2004 Lexus IS300 airbag

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
136When 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 smoke may remain inside the
vehicle for some time, and may cause some minor irritation to
the eyes, skin or breathing. Be sure to wash off any residue as
soon as possible to prevent any potential skin irritation with
soap and water. If you can safely exit from the vehicle, you
should do so immediately.
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 abrasions and swelling.
Front seats as well as parts of the front and rear pillars, and roof
side rail may be hot for several minutes, but the airbags
themselves will not be hot. The airbags are designed to inflate
only once.
CAUTION
SRS side airbags and curtain shield airbags inflate with
considerable force. To reduce the possibility of death
or serious injury when they inflate, the driver and front
passenger must:
 Wear their seat belts properly.
 Remain properly seated with their backs upright and
against the seats at all times.
SV16025
Do not allow anyone lean against the front door when
the vehicle is in use. When the side and curtain
shield airbag could inflate with considerable speed
and force. Otherwise, he/she may be killed or
seriously injured. Special care should be taken
especially when you have a small child in the vehicle.
 Sit up straight and well back in the seat, distributing
your weight evenly in the seat. Do not apply
excessive weight to the outer side of the seats with a
side airbag, and to the front pillar, side pillar and roof
side rail with a curtain shield airbag.
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OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
137
SV16124
Do not allow anyone to get his/her head closer to the
area where the side airbag and curtain shield airbag
inflate, since these airbags could inflate with
considerable speed and force. Otherwise, he/she
may be killed or seriously injured. Special care
should be taken especially when you have a small
child in the vehicle.
 Do not allow anyone to kneel on the passenger seat,
facing the passenger's side door, since the side
airbag and curtain shield airbag could inflate with
considerable speed and force. Otherwise, he/she
may be killed or seriously injured. Special care
should be taken especially when you have a small
child in the vehicle.
SV16175
Do not attach a cup holder or any other device or
object on or around the door. When the side airbag
inflates, the cup holder or any other device or object
will be thrown with great force, or the side airbag may
not activate correctly, resulting in death or serious
injury. Likewise, the driver and front passenger
should not hold objects in their arms or on their
knees.
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OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
138
SV16150
Do not attach a microphone or any other device or
object around the area where the curtain shield air-
bag activates such as on the windshield glass, side
door glass, front and side pillars, roof side rail and
assist grips. When the curtain shield airbag inflates,
the microphone or other device or object will be
thrown away with great force or the curtain shield
airbag may not activate correctly, resulting in death
or serious injury.
Do not use seat accessories which cover the parts
where the side air bags inflate. Such accessories may
prevent the side airbags from activating correctly,
causing death or serious injury.
 Do not modify or replace the seats or upholstery of
the seats with side airbags. Such changes may
prevent the side airbag system from activating
correctly, disable the system or cause the side
airbags to inflate accidentally, resulting in death or
serious injury.
 Do not disassemble or repair the front and side pillars
and roof side rails containing the curtain shield
airbags. Such changes may disable the system or
cause the curtain shield airbags to inflate
accidentally, resulting in death or serious injury.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death
or serious injury. Consult your Lexus dealer about any
repair and modification.
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139
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following changes withoutconsulting your Lexus dealer. Such changes caninterfere with proper operation of the SRS side airbagand curtain shield airbag system in some cases.
Installation of electronic devices such as a mobiletwo-way radio, cassette tape player or compact disc
player.
Modification of the suspension system.
Modification of the side structure of the passenger compartment.
Repairs made on or near the console or front seat.
SV16061
The indicator comes on when the ignition switch is turned
to the ºACCº or ºONº position. It goes off after about 6
seconds. This means the SRS side airbags and curtain
shield airbags are operating properly.
The warning light system monitors the airbag sensor
assembly, front airbag sensors, side and curtain shield airbag
sensors, seat belt pretensioner assemblies, inflators, warning
light, interconnecting wiring and power sources. (For details,
see ºService reminder indicators and warning buzzersº on
page 48.)
If any of the following conditions occurs, this indicates a
malfunction of the airbags or seat belt pretensioners. Contact
your Lexus dealer as soon as possible.
 When the ignition key is turned to the ºACCº or ºONº
position, the light does not come on, remains on or flashes.
 The light comes on or starts flashing while driving.
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OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
140If the light stays on, it indicates that the front airbags have a
problem. If the light flashes, the side and curtain shield airbags
have a problem.
SV16182a
In the following cases, contact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible:

Any of the SRS side airbags and curtain shield airbags have
been inflated.
 The portion of the doors (shaded in the illustration) was
involved in an accident that was not severe enough to cause the SRS side airbags and curtain shield airbags to inflate.
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OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
141

The surface of the seats with the side airbag (shaded in the
illustration) is scratched, cracked, or otherwise damaged.
 The portion of the front pillars, side pillars or roof side rail
garnishes (padding) containing the curtain shield airbags
inside (shaded in the illustration) is scratched, cracked, or otherwise damaged.
NOTICE
Do not disconnect the battery cables before contactingyour Lexus dealer.
CHILD RESTRAINT
Child restraint precautions
Lexus strongly urges the use of appropriate child
restraint systems for children.
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 ºSeat beltsº on page 110 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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OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
142
Never install a rear-facing child restraint system on
the front passenger seat. 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, 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 side pillar or roof side rail from
which the side airbags or curtains 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.
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145
INSTALLATION WITH 3-POINT TYPE SEAT BELT
(A) Infant seat installation
SV16029
An infant seat must be used in rear-facing position only.
SV16023
CAUTION
Never install a rear-facing child restraint system on the
front passenger seat. 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.
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