2004 Lexus ES330 light

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
152
FRONT PASSENGER OCCUPANT
CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with a front passenger occupant
classification system. This system detects the conditions
1 Ð 4 in the table shown below, and based on these
conditions activates or deactivates the airbags. The
system monitors the weight and load on the front
passenger seat, and the seat belt buckle switch in
determining conditions correctly, do not do any of the
following.
Put a heavy load in the seatback pocket.
Attach a seatback table to the front passenger seat
seatback of the front passenger seat.
Put weight on the front passenger by putting your hands or
feet on the front passenger seat seatback from the rear
passenger seat.
The AIRBAG OFFº indicator light will be illuminated
when the ignition switch is in the ONº position and a child
restraint system is in the front passenger seat (see
table-condition 2). This indicates that in the event of a
severe frontal or passenger's side impact, the front
passenger airbag and side airbag on the front passenger
seat are deactivated and will not deploy.
If an adult sits in the front passenger seat, the AIRBAG OFFº
indicator light may also be illuminated if the following occurs.
A rear passenger lifts the front passenger seat cushion with
their legs.
Objects are placed under the front passenger seat.
The front passenger seat seatback is in contact with the rear
seat.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
153 To ensure the system correctly detects an adult sitting in the
front passenger seat, make sure the above do not occur.
Make sure the AIRBAG ONº indicator light is illuminated when
an adult is seated in the front passenger seat. If the AIRBAG
OFFº indicator light is illuminated, ask the passenger to sit up
straight, well back in the seat, and with the seat belt worn
correctly. If the AIRBAG OFFº indicator light still remains
illuminated, either ask the passenger to move to the rear seat,
or if that is not possible, move the front passenger seat fully
rearward.
The AIRBAG OFFº and AIRBAG ONº indicator lights will
be initially illuminated when the ignition switch is turned
to the ONº position. It will remain for about four seconds
and then go off. After the two seconds, the front
passenger occupant classification system operates and
judges which indicator light to turn on.
The SRS warning light and AIRBAG OFFº indicator light
will be illuminated if there is a malfunction in the front
passenger occupant classification system.

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154
Condition and operation in the front passenger occupant classification system
Indicator/warning lightDevices
Condition detected
by the front
passenger occupant
classification systemAIRBAG
OFFº and
AIRBAG
ONº
indicator
lights
SRS
warning light
Front
passenger's
seat belt
reminder
light
Front
passenger
airbagSide airbag
on the front
passenger
seatCurtain
shield airbag
in the front
passenger
sideFront
passenger's
seat belt
pretensioner
1Adult*1AIRBAG
ONºOFFFlashing*4Activated
2Child *2 or child
restraint system*3AIRBAG
OFFºOFFFlashing*4DeactivatedActivated
3UnoccupiedNot
illuminatedOFFOFFDeactivatedActivatedDeactivated
4There is a
malfunction in the
systemAIRBAG
OFFºONOFFDeactivatedActivated
*1: The system judges a person of adult size as an adult. When a smaller adult sits in the front passenger seat, the system may
recognize him/her as a child depending on his/her physique and posture.
*
2: When a larger child who has outgrown a child restraint system sits in the front passenger seat, the system may recognize him/her
as an adult depending on his/her physique or posture.
*
3: Never install a rear-facing child restraint system on the front passenger seat. A forward-facing child restraint system should
only be installed on the front passenger seat when it is unavoidable. (See Child restraint systemº on page 158 as for installing
the child restraint system.)
*
4: In the event the front passenger does not wear a seat belt.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
155
CAUTION
To avoid potential death or serious injury when the front
passenger occupant classification system does not
detect the conditions correctly, observe the following.
Wear the seat belt properly.
Make sure the front passenger's seat belt tab has not
been left inserted into the buckle before someone
sits in the front passenger seat.
Make sure the AIRBAG ONº indicator light is
illuminated when using the seat belt extender for the
front passenger seat. If the AIRBAG OFFº indicator
light is illuminated, disconnect the extender tongue
from the seat belt buckle, then reconnect the seat
belt. Reconnect the seat belt extender after making
sure the AIRBAG ONº indicator light is illuminated.
If you use the seat belt extender while the indicator
light is illuminated, the front passenger airbag and
side airbag on the front passenger side may not
activate correctly, which could cause death or
serious injury in the event of collision.
Do not put a heavy load in the front passenger
seatback pocket or attach a seatback table to the
front passenger seat seatback.
Do not put weight on the front passenger seat by
putting your hands or feet on the front passenger
seat seatback from the rear passenger seat.
Do not let a rear passenger lift the front passenger
seat cushion with his/her leg.
Do not put objects under the front passenger seat.
Do not recline the front passenger seat seatback so
far that it touches a rear seat. This may cause the
AIRBAG OFFº indicator light to be illuminated,
which indicates that the passenger's airbags will not
deploy in the event of a severe accident. If the
seatback touches the rear seat, return the seatback
to a position where it does not touch the rear seat.
Keep the front passenger seatback as upright as
possible when the vehicle is moving. Reclining the
seatback excessively may lessen the effectiveness
of the seat belt system.
If an adult sits in the front passenger seat, the
AIRBAG ONº indicator light should be illuminated.
If the AIRBAG OFFº indicator light is illuminated,
ask the passenger to sit up straight, well back in the
seat, feet on the floor, and with the seat belt worn
correctly. If the AIRBAG OFFº indicator light still
remains illuminated, either ask the passenger to
move to the rear seat, or if that is not possible, move
the front passenger seat fully rearward.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
156
When it is unavoidable to install the forward-facing
child restraint system on the front passenger seat,
install the child restraint system on the front
passenger seat in the proper order. (As for the
installation order, see Child restraint systemº on
page 158.)
Do not remove the seat.
Do not kick the front passenger seat or subject it to
severe impact. Otherwise, the SRS warning light may
come on to indicate a malfunction of the detection
system. In this case, contact your Lexus dealer
immediately.
In addition to the precautions outlined above, the AIRBAG
ONº indicator light may be illuminated when a child sits in the
front passenger seat or a forward-facing child restraint system
is installed on the front passenger seat. If the AIRBAG OFFº
indicator light is not illuminated in these circumstances, the
front passenger airbag and side airbag on the front passenger
side are in activated condition Ð the airbags will deploy if an
impact meets the deployment criteria. Refer to all the cautions
in this Section and Child restraintº on page 156.
CHILD RESTRAINT
Child restraint precautions
Lexus strongly urges the use of appropriate child restraint
systems for children.
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 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 beltsº on page 112 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 of the child. 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.
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.

