2005 LEXUS LS430 Owners Manual

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
166
Outboard rear seats (power type)
Adjusting head restraint height
16L275c
 1For left seat 2For right seat
Push the head restraint height control switch on the front
side to move the head restraint upward and on the rear
side to move it downward.
Releasing the switch will stop the head restraint in that
position.
CAUTION
Adjust the center of the head restraint so that it is
closest to the top of your ears.
Outboard rear seats (manual type)
16L277
To raise the head restraint, pull it up. To lower it, press the
lock release button and push the head restraint down. To
move the head restraint forward or rearward, pull or push
on the top.
The head restraint is most effective when it is close to your
head. Therefore, using a cush ion 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.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
167
Center rear seat
16L279
To move the head restraint forward, pull on the top. To
move the head restraint forward or rearward, pull or push
on the top.
The head restraint is most effective when it is close to your
head. Therefore, using a cush ion on the seatback is not
recommended.
CAUTION
After adjusting the head restraint, make sure it is locked
in position.
16L278b
Push the button to return the head restraint to its original
position.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
168
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 199 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. 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.
 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 or your neck may contact the shoulder belt.
In the event of a frontal collision, the more the seat is
reclined, the greater the risk of death or personal
injury.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
169
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 “Cleaning the interior” on
page 515 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.Front seat belt buckle illumination
16L371
Opening the driver’s door lights up the driver’s seat belt
buckle for easy use. The same applies for the front
passenger’s door and seat belt buckle.
The light remains on for 15 seconds after the door is closed,
but goes off immediately when all the doors are locked.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
170
Fastening front and rear seat belts
16L287
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 “Child restraint” on
page 199.) 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.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
171
16L288
Adjust the position of the lap and shoulder belts.
1Position the lap belt as low as possible on your hips − not
on your waist.
2 Adjust it to a snug fit by pulling the shoulder portion
upward through the latch plate.
CAUTION
Both highpositioned lap belts and loosefitting
belts could cause serious injuries due to sliding
under the lap belt during a collision or other
unintended event. Keep the lap belt positioned as
low on hips as possible.
 Do not place the shoulder belt under your arm.
16L289a
Front seat belts only
Adjust the shoulder anchor position to your size.
To adjust the shoulder anchor position, press the upper or
lower part of the control switch located on the door. When the
switch is released, the shoulder anchor will stop at that
position.
CAUTION
Always make sure the shoulder belt is positioned
across the center of your shoulder . The belt should be
kept away from your neck, but not falling off your
shoulder. Failure to do so could reduce the amount of
protection in an accident and cause serious injuries in
a collision.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
172
16L290
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.
Seat belt comfort guides
16L291B
The seat belt comfort guides are installed on the outboard
rear seats to relieve uncomfortableness from the
shoulder belt when it is applied closer to a child’s neck (at
the age of 10 or so), by pulling the shoulder belt a little
forward.
Slide the seat belt comfort guide forward to adjust the
shoulder belt.
The seat belt comfort guide should not be in the forward
position for other purposes.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
173
CAUTION
Always make sure the shoulder belt is positioned
across the center of the child’s shoulder. The belt
should be kept away from the child’s neck, and should
not fall off the child’s shoulder. Failure to observe these
precautions could reduce the effectiveness of the seat
belt in an accident, causing death or serious injury.
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.