2002 Lexus ES300 child restraint

SECTION 1 – 6
91
INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS
Comfort adjustment
Front seats92
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
. . . . . . . . . .
Head restraints 95
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
. . . . . .
Trunk storage extension 97
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tilt steering whee l97. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
. . . .
Power adjustable pedals 98
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Outside rear view mirrors 99
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Inside rear view mirror 101
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seat belts 106
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
. . . . . . . . . .
SRS airbags 11 5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
. . . . . . .
Child restraint 131
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
. . . . . .
Driving position memory system 150
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
106
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 “Child restraint” on page 131 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 suffer 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. Injured person. Lexus recommends the use of a seat belt.
Depending on the injury,
first check with your doctor for specific
recommendations.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
“Adjusting seatback angle” on page 94.)
 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 “Cleaning the
interior” on page 346 for instructions.)

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
107
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.
Fastening front and rear seat belts
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 “Child restraint” on
page 131.) 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.
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.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
11 0
CAUTION
Always make sure the shoulder belt is positioned
across the center of the child’s shoulder. The belt
should be kept away from the child’s neck, and should
not fall off the child’s shoulder. Failure to observe these
precautions could reduce the effectiveness of the seat
belt in an accident, causing death or serious injury.
Seat belt extender
If your seat belts cannot be fastened securely because they
are not long enough, a persona lized seat belt extender is
available from your Lexus dealer free of charge.
Please contact your local Lexus dealer so that the dealer can
order the proper required length for the extender. Bring the
heaviest coat you expect to wear for proper measurement and
selection of length. Additional ordering information is available
at your Lexus dealer.
CAUTION
When using the seat belt extender, observe the
following precautions. Failure to follow these
instructions could reduce the effectiveness of the seat
belt restraint system in case of vehicle accident,
increasing the chance of personal injury.
 Never use the seat belt extender if you can fasten the
seat belt without it.
 Remember that the extender provided for you may
not be safe when used on a different vehicle, for
another person, or at a different seating position than
the one originally intended.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
123
In a severe frontal impact, the front airbag sensors detect
deceleration
and the system triggers the front airbag inflators.
In a severe side impact, the side and curtain shield airbag
sensor and/or the curtain shield airbag sensor trigger(s) the
side and curtain shield airbag inflators and/or the curtain shield
airbag inflator. At this time, a chemical reaction in the inflators
quickly fills the airbags with nontoxic gas to help restrain the
forward or lateral motion of the occupants.
When the SRS airbag operates, it produces a fairly loud noise
and release some smoke and residue along with nontoxic
gas. This does not indicate a fire. This gas is normally
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 designed to reduce serious injuries, it may also
cause minor burns or abrasions and swelling.
Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel hub, dashboard,
front seats, parts of the front and rear pillars and roof side) 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 passenger 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 primary protection of the driver
side and front and rear outside passenger side seat
belt systems. The front and rear outside 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, front passenger or
rear outside passenger can move forward or
sideways into direct contact with or close proximity
to the airbag which may then deploy during the
collision. To ensure maximum protection in an
accident, the driver and all passengers in the vehicle
must wear their seat belts properly. Wearing 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
concerning the seat belt system, see “Seat belts” on
page 106.
 Improperly seated and/or restrained infants and
children can be killed or seriously injured by the
deploying airbags. 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 “Child restraint” on page 131 .

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
124
Never install a rearfacing child restraint system on
the front passenger seat because the force of the
rapid inflation of the front passenger airbag can
cause death or serious injury to the child.Move seat fully back
A forwardfacing child restraint system should be
allowed to be installed on the front passenger seat
only when it is unavoidable. Always move the seat
as far back as possible, because the force of the
deploying front passenger airbag could cause death
or serious injury to the child.
 Do not allow the child to lean against 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 and curtain shield airbag inflate, because the
impact could cause death or serious injury to the
child.
 For instructions concerning the installation of a child
restraint system, see “Child restraint” on page 131.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
126
Do not get your head closer to the area where the side
airbag and curtain shield airbag inflate. These
airbags inflate with considerable speed and force.
Otherwise, you may be killed or seriously injured.
Special care should be taken especially when you
have a small child in the vehicle.
 Do not allow a child to kneel on the passenger seat
facing the passenger’s side door. The side airbag
and curtain shield airbag inflate with considerable
speed and force; the child may be killed or seriously
injured. Do not allow a child to stand up or to kneel on the
front passenger seat, since the front airbag inflates
with considerable speed and force. Otherwise, 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
instructions concerning the installation of a child
restraint system, see “Child restraint” on page 131.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
131
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 50 states in the U.S.A. and Canada now require
the use of 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 “Seat belts” on page 106 for details.
CAUTION
 For effective protection in automobile accidents and
sudden stops, a child must be properly restrained,
using a seat belt or child restraint system 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
system which conforms to the size of the child,
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.
 Never install a rearfacing 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 rearfacing child restraint system
is installed on the front seat.
 Unless it is unavoidable, do not install a
forwardfacing child restraint system on the front
seat.
 A forwardfacing child restraint system should be
allowed to be installed on the front passenger seat
only when it is unavoidable. Always move the seat as
far back as possible, because the force of the
deploying front passenger 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. On vehicles with side airbags and curtain
shield airbags, 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 and curtain shield airbag inflate,
because the impact could cause death or serious
injury to the child.