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157
Never install a rear-facing child restraint system on
the front passenger seat even if the AIRBAG OFFº
indicator light is illuminated. In the event of an
accident, the force of the rapid inflation of the front
passenger airbag can cause death or serious injury
to the child if the rear-facing child restraint system is
installed on the front passenger seat.
A forward-facing 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 even if the AIRBAG OFFº
indicator light is illuminated, because the front
passenger airbag could inflate with considerable
speed and force. Otherwise, the child may be killed
or seriously injured.
On vehicles with side airbags and curtain shield
airbags, do not allow the child to lean his/her head or
any part of his/her body against the door or the area
of the seat, front or rear pillar or roof side rail from
which the side airbags or curtain shield airbags
deploy even if the child is seated in the child restraint
system. It is dangerous if the side airbags and curtain
shield airbags inflate, and the impact could cause
death or serious injury to the child.Do not use the seat belt extender when installing a
child restraint system on the front or rear passenger
seat. If installing a child restraint system with the
seat belt extender connected to the seat belt, the seat
belt will not securely hold the child restraint system,
which could cause death or serious injury to the child
or other passengers in the event of collision.
Make sure you have complied with all installation
instructions provided by the child restraint
manufacturer and that the system is properly
secured. If it is not secured properly, it may cause
death or serious injury to the child in the event of a
sudden stop or accident.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
160
CAUTION
Never install a rear-facing child restraint system on
the front passenger seat even if the AIRBAG OFFº
indicator light is illuminated. In the event of an
accident the force of the rapid inflation of the front
passenger airbag can cause death or serious injury
to the child if the rear-facing child restraint system is
installed on the front passenger seat.
If the driver's seat position does not allow sufficient
space for safe installation, install the child restraint
system on the rear right seat.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
161
1. Run the lap and shoulder belt through or around the infant
seat following the instructions provided by its manufacturer
and insert the tab into the buckle taking care not to twist the
belt. Keep the lap portion of the belt tight.
CAUTION
After inserting the tab, make sure the tab and buckle
are locked and that the lap and shoulder portions of
the belt are not twisted.
Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in the buckle as this
may prevent your child from properly latching the tab
and buckle.
If the seat belt does not function normally, it cannot
protect your child from death or serious injury.
Contact your Lexus dealer immediately. Do not
install the child restraint system on the seat until the
seat belt is fixed.
2. Fully extend the shoulder belt to put it in the lock mode.
When the belt is then retracted even slightly, it cannot be
extended.
To hold the infant seat securely, make sure the belt is in the lock
mode before letting the belt retract.