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1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
Airbag system components
The main SRS airbag system components are shown above. The SRS air-
bag system is controlled by the airb ag sensor as
sembly. The airbag sen-
sor assembly consists of a safing sensor and airbag sensor.
In certain types of severe frontal or side impacts, the SRS airbag s
ystem
triggers the airbag inflators. A chemica l reaction in the inflators quickly
fills the airbags with non-toxic gas to help restrain the motion of the occu -
pants. Front airbag sensors
Front passenger’s seat belt
buckle switch
Occupant detection sensor
Side and curtain shield airbag
sensors
Knee airbags
Front passenger airbag
Side airbags
Curtain shield airbag sensors
Curtain shield airbags
Driver airbag
Driver’s seat position sensor
Driver’s seat belt buckle switch
SRS warning light
Airbag sensor assembly
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
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1-7. Safety information
■If the SRS airbags deploy (inflate)
●Bruising and slight abrasions may result from contact with a deploying (inflating)
SRS airbag.
●A loud noise and white powder will be emitted.
●Parts of the airbag module (steering whee l hub, airbag cover and inflator), as
well as the front seats, apart from the front pillar and roof side rail may be hot for
several minutes, and the airbags themselves will be hot.
●The front windshield may crack.
■Operating conditions (front airbags)
●The SRS front airbags will deploy if the severity of the frontal impact is above the
designed threshold level, comparable to an approximate 15 mph (25 km/h) col -
lision, when the vehicle imp acts
straight into a fixed barrier that does not move
or deform.
However, this threshold velocity will be considerably higher, if the vehicle strikes
a
n 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.).
●It is possible that in some collisions where the forward deceleration of the vehi -
cle is very close to the designed thresh ol
d level, the SRS front airbags and the
seat belt pretensioners ma y not activate together.
●The SRS front passenger airbag will not activate, if there is no passenger sitting
in the front passenger seat. However, th e front passenger airbag may deploy, if
luggage is put in the seat or the seat belt is buckled up, regardless of the pres -
ence of an occupant in the seat.
■Operating conditions (side and curtain shield airbags)
●The SRS side airbags and curtain shield airbags are designed to inflate, when
the passenger compartment is subjected to a severe impact from the side.
●The SRS side airbag on the passenger seat will not activate, if there is no passen -
ger sitting in the front passenger seat. Ho
wever, the side airbag on the passen-
ger seat may deploy, if luggage is put in the seat or the seat belt is buckled up,
r
egardless of the presence of the occupant in the seat.
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1-7. Safety information
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Before driving
■Conditions under which the SRS airbags may deploy (inflate) other than a colli-
sion
The SRS front airbags may also deploy, if a se
rious impact occurs to the underside
of your vehicle. Some examples are shown in the illustration.
■Types of collisions that may not de ploy the SRS airbag (front airbags)
The SRS front airbags are generally not designed to inflate, if the vehicle is involved
i
n a side or rear collision, if it rolls over or if it is involved in a low-speed frontal colli -
sion. But, whenever a collision of any type c
auses sufficient forward deceleration of
the vehicle, deployment of th e SRS front airbags may occur.
●Hitting a curb, edge of pavement or hard
surface
●Falling into or jumping over a deep hole
●Landing hard or vehicle falling
●Collision from the side
●Collision from the rear
●Vehicle rollover
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1-7. Safety information
■Types of collisions that may not deploy the SRS airbag (side and curtain shield air-
bags)
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.
The SRS side airbags and curtain shield airbags are not generally designed to
infl
ate, if the vehicle is involved in a frontal or rear collision, if it rolls over or if it is
involved in a low-speed side collision.
●Collision from the side to the vehicle body
other than the passenger compartment
●Collision from the side at an angle
●Collision from the front
●Collision from the rear
●Vehicle rollover
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1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
■When to contact your Lexus dealer
In the following cases, contact your Lexus dealer as soon as possible. Do not dis-
connect the battery cables before contacting your Lexus dealer.
●Any of the SRS airbags have been
inflated.
●The front of the vehicle (shaded in the
illustration) was involved in an accident
that was not severe enough to cause the
SRS front airbags to inflate.
●The portion of the doors (shaded in the
illustration) was involved in an accident
that was not severe enough to cause the
SRS side airbags and curtain shield air-
bags to inflate.
●The pad section of the steering wheel,
front passenger airbag cover or lower
portion of instrument panel (shaded in the
illustration) is scratched, cracked or oth-
erwise damaged.
●The surface of the seats with the side air-
bag (shaded in the illustration) is
scratched, cracked or otherwise dam-
aged.
●The portion of the front pillars, rear pillars
or roof side rail garnishes (padding) con-
taining the curtain shield airbags inside
(shaded in the illustration) is scratched,
cracked or otherwise damaged.
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1-7. Safety information
CAUTION
■SRS airbag precautions
Observe the following precautions regarding the airbags. Failure to do so may
ca
use death or serious injury:
●The driver and all passengers in the vehicle must wear their seat belts properly.
The SRS airbags are supplemental devices to be used with seat belts.
●The SRS driver airbag deploys by a cons iderable force and can cause death or
serious injury especially, if the driver is very close to the airbag. The National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) advises:
Since the risk zone for driver airbag is th e fi
rst 2 - 3 in. (50 - 75 mm) of inflation,
placing yourself 10 in. (250 mm) from your driver airbag provides you with a
clear margin of safety. This distance is measured from the center of the steering
wheel to your breastbone. If you sit less than 10 in. (250 mm) away now, you can
change your driving position in several ways:
• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the pedals
co
mfortably.
• Slightly recline the back of the seat. Alt
hough vehicle designs vary, many driv-
ers can achieve the 10 in. (250 mm) distance, even with the driver seat all the
w
ay forward, simply by reclining the back of the seat somewhat. If reclining
the back of your seat makes it hard to see the road, raise yourself by using a
firm, non-slippery cushion or raise the seat if your vehicle has that feature.
• If your steering wheel is adjustable, ti lt it do
wnward. This points the airbag
toward your chest instead of your head and neck.
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1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
CAUTION
The seat should be adjusted as recommended by NHTSA above, while still main-
taining control of the foot pedals, steerin g
wheel and your view of the instrument
panel controls.
●The SRS front passenger airbag also de ploys by a 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.
●If the seat belt extender has been con-
nected to the driver’s seat belt buckle but
the seat belt extender has also not also
been fastened to the latch plate of the
driver’s seat belt, the SRS driver’s airbag
system will judge that the driver is wearing
the seat belt, even though the seat belt has
not been connected. In this case the
driver’s airbag may not activate correctly, in
a collision, resulting in death or serious
injury in the event of collision. Be sure to
wear the seat belt with the seat belt
extender.
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1-7. Safety information
CAUTION
■SRS airbag precautions
●Do not sit on the edge of the seat or lean
against the dashboard.
●Do not allow a child to stand in front of the
SRS front passenger airbag unit or sit on
the passenger’s knees while the vehicle is
moving.
●Do not drive the vehicle while the driver or
passenger has something resting on his or
her knees.
●Do not lean against the door, the front, the
side and rear pillars or the roof side rail.