2010 TOYOTA PRIUS Owners Manual

121
1-8. Safety information
1
Before driving
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
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 driver 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 cen-
ter 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 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.

122 1-8. Safety information
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
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 very
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.
● A deploying airbag can cause death or serious injuries to improperly
seated and/or restrained infants and children. An infant or child who is too
small to use a seat belt should be properly secured using a child restraint
system. 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. 132)
●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.

123
1-8. Safety information
1
Before driving
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
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 knees of a front passenger.
● Do not drive the vehicle while the driver
or passenger have items resting on
their knees.
● Do not lean against the door, the roof
side rail or the front, side and rear pil-
lars.
● Do not allow anyone to kneel on the
passenger seats toward the door or put
their head or hands outside the vehicle.

124 1-8. Safety information
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
CAUTION
■SRS airbag precautions
● If the vinyl cover is put on the area where the SRS knee airbag will deploy,
be sure to remove it.
● Do not use seat accessories which cover the parts where the SRS side
airbags inflate as they may interf ere with inflation of the airbags.
● Do not strike or apply significant levels of force to the area of the SRS air-
bag components. ( P. 115)
Doing so can cause the SRS airbags to malfunction.
● Do not touch any of the component parts immediately after the SRS air-
bags have deployed (inflated) as they may be hot.
● If breathing becomes difficult after the SRS airbag has deployed, open a
door or window to allow fresh air in, or leave the vehicle if it is safe to do
so. Wash off any residue as soon as possible to prevent skin irritation.
●Do not attach anything to or lean any-
thing against areas such as the dash-
board, steering wheel pad or lower
portion of the instrument panel. These
items can become projectiles when
SRS driver and front passenger and
knee airbags deploy.
● Do not attach anything to areas such as
the door, windshield glass, side door
glass, front, center and rear pillars, roof
side rail or assist grip.
● Do not hang coat hangers or other hard
objects on the coat hooks. All of these
items could become projectiles and
result in death or serious injury, should
the SRS curtain shield airbag deploy.

125
1-8. Safety information
1
Before driving
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
CAUTION
■
SRS airbag precautions
● If the areas where the SRS airbags are stored, such as the steering wheel
pad and front, center and rear pillar garnishes, are damaged or cracked,
have them replaced by your Toyota dealer.
● Do not place anything, such as a cushion, on the front passenger’s seat.
Doing so will disperse the passenger’s weight, which prevents the sensor
from detecting the passenger’s weight properly. As a result, the SRS front
passenger airbag may not deploy in the event of a collision.
■ Modification and disposal of SRS airbag system components
Do not dispose of your vehicle or perfo rm any of the following modifications
without consulting your Toyota dealer. 
The SRS airbag may malfunction or deploy (inflate) accidentally, causing
death or serious injury.
● Installation, removal, disassembly and repair of the SRS airbags
● Repairs, modifications, removal or replacement of the steering wheel,
instrument panel, dashboard, seats or seat upholstery, front, center and
rear pillars or roof side rail
● Repairs or modifications of the front fender, front bumper, or side of the
occupant compartment
● Installation of snow plows, winches, etc. to the front grille (bull bars, kan-
garoo bar etc.)
● Modifications to the vehicle’s suspension system
● Installation of electronic devices such as mobile two-way radios or CD
players
● Modifications to your vehicle for a person with a physical disability

126
1-8. Safety information
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
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 deactivates the devices for front passenger.
SRS warning light
“AIR BAG OFF” indicator light
“AIR BAG ON” indicator light
Front passenger’s seat belt reminder light

127
1-8. Safety information
1
Before driving
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
Condition and operation in the front passenger occupant classi-
fication system
■ Adult
*1
■Child*3 or child restraint system*4
Indicator/
warning light “AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF”
indicator 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 passenger side
Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner
Indicator/
warning light “AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF”
indicator lights “AIR BAG
OFF”*5
SRS warning light Off
Front passenger’s seat belt reminder light Flashing
*2
Devices Front passenger airbag
Deactivated
Side airbag on the front passenger seat
Activated
Curtain shield airbag in the front
passenger side
Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner

128 1-8. Safety information
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.■
Unoccupied
Indicator/
warning light “AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF”
indicator 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 Activated
Curtain shield airbag in the front
passenger side
Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner Deactivated