2005 Lexus ES330 PAGE 64

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120
SRS DRIVER AIRBAG AND FRONTPASSENGER AIRBAG
The SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) front airbags
are designed to provide 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 hitting
the vehicle interior. The SRS front passenger airbag will not activate if there is no
passenger sitting in the front passenger seat. However, the
front
passenger airbag may deploy if luggage is put in the seat,
or the seat belt is buckled up, regardless of the presence of an
occupant in the seat. (As for the front passenger occupant
classification system, see “Front passenger occupant
classification system” on page 140.)
Always wear your seat belt properly.

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CAUTION
The SRS front airbag system is designed only as a
supplement to the primary protection of the driver
and front passenger seat belt systems. The driver
and front passenger 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 forward 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 108.
 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 145.
The SRS front airbags are designed to deploy in severe
(usually frontal) collisions where the magnitude and
duration of the forward deceleration of the vehicle
exceeds the designed threshold level.
The SRS front airbags will deploy if the severity of the impact
is above the designed threshold level, comparable to an
approximate 25 km/h (15 mph) collision when the vehicle has
the impact straight into a fixed barrier that does not move or
deform.
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 the vehicle is
involved in an underride collision (e.g. a collision in which the
front of the vehicle “underrides”, or goes under, the bed of a
truck, etc.).

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Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel hub, airbag cover
and inflator) may be hot for several minutes after deployment,
so do not touch! The airbags inflate only once. The windshield
may be damaged by absorbing some of the force of the
inflating airbag.
CAUTION
The driver or front passenger who is too close to the
steering wheel or dashboard during airbag deployment
can be killed or seriously injured. Lexus strongly
recommends that:

The driver sit as far back as possible from the
steering wheel while still maintaining control of the
vehicle.
 The front passenger sit as far back as possible from
the dashboard.
All vehicle occupants be properly restrained using
the available seat belts.
 If the seat belt extender has been connected to the
driver’s seat belt buckle without wearing the seat belt
when using the extender in the driver’s seat, the SRS
driver’s airbag system will judge that the driver wears
the seat belt even if not wearing it. In this case, the
driver’s airbag may not activate correctly, causing
death or serious injury in the event of collision. Be
sure to wear the seat belt with the seat belt extender.
For instructions and precautions concerning the
seating position, see “Front seat precautions” on page
102.

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126
Do not sit on the edge of the seat or lean over the
dashboard when the vehicle is in use, since the front
passenger airbag could inflates with considerable
speed and force. Anyone who is up against, or very
close to, an airbag when it inflates, can be killed or
seriously injured. Sit up straight and well back in the
seat, and always use your seat belt properly. Lexus strongly recommends that all infants and
children be placed in the rear seat of the vehicle and
be properly restrained.
 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 145.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
128
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following changes without
consulting your Lexus dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the SRS front airbag
system in some cases.
Installation of electronic devices such as a mobile
twoway radio, cassette tape player or CD player
 Modification of the suspension system
 Modification of the front end structure
 Attachment of a grille guard (bull bar, kangaroo bar,
etc.), snowplow, winches or any other equipment to
the front end
 Repairs made on or near the front fenders, front end
structure, console, steering column, steering wheel
or dashboard near the front passenger airbag
The indicator comes on when the ignition key is turned to
the “ON” position. It goes off after about 6 seconds. This
means the SRS front airbags are operating properly.
This warning light system monitors the airbag sensor
assembly, front airbag sensors, side and curtain shield airbag
sensor assemblies, curtain shield airbag sensor assemblies,
driver’s seat position sensor, driver’s seat belt buckle switch,
front passenger occupant classification system, “AIRBAG
OFF” indicator light, “AIRBAG ON” indicator light, front
passenger’s seat belt buckle switch, seat belt pretensioner
assemblies, inflators, warning light, interconnecting wiring and
power sources. (For details, see “Service reminder indicators
and warning buzzers” on page 57 for instructions.)

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The side airbag on the passenger seat will not activate if there
is no passenger sitting in the front passenger seat. However,
the side airbag on the passenger seat may deploy if luggage
is put in the seat, or the seat belt is buckled up regardless of
the presence of the occupant in the seat. (As for the front
passenger occupant classification system, see “Front
passenger occupant classification system” on page 140.)
The SRS curtain shield airbag
on the passenger side are
activated even with no passenger in the front seat or rear
outboard seat.
The SRS curtain shield airbags may activate even when the
side airbags are not activated.
Always wear your seat belt properly.
CAUTION
 The SRS side airbag and curtain shield airbag system
is designed only as a supplement to the primary
protection of the driver, front passenger and rear
outboard passenger 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 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 108.
 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 airbag and
curtain shield airbag inflate, and the impact of the
deploying airbags could cause death or serious
injury to the occupant.

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132
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 seats of the vehicle and properly
restrained. The rear seats are the safest for infants
and children. For instructions concerning the
installation of a child restraint system, see “Child
restraint” on page 145.
1Collision from the side to the vehicle body other
than the passenger compartment
2Collision from the side at an angle
The SRS side airbag and curtain shield airbag system may
not activate if the vehicle is subjected to a collision from
the side at certain angles, or a collision to the side of the
vehicle body other than the passenger compartment as
shown in the illustration.
The SRS side airbags and curtain shield airbags are designed
to inflate when the passenger compartment are suffers a
severe impact from the side.
Always wear your seat belts properly.

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NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following changes without
consulting your Lexus 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 CD player
 Modification of the suspension system
 Modification of the structure of the passenger
compartment
 Repairs made on or near the console or front seat
The indicator comes on when the ignition key is turned to
the “ON” position. It goes off after about 6 seconds. This
means the SRS side airbags and curtain shield airbags are
operating properly.
This warning light system monitors the airbag sensor
assembly, front airbag sensors, side and curtain shield airbag
sensor assemblies, curtain shield airbag sensor assemblies,
driver’s seat position sensor, driver’s seat belt buckle switch,
front passenger occupant classification system, “AIRBAG
OFF” indicator light, “AIRBAG ON” indicator light, front
passenger’s seat belt buckle switch, seat belt pretensioner
assemblies, inflators, warning light, interconnecting wiring and
power sources. (For details, see “Service reminder indicators
and warning buzzers” on page 57 for instructions.)