2001 TOYOTA ECHO Owners Manual (in English)

2001MY ECHO (U) L/O0008
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SU13113
The front seat belt pretensioner system
mainly consists of the following compo-
nents and their locations are shown in the
illustration.1. Front airbag sensors
2. SRS warning light
3. Airbag sensor assembly
4. Front seat belt pretensioner assemblies
The front seat belt pretensioners are con-
trolled by the airbag sensor assembly. The
airbag sensor assembly consists of a saf-
ing sensor and airbag sensor. When the front seat belt pretensioners are
activated, an operating noise may be
heard and a small amount of smoke±like
gas may be released. This gas is harm-
less and does not indicate that a fire is
occurring.
Once the front seat belt pretensioners
have been activated, the seat belt retrac-
tors remain locked.
CAUTION
Do not modify, remove, strike or open
the front seat belt pretensioner as-
semblies, airbag sensor or surround-
ing area or wiring. Doing any of
these may cause sudden operation of
the front seat belt pretensioners or
disable the system, which could re-
sult 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 yourToyota dealer. Such changes caninterfere with proper operation of the
front seat belt pretensioners in somecases.
Installation of electronic devices
such as a mobile two±way radio,cassette tape player or compactdisc player
Repairs on or near the front seatbelt retractor assemblies
Modification of the suspension sys-tem
Modification of the front end struc-ture
Attachment of a grille guard (bullbar, kangaroo bar, etc.), snowplow,winches or any other equipment tothe front end
Repairs made on or near the front
fenders, front end structure or con-sole

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This front 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 ªONº posi-
tion, or the light remains on.

The light comes on or flashes while
driving.

If either front seat belt does not retract
or can not be pulled out due to a
malfunction or activation of the relevant
front seat belt pretensioner.
SU13019
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 front seat belt pretensioners
to operate.

Either front seat belt pretensioner as-
sembly or surrounding area is
scratched, cracked, or otherwise dam-
aged.
SY13024
The SRS (Supplemental Restraint Sys-
tem) front airbags are designed to pro-
vide further protection for the driver
and front passenger in addition to the
primary safety protection provided by
the seat belts.
In response to a severe frontal impact,
the SRS front airbags work together with
the seat belts to help reduce injury by
inflating. The SRS front airbags help to
reduce injuries mainly to the driver 's or
front passenger 's head or chest caused by
directly hitting the steering wheel or dash-
board. The front passenger airbag is acti-
vated even with no passenger in the front
seat.
Be sure to wear your seat belt properly.
SRS driver and front
passenger airbags

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CAUTION
A driver or front passenger too close
to the steering wheel or dashboard
during 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 front passenger sit as far back
as possible from the dashboard.

All vehicle occupants be properly
restrained using the available seat
belts.
SU13118
This indicator comes on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the ªONº position.
It goes off after about 6 seconds. This
means the SRS front airbags are oper-
ating properly.
This warning light system monitors the
airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, side airbag sensors, door side air-
bag sensors, front seat belt pretensioner
assemblies, inflators, warning light, inter-
connecting wiring and power sources. (For
details, see ªService reminder indicators
and warning buzzersº on page 80 in Sec-
tion 1±5.)
SU13021
The SRS front airbag system is de-
signed to activate in response to a se-
vere frontal impact within the shaded
area between the arrows in the illustra-
tion.
The SRS front airbags will deploy if the
severity of the impact is above the de-
signed threshold level, comparable to an
approximate 25 km/h (15 mph) collision in
the U.S.A. and 30 km/h (18 mph) collision
in Canada when impacting straight into a
fixed barrier that does not move or de-
form.
If the severity of the impact is below the
above threshold level, the SRS front air-
bags may not deploy.

