OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
134
1Front passenger occupant classification system
(ECU and sensors)
2Side and curtain shield airbag sensor assemblies
3Side airbag modules (airbag and inflator)
4Curtain shield airbag modules (airbag and inflater)
5Curtain shield airbag sensor assemblies
6SRS warning light
7Front passenger’s seat belt buckle switch
8“AIRBAG OFF” and “AIRBAG ON” indicator lights
9Airbag sensor assembly
The SRS side airbag and curtain shield airbag system consists
mainly of the above components, and their locations are shown
in the illustration.
The SRS side airbag and curtain shield airbag system is
controlled by the airbag sensor assembly. The airbag sensor
assembly 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 occupants. 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 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 se rious injuries, 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 inflate, the driver, front
passenger and rear outboard passengers must:
Wear their seat belts properly.
Remain properly seated with their backs upright and
against the seats at all times.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
141
The “AIRBAG OFF” indicator light will be illuminated
when the ignition switch is in the “ON” 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 the front passenger occupant classification system
determines that a person of adult size sits in the front
passenger seat but the “AIRBAG OFF” indicator light is
illuminated, one of the following is likely to have occurred:
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. 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 ON” indicator light is illuminated when
an adult is seated in the front passenger seat. If the “AIRBAG
OFF” 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 OFF” 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 OFF” and “AIRBAG ON” indicator lights will
be initially illuminated when the ignition switch is turned
to the “ON” 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.
OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
143
Condition and operation in the front passenger occupant classification s\
ystem
Condition detected by the front
passenger occupant
classification system
Indicator/warning lightDevices
“AIRBAG
OFF” and “AIRBAG ON”
indicator lights
SRS
warning light
Front
passenger’s seat belt
reminder light
Front
passenger airbagSide airbag
on the frontpassenger seatCurtain
shield airbag in the frontpassenger sideFront
passenger’s seat belt
pretensioner
1Adult*1“AIRBAG ON”OFFFlashing*4Activated
2Child *2 or child
restraint system*3“AIRBAG OFF”OFFFlashing*4Deactivated
Activated
Activated
3UnoccupiedNot
illuminatedOFFOFFDeactivatedDeactivated
4There is a
malfunction in the
system“AIRBAG OFF”ONOFFDeactivatedActivated
*1: The system judges a person of adult size as an adult. When a smaller ad\
ult 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 system” on page 147 as for installing
the child restraint system.)
*
4: In the event the front passenger does not wear a seat belt.
STEERING WHEEL AND MIRRORS
171
When you set your driving position:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Move the accelerator and brake pedals to the front most
position.
3. Adjust the seat position and steering wheel angle properly.
(See pages 105 and 170.)
4. Move the pedals toward you
until you can fully depress the
brake pedal.
5. After adjusting, depress the pedals a few times to get used
to the feel.
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accelerator pedal while the
pedals are moving. It may cause racing of the engine
or sudden acceleration.
Make sure that you can fully depress the brake pedal
before driving. Otherwise, you may not be able to
hold down the brake pedal firmly in an emergency
stop.
OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRRORS
Adjust the mirror so that you can just see the side of your
vehicle in the mirror.
Be careful when judging the size or distance of any object seen
in the outside rear view mirror on the passenger’s side
because it is a convex mirror. Any object seen in a convex
mirror will look smaller and farther away than if seen in a normal
flat mirror.
When the inside rear view mirror darkens in AUTO mode, the
outside rear view mirrors also darken to reduce the reflection
of the headlights of the following vehicle. For details, see
“Inside rear view mirror” on page 174.
STEERING WHEEL AND MIRRORS
174
INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR
Adjust the mirror so that you can just see the rear of your
vehicle in the mirror.
Pushing the “MIRROR” switch changes the mode
between AUTO and DAY.
The indicator comes on when the AUTO mode is selected.
DAY mode: The mirror surface is normal.
AUTO mode: If the mirror detects light from the headlights
of the vehicle behind you, the mirror surface darkens
slightly to reduce the reflected light.
When the inside rear view mirror surface changes, the outside
rear view mirror surfaces will also become darker.
When the ignition key is inserted and turned on, the inside rear
view mirror always turns on in the AUTO mode. When the outside air temperature is low, it may take a little
longer for the mirror to darken in response to the detection of
headlights.
CAUTION
Do not adjust the mirror while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so may cause the
driver to mishandle the vehicle
and an accident may occur resulting in death or serious
injuries.
To ensure correct functioning of anti glare mirror sensors
located on both sides of the mirror, do not touch or cover
the sensors with your finger or a piece of cloth, etc.
STARTING AND DRIVING
259
HOW TO START THE ENGINE
Before cranking
1. Apply the parking brake firmly.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and accessories.
3. Put the selector lever in “P”. If you need to restart the engine
while the vehicle is moving, put the selector lever in “N”. A
starter safety device will prevent the starter from operating if
the selector lever is in any drive position.
