2004 TOYOTA PRIUS roof

71
In response to a severe side impact, the
SRS side airbags and curtain shield air-
bags work with the seat belts to help
reduce injury by inflating. The SRS side
airbags help reduce injuries mainly to the
driver ’s or front passenger ’s chest and the
SRS curtain shield airbags help reduce
injuries mainly to the driver’s front pas-
senger ’s or rear outside passenger ’s head.
The SRS side airbag and curtain shield
airbag on the passenger side are activated
even with no passenger in the front seat
or rear seat.
The SRS curtain shield airbags may acti-
vate even when the side airbags are not
activated.
Always wear your seat belt properly.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module, which will
record the use of the seat belt restraint
system by the driver and passenger when
the SRS side airbags and curtain shield
airbags are inflated.CAUTION
The SRS side airbag and curtain
shield airbag system is designed
only as a supplement to the prima-
ry protection of the driver, front
passenger and rear outside passen-
ger seat belt systems. 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 prop-
erly 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 56.
Do not allow anyone to lean his/her
head or any part of his/her body
against the door or the area of the
seat, front pillar, rear pillar or roof
side rail from which the SRS side
airbag and curtain shield airbag
deploy even if he/she is a child
seated in the child restraint system.
It is dangerous if the SRS side air-
bag and curtain shield airbag in-
flate, and the impact of the deploy-
ing airbag could cause death or se-
rious injury to the occupant.
Improperly seated and/or restrained
infants and children can be killed
or seriously injured by the deploy-
ing 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 seats of the vehicle and prop-
erly restrained. The rear seats are
the safest for infants and children.
For instructions concerning the
installation of a child restraint sys-
tem, see “Child restraint” on page
78.

73
The SRS side airbag and curtain shield
airbag system is controlled by the airbag
sensor assembly. The airbag sensor as-
sembly consists of a safing sensor and
airbag sensor.
In a severe side impact, the side and
curtain shield airbag sensor and/or the
curtain shield airbag sensor trigger(s) the
side airbag inflators and/or the curtain
shield airbag inflators. At this time a
chemical reaction in the inflators quickly
fills the airbags with non −toxic gas to help
restrain the lateral motion of the occu-
pants.
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 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 imme-
diately. Deployment of the airbags happen 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.
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 in-
flate, the driver, front passenger and
rear outside passengers must:
Wear their seat belts properly.
Remain properly seated with their
backs upright and against the seats
at all times.
22p028c
Do not allow anyone to lean against
the door when the vehicle is in use,
since the side airbag and curtain
shield airbag could inflate with con-
siderable speed and force. Other-
wise, he/she may be killed or seri-
ously 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 even-
ly in the seat. Do not apply exces-
sive weight to the outer side of the
seats with a side airbag, and to the
front pillar, rear pillar and roof side
rail with a curtain shield airbag.

75
22p029d
Do not attach a cup holder or any
other device or object on or around
the door. When the side airbag in-
flates, 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.
22p221
Do not attach a microphone or any
other device or object around the
area where the curtain shield airbag
activates such as on the windshield
glass, side door glass, front and
rear pillars, roof side rail and assist
grips. When the curtain shield air-
bag inflates, the microphone or oth-
er device or object will be thrown
away with great force or the curtain
shield airbag may not activate cor-
rectly, resulting in death or serious
injury.
Do not hook a hanger, heavy or
sharp pointed objects on the coat
hook. If the curtain shield airbag
inflates, those items will be thrown
away with great force or the curtain
shield airbag may not activate cor-
rectly, resulting in death or serious
injury. When you hang clothes,
hang them on the coat hook direct-
ly.
Do not use seat accessories which
cover the parts where the side air-
bags inflate. Such accessories may
prevent the side airbags from acti-
vating 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 activat-
ing correctly, disable the system or
cause the side airbags to inflate ac-
cidentally, resulting in death or seri-
ous injury.