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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 ªunderridesº, 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 the SRS airbags and seat belt
pretensioners will not operate all together.
For the safety of all occupants, always
wear your seat belts properly.
SU13114
Collision from the sideVehicle rollover
Collision from the rear
The SRS front 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.
SU13119
Hitting a curb,
edge of pavement
or hard material
Falling into or
jumping over a
deep hole
Landing hard or vehicle falling
The SRS front airbags may deploy if a
serious impact occurs to the underside
of your vehicle. Some examples are
shown in the illustration.

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The SRS airbag system consists mainly of
the following components, and their loca-
tions are shown in the illustration.1. Front airbag sensors
2. SRS warning light
3. Airbag module for driver (airbag and inflator)
4. Airbag module for front passenger (air- bag and inflator)
5. Airbag sensor assembly
The airbag sensor assembly consists of a
safing sensor and airbag sensor. In a severe frontal impact, the sensors
detect deceleration and the system trig-
gers the airbag inflators. Then a chemical
reaction in the inflators quickly fills the
airbags 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
and residue along with non±toxic gas. This
does not indicate a fire. This gas is nor-
mally harmless; however, for those who
have delicate skin, it may cause a minor
skin irritation. Be sure to wash off any
residue as soon as possible to prevent
any potential skin irritation.
Deployment of the airbags happens in a
fraction of a second, so the airbags must
inflate with considerable force. While the
system is desi
gned to reduce serious inju-
ries, it may also cause minor burns or
abrasions and swelling.
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.

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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 the
inflating airbags if they do not wear
the available seat belts properly.
During sudden braking just before
a collision, an unrestrained driver
or front passenger can move for-
ward into direct contact with or
close proximity to the airbag which
may then deploy during the colli-
sion. To ensure maximum protection
in an accident, the driver and all
passengers in the vehicle must
wear their seat belts properly. Wear-
ing a seat belt properly during an
accident reduces the chances of
death or serious injury or being
thrown out of the vehicle. For
instructions and precautions con-
cerning the seat belt system, see
ªSeat beltsº in this section.

Improperly seated and/or restrained
infants and children can be killed
or seriously injured by the deploy-
ing front airbags. 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 in-
fants and children be placed in the
rear seat of the vehicle and proper-
ly restrained. The rear seat is the
safest for infants and children. For
instructions concerning the installa-
tion of a child restraint system, see
ªChild restraintº in this section.
SU13120

Never put a rear±facing child re-
straint system on the front passen-
ger seat because the force of the
rapid inflation of the front passen-
ger airbag can cause death or seri-
ous injury to the child.

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Move seat
fully back

A forward±facing child restraint sys-
tem should be allowed to be put on
the front passenger seat only when
it is unavoidable. Always move the
seat as far back as possible, be-
cause the force of the deploying
front passenger 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 dan-
gerous if the side airbag inflates,
and the impact could cause death
or serious injury to the child.

For instructions concerning the
installation of a child restraint sys-
tem, see ªChild restraintº in this
section.
SY13031

Do not sit on the edge of the seat
or lean over the dashboard when
the vehicle is in use. The front air-
bags inflate with considerable
speed and force; you may be killed
or seriously injured. Sit up straight
and well back in the seat, and al-
ways use your seat belt properly.

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Do not allow a child to stand up,
or to kneel on the front passenger
seat. The front airbag inflates with
considerable speed and force; the
child may be killed or seriously in-
jured.

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 ªChild
restraintº on page 51 in this sec-
tion.
SY13033

Do not put objects or your pets on
or in front of the dashboard or
steering wheel pad that houses the
front airbag system. They might re-
strict inflation or cause death or
serious injury as they are projected
rearward by the force of deploying
airbags. Likewise, the driver and
front passenger should not hold
things in their arms or on their
knees.

Do not modify or remove any wir-
ing. Do not modify, remove, strike
or open any components such as
the steering wheel pad, steering
wheel, column cover or front pas-
senger airbag cover, front passen-
ger airbag or airbag sensor assem-
bly. Doing any of these may cause
sudden SRS front airbag inflation or
disable the system, which could re-
sult in death or serious injury.
Failure to follow these instructions
can result in death or serious injury.