4. Depress the brake pedal and hold it to the floor until driving
off.
Starting the engine
Before starting the engine, be sure to follow the instructions in
“Before cranking”.
Normal starting procedure
The multiport fuel injection system/sequential multiport fuel
injection system in your engine automatically controls the
proper air −fuel mixture for starting. You can start a cold or hot
engine as follows:
With your foot off the accelerator pedal, crank the engine by
turning the key to “START”. Release it when the engine starts.
Engine should be warmed up by driving, not in idle. For
warming up, drive with smoothly turning engine until engine
coolant temperature is within normal range. If the engine stalls...
Simply restart it, using the correct procedure given in normal
starting.
If the engine will not start...
See “If your vehicle will not start” on page 298.
NOTICE
Do not crank for more than 30 seconds at a time. This
may overheat the starter and wiring systems.
Do not race a cold engine.
If the engine becomes difficult to start or stalls
frequently, have the engine checked immediately.
DRIVING TIPS
287
Brakes and safety chains
Lexus recommends trailers with brakes that conform to
any applicable federal and state/provincial regulations.
A safety chain must always be used between the towing
vehicle and the trailer. Leave sufficient slack in the
chain for turns. The chain should cross under the
trailer tongue to prevent the tongue from dropping to
the ground in case it becomes damaged or separated.
For correct safety chain procedures, follow the hitch or
trailer manufacturer’s recommendations.
CAUTION
If the total trailer weight exceeds 500 kg (1102 lb.),
trailer brakes are required.
Never tap into your vehicle’s hydraulic system as it
will lower its braking effectiveness.
Never tow a trailer without using a safety chain
securely attached to both the trailer and the vehicle.
If damage occurs to the coupling unit or hitch ball,
there is possible danger of the trailer wandering over
into another lane.
Tires
Ensure that your vehicle’s tires are properly inflated. Adjust
the tire inflation pressure to the recommended cold tire
inflation pressure indicated below:
Tire inflation pressure, kPa (kgf/cm
2 or bar, psi)
P215/60R16 94V Front 200 (2.0, 29) Rear 200 (2.0, 29)
P215/55R17 93V Front 220 (2.2, 32) Rear 220 (2.2, 32)
The trailer tires should be inflated to the pressure
recommended by the trailer manufacturer in respect to the
total trailer weight.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must comply with federal, state/provincial and
local regulations. See your local recreational vehicle dealer
or rental agency for the correct type of wiring and relays for
your trailer. Check for correct operation of the turn signals
and stop lights each time you hitch up. Direct splicing may
damage your vehicle’s electrical system and cause a
malfunction of your lights.
Break in schedule
Lexus recommends that you do not tow a trailer with a new
vehicle or a vehicle with any new power train component
(engine, transmission, differential, wheel bearing, etc.) for
the first 800 km (500 miles) of driving.
DRIVING TIPS
288
Maintenance
If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will require more frequent
maintenance due to the additional load. For this
information, please refer to the scheduled maintenance
information in the “Owner’s Manual Supplement/
Scheduled Maintenance”.
Retighten all fixing bolts of the towing ball and bracket after
approximately 1000 km (600 miles) of trailer driving.
Pre towing safety check
Check that your vehicle remains level when a loaded or
unloaded trailer is hitched. Do not drive if the vehicle has an
abnormal nose −up or nose− down condition, and check for
improper tongue load, overload, worn suspension or other
possible causes.
Make sure the trailer cargo is securely loaded so that it
cannot shift.
Check that your rear view mirrors conform to any federal,
state/provincial or local regulations. If they do not, install
required rear view mirrors appropriate for towing purposes.
Trailer towing tips
When towing a trailer, your vehicle will handle differently
than when not towing. The three main causes of
vehicle trailer accidents are driver error, excessive speed
and improper trailer loading. Keep these in mind when
towing:
Before starting out, check the operation of the lights and all
vehicle −trailer connections. After driving a short distance,
stop and recheck the lights and connections. Practice
turning, stopping and backing with a trailer in an area away
from traffic until you learn the feel.
Backing with a trailer is difficult and requires practice. Grip
the bottom of the steering whe el and move your hand to the
left to move the trailer to the left. Move your hand to the right
to move the trailer to the right. (This procedure is generally
opposite to that when backing without a trailer.) Also, just
turn the steering wheel a little at a time, avoiding sharp or
prolonged turning. Have someone guide you when backing
to reduce the risk of an accident.
Because stopping distance may be increased,
vehicle −to−vehicle distance should be increased when
towing a trailer. For each 16 km/h (10 mph) of speed, allow
at least one vehicle and trailer length between you and the
vehicle ahead. Avoid sudden braking as you may skid,
resulting in jackknifing and loss of control. This is especially
true on wet or slippery surfaces.