76
Do not disassemble or repair the
front and rear pillars and roof side
rails containing the curtain shield
airbags. Such changes may disable
the system or cause the curtain
shield airbags to inflate accidental-
ly, resulting in death or serious in-
jury.
Failure to follow these instructions
can result in death or serious injury.
Consult your Toyota dealer about any
repair and modification.NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following
changes without consulting your
Toyota dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the
SRS side airbag and curtain shield
airbag system in some cases.
 Installation of electronic devices
such as a mobile twoway radio,
cassette tape player or compact
disc player
 Modification of the suspension sys-
tem
 Modification of the side structure of
the passenger compartment
 Repairs made on or near the con-
sole or front seat
22p010a
This indicator comes on when the “IG
ON” mode is enabled. 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 air-
bag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, side and curtain shield airbag sen-
sors, curtain shield airbag sensors,
driver ’s seat position sensor, driver ’s seat
belt buckle switch, front passenger ’s seat
belt buckle switch, seat belt pretensioner
assemblies, warning light, interconnecting
wiring and power sources. (For details,
see “Service reminder indicators and
warning buzzers” on page 117.)

77
If any of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction of the airbags
or seat belt pretensioners. Contact your
Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
When the “IG−ON” mode is enabled,
the light does not come on or remains
on for more than 6 seconds.
The light comes on while driving.
22p030f
In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible:
Any of the SRS side airbags and cur-
tain shield airbags have been inflated.
The portion of the doors (shaded in the
illustration) were involved in an acci-
dent that was not severe enough to
cause the SRS side airbags and cur-
tain shield airbags to inflate.
The surface of the seats with the side
airbag (shaded in the illustration) is
scratched, cracked, or otherwise dam-
aged.
The portion of the front pillars, rear
pillars or roof side rail garnishes (pad-
ding) containing the curtain shield air-
bags inside (shaded in the illustration)
is scratched, cracked, or otherwise
damaged.
NOTICE
Do not disconnect the battery cables
before contacting your Toyota dealer.

78
Toyota strongly urges the use of ap-
propriate 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 SAEJ1819.
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 56 for details.
CAUTION
For effective protection in automo-
bile accidents and sudden stops, a
child must be properly restrained,
using a seat belt or child restraint
system depending on the age and
size of the child. Holding a child in
your arms is not a substitute for a
child restraint system. In an acci-
dent, the child can be crushed
against the windshield, or between
you and the vehicle’s interior.
Toyota strongly urges use of a
proper child restraint system which
conforms to the size of the child,
installed on the rear seat. Accord-
ing to accident statistics, the child
is safer when properly restrained in
the rear seat than in the front seat.
Never install a rearfacing child re-
straint system on the front passen-
ger seat. In the event of an acci-
dent, the force of the rapid inflation
of the front passenger airbag can
cause death or serious injury to the
child if the rearfacing child re-
straint system is installed on the
front passenger 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 front pas-
senger 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
airbag and curtain shield airbag in-
flate, and the impact could cause
death or serious injury to the child.
Child restraint—
—Child restraint precautions

84
22p043b
CAUTION
Never install a rearfacing child re-
straint system on the front passen-
ger seat. In the event of and acci-
dent, the force of the rapid inflation
of the front passenger airbag can
cause death or serious injury to the
child if the rearfacing child re-
straint system is installed on the
front passenger seat.
22p044a
Move seat
fully back
A forwardfacing child restraint sys-
tem 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 pas-
senger 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
airbag and curtain shield airbag in-
flate, and the impact could cause
death or serious injury to the child.

88
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
airbag and curtain shield airbag in-
flate, and the impact could cause
death or serious injury to the child.
22p053b
1. Sit the child on a booster seat. Runthe lap and shoulder belt through or
around the booster seat and across the
child following the instructions provided
by its manufacturer and insert the tab
into the buckle taking care not to twist
the belt.
Make sure the shoulder belt is correctly
across the child’s shoulder and that the
lap belt is positioned as low as possible
on the child’s hips. See “Seat belts” on
page 56 for details.
CAUTION
Always make sure the shoulder belt
is positioned across the center of
child’s shoulder. The belt should be
kept away from child’s neck, but
not falling off child’s s houlder.
Otherwise, the child may be killed
or seriously injured in case of sud-
den braking or a collision.
Both highpositioned lap belts and
loosefitting belts could cause
death or serious injuries due to
sliding under the lap belt during a
collision or other unintended event.
Keep the lap belt positioned as low
on a child’s hips as possible.
For child’s safety, do not place the
shoulder belt under child’s arm.
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.