure to wear your seat belt properly.Your vehicle is equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module, which will
record the use of the seat belt restraint
system by the driver when the SRS air-
bags inflated.
CAUTION
A driver or passenger too close to
the steering wheel or dashboard dur-
ing airbag deployment can be killed
or seriously injured. Toyota strongly
recommends that:
The driver sit as far back as pos-
sible from the steering wheel while
still maintaining control of the ve-
hicle.
The passenger sit as far back as
possible from the dashboard.
All vehicle occupants be properly
restrained using the available seat
belts.
SRS driver and passenger
airbags
Page 38 of 224

MR2 U
352000 MR2 (OM17475U)
SB13013
Indicator light
The passenger airbag system is
equipped with a manual on−off switch
and indicator light. Turning the passen-
ger airbag manual on−off switch clock-
wise to the ON" position makes the
passenger airbag system operational.
Turning the passenger airbag manual
on−off switch counterclockwise to the
OFF" position disables the passenger
airbag system. The indicator light on
the passenger airbag manual on−off
switch will come on when the passen-
ger airbag system has been disabled.
See Passenger airbag manual on−off
switch" in this Section for detail.
CAUTION
Make sure that the indicator light is
off.
Do not turn off the passenger air-
bag manual on−off switch except
when a member of a passenger risk
group identified in TABLE 1 is oc-
cupying the passenger seating posi-
tion.
When the passenger airbag manual
on−off switch is turned off, the pas-
senger airbag will not inflate in a
collision and turning off the pas-
senger airbag can reduce the occu-
pant protection which your vehicle
safety systems can provide to you
in certain accidents and increase
the likelihood of serious personal
injuries.
Page 39 of 224

MR2 U
362000 MR2 (OM17475U)
SB13102
This indicator comes on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the ON" position.
It goes off after about 6 seconds. This
means the SRS airbags are operating
properly.
This warning light system monitors the
airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, seat belt pretensioner assemblies,
inflators, warning light, interconnecting wir-
ing and power sources. (For details, see
Service remainder indicators and warning
buzzers" in Section 1−5.)
TABLE 1: A PASSENGER RISK GROUP
Infant. An infant (less than 1 year old) who must ride in the front seat because:
Child age 1 to 12. A child age 1 to 12 must ride in the front seat because:
Medical condition. A passenger has a medical condition which according to his or
her physician:
Causes the passenger airbag to pose a special risk for the passenger: and
Makes the potential harm from the passenger airbag in a crash greater than the
potential harm from turning off the airbag and allowing the passenger, even if
belted, to hit the dashboard, or windshield in a crash.
For more detailed information concerning about the passenger risk group, please
contact NHTSA at 1−800−424−9393.
Vehicle has no rear seat:
Although children ages 1 to 12 ride in the rear seat(s) whenever possible,
children ages 1 to 12 sometimes must ride in the front because no space is
available in the rear seat(s) of vehicle; or
The child has a medical condition which, according to the child’s physician,
makes it necessary for the child to ride in the front seat so that the driver can
constantly monitor the child’s condition.
Vehicle has no rear seat;
Vehicle has a rear seat too small to accommodate a rear−facing infant seat; or
The infant has a medical condition which, according to the infant’s physician,
makes it necessary for the infant to ride in the front seat so that the driver can
constantly monitor the child’s condition.
Page 40 of 224

MR2 U
372000 MR2 (OM17475U)
SB13046
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 severi-
ty of the impact is above the designed
threshold level, comparable to an approxi-
mate 25 km/h (15 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 (e.g. a collision in which the nose
of the vehicle underrides", or goes under,
the bed of a truck, etc.).
It is possible that in some collisions at the
lower zone of airbag sensor detection and
activation for the SRS airbags and seat
belt pretensioners will not operate all to-
gether.
For the safety of all occupants, always
wear your seat belts properly.
SC13014
Collision from the rear
Collision from the side Vehicle rollover
The SRS airbags are not designed to
inflate if the vehicle is involved in a
side or rear collision, if it rolls over, or
if it is involved in a low−speed frontal
collision.