2006 LEXUS RX330 light

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
193
FRONT PASSENGER OCCUPANTCLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with a front passenger occupant
classification system. This system detects the conditions
1 — 4 in the table shown below, and based on these
conditions activates or deactivates the following
systems;
 Front passenger airbag
 Side airbag on the front passenger seat
 Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner
The system monitors the weight and load on the front
passenger seat, and the seat belt buckle switch in
determining conditions 1 — 4.
In order for the system to detect the conditions correctly,
do not do any of the following:
 Apply a heavy load to the front passenger seat or equipment
(e.g. seatback pocket or armrest).
 Attach a commercial seatback table, etc. to the front
passenger seat seatback.
 Put weight on the front passenger seat by putting your
hands or feet on the seatback from the rear passenger seat.
“AIRBAG ON” and “AIRBAG OFF” indicator and front
passenger’s seat belt reminder light
SRS warning light

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
194The “AIRBAG ON” and “AIRBAG OFF” indicator lights will
be illuminated when the ignition switch is in the “ON”
position
and a child or child restraint system is in the front
passenger seat (see tablecondition 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:
 The rear passenger lifts the front passenger seat cushion
with their legs.
 Objects are placed under the front passenger seat.
 A front passenger seat seatback is in contact with a rear
seat.
To ensure the system correctly detects an adult sitting in the
front passenger seat, make sure the above do not happen.
Make sure the “AIRBAG ON” indicator light is illuminated when
an adult sits 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 ON” and “AIRBAG OFF” indicator light 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 about two seconds, the front
passenger occupant classification system operates and
judges whether to turn the indicator light on or not.
The SRS warning light and “AIRBAG OFF” indicator light
will be illuminated if there is a malfunction in the front
passenger occupant classification system.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
195
Condition and operation in the front passenger occupant classification s\
ystem
Condition detected by the front
passenger occupant
classification system
Indicator/warning lightDevices
“AIRBAG ON” and
“AIRBAG OFF”
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” as for installing the chil d
restraint system.)
*
4: In the event the front passenger does not wear a seat belt.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
196
CAUTION
To avoid potential death or serious injury when the front
passenger occupant classification system does not
detect the conditions correctly, observe the following.
Wear the seat belt properly.
 Make sure the front passenger’s seat belt tab has not
been left inserted into the buckle before someone
sits in the front passenger seat.
 Make sure the “AIRBAG OFF” indicator light is not
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.
 Do not apply a heavy load to the front passenger seat
or equipment (e.g. seatback pocket or armrest).
 Do not put weight on the front passenger seat by
putting your hands or feet on the front passenger
seat seatback from the rear passenger seat.
 Do not let a rear passenger lift the front passenger
seat with their feet or press on the seatback with their
legs.
 Do not put objects under the front passenger seat.
 Do not recline the front passenger seatback so far
that it touches a rear seat. This may cause the
“AIRBAG OFF” indicator light to be illuminated,
which indicates that the passenger’s airbags will not
deploy in the event of a severe accident. If the
seatback touches the rear seat, return the seatback
to a position where it does not touch the rear seat.
Keep the front passenger seatback as upright as
possible when the vehicle is moving. Reclining the
seatback excessively may lessen the effectiveness
of the seat belt system.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
197
If an adult sits in the front passenger seat, the
“AIRBAG ON” indicator light is illuminated. If the
“AIRBAG OFF” indicator is illuminated, ask the
passenger to sit up straight, well back in the seat, feet
on the floor, and with the seat belt worn correctly. If
the “AIRBAG OFF” indicator still remain illuminated,
either ask the passenger to move to the rear seat, or
if that is not possible, move the front passenger seat
fully rearward.
 When it is unavoidable to install the forwardfacing
child restraint system on the front passenger seat,
install the child restraint system on the front
passenger seat in the proper order. (As for the
installation order, see “Child restraint system” on
page 199.)
 Do not remove the seat.
 Do not kick the front passenger seat or subject it to
severe impact. Otherwise, the SRS warning light may
come on to indicate a malfunction of the detection
system. In this case, contact your Lexus dealer
immediately.
 Child restraint systems installed on the rear seat
should not contact the front seatbacks.In addition to the precautions outlined above, the “AIRBAG
ON” indicator light may be illuminated when a child sits in the
front passenger seat or a forward −facing child restraint system
is installed in the front passenger seat. If the “AIRBAG ON”
indicator light is illuminated in these circumstances, the front
passenger airbag and side airbag on the front passenger side
are in an activated condition — the airbags will deploy if an
impact meets the deployment criteria. Refer to all the cautions
in this Section and “Child restraint system” on page 199.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
198
CHILD RESTRAINT
Child restraint precautions
Lexus strongly urges the use of appropriate child restraint
systems for children.
The laws of all 50 states in the U.S.A. and Canada now require
the use of a child restraint system.
Your vehicle conforms to SAE J1819.
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. See “Seat belts” on page 154 for details.
CAUTION
 For effective protection in automobile accidents and
sudden stops, a child must be properly restrained,
using a seat belt or child restraint system depending
on the age and size of the child. Holding a child in
your arms is not a substitute for a child restraint
system. In an accident, the child can be crushed
against the windshield, or between you and the
vehicle’s interior.
 Lexus strongly urges use of a proper child restraint
system which conforms to the size of the child,
installed on the rear seat. According to accident
statistics, the child is safer when properly restrained
in the rear seat than in the front seat.
 Never install a rearfacing child restraint system on
the front passenger seat even if the “AIRBAG OFF”
indicator light is illuminated. In the event of an
accident, the force of the rapid inflation of the front
passenger airbag can cause death or serious injury
to the child if the rearfacing child restraint system is
installed on the front passenger seat.
 Only when it is unavoidable should a forwardfacing
child restraint system be installed on the front
passenger seat. Always move the seat as far back as
possible even if the “AIRBAG OFF” indicator light is
illuminated, because the front passenger airbag
could inflate with considerable speed and force.
Otherwise, the child may be killed or seriously
injured.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
202
CAUTION
Never install a rearfacing child restraint system on
the front passenger seat even if the “AIRBAG OFF”
indicator light is illuminated. In the event of an
accident the force of the rapid inflation of the front
passenger airbag can cause death or serious injury
to the child if the rearfacing child restraint system is
installed on the front passenger seat.
If the driver’s seat position does not allow sufficient
space for safe installation, install the child restraint
system on the rear right seat. Child restraint system
installed on the rear seat should not contact the front
seatbacks.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
204
CAUTION
After inserting the tab, make sure the tab and buckle
are locked and that the lap and shoulder portions of
the belt are not twisted.
 Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in the buckle as this
may prevent your child from properly latching the tab
and buckle.
 If the seat belt does not function normally, it cannot
protect your child from death or serious injury.
Contact your Lexus dealer immediately. Do not
install the child restraint system on the seat until the
seat belt is fixed.
2. Fully extend the shoulder belt to put it in the lock mode.
When the belt is then retracted even slightly, it cannot be
extended.
To hold the infant seat securely, make sure the belt is in the lock
mode before letting the belt retract.