2009 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER belt

135
1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
CAUTION
■
SRS airbag precautions
Observe the following precautions regarding the airbags.
Failure to do so may cause 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 the seat belts.
● The SRS driver airbag deploys with considerable 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 the driver’s airbag is the first 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 thepedals comfortably.
• Slightly recline the back of the seat. Although vehicle designs vary, many drivers can achieve the 10 in.
(250 mm) distance, even with the driver seat all the way forward, sim-
ply 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, tilt it downward. This points the air- bag toward your chest instead of your head and neck.
The seat should be adjusted as recommended by NHTSA above, while still
maintaining control of the foot pedals, steering wheel, and your view of the
instrument panel controls.

136 1-7. Safety information
CAUTION
■SRS airbag precautions
●The SRS front passenger airbag also deploys with considerable force, and
can cause death or serious injury especially if the front passenger is v\
ery
close to the airbag. The front passenger seat should be as far from the air-
bag as possible with the seatback adjusted, so the front passenger sits
upright.
● Improperly seated and/or restrained infants and children can be killed or
seriously injured by a deploying airbag. An infant or child who is too small
to use a seat belt should be properly secured using a child restraint sys-
tem. Toyota strongly recommends that all infants and children be placed in
the rear seats of the vehicle and properly restrained. The rear seats are
the safest for infants and children. ( →P. 146)
●If the seat belt extender has been con-
nected to the driver's seat belt buckle
but the seat belt extender has not also
been fastened to the latch plate of the
driver's seat belt, the SRS driver's air-
bag 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.

140
1-7. Safety information
Front passenger occupant classification system
Your vehicle is equipped with a front passenger occupant classifica-
tion system. This system detects the conditions of the front passen-
ger seat and activates or deactivat es the devices for front passenger.
Vehicles without navigation system
Vehicles with navigation system
SRS warning light
“AIR BAG OFF” indicator light
“AIR BAG ON” indicator light
Front passenger's seat belt reminder light

141
1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
Conditions and operation of
the front passenger occupant
classification system
■ Adult*
1
■Child*3 or child restraint system*4
Indicator/
warning light “AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF” indi-
cator lights “AIR BAG
ON”
SRS warning light Off
Front passenger's seat belt reminder light
Flashing*2
Devices Front passenger airbag
Activated
Side airbag on the front passenger seat
Curtain shield airbag in the front passen- ger side
Front passenger's seat belt pretensioner
Indicator/
warning light “AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF” indi-
cator lights “AIR BAG
OFF”*
5
SRS warning light Off
Front passenger's seat belt reminder light Flashing*
2
DevicesFront passenger airbag
Deactivated
Side airbag on the front passenger seat
Curtain shield airbag in the front passen- ger side Activated
Front passenger's seat belt pretensioner

142 1-7. Safety information
■Unoccupied
■ There is a malfunction in the system
*
1: The system judges a person of adult size as an adult. When a smaller adult sits in the front pa ssenger seat, the system may rec-
ognize him/her as a child depending on his/her physique and pos-
ture.
*
2: In the event the front passeng er does not wear a seat belt.
*
3: When a larger child who has outgrown a child restraint system sits in the front passenger sea t, the system may recognize him/
her as an adult depending on hi s/her physique or posture.
Indicator/
warning light “AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF” indi-
cator lights Not illumi-
nated
SRS warning light Off
Front passenger's seat belt reminder
light
Devices Front passenger airbag
Deactivated
Side airbag on the front passenger seat
Curtain shield airbag in the front passen- ger side Activated
Front passenger's seat belt pretensioner Deactivated
Indicator/
warning light “AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF” indi-
cator lights “AIR BAG
OFF”
SRS warning light On
Front passenger's seat belt reminder light Off
Devices Front passenger airbag
Deactivated
Side airbag on the front passenger seat
Curtain shield airbag in the front passen- ger side Activated
Front passenger's seat belt pretensioner

144 1-7. Safety information
CAUTION
■Front passenger occupant classification system precautions
Observe the following precautions regarding front passenger occupant clas-
sification system.
Failure to do so may cause death or serious injury.
●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 “AIR BAG OFF” indicator light is not illuminated when using
the seat belt extender for the front passenger seat. If the “AIR BAG 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 “AIR BAG ON” indicator light is illuminated. If you
use the seat belt extender while the “AIR BAG OFF” indicator light is illumi-
nated, the front passenger airbag, 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).
● 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 “AIR BAG 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 seat-
back 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.

145
1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
CAUTION
■
Front passenger occupant classification system precautions
●If an adult sits in the front passenger seat, the “AIR BAG ON” indicator
light is illuminated. If the “AIR BAG 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 “AIR BAG OFF” indicator 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.
● When it is unavoidable to install the forward-facing child restraint system
on the front passenger seat, install the child restraint system on the front
passenger seat in the proper order. ( →P. 151)
● Do not modify or remove the front seats.
● Do not kick the front passenger seat or subject it to severe impact. Other-
wise, the SRS warning light may come on to indicate a malfunction of the
detection system. In this case, contact your Toyota dealer immediately.
● Child restraint systems installed on the rear seat should not contact the
front seatbacks.
● Do not use a seat accessory, such as a cushion or seat cover, that covers
the seat cushion surface.
● Do not modify or replace the upholstery of the front seat.

146
1-7. Safety information
Child restraint systems
Points to rememberStudies have shown that installing a child restraint on a rear seat is
much safer than installing one to the front passenger seat.
● Choose a child restraint system that suits your vehicle and is
appropriate to the age and size of the child.
● For installation details, follow the instructions provided with the
child restraint system.
General installation instructions are provided in this manual.
(→ P. 151)
A child restraint system fo r a small child or baby must itself be prop-
erly restrained on the seat with the lap portion of the lap/shoulder
belt.
The laws of all 50 states of the U.S.A. and Canada now require the
use of child restraint systems.