2011 Lexus ES350 belt

85
1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
ES350_U
CAUTION
■While driving
●Do not adjust the position of the driver’s seat while driving.
Doing so could cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
●Do not place a cushion between the driver or passenger and the seatback.
A cushion may prevent correct posture from being achieved, and reduce the
effectiveness of the seat belt and head restraint, increasing the risk of death or
serious injury to the driver or passenger.
●Do not place anything under the front seats.
Objects placed under the front seats may become jammed in the seat tracks and
stop the seat from locking in place. This may lead to an accident. The adjustment
mechanism may also be damaged.
■Adjusting the seat position:
●Take care when adjusting the seat position to ensure that other passengers are
not injured by the moving seat.
●Do not put your hands under the seat or near the moving parts to avoid injury.
Fingers or hands may become jammed in the seat mechanism.

86
1-7. Safety information
ES350_U
SRS airbags
The SRS airbags inflate when the vehicle is subjected to certain types of
severe impacts that may cause significant injury to the occupants. They
work together with the seat belts to help reduce the risk of death or serious
injury.
Front airbags
Driver airbag/front passenger airbag
Can help protect the head and chest of the driver and front passen-
ger from impact with interior components.
Knee airbags
Can help provide driver and front passenger protection.
Side and curtain shield airbags
Side airbags
Can help protect the torso of the front seat occupants and rear seat
outside occupants.
Curtain shield airbags
Can help protect primarily the head of outside occupants.

87
1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
ES350_U
Airbag system componentsYour vehicle is equipped with ADVANCED AIRBAGS designed based
on US motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS208). The airbag system
controls airbag deployment power for the driver and front passenger. The
driver airbag system consists of the driver seat’s position sensor etc. The
front passenger’s airbag system consists of the front passenger occupant
classification sensor etc. Front passenger airbag
Curtain shield airbags
AIR BAG ON and AIR BAG
OFF indicator lights
Side airbags for the front pas-
sengers
Side and curtain shield airbag
sensors
Curtain shield airbag sensors
Side airbags for the rear out-
side passengers
SRS warning light
Driver airbag
Driver's seat position sensor
Knee airbags
Driver's seat belt buckle switch
Front passenger’s seat belt
buckle switch
Airbag sensor assembly
Occupant detection system
(ECU and sensors)
Front airbag sensors

88
1-7. Safety information
ES350_UThe main SRS airbag system components are shown above. The SRS
airbag system is controlled by the airbag sensor assembly. The airbag
sensor assembly consists of a safing sensor and an airbag sensor.
In certain types of severe frontal or side impacts, the SRS airbag system
triggers the airbag inflators. A chem
ical reaction in the inflators quickly
fills the airbags with non-toxic gas to help restrain the motion of the occu-
pants.
■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 wheel hub, airbag cover and inflator) as
well as the seats, and parts of the front pillar, rear pillar and roof side rail, may be
hot for several minutes. The airbag itself may also be hot.
●The windshield may crack.
●For Safety Connect subscribers, if the SRS airbags deploy or in the event of a
severe rear-end collision, the system is designed to send an emergency call to
the response center, notifying them of the vehicle’s location (without needing to
push the “SOS” button) and an agent will attempt to speak with the occupants
to ascertain the level of emergency and assistance required. If the occupants
are unable to communicate, the agent automatically treats the call as an emer-
gency and helps to dispatch the necessary emergency services. ( →P. 353)
■SRS airbag deployment conditions (front airbags)
●The SRS front airbags will deploy in the event of an impact that exceeds the set
threshold level (the level of force corresponding to an approximately 12 - 18
mph [20 - 30 km/h] frontal collision with a fixed wall that does not move or
deform).
However, this threshold velocity will be considerably higher if the vehicle strikes
an 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 threshold level, the SRS front airbags and the
seat belt pretensioners may not activate together.

92
1-7. Safety information
ES350_U
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 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 pedalscomfortably.
• Slightly recline the back of the seat. Although vehicle designs vary, many driv- ers can achieve the 10 in. (250 mm) distance, even with the driver seat all the
way 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, tilt it downward. This points the airbag toward your chest instead of your head and neck.
The seat should be adjusted as recommended by NHTSA above, while still main-
taining control of the foot pedals, steering wheel, and your view of the instrument
panel controls.

93
1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
ES350_U
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 airbag as possible with
the seatback adjusted, so the front passenger sits upright.
●Improperly seated and/or restrained infants and children can be killed or seri-
ously 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 system. Lexus 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. 1 0 2 )
●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 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.

97
1
1-7. Safety information
Before driving
ES350_U
Front passenger occupant classification system
Your vehicle is equipped with a front passenger occupant classification sys-
tem. This system detects the conditions of the front passenger seat and
activates or deactivates the devices for front passenger.
SRS warning light
Front passenger’s seat belt reminder light
“AIR BAG OFF” indicator light
“AIR BAG ON” indicator light
With navigation system
Without navigation system

98
1-7. Safety information
ES350_U
Condition and operation in 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” indicator lights“A I R B A G ON”
SRS warning light Off
Front passenger’s seat belt reminder light Flashing
*2
DevicesFront passenger airbag
Activated
Side airbag on the right side
passenger seatsCurtain shield airbag in the front passenger side
Front passenger knee airbag
Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner
Indicator/
warning light
“AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF” indicator lights“A I R B A G OFF”*5
SRS warning light Off
Front passenger’s seat belt reminder light Flashing
*2
DevicesFront passenger airbag
Deactivated
Side airbag on the right side
passenger seatsCurtain shield airbag in the front passenger sideActivated
Front passenger knee airbag Deactivated
Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner Activated