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SV16107
3Insert these tabs in the hollow of the seat belt cover, pull
it up and hook it while pressing the ªPUSHº mark.
Seat belt must be stowed before you fold the seatback. (See
ªFold±down rear seatsº on page 105.)
NOTICE
The seat belt must be stowed before you fold the seat- back.
Folding down rear seats
SV16103
Lower the head restraints to the lowest position, unlock
the seatbacks by pushing the lock release button on the
side of the seatback and fold them down.
When returning the rear seats to their original position, lift
up the seatbacks until they lock.
CAUTION
When returning seats to their original position:
Make sure the seat belts are not twisted or caught
under the seat and are arranged in their proper posi-
tion and are ready to use.
Make sure the seat is securely locked by pushing
forward and rearward on the top of the seatback.
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Pregnant woman. Lexus recommends the use of a seat belt.
Ask your doctor for specific recommendations. The lap belt
should be worn securely and as low as possible over the hips
and not on the waist.
Injured person. Lexus recommends the use of a seat belt.
Depending on the injury, first check with your doctor for specific
recommendations.
CAUTION
Persons should ride in their seats properly wearing
their seat belts whenever the vehicle is moving.
Otherwise, they are much more likely to suffer serious
bodily injury or death in the event of sudden braking or
a collision.
When using the seat belts, observe the following:
Use the belt for only one person at a time. Do not use
a single belt for two or more people ± even children.
To reduce the risk of sliding under the lap belt during
a collision, avoid reclining the seatback any more
than needed. The seat belts provide maximum
protection in a frontal or rear collision when the
driver and the front passenger are sitting up straight
and well back in the seats. If you are reclined, the lap
belt may slide past your hips and apply restraint
forces directly to the abdomen. In the event of a
frontal collision, the more the seat is reclined, the
greater the risk of personal injury.
Be careful not to damage the belt webbing or
hardware. Take care that they do not get caught or
pinched in the seat or doors.
Inspect the belt system periodically. Check for cuts,
fraying, and loose parts. Damaged parts should be
replaced. Do not disassemble or modify the system.
Keep the belts clean and dry. If they need cleaning,
use a mild soap solution or lukewarm water. Never
use bleach, dye, or abrasive cleaners, or allow them
to come into contact with the belt ± they may severely
weaken the belts. (See ªCleaning the interiorº on
page 399 for instructions.)
Replace the belt assembly (including bolts) if it has
been used in a severe impact. The entire assembly
should be replaced even if damage is not obvious.
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11 2
Fastening front and rear seat belts
SV16013
Adjust the seat as needed and sit up straight and well back
in the seat. To fasten your belt, pull it out of the retractor
and insert the tab into the buckle.
You will hear a click when the tab locks into the buckle.
The seat belt length automatically adjusts to your size and the
seat position.
The retractor will lock the belt during a sudden stop or on
impact. It also may lock if you lean forward too quickly. A slow,
easy motion will allow the belt to extend, and you can move
around freely.
When a passenger's shoulder belt is completely extended and
is then retracted even slightly, the belt is locked in that position
and cannot be extended. This feature is used to hold the child
restraint system securely. (For details, see ªChild restraintº on
page 141.) To free the belt again, fully retract the belt and then
pull the belt out once more. If the seat belt cannot be pulled out of the retractor, firmly pull
the belt and release it. You will then be able to smoothly pull the
belt out of the retractor.
CAUTION
After inserting the tab, make sure the tab and buckle
are locked and that the belt is 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.
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11 4
SV16016
To release the belt, press the buckle release button and
allow the belt to retract.
If the belt does not retract smoothly, pull it out and check for
kinks or twists. Then make sure it remains untwisted as it
retracts.
Rear center seat belt
SV16087
1Buckle with light gray buckle ±release button
2Buckle with red buckle ± release button
The rear center seat belt is a 3±point type restraint with 2
buckles. Both seat belt buckles must be correctly located and
securely latched for proper operation.
Make sure that buckle (with light gray buckle±release button)
is securely latched for ready use of the center seat belt.
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11 5
SV16088
Two buckles and tabs for rear center seat belt.
The 2 buckles for the rear center seat belt are distinguished
with colors of the buckle release button. Also the 2 tabs have
different shape for its end so that the belt is not buckled in the
wrong place.
1Buckle with light gray buckle±release button ±
Properly matches with concave end tab
2Buckle with red buckle±release button ± Properly
matches with round end tab
CAUTION
Make sure the both buckles are correctly located and
securely latched. Failure to properly match the buckle
and tab may cause serious injury in case of an accident
or a collision.
SV16089
To release the concave end tab, insert the key into the hole on
buckle (with light gray buckle±release button ) and allow the
belt to retract.
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11 8
Pulling out the rear center seat belt
SV16108
To use the rear center seat belt, press ªPUSHº mark and
pull out the tabs.
Seat belt extender
If your seat belts cannot be fastened securely because they
are not long enough, a personalized seat belt extender is
available from your Lexus dealer free of charge.
Please contact your local Lexus dealer so that the dealer can
order the proper required length for the extender. Bring the
heaviest coat you expect to wear for proper measurement and
selection of length. Additional ordering information is available
at your Lexus dealer.
CAUTION
When using the seat belt extender, observe the
following precautions. Failure to follow these
instructions could reduce the effectiveness of the seat
belt restraint system in case of an accident, increasing
the chance of personal injury.
Remember that the extender provided for you may
not be safe when used on a different vehicle, for
another person or at a different seating position than
the one originally intended.
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11 9
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.
SV16050
To connect the extender to the seat belt, insert the tab into
the seat belt buckle so that the ªPRESSº 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 ext ender, not on the seat belt. This helps prevent
damage to the vehicle interior and extender itself.
When not in use, remove the extender and store in the vehicle
for future use.
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125
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 ªChild restraintº on page 141.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 ªunderridesº, or goes under, the bed of a
truck, etc.).
It is possible that in some collisions where the forward
deceleration of the vehicle is very close to the designed
threshold level, the SRS front airbags and the seat belt
pretensioners may not activate together.
Always wear your seat belts properly.
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