2001 Lexus ES300 belt

SECTION 1 ± 6
11 7
INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS
Comfort adjustment
Front seats11 7
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Trunk storage extension 124
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Head restraints 126
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Tilt steering wheell 129
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Outside rear view mirrors 130
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Inside rear view mirror 134
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Seat belts 136
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SRS airbags 152
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Child restraint 175
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Driving position memory system 204
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FRONT SEATS
Front seat precautions

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
122
Adjusting seatback angle
16E155a
Move the control switch in the desired direction.
Releasing the switch will stop the seatback in that
position.
CAUTION
To reduce the risk of sliding under the lap belt during a
collision, avoid reclining the seatback any more than
needed. The seat belts provide maximum protection in
a frontal or rear collision when the driver and the
passenger are sitting up straight and well back in the
seats. If you are reclined, the lap belt may slide past
your hips and apply restraint forces directly to the
abdomen. Therefore, in the event of a frontal collision,
the risk of personal injury may increase with increasing
recline of the seatback.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
136
SEAT BELTS
Seat belt precautions
Lexus strongly urges that the driver and passengers in
the vehicle be properly restrained at all times with the
seat belts provided. Failure to do so could increase the
chance of injury and/or the severity of injury in accidents.
Child. Use a child restraint system appropriate for the
child until the child becomes large enough to properly
wear the vehicle's seat belts. See ªChild restraintº on
page 175 for details.
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. According to accident statistics,
the child is safer when properly restrained in the rear
seat than in the front seat.
If a child must sit in the front seat, the seat belts should
be worn properly. Do not let the child sit on your lap. It
does not provide sufficient restraint. If an accident
occurs and the seat belts are not worn properly, the force
of the rapid inflation of the airbag may cause death or
serious injury to the child.
Do not allow the child to stand up or kneel on either rear
or front seats. An unrestrained child could suf fer serious
injury or death during emergency braking or a collision.
Pregnant woman. Lexus recommends the use of a
seat belt. Ask your doctor for specific recommendations. The lap
belt should be worn securely
and as low as possible over the hips and not on the waist.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
137
Injured person. Lexus recommends the use of a seat
belt. Depending on the injury, first check with your doctor
for specific recommendations.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
138
CAUTION
Persons should ride in their seats properly wearing
their seat belts whenever the vehicle is moving.
Otherwise, they are much more likely to suffer serious
bodily injury or death in the event of sudden braking or
a collision.
When using the seat belts, observe the following:
Use the belt for only one person at a time. Do not use
a single belt for two or more people ± even children.
 Avoid reclining the seatbacks too much. The seat
belts provide maximum protection when the
seatbacks are in the upright position. (See
ªAdjusting seatback angleº on page 122.)
 Be careful not to damage the belt webbing or
hardware. Take care that they do not get caught or
pinched in the seat or doors.
 Inspect the belt system periodically. Check for cuts,
fraying, and loose parts. Damaged parts should be
replaced. Do not disassemble or modify the system.
 Keep the belts clean and dry. If they need cleaning,
use a mild soap solution or lukewarm water. Never
use bleach, dye, or abrasive cleaners ± they may
severely weaken the belts. (See ªCleaning the
interiorº on page 482 for instructions.)

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
139
Replace the belt assembly (including bolts) if it
has been used in a severe impact. The entire
assembly should be replaced even if damage is
not obvious.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
140
Fastening front and rear seat belts
16E014a
Adjust the seat as needed and sit up straight and
well back in the seat. To fasten your belt, pull it out
of the retractor and insert the tab into the buckle.
You will hear a click when the tab locks into the buckle.
The seat belt length automatically adjusts to your size
and the seat position.
The retractor will lock the belt during a sudden stop or on
impact. It also may lock if you lean forward too quickly.
A slow, easy motion will allow the belt to extend, and you
can move around freely.When a passenger's shoulder belt is completely
extended and is then retracted even slightly, the belt is
locked in that position and cannot be extended. This
feature is used to hold the child restraint system
securely.
(For details, see ªChild restraintº on page 175.)
To free the belt again, fully retract the belt and then pull
the belt out once more.
If the seat belt cannot be pulled out of the retractor, firmly
pull the belt and release it. You will then be able to
smoothly pull the belt out of the retractor.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
141
CAUTION
After inserting the tab, make sure the tab and buckle
are locked and that the belt 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 Lexus dealer. Do not use
the seat until the seat belt is fixed. It cannot protect
an adult occupant or your child from injury.
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