2005 Lexus ES330 airbag

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
103
If your steering wheel is adjustable, tilt it downward.
This points the airbag toward your chest instead of
your head and neck.
The seat should be adjusted as recommended by
NHTSA above, while still maintaining control of the foot
pedals, steering wheel, and your view of the instrument
panel controls.
Front passenger seat
CAUTION
The SRS front passenger airbag also deploys with
considerable force, and can cause death or serious
injury especially if the front passenger is very close to
the airbag. The front passenger seat should be as far
from the airbag as possible with the seatback adjusted,
so the front passenger sits upright.
Front seats (with SRS side airbags)
CAUTION
The SRS side airbags are installed in the driver and front
passenger seats. Observe the following precautions.
 Do not lean against the front door when the vehicle
is in use, since the side airbag inflates with
considerable speed and force. Otherwise, you may
be killed or seriously injured.
 Do not use seat accessories which cover the area
where the side airbags 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 equipped with side airbags. Such change
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.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
108
Rear seats
To raise the head restraint, pull it up. To lower it, press the
lock release button and push the head restraint down.
The head restraint is most effective when it is close to your
head. Therefore, using a cushion on the seatback is not
recommended.
CAUTION
Adjust the center of the head restraint so that it is
closest to the top of your ears.
 After adjusting the head restraint, make sure it is
locked in position.
 Do not drive with the head restraints removed.
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.
The seat belts provided for your vehicle are designed for
people of adult size, large enough to properly wear them.
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 145 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. 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 any children 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. Also, do not let
the child sit on your lap. Holding a child in your arms does not
provide sufficient restraint.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
11 4
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.
Make sure the “AIRBAG ON” indicator light is
illuminated when using the seat belt extender for the
front passenger seat. If the “AIRBAG OFF” 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 ON” indicator light is illuminated.
If you use the seat belt extender while the “AIRBAG
OFF” 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.
 Be sure to wear the seat belt without the seat belt
extender if you can fasten the seat belt without the
extender.
 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.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
11 5
To connect the extender to the seat belt, insert the tab into
the seat belt buckle so that the “PRESS” signs on the
buckle release buttons of the extender and the seat belt
are both facing outward as shown.
You will hear a click when the tab locks into the buckle.
When releasing the seat belt, press on the buckle release
button on the extender, not on the seat belt. This helps prevent
damage to the vehicle interior and extender itself.
As far as the seat belt extender on the front passenger side is
concerned, do not fail to disconnect the extender from the seat
belt after the above operation in order to activate the front
passenger airbag correctly when getting into the vehicle next
time.
When not in use, remove the extender and store in the vehicle
for future use.
CAUTION
 After inserting the tab, make sure the tab and buckle
are locked and that the lap and shoulder portions of
the belt and the seat belt extender are 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, because it cannot
protect an adult occupant or your child from injury.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
11 6
Seat belt pretensioners
Both front seats and the two outboard rear seats are
equipped with seat belt pretensioners and are designed to
be activated in response to a severe frontal impact.
When the sensor detects a severe frontal impact, the seat belts
are quickly drawn back by the retractors so that the belts snugly
restrain the seat occupants.
The front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner will not activate
if no passenger is detected in the front passenger seat by the
front passenger occupant classification system. However, the
front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner may activate if
luggage is put on 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 page
140.) The outboard rear seat belt pretensioners are activated even
with no passenger in the outboard rear seats.
The seat belt pretensioners and SRS airbags may not operate
together in case of collisions at a certain speeds and angles.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
11 7
1Front passenger occupant classification system
(ECU and sensors)
2Front seat belt pretensioner assemblies
3Rear seat belt pretensioner assemblies
4SRS warning light
5Front passenger’s seat belt buckle switch
6Front airbag sensors
7Airbag sensor assembly
The seat belt pretensioner system consists mainly of the above
components, and their locations are shown in the illustration.
The seat belt pretensioners are controlled by the airbag sensor
assembly. The airbag sensor assembly consists of a safing
sensor and airbag sensor.
When the seat belt pretensioners are activated, an operating
noise may be heard and a small amount of non− toxic gas may
be released. This does not indicate that a fire is occurring. This
gas is normally harmless.
Once the seat belt pretensioners have been activated, the seat
belt retractors remain locked.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
11 8
CAUTION
Do not modify, remove, strike or open the seat belt
pretensioner assemblies, airbag sensor or surrounding
area or wiring. Failure to follow these instruction may
prevent the seat belt pretensioners from activating
correctly, cause sudden operation of the system or
disable the system, which could result in death or
serious injury. Consult your Lexus dealer about any
repairs and modifications.
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following changes without
consulting your Lexus dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the seat belt
pretensioners in some cases.
 Installation of electronic devices such as a mobile
twoway radio, cassette tape player or CD player
 Repairs on or near the seat belt retractor assemblies
 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
 Repair made on or near the front fenders, front end
structure or console
This indicator comes on when the ignition key is turned to
the “ON” position. It goes off after about 6 seconds. This
means the seat belt pretensioners 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.)

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
11 9
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.
 The light does not come on when the ignition key is turned
to the “ON” position or remains on for more than 6 seconds.
 The light comes on while driving.
 If any seat belt does not retract or cannot be pulled out due
to a malfunction or activation of the relevant seat belt
pretensioner.
 The seat belt pretensioner assembly or surrounding area
has bees damaged.
In the following cases, contact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible:
The front of the vehicle (shaded in the illustration) was
involved in an accident that was not severe enough to cause
the seat belt pretensioners to operate.
 The seat belt pretensioner assembly or surrounding area is
scratched, cracked, or otherwise damaged.